This was awesome.Buuuut look at my rating. Hum hum. Four stars. Only four st✭✭✭✭✭ 4Team Awesomestars ✭✭✭✭✭
I'll never see them again. *sigh*
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This was awesome.Buuuut look at my rating. Hum hum. Four stars. Only four stars for a book which have Mr Awesomenessyes he's totally perfect in it. Yep. So here's the thing : I'm totally in the mood for rambling and gushing about Tristan and all these amazing characters, so this is what we will do : Let's rid ourselves once and for all of the parts I struggled with before I begin to explain why I'm so a sucker for this trilogy.
৩৩৩৩ Warning : Spoilers for Anew and Awry ahead. ৩৩৩৩
Okay? Ready? Let's go!
♕ The flashbacks. Funny how something I loved in Awry could become the very part of the story I disliked. Wow, I'm worried, because I have to ask myself -
Am I a fickle person? Meeee? [image]
Guess that would suck, huh?
Fortunately, I don't think so. Not that I am perfect, blabla, but these flashbacks can't be compared to those ones in Awry.
Why?
First because of the organization of the chapters themselves : in Awry, the alternation between the telling of the events which happened in 1500s and the story taking place our days let us be interested in both stories. While in Avow, the flashbacks are built all in one piece, so, translation : we have to go through half of the book written in f*cking italics, and excuse me, but I found it very annoying. Am I weird? But my eyes!This hurt! Seriously.
Moreover, those flashbacks, if necessary and still interesting, appear to be a bit repetitive and Oh. my. god. I just couldn't wait to return in the present days because Hey! We let our characters in a very important and someway critical situation dammit!! Actually, I felt like the author stole me the story. I mean, hey, I have waited two books to see Scarlet with her memories back and it seemed to be as I was cheated :hello, are you happy? Very truly happy? You want to know what will happen next?. You have to wait 200 pages or so. Damn.
Of course I completely sulked! (I'm not perfect, remember?)
▲ While I'm complaining, here's my second : Was I supposed to not guess the exact way the book would end? Yes? No? Maybe? Hum?
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㋡ The characters.
Obviously, let's begin with the real star of this book, the sunshine - hum, the broody sunshine - of this book... Drum roll... Tristan Archer!
I know I have gushing - a lot - about him in my reviews of Anew and Awry, but if I can say : We discover here another aspects of his personality and you know - how to say that?He's so freakin' perfect that's a shame. I kind of think Chelsea Fine tried - and totally succeeded, by the way - to create the perfect male lead. I mean, after the smart-ass but funny ninja - hottie - we met in Anew, the flashbacks in the 1500s gave us insights of his very true personality, giving us the opportunity to discover a man who loves so completely, selflessly, adorably, we just can't help but adore him.
Do you know what I prefer about him? ✗ Nooo, not his tattoo (even if, well. Hum. Whatever.)
No, what makes me fall completely is the fact that he loves Scarlet for who she truly is. Stubborn. Strong-minded. A thief. He's always proud of her and never tries to overtake her decisions, never tries to choose for her - well, except in order to save her because hey, she has some difficulties to resist him and that's totally normal^^.
But I'm rambling, sorry. So, where was I? Oh, yes, the new aspects of his personality we discover in Avow. I won't lie to you, the flashbacks were painful for my fluffy heart. So damn painful. As I said earlier, while these chapters are sometimes a bit too long, on the other hand they lead us to understand fully why Tristan behaved like he did in Anew. In a word : Watch out! My feelings!
My heart ached and broke and - ached and broke over and over again. Learning all the decisions and awful choices he made for the sake of Scarlet was heartbreaking. I must admit, sometimes I wanted him to be more selfish. Dammit! He deserved it!
But don't worry too much though, because you know what? There was moments where my wounds healed a bit, I smiled so big it hurt - That was wonderful.
*swoon*
❝ Tristan stopped at the stairs and stared down at her, still smiling. "You coming, or what?" This wasn't the dark, tormented Tristan from her previous lives looking at her with his little boy grin. This was Hunter. Which was wonderful and terrible at the same time. Bossy, dark Tristan Scarlet could avoid. But charming, sweet Tristan? ❞
To conclude with Tristan - before I spend all my review talking about him. I totally could. - I'll say just one thing : Obviously I'm often moved by characters, but it's rare I fall so much for them, especially in paranormal. While here, Tristan won me from the beginning and never, ever disappointed me. I loved absolutely all the aspects of him, all his complexity. From his love for weapons to the playful sides of him, including the strength he shows in the harsh choices he makes and the heartbreaking way he loves Scarlet. Hum.
Guess I just adore him, that's all.
❝ Another tear fell and Tristan was completely lost. He'd never seen her fall apart like this and his heart didn't know what to do with hers. He wrapped her back against his chest. Speechless. Terrified. He loved Scarlet. More than anything. And she was scaring the hell out of him. ❞
Let's talk about Scarlet now. As I said in my review of Anew, she's an enjoyable and strong-minded female lead and I must say : as Tristan, Scarlet, I'm proud of you. Yes she's stubborn, and yes she's wrong sometimes but she always follows her way without throwing up her hands. She's courageous. Oh well, and she makes me laugh.
❝ Yeah. I know it seems weird," she said. "And I'd really love to explain myself, but honestly, you came up out of nowhere and I haven't had time to put together a good lie. ❞
Moreover, I truly enjoyed the fact that her memories were brought back to her. Because this Scarlet who knows how to fight and has centuries of battles before her? She's a complete badass. And I. love. it.
❝ Agh. Spare me your sacrificial agenda." Another memory hit her and her veins heated. "And you let me wander around with amnesia for two years?" He opened his mouth, but Scarlet cut him off. "And then you let me date Gabriel? What the hell, Tristan? ❞
But do you want to know who surprised me the most? Gabriel. He and I don't really share a great history : I found him boring and dumb in Anew, hated him then just stand him in Awry, and here, the trilogy is finished and... I kind of like him. I know, I know, he was horrible to Tristan and all that stuff sometimes, but I ended to understand him you know? This Archer boy becomes so much more that we could expect in the beginning. Of course I didn't always agree with him - that's quite the opposite - but while he appears to be incredibly selfish in Anew and Awry, he redeems himself in Avow : he's funny, trustworthy, courageous, (view spoiler)[and the moments he became aware of his feelings for Heather were part of my favorites. (hide spoiler)]
❝ Wha- What was that?" Heather lifted a brow. "What was that hey bro, make sure the blond chick doesn't cut any body parts off look? Because I'll have you know, I'm an expert with butcher knives." Tristan pointed at the weapon in Heather's hand. "That's a machete. ❞
As for Heather and Nate, they confirm their role as super awesome and funny friends. I really appreciated the fact that they bring light to the story, especially Heather - I missed her so much in the flashbacks of this one! Beyond her love for fashion and all the "O-M-G" she let out, she turns out to be incredibly loyal, and yes, brave someway.
❝ I'm so confused." Nate shook his head. "What's happening here?" He waved his spoon around at Tristan. "Why are you whistling and making breakfast? Why are you doing happy person things? This is very unsettling." Tristan shrugged. ❞
✶A word about the plot : I don't want to spoil you, so I'll be fast : except from the fact that I guessed the end waaay before, the author offers us some wonderful twists which made me feel so much emotions that I can't be disappointed.
♡ ♡ This journey in Avalon was amazing and unforgettable : I followed the characters, and someway, they became artifacts of myself - I fell in love with them, I suffered, I cried, I hoped, I worried, I laughed, I was pissed, mad, left without breath sometimes - I loved. ♡ ♡
What else could I want?
→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→ Hunter!!! ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ Yeah, I'm totally singing right now - You'd better hide or something ㋡ [image]...more
What a wonderful journey! It's been a long time since I enjoyed a sequel more than the fi☆☆☆☆☆ 5Hello, hunter!stars ☆☆☆☆☆
One minute please - [image]
What a wonderful journey! It's been a long time since I enjoyed a sequel more than the first book. I'm not saying it never happens, but, well, that's pretty rare, you know? When we read a trilogy, beginning the second volume is always filled with fear and followed by tons of existential questions, which we can sum up with this one : Will the sequel ruin or glorify the expectations born in the first book?
Anew ends with a cliffhanger - the kind of cliffhangers I despise the most, you know, those ones which break our silly heart. Those ones which made us be completely eager to continue the adventure.
Well, seems to be a good way to sell your books, I guess. Because it completely works : I literally jumped on Awry - well, almost literally - begging Chelsea Fine silently : Please, please, Tristan's creator, don't disappoint me.
She didn't.
❝You like messy love, do you?❞
Because I have to say -
I loved everything. Every. single. part. of. it.
❝What a memory. What a wonderful, hot, passionate - Tristan cleared his throat. Scarlet stopped reminiscing.❞
Here's my lazy review - Understand : hey guys, I love you but it's 3 a.m here - Real review coming soon ㋡ [image]
Where Anew was an amazing introduction to the world of Avalon, Awry just overtakes all the single expectations we could have. Seriously. I'm speechless right now. You loved to follow Scarlet and the Archer's boys? You've seen nothing - and I'm weighing my words here.
❝Someone needs to fix her." Heather looked around. "Where's the nerdy, little immortal?❞
Chelsea Fine offers us two stories here, thanks to the wonderful flashbacks in our protagonists first life, and I must admit : I was passionate about both of them, which is just amazing. I mean, that's the problem we often meet when an author cuts his story in two parts : I often grow bored by one or the other aspect of the story. While here, each page made me want more. More of Scarlet badass. More of Tristan's awesomeness. More of crazy nerd Nate. More of makes-me-laugh-out-loud Heather. Even more of Gabriel, that says it all^^ - well, when I didn't hate him. Sometimes. *shrug*
❝Dude". Nate stared at the blade. "What is with you always being armed? It's weird. " "If by 'weird' you mean incredibly convenient, then yeah. It's 'weird'." Tristan wiggled the knife. "Just shut up and take the weapon. And, if you have to use it, no battle cries.❞
Love. Trust. Choice. Selflessness. Magic.
Annnnd obviously, another cliffangher.
*sigh*
But a good one - Those ones which make us eager to read more, but keep our heart filled with love and wonder ♥
And by the way, Tristan's just entered in my favorite of all times. Yep. I know, wow. ↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠ Tristan?Now? [image]
I know, I know, he's fictional and all that stuff. ↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠↠ Hey! What better spokeswoman than the only red-haired princess to show you how impatient I am?
Look - eight hours after the end of Anew, I kinda feel still off - [image]
Awry? More Tristan?? Of course - [image]
I know I totally behave like a little girl but Tristan? ❤❤❤ I can't wait to enjoy more of his moody style^^
❝ Yes. Yes, Gabriel. I'm the Grim Reaper. You caught me. I drive around in my car full of weapons collecting souls. ❞ ...more
5I'm more the find-him-first-and-kick-his-ass typestars
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Hey, Meda!! [image]
❝ Good God, children. Can we focus on what's important? Me. ❞
Oh. 5I'm more the find-him-first-and-kick-his-ass typestars
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Hey, Meda!! [image]
❝ Good God, children. Can we focus on what's important? Me. ❞
Oh. My. That girl. That girl. She was amazing. No need to remind that female leads and me are always on very thin ice : perhaps I'm sometimes too harsh with them but come on, that's kind of sick how girls are portrayed in almost all young-adults books. When they aren't Mary Sue, they have this ridiculous habit to melt on the floor at the first sign of hot boys - as f*cking annoying as it is, it became so frequent that I almost expect this when I begin a new book. How many, I'm asking, how many so called kick-ass heroines prove to be gentle puppies after the first half of their story? Too much.
❝ A small girl, still young enough to suffer the indignity of pigtails, holds out a dead golfish in her cupped hand. Thanks, but I just ate. "My fish died," she lisps around missing teeth. She looks at me expectantly. Ah - catastrophe has struck and she's in search of an adult to handle it. (...) Fortunately, I know just how to handle this one. "Flush it down the toilet." (...) What? It's a fish. ❞
While Meda never disappoints. Her sarcastic and selfish way of thinking is so damn refreshing and funny - You can't not enjoy that book. Seriously. I'm totally fangirling here : she says sentences we almost always said thought once and even if she's pretty insensible in the major part of that book, I adored her. Be my friend, Meda. I could totally be useful - you know, the bear catchs the slower thing.
She kinda reminds me of Dante from The Collector - I could totally copy/paste his description - Let's see what I wrote about him :
- perfectly selfish, conceited, smart-ass, liar, and he completely doesn't care - but then, totally - what others may think or feel.
That's my Meda. This description fully suits her : she's a daemon (okay, Halfling) who eats souls and uses people when she needs to. Well, she decided to kill bad guys only, but not because she's a kind person, no. I'll let you discover why.
❝ One brightly coloured announcement contains a collection of smiling, gap-toothed children with the words "Be Yourself" in big block letters. Worst advice I've ever been given by a poster. ❞
She's a total kick-ass - [image]
But also reminds me a little bit of - [image]
You know, this funny but selfish lizard dragon (oups, sorry sorry Mushu) who is continually trying to hide his hole of a heart? Who's afraid of the very word of feelings? See?I think he could give Meda a high five. Seriously.
And maybe, maybe, as Mushu, she'll discover her heart - maybe. Guess you have to read it to know^^.
And the other characters? Want to meet them? Read that preview and enjoy.
❝ Asinine solo plan where I risk it all to save the planet! Chi. Rude comment. Jo. Fake attempt to be included in dangerous mission. Me. Slightly less asinine plan involving the two of us. Uri. Rude comment. Almost-sane plan using Chi and me. Jo. Overprotective response. Chi. Reeaaally rude comment! Jo. Cringe-worthy comment about Jo's leg. Chi. Head explodes. Near homicide. Jo. Life-saving intervention ending the debate and getting everyone to agree to Jo's plan. Me. ❞
That book is filled with friendship : how can we trust someone enough to accept him as a friend? Do we have to trust someone to become friends?
I really appreciated the dynamic of this nutty team and that's why the lack of romance didn't bother me - even if I root for this french guy, I totally ship for him. I'm the captain of that ship. He sounds awesome. He 's sarcastic too. I love evil. Let's meet him. Please.
♜ The plot : Templars, did you say templars? Really? I don't know why this kind of plot gets to me so easily. Perhaps because I'm a huge nerd fanatic of history. That's something I struggle to understand with my pupils : the majority isn't interested in learning how people lived before whereas I always was crazy about it. I mean, hey, what could be more amazing than touching an artifact some hero used centuries ago? Okay, maybe a lot of things, actually. I admit it. Sort of. Playing Assassin's creed? The truth is, I was this kind of wide-eyed child who stayed hours listening stories about these mad knights (because of course they were nutty, right?) - those annoying children who ask so many questions the museum curator begins to glare at their parents (who shrug, obviously, hey, they have to stand them all the freakin' days). What I loved here was the fact Eliza Crewe used the Templars mythology in an original way and (almost) never fell into the trap of the religious side of it. Because well, I know Templars were fanatic religious, I know it - and that's an aspect of the history I like not so much. Magic and fighting are so more fun, don't you think? That's why I'm really eager to discover the rest because that manner Eliza Crewe renewed the Templar stuff?
I freakin' loved it.
✸✸In other words : An enjoying and fascinating immersion in the head of a wonderful sarcastic b*tch, tinged with a reckless but likeable almost-templar and a screwed-up BBF, the whole thing wildly hilarious, fast-paced and never boring. Plus, icing on the cake : I'm pretty sure I'll love this Armand guy. Instalove here. Yep.✸✸
PS : OMG, I've just seen the ridiculous little number of ratings of that book. What are you waiting? Go read this book! Now! [image]
☠ BR with Armand's biggest fangirl, Chelsea ;)(click to read her review) ☠
► I'm the black sheep of the crowd on this one (view spoiler)[[image[image]
☠ BR with Armand's biggest fangirl, Chelsea ;)(click to read her review) ☠
► I'm the black sheep of the crowd on this one (view spoiler)[[image] (hide spoiler)], and to be frank, it's the first time I pondered if I would post a review or not, because at first I felt like I wouldn't be able to explain my feelings. But it was without counting my complete inability to shut up. Hey, everyone has his own flaws, right?
Just - hear me out : I can't deny that Eliza Crewe does an INCREDIBLE job at ruining all the stereotypes we can expect in a PNR, and for that, really, BRAVO. As you will see, I developed more my reproaches because let's face it : most of readers agree with what I loved. No need to explain again why Meda is amazing.
▒ Awesome facts about Crushed ▒
▧ No TSTL heroine, but Meda, basically the most powerful weapon living on earth and a believable selfish person by the way (believable because really? How many selfless people do you think there are on Earth? Huh? Am I pessimistic? I am pessimistic). Not to mention her sarcastic thoughts and her craving for freedom. Favorite scene? Her coloring-bonding with little children. PRECIOUS.
▧ No instalove, but characters who struggle to trust each others, and WITH REASONS, because duh, war it is.
▧ No girl hate, but FRIENDSHIP GUYS!! Woot woot! (I missed Chi, though)
▧ Armand is quite stereotypical but then, his puppy sexy eyes won. Well this and the fact that he doesn't hide behind false pretences : you want a demon? You got a demon. Bad, bad me. Oh, and for ONCE here's a French character who doesn't annoy me (even if the French accent has no effect on me, of course). I even giggled a little at his "mademoiselle" -
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Mademoiselle. Do you know that officially this word isn't meant to be used anymore in France? YES BECAUSE WE'RE ALL MADAMES NOW (yes, it's in the law, for the official papers anyway). And I fucking love it. It's no one business if I'm married or not, and I don't need to be married to get the "adult word" that "madame" always was. Not to mention that men never had this kind of "young word". But I digress, sorry.
"You arranged a murder?" Awww, that's so sweet. "Nothing elaborate, of course." He grins slyly. "Didn't want to overdo it on a first date." And he ruins it."
▧ Feminists vibes, which if subtle, were definitely here. My favorite of the bunch is ...
"Some might call me a 'tease', but I don't believe it. 'Tease' implies that I owe him something, that I should feel guilty. As if my flirtation is forced on him and he merely tolerates it for an eventual pay-out. That's bullshit. We both have goals in our little game; why should his goal (sex) take priority over mine (to mess with his head)? Is it because he's a man?"
YOU GO GIRL. *thumbs up*
▒ Let me down facts about Crushed ▒
▧ In my opinion the story dragged in the first half, and if I always loved Meda, the plot never captivated me. Look, I see what makes this book a favorite for a lot of my friends, I really do. This is a complete case of "It's not the book but me", because I have to admit that I wasn't enthralled as I thought I would be. To be frank, I think that I'm not a PNR reader anymore - Plots involving demons and all that stuff just rub me the wrong way and that's the same thing with Urban Fantasy : It's not for me, not for now, anyway.
▧ We don't know enough things about the demons AT ALL. Maybe that's just me, but I like to make my opinion by myself and as it is, I don't know them enough. One might argue that DUH, demons are demons for fuck sake (!!!) but isn't it the whole point of the series? If Meda gets to catch our attention and love because nothing is as simple as it seems, why couldn't we learn more about the demons and their possible complex nature? (view spoiler)[I did enjoy the part with her dad, though (hide spoiler)] Because tell me, if the demons are bad and the crusaders are the good ones, what's new to this? Let's face it, we already know that the crusaders aren't perfect, and I LOVE THAT. I only want for the demons to not be Manichean either, but perhaps am I asking for too much.
▧ Miscommunications(view spoiler)[between Meda and Jo (hide spoiler)]. Hey, don't look at me. I never hid that it IS one of my peeves. I can't wrap my head around situations where people only had to TALK to each others for the story to change.
▧ Was I supposed to not guess one of the end's major twist? Huh? While it didn't prevent me from liking the story, I can't say that I didn't see it coming. And frankly, I didn't feel a lot of things. I don't know. Oh, well. I can't force myself to feel invested.
► Here I am - while I liked following Meda again, sadly the story didn't hold my interest the whole time I was reading and yeah, I'm disappointed. But then, I'm clearly in the minority on this one, so don't let my opinion stop you from meeting Meda, because the girl ROCKS.
(view spoiler)[That part? THAT PART? That part made me SO happy that it earn 10 stars. Yes. TEN.
I alre“Stiefvater, please, I just want … ”
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(view spoiler)[That part? THAT PART? That part made me SO happy that it earn 10 stars. Yes. TEN.
I already gushed and gushed and gushed about Ronan in my reviews for the previous books so I'm going to try and be more, well, to the point, let's say. If I can. Which is absolutely not sure at all, given that it's the last time I'll get to talk about him.
*GASP*
Okay, okay, I'm refraining my inner fangirl........ NOW.
ANYWAY. I always loved Ronan because for me he's the most complex character of them all : he's not someone whose personality can be grasped at once, fluctuating between anger and despair and intent and caring - God, so much caring, my heart can't take it. Ronan's a lost soul, trying to make sense of what his life became, trying to create a world at its own image - brilliant and mesmerizing and weird - the best kind of weird. His role of Greywaren stays one of the most wonderful thing I ever read about. Ronan, so loyal to those he cares about, deserved every second of happiness he found here. I freaking adore him.
My relationship with Adam... didn't follow the same path : while my love for Ronan grew and grew and grew along the way, I'm not gonna lie, Adam's first impression wasn't good. AT ALL. Gosh, he annoyed me so much during my first read of The Raven Boys - he was whiny, unfair, and his relationship with Blue just... didn't make me feel anything.
I wanted him to disappear, because I'm harsh like that when characters irritate me. I am so glad he didn't.
If Ronan stays my favorite, Adam's evolution is by far the most fascinating and complete. Granted, his relationship with Ronan - CAN I JUST SQUEAL TO EXPRESS MY GIDDY MOOD - has a lot to do with my acceptance of him, but it is not all. I always say that for me, the most difficult task for an author is to make me love a character I couldn't stand before. Trust me, Maggie Stiefvater owned it. I lived for his chapters in The Raven King while they were like annoying bugs I wanted to crush in The Raven Boys (sorry, bug). Give me an uncanny magician on any day. He's fantastic.
"His feelings for Adam were an oil spill; he'd let them overflow and now there wasn't a damn place in the ocean that wouldn't catch fire if he dropped a match."
Also, FUCKING FINALLY. I'm just sitting here and thinking about the best way to express my adoration for this ship, and honestly, I can't. These boys made me feel EVERYTHING, and they're simply too beautiful to be put into words (not mines, anyway - Maggie Stiefvater's work just great). Just know that I've got quotes to reread on many, many rainy days.
They offered me everything I wanted and then more. For that, I will cherish this book forever.(hide spoiler)]
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(view spoiler)[That part felt strangely remote and did not satisfy me. 2 stars.
Don't get me wrong, The Raven King gave me what I wanted - what I needed - with Adam and Ronan, and I would be lying if I said that the step back Blue and Gansey's relationship took had an impact on my reading experience.
It didn't.
Yet I could still feel the unfair treatment they were given, and for my friends who've been waiting for them, I feel obligated to acknowledge it. Blue and Gansey did not give me any feels. Blue and Gansey were flat and boring. Truth is, Ronan's always been my favorite, but never before did I want to SKIP Gansey's and Blue's chapters. Well, before this book anyway because here? Oh man, how did I want to sometimes. If I thought before that there was nothing more aggravating than reading about characters I didn't care about, I was wrong. There's nothing more aggravating than reading about characters I used to care about and just don't anymore, not as much anyway. I still like them as characters, but except for the very end, I felt as if I didn't know them, like all tension was erased as far as they were concerned. It's not that I wasn't satisfied with their fate, it's that I couldn't FEEL it. Thanks god their chapters were short. Ugh. Moving on. (hide spoiler)]
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(view spoiler)[That part both pleased and disappointed me. 3 stars.
Look, I absolutely loved the way the story unfolded : the demon, Cabeswater (KERAH!) - The plot was captivating and I loved every second of it. Except for oh, the loose ends everywhere.
If The Raven King wasn't the ending of the series, I would probably rate it a 5 - or a strong 4.5. But the fact is, I cannot ignore that it is the ending.
What would have made for a perfect book as part of a series just cannot suffice for a FINAL book. The decayed wheel that Ronan finds in the epilogue is a perfect example of what I do not like to find in final books : the reference to future adventures to explain its presence feels like a cut-out, a lazy one at that. And do not get me started about Glendower because REALLY? It's all there is? Is there a joke I'm missing? (completely possible, considering that I read all night and that I'm not a wonder woman).
Am I the only one to wonder about... - Noah : I mean FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, what did she do with Noah here? - MATTHEW : somehow, I still feel WORRIED for him even though I gathered that the Demon's death meant his survival. I would have wanted to actually SEE it, though. - the Gray Man : what's up with him? Why am I feeling that he's only been used like a tool? - Is Gwenllian staying at 300 Fox Way or what? Wandering around singing crazy songs? - So, Glendower's quest was not the deal after all? Or was it? Or - ARGG. - IS ARTEMUS LIVING IN A TREE FOREVER? Kidding, I couldn't care less about him.
I shall reread carefully this book and try to make sense of everything but for now, it feels like lacking. The ending felt so rushed and to be honest, I didn't expect that from Maggie Stiefvater after all the foreshadowing I found during my reread of the three first books.
I needed more closure.
Also, another kiss for my beautiful boys but OKAY, I know we can't have it all. These boys though. They put such a happy smile on my face. SQUEEEE! (sorry sorry I know I said I wouldn't)
Here I am, trying to find a rating I would find appropriate for The Raven King, but the truth is, I can't. This is a wonderful book that I enjoyed immensely with characters I will forever adore. Yet this is not a wonderful ending, BUT -
FORGET EVERYTHING I JUST SAID. NO, REALLY. FORGET IT.
"At the end of the Raven Cycle, I want readers … to want. I don’t want them to be able to say what it is they want, though — I want it to be a bigger thing than words. I hope they get to the end and don’t know what to do for the rest of the day. I hope they feel unsettled and needing of something more. I want messages that say, “Stiefvater, please, I just want … ” and then silence. They don’t know what they want. They just want.
The Raven Cycle has always been a series about what makes a hero and about wanting something more, and while I can’t expect anything and be sure of it, that’s what I hope gets stuck in people’s minds."
Reread 08/03 : Despite my relative disappointment in Deceptions (and déception = disappointment in French, Oh, the IRONY), I'm still super exci[image]
Reread 08/03 : Despite my relative disappointment in Deceptions (and déception = disappointment in French, Oh, the IRONY), I'm still super excited about the 4th book coming out next week so I decided to reread them all during my vacations (STARTING NOW WOOT!)
"First you buy me a mocha. Then you let me help you hide a body. Now you take me to a biker clubhouse. Best. Day. Ever."
Wow. Color me surprised : I certainly didn't start Omens with high expectations and yet... It kept me on the edge of my seat right up to the end.
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The first thing you need to know is that it is NOT Urban Fantasy by any means. Although I was more than okay with that because UF never was my favorite genre (that's an understatement), the blurb and the shelves can be misleading and you would be disappointed if that's what you expect.
Think... Criminal Minds meets Supernatural. A murder investigation with sparks of paranormal. A mystery that will keep you guessing the whole time, glued to the pages, where you need to pay attention at every omen and even every dream. Just sayin'.
"I sat there, feeling sick and shocked and angry, most of all furious with myself for being such a fool, such a damned fool. This wasn't a game. It was serious and ugly and I wanted nothing to do with it. And yet, in wanting nothing to do with it, I was a hypocrite."
As for the writing, don't expect purple prose or beautiful sentences here. Yet despite the pretty generic writing, I enjoyed it immensely for what it is : to the point, true. And it works : I genuinely laughed. Smiled. Feared. Freaked out. Ate it up.
If Olivia's POV (in first person past tense) owns the show, the story is interspersed with passages in random people's POV that are told in third person. How unsettling as it sounds, strangely it didn't bother me at all but on the contrary I thought that it added interesting layers to the story.
But what I preferred were, by far, the dialogues. Indeed they were clever and funny in a non show-off way, the kind of private joke funny that doesn't allow me to take a sentence off context and say LOOK AT THIS! THIS IS HILARIOUS! Nope. Yet in context? With all the characters' dynamics background? I laughed. I giggled. At the most random parts.
To sum-up, we have : An enthralling mystery to resolve ☑ An interesting background filled with fae folklore ☑ Several scenes really creepy ☑ A compelling writing ☑
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In my opinion Kelley Armstrong handled her characterization perfectly : quietly, she set her characters in motion and just.... let the reader manage them, scrutinize them. I can't express how much I loved how she let me forge my own opinion without never telling me who they're supposed to be. Indeed she never tells us what to think, and that's brilliant - and so, so rare. Actually it's when we stumble upon books like this one that we realize how often we're told how the characters are in many books : This character is nice. He is hot. She is mean. Not an once of this telling strategy with Omens characters, and I'm so grateful for that.
Both main characters are manipulative and selfish. BEST. FEEL. EVER. Oh, also, their banter is fabulous.
The heroine, Olivia, is relatable, believable, willing to be strong but quite stung by the news, as everyone would be : how would you react if you learnt that you were adopted and that your biological parents were famous serial-killers? Huh? Does she hide behind her soon-to-be-senator fiancé?
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She's going to handle it her way, thank you very much. Courageous this one. Frankly, I cared for her from the start. Don't get fooled, though : she's not our perfect little one, faaaaar from it, but she's ready to do anything to unravel the truth and we follow her wanderings like nice puppets. Trust me, Gabriel is right : she does have a backbone, and I loved that.
"You're not shooting the cat. It would leave a mess." "True. Also, the killing of small animals is the entrance ramp onto the serial killer highway." I paused. "Damn. I bet the cat knows that. He picked me because I can't hurt him, or I'd be fulfilling my biological destiny. So I'm screwed. The cat stays. Unless you'll kill him..." I glanced at him. "How does fifty bucks sound?"
SPOILER ALERT : Don't worry, nobody harms the cat. Yet. (I kid, I kid)
Now, Gabriel.
"My nephew is a manipulative, scheming, unscrupulous son of a bitch. And those are his good qualities."
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I'm a sucker for multi-layered and quite untrustworthy characters, that's why it won't come as a surprise that I'm completely drawn to Gabriel's character, and not in a romantic way : here's a man who is fascinating and not because he's a love-interest but because what I saw of his personality (I know! Not eight-packs or other shining things guys always have *in books*) appeals to me and above that, intrigues me. The problem I usually have with controlling - or powerful - male-leads lies with the fact that the heroine spends more time drooling over them than standing for herself : there's no romance here, therefore I can focus on his moral ambiguity without feeling the need to rage - I already said that : more than the characters alone, the characters' dynamics are important to me and influence my reading experience. Let me get to know them first. We'll see about the romance later (maybe).
"He had nothing to feel guilty about. If he knew one thing about life, it was this : look out for yourself. No one else would do it for you."
Gabriel isn't a "good" guy, and I sure don't want him to be. He's bossy, but trust me, Olivia knows how to handle him, and is even more bossy perhaps. To be frank, it pleased me to no end to see her snapping at him and analyzing his behavior. Really, I'm shameless : I loved seeing her destabilize him and push his limits (and I can't wait to see how their relationship will evolve).
To sum-up, we have : Strong and interesting heroine ☑ Captivating male-lead ☑ Well-developed secondary characters ☑ A cat (yes, that's important, duh) ☑ Awesome dialogues between the characters ☑ Real character development ☑
► Kelley Armstrong offers us a strong debut for Olivia and Gabriel's story : I will definitely recommend it to any reader who loves mystery and good characterization. As far as I'm concerned, I'm off to read the sequel right now.
The world building : Chapeau bas! I've never been in Dublin but now I get the impression I have. Indeed all the setti[image]
Verdict : 3.5 stars
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The world building : Chapeau bas! I've never been in Dublin but now I get the impression I have. Indeed all the settings are meticulously described without never get me bored. Now, that's something. Moreover, the Fae's world in Darkfever, which appears to be completely different from all the books I read before, is portrayed with so many details and yet it's never confusing. Good-bye Oberon, Robin Goodfellow and Ash I still love you so so much, and welcome creepy creepy hundred-eyed fairies!
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The writing : Okay, so I'm going to be all contradictory but while a part of me loved the way the story is built - with Mac's rambling and comments which get the Greek Chorus' vibe all along (aka. 'I know what will happen and not youuuu') on the other hand, it annoyed me to no end sometimes. I mean, hey, let me believe something two second and please focus girl! To sum up, even though I can't deny that's brilliantly executed, I would have happily done without it at some point.
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The plot contains so many things I love : a murderer to find out, a dark world to discover, an initiation to begin, the whole filled with suspense and served by a compelling fast pacing.
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The characters - annnnd here we go, unpopular opinion time!
- I don't care about Mac. To be frank, I don't hate her at all, I even think I get her, I'm not annoyed by her fashion style - I'm well-aware looking shallow doesn't mean being shallow (and her personality is refreshing - but I couldn't care less about what she wears, and it tired me to no end to stand her daily fashion-show rambling. Now. I said it. However, if I take a clear-headed look at her personality, there's nothing to loathe in my opinion, and I'm curious to see how she will become.
- Barrons' charm is lost on me.
Barrons. Wow. Barrons. What a piece of work. First, I can't help but picture him as some bodybuilder Italian and well - not my type. Completely subjective though, I admit.
Plus, seriously. I mean, seriously. The guy is infuriating, and I just can't love his violent reactions. Nope. I might love bad boys at times, banter, sarcasm, smart-ass, there's a line I can't cross and it happens to be physical violence, as it wastes completely the character to me. I mean, she gets bruises for Pete's sake. Fucking bruises. Okay he doesn't hit her but that way he jumps close to her made me cringe something fierce. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying he's a bully and I can totally understand the appeal he can have for many women but I couldn't bring myself to like him. Then again, he's not pictured as a love-interest yet so it didn't bother me so much. I don't like him, but that fact didn't prevent me from enjoying the book.
I'm just going to steal Mac's saying here : There's no such thing as attractive Barrons in my book.
Look, I know this book has been labelled as Cheesy YA I'm too old for that shit maybe there is instalove in it *gasp*, and you know what? I d [image]
Look, I know this book has been labelled as Cheesy YA I'm too old for that shit maybe there is instalove in it *gasp*, and you know what? I don't care.
You want to know why? Take a seat. But Watch out! This review may deal with *whisper* feelings. Ugh, I know, big big words.
1) Well, let's meet Tristan first. You know, this guy dressed in black in the beginning. Yep. This one. The broody guy. The one we meet during the first scene, who screams "hello, I'm a complete stereotype !!" - but we love him anyway. And we're right. So. damn. right. Because this guy? He turns out to be so more interesting than he seems at first sight. My little ninja. ♥ ♥ ♥
❝Who are you, Tristan?" His eyes looked hopeless as they dove into hers. A moment passed, filled only by the sound of breathing. "Nobody," he said.❞
Annnnd here's the crush. *Blush*
✗ This man has daggers. Seriously. You heard me. Freakin' daggers. Actually he owns a room full of weapons - A freakin' ninja. Of course that's totally sexy, isn't it? If you find it weird, just go on the next point. For the others : Of course I'm totally picturing a mix between a pirate and an AC assassin - Hot.
❝Oh, I'm sorry. I'd hate to ruin your date with my inconvenient trying-to-save-Scarlet's-life plan.❞
✗ Want to hear a secret? I give bonus points to the characters whose smart-ass repartees make me giggle. Obviously, Tristan would fill a room with my gold stars (I'm a teacher, remember?). That's simple, he has this awkward way to make others seem dumb. Especially this Gabriel, you know, the other guy nobody cares about.
❝She wasn't a witch." Gabriel sighed. Tristan raised his eyebrows. "She cast a curse, Gabe. That's something witches do. They ride on brooms, play with cats, and curse people.❞
✗ Tristan is so damn awesome that he doesn't need to belittle others to look, well, is perfect a too strong word?
Listen, ladies! Here's the difference between our two male leads - let's discover how they see Scarlett -
Perception #1 ❝She was tough. She was brave. Even if she didn't remember she had it, her strength was still there, deep inside her. Which made him kinda proud.❞
Perception #2 ❝Scarlett was so vulnerable, so weak.❞
Does I need to go into detail? No? That's what I thought.
✗ Moreover, Tristan manages to be adorable. Really. Sometimes we just want to hug him, because he suffers from the rudeness he has to show. Wow. He was truly heartbreaking.
✗ To sum up, here's a man with daggers, who lives in a dark basement, whose complex personality offers us a mixture between strength and selflessness. Plus, he's dark-haired and knows how to throw arrows. What - Everybody has his weak spot huh?
However I wanted to say one thing all the freakin' time.
☛ Just one thing, Tristan, Tristan, Tristan, [image]
Got it?
2) What about Scarlet? I must admit that *whisper* I'm often harsh with female leads. Really, I recognize that I'm rapidly annoyed with heroines' monologues but I was pleasantly surprised with this one : her reactions towards the events are always understandable, while believe me, she has to face some really annoying situations. Oh, and she doesn't care how she's dressed. I kind of love her for that because come on, who never wants to slap these heroines who have to save the world and seem to want to live in a let's go dressing for prom day all. the. time. Be careful, I'm not saying she's too much mature, no, her behavior could be the one of a teenager and she's strongly relatable but - she's not obsessed by her looks and... Drum rolls... She asks herself questions and doesn't believe all that some hot guy says to her. And she has a friend. A girl friend. Really.
Amazing right?
Oh, and she could totally be my friend - ❝Hello, I'm a stranger. I'm going to kiss you now. Smooch-smooch. Yeah, no thanks.❞
Kissing festival? Eww. Gross.
3) I talked about another male lead, remember? *sigh*
So, Gabriel,
Okay, maybe sometimes you're funny. ❝Yeah, I hate love-sick goobers. They're so happy and annoying and pleasant... always trying to be nice and friendly." He rolled his eyes dramatically. "It's so irritating❞
But where are the daggers? Well? In Tristan's room. Got it.
And you're so f*cking dumb. ❝Dude. Are you going to kill someone tonight?❞
Dude, nighttime coffee means serial killer to you? *roll eyes* Be careful people, I might be a serial killer. *nods vigorously*
As you can guess, I couldn't love Gabriel. That's not my fault, but my heart just can't love everybody, and well, I talked about Tristan remember? Adorable broody Tristan?
By the way, more I was going further in the story, more I became aware that he was the opposite of Tristan on many ways. Guess what? That's not a good sign. Hello Gabriel! Welcome selfishness!
4) But a YA wouldn't be a YA without the other characters, you know, the friends. Personally, I have a thing for Nate : hey, the guy has the best voicemail ever and plays videogames. Me loving him is like, destiny. Just kiddin'. Almost.
❝ My bedroom is right next door. How am I supposed to sleep when you're blasting aliens all night?" (...) "First of all," Nate adjusted a speaker and looked back at Gabriel, "the aliens are on my team - so I don't 'blast' them. Second," Nate's eyes grew wide, "you know I have a wicked fear of sleeping underground. Basements are for bats and axe-murders." He looked at Tristan. "No offense". Tristan shrugged. ❞
As for Heather, she appears to be a true friend for Scarlett and by the way, she just won me with the awesome concept she brought - just read and tell me^^
❝No - but ooh! How awesome would that be? You open a box of Trix and wham! Out pop a hot guy! I would so eat more cereal.❞
✎Voilà! I hope my ramblings about these characters will make you want to give it a try. I know what you're thinking though : bloody predictable and unoriginal but let me tell you something (kindly, obviously) : of course some parts remind us of other young adults and this story isn't flawless. I must confess that I had a lot of prejudices - but seriously, Chelsea Fine succeeds in renewing some stereotypes we find in many books and dammit, that page-turner was freakin' refreshing. Funny. I'm gonna definitely read the sequel right now. Even if the blurb just put me on edge.
And you know, Tristan ❤❤ ?
❝Tristan was so weird. And bossy. And... mean. So much for Pancake Tristan. Regular Jerk Tristan was back.❞
Oh, and I almost forgot : no instalove here for me. Nope.
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Cross my heart, review soon! But - I'm currently in the cave of concentration. Leave a message and I'll call you back in seven-to-ten business days. May the force be with you.
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♡♡ Amazing BR with Chelsea, Harriet, Portia, Jen, Laura, Elena and Maria ♡♡
Dans les épisodes précédents : (view spoiler)[
"Then I raise my middle fingers and point them toward the ground, hoping Boss Man sees me real good rDans les épisodes précédents : (view spoiler)[
"Then I raise my middle fingers and point them toward the ground, hoping Boss Man sees me real good right now, and scream inside my head, I quit asshole! Pow!"(hide spoiler)]
Il y a des choses qui ne changent jamais. Prenons la phrase d'accroche par exemple : Bad boy meet Bad girl. Encore une fois, juste bravo : baisser mes attentes en une seule phrase, c'est presque un talent. Presque.
Sauf que là c'est de la triche : je connais déjà Dante Walker, donc bon, comment dire... au lieu de partir en courant j'ai souri et j'ai ouvert mon livre. Pow!
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Je rappelle : La raison pour laquelle you-have-to-read-it, c'est que Dante Walker is freakin' awesome.
Ça, c'est dit, donc Allons-y! Je préviens, ce livre m'a complètement perturbée, animée, enthousiasmée et confuse, donc ma chronique est le reflet de toutes ces émotions mixées. En bref, un gros bordel. Désolée.
Awesome fact number 1 : Dante
J'ai commencé à lire, j'ai vu la tournure de l'histoire, et je me suis dit : Oh mince Dante va s'en aller. Et puis d'un coup d'un seul, je me suis rappelé : l'histoire est racontée de son point de vue, donc on va le suivre. Thanks . Je veux dire, qui n'est pas resté bloqué dans la tête d'une héroïne insipide ou crispante pendant que son héros s'en allait au loin? Ahh... Warner reviens !!.
*soupir*Sorry, je me reconcentre.
Donc, comme je le disais, on se retrouve à nouveau dans la tête de Dante, et je n'ai qu'une chose à dire : même si au départ il est un peu perdu, son style incisif et unique me parle toujours autant. Hey, il fait des efforts, mais comme il dit, I ain't no angel.
"But I'm hungry. I bypass the line and smile to myself when the peeps behind me mumble complaints. Telling their families and friends about "this dick in the snack line" will be the highlight of their day."
Je vais radoter un peu, mais sérieusement, c'est tellement rare de trouver un personnage qui a réellement une voix propre. Un style propre. Une syntaxe propre, même. Sous-entendu : Imaginez un exercice avec tout plein d'extraits de romans. Bah je suis sûre de reconnaitre Dante sans aucune hésitation. Ouais ouais. En 2 secondes d'abord.
What else?
Awesome fact number 2 : No love triangle
En bref, j'ai lu la fameuse phrase d'accroche et j'ai senti mon p'tit cœur se crisper.
Pour être plus claire : NOONNN!!!! PAS DE TRIANGLE AMOUREUX !!! PLEAAAAASE!!!
...
Et là je dois dire, j'arrive toujours pas à réaliser que l'auteur m’ait entendue. [image]
Awesome, donc.
Et pourtant, j'ai été perturbée par ce livre. Mes convictions sur Dante (bien sûr que j'ai des convictions sur Dante!) ont été mises à mal, et il faut le dire, j'ai été presque peinée de découvrir à quel point sa confiance en lui s'était effritée. Rien de plus normal, totalement compréhensible au vu de sa situation ambivalente au début de ce second tome, mais complètement perturbant : Dante Walker est perdu. O.o
*une minute de silence*
Et là où l'auteur est très forte, c'est qu'on ressent de plein fouet son insécurité, ses doutes et ses peurs. On a presque envie de le prendre dans nos bras pour lui dire que c'est pas grave, qu'il a le droit de redevenir mauvais si ça peut lui faire du bien. J'ai dit presque? Scratch that : on a furieusement envie de le rassurer. Rassurer Dante. Foutu oxymore!
Oh. Hell!Sacré Dante : premier personnage qui parvient à me faire l'adorer pour son extrême arrogance dans un livre et pour sa vulnérabilité touchante dans un autre. Il prend une toute autre dimension, sa personnalité se complexifie, et franchement, je ne peux que m'incliner.
Sans compter qu'au départ Charlie se présente sous un tout autre jour. Loin de moi l'envie de jouer les rabat-joie, ou peut-être que si : les rôles sont inversés, c'est Dante qu'on a envie de protéger, on ne comprend pas ses réactions, et c'est grandement perturbant. Mais on lui pardonne et je ne suis même pas loin de la remercier (view spoiler)[ car son explication avec Dante nous offre une des déclarations les plus adorables qui soit ♥♥♥. (hide spoiler)]
Mais, comme je le disais, certaines choses ne changent jamais :
"I'm out of Skittles," she says, grinning. "Go and fetch me some, prince".
Mais revenons à l'histoire. Il faut l'avouer, comme Dante, j'ai démarré The Liberator en pleine confusion. Sa mission auprès d'Aspen, le comportement de Charlie, les nouveaux voisins de cette dernière qu'on a juste envie de baffer, Annabelle qui ne semble pas se rendre compte que sa meilleure amie perd pied, le tout m'a fait froncer les sourcils pendant un moment. Et puis tout s'enchaine, on se retrouve à naviguer à vue, en pleine action, et wow, c'est plus que chouette. La situation est grave, mais comme simultanément Dante retrouve son punch verbal, that's okay.. Grand sourire scotché, on rit aux éclats, on continue et on savoure. Oubliées mes petites inquiétudes du début, c'est génial, c'est passionnant, j'adhère =D
Bien sûr, on ne peut pas nier que les étoiles sont toujours subjectives, qu'elles n'ont pas la même signification d'un livre à l'autre. Je sais que ce livre n'est pas un chef d'œuvre, je perçois ses failles, ses imperfections. J'y peux rien s'il s'est faufilé dans mes coups de cœur et a gagné sa place particulière.
Why an experiment? Basically, because I'm so stubborn I wanted to try new books with all the creatures that made me cringe in the past. I mean, my only experience with angels was my struggle to read this crappy abomination that is Hush, Hush (I think I deserve a huge chocolate box for that one, don't I?)
That's why I'm here.Thank you amazing Kat (click here to read her beautiful review) for reading it with me! I don't know what I'd have done without you to share our WTF?!!
Final rating : 3.5 stars or "that was really entertaining but -"
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↬ You don't want to live there.Good to know! Angels target big cities. Follow my example, my nearest neighbors are sheep. Woot-woot!
↬ Every food is your friend. Sometimes energy bar is the only thing you can grab. Other times that's cat's food. Don't be vegetarian. Don't be allergic. You don't know what you're going to eat.
↬ Instant-jerk reactions are welcome. If you see an handsome wounded angel, go help him. I know what you think, how in the world am I supposed to carry him and all that? But trust me : I just learnt they weight almost nothing. And, icing on the cake, if you manage to do that, you might win a sarcastic and swoon-worthy (view spoiler)[but a bit stupid, as all his buddies - see below (hide spoiler)] partner in crime from whom you can collect useful evidences about your enemies, and whose package involves : ✔ Warm hugs when you have a nightmare ✔ Witty comments to decrease the tension ✔ Fighting backup. That's freaking useful when you walk in the world after (don't count on it too much though, the help isn't always coming)
↬ Improve your survival instincts. If someone tells you to run, you run. No hesitation. Being able to climb a tree is definitely a plus. And you have to run fast, because action never ends in an Apocalyptic world.
↬ A good preparation leads to success. You are way more likely to survive if you took self-defense classes in the past. I guess you have to start right now. One is never too careful.
↬ Don't be a stupid brat. If your mother starts to talk about daemons, listen carefully and don't do that children thing that is to say "Hmm hmm" without actually listening. Every information can be important.
↬ Remain focused on your goal. You're not here to save the world, so just keep this in mind. Ah, you do. Good girl.
↬ Anyway, the most important thing you have to know, you new inhabitant of the world after, is the fact that the Angels are fucking stupid. And that's that lack of pertinence or explanation for their presence on Earth that prevented me from truly loving this book. I mean, hey, I'm pretty cool with weird stuff but COME ON. In my opinion the world-building wasn't that original but rather a strange combination of creatures who don't fucking know why they're here.← That killed me.
At some point, the whole world seemed just random. So fucking confusing.
Not to mention the dystopia vibes with the Resistance. Been there. Done that.
Verdict : Penryn is an awesome heroine who deserves to survive : she has everything mentioned earlier, and above all that, she cares about her family and never loses hope. I loved her.
Verdict (2) : There's no way I could survive. I can only hope apocalypse isn't coming.
To sum-up : That's safe to say that I couldn't relate to Penryn. FORTUNATELY. This might have save her life - and save the book for me. And Raffe. I really liked that witty angel.
Let me introduce you ... Dante Walker. His job? Wandering on earth, stealing souls for the devil. Yeah, You are understanding correctly, he doesn't beLet me introduce you ... Dante Walker. His job? Wandering on earth, stealing souls for the devil. Yeah, You are understanding correctly, he doesn't belong to Kindness Land. Totally Team Evil. A real villain.
*excited*
He's even the best of the Collectors, the right-hand man of Boss Man who rules Hell. His purpose? To achieve a promotion by collecting the soul of Charlie. And he's desperate to succeed.
I won't lie to you. After finding out the cover and the tag line, I didn't open this book with great expectations. Nah, nah. I mean, seriously, He makes good girl... Bad?? Wow. I started it in Safe Mode.
And magic, magic, I read a few pages, and I felt slapped with this revelation: Dante Walker is awesome. Like, freakin' awesome. Dante Walker is really bad. I'm gonna love him ❤
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❝I spin around and see Max running toward me in a gray Armani shirt. "Dante. Oh, Dante. Seal me! Seal me so hard!" He grabs my hips and pumps his toward mine. "Oh, Dante! You're so hot when you seal souls!" I shove my idiot-of-a-best-friend off me and laugh.❞
Let me be clear: Dante Walker is perfectly selfish, conceited, smart-ass, liar, and he completely doesn't care - but then, totally - what others may think or feel. If you can disregard, if you want to laugh out loud, welcome to you on Team Dante.
Just a tip: don't read it in public, because Dante is wildly hilarious.
But back to the story. Dante has to find Charlie and ensure that she commits sins in order to collect her soul for Boss Man.
Hey ... Do you see the Love Story coming? Ready to meet the Perfect and Pure Charlie?
Sorry to disappoint you, but no love at first sight here. And that was great. In fact, let's just see Dante's opinion about her in their first meeting:
❝My eyes widen at the sight of her. This is the girl Boss Man is after? She looks like a porcelain doll…beat three times with an ugly stick. ❞
Ouch. This is at this exact moment we understand that we are in possession of a truly unique book. Victoria Scott takes our expectations and habits of the genre, to make them confetti before throwing them in the trash. And you want to know the worst? We want more.
We're litterally drinking Dante's thoughts, and quickly savor the gap between them and his words:
❝Dante, this is Annabelle.” No. No way. That name is reserved for females with grace and elegance, not this girl. This girl is…beastly. “Annabelle,” I say. “It suits you. ❞
As I said, Dante is really bad. Therefore, call me a weak girl, but when he began to soften, it was difficult to remove the big smile from my lips. Especially because even if we see his outbursts of affection, he doesn't realize what they involve at first. To follow his evolution, the way he discovers the concept of feelings is totally enjoyable. That's gradual, credible, and totally cute ♥♥.
✐ Beyond the character of Dante, the writing style contributes greatly to the success of the book. The author manages to offer us a narration in the first person which really gives us the illusion of being telepathic: the sentences are short, rhythmic, in a totally credible language. This narrative goes with the lightness of the dialogues, which are intuitive, sharp, and we are hooked from the first page to the last one.
The Collector isn't perfect though. I loved the character of Charlie, a so normal girl who eats skittles all day long and roots for Team Good. And I hated the fact she could change. (view spoiler)[ I was yelling like a crazy fool, "NO!!! Don't YOU DARE!! DON'T CHANGE!!"and I'd have preferred her changes to be reversible. (hide spoiler)]. As the plot is interesting, we can't denied the simplicity of it, even if I loved that concept of Collectors.
But still, I'm giving it 5 stars without even thinking, because I laughed from the beginning to the end, because I was moved by his redemption, because Dante is a colorful character and just great, who appeals to me and who I loved instantly. Not in a BBF's way, more like a crazy hilarious best friend^^.
And because giving less than 5 stars to Dante? Seriously? Unimaginable. Welcome to my precious ❣
❝I glance in the mirror. Surprise, surprise - I look finger-linkin' delicious. ❞
(view spoiler)[Sérieusement. Être obsédé par une femme parce qu'elle ressemble comme deux gouttes d'eau à son premieCreepy.
Non, je n'exagère pas.
(view spoiler)[Sérieusement. Être obsédé par une femme parce qu'elle ressemble comme deux gouttes d'eau à son premier amour qui a été assassiné, c'est flippant. (hide spoiler)]
Faudrait vraiment penser à être vigilant avec les résumés.
Parce que laissez-moi aller droit au but. J'ai une réaction instinctive quand je lis ça : uFaudrait vraiment penser à être vigilant avec les résumés.
Parce que laissez-moi aller droit au but. J'ai une réaction instinctive quand je lis ça : une jeune fille qui s'installe dans une petite ville? Qui rencontre un garçon qui lit dans ses pensées? Qui s'avère être, je cite,"the boy she will love forever." ?
Tu me vois? [image]
Tu me vois plus.
Vous l'avez compris, j'ai commencé Finding Skytrès prudente. Prête à abandonner au premier signe de regards fixes/désir immédiat/héroïne pénible/héros stupide.
Et... Je l'ai fini.
Okay, j'ai bien compris que je n'aurai pas de médailles pour ça, alors c'est parti pour expliquer ce qui m'a plu - et ce qui fait que ce ne sera pas un coup de cœur pour autant - quand même.
J'ai une sorte de pacte avec les héroïnes : elles peuvent être pénibles, agaçantes, indécises... Je leur pardonnerai, du moment qu'elles parviennent à me faire rire. Et là, je dois dire, Sky Bright - amazing name, right? - tu as réussi haut la main.
"That would be great : 'Excuse me, Mr Tall-and-good-looking Wolfman, but can you help the English midget reach the sauce?' I think not." "
Sky est timide. Réellement timide. Rien ne pourrait laisser penser qu'elle puisse être drôle. Oui mais voilà, nous, heureux lecteurs, nous avons la possibilité de s'infiltrer dans son esprit. Et ses monologues intérieurs sont délicieusement déjantés. Nouvelle dans son école? Peu importe, là voilà en train de réarranger la réalité à sa manière - c'est-à-dire, en teintant le tout de références aux comics et à Starwars.
Si vous faites partie de ces gens agaçants qui donnent du padawan et du Obiwan, vous allez l'adorer.
J'y peux rien, elle a juste touché un point sensible chez moi. *blush*
"Zed had well-defined features, strong nose, large eyes with long lashes (...). A fallen hero, one of those tragic types who turn to the dark side like Anakin Skywalker... Keep with the programme, Sky."
Elle vit sa vie en technicolor, et scénarise le moindre événement, bande-son comprise.
"It would make a great backdrop to a really spooky story - 'Revenge of the Miners', or something. I could hear the spine-chilling themes already, incorporating the lonely clank of the chain and the hollow notes of the wind blowing through the abandoned buildings."
Autre point intéressant à soulever : Elle ne se jette pas la tête la première dans cette histoire de "boy she will love forever." Ses réactions sont réfléchies et saines.
"He might have become the anti-hero of my ongoing graphic novel plotting, but that didn't make him a good candidate for my attention in real life."
Dois-je préciser que j'ai presque applaudi à ce moment-là? Brave petite.
D'autre part, son statut de nouvelle ne la laisse pas isolée, et elle parvient à se faire des amis sans trop tomber dans le cliché de la magnifique-incomprise.
Bon, il me faut avouer qu'elle m'a quand même agacée à un moment donné. (view spoiler)[son petit côté "je veux être une savante/je ne veux pas être une savante/je veux Zed/je ne veux pas Zed" *soupir* (hide spoiler)]
Passons à Zed. Ah, Zed, as-tu remarqué que ton prénom se prononçait comme ton initiale? Poor Zed, comme j'ai eu du mal à te prendre au sérieux! Il faut savoir qu'au début du livre, Zed est le bad-boy.
*soupir* Sauf que, mon petit, t'es pas crédible une seconde. Déjà, t'habites dans une ville minuscule et tes réparties ne sont même pas vraiment méchantes. Tssk tssk... Just stop it.
Bon, Zed, c'est pas grave, parce que quand tu deviens mignon, tout ça, t'es plutôt craquant. On a donc un héros qui veut jouer à l'alpha-male mais qui n'y parvient pas, et ça me va très bien, vu ma réticence à l'égard des dominateurs et autres machistes. Et il ne regarde pas Sky dormir. Oh, merci, j'en pouvais plus des stalkers. Malgré la situation un peu alambiquée et contraignante (view spoiler)[c'est-à-dire le fait que Sky et Zed soient soulfinders, une version magique d'âmes soeurs (hide spoiler)], il prend en compte les réserves et les peurs de Sky et ne force jamais ses sentiments. Franchement, c'est presque un gentleman, ce garçon. Evidemment, il connait ses petites crises de power-ranger mais Sky le remet très bien à sa place, et il a le mérite de prendre ces petites remontrances avec humour.
Mais les personnages qui m'ont le plus intriguée sont les Benedict, à savoir les membres de la famille de Zed. Pour faire court et ne pas trop donner d'informations, ils bénéficient tous d'un don particulier - de la magie, en quelque sorte. Leurs personnalités distinctives apportent une coloration assez spéciale aux moment de leur vie quotidienne.
Je vous laisse le découvrir avec Sky :
"There were more odd moments over dinner preparation. It started normally but then headed into la-la land. (...) 'What were we talking about before I was so rudely interruptd by a flying citrus?'
J'ai un faible pour les tribus. Vraiment. Je l'ai déjà dit suite à ma rencontre avec les frères Merrick de Brigid Kemmerer, et cette lecture le confirme. Leurs moments passés en famille comptent parmi mes meilleurs passages. De plus, les développements envisagés par l'auteur (view spoiler)[ c'est-à-dire le fait qu'ils aident les forces de l'ordre à arrêter des criminels (hide spoiler)] me semblent intéressants. Je suis encore dans l'expectative, mais j'ai bon espoir.
Mais alors, me direz-vous, pourquoi seulement trois étoiles?
En un mot gif : [image]
Ce livre contient énormément de bonnes idées, mais il a échoué sur un point : me faire ressentir des émotions fortes. Il manque de papillons dans le ventre, d'angoisse, d'attentes.
Je sais, je sais, quand un livre nous tord le ventre d'angoisse - Aaah, Alexandra Bracken... - on se plaint. Mais c'est ce qui fait aussi la force d'un livre. Sa capacité à nous toucher. Et il se trouve qu'à un moment donné, j'ai eu peur de la suite. Je commençais déjà à dire non, non, non, non ... Mais ça a duré deux pages. Le tout manque de tension. Vous vous rappelez du schéma narratif? L'élément perturbateur qui doit faire basculer l'histoire, avant la résolution du problème? Eh bien le problème ici, c'est que chaque problème est résolu beaucoup trop facilement.
Quant à la romance, elle est mignonne, les personnages disent ce qu'il faut, je ne peux pas leur enlever ça, mais même si je ne saurais expliquer précisément pourquoi, elle a échoué à m'attendrir, à m'atteindre réellement. Et c'est bien dommage, parce qu'en plus il n'y a pas de triangle amoureux, et que rien que pour ça je pourrais ajouter 2 étoiles tant c'est appréciable.
Néanmoins, malgré ses faiblesses, ce livre est une lecture agréable et évite la plupart des pièges tendus par la fausse ressemblance avec les vampires qui scintillent. Je lirai la suite avec plaisir, d'autant plus que les deux tomes suivants nous permettront d'en découvrir plus sur les frères de Zed - Yves, puis Xav.
Et vous avez vu la couverture? Elle est so pwwwetty!!
"Victor patted my hand. 'I like you, Sky. You're a fighter.' 'I am, aren't I? Hear that, Zed? No more Bambi comparisons. I'm a Rottweiler - with a temper.' 'A very small Rottweiler,' said Zed, still not convinced."...more
Bon, je sens que je ne peux pas vraiment donner mon avis sans donner de spoilers sur le premier tome (et sur celui-ci), donc restons simples : c'est uBon, je sens que je ne peux pas vraiment donner mon avis sans donner de spoilers sur le premier tome (et sur celui-ci), donc restons simples : c'est une très bonne suite que nous propose l'auteur, principalement centrée sur les évolutions de Scout et de ses proches dans le monde des Shifters. Comme dans Destiny Minds, j'apprécie toujours autant Scout, sa répartie, sa capacité à prendre des décisions et j'ai a.do.ré son destin, sérieusement, elle gère =D
On en apprend beaucoup plus sur les traditions des Shifters, et c'est vraiment appréciable de découvrir un monde effectivement bien construit. L'auteur ne cède pas à la facilité en se contentant de créer une histoire d'amour agrémentée de touches de paranormal : tout est cohérent, recherché, et non superficiel.
Par contre, et je vais être obligée de le mettre en spoiler, mais il fallait que ce soit dit :
(view spoiler)[Sérieusement? ALEX? Il est vivant ou il est mort là? Il va revenir? Non parce que je pensais vraiment qu'à la fin de ce tome on aurait enfin une réponse. Je suis très fidèle à mes coups de cœur et j'avoue que je ne peux pas me résoudre à sa disparition. J'ai essayé, mais je n'y arrive pas. On ne peut pas créer un personnage pareil et le faire disparaitre. Alors j'ai passé le livre entier à essayer de décrypter les rêves et les événements, et je suis énervée de ne pas savoir, à tel point que ça m'a un peu gâché ma lecture. Oui, je suis impatiente comme ça.
Mais Alex ♥♥♥ :(
Pretty PLEASE ... [image]
J'ai aussi hâte de voir le rôle que va prendre Liam dans l'histoire, car je sens qu'il peut être très intéressant, ce loup gris^^. (hide spoiler)]
Ah oui, et encore une fin qui nous laisse littéralement scotchés. Elle nous laisse encore avec une quantité astronomique de questions. (view spoiler)[Quel sera le rôle de Liam? J'aime autant que Scout se rapproche de lui que de Charlie (j'ai sûrement développé une préférence pour les loups et non pour les coyotes =D) (hide spoiler)]. Je sens que je n'aurai jamais lu une trilogie aussi rapidement à ce rythme-là ^^. ...more
4,5/5. Je confirme : taper sur son clavier et taper des mains en même temps n'est pas compatible. Besoin de précisions? J'ai adoré ce dernier tome. En4,5/5. Je confirme : taper sur son clavier et taper des mains en même temps n'est pas compatible. Besoin de précisions? J'ai adoré ce dernier tome. En clair, Tammy Blackwell a réussi à m'apporter : - Ce que je voulais - Ce que je ne savais pas vouloir
Je ne sais même pas par où commencer. - Scout? Je suis immensément fière d'elle. Elle s'affirme et exploite le potentiel entraperçu dans les tomes précédents : forte, courageuse, drôle, intelligente, bref, je suis fan. Elle ne se complait jamais dans le malheur, et pourtant, elle aurait eu largement son quota d'excuses pour sombrer dans le chaos. Sa promptitude à faire des choix m'avait impressionnée dès le premier tome, et elle ne m'a pas déçue. En fait, pour être claire, je ne saurais dire si elle fait les bons choix, mais ce que je sais c'est que j'ai approuvé toutes ses décisions. Et je félicite le talent de l'auteur pour ça, car je ne me fais pas d'illusions, ce qu'on souhaite dans un livre est toujours dépendant des intentions de l'auteur, et quand je suis heureuse des choix faits, je me dis que c'est parce que l'auteur a fait du bon travail^^. - Alex et Liam. Sans spoiler, je peux dire que la direction prise par l'auteur m'avait effleuré l'esprit, et je suis très heureuse de cette évolution. Tout prend un sens, et je souris en pensant qu'on m'a joué un tour, quelque part. Parce que j'arrive exactement là où l'auteur le voulait, et mon petit cœur (view spoiler)[
infidèle(hide spoiler)] est heureux. J'ai déjà dit à quel point j'appréciais Alex, je ne vais pas y revenir. Quant au personnage de Liam, têtu, torturé par la culpabilité, secret, loyal, il m'a vraiment touchée, il est tel que je l'espérais lors de sa première rencontre avec Scout. Et ce troisième tome répond parfaitement aux questions que je me posais sur lui depuis la première scène du premier tome. - L'écriture est toujours autant entrainante, l'humour toujours présent, j'ai été tour à tour amusée, gênée, triste, j'ai ressenti tout un tas d'émotions palpables, réelles.
En résumé, une excellente trilogie, que je ne peux que conseiller. Evidemment, ces livres ne sont pas exempts de défauts, mais je suis tellement heureuse après avoir refermé la dernière page que franchement, je n'ai même pas envie d'en parler!
"That was when I chose you, Scout. And even knowing what's to come, I would have done it again."...more
" What if I mess up? " " Oh, you will. You’ll mess up, you’ll make mistakes, you’ll break things. Some y❤ Buddy read with the wonderful Chelsea❤
[image]
" What if I mess up? " " Oh, you will. You’ll mess up, you’ll make mistakes, you’ll break things. Some you’ll be able to piece together, and others you’ll lose. That’s all a given. But there’s only one thing you have to do for me. " " What’s that? " " Stay alive enough to mess up again. "
See, I don't know if that's because :
a) I actually read a lot of slow-paced-kill-me-now books when I was in college - like this one, the riveting story of a man who decides to never go out of his house anymore because "too much luxury, people!" and intends to describe everything he thinks or sees or does in his freakin house during about 3 months (yes, that's as horrible as it sounds and yes, I had to read it like, 3 times. My eyes are still hurting - and I don't care how mind-blowing it's supposed to be - I read French literature so. damn. better.)
b) I used to be a fantasy fan, aka a reader who used to go through 3 books in a series before - ✶ getting in the middle of the action, ✶ understand who is Tennahra and Kileken exactly (yes, I'm typing randomly on my keypad) and why the King/the Queen/The Witch/*add random character here* are such weirdoes.
But what do I know? In my opinion the beginning isn't dull or boring. It's called... watch out, big big words! world-building people. Characterization.
I know, that's pretty rare out there.
[image]
Striking fact# 1 : The writing was impressive
The story is told from two different times : in present day, we follow Mackenzie, the youngest Keeper in the Archive organization (whose purpose is to keep the dead quiet on shelves), when her family moves in the Coronado Hotel whereas other parts let us have a glimpse of the memories of her training which took place years before - before her grandpa died.
Before her baby brother died, jeopardizing all her family, leaving an incurable wound in their heart.
I loved the writing, which contains the kind of magical blissfulness I found in The Raven Boys - we're struck by the way the objects seem to be brought to life somehow. The only thing we have to do is to let ourselves get lost in these corridors, walking through these doors hidden behind our consciousness, and enjoy the enchanted feeling created by Victoria Schwab's pen.
I ruined my post-it reserve I had created for... work. Bad me.
" Why? " You take the cigarette out, jabbing the air with the unlit tip. "That is the most worthless question in the world. Use your words. Be specific. Why is like bah or moo or that silly sound pigeons make."
Striking fact# 2 : The story fascinated and enthralled me from the beginning to the end : I was hooked.
I won't get back to the no, I don't think the beginning is boring conversation, because hey, I'm pretty sure you saw my point earlier.
So let's go straight, shall we?
- The world-building is inventive and filled with originality. Of course it is! Seriously, have you ever heard about dead people resting on shelves? Keepers whose job consists of hunting Histories, aka dead who're not so comfortable on their shelves? Well?
- Now, the romance. You're worried to find another love at first sight/love overtakes the plot/whatever love does? Try this : friendship, getting to know each other, light and smile-inducing flirting.
- Here's a mystery book which actually contains a mystery. I know. I'm excited too. That plot? Thrilling. Intoxicating. Slightly creepy at times. Because murderer people! Trust issues! Bunch of lies!
Oh. My. Am I bad to love that so damn much?
- Also, Histories' waking up? It gets a strong but awesome zombie vibe, without the lame heroine - yes, you got me! I don't like zombie books! While here I found it fascinating.
Striking fact# 3 : Can I have more of these characters, pretty please?
As I said earlier, I was amazed by the characterization qualities : you won't believe me, but we get the impression to really know the characters, who are far from the ghosts we're sometimes accustomed to. Now tell me, how incredible is that?
"Well, there's this new girl who just moved in on floor three. Her family re-opening the café. I hear she likes to lie, and hit people." "Oh yeah? Well, there's that strange goth guy, the one who's always lurking around Five C." " Strangely hot in a mysterious way, though, right?"
Multiple choice quiz time!
Mackenzie..… ✘can’t stop thinking about the eyes of some boy ✔ genuinely thinks before acting ✘ makes me want to throw the book in my chimney with her annoying crappie thoughts ✔ could be a friend of mine – apart from the fact she can’t really have friends, of course, duh.
"M. That's what I call her, this normal, nonexistent me. (...) I can pretend to be M ; I can wear her like a mask. But I can't be her. I'll never be. M wouldn't see blood-covered boys in her bedroom. M wouldn't spend her time scouring her dead brother's toys for a glimpse of his life."
Wes…. ✘ is the savior everybody was waiting for. Hey, what did you expect? He’s a boy dammit! ✔ likes blueberry cupcakes and ... let's see... Did I smile so big it hurt each time he made an apparition? Absolutely. ✔ wears guyliner. Okay, I know, nobody cares about that, but - [image] Riiiiiight? ✔ is genuinely interested in Mackenzie, takes her feelings in consideration, and never tries to take the decision out of her.
" It's the same for me, you know? This is all new to me. And I'm not going anywhere. It takes at least three assassination attempts to scare me off. And even then, if there are baked goods involved, I might come back. "
Roland…. ✔ Is an Archive Librarian whose age isn’t really clear and whose life is a mystery and whose choices are full of selflessness and caring and courage, okay?
Why, thank you, can I have the sequel pretty please?...more
See, if I had wondered if I'd love The Unbound as much as The Arch❤ Buddy read with my awesome friend Chelsea❤
Rating clarification : 4.5 stars
[image]
See, if I had wondered if I'd love The Unbound as much as The Archived (I never doubted), I'd be smiling big time right now, because man, I loved every single page of it. That's not flawless. That's not the best book I've ever read.
But it did meet my ridiculously high expectations. Almost completely.
Meet me! Future Victoria Schwab's books stalker.
What? I guess she found the way to write books that manage to embark me on a wonderful journey into a fascinating world. And I f*cking love it.
♪ The story was addictive. My friend Chelsea can attest how much I was worried at first when I saw the high-school setting of that one. I was dreading regular teenage drama, love triangle - me throwing my book on the floor, which would have been a shame, because it's gorgeous. You can imagine what a huge relief I felt when I became aware that if high-school it was, it remained light on the what-boy-must-I-choose stupid angst.
After the first surprise I didn't see coming (view spoiler)[of course I'm talking about the scene Wes showed up at school (hide spoiler)] the whole story grew more and more intriguing, and even if I guessed some parts (view spoiler)[I was pretty sure Owen wasn't a dream from the beginning (hide spoiler)] I must admit that I freakin' loved the ending and the whole last events in general, even if I was so f*cking tired I missed some huge clues.
“Every uprising starts with a spark,” says Lowell. “Sometimes that spark is a moment, tipping the scale. And sometimes that spark is a decision.”
♪ Let me love you, characters!
You know how harsh I can be with female leads. So let me be clear on this : Mac did not disappoint me. Always willing to protect those ones she cares about, her strength comes from her determination, and saying she's been through a lot would be an understatement. It's just... She never gives up, you know? I always find myself drawn by such side of personality.
Be careful I'm not saying she was flawless. Thanks God she wasn't, ugh, I don't want to read about perfect characters, no thank you. First she stands as such an untrustworthy narrator - indeed, seeing her nearly broken down, always oscillating between dream and reality captivated me, as the thriller lover I can be.
Is she insane? Is she falling apart? Is she threatened? Is she misleaded?
I guess you have to read it to get the bottom line, but be warned : nothing can be taken for granted.
Though I must confess she annoyed me at some point. Yes, because I have a thing, characters : you can lie to everyone, I don't care about it, but please tell the truth to your friends who're trying to help you whatever it takes. Please. Don't do that typical YA thing to hide key information all the time, please. Because what image does it show of teenagers girls? I'm telling you : liars overwhelmed by their hormones. Yikes.
However, as I said, I truly appreciated her, and *whisper* I think that's because of her Harry Potter side.
Magic? Glasses? Clever friend? Invisibility cloak? A taste for red-head?
Nope. Try the complete inability to follow the rules and the advices she's been given. How fond I am of this!
Moreover you'll never believe me, but she does have a family whose reactions can be understood : finally parents who don't live in a Happy World while their daughter comes back home covered with scratches and bruises. Because I don't know you, but even if mine weren't particularly strict, I'd have been grounded forever if I had showed up looking like a professional fighter. I must admit I have a preference for her dad whose behavior seemed almost realistic and who succeeded in making me laugh when I least expected it.
" By the time Dad gets back, Wes has managed to cover himself with an impressive number of Post-it notes, each labeling a muscle (I don't have the heart to tell him we're studying blood flow right now)."
While Wes brought a smile on my face since his apparition in The Archived, The Unbound gave me the opportunity to reveal the shells behind which he's been hiding, and let me say, I was amazed by the strength of the protective instinct he could deeply imbedded within me. Never owning the show, yet the loyalty, the complete consideration he shows towards Mac and his fundamentally hopeful personality appealed to me even if we didn't get to see him as much as I'd have liked. Plus he never makes snap judgments about others, whether he's dealing with Archive members or regular people. How refreshing!
[image]
Who am I fooling? He's just cute and I loved him.
“Wesley's touch lingers on my skin. His music echoes through my head. I remind myself as I scrub my skin that we are both liars and con artists. That we will always have secrets, some that bind us and some that cut between us, slicing us into pieces.”
♪ I shall not refer again to the dazzling perfection the writing is in my opinion : I might not be completely objective, and some would say it can improve. To them I'll answer yes, obviously because it always can but you know what? It occurred to me that it suits my tastes perfectly : compelling, mesmerizing, this I can't put it down kind of writing.
Now I'm gonna stalk the third book updates. Told you.
Sorry, that person's shelf is private.
Alienor ✘ French Frowner ✘
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