Ms. McKay is always cheerful and generous with her carrot soufflé. She always wishes everyone a good day and is always ready to help anyone in need.
SaMs. McKay is always cheerful and generous with her carrot soufflé. She always wishes everyone a good day and is always ready to help anyone in need.
Say what you will, or say what you may, There’s nobody else who is like Ms. McKay.
A delightful story about a generous and kind old woman. The story has great rhyming and beautiful and colorful pictures. There was one grammatical error but other than that it is an enjoyable read.
4 stars
Merged review:
Ms. McKay is always cheerful and generous with her carrot soufflé. She always wishes everyone a good day and is always ready to help anyone in need.
Say what you will, or say what you may, There’s nobody else who is like Ms. McKay.
A delightful story about a generous and kind old woman. The story has great rhyming and beautiful and colorful pictures. There was one grammatical error but other than that it is an enjoyable read.
Rui studies at the special academy for people who have magic and learns to fight the Revenants. Rui is doing everything she can to train hard and honeRui studies at the special academy for people who have magic and learns to fight the Revenants. Rui is doing everything she can to train hard and hone her powers as she wants to kill the Revenant who killed her mother when she was fourteen. This particular Revenant wasn't any ordinary Revenant, Rui claims that it was a hybrid which, according to the guild, doesn't exist. Rui thinks maybe the guild is wrong and will prove it to everyone by hunting that Revenant and killing it.
Yiran was born into the most influential family that operates the guild. His grandfather and half-brother are the legendary Revenant killers and high-ranking officials at the guild. Yiran also wants to prove himself but Yiran wasn't born with any magic. When Yiran happens to be at the wrong place at the wrong time or the right time in this case, he feels magic coursing through his body. This is Yiran's chance to do everything he always wanted, but the magic is too powerful and Yiran never had any training to control it, so now he has to learn to control it and attend the same academy Rui attends.
Nikai is a reaper of the underworld. There are ten kings of the underworld. After the Fourth King of Hell disappears, Nikai looks everywhere to find him. Nikai never thought it would get him tangled with Rui and Yiran.
Zizi owns the knick-knack shop. Zizi can also do magic like Rui but doesn't attend the same academy as he believes the guild tries to control the magic and the people who can do magic. Zizi is also a powerful sorcerer who specialises in difficult spells and Rui's friend. When Zizi creates an illegal spell for Rui to try, he never expects the results to be so permanent and sets a chain of events that no one could have thought of.
I love mythology so I dived into this with enthusiasm. I loved the beginning, the world-building, the urban setting, and getting to know each character, it was all very intriguing and gripping but then we hit the middle where nothing really happens until the very end.
The writing was okay. The characters were okay at the start, but they got annoying as the book progressed. I didn't like anyone except for Zizi whom I loved so very much. I wanted to love Rui but she relied way too much on Zizi to save her every time something went wrong, and this wasn't just after she lost her magic. Zizi also saved her life from the hybrid Revenant. But this wasn't the main reason for my dislike of her. I felt Rui was using Zizi knowing that Zizi liked her and that's why always helped her, she tried to reason that Zizi couldn't like her because she wasn't pretty and all of this was just transactional. Yiran was just there and had no character development. Nikai wasn't there much and I wanted to know more about him but I did like the parts of the underworld that were shown. Zizi was undoubtedly the most interesting character.
The mythology woven with the story was done well yet at the same time it felt like not much was shared. I know this is the first book and more will be explained in the upcoming books. I wish that middle part wasn't so boring. I had guessed the mystery yet was stumped because when it unfolded, I never expected it to be so (for the lack of a better word) creepy. I would have given a higher rating had it not been for that reason. (view spoiler)[So, the Fourth King of Hell saved a pregnant woman which isn't allowed as per the underworld rules. That pregnant woman gives birth to a baby girl who happens to be Rui. Four gives up his throne and powers. He can't be found by the other Kings of Hell because his soul is somehow cloaked and is currently inhabiting Zizi. So far, so good. But the creepy part is that Four gave up his throne because he wanted to be with Rui, mind you Rui was just born when Four gave up everything and disappeared. Yeah, this was weird and creepy and my rating went down. (hide spoiler)] I don't know if I want to continue with the series.
I thought Inferno was the last book in Robert Langdon series so it came as a surprise to know there's another one but I still read it and I still likeI thought Inferno was the last book in Robert Langdon series so it came as a surprise to know there's another one but I still read it and I still liked it, may be not as much as the first two in the series but it's still pretty good.
It follows the usual Robert Langdon premise and although most of it is predictable, there are some things that still took me by surprise. This isn't the best book by Dan Brown but his fans will surely like this.
Twice Cursed is a collection of sixteen short stories and the sequel to Cursed. Even though the first collection in the series was disappointing, I stTwice Cursed is a collection of sixteen short stories and the sequel to Cursed. Even though the first collection in the series was disappointing, I still wanted to read this as I love reading short stories. Much like its predecessor, some of these stories are original fiction and the others are re-tellings. Some are good and others are just meh but overall, I liked this collection a lot better than the first one.
Sometimes all your choices are just taken away.
1. THE BELL by Joanne Harris - 2 stars
When a boy wonders where all the ancient kings and queens had gone, he sets out to find them but would he be successful? This was too short a story and the ending while the writer tried it to be different, wasn't that different.
2. SNOW, GLASS, APPLE by Neil Gaiman - 3.75 stars
This story was a re-telling of Snow White and was certainly cursed and dark. I enjoyed it.
3. THE TISSOT FAMILY CIRCUS by Angela Slatter - 3.5 stars
This was intriguing and mysterious about a magical circus that appears out of nowhere and I did enjoy it but at the same time, I wanted more explanation.
4. MR. THIRTEEN by M. R. Carey - 3.5 stars
This story is about a cursed group of people who meet in a support group. When a mysterious cursed stranger shows up, things turn creepy. I expected a lot after the buildup but still not a bad story.
5. THE CONFESSOR'S TALE by Sarah Pinborough - 3 stars
This story is about a boy who cannot speak and people confess to him their most heinous crimes since he can't share their crimes with anyone else. It started well but that end was disappointing.
6. THE OLD STORIES HIDE SECRETS DEEP INSIDE THEM by Mark Chadbourn - 3.5 stars
An archeologist comes across a tale of an ancient Viking king and clues about where she can find his remains so she sets out to dig up the past with her team but things don't turn out as she expected them to be. It was a good plot but gets lost somewhere towards the end.
7. AWAKE by Laura Purcell - 2.75 stars
Another re-telling of Snow White but I didn't enjoy this as much as the previous story.
8. PRETTY MAIDS ALL IN A ROW by Christina Henry - 3.75 stars
A woman has a lot of dolls guarding her house as she believes that those dolls are the defense against the spirits and spiders. As the story progresses, a more wicked and darker truth comes out. This was really unsettling but I liked reading it.
9. THE VIRAL VOYAGE OF THE BIRD MAN by Katherine Arden - 2 stars
A sailor who was cursed to tell his tale again and again after killing an albatross navigates modern times with technology. I didn't like this.
10. THE ANGELS OF LONDON by Adam L. G. Nevill - 0 stars
When a guy rents a flat in London, he finds out that his landlord is evil and is charging him way too much rent. I didn't get this story, it was creepy for sure but also didn't make any sense to me.
11. A CURSE IS A CURSE by Helen Grant - 1.5 stars
Two sisters live on the edge of the village and people think that they are witches. They live near the wall and the wall is said to contain something evil inside. When a man of learning arrives, he wants to learn all he can about the wall. It was a good story at the beginning but the ending was ridiculous and disappointing, to say the least.
12. DARK CAROUSEL by Joe Hill - 3.25 stars
A group of teenagers come across a strange carousel and an even more strange ride operator. It was an uncanny story but I wanted more explanation and also that end felt way over the top.
13. SHOES AS RED AS BLOOD by A. C. Wise - 1 star
A ballerina wants to dance without pain and free her mother from a curse. To do that she has to put on cursed shoes and also learn how to break free. I just could not get into the story. I don't know if it was the story itself or the writing, it wasn't for me.
14. JUST YOUR STANDARD HAUNTED DOLL DRAMA by Kelley Armstrong - 2 stars
Two sisters are dating two brothers and they all have magic. When they come across a haunted doll, things are sure to go wrong. This started off really strong but then it just ended abruptly and without any drama.
15. ST. DIABOLO'S TRAVELING MUSIC HALL by A. K. Benedict - 1 star
A story about a travelling music hall that promises enrapture and a magical evening to its audience has sinister participants. I didn't like it. It did not explain anything and left me with so many questions.
16. THE MUSIC BOX by L. L. McKinney - 2.25 stars
When a teenager house sits for a creepy old lady, she comes across a musical sound that's coming from a mysterious music box, and maybe something evil is lurking around. It was an okay story but it was too short and like many other stories lacked substance.
Overall 2.5 stars but I am rounding it up to 3 stars....more
Greg's school doesn't have any funding left for anything basically and the school board is doing anything and everything they can to get some cash. ThGreg's school doesn't have any funding left for anything basically and the school board is doing anything and everything they can to get some cash. They invited all the businesses in the area to advertise wherever they can from the floors to the toilet sinks. They even invited people to re-name the school for money. If there are no takers then the school would be shut down and sadly Greg and Rowley will have to go to separate schools. What would happen when Greg has to go to a new school?
I wasn't expecting much after the previous read in the series but surprisingly I loved this. All the issues that the schools are facing today were mentioned but with a lot more clarity and hilarity. Greg's family wasn't really there but the concept was a specific one so that's understandable. As usual, the sketches were amazing.
Kate owns a cafe called The Sardine in Seabury, a picturesque town where she enjoys a happy life with her dog Stanley, and close friends. However, wheKate owns a cafe called The Sardine in Seabury, a picturesque town where she enjoys a happy life with her dog Stanley, and close friends. However, when she hears about a big franchise cafe opening in town, she becomes anxious about the future of her business. To keep her livelihood safe, she comes up with some fresh ideas.
Although the characters were okay, they seemed a little unrealistic. However, that is not the reason for my bad rating. The situation with Mike and the dog was blown out of proportion, as some people may be scared of dogs for various reasons, and being scared of a dog does not automatically make someone a psychopath. The other issue was that Kate hired a minor without asking for any details or seeking permission from their parents. As a business owner, she should have done a thorough check.
However, it was a quick read and I listened to this as an audiobook and that was the only reason I finished this. If I were actually reading this, I would have not finished it. Normally, I don't like audiobooks but the narrator did a decent job and I didn't have to pay a lot of attention to understand this. So anyone looking for a quick and easy read that requires zero attention and effort, this ticks those boxes. I do have the next in the series so I may end up listening to that audiobook when I don't need to pay any attention but we'll see.
Elspeth's mind is completely taken over by the Nightmare. Ravyn is running out of time to find all the Providence Cards and he needs the Nightmare's hElspeth's mind is completely taken over by the Nightmare. Ravyn is running out of time to find all the Providence Cards and he needs the Nightmare's help who is not so keen to share anything anymore. Elm has his orders to hunt down the Hawthorn family. Things are more hazier than ever in this misty town.
Spoilers ahead -
After that cliffhanger at the end of the first book, this second book seemed to start very slowly, and to be honest, things never really did pick up. First of all, that romance between Elm and Ione came out of nowhere. Not once had Elm thought about Ione in the first book or the other way around. Not. Once. But a poor and weak explanation is given that Elm has been secretly in love with Ione for years.Convenient. But to me, it was so jarring that I wanted to DNF right then and there but wanted to see it through so I persevered. Ione's sob story did nothing to change my mind or rating. In fact, Ione and Elm's love story felt so forced (way more forced than I felt about Elspeth and Ravyn in the first book) that it was a big reason for me to not enjoy this book. I probably would have been okay with this pairing had they added something of value to the story but Rachel Gillig had them fill up the pages and that's it. Whilst Rayvn and Elspeth/Nightmare are looking for the Providence cards, and stakes are high (as high as they would get in the story), Elm and Ione are doing stupid things like looking for marriage contracts and the Maiden card that is conveniently hidden somewhere just out of reach or is it? Or making out in a cringe way no matter who was nearby. That's all they did in the whole book and this made the pacing weird and odd. I get that this is a young-adult to adult series but other than grunting and groaning, there should be more to the story. Elm was one of my favorite characters from the first book but in this, he was a completely different and watered-down version of that character. Elm and Ione should have had a different book or a novella because this felt more like their book rather than Elspeth and Ravyn's (even though I don't like them as a couple either yet prefer them over Elm and Ione).
I was already not a fan of the world-building or the writing in the first book but in this, it was even worse. So many characters are introduced but forgotten in the next paragraph. Things were thrown in there just to move the story along. There was no explanation for so many things.
There were multiple POVs but I can't say I enjoyed reading from any particular POV. The only things that I enjoyed were about the Nightmare. Everything else felt lacking something. That magic and eeriness from the first book were gone. Things were resolved so easily and quickly, also without any consequences that I had to check if I had missed reading a page or fifty. It was ludicrous how only a simple riddle solved all the woes in the end. It was solved in less than a page. Ridiculous!
Elspeth lives in Blunder and Blunder is covered by eerie mist for as long as anyone can remember and each year the mist spreads a little more. Anyone Elspeth lives in Blunder and Blunder is covered by eerie mist for as long as anyone can remember and each year the mist spreads a little more. Anyone who is infected by the mist must be reported to the King as infected by the mist can have serious consequences. There are twelve Providence Cards that lend its user magic and the royal family and the royal family's acquaintances are known to hold most of the Providence Cards, rest of the Providence Cards are either hidden or lost. Each Providence Card has unique properties/magic. No one is allowed to practice any kind of magic without the King's knowledge. Elspeth was infected by the mist and survived and only her family knows this secret and to keep it forever a secret, Elspeth lives with her aunt and her aunt's family. When everyone is invited to the royal event, would Elspeth be able to keep her infection a secret or would things go awry?
I was instantly taken by this eerie world with its dark secrets, unique magic, and captivating story. We find out little by little how things came to be. Everything Blunder is today, is because of The Shepherd King who wrote the book of Alders long ago and made the Providence Cards happen by giving parts of himself. Each Providence Card has a specific kind of magic depending on what The Shepherd King bartered with the spirit of the wood for the card in return. Some Providence Cards have been lost to time but together the whole deck is considered the cure to stop the mist from spreading and this may even hold the key to cure the infected.
Even though the story was amazing, I did not particularly like the writing and the world-building was barely there. We find out that there are families that are named after the trees such as Spindle, Yew, Rowan, and a few others but there was barely any other detail mentioned. Are those the only families in Blunder or are there more? Is everyone rich? Where do Highwaymen fit in? How does Blunder survive?
I loved loved the Nightmare. I could not get enough of him. I also loved Elm. Elspeth was okay, she did annoy me at times but Nightmare was there so it wasn't too bad. I know everyone loved Ravyn but I didn't love him like others did. He was okay. I know I am in the minority here because I also didn't see any chemistry between Ravyn and Elspeth, it just felt forced to me. I saw more chemistry between Elspeth and Elm to be honest. Other supporting characters were good and I enjoyed reading about them but they were barely there. I loved the revelations even though I had guessed most of those as the story went on but I loved it all the same.
I do have to say that this book feels heavily inspired by Vespertine, even the opening message feels similar. I may have given it a higher rating if not for that reason. Still, I did enjoy reading this, and can't wait to read the next in the series.
Elfhame's prince Oak is the ice queen's prisoner and Oak's sister, Elfhame's queen, Jude is preparing to go to war to bring Oak home. Oak wants to stoElfhame's prince Oak is the ice queen's prisoner and Oak's sister, Elfhame's queen, Jude is preparing to go to war to bring Oak home. Oak wants to stop Jude from going to war as he is conflicted because of his feelings for the ice queen, Wren so Oak has to come up with a plan that would stop the war but also bring him home to Elfhame with Wren and clear up what he hopes is a misunderstanding.
Minor spoilers ahead
After the disappointment that was The Stolen Heir, I was both dreading and excited to read this. To have a Jude and Cardan showing right at the beginning was a balm to my soul. But then the events at the ice court took place which were dragging and dragging and dragging some more. We kept on dancing around the same thing. By the time, they decide to set sail to Elfhame it was too late and I had already lost any interest in the story. I think they should have arrived in Elfhame earlier in the book. Of course, the only reason I was reading was to see Jude and Cardan. I loved and savored everything about them but everything else fell flat for me and was just unnecessary.
This was from Oak's pov which I liked better than the previous book's pov. Mainly because Oak would talk about some of the things that I cared about such as living in the human world with his sister and father. Having said that, I didn't really like Oak. He was okay but there was something amiss. I didn't care at all about Wren. She was just annoying. I have said this before and I'll say this again, Oak and Wren have zero chemistry. Throughout the book Oak kept on thinking about his true and deep feelings for Wren but I didn't see it. The whole hot and cold thing between Oak and Wren did nothing to change my opinion. That was tiresome. In the first book, I saw more chemistry between Oak and Tiernan. Sadly, in this book, Tiernan was barely there. I missed Tiernan a lot in this.
Oak's magic was somewhat interesting but that wasn't explored enough. The mysteries weren't mysterious enough. I hated it when Wren suggested to Oak, "Have you ever wondered if anyone truly loved you?" And Oak starts to consider that so seriously. I mean his whole family has done nothing but try to keep him alive all this time and this person who he has no chemistry with (you can never convince me otherwise) suggested something like this and he didn't even defend them.
I can't believe I am saying this but the writing was bland. And, one particular thing annoyed me about Holly Black's writing the most. - Oak almost felt sorry for him. Almost, except for the memory of his being party to the prince's torture. Holly Black would refer to him as Oak and then prince or heir in the next line or sometimes in the same sentence. It happened constantly even with Ghost and Garrett. Just pick a phrase/name.
I don't know why this duology was written. If Oak had just spoken to his family honestly, things would have been much better and obviously, this book would be much shorter and probably better too. If Holly Black wanted to encash then a novella about Jude and Cardan would have been much better. In fact, I would love to read a book or two about Jude and Cardan's adventures under the sea.
Lan is a song girl in a teahouse Haak’gong and she has a strange mark burned into her arm by her mother in her last act before she died. That strange Lan is a song girl in a teahouse Haak’gong and she has a strange mark burned into her arm by her mother in her last act before she died. That strange mark can only be seen by Lan herself and no one else. When she meets someone who can also see her mark, her life changes, and Lan finds out things that she never thought possible.
Zen is a practitioner, one of the magicians of the Last Kingdom long thought to be eradicated from the world. When he meets Lan, he sees a strange mark on her arm that he's never seen before. Together, they journey to find out the secrets of that strange mark, and their lives change forever.
This started out so strong and I couldn't wait to devour it but the pace changes after the first couple of chapters. It slows down dramatically and we keep on dancing around the same thing throughout. So many times, I thought to DNF but kept on going as the majority of the reviewers praised it so much but I couldn't enjoy it.
What others have been calling world-building, I'd call it info-dumping because the writer would dump things wherever she felt convenient. Even after all these pages of world-building or info dumping, I still can't understand the magic system.
The story itself is so unoriginal that it feels like an amalgamation of so many different YA books. Anything and everything was copied from somewhere. I know we live in a world where nothing is original anymore but this was just lazy. The invading Elantians were based on Caucasian Europeans who felt not only unoriginal but uninspiring.
Then there was the writing that was so detailed but ultimately pointless. The writer writes a word in I'm guessing, a complete guess - Mandarin, and then she'll translate it into English. For example, "Shi'zu. Grandmaster.", "Nai'nai," she said. "Grandmother." What was the point of this translation? And the book was filled with such one-word translations. Maybe others enjoyed it, but I found it to be trying too hard and forcefully to be different and diversified.
A huge spoiler ahead.
(view spoiler)[The grandmaster is supposedly Lan's father. Right before he is about to die, he tells Lan that she looks so much like her mother. Seriously? If he really loved Lan's mother then why couldn't he recognize Lan's similarity to Lan's mother before? I mean she had been there for weeks. (hide spoiler)]
There were a lot of tropes that I don't like in books and this book was choke full of those. For example, a non-pretty girl who is different from other girls but catches the eye of a pretty but aloof guy. Ugh! Sort of insta-love. Learns everything quickly. A saviour. Someone with special powers. Rude to others for no reason. Listens to others' private conversations and lies when caught. And stuff like that.
Not much was surprising in this story. The only thing that surprised me was (view spoiler)[Zen's lineage. (hide spoiler)] Everything else I could guess from the beginning. yet, I have so many questions that were never answered. (view spoiler)[Why was Zen crucified for his decision but not Lan at the end? When it was the exact same decision for the exact same reasons? Why was Zen made out to be the bad guy? Why was it okay for Lan's mother to have that magic when it was dark magic? (hide spoiler)]
The only characters that I liked were Zen, Shanjun, Tai, and Dilaya. Unlike the majority, I liked Zen. This had potential but it failed miserably. There are a lot of other negative things that I could go on about but I don't want to waste my time anymore on this. At this point, I don't think I will continue with the series.
Moth Hush is a witch and can do real magic. She's excited to learn all the spells and potions only for her mother to tell her to slow down. Moth is geMoth Hush is a witch and can do real magic. She's excited to learn all the spells and potions only for her mother to tell her to slow down. Moth is getting bullied at school and everyone makes fun of her. Moth just wants to be cool and when she finds an ancient charm that can make her wish come true, Moth can't wait to be cool and accepted by everyone at school. As the saying goes, Be careful what you wish for. Would Moth have to pay for her wish or would she get by?
I definitely enjoyed this a lot more than the previous one. The story was an improvement and I liked the message too but I mostly liked Charlie's friendship and support to Moth throughout. I enjoyed the art too. I think Charlie has become my favorite character and I hope his role grows as the series progresses.
Prue lives with her blind father as his caretaker in London. Prue and her father have their routine of sitting together in silence and doing their ownPrue lives with her blind father as his caretaker in London. Prue and her father have their routine of sitting together in silence and doing their own individual thing. Prue's mother left when Prue was little. Prue has worked a few different gigs in her life but since she was made redundant from her last job a few years ago, she hasn't worked as she takes care of her father or she tells that to herself and everyone else. Prue has a younger sister, Angela who lives happily in Canada away from Prue and their blind father. Prue wishes just to be left alone when she goes out but that rarely happens as Prue has a birthmark on her face that people either always stare at or ask questions about it making Prue feel uncomfortable. When Prue is trying to get home one day after an appointment, she finds out that all the trains to her destination are inaccessible and a London underground worker suggests Prue call the counseling service since Prue came from platform one. Later, Prue finds out that someone had committed suicide on platform one, whilst Prue didn't witness that in person, she does decide to call the free counseling service, and a chain of events starts that changes Prue's life.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book even though this was a slow book and I didn't like Prue's attitude towards her life. I mean she was worried about what people would think of the birthmark on her face when her father is blind. Whilst I understand why she feels the way she does, this annoyed me. I also didn't like how she didn't get what Salvi was trying to do. It didn't just happen once or twice, it happened every single time. (view spoiler)[I also didn't like how Salvi was spared in the end when he should have been arrested for assaulting Prue and for other things too. (hide spoiler)] I also think the end was dragged a little. But other than that I liked Prue. I liked how her character grew. I loved her bonding with her father and I certainly loved their visits around London throughout the summer to connect with each other and also connect with things once forgotten by both of them. I loved Prue's father's love for architecture as he became an architect only to lose his sight right after but he never stopped learning. I also loved how Prue explained all the things to her blind father so that he can remember how things once were and understand without seeing. I loved how things came together and how some things were explained in the past.
I don't want to give away too much as this is best enjoyed if you don't know much about this but this surely is a heart-wrenching, heart-warming read that really forces one to look beyond what can be seen. The writing was a bit slow as I mentioned yet I couldn't wait to finish this. This is my third read from Fiona Collins and I have enjoyed all her books so far so obviously I look forward to reading more from her.
"Just because you expect something doesn't mean you'll get it."
Jin is a Prince and he is twelve years old. Jin lost his parents when he was little and"Just because you expect something doesn't mean you'll get it."
Jin is a Prince and he is twelve years old. Jin lost his parents when he was little and his grandmother and the staff at the palace look after him. Jin wants to rule and he is getting ready to rule by focusing on his studies. But to be a powerful ruler, Jin must find a monster companion to bond with before his thirteenth birthday. A monster companion is a magical creature. The only problem is that no one has seen any monsters in the kingdom for years except for his grandmother's phoenix. Jin's thirteenth's birthday is only six months away and he has no clue how to find a monster and things get even worse when his grandmother forbids him from studying anything about monsters too. The only place monsters are rumored to be are in a place called, Whisper Island. No one knows if Whisper Island actually exists. But Jin is determined and sets his journey to find both Whisper Island as well as the monsters.
I was super excited to read this it was said that this features a blend of East and Southeast Asian folklore and mythical creatures, and stars a boy with a hero's destiny and I have great love for mythology. It started off really strong for the first couple of chapters. I felt Jin's woe and dilemma. I loved his dog. I understood Jin's need to prove himself. But after that, it got really boring and slow. Jin just stays at the palace doing this that and the other. Then there was Bingyoo. I don't know why she was even there. She added basically nothing to the story except to show that Jin is a humble person even though he is a Prince or maybe to add a female character. I don't know. She served no purpose in my opinion and I found her super annoying.
Things do pick up when Jin gets to the island but that was one of the main issues for me that Jin doesn't get to the island until almost halfway into the book. There is a little bit of action after that. I did like the other characters we meet there. Then the pace slows again. Needless to say that the pacing was really odd throughout the book. Then there is even a twist that makes very little to no sense. (view spoiler)[Jin was able to bond with two beasts. Why? It wasn't explained. If to bond was just to understand the magical beast then why aren't whisperers bonded to all the beasts personally? It wasn't explained. Why do the magical beasts need humans to guide them if they are magical? It wasn't explained. What was Bingyoo doing in the book? It wasn't explained. (hide spoiler)]
The writing was okay but this book failed to satiate my fantasy hunger because the plot wasn't handled as well as it could have been handled. That end was left at a cliffhanger and whilst I am curious to find out what happened long ago and how was one character able to fool the way they did, I am not sure I would be reading the next in the series.
Maureen and Francine Carter are twins and best friends. Francine is an outgoing person whilst Maureen is the shy one but Maureen can always rely on FrMaureen and Francine Carter are twins and best friends. Francine is an outgoing person whilst Maureen is the shy one but Maureen can always rely on Francine as she's always there to help Maureen get out of awkward situations. They are about to start sixth grade and Maureen is surprised to know that they both only share the two classes and obviously isn't happy about it. Maureen is even more surprised to know that Francine wants to be called Fran now and doesn't want to dress the same as her as they have always done in the past. Maureen is alone and devastated but what can she do when her own twin doesn't want to be known as the Carter twins anymore?
I liked the beginning but as it progressed it just made me mad. I get that it is so difficult for identical twins to have their own individual identities but the way everyone treated Maureen including Fran and her own parents was so wrong. They all kept things from her and lied to her and let Maureen fend for herself. I don't know why they even had the election when the end result was what we got. I liked the rep, I liked how it started but other than that this was annoying. I'll read the next but only to see how they handle Maureen's character.
Lelek is a witch and people think that she's dangerous. She kidnaps Sanja and together they journey from town to town looking for Lelek's other half oLelek is a witch and people think that she's dangerous. She kidnaps Sanja and together they journey from town to town looking for Lelek's other half of the soul.
Wow! This was downright appalling. First of all, the story was all over the place and every few pages, the story (if I could call it a story) takes a complete one hundred and eighty degrees turn that I'd think have I skipped on a few pages? This was a recurring thing. Secondly, the art was clunky. Thirdly, Sanja gets kidnapped and it's never even addressed anywhere. I loved the rep but beyond that, it has nothing going for it. I am disappointed.
Also, the author conveniently left a note at the end saying that she is not worried about what anyone thinks it should be. I think the note is passive-aggressive.
Imogen is in Paris (the most romantic city) with her boyfriend and she is looking forward to having a great time but when things go sideways, she lookImogen is in Paris (the most romantic city) with her boyfriend and she is looking forward to having a great time but when things go sideways, she looks back at her life, rethinks her choices, and tries to find out what went wrong.
Frankie has been married for over a decade and has four kids but she finds herself frustrated and not at all appreciated by her family. When she checks in at a local motel for the night by herself just to have some alone time, she looks back at her life and tries to find out what went wrong.
Grace has been married for over a decade and has a son. Grace had a picture-perfect life with a handsome husband and a lovely house and great taste in fashion but when she finds out that her husband has been cheating on her, she looks back at her life and tries to find out what went wrong.
Imogen, Frankie, and Grace are best friends and talk to each other about pretty much everything. After disastrous marriages for Frankie and Grace and awful dating life for Imogen, the three friends make a pact and decide to stay single for a year even though Grace is quite reluctant. Would they stick to this plan or deviate from this?
After reading Four Bridesmaids and a White Wedding by Fiona Collins, I did have some expectations so I am happy to say that this not only met those expectations but surpassed them too. This read more mature and I ended up enjoying this way more than Four Bridesmaids and a White Wedding. This had me rapt right from the beginning. The writing was simple but worked for this setting. All three characters have their own chapters and they had distinct voices. I liked their journey and the growth that they had. Just as Four Bridesmaids and a White Wedding, this isn't overly funny either as I only chuckled maybe a couple of times and that was only when Gideon responded to Grace. Gideon's responses had me in splits and there wasn't enough Gideon or Marcia. Also, I would have liked an epilogue at the end because it did feel like an abrupt ending to me. Having said that, I did enjoy the read and I look forward to reading more Fiona Collins.
Sadie is locked away in a tower by her evil sister, Princess Claire. When a prince rescues Sadie from the tower, that prince turns out to be a princesSadie is locked away in a tower by her evil sister, Princess Claire. When a prince rescues Sadie from the tower, that prince turns out to be a princess called Amira. Sadie and Amira bond and form a friendship. They also save a prince on the way who wants to run away from his princely duties.
This was way too short and didn't really have a plot. The drawings were nice and it is LGBTQIA-themed graphic novel but other than that I didn't like anything else in it. The characters were immature compared to their age. Then they call the prince (who by the way has done nothing wrong to them) butthead. This could have been way better than it was.
Greg's brother, Rodrick is planning to take his band Diper Överlöde to the next level. Rodrick plans to enter the Battle of the bands competition so hGreg's brother, Rodrick is planning to take his band Diper Överlöde to the next level. Rodrick plans to enter the Battle of the bands competition so he and his band are rehearsing every chance they get. They think of different ways to get fans, fame, and money for the band. They even think of following in the footsteps of Rodrick's favorite band Metallichihuahua but the band broke up before Rodrick was even born. Diper Överlöde decides to make Greg a roadie for their band and that's how Greg gets to see the rock ’n’ roll lifestyle.
This had a slow start but it did get better halfway through and made me laugh a few times which I was not expecting after the first half. I especially liked that twist at the end. The sketches were magnificent as always. Overall, it is a weak read in the series.
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