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| 1335091769
| 9781335091765
| 1335091769
| 3.84
| 3,381
| Feb 09, 2021
| Feb 09, 2021
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really liked it
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Many thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin Australia for this ARC. This review is my honest opinion. 3.5 stars for the nostalgia Reading this was a throwbac Many thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin Australia for this ARC. This review is my honest opinion. 3.5 stars for the nostalgia Reading this was a throwback to my first encounter with Kagawa. It's odd, I have a love and not so much love with Kagawa books, sometimes they're just right, and other times, I wish it were more. For example, I ended up enjoying her Blood of Eden books more than I enjoyed the first two books of the Iron Fey series (but oddly, I loved the Iron King and the Iron Knight way more). I read all three books of the Shadow of the Fox but stopped reading the Talon books at Book 2, with all good intentions to finish the series eventually. I must say though, I really did enjoy the Shadow of the Fox books more. Nonetheless, the Iron Raven is a nice return to the series (I'll admit, I haven't yet gotten rough to reading the sequel series to the original Fae books, but now I think I should) and it helps that it's focussing on Puck. The Iron Raven is Puck's story--and in many ways, it's also Robin Goodfellow's story too, even though they are one and the same, the Iron Raven shows us the depth of the difference. In the Iron Raven, in order to get Puck's story, Kagawa tells us we must know the difference between the Puck now and the one of the past. I can't say how much I was looking forward to it. When I say my rating is due to nostalgia, I mean it was wonderful to be back in the world, to see my favourite characters and couples. Grimalkin is as enigmatic as ever. Ash and Meghan are adorable together. Even Keirann is interesting, though I have yet to read his books. However, not everything is rainbows and sunshine, as the plot eventually reveals (or perhaps it is). There's a new mystery afoot that's threatening the fae, and it's Puck's turn to find out what it is. Now, firstly, this is a book for nostalgia (I know, I keep saying it). It's fun and actiony and mysterious as well. It's a generally good introduction overall to this series, and yes, I do want to read the next one. (view spoiler)[However, secondly, and these are the minor cons I'll dish but they should not, of course be a reason to not read it. I'm not one hundred percent sold on the romance yet! Though the love interest is interesting and mysterious and makes me think she should have been the lead of the series rathe than Puck (not that he isn't interesting). The plot while straightforward kind of skews a little to the side, that makes one think, hang on, didn't they already get to that part? Nonetheless, it's predictable and easy enough to gloss over, that still, it's a fun adventure. Puck himself, while interesting, has a slight shift in characterisation--for good reason--but it also makes aspects of his narrative a little tiresome in the sense that it makes him feel repetitive and begrudging. In saying that, it IS part of the plot, and without it, the plot wouldn't be well the plot. (hide spoiler)] Overall, with that ending--that seriously does tear me up more than it should since I partly saw it coming and partly because we don't get to see the full trauma that it would cause to certain characters--I am looking forward to the next book. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jan 27, 2021
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Feb 2021
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Jan 27, 2021
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Hardcover
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| 1616963069
| 9781616963064
| 1616963069
| 3.65
| 924
| Nov 05, 2018
| Nov 05, 2018
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really liked it
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Many thanks to Netgalley and Tachyon Publications for this copy, the review below is my honest opinion. I've never read a fractured fairytale collectio Many thanks to Netgalley and Tachyon Publications for this copy, the review below is my honest opinion. I've never read a fractured fairytale collection by Jane Yolen before and I find it to be a very interesting collection. It's order throws me a little but I like the way she's given a new fractured spin to familiar fairytales. I spotted at least 3 different cinderella fractures, all very interesting. If I had to name a favourite from this collection, however, it would be the story of One Ox, Two Ox, Three Ox, and the Dragon King. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Oct 10, 2019
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Oct 12, 2019
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Oct 10, 2019
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Paperback
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| 0765383837
| 9780765383839
| 0765383837
| 3.57
| 444
| Apr 09, 2019
| Apr 09, 2019
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liked it
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Many thanks to ntgalley and publisher for the arc! (I feel awful for not completing this earlier). On the other hand, a brief review. The Sword and the D Many thanks to ntgalley and publisher for the arc! (I feel awful for not completing this earlier). On the other hand, a brief review. The Sword and the Dagger is a lovely little introduction to the fascinating worlds of Genghis Khan, Persian empires, and the assassins of the Eagle's nest. Although I wish I loved it more, I do eventually like the characters. I find Conrad to be the most fascinating character within the book, and Rashid my second favourite. These two grew on me very much over the course of the story. Conrad begins as an arrogant fool, but he grows to be the Prince of Antioch he was always born to be through his experiences travelling with both Rashid and Elaine. Rashid is the would-be assassin who begins as someone who believes only in his god and of the orders given to him, but grows to find the ways to be loyal yet true to the reality he discovers in his travels with Conrad and Elaine. Elaine, however, felt the least developed to me and as much as I admire her for pro-feminism approach, she reads exactly as a character written for the purpose of being pro-feminist without really seeming very logical. Elaine is smart and she doesn't like being constrained by silly bonds, however, and what irks me the most, but doesn't quite entirely offend my sensibilities, is that she does every silly thing that she knows is not appropriate for her sex and only frets over it after. Such as leaving her safe spot during the battle between the persians and mongols, and then getting caught later--understandably she didn't want to be there, but couldn't she wait? Or go into hiding? Didn't she think what would happen to a single woman in the middle of battle? But in saying that, she's not boring. Still, Conrad and Rashid definitely develop more on a character level. And I love them both! I took much longer to read this than I expected and this was perhaps the fault of the pacing in the beginning. There were some interesting moments, but perhaps the arrogance of all characters made them unrelated for the beginning half. But once the characters began the severe moments of their journey, things started to get very interesting. In short, this was a nice little fiction in which we follow three individual of different backgrounds and personalities in a journey to recover a letter that will save the life of the betrothed Elaine and Conrad. Both of whom are royals of the respective kingdoms of Tripoli and Antioch. Elaine of course is unhappy with the possibility of marriage, however she is more than willing to do whatever possibly to save her life and for her kingdom. Along the way they encounter the greats: the Old Man, the Shah of the Khwarazmid Empire, and Genghis Khan. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Apr 21, 2019
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May 18, 2019
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Apr 21, 2019
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Hardcover
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| 0765392488
| 9780765392480
| B071L5WRN3
| 3.55
| 3,667
| Mar 27, 2018
| Mar 27, 2018
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really liked it
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Many thanks netgalley for the arc, this is a review that reflects my honest and fair opinions and by no means is influenced by this. What do I say? To Many thanks netgalley for the arc, this is a review that reflects my honest and fair opinions and by no means is influenced by this. What do I say? To be fair, I haven't read King Lear and perhaps I should. I've never been a big Shakespeare fan, but right now, I'm interested in reading King Lear just to see the source of inspiration for this. The Queens of Innis Lear is an amazing High Fantasy epic that depicts the tragedy between three sisters and the throne of Innis Lear. I was initially interested in this because it reminded me of Three Dark Thrones which I had a love and hate with - loved the idea, hated the execution, and yet I plan to finish that series. The Queens of Innis Lear however, is a standalone novel, and the only similarity to TDT is the three sisters. Other than that, QIL has a lot more in common with its source of inspiration, King Lear. And I have to say, I quite loved this one. Though my rating is only 4 stars, that's only because it's such a long read and the writing is as beautiful as it is dense. ALRIGHT. Here are my thoughts: [1] The three sisters shine in this. Each is swallowed by their own flaws, that drives them right to the brink. Gaela is strength, Regan is the witch, and Elia is the star priestess. By far, Gaela had the strongest personality, pride in her strength and desiring nothing but to rule as King not just a queen. Regan the second, is her sister's contrast, loving more than ice, and she has strong ties with her older sister, so much so that she promised to bear the heirs of Innis Lear while her sister ruled. And then there's Elia, who is the youngest and whom is loved the least by her sisters. She had never cared to be ruler of Innis Lear, but she had loved her father the best. What I love most about the sisters is how strong their ties are to each other - it's not just blood, but it's the experiences, the love and the hate, and all the in-between that said they were sisters. It wasn't just because they shared the same mother or father, but how they felt about each other. Tessa Gratton does a beautiful job depicting this between the sisters. The flashbacks give them depth, and the present gives them promises to keep and experiences to share. [2] Relationship with their father, was also spectacularly done. Even though that man seemed so crazy and self-centred to begin with, as the story unfolded and as we see him through the eyes of all the characters, King Lear unfolds a more complex character. One who isn't just simply crazy, lost to the stars, but someone who never healed after losing his wife, and not just because hs prophecy came true, but how the truth of that prophecy came out. I won't say I admire King Lear nor do I admire his actions or how everyone felt towards him, especially Elia, but his character was developed well. [3] Characteristion was just something...that I really enjoyed. Nearly all the characters were well developed. From Gaela and how she came to be the Gaela that she is, Regan and the depth of her love for her husband, to Ban the Fox and his mad race for revenge. Gaela is ruthless, and its clear she would turn the island into ash and bones if she became Queen, but she wants it more than anyone, and she fought and trained to be the leader of the people. She was a warrior Queen. And she had chosen her husband for the sake of the throne and not because she loved him. Regan on the other hand, chose her husband out of love, and yet she felt too much. And Ban, he wanted to be noticed and chosen for himself, and not be remembered and seen as the bastard of Errigal, second to Rory Errigal, and never Duke in his own right. Ban broke my heart. He was what Elia and her handmaiden called a traitor and most hateful person ever, but he was also the most complex, wanting more than anyone. I will say though, that Elia unfortunately becomes a tad irritating to me, for being so unyielding about her father, for never giving Ban what she could infinitely give him. She's no Mary Sue, but she does come close, being the youngest and most naive, who never thought to wear the crown, yet eventually is given the responsibility. Mars also annoyed me. He was characterised well, but I dislike how he ended. Those who shone for me were Gaela, Regan and Ban! [4] Relationships and romances...especially romances since I've discussed (sort of) the main relationship in point one. I love the relationships sketched out by Gatton for Gaela and her husband, Regan and hers, Elia and Ban, Ban and Rory (as in brothers not romance), Ban and Mars (friends not romance). Each of these were so powerfully drawn, I felt my heart ache for them all. I wanted to cheer from Gaela's husband, sorry that his end was so cruel. Regan and Connley, right from the beginning, it's clear that Regan is having a hard time staying pregnant and yet her husband is right there with her always, supporting her, fighting for her. And she is by no means weak, a witch in her own right, and powerful too. When the end of the story came, my heart broke for Regan, for their love was the kind in which they could only see each other and cease to exist of the other disappears. Elia and Ban's was complicated because of who they were and whom the loved. Ban loved Elia, but Elia loved her father more, and thus, the clash and complexity of their relationship began as small children. When they're older and they meet again, their love is still there, but Ban has changed far more than Elia. When Elia's world changes, she learns as he learns, how much they both have changed. And knowing this, Ban can only go forward, while Elia can only see how to fix it all. I loved the complexity of their relationship, even though I didn't love Elia. I feel as though all those who remained standing at the end, those with a name, were not as colourful and complex as those who died. As for the other relationships, the friendships and the broships, Rory and Ban stood out. One is the true full blooded heir of Errigal, while Ban the elder, is the Duke's bastard son. Yet these two brothers don't hate each other, they envy what the other has, not realising that they envied each other. And because Ban thinks he has the least, his path is determined before he can even begin to think for himself. Watching them two suffer and hurt and betray was so sad! And lastly, Ban and Mars. Their relationship is less explored, but we still see how their relationship has so much value. It's also complex in that Mars is the King of Aremoria, and he had seen Ban as a kid with value, not as a bastard child of a Duke. [5] Worldbuilding - when it comes to high fantasy worlds. This is high fantasy worldbuilding. It's not just naming a power or whatnot. Gatton crafts a world in which the two philosophies it cherishes, as the very lifeblood of the island. They affect the way people live, are used by them to create other things, and whatnot. The earth - the rootwaters and wormwork, and the stars and prophecy magic. This world is so complex, that without the worldbuilding, this story could not be written. [6] Writing and flashbacks, were really beautiful. No, not that's not. There are two things I want to talk about here. First, the writing was indeed wonderful, but WARNING, it is dense, like thick and sludgy. But it's beautiful sludge. It's sludge in which the weight of the fantasy world resides in, built and held together. This book might be long, but not a word is wasted (well I think Aefa the fool's daughter was a bit of a wasted pov now that I reflect back since I can barely remember much about her). Right from the beginning, we are given Gratton's beautiful worlds It begins when... - a world is unfolded in these words, as metaphors of earth and sky colour the Queens of Innis Lear. We get a deep feel for the island that should thrive by is barely surviving under the rule of King Lear, and of the daughters that the story is named for. Second! The flashbacks. I know some have commented that the flashbacks seem worthless, but to me, they were very important. They built up the story, laying foundations in ways that this story couldn't have lived without. And we are also treated to the last moments of several characters, unveiling to us as readers truths that the main characters could never show us as they never knew. And reading those parts would always break my heart, one more piece at a time. Without them, these characters would not have been as fleshed out as they were. [7] This is a book that bonds females and those less privileged in expected and unexpected ways. It doesn't make light of them, and it is heartbreaking. I can't even explain what I mean except that it is exactly as it's titled. Just as King Lear was a story about a King and his story, this is a book about Queens who almost, who do fall short of a prize far too valuable to be lost. And it's not bitching ladies, these queens have deeply rooted, good reasons to fight for what they believe in. OVERALL - for books similar to Three Dark Thrones, and for those who can handle HIGH FANTASY at its greatest, then this is definitely worth reading. But warning, it is a tragedy and this review barely even touches on the extent to which it is tragic. This is like a hidden gem, it's not the kind of book to immediately catch the attention of others or to hold onto audiences via its romances (aka A Court of Thornes and Roses, which, btw is not not that high fantasy), but it's the kind of fantasy for those looking for something deeper, complex, and meaningful. If that makes any sense at all, as if I haven't written all of the above in an attempt to make sense of my own thoughts about this!! ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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Mar 22, 2018
not set
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Mar 31, 2018
not set
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Mar 22, 2018
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ebook
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| 0373212399
| 9780373212392
| 0373212399
| 3.47
| 3,206
| Mar 27, 2018
| Mar 27, 2018
|
it was ok
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Many thanks to netgalley for the arc, this is a review based on my honest and fair opinion. 2.5 stars. And not because it disgusts me. Firstly, I want Many thanks to netgalley for the arc, this is a review based on my honest and fair opinion. 2.5 stars. And not because it disgusts me. Firstly, I want to point out, if I had to put aside all the racial controversy about this book (and I really want to, but I can't ignore other commentary on this in the face of looking ignorant), this book isn't that bad. But on it's own, it's definitely fallen into the genre it seems to come from. Harlequin (somewhat), speculative sci-fi fiction romance. Or something similar. I say this because it's a) sci-fi & futuristic, b) romance focussed, and c) the deeper speculativeness loses to the romance development. Secondly, I requested this initially because the blurb had interested me, and only found it out later on that it had a cloud of controversy hanging on its tails, which somewhat twisted my mind, but I still read it in hopes that it wasn't as bad it's been said to be. So, this is how the review will go. I'll first discuss everything but the controversy, then at the end, I'll address those things in relation to what I read and understood from the text. Just keep in mind, personally, I hate all this discussion about racism. It's this kind of inflammation that doesn't constructively help create stories for others to enjoy. So, story only, and not the other stuff... The continent begins strong. I quite liked the way it developed this image of a world, where you have a utopian like setting versus a constantly warring nation. It's imaginative. It's unique. If we put aside colour and race depiction issues, then there was a lot of potential in the Continent to really present a story about a privileged girl suddenly thrown into a world of needing to survive. I would have liked to see her go from pampered to finding her sensibilities tested and challenged, to her at last accepting that she is part of that world, and that she can no longer look back. What I got instead was more romance than anything else. I think the story aimed at a 'happier' ending, with saviours and whatnot, but truthfully, I didn't like it. It took away from the powerful telling this could have given and placed more emphasis on the romance. The romance was fair. But it was also far too simple. As if it was expected, with no other developments in character or around the characters to really give them a push to be together. This is probably why I label it as typical harlequin (even though I know that's the publisher, but it's become it's own freaking genre), where the romance will win out. The characters. Individually: Vaela - I liked her at first, until I didn't like her, but why, I'll explain later in the bottom part. Her naivety shows how privileged her life was and that her luxuries seem universal. That is until she encounters life on the Continent. Noro - I believe his name was changed (I'll discuss this later), anyway, he was interesting. But his portrayal had me face palming. As a character, there was something to him, he was quite reasonable. Everyone else - what can I say? Some made a strong presence in the background, but others were not as strong gave space for filling up a cast. The worldbuilding is missing a lot. We have the general idea of the world, that there's this place and that, that the Spire is a united nation, and the Continent is not. The Continent seems to be like Antarctica? And it is inhabited by two dominating ethnic groups. I think a lot of concern for this book is the underdevelopment of the worldbuilding. The lack of, means that readers don't know how they relate to each other, nor do we know how important each are. It seemed like these divisions in the world merely existed to create the conflict for the romance. But I do want to say that the world the author has created is actually interesting. A safe world, and then a world like the Continent (not with those listed cultures but) that is endlessly warring is fascinating. I really wanted to read a story that dealt with dealing with a warring nation without the White Saviour Trope. As for writing. It's descriptive but not overly. I.e. We know some things that are convenient, but things like history and whatnot are not elaborated on. It's not beautiful writing, but it is useful. Useful but not boring. And....I think that is it. And now, the hard stuff. Now, after reading many reviews that, really, just makes me sick. And not sick because of what they referred to but because of the backlash being dealt. I don't know how many read the book in detail, but, there is constructive criticism and then there is simply bitching. Alright, here are my points; [1] Political correctness, censorship, etc, etc, etc., What stands out the most in many reviews and what mostly irritates me is this carelessly thrown around word 'racism' and who says it. I do agree that writers should be wary of how their works should be perceived, and that they aren't offending anyone. But we need to remember what the story is being told. How would you as a person describe someone you've never met before, who is so different to you, who might seem like a 'barbarian' or 'savage' to you? You might not be aware of this, but unexpectedly, and unconsciously, our mind needs to find the words to describe these new things. And so we 'latch' onto these words, and that's how we begin describing things. The problem however, is how a person deals with overcoming these differences. Although I don't agree with how much has been described of the Continent natives, I also think that Vaela has not experienced such worlds up close. And has probably been brainwashed to think of the natives as savage and unlike her when living in the Spire. She probably never went through a course of Intercultural Communication or International Communication or anything similar. Which brings me to the problem that I see: [2] Vaela as the primary problem, and also been criticised for being fulfilling the 'White Saviour' trope. She does actually fall right into that. Anyway, why do I say she is the problem? Because though she begins as a fantastic character, her development throughout the book does not see her as assimilating, but more and more becoming that annoying white saviour no one really needs. Her attitude is not obnoxiously awful, but it tends to come across as 'superior' unintendingly, and there are many moments, even by others where there is this supposed overall underlying assumption that the Spire IS better than the Continent. This becomes a trend more and more towards the end of the book, right about from the point where the romance takes over the plot and other things fall sideways. If Vaela had been less about her culture, and more open to understanding, less imposing about the Spire and asking more questions about the way of Aven'ei life, then maybe there would have been less 'race' discussions and more something else. In my opinion, Vaela was the greatest flaw, even if I know where the author might want to go with her, her development didn't suggest that she had interest in the Aven-ei, but simply her newfound lover. It's no surprise that this receives criticism for fulfilling that White Saviour trope, as many actions taken, i.e. getting help from the Spire by Vaela, really needing that external help, Vaela is the one with answers aka the maps (which is understandable because she's a cartographer but well), are moved forward by Vaela or on the expectation that Vaela would succeed. [3] Talking about race, personally I hate the term 'race' as much as I hate the term 'ethnic'. But these terms are being used, and rather than talking about how we hate it (I am POC btw, Asian parents), we should think about how to claim ourselves in this world. For this book, to be fair, the portrayal of different races are so general, it's no wonder it got criticism. I have nothing against almond eyes but not everyone has them if they're asian. What this book lacks, is recognition of diversity within diversity, and also the very fact that stereotypes, while not avoidable, should have been explored and justified in more depth. Awareness should be raised, not just generalised. And I think this is also where the author goes somewhat askew. She doesn't mention variation. Only the Spire has variation because their unified nations. And she talks about ninjas, she gives them a different name (sort of), but there's little explanation or worldbuilding to give us reasons why they are dressed that way, or why are they needed, or why else. [4] Fantasy worlds are always going to be inspired by real cultures. Developing them can be hard. I asked myself why, all through this book, why this book got such a bad rap when other books did not. Ie. Sky in the Deep or Winner's Kiss, the two that come to mind. Or An Ember In the Ashes. Sky in the Deep deals with people of similar cultures, but warring against each other, and there is plenty of diversity present. Who is superior depends on which side one looks i.e. side a vs side b. And not just side a, and side b agreeing with side a. Winner's Kiss, we had an mc who was culturally sensitive, and wanted to get to know the other cultures, while also showing respect and also showing us readers how the coin can be flipped, how what was once superior can be made inferior, how the inferior can rise, and that most of all it's politics of war. We deal with it, and we learn. And Ember in the Ashes, well, you get the picture. Anyway, there are probably plenty ther examples that deal with culture that don't get criticised (An Ember in the Ashes is similar to Sparta and Ancient Rome, plus others, while Winner's Kiss is harder to derive roots of). Choosing a culture as inspiration as fine, even using the language of that culture is fine too (making up a language is really hard, you can just pick out words, or you can create the whole thing, but the short is that it's hard) but it's respecting it in the written work that's something else. Mix it up, add some olives to that lettuce salad for your fantasy culture. Where are the tomatoes and cucumbers? It's no surprise that reviewers critique this representation. [5] And just changing small things don't cut it... is what several reviewers have commented about when discussing the racism of this book. And I half agree. In the revised version (not the one I received), I've seen that not many major revisions had been done. Changes to names and culture group names, were done, but... well. Truthfully, that wasn't the problem - not the way I see it. This book is written in first person after all, so it's the character development and perception that is a problem. [6] I don't believe those in the culture should be the only ones to write about that culture inspired stuff, and whatnot, this argument was really small among reviewers though there were a few who commented by saying that they themselves were poc and disagreed. I think anyone can do any kind of writing of any character, however you have to do research, you have to go out and actually understand that culture is not just a visual thing, but it's deep down. It's also more diverse than you think. If you're not confident, then put the mind to developing a new culture that may be inspired but that one but yet has its own uniqueness. [7] And the stuff outside the book that bothered me, I heard that there was harassment from the author and to the author. Neither is in the right. But more critical beta reading to diverse groups would have improved this a lot more. A romance is fine, but this one pushed too much romance first and not enough concept first. Overall. I didn't want to give this a bad rating, but the foundation of the story was almost lost under the other stuff. In truth, I think the base concept is really interesting. I think I've said it several times. It's just a shame that this book was overshadowed. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Mar 19, 2018
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Mar 21, 2018
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Mar 19, 2018
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Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 4063409481
| 9784063409482
| 4063409481
| 4.17
| 4,822
| Feb 13, 2015
| Feb 13, 2015
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really liked it
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None
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Notes are private!
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1
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Mar 18, 2018
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Mar 18, 2018
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Mar 18, 2018
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Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 0373212593
| 9780373212590
| 0373212593
| 3.09
| 5,159
| Jan 16, 2018
| Jan 16, 2018
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it was ok
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Received a copy via Netgalley, many thanks for the advanced copy, this review is in no way influenced by this, and represent my honest thoughts and op
Received a copy via Netgalley, many thanks for the advanced copy, this review is in no way influenced by this, and represent my honest thoughts and opinions. I originally had no idea who the authors were and merely requested the book based off the cover (yeppp, when there's a chance of rejection I went for anything possible that I might want to read) and of course was approved to my surprise. it wasn't until just before my first attempt at reading this did I actually go and read reviews and see what I was up for. The reviews put me off. But since it wasn't sitting well with me to not read it for myself, I pulled it together and gave it crack. First off, I want to say, this book HAS POTENTIAL. I think the last time I felt like I needed to justify something was when I read Throne of Glass. I really did not like the writing of the first book though Sarah J Maas has improved since. Zenith on the other hand is a different story. So starting with the very brief positives: [1] Potential: This book has it. The idea is interesting, and so is the plot. A female space pirate crew? Sure, why not? An antiheroine? Why not again? A rescue plot. Yeah, typical, but again, why not? Oh and it's high concept sci-fi which I do like. And...that's about it. I can't think of many more positives. This book was a whole 500 pages too long. Which brings me to the not so positive stuff: [1] The obvious: Many other reviewers have commented that Zenith is a rip off of Six Crows, and yes, in the beginning for nearly 50%, Zenith feels a bit like Six of Crows, and if you haven't read SoCs then this will probably be really cool to you. Except, I already read SoC just a month, and trust me, SoC is a thousand times better. That book is incomparable. You might have an awesome crew, a badass female in Andi, and a supposedly cool guy in Dex, someone to get out of prison like Valen, and the rest. But you can't compare it to Kaz and his crew. AT ALL. That's the first similarity. The other similarity I felt was indeed similar to Celaena Sar-whatever from Throne of Glass. In terms of character, and also the style of writing (I'll get to this later). And then I got a slight feel of Queen Levana from the Lunar Chronicles but less interesting, and less captivating. Now, similarities are fine if they are only similarities, but the first half of this book really gave me the Six of Crows feels to the point where I was desperately wanting to read the ACTUAL Six of Crows. [2] Characters? Er...yeah about that there were too many to actually keep count, and it's not like Six of Crows where there were many yet their stories and names were clear in the mind. Granted, some of the characters had some interesting pre-conceptions, but their delivery was well, not awful but not in the way of making much sense either. Let's see, we have Androma - first the name feels like it came from a spat of constipation. It's not awful but it's like it has no roots to make it beautiful? It doesn't sound natural, but it does sound...unique. There's Dex...pointless? (We'll talk more about him too in a minute). There's Lira whom I actually didn't mind at all, except....I have no idea how her story fit in. Gilly and what'shername who were introduced and hung about....really...if it weren't for their repeated inclusions, you'd forget them after five hundred pages. Valen...he was also a bit interesting except...the execution wasn't fantastic so the poor guy ended up being completely useless and a waste of space *sigh*. And oh! There's the governor, who reminds me of the guy from Six of Crows. [3] ANDROMA RACELLA, her last name sounds like ratella or something. Anyway, names asides. This girl, is the baddest ass in the whole universe. Except. I kind of didn't get that vibe at all. For the first time in her pirating life, someone had bested her. (Um...just how long was her pirating life? And you can't be the best without going through many mistakes and whatnot.) "Is that mercy I hear?" Dex smiled as he walked backwards, to stop at the silver ladder that lead to the deck below. His fingers curledover the railing, his boots poised over the hole in the floor. "Surely not, from the Bloody Baroness." (She gave mercy to three of the guys, an attempt on the author's side to just give Andi a reason to kill them, and it's not mercy. Since Andi and her crew blasted and cut through everyone else without caring. Which makes me ask, for this section, why bother wasting space with this, if just to have her say 'I wanted to kill them anyways'? Pointless.) Andi laughed from beneath her hood. "I have a reputation to uphold, Dextro. (This obviously, doesn't make any sense when the past between them is revealed and it doesn't seem like (or at least not clarified) they knew each other for a long time either!) He howled and dropped, and then she was off again, leaping over his fallen form, (I absolutely abhor the glorification going on here. It. Makes. No. Sense. Since we don't even know anything about Andi in the first place!! What she cares about, or likes, or hates, or values.) The concept of Andi's character is good, as with the good and the bad, but the execution didn't feel right at all. Yes, someone can be bloody in their kills. Yes, someone can be heartless. Yes, someone can experience something that makes her like that. But Androma is a contradiction of herself. She hates herself for something she did in the past, and all her flashbacks depict her as someone fun, someone normal, before the accident, except even with the reveal of the accident, everything about Andi falls flat. She's the badass without the bad. She's a monster yet she kills without caring, without even any emotions - this could work for other characters in other books, but it doesn't work for Andi, because we NEVER, NOT ONCE, see her struggle. AND IT'S INFURIATING. [4] DEXTRO, I really don't like your name either. It reminded me of gastro, and dextrous, and anything but a decent name. Well, Dex is fine, but Dextro.... really? Out of all the characters, felt Dex was the pale imitation of Kaz. It didn't feel like Andi, but I felt it from Dex. And not overall, but for certain things. It wasn't good. Dex's personality is flat too. He attempts cool, but fails at doing so many times. He moons over Andi, but it sounds awful. There is absolutely nothing to like about Dex. Sometimes it seems like he's bonded with the crew, but mostly, nope. It makes me wonder too whether he had any friends, or life beyond Andi. And yet at the very end, when Dex's reason for betraying Andi is revealed, you hear about a father...for the first time ever. It's so sudden that it feels like a slap in the face. And you think, oh, so you did have a life outside of Andi previously? [5] The rest of crew are completely forgettable. [6] Writing and Plot are debatable. Like I keep saying. There's plenty of potential. Let's start with plot - plot was standard, nothing special. Where it strikes me all wrong is of course the parts when things go wrong just because they could, and not in un-cliched way. If the crew is so good or the ship so good, then they got caught WAY TOO EARLY at the beginning of the book. In saying that, the ship breaks down way too conveniently. Convenience can work, but it totally doesn't here. It makes it sound like a parody and it was really hard to stay serious when I read through all the hard, serious parts. As for the writing. It's like it mimics Sarah J Maas, and not in a good way. Although I could comment on Maas' writing til the end of the world, I will say it's not bad, and it's improved since her first book, and it goes somewhere, all those beautiful catchy memorable sentences that gloriously paints this michelangelo with words, in comparison, it's much better than what I got in Zenith. The writing is superfluous, half the time pointless. All the time in attempts to paint michelangelo, it fails to bring it to any main point. We get many pointless descriptions that talk about the horrors and death that she caused, but it's places where bits of the past or some feeling or emotion could have been described, but isn't which leaves me wondering what in the world was being discussed. [7] Sounds like a parody, this crossed my mind a hundred times. [8] Relationships, and I'm not just talking romance (we'll discuss this in more detail in the next point). A close crew should have good relations or at least strong ties that have them arguing but sticking together. Sure, on some level Andi's crew SORT OF cares for each other, except on others, this was seriously just ANDI, ANDI, ANDI and she wasn't even all that great. There was no real chemistry between her and the other characters. There is no mystery or bond as to why and how they got together in the first place! [9] Individual depth was missing for every single character. I know some was held back for the sake of a reveal (Queen Nor for example), but it's a waste of pov. Lira wasn't bad, but I wanted more for her, because I don't see how she relates! Andi and Dex, absolutely no depth at all. The rest of the crew...so forgettable simple because they had no depth. It's funny too because each and every one of them had something interesting hinted at background, but it's never developed. [10] Romance, is something I don't always need in a book, but this one had one, and it definitely didn't sound like one. I swear neither Dex nor Andi seemed to even like each other. Even when the reveal is revealed, it's all spoken but never felt. If anything that whole dialogue just felt like an unnecessary weight to every other burden in this book! Where were my flashbacks of their romance? Of the emotions that would have give that entire dialogue every bit of feeling it deserved? [11] Exactly how old is the entire crew?? It sounds like they're all over thirty or something. Gilly a young kid did not get any justice at all and made a baby killing machine. Andi sounds like she's forty something since she seems to have experienced sooooooo many things but never clearly detailed. Exactly when did she and Dex meet? How long were they together? When did that accident happen with Kalee? When was she betrayed? When this and when that? I was just a bit confused. [12] Multiple POV, were way too many. With few that seemed interesting, yet didn't seem to fit into the story at all. There were present povs (Andi, Dex, Lira, etc) and then past, and then idk what. Dex had to be the worst pov, since it was pretty much reading as Andi's pov but with Dex's name - there were several incidences when the pov switched and it didn't really, and there were other times, when there was a pointless pov switched mainly to show Andi's bloody deeds, even though it could have been narrated from Dex's pov! [13] Um aliens? Different species? I feel like everyone looked like human/mostly human....and didn't get the feeling there were many other species? Was that just me, or was it the lack of description? [14] I think there are still tonnes more, but for now, I'll leave it at this. Anything else, I'm sure there are a thousand reviews out there that will tell you. OVERALL This had potential. It feels like it could have been edited more critically. I won't comment about the authors and their youtube fame - this has nothing to do with that even if they might have received the opportunity because of their popularity. But they still wanted to write and they did, but this was 500 long and painful read. I won't lie, I skimmed the second half. I couldn't deal with the writing that felt like it wasn't going anywhere, lacked many descriptions about characters and their pasts, and of the world. This had potential. But in my opinion, it was the lack of seriously harsh critic in the editing process that was the downfall of all of this potential. So much dialogue could have been cut or rearranged. So many descriptions could have been cut too. And pointless pov shifts could have been taken out. There was this one scene where there's a fight going on, and the pov switches from Dex to Andi just to show her cutting down some more, and to let everyone know the Bloody Baronness was coming, and then it cuts back. LIKE WHAT WAS THE POINT? In short. Potential, but not the most brilliant execution. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Mar 10, 2018
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Mar 16, 2018
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Mar 09, 2018
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Hardcover
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| 0062471341
| 9780062471345
| 0062471341
| 3.97
| 22,196
| Feb 06, 2018
| Feb 06, 2018
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really liked it
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3.75 stars actually! It's not quite worth that 4 star rating... Many thanks to netgalley for the arc, my opinions below are my honest opinions and wer
3.75 stars actually! It's not quite worth that 4 star rating... Many thanks to netgalley for the arc, my opinions below are my honest opinions and were by no means influenced by this. First, I want to point out, this book would have been a BIG favourite of mine when I was thirteen, maximum like seventeen. Since it's DEFINITELY filled with all the things I would have liked back then, and all the bad things I wouldn't have noticed. When I say bad things I just mean things that would put me to sleep now, or make me frown the devil's frown if I was in a not so great mood. In saying that, of all the bad books I've read recently, this is NOWHERE near it. And of the good books I've read this is also NOWHERE near it. Basically it's somewhere in between. Good enough that I liked it okay (Gee, I read it faster than I thought anyway) and not bad enough for me to want to critique the hell out of it. SO, below I'm going to list some of the things that readers might not like, and then after, I'll say why it's good. The stuff of headaches for hardcore fantasy, character building and everything in between {1} A near Mary Sue main character. Brienna isn't quite the Mary Sue, but her character was close to it. There were many moments in which (had I been in a different mood) would have annoyed me. But, it seems Ross skirted (and caught me at a good time) the fine line between Mary Sue and someone more empathetic. For example, in search for the stone, Brienna asks, or rather demands, that she be the one to make decisions about the Stone and give it to the Queen-to-be. This in itself was my first questionable moment. I mean, the girl has yet to prove herself, or prove her value, therefore what right does she have to make such demands? But of course, her passion father sets the boundaries on what she can and can't do. Other moments include...having her ride next to the Queen when really...she doesn't have that much swordfighting ability and whatnot, or everyone listening to her when she announces her plan idea....as if she is the only one to come up with it. But for it to work, most of it was coincidental! {2} Part A and Part B - Not the accurate titles given in the book, anyway, these two part seemed to both a) flow, and b) not flow. We learn about Brienna's beginnings at Magnalia House, which in itself was really interesting! Except, much of what we are told that she has done isn't really referred to in Part B, even though her learning as a passion of knowledge would have been really useful to Part B! {3} The Passions, I thought was really interesting idea in terms of world defining. It's similar to Divergent, but at the same time, not really. It's more similar to the way we look at majoring in university. Basically each passion is like a major. You can choose to be a passion in art, wit, music, knowledge, dramatics. Some of them have streams, i.e. under knowledge, you can choose to eventually become an arden to a patron under teaching/education, something biology/physician related, and the last in history. I thought this was very interesting. My only disappointment, of course, as a linguist, that language was not included anywhere (from what I remember). Language is a very important asset! Then again, there are only two notable languages in this world, and tbh, the representation of language and acquired language didn't feel great (?) not awful but more like taken for granted. {4} Worldbuilding, I did quite like the worldbuilding! It's very clear what is what, and you get a very specific feel about Valenians and Maevans. Valenians feel like they've been inspired by medieval French, and Maevans by almost celtics but more medieval? The worldbuilding was a little less developed when it came to the Maevans. And asides from running a court and having distinct families and a strong history background (that Valenia was not developed well in this sense), I didn't get much of a feel for Maevans except that they dealt justice with a sword - eye for an eye and all - and were more brutal than Valenians. {5} Romance, this was not really necessary and it wasn't world shattering either. It was predictable and it was nice. Master Cartier was the perfect love interest, but he was also nothing spectacular, while not unspectacular either. What is likeable about him, is that he has his own story, and he also, is not the main focus of Brienna's story. He plays a part, but Brienna goes about her own story, doing her own thing, right up until they reunite. Unfortunately (or perhaps not unfortunately), their romance is also plagued with scenes I would have loved when I was much younger (I appreciated it now, because other more hardcore stories are less focussed on beautifying these moments and more focussed on the twists to come). These scenes paint a pretty picture of their interactions. Light and fluffy and romantic in a clean kind of fairytale way. But I like that the romance doesn't take away from the story, acting as a side even though it also has a somewhat big part, if that makes sense? I guess in a way I was pushed to read more because I wanted to see Master Cartier and Brienna reunite. {6} Other characters...? Were nice, but they mostly seemed to fill up the cast and support the main character. Like Luc and Jourdain, etc. But in saying that they all had their own stories, that tied into Brienna's but there are not complicated threads either. Without Brienna, their stories are pointless. Their fight pointless because she wouldn't be there, a catalyst for the change. And that was a bit of a shame. {7} Brienna as central figure. The thing is, I'm not even mad or annoyed or frustrated this time, maybe because of the way Ross writes Brienna's story that I don't hate her character, but she is pretty much always the central figure. Like I said in the previous point, without her, nothing would have happened. She's special for very little reason, and I wish she toned it down. But in saying that, at the end there when she was in a fight between herself and her father which I did find unbelievable due her minimal skills in the sword vs. his many years of the sword, that scene was saved by the interference of someone with more skill than her. It was little things that diverted my mind from thinking that I dislike this book. {8} Going back to other characters! Since I almost forgot. I was not happy with the insta-family dynamics of Brienna and her patron family, and the weak twist with Brienna and her biological father. Firstly, I saw it coming that Brienna's real father would play a role. That wasn't much of a surprise after we learn she is the receiver of her ancestors' memories. Secondly, her biological father is unfortunately reduced to a very two-dimensional character. His eldest son as well. His youngest son served to have a more rounded character except that his final actions weren't all that clear. Thirdly, as for Brienna and her patron family, they were all too close far too soon. I would have liked more angst. {10} Major plot twists & Complicated backstories or characters are totally missing from this. It's like I said, I would have loved this so much more if I was younger. I've read a lot of fantasy fiction, and I will say I enjoyed this a lot more than say ACOTAR, mostly because it retains the 'Young-ness' of Young Adult whereas Maas strides into New Adult territory. Why I say I would have loved it more if I was younger? Because there are no heavy moments of angst for me. When facing the false King of Maevana, retrieving the stone, even leaving her own room, Brienna has very little trouble for any of these. Yes, she does have trouble with one or two things, like not getting a patron when she was supposed to, or being able to tell Master Cartier the truth. But mostly, she's in a difficult position and she gets out of it without anyone knowing or wiser about it. That was somewhat irritating, except my mood was clearly in for something this uncomplicated...after all the complicated books I've been reading lately... {10} And the last point, any more can be found in other brilliant reviews, the good and the bad. This book will either do one of the follow: 1) Cruise! You'll not be surprised or angry or happy or sad or anything. It will just cruise for you. 2) You'll get bored. It'll be boring, repeated, and far too happy-go-luck. And then there's 3) you'll like it, enjoy it, or love it. I fell into 3, under I liked it. But I'm not surprised if I would have felt any of the other two at some other point in time. SO if any of the above annoyed you, don't suit your tastes, then this is probably not your book - it is nearly 500 pages after all! ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Apr 06, 2018
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Apr 09, 2018
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Mar 09, 2018
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Hardcover
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| 0373212372
| 9780373212378
| 0373212372
| 3.92
| 6,876
| Jan 30, 2018
| Jan 30, 2018
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liked it
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Many thanks Netgalley for the ARC, this review is my honest opinion. A short review. On the whole, I feel like this book was far too long to read for t Many thanks Netgalley for the ARC, this review is my honest opinion. A short review. On the whole, I feel like this book was far too long to read for the plot that it held inside. Drix and Elle have their own pros and cons, though as characters, I feel Drix had the stronger story to tell, as the guy who went through juvie for someone else, because he thought it was family who did it. I love that he values family alot, it really gives his character a lot of conviction, I like also that his time away changes his character, though sometimes I wished we actually got flashbacks of when he was bad, or some more detailed memories of what shaped him. But, I think on the whole Drix wasn't so bad to read. I did think, however, that some of his convictions weren't that strong, or that sometimes he was thinking something, but it was the contradicted moments later. Elle on the hand was mostly a bit boring to read about, and her conflicts less strong. More like we understood more about her when we saw her from another perspective but never quite from her own perspective. I love Drix's family, extended and those permanently adopted into the family, by this I mean his best friend in life, and from his second chance camp. The family vibe was awesome and it feels good too. I think the title is nice, it's what caught my attention in the first place on Netgalley, BUT, I feel like it sounds sadder than the book really is. I feel like it adds expectations where there weren't any. But, it does give a feel to the story, that I feel really shouts 'DRIX'. I do need to add a warning though, a dog does die in the book, whether it was intentional or because he was being heroic, that dog was awesome. I loved him. So sad to see what happen to him happen. I do also need to point out, I was really put off by the repetition of things like 'beautiful mouth', 'beautiful eyes', and 'beautiful body'. I mean I know they're beautiful, and I got that the first 100 times, but I would have liked some more variation...and I think this book might actually beat out Maas and her Throne of Glass which had the same repetitive issue. But on the whole, I do love the love in this. I do feel that Drix and Elle really do love each other throughout the book, and for that I do recommend it. Even if it is for a long, but light and predictable lazy day read! ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Feb 13, 2018
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Feb 21, 2018
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Feb 13, 2018
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Hardcover
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| 0062653652
| 9780062653659
| 0062653652
| 3.79
| 43,368
| Jan 02, 2018
| Jan 02, 2018
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really liked it
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Thank you Netgalley for approving my request for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions below are mine alone and not at all influenced
Thank you Netgalley for approving my request for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions below are mine alone and not at all influenced by anything First Impressions (upon finishing) I had no expetctations at all for this at the start. I requested it at random on Netgalley as well, since I just wanted some books to fill my kindle. The cover caught my eye, though that was the other cover, not the Somehow I kind of consumed this all at once. I did put it down for a break every once in a while, but then I was completely drawn back to it with the need to finish it. Everless has many marks of a debut novel and author. But it also, has the potentials of a good book. And not just any good book, but a decent, YA, fantasy book. If I flip through my memories and look for the best YA fantasy I read in the last year, then I would say VE Schwab’s Shades of Magic trilogy (though this book is a special kind of fantasy than what I’d class Everless), or Susan Dennard’s Witchlands. I’m probably closer to throwing this in with Susan Dennard’s lot since it’s the worldbuilding that gave me the same kind of feel. And if you’re a fan of worldbuilding, or at least some attempt at focussing on the world and the social ties of that world and not romance like Sarah J Maas’ works kind of do, then Everless falls in that kind of category. These days, I don’t find many outstanding fantasy under YA. I mean yes there’s plenty, and yes they’re all YA worthy, and to some extent throw the reader into some kind of world. But it’s just not deep or intense or whatnot—high fantasy. For YA, Everless comes across as high fantasy. It has the mythology potential of Laini Taylor’s Strange the Dreamer (but without Taylor’s way with words), and a hint of well maybe not Kestrel from the Winner’s trilogy, but the kind of main protagonist that actually fits into her world, and we’re given someone who’s against norms without breaking the social norms set by that world (unlike what I read recently, with the Vanishing Spark of Dusk, which in itself was not a bad book, but it definitely did this in the wrong way). This novel also has the same kind of feel at times to a fairy tale retelling, or even a fairy tale, but it’s also not precisely that either. So yes, I definitely think this is a decent YA fantasy novel from a new author. Plot The plot is predictable, but also unpredictable at times. There are things you see coming, and then many more twists you don’t. And not all of them are particularly surprising, yet at the same time, they are twisted out of shape—these common tropes we all know and we always see—and given a new shadow. It was really interesting! I didn’t exactly go into this with my predictions in mind, nor even with the desire to foreshadow anything since well, I didn’t have expectations at all, nor did I read the synopsis in depth. I was pretty okay with letting the story unfold, and for myself to be surprised. And while I was surprised, some surprises were smaller than others, and not at all well revealing. Like it was discovered, and that’s it. But there were other surprises that were hinted at but not for the reason that’s revealed at the end. Like I totally knew that person was shifty, and yet…the shiftiness was even shiftier than I had expected! Final note on plot: If you want a really surprising, ingenious story, this doesn’t have it. If you’re okay with a character motivated story rather than a plot story, then this one is good. What carries the plot here I think, is the strength of the main character. Characters To be fair, all the characters are nice, and all of them are not pointless. For once the main character doesn’t make best friends with the first maid girl, or some sympathy-needing girl or something similar. She does make friends with a young boy who also works in Everless, and the other girls working there. But, many of these characters also don’t shine. They have presence, but their depth is somewhat missing. OKAY. So Jules is the name of our main character. She’s no one special, she’s poor and she is in desperate need of making money to help her father. What I like most of ou r main character is that she doesn’t have a pity story that forces the reader to sympathise with her. Nor does she outrageously force her opinions and actions onto others in order to make her character unique, special, or sympathised by the reader. In my opinion, compared to the main character of the last book I read, Jules is by far ten times better than her. Because Jules acts like the servant that she is, and she’s humble and modest where someone of her status should be. But she’s also not weak. Yes, she doesn’t exactly jump out to risk her neck, but she’s careful to pick her target. (Well in saying this, there are actually one or two moments when she does act a bit sillily, but in saying that, her solution and getting out of it, is relevant and not at all fake…if that makes sense? Plus she’s also punished.) I actually liked Jules in Everless. (But in saying this, I’m definitely comparing her to the mc of the last book I read.) Other characters: Roan and Liam. I would like to know more about these two. The former didn’t get much development so what happens to him kind of falls a bit flat. But the latter had more time to show his character, still I wish there was more. Relationships between Jules and others I love that Jules does not simply have a cast of characters around her. The characters support her. And if any die, they don’t just die randomly (looking at you Empress of a Thousand Skies). There’s meaning to their deaths. In saying that, the length of the novel also means that some of the relationships are still a bit underdeveloped. As for any romance. There is a hint of romance in this, but overall, romance is not the main focus. There’s an infatuation, which truthfully, I think could have been exploited further for the end of the book. And there’s another potential love interest, of which not a lot happened between Jules and said person, however, there’s potential for development between them. Writing The writing is not bad! It’s still very debut, but it’s very decent debut writing. The author uses a lot of metaphors and figurative language so you aren’t always struggling to understand the feeling or the description of the world. There’s only one problem – physical descriptions are lacking. I still don’t have a very clear idea of what Jules looks like. Holland also does info dump at various points, but this eases up as the story goes on. And various things are further elaborated or improved on. World Building This is the most important part for me!!! In fact, this is the most interesting part of Everless. It’s the idea this whole story is built on: a world in which time is actual currency (so you know all those metaphors and idioms we love to use? Time is money. Wasting time. I need more time. Yeah, now imagine that in real, physical reality.) It is extracted in the form of blood, and turned into coins. It can be exchanged, used to pay the bills, earned and gained. The concept of this book has been compared to the movie In Time, and yes, that’s half the image I got in my head too. However, the concept is taken further, and not in a sci fi fantasy way, but in put in a fantasy world with magic and witches. Now, I want to say that the world building here is flawless, it is not. There were 100 things that could have been further elaborated on or described, i.e. hedgewitch? Witches? Bloodiron? Etc. And yet, compared to other novels, i.e. (and I’m always sorry to compare this, but it’s the only annoying case of lack of worldbuilding that always comes to mind right now) anything written by Sarah J Maas (who has her strengths in other departments) who rarely wastes a breath for describing the world or elaborating on various things, Holland actually does pretty well. By pretty well, I mean, she has jargon for her world that is not simply described as ‘like humans but with pointy ears’. It’s like Dennard’s Witchlands, though probably not as smoothly executed, where you are pretty much thrown into a bunch of foreign words, as if you’ve entered another country without doing your research beforehand. And it’s a bit tough, but it also gives you the feel that you’ve entered a completely different world. What makes Holland’s world feel like I’ve entered another realm, is the fact that she takes the time to describe what Jules sees, and how her worldview affects her actions. What some might consider as a waste of description, becomes a foundation of her world. The world of Everless is dark, it’s grim, and it’s bloody, and while it’s not as dark as novels like Three Dark Crowns aims for, Everless is definitely not like say a Court of Thorns and Roses, or Truthwitch, or Finnikin of the Rock, where the world isn’t spectacularly dark, or there’s some bright spot that makes it not so bad. So for the worldbuilding, I do definitely recommend this (even with some things that still need developing). On a side note, there is one thing I am infinitely curious about, and that's where Holland got her idea about the children who were born with a stone in their mouths! I've read this before, in fact in a classic Chinese literature (A dream of red chambers), and it was a very significant story. So I'm curious where Holland got her inspiration! If I hadn't read the beginning of that classic, I would never have spotted this particularly unique addition to Everless. I wonder if it will be referred to again later on! Overall I would recommend, for all the above reasons. And I am definitely going to buy this. And definitely want the next book! ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jan 21, 2018
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Jan 22, 2018
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Jan 18, 2018
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Hardcover
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| unknown
| 3.91
| 80
| Jan 08, 2018
| Jan 08, 2018
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liked it
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Actual rating: 3.5 stars Many thanks to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review. Overall this was an interesting story about a romance be Actual rating: 3.5 stars Many thanks to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review. Overall this was an interesting story about a romance between a human slave and Tavdorian slavetrader (who isn't much of a slavetrader). The world building is fantastic. I do love that a lot of thought was put into the cultures of Tavdorians, Onmarians and whatnot. It really came to life. This was perhaps one of my favourite aspects of this arc. A well built world provides a very strong platform for the rest of the story to unfold upon. Regarding the plot. It's a very straightforward kind of plot. You've seen it all before. Girl gets caught/put into slavery, has a master (either mean or nice, in this case, the latter), and wants to go back home. Therefore to go back home, she must find a way to do so, finds out about rebels, joins rebels and on we go. The final end scene will of course be them back home. Thus, a very ordinary plot. How the plot is told then sometimes becomes more important, especially if the twists and turns of the plot are unremarkable and can be said to be predictable. In saying that, Baysinger weaves her plot ordinarily, however she balances it out with developing the romance between Lark and Kalen, well enough. I did mostly like the development of the romance, Kalen is really sweet, and he's pretty much a picture perfect book boyfriend. And he stands out the most as the character I wanted to read about, look forward to reading about. On the other hand, is Lark. Now Lark is the main protagonist. She's the head we've borrowed to read her story, and to be honest. I didn't like her all that much. The only moment I really felt for her was at the beginning wherein which a 'trigger' moment happened - for those who don't like trigger moments and have avoided watching movies such as John Wick because of that, then don't read this book. You'll get the exact same kind of thing. Anyway since I can't spoil it, I'll leave that at that, and say that that moment was perhaps the time I felt the most for Lark. There are also other times too, but they're less clear than that one moment in the beginning of the book. Throughout the rest of the book, Lark is both passionate and strong, and also just a bit irritating. There were a hundred moments where I wished I could strangle her, or felt that she acted suddenly so spontaneously, I had to doublecheck if I had read the right character. For example, suddenly using the 'f' word at the end, where I hadn't heard it from her character earlier on. And being so reckless....when half the time she acts timid or quiet and I can't help but think "am I reading the same character"? The beginning too, introduces Lark as a quiet girl. And while I do love characters who grow and get stronger and lose their timid selves, Lark's transition seemed off to me. So much so that her info dumping at the end on Kalen and the constantly telling Kalen everything thing even though she was warned not, kind of didn't give me the right feels - like she should do it, but her emotions didn't match the image that was in my head. In saying that, there is one/several minor scenes in the book that also triggered something in me that I didn't like at all. It might be fine for others and I'm not saying don't read it because it has this in it. But I do want to bring it up. Using words like 'slut' maybe normal and whatnot, but to have a character verbalise it antagonistically when it's not a word that's used constantly or referred to throughout the books makes it seriously out of context. (At least for me.) Furthermore, I felt that it was entirely unnecessary for the former lover to be the one to verbalise the word simply because she's the 'other woman' and actually has rights to be with the man involved with Lark being the intruding individual. That scene also involved Lark drinking under pressure (again, this scene actually fits the world but some of the dialogue does not) and so she's a lot of things that are well. Anyway back to this one woman versus another thing. This kind of aggressive verbalisation and antagonise a character in such a way may be warranted in some cases, and may actually help further develop a story, but in this case I think it was entirely unnecessary. Romance and pacing. The romance is actually developed well. Kalen and Lark are always together and it's not insta-love. There's insta attraction but they both take time to learn and understand each other. The pacing is also well done. It never feels rushed. But it also doesn't feel slow. I should point out also that while the romance is true and feels real, this book also contains mature scenes. It's not graphic or crude like you might find in any Sarah J Maas series (not that it's extremely graphic but for something classed as YA, that is more NA, it's a bit too much). But the main scene is I guess you could say one of love. OVERALL I would recommend the Vanishing Spark of Dusk if any of the warnings I list above don't bother you. It IS well written. Maybe not beautifully like Lauren Oliver or VE Schwab and it may not have the same intensity for those who are fans of Sarah J Maas, but the romance is well paced and developed. If you want a story that's really going into alien culture and interspecies, then this has it. And it's not just aliens coming and being human, but it's a human in an alien world. ...more |
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Jan 08, 2018
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Jan 20, 2018
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Jan 08, 2018
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ebook
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| 0316341681
| 9780316341684
| 0316341681
| 4.28
| 125,819
| Mar 28, 2017
| Mar 28, 2017
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really liked it
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I saw this on netgalley after having abandoned the site for over a year (not enough time to read), and jumped on it. It felt good to be honest to know
I saw this on netgalley after having abandoned the site for over a year (not enough time to read), and jumped on it. It felt good to be honest to know that I wouldn't have a heavy bag filled with a big book for once (the only plus side of ebooks, otherwise I'm a paperback/hardbacker through and through). And it was Strange the Dreamer! by Laini Taylor! Even though I still haven't gotten around to finishing the Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy, there is one thing I have always loved about Laini Taylor, it's the way she uses her words. I haven't seen many YA authors who write as beautifully as Laini Taylor, nor as creatively. She's poetic without being poetic (if that makes sense). She's also incredible metaphoric, which can be both a good thing or a bad thing. It's all subjective. I was, am always going to be intrigued by the way Laini Taylor writes, though I never want to aspire to her style, because it's both wonderful and also can come across as a bit odd sometimes. By odd I mean, Laini Taylor has a unique way of phrasing some things that were it someone else, they might have been criticized. Anyway. I really loved this story! It was long, definitely was, but like always there’s something about Laini Taylor’s words that hold me on to reading more! What I Think a) Beautiful writing! And Lazlo Strange has got to be one of my favourite dreamers in any book I've read. I loved him. He’s your typical, from rags to riches story (well not quite riches in this case), from dreaming to doing. In the beginning we’re introduced to a dreamer, who does nothing more than go through a library, reading through all of it, than going out and physically exploring the world. He has an absolute fascination with this place he calls the ‘Unseen City’ and to which everyone else calls ‘Weep’. I love that he’s also not your typical beautiful but nerdy guy, but has a face described as a brute yet has a mind full of dreams he can’t reach. Well I loved him right until the last 10%. His personality got a bit askewed, while I can understand the reason, I suppose I just want to read Muse of Nightmares just to see Lazlo's dreaminess again. b) The first half is written beautifully. I love the narration, it was storytelling on a level that you might see in a Robin Hobb book, but for a YA audience. It's wonderfully woven and Lazlo Strange is well fleshed out, as is the world he exists. I just wish the second half had more of a focus on Lazlo's development than the romance, but the romance was beautiful too. A bit instalove, but it's in distinct Laini Taylor style! c) As beautiful as this is told, there are some things that could have been further developed. It's no wonder I'm dying for Muse of Nightmares! Because I just want to know about all the other relationships between Lazlo and other characters, and what happen to them, like I"d like to see more of it. Hint A: Tyhon Nero for example (I've spelt that wrong I think). I love the contrast and conflict between Nero and Lazlo, but I want to see more of them. There are also others I’d like to see more of, like the relationship between the Godslayer, Sarai, and others. And I still want to know more about Minya. d) The world is really amazing. It’s pretty well built compared to a lot of other YA, though there are still a few things I wanted to know. So how exactly are the moths a part of Sarai? Or rather, she’s described having a hundred moths and counts when moths go missing, though at other times, the number doesn’t change, so did that mean she regained one moth? And if so, how did that happen? So I was a little confused there. Overall I probably have more to say, but right now, the ending feeling, the one that overwhelms me the most, is how much I want to read Muse of Nightmares now. ...more |
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1
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Feb 28, 2017
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Mar 03, 2017
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Mar 03, 2017
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Hardcover
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| 3.89
| 136
| Sep 02, 2014
| May 21, 2015
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None
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0
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not set
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not set
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Jul 15, 2015
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Paperback
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| 3.55
| 102
| Jan 07, 2015
| Jan 07, 2015
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not set
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Jul 15, 2015
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| 1927925185
| 9781927925188
| 1927925185
| 4.16
| 8,392
| Aug 26, 2014
| Feb 18, 2020
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really liked it
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Thank you netgalley for the digital copy. A great manga adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, and it sits there high on my favourite adaptations list. It Thank you netgalley for the digital copy. A great manga adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, and it sits there high on my favourite adaptations list. It makes me want to go read the original again ^^. I can't compare the two, but I see hints of inspiration from the Keira Knightly adaptation, the Colin Firth adaptation, and of course, characteristics of the shoujo manga genre. There was a lot of blushing faces for one haha. Overall, enjoyable adaptation, wish it didn't fly by so quickly (disregard how long it says on this review, since really, I spent a lot of time cutting down my library tbr pile first). ...more |
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1
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May 20, 2015
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May 26, 2015
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May 20, 2015
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Paperback
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| 1452140979
| 9781452140971
| B00V9FPAFK
| 3.46
| 1,184
| Aug 18, 2015
| Aug 18, 2015
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it was ok
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Many thanks to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review. 2.5 stars. Finally I am fucking done. Whoops didn't mean to swear, but seriously Many thanks to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review. 2.5 stars. Finally I am fucking done. Whoops didn't mean to swear, but seriously, this is another one of those books where characters are constantly using the f-word so effing pointlessly. Now I don't care about the f-word, and can definitely handle its usage, but seriously, there are times when my eyes bleed from the overusage of the f-word. I mean like, is it even necessary? First off, I was kind of really in love with this cover. I thought it was very pretty and it's interesting to look at. I didn't really consider the contents of this book. And with most books, even if I was interested in the contents, it's been sitting on my bookshelf (in this case tbr netgalley shelf) for so long that I'd completely forgotten what it was about. SO I began it with very little expectations. Oh how the disappointing disappoint. No sooner had I started it, did I find myself extremely tired. Granted I am reading the ebook arc version and ebooks always make me tired, but still was just beyond average. I mean, if a book is interesting, regardless of its format, I'll be reading it nonstop until it's finished! But this....has been on my kindle, bookmarked since May (I had to check because even I couldn't remember). Believe me. That's wayyyyy too long. I usually like to pick up a book, finish it and move on. But with a History of Glitter and Blood I couldn't do it. IT'S JUST SO BORING AND CONFUSING AND TIRING. Anything that keeps me confused for more than 10% of the book, is gonna find themselves in first class on a flight to the 'DNF' pile. Lucky for this book, I was in the mood to finish it, in order to speak my peace about it. I did finish this quickly despite bookmarking it at 8% for the better of the last two months. This is because I wanted to finish it asap, and get my suggestive read out before the actual book comes out. The thing is this book to me, was a gigantic pain in the ass which I was happier to live without. Why? What I severely disliked [1] when I pick up a book, I don't want to be confused. When I pick up a book, I want confusion to be the last thing on my mind. When I start getting confused, I start to not care. For a HoGaB I really didn't give a damn about anything after the confusion of the first 8%. When I decided to finish it today, it wasn't until I reached 50% where some of my confusion cleared up. But by then, I really didn't care about the rest of the book, and thus skimmed it. I won't lie, this was a very confusing book and if I was in a less irritated mood (I've been bouncing back and forth between this and academic work) I might have perhaps given this a better rating. [2] So much sex. While not graphic in this book, it is mentioned over and over, since Beckan takes on prostitution duties, which seriously, was an odd twist of events. Another topic I generally don't care too much about reading in books. A natural thing, yet in this book, there's just so much, and I'm like...do I really care about how many times Beckan opens her legs? My answer: No. I might have, if I had liked this book a lot more. But I didn't, so everything about the book just had me feeling meh and 'so what?' about it. And not to mention, every character has slept with each other at least once. And it gets to the point where it's a little hard to appreciate the main love story. [3] There is a plot going in the background somewhere, but it gets lost in a lot of crap. *cough* I mean mess. I think Moskowitz might have been trying to do something really creative with this book, but rather than hitting it bullseye, she missed it completely in my opinion. I feel like there was too much other stuff, and not much focus (however, this little point has a pro as well). You spend too much time confused, wondering why you even care about the characters, thinking is there actually any significance to the story at all, and um is this actually going somewhere? to even begin to think about how it'll end. There was just too much and too little of everything. [4] The characters. I did not care for even a single character. Though admittedly Scrap was the most interesting. Everyone else was kind of plain, written in a way I didn't care to give them much thought. [5] The writing is lacklustre. Sometimes it peaks up, but mostly it was like....so this and this happened, this much time passed, and so what...? Not to mention it kept switching from first pov to third and writing about characters in scenes that I cared not a thing about. But again, to really talk about the writing, I have to write it in another section below. What was interesting ... [1] Even bad books have pros. And a HIstory of Glitter and Blood has a few. The first is the narration. Remember how I said I stopped being confused about 50% through? Well that was the part when Beckan asks Scrap more about his book, and therefore eventually clarifies that the book you, the reader, is reading, is also the book that he's writing. Hence why there are so many switching povs. The third is when Scrap writes, while the first pov is when he's making his own commentary on the things he is writing. At first I thought it was the author doing that and I was like...wtf? But then it made sense. It clicked and therefore the rest of the confusing things made sense too. But seriously, that was so late in the book. A surprise, yeah. But tooooooo late for clarification. Sure I knew Scrap was a writing a book through most of the first 50%, but it wasn't until that moment when it became clear. [2] The unreliable narration. Look, once the above part became clear, I didn't mind the narration as much. It made a whole lot more sense, and while still irritating as hell, it made the whole story a little more bearable. Plus, YA doesn't have enough books that have an unreliable narrator. And we do need more in this area. It definitely brings a new/different experience to the story. But there are other books that do it better than in this one. Such as Fight Club. My ultimate benchmark for great unreliable narration. You just can't beat Chuck Palahniuk when it comes to stories like that. [3] If the pictures weren't messed up in the ebook version, I think they would have been a great addition to the story on the whole. Overall I'm so glad this is over. Not the greatest book in the world. Not the worst. Idk if I would suggest it as a Suggestive Read though, especially if you hate being confused in books like I was, then this isn't your book. If you dislike unreliable narration, this is also not your book. If you dislike swearing steer away. If you dislike lots of pointless sex (not graphic but there) steer away. But if you want something outrageously different, peculiar, and odd in all the oddest ways possible and not at all in the whole main-trend-really-amazingly-odd-different kind of way, then sure, give this a go. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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May 26, 2015
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Aug 02, 2015
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Apr 14, 2015
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Kindle Edition
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| 0765376008
| 9780765376008
| 0765376008
| 3.89
| 4,408
| May 19, 2015
| May 19, 2015
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liked it
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3.65 stars! Mini review--dead tired, proper one tomorrow. Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Hmph 3.65 stars! Mini review--dead tired, proper one tomorrow. Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Hmph for someone who began this book with way too many expectations then disappointment at the beginning then excitment towards the end I surprise myself in realising right at the end of the book that I really want more. I had a lot of issues with this book which I'm going to bring down to pacing for the moment and also maintaining a regency-formal historical feel to the story as well as having a writing style that flows and feels natural to a more modern audience. Pacing sucked. It's why I was so bored to begin with but then it got really good when it picked up but then it slowed and I felt like I was seeing too much of one scene and enough of others. As for writing--I did cringe as I got used to this hybrid style. I call it that because it obviously reads nothing like a historical and if it weren't for costume and various thrown in pieces of slang, it might as well have been a contemporary. I will admit I did secretly smile at the cuteness of the romances here and there. Sebastian totally grew on me and I did not really think he was much of a cardboard cut out by the end. The last scene of him is my favourite though. Another con for the moment (I have way more but later when I wake plus I don't want to spoil it too much) is that there is some sort of paranormal aspect thrown into this which was a bit strange and not really explained or covered and it bothered me a lot! I mean other than the historical and sorta like spy/hero girl group going on but that too? I think it may have been overkill still I would like to see how and where it goes. More review later--damn phone and ignore my typos (currently irritated with sucky touch keyboards that make me lazy and annoyed with going back to spell check! >.<) Updates~~ The Plot was actually really interesting. If it weren't so slow or lacking in detail at the start then it might have been even more interesting than what it became towards the end. Firstly, this story is centred around Georgiana Fitzwilliam's exile to Stranje House a boarding school for the girls who jsut simply can't fit into society. For Georgiana it was because she was too much of a bluestocking with a love for knowing things. She asks too many questions, and set her uncle's stables on fire with one of her experiments. Sent to Stranje House, she finds out it's not your ordinary school, and rather than being discouraged in her pleasures, she's encouraged to keep experimenting! With the current political atmosphere unstable, Napoleon recently exiled, Britain still at war, and Europe in pieces, Georgiana is walking into a world she would never have expected to walk into when she first blew up her uncle's stables (well set fire). The problem with the plot is, and it actually becomes more clear to me towards the end, is that this book suffers from first book syndrome where it must set the scene for the rest of the books in the series. I can tell, the next book will probably have more action (I'm really hoping!) than this book since the end of this ended with a high. The beginning was slow because it was centred around Georgiana and her experiments, and I never got a really good sympathetic feeling for Georgiana so coupled with other things, it made it hard to love. However, once the action got going I got really sucked into the story. Oh the aspect abut espionage (I love spy books!) doesn't really show up in this book, maybe in the next? Though you get a glimpse of it, and it's more on Sebastian's part than Georgiana's. Characters Georgiana Fitzwilliam....I could have almost sworn you're from Pride and Prejudice lol. I liked her character but only when it came to her and scientific experiments. I didn't like her when she was confused over Sebastian--it seemed too lust based than anything else and it jarred a bit. BUT then halfway through the book, something shifts in me, and I do like their little romance. So maybe the boring was just really boring that's why I disliked everything or maybe I was just not in the mood. Anywhoo, I liked that she was also science orientated compared to other female heroines who are mostly literary orientated. Sebastian, Lord Wyatt...I liked him from the start. But it wasn't until later that I felt he wasn't just a cardboard cut out. I love the last scene with him. (I know I said this up there, earlier, but I'm repeating it!) Tess....she was cool, I liked her personality, disliked the other part about her. The paranormal or heightened intuitive part that isn't really explained in this book and of which I felt was completely unnecessary! Then again, I was so confused about that, yet there were so many sections where I couldn't overlook it and say that "Tess and the other girls aren't special in that way, it's more intuitive than actual paranormal abilities"....so I'm waiting for clarification on that if I'll ever get that. Maybe I was so bored in the beginning I overlooked an explanation, but seriously, that's the one part I disliked the most about this book. Other characters, there's little I can say about them now. Don't know what to think of them really. Setting Regency England (my favourite period!) and also a bit in France. Writing Style , something I don't really pick on and yes I would like to blame the face that this was an ebook and it affected the way I felt about everything, but no. It's not that Baldwin's writing sucks. It's probably that I've never read her work before and am not used to her style of historical writing. I only got used to it when the action kicked in. If it weren't for hat, I might have still been annoyed by the writing. Meshing historical language with something modern to make it feel easy to read isn't always an easy feat. You write more formal to sound more old. But Baldwin skips that. She writes in the first pov so there's a lot of 'I' when I'm used to regency historicals written in either epistolary style or third/objective pov style. In a way it makes sense the style of her writing, but it felt awkward, like the thoughts in Georgiana's head were very simple and modern-like, nothing intricate or overly formal and dense, yet when she spoke and bantered with other characters, there was too much forced slang that felt unwieldy and unnatural. That's what I thought. I could just as easily say it's been a while since I read a historical in this time period, but still, I can't deny that in the beginning when things seemed really boring to me, it was just one more annoying factor to deal with. Overall I did love the end of this book, and I can't wait to read the next one (though yeah I know I gotta wait ages!) but it has a slow beginning (for me anyway) and unless you can deal with slow beginnings, well, I don't know if I'd recommend it as a suggestive read to you. OH boy, I just realised this isn't much of a great review at all.... ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Apr 11, 2015
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Apr 29, 2015
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Mar 23, 2015
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Hardcover
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| 0553496646
| 9780553496642
| 0553496646
| 3.97
| 639,828
| Sep 01, 2015
| Sep 01, 2015
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really liked it
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It wasn't what I was expecting but it was good. Review later **U P D A T E** Thank you Netgalley for approving my request for an ARC in exchange for an It wasn't what I was expecting but it was good. Review later **U P D A T E** Thank you Netgalley for approving my request for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I really must say I was extremely excited about reading this and in the end, I did love it. On the whole it was a really good story, hence my 3.75 star rating. In pieces, there were parts of this story I didn’t like, which bypassed me even though I know it was supposed to make me care. But all stories have pieces that miss rather than hit. I wouldn’t go so far as to call it a beautiful tale, but it was a cute contemporary read that is really easy to read and will have most hearts swooning for more and cheering for Maddy. Plot: The plot of the story caught my attention first and made me super excited to read it. The idea of a girl who is literally allergic to everything, and yet still finds a way to fall in love despite this grievous disadvantage filled me with anticipation. It gave me a chance to hope for a character who just yearns for something more. Which is why I also liked the title of the book ‘Everything, Everything’ which I think just says it all. However, this story is also very romance-orientated, which isn’t necessarily a turn off if you’re into contemporary romances. Characters: Maddy is an interesting character. Being locked up most of her life because she suffers from a rare disease, the main story is focussed on her. Yoon does an excellent job in giving the reader something to focus on and hiding the true intention of this whole book. This book wouldn’t be a contemporary with some angst, and the angst of this story explains the reason behind Maddy’s disease. I really enjoyed the end of this book when Yoon reveals the truth behind Maddy’s disease. It is both sad and unbelievable at the same time. If it weren’t for this ending, I might have disliked this book immensely! There isn’t a large cast of characters which simplifies the whole story and allows the reader to understand Maddy. Ollie on the other hand is a love interest who isn’t two dimensional, but was not brilliantly crafted either. He was just a cute, lovesick boy. On the other hand, because the book is titled the way it is, I felt conflicted. This book lacked ‘something more’ in some parts. I wanted more of Maddy. In the beginning I liked that her story was the way it was and I liked that she was stuck in the place that she was, but on the whole, I wanted more Maddy as much as there was romance. Yes, Maddy and Olly are the highlight of this story, but there is so much focus on them that when the climax arrives, it doesn’t entirely reach the high that I was expecting. It climbed, on yes it climbed, but stopped right before the summit and then went plummeting down. I was expecting a lot more from Maddy’s character. More development about her own feelings about being stuck at home for eighteen years of her life so that when the climax came I would feel my heart going out to her and accept her decisions a little bit more. I wasn’t entirely disappointed but, I just wanted more and because I wanted more, I finished the book. Writing: The writing is lovely, but it isn’t in anyway something to gush about, nor is it writing to dislike in anyway. It was just very ordinary. Very contemporary but isn’t quite ‘magical’. There are some great quotes, for example; “It's a hard concept to hold on to--the idea that there was a time before us. A time before time. In the beginning there was nothing. And then there was everything.” And— “The only thing I know for sure is that this, being here with Olly, being able to love him and be loved by him, is everything.” However it conveys all the necessary emotions, something I feel is very important to a well told story, without holding back. Not beautiful, but Yoon’s writing does the work that’s necessary. So it was by no means a difficult book to read! In fact, I found it to be very easy. A novel that contains a simple story, with simple words, makes this an easy read. Overall: On the whole Nicola Yoon does manage to weave an interesting romantic contemporary about a girl who just wants to be like everyone else and meets a boy who likes her as much. I felt it was a quick read for summer, rather than a heavy, intense, heart clenching page turner. Maddy is mostly a likeable character, just as Olly is mostly a likeable love interest. I would definitely suggest this as a light summer Suggestive Read. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Apr 04, 2015
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Apr 04, 2015
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Mar 07, 2015
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Hardcover
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