|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
my rating |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1406310255
| 9781406310252
| 1406310255
| 3.97
| 197,175
| May 05, 2008
| May 05, 2008
|
really liked it
| “Without a filter, a man is just chaos walking.” .” Imagine a world where every thought in your head leaked out and everyone around you cou “Without a filter, a man is just chaos walking.” .” Imagine a world where every thought in your head leaked out and everyone around you could hear it. Where you could see into every man’s thoughts and see the images in his mind. See the emotion of those thoughts in the air like a tinge in color. Then imagine that even then, even though you’d think that you would know everything about a person because you can hear and see everything they are thinking you still find out that you know nothing because…. “Men lie, and they lie to theirselves worst of all.” Todd is the last boy of his community. The day he turns thirteen he becomes a man and he’s caught glimpses of thoughts he knows things will change then but he doesn’t know why. Todd has lived most his life on a farm, everything changes when he finds a silence in the swamp and his guardians tell him everything he has ever known is a lie and he must leave and find the other settlements to warn them. “If the world wants you, it's gonna keep on coming till it gets you. And who am I that can fix it? Who am I that can change this if the world wants it so badly? Who am I to stop the end of the world if it keeps on coming?” Patrick Ness had a unique writing style throughout this. I was drawn into the idea of the story right away and with every leg of the journey something new was revealed in a way that layered the story nicely. The writing is beautifully done and even though some of it is written like a redneck from the backwoods of Tennessee (no offense to any rednecks in the backwoods of Tennessee) it all seem poignant and incredibly intelligent. I feared for the characters throughout the story. They are on a journey to try and save the rest of the world and they have a religious nut and an entire army chasing after them. Todd, Viola and faithful companion mutt Manchee are on their own against the great big world. The friendship that grows between all of them was so good. Each one holds the other up when they just want to give up and fall down. The truth of where Todd comes from and what he is might be enough to break every ounce of hope he has when all is said and done. “Hope may be the thing that pulls you forward, may be the thing that keeps you going, but that it's dangerous, that it's painful and risky, that it's making a dare in the world and when has the world ever let us win a dare?” That ending….oh…that ending was extremely intense and surprising. I can’t wait to continue on with the rest of the series. I’m so happy it is all completed I can’t imagine waiting after that major cliff hanger. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
May 15, 2014
|
May 21, 2014
|
Dec 31, 2013
|
Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 0061431850
| 9780061431852
| 4.12
| 50,994
| Aug 28, 2006
| Mar 09, 2010
|
it was amazing
|
Sale Alert: Kindle monthly deal for Feb 2018 $1.99. I read this book in 2014 but it is still on my favorite shelves because it was really such a beaut
Sale Alert: Kindle monthly deal for Feb 2018 $1.99. I read this book in 2014 but it is still on my favorite shelves because it was really such a beautifully told and emotional story. If you are interested now is a great time to pick it up. It amazes me the way the Malina Marchette can build and intertwine the lives of the people in her story. Every character is rich and three-dimensional, she makes you care about all of them. Not one of them is perfect, each is flawed and they seem so real that it is hard to remember sometimes you are just in the middle of a story. They all have pasts, presents and futures that are never simple, each is rich and you feel like you know them and that maybe you will carry those people around with you forever. “We were playing Rock, Paper, Scissors," she told him once. "I was paper and she was rock so I lived and she died.” Sometimes it is as simple as that, one tiny everyday thing will change your life forever. Sometimes one event will bind you to someone or a group of people for the rest of your lives. Jellicoe Road is the story of two such groups of people. The story is told in two parts and although I was a little confused at the beginning it all flushes out beautifully so just ride with it. First there is the story of Webb, Narnie, Tate, Jude and Fitz and how they met and became friends all on the Jellicoe Road. The Second is about Taylor whose mother left her at a 7-11 on the Jellicoe Road seven years ago. Taylor goes to the Jellicoe school and every year for 6 weeks there is a turf war between the Jellicoe School, Town Kids and some Cadets. As the story is revealed little by little you see how everything is connected and you take the journey with Taylor from a girl who was once abandoned, to a girl who finds a home, friends and her place in the world. The writing of the book is so beautiful that I believe I have more marks and highlights in this book than any other I’ve ever read. The story of the 5 kids who met on the Jellicoe road is disastrously beautiful tying in with Taylor’s story “Instinct tells me to go to Hannah's, but she doesn't live there anymore and that's when I realize the major difference between my mother and Hannah. My mother deserted me at the 7-Eleven, hundred of kilometers away from home. Hannah, however, did the unforgivable. She deserted me in our own backyard.” Taylor feels so abandoned and alone, she keeps everyone at a distance because when people get too close that is when she gets hurt the most. That is the lesson her mother taught her. She is so prickly but you honestly want to just protect her character because already at 17 she has been through more than most people go through in a lifetime. As the turf war starts with the Cadet’s and Townies we get to meet a few other characters. Griggs and Taylor have a past of sorts and it seems their journey together might not be over yet. Griggs in a way was just as broken as Taylor, but she helped him in a way she doesn’t even know in a way that will bind them forever. “He stops and looks at me. 'I'm here because of you. You're my priority. Your happiness, in some fucked way, is tuned in to mine. Get that through your thick skull. Would I like it any other way? Hell, yes, but I don't think that will be happening in my lifetime.” Every character burns so bright and they all have fantastic dialogue that seems so natural. I love Griggs back story and how he and Taylor originally met. I couldn’t stop reading and even though I flushed out how parts of the stories intertwined together there are still plenty of surprises that I did not see coming. I wanted to wrap Taylor and Griggs together in bubble wrap and protect them from the world. I hoped for many of the other characters and their story lines. I was emotional and even characters that I didn’t think I would forgive for the parts they played in the story Marchetta was able to give me a different view and when you see the whole picture I found empathy and understanding for them. This is a book that the words and the characters will really stick with you. That when not if you read it again you will see all the beauty and hope that lives even through tragedy “When it was over, she gathered him in her arms. And told him the terrible irony of her life. That she had wanted to be dead all those years while her brother had been alive. That had been her sin. And this was her penance. Wanting to live when everyone else seemed dead.” Marchetta is a master at what many authors try to do but most don’t accomplish. She makes you live the story. She doesn’t tell you what happens, she shows you everything, makes you feel it along with the characters. She is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors of all time. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Jan 08, 2014
|
Jan 10, 2014
|
Dec 29, 2013
|
Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 0545424968
| 9780545424967
| 0545424968
| 4.26
| 169,649
| Sep 09, 2014
| Oct 21, 2014
|
it was amazing
|
5 Don’t you Richard Gansey the III me Stars RE-READING AGAIN before The Raven King with my lovely friends at Buddies Books and Baubles #savegansey The 5 Don’t you Richard Gansey the III me Stars RE-READING AGAIN before The Raven King with my lovely friends at Buddies Books and Baubles #savegansey The last two books were slightly more lyrical in the writing. But this has more interesting character development and the Cave. It was wonderful all over again. I don't think I'm really do say goodbye to this world and these characters next week....but are we ever ready to say goodbye to the ones we love. Once upon a time it began with [image] And then Blue’s life changed forever because she will either kill Gansey or he will be her one true love or both. The thing I really LOVE about this series is the ‘Otherness’ of it. Strange things happen all the time, every important character in the series has something different, unique and intriguing about them. I shift from loving Gansey the most, to Blue, then to Noah, from Piper to the Gray Man and then another character just steals the show *cough* Persephone *cough*. I’m stuck in a section of a tangled spider web, trying to seeing where all the strands meet and wondering where the spider is that wants to devour me. Because let’s face it if Gansey dies and Blue kills him my insides will feel like spider mush. The friendship between Gansey, Blue, Adam and Ronan is something I adore in this book. I love how they all look out for one another and help each other. Sure they bicker and argue at times but really the dynamic between the four of them is awesome. They have all helped each other become more than they were before. But what she didn’t realize about Blue and her boys was that they were all in love with one another. She was no less obsessed with them than they were with her, or one another, analyzing every conversation and gesture, drawing out every joke into a longer and longer running gag, spending each moment either with one another or thinking about when next they would be with one another. The quest is still to find Glendower, more important now than ever since Blue’s mother is underground with him somewhere. Time is running out, Gansey could die at any time and the people who know are starting to think the only way to save him would be to wake the Welsh king and get the favor. [image] This book also plays on one of my guilty pleasures of the forbidden love. I ship Gansey and Blue so much and there is just enough romance between them in this to keep me on the edge with them. I want them to kiss so badly and at the same time I don’t. It is so delicious I could eat it with a spoon. [image] She had thought it was such a simple thing to avoid kissing someone when she’d been with Adam. Her body had never known what to do. Now it knew. Her mouth didn’t care that it was cursed. She turned to Gansey. But it isn’t just the romance it is the friendships and the journey to find the King. The boys keep becoming more than they were before and I totally love the language Maggie Steifvater uses when she describe everything/everyone in this book. There was something unfamiliar about him when he arrived in the Pig. Something ferocious about his eyes, some sort of bite in his faint smile. Something altogether hectic and unsettled. She stood on the ledge of his smile and looked over the edge. This wasn’t the Gansey she’d seen in the kitchen earlier; this was the Gansey she secretly called at night. The other thing I love are the women of 300 Fox way. I really want to be a fly on the wall in that house. It seems like it would be the most interesting place in the world to be at times. Living with those women would be insane, but I really love the feel of the house and how the women inside of it seem to be just on the edge of everything. The way they cryptically speak in riddles or half explanations is really one of my favorite parts of this entire series. “Do you remember how I said that there were three sleepers, and Maura’s job was to not wake one of them, and your job was to wake one of the others? Remember how I didn’t say anything about the other one? I did not mean bring her to my kitchen.” I don’t want to give too much away because I really love the way that Maggie Steifvater dishes out little clues along the way as to the bigger picture and even when some questions are answered others rise up. Every character in the series serves a purpose and belongs there. When she adds a new character you know that they are not there just for padding, they will have a purpose. And the new characters added in this installment shine just as brightly as The Gray Man did in The Dream Thieves. Piper and Gwenllian are the most notable additions, although there are a few more. Gwenllian is a peculiar and fun addition. Her interactions with the women of 300 Fox way and the Gray man sometimes steal the page as you try to decipher her craziness “Hello, handsome sword! Have you killed anyone today?” Gwelliian also seems to know something of magic and mirrors. She will definitely have a part to play in the next book as well and might have a few tricks up her sleeve to teach Blue along the way. [image] Piper might be crazy in a different way. A more dangerous kind of cray-cray and it seems like she will probably play a much bigger role in the next book. Piper is the wife of Greenmantle, the man who was pulling Mr. Gray’s strings in the last book. She is a very perplexing character and a full bundle of trouble. He was so impressed with her ingenuity. He should not have been, really, because Piper was a very ingenious creature. It was just that she didn’t normally use her powers for good, and when she did, they usually weren’t pointed at him. This is what I can say about this book. I loved every rollercoaster fun-filled moment of the ride. I am so happy that there was more time in spent in Cabeswater because that creepy forest that belongs on the Island in LOST is amazing. I laughed, I teared up, I pondered, I got lost in the language and metaphors, I highlighted 103 passages and read them over a few times. I’m even more in love with all of the characters in this world now than I was before and I am totally looking forward to listening to the audiobook when it comes out on Nov 1 and taking the journey all over again. ……AND THAT ENDING. She has done it again MS has left us hanging in such a weird place at the end that the next book can’t come out soon enough. I have no idea how she is going to wrap it up but I’m putting all my hope into MS that it is just as fantastic as all the books in this series have been. I just wanted to add some of my favorite highlights to the end of this since I had soooooo many. Some of them will be spoilery so do not open unless you want to be spoiled(view spoiler)[ I’m serious you were warned (view spoiler)[ She was beginning to suspect that she might just be using the same minute over and over. This might have troubled some people. Some people might not have noticed at all. But Maura was not some people. She had begun to dream the future when she was fourteen. She had spoken to her first spirit when she was sixteen. She had used remote viewing to see the other side of the world when she was nineteen. Time and space were bathtubs that Maura splashed in. Blue leaned back as her heart vacated her chest cavity. Of course it was impossible. It had been impossible before she arrived and would continue being impossible forever. It was just that spending time with Gansey and the others had made her think that the impossible might be more possible than she’d thought before. Maura was always telling her, Look at all the potential you hold inside yourself! Potential for other people, though. Not for Blue. It wasn’t worth shedding tears over something she had known for so long. She was furious at her body for betraying her, for wanting him differently than any of the other boys, for refusing to listen to her insistence that they were just friends. Ronan was always saying that he never lied, but he wore a liar’s face. Gansey didn’t so much visit as get absorbed. He loved it. He wanted to be a part of this world, even though he understood there were endless reasons why he could never be. Blue was the natural result of a home like this: confident, strange, credulous, curious. And here he was: neurotic, rarified, the product of something else entirely. He dropped his coat on the chair by the front door, and then, after a moment’s consideration, his pants as well. Piper’s lust was like a single bear trap in the wilderness. It was nearly impossible to find if you were looking for it, but it was something you wanted to be prepared for if you stepped into it by accident. “You guys have a death list?” Ronan broke in. “That is fucking dark. Am I on it?” “Some days, I wish,” Blue said. “Can I see it?” Adam asked. “What?” “Can I see the list?” Blue turned away to make herself a cup of tea. “I don’t have it. Mom took it with her. I just remembered his name. I mean, I thought it was a girl, with an ie at the end, but the Dittley part was memorable.” Calla raised one sharp eyebrow, but said nothing. Ah, Adam thought with grim and sudden certainty. Here it is. So one of us is on it. She said, “You won’t be able to unknow it.” “I have to know,” Adam said. “Don’t you get it? That will be the favor. That’s what I’ll ask for. I need to know so we can make that what we ask, if there’s only one.” Chainsaw’s defection felt wrong, too. Turned sideways, somehow, or inside out. Everything seemed unpredictable — which was in itself strange, because it had to mean that everything to this point had been predictable. No — inevitable. Now it felt like anything could happen. “My name is that of all women,” the woman replied. “Sorrow.” One of Calla’s eyebrows momentarily considered punching the woman. She said, “Why didn’t you just leave her?” Why haven’t they untied you yet?” “We thought she might be … dangerous?” Gansey answered lamely. Persephone cocked her head at him. “And you thought tying her hands would change that?” Earlier that year, when Blue had first met the boys, there had been a moment when she had been suddenly struck by how she was being drawn into their tangled lives. Now she realized that she had never been drawn in. She had been there all along, together with this woman, and all the other women at Fox Way, and maybe even Malory and his Dog. They were not creating a mess. They were just slowly illuminating the shape of it. “An efficient way to get your naked soul stolen by forces of raw evil, maybe,” Noah said. Blue exchanged a look with Adam. “I don’t believe in raw evil.” Noah said, “It doesn’t care if you believe in it.” She turned in her seat to face him. “I don’t normally like to point out when you’re being creepy. But you are. Things are always growing to three or shrinking to three. Best to start there. Two is a terrible number. Two is for rivalry and fighting and murder.” “Or marriage,” Adam said, thinking. “Same thing,” Persephone replied. Blue had never believed in death until then. Not in a real way. It happened to other people, other families, in other places. It happened in hospitals or automobile crashes or battle zones. It happened — now she remembered Gansey’s words outside Gwenllian’s tomb — with ceremony. With some announcement of itself. It didn’t just happen in the attic on a sunny day while she was sitting in the reading room. It didn’t just happen, in only a moment, an irreversible moment. It was against the rules, but Gansey crouched down beside her, one of his knees against her back, one against her knees, and hugged her. She curled against him, hands balled up against his chest. He felt a hot tear slip into the dip of his collarbone. He closed his eyes against the sun through the window, burning hot in his sweater, foot falling asleep, elbow grinding into the metal bed frame, Blue Sargent pressed up against him, and he didn’t move. “Much of my father,” she replied. “Much of my father in you. That is Artemus, the tree at night. Your mother looks for him, blue lily? Well, then you should seek my father. Huh. Hi, Dad. Then she thought, Really, with these genetics, I should be taller. He twisted his hands so the light showed on her a bit better. “You do, in fact, look a little like her.” “Good God, man,” Blue said. “Are you still on that? Do you know who else I look a little like? Your face. Have a think on that and I’ll just figure this out myself.” (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)] ...more |
Notes are private!
|
3
|
Oct 21, 2014
not set
not set
|
Oct 24, 2014
not set
not set
|
Dec 19, 2013
|
Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 0670072818
| 9780670072811
| 0670072818
| 3.90
| 44,034
| Sep 29, 2008
| Sep 29, 2008
|
it was amazing
|
12/07/16 Kindle deal today for 1.99 here Buddy Read/Re-read with a great group of people at Lumatere Chronicles Group Read starting with Finnikin on D 12/07/16 Kindle deal today for 1.99 here Buddy Read/Re-read with a great group of people at Lumatere Chronicles Group Read starting with Finnikin on Dec 1 2015 So wonderful, the second time trough I loved it more so I'm bumping the rating up to 4.5 stars. I laughed, cried and was just amazed by the complexity of the characters in the story Marchetta tells. [image] Original Review Dec 2013 4.5 Stars Finnikin of the Rock was so much better than I expected. I thought it would be about Finnikin and it is but the character that really stole the show for me was Evanjalin. If you like fantasies with strong heroic characters that fumble along the way then this book is right up your ally. It is another very well done YA fantasy novel that is smart and intricate enough to be for adults but face paced enough to appeal to YA as well. The world is intricate, the lore well thought out and the overall story line was fantastic. “Balthazar pledged to die defending his royal house of Lumuatere. Finnikin swore to be their protector and guide for as long as he lived. Lucian vowed he would be the light whom they traveled toward in times of need.” There are too many characters and so much going on throughout the story that it is hard to give a good detailed review. So I will do my best to just give a generalized one. The Royal family of the Lumineers was slaughtered and an Imposter King sits on the throne. A witch put a curse on the land when the people turned against her religion and since that day some of the Kingdom was trapped inside the walls of the curse while others were trapped outside and cannot enter. It is thought that perhaps the son of the king Balthazar might have gone into hiding and still be alive years later. Evanjalin is a mystic of sorts and convinces Finnikin it is his quest to help her return a king to their people and help them break the curse and so our quest begins. It seems like Evanjalin is playing by a set of rules no one else can knows and right away it is unclear if she is a force of good or bad, but it is certain she is a force to be reckoned with. To be able to convince the exiles of Lumineer to journey back to their kingdom they must rescue the former Captain of the Guard and find the men of the Lost Guard to help them. “There are worse things than a lie and there are better things than the truth!” There is a slow burning romance that is building between Evanjalin and Finnikin. He is torn because she is complex and intricate and wants so much from him and as far as he knows she might be promised to the Balthazar if they ever find him. But he can’t deny that what he feels for her he has never felt for another. Their moments together good and bad made the story all the better. ""Is she not the smartest girl in the land?" "And the biggest liar and the most unpredictable" Perri Muttered." This is full of mystery, action, adventure and hope. I was enthralled after the first few chapters and couldn’t walk away from the story. There are many hints along the way and I really wanted to find out if my theories were right. Some definitely were and others were not but the culmination of the story of a peoples journey home was an epic tale. [image] There are sweet moments, horrifying moments and moments of the greatest hope. I can’t wait to read more from this world in the next book Froi and the Exiles. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
2
|
Dec 16, 2013
not set
|
Dec 18, 2013
not set
|
Dec 16, 2013
|
Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 147789781X
| 9781477897812
| B00J40FGQU
| 4.24
| 4,243
| Oct 07, 2014
| Oct 07, 2014
|
really liked it
|
3.5 I'd go to hell for you Stars [image] Chaos revisits some of the elements that brought me into this series in the first place. I love the idea of 3.5 I'd go to hell for you Stars [image] Chaos revisits some of the elements that brought me into this series in the first place. I love the idea of the dimensions the author creates after death. Sanctum was full of different, sometimes grotesque imagery of a portion of hell set aside for those who committed suicide. Fractured lost something when they were in the real world and just attending High School. Yes, it can be like hell on earth, but it really didn’t begin to compare to the suicide city. Chaos returns to that otherworldliness that was such a draw in Sanctum. Lela must travel to the Dome across the wastelands to the Mazikin city if she even wants a chance to rescue Malachi from his horrible fate. And it is horrible, he is prisoner of the creatures he has tormented for decades and they have plans for him, cruel degrading and horrendous plans. ”I not only think they have Malachi—I think they will guard him with every bit of cunning they possess. And I think they will show him absolutely no mercy. I think they will destroy him, over and over again.” At least she will pick up a few friends along the way so she isn’t alone in the terrible city where she will face her past and try to save the man she wants in her future. The judge has given her a few additional tasks along the way as if her goal to save Malachi wasn’t going to be hard enough. This is the chance the Judge has been waiting for in order to put to rights what the Mazikin have set asunder. I have waited to find out more about the Mazikin and their origins and ambitions since the first book. I was not disappointed, finding out why they were created and what the backstory was to them was….well disturbing but I ate up every spare piece of knowledge about them. The city was dangerous and I felt so bad for most of the humans who lived there and what they had been reduced to. The greatest thing about this book was the reunions. Lena reunited with not just Malachi but also Anna and her mother. There are also a few other couples that earn their dues and get to be with the people they love. With all the reunions there are some very tender and sappy moments that I just ate up. “Lela,” he said tenderly. “You walked into hell for me. I fought my way out of heaven for you. No matter what happens, there is one thing I don’t doubt at all: we will find each other again.” The rest of the story is about redemption. Malachi thought for so long that he was saving the souls of humans only to find out he had sentenced them to remain forever in the Mazikin city. He finally will have the chance to redeem the mistakes he made and save them. He will also have an opportunity to bring down the city forever, so that no other Mazikin can ever hurt a human again. Chaos is filled with action and well chaos, so it is aptly named. This is a strong conclusion to the series and all ends will be tied up nicely. I really loved how the romance angle of Chaos was handled and I thought the conclusion to that to be beautiful and fitting to the story. If like me you felt like something of the series was lost in Fractured, have no fear Chaos revisits the stories roots and the series ends just as strongly as it began. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Oct 08, 2014
|
Oct 13, 2014
|
Dec 13, 2013
|
Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||
| 0441020860
| 9780441020867
| 0441020860
| 4.12
| 21,892
| Nov 29, 2011
| Nov 29, 2011
|
it was amazing
|
Re-reading with all my fellow addicts at Ilona Andrews Addicts (IAA) again....yes that makes it 3x but I don't care I love this series. +++ After Morn Re-reading with all my fellow addicts at Ilona Andrews Addicts (IAA) again....yes that makes it 3x but I don't care I love this series. +++ After Morning Star and Calamity I need something I know I'm going to love or risk falling into a severe book funk. This was just perfect....Kaldar can pull anyone out a book funk. Plus George and Jack helped a ton. The blond boy called out. “I’m terribly sorry, but is there any way we could grab that cage off the porch? We won’t disturb your dalliance.” The word Dalliance will now forever hold a special place in my heart. 2nd Read: Reasons why I’m so happy I reread this with my ever awesome girls at Ilona Andrews Addicts (IAA): ☑Watching oOSarahOo try to steal Kaldar away from almost everyone else in the IAA group. She gets a little territorial about her book boyfriends, and doesn’t like to share. It got a little intense and I thought someone might get Bitchslapped, good thing we are all friends. [image] ☑Figuring out custody and visitation rights to both Jack and George. I’m pretty sure that the IAA group collectively adopted them. There is a very complicated google spreadsheet on who has them when. ☑ Cutest Animal sidekick Ling the Merciless. Do not expect mercy from Ling the Merciless. [image] ☑The sexy banter between Kaldar and Audrey. What happens when two conmen fall in love? They steal each other’s hearts of course “At the door, Audrey called, "Are you coming?" [image] ☑George’s new very dark sense of humor to match his necromancy. ”Kaldar, if you kill her, please don’t shoot her in the head,” George said, his face cold, as if carved from a glacier. “Raising a body with a shattered brain requires more magic, and I think we can use her corpse to make sure her relatives will get run out of town.” ☑Seeing Lord Leatherpants and the Hobo Queen in action a few years later. “Just stay close to us. If we get in trouble, we'll kill everything.” ☑And finally that moment when everything comes together the story is complete and you realized it was even better the second time though. Original Review April 2014 4.5 Stars This was my favorite of the series so far. I was skeptical that Kalder could carry the romantic interest lead of the book….and boy I was so wrong. Not only did he carry it, he gave it a smoldering look, hit it over the head with a club and carried it off into a cave to have his way with it. He was fun, charming and said some of the wildest things. I loved every moment of it. “Oh, I don't know. I might grow on you." She furrowed her pretty eyebrows. "Like a cancer?" "Like a favorite vice.” Kalder was the fun talkative less than law abiding favorite uncle in Bayou Moon. After the loss of many of his kin he has joined forces with the Mirror against the Hand. He needs to find a woman who stole a artifact valuable to the hand and convince her to help him get it back. With his charming ways he thought it would be easy to con her into helping. But she grew up in a con man family and is a little resistant to his charms. Audrey was hilarious, I loved that she is a redeemed bad girls just trying to play it normal. Kalder has definitely met his match and while they are working together there just isn’t anyway sparks couldn’t fly between them. “He hit her with his best smile. Her eyes widened. She took a deep breath. 'Oh no, not that seductive face. I'm overcome with the need to take off these awful clothes. What is happening? I do not understand. Oooh. Ahhh.' She touched her wrist to her forehead. 'Somebody help me. I'm being drenched with my own fluids.' Evil woman. 'See now, you shouldn't have done that,' Kaldar said. She gave him an innocent look. 'You've made yourself into a challenge. Now I'll have to seduce you out of principle.' 'You can try. Not that you'll get anywhere. If you were in love, that would be one thing, but we both know this is pride talking.' Audrey patted his forearm. 'It's all right. I won't tell anybody about your shameful failure. I'll keep it completely confidential.' She pretended to lock her lips and throw away the key. The story is full of action between funny banter as Kalder and Audrey have to pull off a few jobs along the way to get closer to their target. There are multiple altercations with the Hand and a few other dangerous types along the way. But one of the best parts to the story is that Jack and George have stowed away on this adventure. Each gets to play a part and they have really come into some of their powers. I love the two brothers together as they work their way into all the schemes and plots Kalder is working up. Both are proving to be a very large asset and not the burden Kalder once thought they might present when first discovered stowed away. I really can’t wait to see what those boys think of next. Ilona Andrews does know how to pack in a lot of action, adventure, laughs and some tender moments along the way. Again a great read from the authors and a series that has really picked up steam in this book. The Edge is quickly becoming one of my favorite worlds and it will be very interesting to see how it all plays out in the final book. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
3
|
Apr 02, 2014
not set
not set
|
Apr 07, 2014
not set
not set
|
Dec 08, 2013
|
Mass Market Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 1934861871
| 9781934861875
| 1934861871
| 4.07
| 9,491
| 2011
| Sep 06, 2011
|
really liked it
|
Ex-heroes was survivors against each other and zombies. Ex-Patriots is superheroes with super soldiers and the left over government. Now, I don’t know
Ex-heroes was survivors against each other and zombies. Ex-Patriots is superheroes with super soldiers and the left over government. Now, I don’t know about you but the one thing that I have learned, from every zombie movie ever, is in a zombacalypse never trust the United States Government. But, let’s see how that works out for our superhereos. “The real supervillians wear business suits and paisley ties with full Windsor knots.” This has a great blend again of a story told in the past and the present (much like LOST) to tell the story. There is a little backstory to the heroes but most of the backstory follows an extremely smart scientist and the Super Soldiers that he helped create. When the heroes discover they are not alone and there are other survivors possibly even a left over government they are excited to meet them. Barry/Zzzap is there to keep the pop culture references coming and when meeting the Army “If someone asks if you’re a god,” said Barry’s voice, “you say yes.” I loved the bad guy/guys in this. It had just enough of a twist to it that I wasn’t really expecting the outcome of the story. I really like the Stealth/Saint George semi-romance that is happening and there were a few cute moments but just because you are a super hero does not mean you have any player skills when it comes to women. Both Saint George and Barry seem to find it difficult to get anything going with the lady of their choice. Stealth is a favorite character of mine now. I didn’t love her in the first book but she really grew on me in Ex-Patriots. It could be because she is so smart and we got to see more of her fighting skills. I really like how she examines everything and when the ‘government’ shows up she seems to know how to ask all the right questions. She is even more personable in this one where you can see she really cares for and trusts her team. All in all this is another action packed adventure where you are not sure who the good guys and the bad guys really are. I really want to see a little more into the past of a few heroes but I really like the multiple POVs and rotating past/present story telling. Peter Clines has done another fantastic job at telling a story that seems much like a summer blockbuster. Again like I said for ex-heroes, if you are a fan of audiobooks this one is fantastic! ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Dec 07, 2013
|
Dec 11, 2013
|
Dec 05, 2013
|
Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 0091953650
| 9780091953652
| 0091953650
| 3.98
| 5,892
| Dec 07, 2013
| Jan 14, 2014
|
really liked it
|
Ex-Purgatory is different from the other Ex-Heroes series in that this is the first book that is more of a mystery than zombie/apocalypse/bad guy book
Ex-Purgatory is different from the other Ex-Heroes series in that this is the first book that is more of a mystery than zombie/apocalypse/bad guy book. It takes dip in the Twilight Zone and the Tales from the Crypt Pool and I hate to keep saying LOST in my review of Peter Clines but really there is no other better comparison except perhaps the Matrix. “How is it that no matter what’s happening you can relate it to the Matrix?” asked St. George. “Because it is the greatest movie ever made,” said Barry At the end of Ex-Communication our heroes were at the mount and getting close to electing a mayor and starting a new phase of post apocalyptic civilization but in the beginning of Ex-Purgatory it is as if that never happened. George Harrison Bailey (haha love the It’s a Wonderful Life/Star Wars reference) is working at the college as a maintenance man. He is having crazy dreams about being strong flying and fighting monsters. When Madelyn shows up in a wheel chair as a new freshman at the university and tells him his dreams are real and this world isn’t he starts to wonder who is crazier him or the girl who thinks she’s dead. I had no idea how Peter Clines could put a new spin on this series after the supernatural aspect from Ex-Communication but he has done it again and seriously has taken a whole new approach in this installment. Sure there is still some zombie fighting and I pretty much thought I knew who the bad guy was most of the time. But I couldn’t for the life of me figure out what was going on with the worlds they were in and how the story all added up until Peter hit me smack dab between the eyes with it and I went….OH of Coarse why didn’t I see that. I’ll just mention that I really like the down played romance between Stealth and St. George. We know that they are together, in the previous book it was introduced but extremely minimally. When they actually meet up in this book it was sweet, Stealth isn’t normally ‘sweet’ so I enjoyed seeing a slightly softer side to her in the alternate world. Corpse Girl is still one of my favorite characters and she was really the driving force of the story for awhile. I love how her character decides to kick start St. George into remembering who he is. I’m still shipping her and Freedom even though it seems she might have a little crush on St. George. Barry still gets the best lines between movie references and just being the comic relief that helps everyone relax a little. “Your voice is familiar,” said Barry. “I couldn’t place it and then I realized you sound like the guy in my dreams. Which sounds very different than I intended out loud.” Danielle didn’t do much in the story until later on except worry about the Cerberus Suit, that got a little annoying, but perhaps she will work through her agoraphobia now that she had been out of it awhile. I loved the story went a whole new direction again. I can see how this will possibly start to loose steam if there is no end game plan. I have no idea what new dilemmas Peter has in store for the superheroes but at some point it seems like the story will have to wrap up. There isn’t really an underlying story arc so it is hard to tell if these will just continue on like a comic book story of sorts or if eventually he’ll bring this world to a natural closing. Either way I’m still very much enjoying the series and the chances the author is taking with the characters. This still reads like a summer blockbuster and is great when you need a little action in your literary diet. ARC provided by Crown Publishing (Broadway Books) thru NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Dec 12, 2013
|
Dec 16, 2013
|
Dec 05, 2013
|
Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 0385346832
| 9780385346832
| B00CCPIISC
| 4.12
| 7,272
| Jul 09, 2013
| Jul 09, 2013
|
really liked it
|
You might think that Superheroes vs. Zombies would get old. Not if Peter Clines is doing the writing. Instead he just starts to pile on other things t
You might think that Superheroes vs. Zombies would get old. Not if Peter Clines is doing the writing. Instead he just starts to pile on other things to combat with. In Ex-heroes it was the rival gang, in Ex-Patriots it was the military, in Ex-communication it is the supernatural and our Heroes might be over their heads. St. George threw himself at it. He thought of every Conan and Beastmaster movie he’d watched as a teenager and brought the sword down with a roar. My favorite chapter in Ex-Heroes was from the POV of Max a.k.a. Cairax Murrain, and he has found a way to come back into the story. I love this guy as a character because you are never quite sure which team he is playing for. He is sorta like Ben was for me on LOST (I know another reference to LOST but Mr. Clines just puts me in that place in my head where anything can happen) you’re not quite sure what to think of him and he always seems to know more than he is letting on. Plus he gets to have a few really great lines. “Isn’t there some kind of locater spell you can cast or something?” “Yeah,” said Max, “but gosh-darn-it I missed that day at Hogwarts.” Besides the addition of Max and the problems that he brings with him the Heroes are still dealing with Legion and he seems to be finding new ways to antagonize the people of the mount. On top of that there is a new religious cult of sorts inside the Mount who think the Zombie apocalypse is the beginning of the end of days. There are plenty of obstacles for sure including a prisoner kept in a secret room. Freedom and the other military that found a home at the Mount are settling in but even that seems to have some growing pains as not everyone is acting like a cohesive unit yet. We also get the addition of Corpse Girl. I love this new addition, she is something completely different from all the other heroes at the mount. She brings a fresh fun younger additude to the cast and I really enjoyed her POVs past and present. While I was sure who she was right from the beginning I liked the explanation of her condition (super science geek alert) with the nano technology. Again there is a lot of action throughout and the final showdown reminded me of a scene from either the Matrix or World War Z with all of the zombie bodies in the mix. But if you can keep it clear in your head it it is an epic battle. There is a lot going on and I did have to read through a section more than once to keep it all straight but I get confused when there are that many people in a fight. Fight scenes and sex scenes with more than three people can confuse me. Too many arms and legs to keep track of everything. Other things of note: We get to see Stealth out of costume, I will just say I was surprised, she wasn’t at all what I was expecting. Not in a good or bad way, just different than what I had pictured in my head. Way to go Peter Clines for breaking stereotypes. Barry always gets the best comedy lines, although Corpse Girl might give him a run for the money in the future. I hope, I hope, I hope that Barry finally gets the girl or at least a date and that there is something between Freedom and Corpse Girl because that could be epic. I loved the supernatural twist to this one and so far it was my favorite of the series. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Dec 11, 2013
|
Dec 12, 2013
|
Dec 05, 2013
|
Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||
| 0765336405
| 9780765336408
| 0765336405
| 4.09
| 40,486
| Jan 14, 2014
| Jan 14, 2014
|
really liked it
|
Sale Alert 19May19 Kindle Deal $2.99 Reread January 2015 Dropped 1 star from 5 to 4 Last year was a big fantasy year for me and my well of experience i Sale Alert 19May19 Kindle Deal $2.99 Reread January 2015 Dropped 1 star from 5 to 4 Last year was a big fantasy year for me and my well of experience is bigger now. I still enjoyed this book, it well written with an engaging story, but not quite as much the second time through and I blame my love for Brandon Sanderson's high fantasy for this. There is also Patrick Rothfuss and Joe Abercrombie to blame a little but mostly Sanderson. See I found Sanderson, Rothfuss and Abercrombie books not long after reading The Emperor's Blades this year and they have made my fantasy well much deeper and I expect a little more. The problem I have is with the twist/big reveal toward the end. It is still a good twist I didn't see it coming and was really surprised....but that is part of the problem. The great thing about a Sanderson book is that when the twist happens and it always happens I can look back and see the clues leading to it. I can see how he was the magician who presented me droppings to lead me to one train of thought and then POW hit me with something else entirely. I have grown to love that bait and switch and that is what makes a good twist a Great twist. There isn't quite that subtle layer in the Emperor's Blade. There is the big reveal but even on the reread there really aren't any clues that I should have seen. It all still makes a lot of sense and I really liked it but it didn't have that extra umph at the very end. This was Stavely's debut novel so I'm really excited to see what he follows up with and how much he has grown as a writer. Original review January 2014 It is the hardest thing to write a review for a book you absolutely love. There is no way that I can get across how marveled by this story I am. The Emperor’s Blades is probably the best new High Fantasy book of the year. Okay so it’s only January but I’m just going to say that the bar has been set extremely high and I unless George RR Martin’s Winds of Winter the 6th book of the A Song of Ice and Fire makes it out this year (highly unlikely) then Brian Staveley’s debut novel might hold this spot in my head and heart all year. I couldn’t believe that this is a debut novel, I’m floored by the depth of the story and this is just the beginning. Brian Staveley will, in all probability, just improve as time goes on and I can’t wait to read anything else he writes. Told from the perspective of the Emperor’s three children Kaden, Valyn and Adare so many different facets of the world were shown to the reader. Instead of telling us that Valyn is a remarkable soldier, like many other fantasy authors do, we are shown the hell of the Kettral training and fully believe after reading those pages that Valyn is a strong warrior. The same goes for Kaden, sent to a monastery for training to become Emperor. His trials are extremely difficult and he is not a pampered prince, I believed that through the years spent there he was able to accomplish the training he needed to be Emperor. There are plots a foot against the empire and all three children of the Emperor, while facing different challenges, play an equally important role in the story. There are ancient enemies from the past, epic battles, trials and tribulations and each one has tempered each of the Emperor’s children into a honed blade against the enemies that are trying to take over the Empire and who murdered the Emperor. Every important facet of the world is explored and fleshed out. There was almost always something of importance happening. There is some set up to this world and so I would say the first 20% runs a little slower than the rest of the story but after that between mysteries and events unfolding I couldn’t tear myself away from the story. No character is safe, there are surprises around every corner, some I guessed most I did not. The author gives plenty of leads, but then the result of the lead was often different and more complex than I originally thought. The intricacy of the story is up there with Tolkien and George RR Martin weaving multiple story lines and plots into a larger grander scheme, but with a prose that is natural, beautiful and easy to read. Every part of the story seemed necessary all of the characters real. Not one character was perfect but all flawed and human. Staveley has created a unique world and really brought it to life in the pages of this story. The only thing I can even complain about is the fact that I started this before the next book was out, I wanted to jump into the next book right away. As a female lover of fantasy the other thing I really liked about The Emperor’s Blades is how many strong female characters there are. Even though the majority of the book is told from Kaden and Valyn’s perspectives some of the strongest characters were female. They made difficult decisions and just because a woman was a warrior didn’t mean she couldn’t have emotions and complexity. He allowed his female characters to be strong without making them into a bitch, they come across as independent, not needing to be saved by a man or anyone else. I appreciate the intricacy that Mr. Staveley put into every one of them. Brian Staveley has a new fan in me. If you only read one Fantasy book this year, this should be it. I look forward to reading it again before the next in the series comes out. Jan 18,2014 Brain Stavelley has set the bar high for this series. The way everything in the story blended together, the reveals I didn't see coming (and there were some slap me in the face doozies), the feelings the book envoked, the intricate world created will be hard to match or beat. I think Mr. Stevelley has the potential to be just as renowned has Tolkien or George R.R. Martin Full review to come... ...more |
Notes are private!
|
2
|
Jan 15, 2014
not set
|
Jan 18, 2014
not set
|
Dec 05, 2013
|
Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 1934861286
| 9781934861288
| 1934861286
| 3.86
| 16,390
| Feb 20, 2010
| Feb 20, 2010
|
really liked it
|
Sale Alert: Kindle Daily deal 26Jul19 $1.99 3.5 Stars (It seems to be my default rating) It doesn’t matter. I don’t care what you believe in. ThSale Alert: Kindle Daily deal 26Jul19 $1.99 3.5 Stars (It seems to be my default rating) It doesn’t matter. I don’t care what you believe in. The Loch Ness monster, Bigfoot, faked moon landings, the 2000 election results—you can believe in whatever fairy tale you want. Before you read this book you have to ask yourself: 1. Do I like Books that read like summer blockbuster movies? 2. Do I like Flawed Superheroes that aren’t completely altruistic? 3. Do I like Zombie Books? 4. Do I like dark humor that also includes pop culture references? 5. If Joss Whedon and J.J. Abrams had a son that only wrote books would he be Peter Clines? If you said yes three or more of the above questions then Ex-Heroes is probably right up your alley. I really enjoyed how this book took two genres and really combined them together seamlessly. It could have become extra cheesy with Superheroes and Zombies but I really enjoyed the moments that were serious and the others that made fun of the zombie apocalypse itself. I alternated between the Audio (which is fantastic and I totally recommend if you listen to Audiobooks at all) and the ebook. The story is set around a group of Superheroes who have come together Avenger style to protect a group of people inside a former movie studio. The story is revealed in a past/present multiple POV telling much in the style of LOST. From the POV of the Superheroes there are a few chapters in the present and then a chapter from the past and the beginning of the zombie apocalypse. In the collapse of society it isn’t just the Zombies that our Heroes have to face. They are also in a turf war with a gang from LA who wants the guns and ammunition the Heroes have stockpiled. People could say a lot of negative things about the apocalypse, but there was no arguing the air quality in Los Angeles had really improved. With the way the story is told the reader gets a sense of the decay of society and how it all went downhill so fast. Plus Peter Clines did something that no other Zombie book I’ve read to date has done. He actually showed us how the Zombie virus got start and who was Patient Zero. It was done in such a great way that I thought it blended in with the story perfectly, so bravo on that. There are plenty of times to be serious throughout the book and well not everyone makes it out alive (it’s a zombie book I don’t think anyone should be surprised by that) there is enough dark humor to keep me engaged in the story. Clines even included a game of your top 5 celebrity kills to kind of show how in the aftermath people are trying to keep spirits up. What an interesting take on the fall of society and there is even the new additional problems of former superheroes as Zombies. Peter Clines gave every POV a very distinctive feel and even changed the way the story was told in a few chapters to really change the voice of each. The way the chapter on Cairax was written in particular was my favorite. There were only a few things I struggled with. There are a lot of characters and all the Superheroes have their secret identity name and then their Superhero name. I got a little confused keeping them all straight for a little while sorta like a George RR Martin Book I needed a character tree. But by the end I totally had the hang of it I hope. Because there are so many characters it was hard to get a really in-depth look at any. But since this is a series I’m sure that will be ultimately remedied. The only other issue I had was with the action sequences getting a little bit repetitive that I lost focus. But I’m totally a girl and that would happen for me in a blockbuster movie as well. There are great moments in the action sequences too, like using one zombie to knock around others and such but I only have a limited attention span for fight scenes. All and all this was a lot of fun and as I didn’t know anything about this book other than I liked a different Peter Clines book called 14 I wasn’t sure what to expect. I will just say that I’m pleasantly surprised and can’t wait to see what the next installment brings. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Dec 04, 2013
|
Dec 07, 2013
|
Dec 04, 2013
|
Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 1250049377
| 9781250049377
| 1250049377
| 3.54
| 168,638
| Jul 08, 2014
| Jul 08, 2014
|
really liked it
| “Fitting together is something you work at. It’s something you make happen—because you love each other. There are reasons that this book re “Fitting together is something you work at. It’s something you make happen—because you love each other. There are reasons that this book resonates with me. It hits home on so many of my own fears and hopes and dreams. Not so much the magic telephone part of it because I came from a time when rotary phones weren’t just a novelty item but the I’ve been with the same person for so long that sometimes I forget we are two individual people instead of just one entity. You don't know what it really means to crawl into someone else's life and stay there. You can't see all the ways you're going to get tangled, how you're going to bond skin to skin. How the idea of separating will feel in five years, in ten - in fifteen. When Georgie thought about divorce now, she imagined lying side by side with Neal on two operating tables while a team of doctors tried to unthread their vascular systems. Okay my husband and I are not Neal and Georgie but we could have been and we could be still. It’s been ten years since he and I had our meet-cute when he lied about his name when my friend hit on him at a bar and eight years since he gave me a ring in a DVD box for the movie ‘The Ring’, which incidentally I did not find funny or endearing at the time and threw across the room at him. But as time goes by sometimes we forget and take for granted that the person you’ve chosen to spend your life with should be your first priority. When they are always there it is easy to forget everything they do for you, every way they fill your life and how much better you are with them. “It wasn't just that she let him down, and put him off, and continually left him waiting--It was that she'd tied him to her so tight. Because she wanted him. Because he was perfect for Georgie, even if she wasn't perfect for him. Because she wanted him more than she wanted him to be happy. Overview: When we meet Georgie and Neal they are at a crucial point in their relationship. Georgie has decided to work through the Christmas break in hopes of getting a show she has been working on for years on TV. Neal has decided that he and their children will still go away to his mother’s for Christmas. Even though he never officially claims that he is leaving her, Georgie’s family just assumes that Neal has taken the kids and left her. This is when Georgie gets a wake-up call that is maybe very overdue. She tries to get a hold of Neal on his cell phone but due to all kinds of complications they just keep missing each other and eventually she is sure that maybe he is avoiding her. Georgie is frantic to get a hold of Neal and using a rotary phone dials his number of his mother’s house in Nebraska, but what she gets is not the man that is her husband but an earlier version of him who is still in college before they were married. “I take for granted that you’ll be there when I’m done doing whatever it is I’m doing. I take for granted that you’ll love me no matter what.” What Worked for Me: I love Rainbow Rowell’s writing there is no part of the words that she puts on page that I don’t think is amazing. I got so drawn into the references to the 80s and 90s that were thrown in seamlessly and the conversations that all of her characters have. Every character that she incorporated into her story seemed to belong there and have a solid place in Georgie’s life. Besides Neal who was almost a saint like husband to Georgie, some of my favorite characters were her family. Her mom in particular was a trip and like most mothers when they think you are in a crisis how she wanted to jump in and help. “Georgie's mother had spectacular cleavage. Tan, freckled, ten miles deep. I also loved Georgie’s little girls. They were seven and four and acted seven and four. I loved that her 4 year old was in love with cats and sometimes just said ‘meow’. I totally appreciated that when she was on the phone with them you could sense the frustration of trying to talk to a seven year old on the phone when they are distracted by T.V. Rainbow writes some of the best dialogue and characters in contemporary fiction. I fall in love with them and I replay conversations in my head days and weeks later. I was rooting for Georgie and Neal the entire time and with every new flashback to their beginnings I hoped they found a way back to one another in the present even more. That is why I enjoyed most of this book. I Loved the writing even if I only liked the story. I always want a little more at the end of RR books but that is kind of her signature leave off point. Actually she gave us more in the ending of this one than in E&P and Fangirl. It seemed very fitting to leave off right where she did and it was enough closure for me that I will put it in the plus column. What Didn’t Work for Me: The magic phone, I’m not sure it was needed. Okay I’ll take it and she did a decent job of throwing it in there and had some funny inner dialogue about the magic phone…but I didn’t love it. I almost thought that the same thing could have been done with love letters she found in the attic or maybe reading through some of her old college works from The Spoon and remembering her time there. But there is a magic phone I accept it and it led to some interesting conversations it just was a little eh for me. Final thoughts: While this isn’t as good as Eleanor and Park or Fangirl, in my humble opinion, I still very much liked it. I must have liked it I highlighted almost 15% of the book. My advice read it, it is a great story and if you have been in a relationship for a long time I think a lot of the points will hit home. I give this a 5 star for the writing and a 3 star for the plot, 4 star total. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Jul 17, 2014
|
Jul 18, 2014
|
Dec 03, 2013
|
Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 0449818411
| 9780449818411
| B00VZZ085G
| 4.18
| 84,432
| Feb 16, 2016
| Feb 16, 2016
|
liked it
|
ON SALE!!!! Kindle deal for a limited time for $1.99 01Nov18 at Amazon 3.14159265359 I have no idea how to rate this, so Pi it is Stars Buddy Reading wi ON SALE!!!! Kindle deal for a limited time for $1.99 01Nov18 at Amazon 3.14159265359 I have no idea how to rate this, so Pi it is Stars Buddy Reading with my fellow Sandersontitus sufferers at - you guys were a blast to read this with. [image] I think this is the first Brandon Sanderson book that when I was done I just wasn’t sure what or even how to rate it. “I feel, like a barrel of green ducks at a Fourth of July parade.” Why you ask am I having so much trouble deciding? Well I’ll tell you….it wasn’t like the ending to The Hero Of Ages the only other completed trilogy by him that I have to compare it too. But, you’re probably thinking that isn’t fair, this is a completely different trilogy. And I agree with you there. This is a completely different and new trilogy and it is good that he hasn’t fallen into predictable patterns. But I expected more answers, more closure and maybe a more defined ending. For specifically David’s story there are most of those things but for some of the other aspects I ended up having even more questions than I started with. Especially regarding Calamity the history of his coming, the purpose, why (view spoiler)[he was reprimanded by his people, who his people really are and how he chose who he gave powers to. (hide spoiler)] I WANTED TO KNOW ALL THE THINGS and I still don’t. I really loved about 85% of this book. It was everything I expected from the Reckoners series. There was a lot of action, bad metaphors and similes, funny characters, emotional moments, a moving city and bad kissing…. “Yet—in all of infinity—I don’t think I’ve ever found a dimension where you can kiss worth a hill of beans.” I was really happy that the original crew was back together for the most part. I really missed Cody and Abraham in Firelight, but add those two and Mizzy all together and it was hilarious. Sure they are trying to save the world and being hunted by Prof but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t funny times galore throughout the entire book. Cody and his plethora of stories, most of which we all know are totally untrue “Coming up with plans has never been my strong point.” Mizzy and her exuberance mixed with some snark and sarcasm sometimes. Who would have thought that love and hate would be so similar, you know?” Abraham with his mysterious past….That is one of those things I really wanted a little more info on. And then there is David and Megan to round out the crew with David in a new position of leadership. It looks good on him and I like the new relationship dynamic between Megan and David, they totally work well together and finish each other’s metaphors. They also get just a few tender moments that made me feel all warm and squishy inside. There is the addition of one reluctant team member that I was pretty excited for and that is Nighthawk….because the guy that makes all those gadgets the Reckoners have been using has a pretty interesting story and I did like his addition into the story. He added some history with Prof, a great personal history and some very cool and wonderful new toys to play with. There is a ton of action throughout and some very cool ideas including a new city. Really worldbuiling is something that Sanderson is masterful at and I’m never disappointed with the new ideas that he comes up with. A city that moves for instance….but it doesn’t fly if that is what you are thinking and the way it moves is brilliant and original in itself. BRAVO on that for sure. Also Megan and what she is really capable of was another thing that completely WOWed me in this and it was incredibly cool. She has one of the absolutely coolest powers imaginable and I was so glad that we got to explore that in this. I wonder what she will become capable of doing over time. Like could she perhaps put an entire person in another reality permanently??? Because there is one person I would like to give a chance in that other reality. [image] Now to why I’m so Torn. As I mention about lack of closure on a few story points that I thought were pretty important. I didn’t leave this feeling like everything in this world was done. I was left feeling like there are more stories to be told here. While David’s story is definitely done Sanderson has said that he may revisit this world down the road but it will be awhile because he has a lot of other writing plans at the moment. I loved the Fringe factor of the various realities via Megan but I’m going to say that I really didn’t enjoy the Calamity of it all. As a character/villain he wasn’t as fleshed out as some of the others that I’ve seen in Sanderson’s work and that is why I was disappointed. He was a whiney spoiled scared child who lashed out at others and watched the destruction. I wanted to know so much more about his motivations and all the questions I asked in the above section spoiler. I’m not entirely sure what I expected but he definitely wasn’t it and while a good twist overall I think I might have actually hated it. *Ducks for cover against flying tomotos* To End On A High Note - I adored the epilogue and I’m going to say I was really surprised by what we found in the alternate reality. I didn’t see that coming for a second and MY JAW DROPPED TO THE GROUND….I might have even gotten a bit teary eyed although I swore to those around me it was just allergies. It was a perfect and wonderful way to end David’s story. Audio Note: MacLeod Andrews does a perfect performance of this and made David especially come to life but was also great with the entire cast of characters. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Feb 16, 2016
|
Feb 18, 2016
|
Nov 30, 2013
|
Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||
| 0385743580
| 9780385743587
| 0385743580
| 4.25
| 105,367
| Jan 06, 2015
| Jan 06, 2015
|
really liked it
|
ON SALE!!!! Kindle deal for a limited time for $1.99 01Nov18 at Amazon ReREAD before Calamity!!! with my fellow Reckoners at Buddies Books & Baubles Lov ON SALE!!!! Kindle deal for a limited time for $1.99 01Nov18 at Amazon ReREAD before Calamity!!! with my fellow Reckoners at Buddies Books & Baubles Loved it just as much the second time and my favorite new metaphor was..... The sun sank down like a giant golden pat of butter melting onto the corn of New Jersey. Or … wait. That abandoned city was kind of more like spinach than corn. So the sun sank down into the spinach of Jersey. It was also theorized that if David made a list the romantic level of vegetables is as follows: Beet > Carrot > Turnip > Parsnip > Potato > Radish > Broccoli > Cauliflower > Lettuce > Brussel Sprout David should have said beet. 4.25 Sparks that Hurt Stars ***Possible Spoilers for Steelheart Below*** [image] Brandon Sanderson (BS from here on) is the master of both the Prologue and the Wrap Up. Every story I’ve read by him has strong and interesting beginnings and some of the most heart-pounding-what-the-heck-is-happening endings. I can’t say that I have read one story where he didn’t just turn things around and surprise me somewhere and ‘sparks’ Firelight is no different. There were times in this that: I was shocked I held my breath I laughed out loud I had theories disproved I feared for characters and sharks I hit my head wondering where that came from I needed a buddy to hold my hand thank you Athena And I was amazed by the shear creativity and Calamity of it all It took me on the ride that I’ve come to expect from any BS book. We go to a new city filled with brand new challenges and Epics. [image] David has new challenges to face in a in this new peculiar city and new people to tell his incredibly awful metaphors to including things like: “I felt like a cupcake on a steak plate” I’m just going to say it…David is geeky adorable and I love it. He is slightly infectious and I really like his rose glasses idea of what the world could be as naïve as it is at times. [image] I wasn’t expecting so many revelations to be made about the Epics, where the powers came from, the random weaknesses, what really drives Epics and Megan. I’m going to admit right now that I thought she was okay in Steelheart but I didn’t love her. After spending a little more time with her in this she is totally growing on me, it could just be that her power is freaking Awesome and I love the whole concept of it or something else entirely. I always like her I’m ready to kill you attitude though and I’m not always sure what side she is playing for. “Did you just invite me on a date … to spy on a deadly Epic planning to destroy the city?” And the action…It is all over the place with great fight scenes, chasing bad guys, water ballet...etc. All the new Epics all have interesting powers and personalities. Dawnslight is one of the most interesting Epic/Hero ideas I’ve read. I spent most of the book trying to figure that Epic out and it ended up being so much cooler than I thought. Regina is a great bad guy who I was never sure what she really wanted. She is manipulative and Lex Lutharesk in her evil genius plot. Newton (aptly named) and Obliteration rounded out the crew for evil very well. Nothing like a bad guy spewing religious dooms day scripture to lighten the mood. [image] I was slightly sad that we didn’t spend a lot of time with Cody and Abraham from Steelheart I missed them terribly until I didn’t (view spoiler)[In the end I was so happy that they were no where nearby (hide spoiler)]. Mizzy is my favorite new character. *hands Mizzy a cookie*. That girl is a bundle of fun and she really brought some good humor and bounce into her scenes. I like that David finally has a friend his own age to interact with. She is just a little younger and growing up in a different city it was cool to see how other normal people coped with having Epics around and how the culture of each city could be so different. Firefight has a little bit of everything. There are moral quandaries, romance, friendships, betrayals, huge reveals and a great OMG a great ending. CALAMITY I can’t wait to see how it all finishes. Audio Note: As always the Audio of all Brandon Sanderson books have been awesome and MacLeod Andrews is no exception he is phenominal. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Jan 06, 2015
|
Jan 08, 2015
|
Nov 30, 2013
|
Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 0449818438
| 9780449818435
| 3.85
| 39,579
| Dec 03, 2013
| Dec 03, 2013
|
really liked it
|
This is a super short novella involving how the city has changed after the ending of Steelheart. It is not necessary to read for the next Novel but it
This is a super short novella involving how the city has changed after the ending of Steelheart. It is not necessary to read for the next Novel but it probably just ~30 minutes of reading time if you have some time to kill. The Good: We get a glimpse of how the people in the city are changing and a few bad metaphors from David. “I like it. The colors are different. Not like the city was before Calamity, but also a big change from how it was under Steelheart. They make the city look like a big … chessboard. Um, one painted a lot of colors.” Most of the story is a long action sequence against an epic that comes to the city looking for the Reckoners. He has some interesting traits and might be a clue to how to discover the Epic’s weaknesses. I liked seeing the lead into where the next book will pick up. The Bad: Well really there isn’t much bad except that I wanted more, but I always want to read more in any Sanderson story. And my Reckoner future boyfriend Cody wasn’t in this one I missed him. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Dec 18, 2014
|
Dec 19, 2014
|
Nov 30, 2013
|
ebook
| |||||||||||||||
| 0316369853
| 9780316369855
| 4.28
| 21,513
| Nov 26, 2013
| Nov 26, 2013
|
it was amazing
|
Review Edit: 12/20/13 I listened to the audio of this today just for fun and it was fantastic. I love Laini Taylor books on audio and this is no except Review Edit: 12/20/13 I listened to the audio of this today just for fun and it was fantastic. I love Laini Taylor books on audio and this is no exception. The Voices for Zuzanna and Mik with accents were great. Just as good the second time through. Original Review: 11/26/13 Laini Taylor I just love you. If you liked Zuzana in The Daughter of Smoke and Bone then this is a novella for you. It has the same beautiful language that Laini Taylor brings to all of her work and the zinginess that is Zuzana. Told from both Zuzana and Mik’s perspectives it is all about the treasure hunt Zuzana thought up to meet Mik. With the help of a few scuppies supplied by best friend Karou, Zuzana is on a mission. Me, sweep him off his feet? I know. The laws of the jungle and romance novels would have it the other way around, but I’m not going to wait one more second for that. ---Zuzana I love Zuzana’s tenacity and creativity in creating the moment that she can finally talk to Mik. Zuzana might be small but her personality is larger than life and any love story beginning for her would have to have some semblance of a fairy tale woven into it. Mik was adorable and had a few tricks up his sleeve too. I loved seeing how nervous he was to talk to her as well. It was great to get his impression of the little spitfire and see how intimidated by Zuzana he was. The eye’s perception of texture is pale compared to the lips’, and I didn’t know what velvety was until I knew it with my lips. Even though Karou is away searching for wishes there is texting and the cute banter that always exists between the best friends. This is a fun and quick read and while not necessary for the overall storyline of the Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy it is well worth the read time to see the beginnings of these favorite characters fairytale. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
2
|
not set
not set
|
not set
not set
|
Oct 20, 2013
|
ebook
| |||||||||||||||
| 1299859291
| 9781299859296
| 4.14
| 185,232
| Sep 24, 2013
| Sep 24, 2013
|
really liked it
|
Kindle deal for a limited time for $1.99 11Apr20 at Amazon 3rd Read with by favorite buddy reading group Buddies Books & Baubles Why should you read thi Kindle deal for a limited time for $1.99 11Apr20 at Amazon 3rd Read with by favorite buddy reading group Buddies Books & Baubles Why should you read this series in a nut shell: ❶ - David is the most Adorkable yes it is a real word character I've ever read. ❷ - There are EVIL superheroes. EVIL SUPERHEROES!!! ❸ - Lots of different kinds of action happening. Motorcycle chases, car crashes, one on on fighting...etc ❹ - A really good twist (actually about 3 but they were all awesome) and I only semi guessed a smidgen of one of them. ❺ - BAD METAPHORS.....look they are so bad they are good. Like great or at least super funny. 2nd read: Buddy Read/Reread TODAY Dec 8 2014 with my fellow Sandersonitus Sufferers Athena (Shardbearer), Armina, Gavin, Kat Stark, Evengy, Desinka, Alexa, Shandra, Annette, Nicholas, Carole, Ashley, Eon, Kristen, Danae and we also hijacked oOSarahOo Last Minute. [image] On the Reckoners Group Read Thread Original Review October 2013: Imagine a world where there are no good X-Men. What would happen if there are only villains with great powers and no heroes? What becomes of the cities, government, people in general? That is what Steelheart is about. I know, better than anyone else, that there are no heroes coming to save us. There are no good Epics. None of them protect us. Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. David learned that at a young age the first time he saw Steelheart, the day his father died. Since then he has lived his life with one goal and one goal only. To kill the Epic that killed his father. This is my very first Brandon Sanderson novel and I loved it. Sometimes it is difficult for me to read UF from a male perspective it ends up being all about big boobs and girls in skin tight clothing and high heeled boots but that couldn’t be farther from the truth here. Brandon created a very intricate dystopian world in the wreckage of Chicago now referred to as Newcago. He has painstakingly thought out a class system for all of the Epics and the powers they use. He has also built a believable resistance of renegade humans that try to fight against them. I was definitely impressed with the sheer volume of thought that went into those two items of the story. I was interested in this world from the beginning. David is a very likeable character he is a slight know it all but has the hardest time putting a metaphor together which kind of made him endearing to me. Once he meets up with the Renegades you can tell he really has been alone for most of his life and protector that I am I just wants him to win. Of course there is an older man to look up to has a substitute father figure that helps guide our young David out of his blind hate and need for revenge. “It’s good for you to think of this, son. Ponder. Worry. Stay up nights, frightened for the casualties of your ideology. It will do you good to realize the price of fighting” There are some really nice philosophical questions posed that can make this more than just a story of revenge. You have the choice to delve in and think of this world on a deeper level or just move on with the story. No agenda is forced on you which I appreciate as a reader. There is a cute little crush romance that isn’t quite insta love but is heartwarming all the same and some very interesting developments that I really didn’t see coming. The story twisted just enough at the end that I really was surprised. I seriously had a moment of woe is that real. Actionwise sometimes it is over the top for me (I’m a girl but my stepson disagrees with my assessment whole heartedly). It is an action book for sure and there are a lot of scenes with fighting and motorcycle chases and a final battle that goes on for multiple chapters. All in all good storlyline, nice pacing, solid world building for a first book of a series and great start to the layering that I see will come out in future books in the series. All of the characters definitely have a backstory worth developing a little more. I will definitely have to check out some of Mr. Sanderson’s other works if they compare to or are better than this one. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
3
|
Jan 10, 2016
Dec 08, 2014
Oct 10, 2013
|
Jan 17, 2016
Dec 16, 2014
Oct 12, 2013
|
Oct 09, 2013
|
ebook
| |||||||||||||||
| 1250012570
| 9781250012579
| 1250012570
| 3.94
| 1,197,462
| Apr 12, 2012
| Feb 26, 2013
|
really liked it
|
Sale Alert 14Jan18: Kindle Daily Deal for $2.99 Do you want to know that best way to win me over as a reader? I’m a sucker for well done Star Wars refe Sale Alert 14Jan18: Kindle Daily Deal for $2.99 Do you want to know that best way to win me over as a reader? I’m a sucker for well done Star Wars references and if you can put them in a new and unusual way then I will probably like the rest of the book just based on that one thing. But good for me the rest of the book was just as brilliant and unusual as the Star Wars reference that spoke to my nerdy little heart. “You can be Han Solo," he said, kissing her throat. "And I'll be Boba Fett. I'll cross the sky for you.” Parts of this book are beautiful and parts of it made me angry at characters to my core. As a step-parent of a teenager it is so difficult for me to read of parents who treat their children in a neglectful or mean way. I will say that this is a great book for both teens and parents of teens. I’ve heard this book is being banned for language in some schools and that is too bad. There is no way to shelter children from everything and I’m for exposing them to language and questionable situations in order to keep an open dialog and prepare them for the world, but that is just my own parenting technique. I’m sure my 16-year old has heard much much worse at school and life in general. Most of the bad language in the book is from the abusive step-father anyway and is very much a part of his character. I don’t think he would have come across nearly as bad if the language he used was changed. Okay so now that that part is settled onto the actual book. This is a book about real people. Not the perfect and pretty, but the people who are not at the top of the pyramid in High School. The people who don’t exactly fit in and most of the time just try to keep their heads down to just get through it. Eleanor comes from a very disadvantaged family life. That in itself wouldn’t be so bad, being poor is not a crime, but her stepfather is abusive and most of the time Eleanor just tries to be invisible. The last time she wasn’t invisible she was kicked out of her house for over a year. I felt for Eleanor right away, she has so many things going against her it would be so easy to give up but she trudges on. Park has a mostly happy home life. His parents are still madly in love (odd enough) and he isn’t in the in crowd but he isn’t a total outcast either. He runs in the middle and does just enough that he isn’t on anyone’s list. He lets the new Girl sit next to him on the bus one day and after that a slow friendship of sorts starts to kindle. It is so small at first but it is changing everything in Park’s life. “What are the chances you’d ever meet someone like that? he wondered. Someone you could love forever, someone who would forever love you back? And what did you do when that person was born half a world away? The math seemed impossible.” There were so many cute moments that were completely tender, innocent and loving. Remember how exciting it was the first time you held the hand of someone you really liked. Remember how it felt the first time you kissed a person you honestly cared for. This took me back through a lot of innocent first in a most fantastic way. Both Eleanor and Park are real and unsure of their bodies. They are awkward at times and in loving each other maybe learn to accept themselves for who they are a little bit more. “He made her feel like more than the sum of her parts.” Besides the Eleanor and Park story line I loved the portrayal of Parks parents. Unlike other YA novels where the parents are absent or over the top Parks parents seem real. Park and his parents don’t always agree, they don’t always get along but they always love him. They are ever present in his life and do everything they can to support Park in everything he does. His mom totally grew on me and I really loved her so much by the end. On the opposite side of the spectrum was Eleanor’s home life. Her mother in an abusive relationship, with five children thrown into the mix, just made me angry as a parent. It was not easy to read about Eleanor’s home life and I didn’t get how bad it really was until revelations were made later. I teared up to read Eleanor didn’t even have a toothbrush, the neglect was so awful and probably so honest it was difficult. This story will have many moments that make you smile and some that make you sad. I swung hard on both sides of the spectrum. But, it is totally worth it. It is beautiful and about a love that you hope will stand the test of time. Maybe we are not perfect but we are possibly perfect for someone else. In my book Eleanor and Park are perfect for no one else except each other. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Oct 02, 2013
|
Oct 04, 2013
|
Oct 02, 2013
|
Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 0374214913
| 9780374214913
| 0374214913
| 3.72
| 210,003
| Sep 26, 2012
| Oct 02, 2012
|
really liked it
|
Kindle Featured Deal 10Sep21 at Amazon for 2.99 If J.J. Abrams had a book store it would be Mr. Penumbra’s 24 hour bookstore, a quirky place that reall Kindle Featured Deal 10Sep21 at Amazon for 2.99 If J.J. Abrams had a book store it would be Mr. Penumbra’s 24 hour bookstore, a quirky place that really has no interest in selling any books. There are a few books that the general populous might like but all of them are used and none of them are current. Instead there is a large section of beautiful bound books all written in code and a secret society of people that come in at random times and borrow one of the said books. “...this is exactly the kind of store that makes you want to buy a book about a teenage wizard. This is the kind of store that makes you want to be a teenage wizard.” The M.C. Clay finds most things about the bookstore odd including the enigmatic owner of the shop Mr. Penumbra. He rarely sells anything and wonders how the bookstore could possibly stay in business after taking the graveyard shift of the store. Clay gets drawn into the mystery of the coded books and with the help of Kat a girl he meet who works at Google and Neel his childhood friend they go on a quest of sorts to solve the mystery of the secret society. “Why does the typical adventuring group consist of a wizard, a warrior, and a rogue, anyway? It should really be a wizard, a warrior, and a rich guy. Otherwise who's going to pay for all the swords and spells and hotel rooms?” I was drawn into the quirky mystery of the story right away. I love puzzles and codes and everything about this story drew me in a little more. There is also a cute little romance between Clay and Kat. Clay is kinda a geeky programmer and Kat is a Googler their interactions are extremely cute but not overly romantic like the beginning of a real relationship. “Then: I google "time-series visualization" and start work on a new version of my model, thinking that maybe I can impress her with a prototype. I am really into the kind of girl you can impress with a prototype.” I enjoyed the dialog of the entire book and really liked Clay and all of his friends. I would say that the only weak point in the entire story is the wrap up of the mystery. After everyone else failed, the secret society and an entire team at Google, Clay figures it all out all by himself. But all and all this is entertaining, fun and different than many of the other things I’ve read lately. I totally liked the epilogue though that thoroughly lets us know what happens to all the characters in the book in the future. This is one of the better stand-alone books I’ve read. So if you are looking for something that is quick, fun, interesting and you don’t have to commit to 3-7 books to get through I would totally recommend checking it out. Oct 1, 2013 Full review to come shortly. But it is a great read and I love they make a little fun of google (who will clearly take over the world soon). ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Oct 2013
|
Oct 04, 2013
|
Oct 01, 2013
|
Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
![Magic Burns [Dramatized Adaption] (Kate Daniels, #2)](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1686016027l/171797960._SX50_.jpg)
| 9798212720861
| B0C6Y5ZQHW
| unknown
| 4.56
| 223
| unknown
| Jun 13, 2023
|
it was amazing
|
re-re-re-re-re-listen Love the series always. I enjoyed listening to the Graphic Audio version as it just brings the story even more to life. Derek the re-re-re-re-re-listen Love the series always. I enjoyed listening to the Graphic Audio version as it just brings the story even more to life. Derek the Teenage Wonder Werewolf and Julie get there first introductions. Kate is really coming into her own. Bran grows on my a little each re-read too. Kate and Curran's beginning is adorable and I love how he already knows but Kate is so clueless. Bonus story at the end from Curran's PoV for the soup scene was added after the story. I like this is how they are doing the graphic audio's giving you any different PoV scenes that are in the story. Great time again!!! Sale Alert: This is one of my favorite all time UF series and the first few books are currently on sale $1.99 Kate Daniels Buddy Read/Reread on May 11 with the gang at Ilona Andrews Addicts (IAA) 4.5 Stars bumped up a half star from first read Revisited review after Re-read on Jun 30, 2014 Ilona Andrews is an author I think I can re-read time and time again. I liked this book even more the second time around. The magic and mythology drew me in and the plot and story were even better the second time around. I got excited when new characters, which will be around throughout the series, were introduced and the chemistry building and the slow burn between Kate and Curran is even more enticing the second time around. But I didn’t know what it meant!” Aunt B frowned. “Doesn’t matter. You need to be very careful right now. When Curran wants something, he doesn’t become distracted. He goes after it and he doesn’t stop until he obtains his goal no matter what it takes. That tenacity is what makes him an alpha.” “You’re scaring me.” “Scared might be too strong a word, but in your place, I would definitely be concerned.” I lapped up all Kate/Curran page time together and saw new things I missed the first time. I loved Aunt B’s very apt description of Curran and now that he has his interests set on Kate I don’t think she stands a chance of resisting for long. Again the epilogue totally pulled on every hopeless romantic heartstring I have. [image] Onto Magic Strikes which was one of my favorites of the series. Original Review Sept 24, 2013 Kate seems to have trouble follow her no matter what she does and no matter how hard she tries to avoid it trouble has her address and knocks softly at the door. In this installment the author shows us just how far the extremes of Kate’s world can swing as there is the equivalent of a typhoon of magic coming. Called a flare the ebb and flow between magic and tech become increasingly unstable and all the magical creatures are feeling the pull including Kate. It is a time when the gods come out to play and Kate needs to find a way to keep one in particular out of this world. “You don't cause problems. An unpiloted vampire causes problems. You cause catastrophes.” I enjoyed this plot arc more than the last. It could just be because I knew more about the world created here and could focus more on the story than in the last book or it could be because the reader get a more serious and deeper look into the woman that is Kate Daniels. Kate is a strong, independent and willful woman that can kick some serious butt. But, she is so much more than that and in this book I really was able to see the softer part of Kate, the part that motivates her to protect others and keep them at a distance. It is revealed little by a little a few pieces of her past until you are pretty sure you know where she comes from and the bigger battle she will have to face eventually. Her interactions with Julie a teenage girl she is trying to help really humanize her. “I'm a substitute mom." "You're more like a crazy aunt who only gets called when somebody needs bailing out of jail.” The use of mythologies I’m not familiar with was also a boon to the author. She could have chosen the normal Greek, Roman or Egyptian mythologies for the deities in the story but she took some of the lore from Celtic origins that were new to me and made the story much more likable and I didn’t knit pick the mythology apart because well I just didn’t know anything about it. It fit the unusualness of the world Ilona Andrews has created. The only thing I wanted more of in this book was Kate/Curran time together. I love the chemistry between them and the fight against the inevitable. It’s great that Kate is getting the job done and kicking butt on her own but I really look forward to the two of them having more page time together. I’m sure it’s coming and the buildup of anticipation is great but I want more now. “You know what I like about you? You have no sense. You sit here in my house, you can barely hold a spoon, and you're telling me 'no'. You'd pull on Death's whiskers if you could reach them.” My absolute favorite moment between them is on the very last page when Curran says(view spoiler)[”As you wish.” I think I swooned for him right then and there and I fell in love with Ilona Andrews at the moment. How perfect to put a line from the Princess Bride into her book (hide spoiler)] Magic Burns is a stronger book than Magic Bites as all the main characters develop an extra layer to them. This is teaming up to be a favorite series of mine. I can’t wait to see what happens to Kate next. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
4
|
Jul 16, 2023
Sep 21, 2013
not set
not set
|
Jul 21, 2023
Sep 21, 2013
not set
not set
|
Sep 19, 2013
|
Audio CD
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
my rating |
|
|
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| 3.97
|
really liked it
|
May 21, 2014
|
Dec 31, 2013
|
|||||
|
| 4.12
|
it was amazing
|
Jan 10, 2014
|
Dec 29, 2013
|
|||||
|
| 4.26
|
it was amazing
|
Oct 24, 2014
not set
not set
|
Dec 19, 2013
|
|||||
|
| 3.90
|
it was amazing
|
Dec 18, 2013
not set
|
Dec 16, 2013
|
|||||
|
| 4.24
|
really liked it
|
Oct 13, 2014
|
Dec 13, 2013
|
|||||
|
| 4.12
|
it was amazing
|
Apr 07, 2014
not set
not set
|
Dec 08, 2013
|
|||||
|
| 4.07
|
really liked it
|
Dec 11, 2013
|
Dec 05, 2013
|
|||||
|
| 3.98
|
really liked it
|
Dec 16, 2013
|
Dec 05, 2013
|
|||||
|
| 4.12
|
really liked it
|
Dec 12, 2013
|
Dec 05, 2013
|
|||||
|
| 4.09
|
really liked it
|
Jan 18, 2014
not set
|
Dec 05, 2013
|
|||||
|
| 3.86
|
really liked it
|
Dec 07, 2013
|
Dec 04, 2013
|
|||||
|
| 3.54
|
really liked it
|
Jul 18, 2014
|
Dec 03, 2013
|
|||||
|
| 4.18
|
liked it
|
Feb 18, 2016
|
Nov 30, 2013
|
|||||
|
| 4.25
|
really liked it
|
Jan 08, 2015
|
Nov 30, 2013
|
|||||
|
| 3.85
|
really liked it
|
Dec 19, 2014
|
Nov 30, 2013
|
|||||
|
| 4.28
|
it was amazing
|
not set
not set
|
Oct 20, 2013
|
|||||
|
| 4.14
|
really liked it
|
Jan 17, 2016
Dec 16, 2014
Oct 12, 2013
|
Oct 09, 2013
|
|||||
|
| 3.94
|
really liked it
|
Oct 04, 2013
|
Oct 02, 2013
|
|||||
|
| 3.72
|
really liked it
|
Oct 04, 2013
|
Oct 01, 2013
|
|||||
|
| 4.56
|
it was amazing
|
Jul 21, 2023
Sep 21, 2013
not set
not set
|
Sep 19, 2013
|
Loading...
