So, you may already know that I like to point out when translation is bad and when an author is butchering a foreign language.
And someone pointed outSo, you may already know that I like to point out when translation is bad and when an author is butchering a foreign language.
And someone pointed out to me that it is an unfair thing to do that I'm hurting poor little indie authors who do not have the means to pay an editor to check if the language is correct. (Ehm, I'm willing to bet that if you ask on Quora, several native speakers will give you the right answer pretty quick but okay.)
So, here I am pointing out an author butchering a foreign language. And this time it is not an indie author, actually a pretty well-known author (and a former president) with the means to make sure everything is correct. But guess what? They failed.
And what is the language butchered here? Czech.
So, let's have a look.
“Helikoptéra!” Lojzik cries in his native tongue. “Odkud pochází helikoptéra?”
First, let me just say when you Lojzík is a diminutive form for the name Alois. If you call someone Lojzik I immediately see a) a very young boy or b) rather old grandpa probably living in the countryside.
And what did Lojzík say? "Where is the helicopter from?" or "Where does the helicopter come from?" He is basically asking for the origin of the helicopter, not the direction the helicopter is coming from. It is really bad.
A funny detail, the Secretary of State under Clinton administration was Madelaine Albright who is a Czech-born. And she still speaks Czech. I bet that if Mr. Clinton sent the sentence to Madelaine Albright, she would have told him that it's wrong and it makes no sense at all.
So, here we go. I do not care how big the author is if they are butchering a foreign language I will point it out! Of course, I can miss it because I do not speak all languages if it's in Spanish I don't know. Also, we could talk about the idea that if you're a foreigner, you will keep using words from your language while speaking in English. Especially when saying "yes", "no" or using some sort of a pet name. Well, from my experience this seems ridiculous to me. The only time I would say a word in Czech while speaking in English is when I do not know how to say it in English, and sometimes it helps me to say the word in Czech to remember how to say it in English. But, saying "ano" instead of "yes" seems really strange. ...more
I do not know what to say. Let's just leave it at the fact that my reviews for the book 1 and 2 pretty much sum up my problems with this whole series.I do not know what to say. Let's just leave it at the fact that my reviews for the book 1 and 2 pretty much sum up my problems with this whole series. Because in all honesty, there is not a lot of difference between the 11 books in this series.
Please, someone, shoot me, because I still had sort of high hopes for this one. (view spoiler)[Sana chose Mike! One would hope that this one would be a bit different since he is not "forcing" her but now. Slowly it just slides into the same pattern as the rest of this series. (hide spoiler)]
My milaya moya - Please, do not use Russian. This sentence looks really bad. ...more
I do not know what to say. Let's just leave it at the fact that my reviews for the book 1 and 2 pretty much sum up my problems with this whole series.I do not know what to say. Let's just leave it at the fact that my reviews for the book 1 and 2 pretty much sum up my problems with this whole series. Because in all honesty, there is not a lot of difference between the 11 books in this series.
(view spoiler)[Funny thing. When Yakov leaves, and Mike starts to woo Ashley, it is said that he was in South Africa and he saw her at her worse. The author tries really hard to present Mike as the good and sweet guy. But! When he "officially" meets Ashley, he says hi in Russian, she does not understand him and does not answer. So, he immediately calls her b*tch! If that is not a red flag, I don't know what is. Then again he is all nice, taking her on dates and stuff but the moment she says that she wants Yakov he is all nasty once again. But Ashley still thinks about him as the good guy. (hide spoiler)]
But the worst thing is that I actually sort of had a bit of hope for this one. How crazy of me. ...more
You know, I'm sort of tired of saying this but I feel like I have to! Please do not use language you do not know well enough.
And I sort of don't knowYou know, I'm sort of tired of saying this but I feel like I have to! Please do not use language you do not know well enough.
And I sort of don't know what to say.
Here I had hopes that the characters would be a bit more mature but no such a luck.
And every book seems like a rehearsal of the previous ones. You always get the same "characters" with almost identical problems etc. I already read the whole series but I just do not want to review it. And honestly, I cannot tell the characters and the plot from those books apart. If you ask me in which (view spoiler)[book the female heroin went behind the backs of her man with the help of his men to get rid of an FBI agent (hide spoiler)] I would have no idea. I know that it happened but I have no idea with which characters and in which book....more
EDIT (22/12/2018): I still love this series very much. It's so much to read over and over again. However, the more I read it, the more I see that it nEDIT (22/12/2018): I still love this series very much. It's so much to read over and over again. However, the more I read it, the more I see that it needs serious editing. Not only for typos but for consistency. Sudden changes in how the scene is described, what they are wearing. Those are small things, but they chip on an otherwise great book!
And what I said after my last re-read of the first book. The Italian sentences are wrong! It really seems like Google translate sentences. Please, please, go on a Facebook find an Italian (native-speaking one) and ask them to look at the sentence you have in Italian. It will be life (and the reader), saver.
3,5/5 ⭐ (It would be 4 ⭐ but I have to take something down for the Italian.
ORIGINAL:The people think you're cold and heartless, with a rich husband, and a powerful daddy. They dislike you and will continue to dislike you until you stop showing them who you really are and start being who they want you to be.
A wake-up call for Olivia?
When Melody finally gives her what she wanted for years, she still finds a ground how to bitch about life being unfair.
Melody is the queen of liars. She can put up any face she wants. Love that.
Melody is still the badass who looks where the next punch is coming.
I even liked Liam more than in the first book. He has more of a backbone and seemed way more mature. And he should seriously buy a hospital for Melody. And at the end, my heart broke a bit for him again.
EDIT (17/12/2018): I officially need to stop learning new languages! A couple of months ago I started with Italian, and it managed to destroy a book fEDIT (17/12/2018): I officially need to stop learning new languages! A couple of months ago I started with Italian, and it managed to destroy a book for me, already! Okay, the thing is, Melody is Italian, and several times she or another character speak Italian. The author several times said that she had it multiple times checked to make sure those sentences are correct. But I can say that she did not! I can see those mistakes. And I love this book or even the whole series. But honestly, I'm just angry with another series because the author butchered Russian there. And it is not fair to give this book a free pass just because I like it. I can recognise that the other author managed to butcher the language in a couple of words. McAvoy is failing on longer sentences. However, I'm telling you, it is better to have no Italian (or any language you do not know) than butcher the language. Also, because I read this book several times, I know it, and with every re-read, I see more and more typos, nonsense sentences and switches in the scenes. Like Mel wearing a dress, suddenly it's a t-shirt, and on the next page, it's a dress once again. I love McAvoy and her books because the characters are just so ruthless. However, she needs a better editor! And a native Italian.
In regards to me a little revelation, I need to lower the rating. But I can honestly say that if it was my first read, I saw the bad Italian I would be angrier. However, since I already have a little connection to the story, I'm going to be a bit nicer. (4/5 ⭐)
EDIT: I had to change the rating because this one is my favourite in the series. (5/5 ⭐)
ORIGINAL: This just randomly appeared in my Goodreads Updates Feed, and I knew I had to read it. So, I put it in my To Read shelf and move one. But some little devil was sitting on my shoulder and screaming to read it right away. And I did. (4/5 ⭐)
Love this because they are really bad guys and openly evil. And they own it. There is no good vs evil. This is about who's the biggest evil of them all! Finally! I waited so long for a book where the characters would just own that they are not good or pretend there is some higher good they do evil things for.
I don't say this very often. But I loved the main heroine. Melody was everything. Rude. Smart. Wicked. Evil. Cold. And much more. But mainly - She was a boss from start to finish. I love how at their first meeting she came on top. Knowing more then the Callahans did. (view spoiler)[ And honestly? I loved that she was so violent. Like actually firing at him! (hide spoiler)]
Liam was an idiot. But amazing idiot! I loved that his little "man-only" word was turned around.
What I really liked about this was the dynamics. Usually in books like this book you got an evil man and weeping flower. Or if she is some sort of leader, she, thanks to her love for the man, realises that she doesn't want to be like that and hands him all the power. No, they were a match set in hell.
Also, Fedel is sooo damn cute! I want to see more of him.
And I have to have some negatives. - (view spoiler)[ Really, getting pregnant? That fast? I thought she was using a pill or something? But okay when she got pregnant, I knew something would happen to the baby. (hide spoiler)] - The Liam's little play to make sure (view spoiler)[ she loves him real and forever (hide spoiler)] was a bit theatrical. But okay. - Was this a Twilight fan fiction? Because I got a bit of that vibe. Especially with the characters in the family. Even the Melody/Olivia hate was sort of Bella/Rosalie... But maybe I am seeing things that do not exist. :D - Olivia needs a good death. And quickly. She's getting on my nerves. - Some typos - not a grammar nazi. I know that I have a lot of typos and grammar mistakes, and usually I just do not realise it. But when even I see them in a book? That's not good....more
Re-Read (12/2018): I love that in this book Mel and Liam go savage, like really savage. It does not matter who stands in their way, innocent or not peRe-Read (12/2018): I love that in this book Mel and Liam go savage, like really savage. It does not matter who stands in their way, innocent or not people are dying left and right. Which is the part that I like about this book... I'm weird, I know.
The thing I do not like is the epilogue, especially since the epilogue is actually the fourth book in the series.
However, the Italian is still sort of messed up. I'm not claiming that I'm an expert in Italian, still a beginner. However, I can pick up some things that are simply wrong, and certain sentences even make no sense.
Plus, the book has its usual share of typos. It's begging for a better editor.
But despite this all, I still like this book. But, I think there will be no other re-read in a long time.
ORIGINAL: They are back and more ruthless than ever. There is nothing they won't do to avenge themselves, and no one who stands in their way is safe. I really liked it. Thought the beginning was a bit painful to watch.
(view spoiler)[Finally you killed Olivia! Thank you!!!! (hide spoiler)] - Just wish it wasn't that easy for her.
I don't get the point of the epilogue since there is the fourth book....more
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