I'm honestly disappointed. This Harley, do good just to go terribly wrong, seems very out of character for my liking. It seems like the authors are unI'm honestly disappointed. This Harley, do good just to go terribly wrong, seems very out of character for my liking. It seems like the authors are unsure who Harley really is and what to do with her without Joker on the scene.
There are too many hallucinations going around; they seriously need to stop with this. It destroys the flow of the story, and it's annoying because it means that simply nothing happens.
I adore Harley and Ivy, however, here, it did not work because it was very fleeing and only several scenes that did nothing for me.
The highlight was Harley in evening dress; she looked stunning.
Where several scenes had potential, it got destroyed by the poor storytelling....more
Okay, someone titled this book wrong. It should be "Bound by Aria's stupidity".
Where I was a bit okay with Aria being dumb in the first book since shOkay, someone titled this book wrong. It should be "Bound by Aria's stupidity".
Where I was a bit okay with Aria being dumb in the first book since she was still young and was sheltered all her life, here it was a tad too annoying. Scratch the "tad", it's unbelievable how stupid someone can be.
But let's start from the beginning.
Blurb: When Aria betrays Luca by going behind his back for her family When I read this I was disappointed because all I wanted to say was "again?" First for Gianna and then for Lily, and now again, the girl never learns her lesson.
Actually reading the book: I was surprised (and not pleasantly) to find that the majority of the book was only books 2,3,4 and 5 from Aria's or Luca's POV. I would say 3/5 of this book was a repetition of the series. Then we finally get some new content. (view spoiler)[And Aria again goes behind Luca's back for her family! How dumb this girl is? Seriously, how was she able to think that her plan was a good one! And she gets alive out of it. She just hopped on a plane, went to Chicago and expected to somehow snatch her brother and bring him to New York! I repeat, how dumb this girl is? And she's surprised that Luca is mad. And then the story moves and Luca is a bad guy in the situation? NO! Come on, if he is supposed to be the Capo, he cannot have a wife that goes into the enemy territory and repeatedly goes behind his back, and in the process, she steals money from the Famiglia. She should be dead for it! (hide spoiler)]
This is my main problem. And I will repeat it; Aria is dumb!
Luca spends so much time repeating that he cannot be soft and that no one can see his weakness. But then he goes and acts like a fool just because Aria makes puppy eyes. (view spoiler)[Like when Fabiano contacts them as an Enforcer for Camorra and asks for a meeting. And for some reason, Luca takes Aria with him... WHY?! (hide spoiler)]
As for Fabian, I'm actually interested in his story, so, I may give it a shot. Mainly because I hope he kills their father. (view spoiler)[However, I do not like Fabiano. Is he as dumb as Aria or what? He blames them for the way their father treated him. As if that idiot treated his daughters any better. And if I remember correctly, they offered him to go with them. He decided to stay in Chicago! (hide spoiler)]
Also, I'm interested in Remo Falcone; he seemed like the devil Luca was supposed to be. But let's see. (view spoiler)[However, the book here makes no sense at all. Remo comes and asks Luca not to interfere when he takes over the Camorra. And he sort of hints that maybe in the future that could be allies. But suddenly a couple of years forward they are not on friendly terms, definitely closer to the war than not. WHY?! (Okay, I guess this might be because I did not read book 5 in this series. But if I consider how much was repeated in this book, I don't get why this was not. (hide spoiler)]
As for Dante, I was never his fan but now? Probably even less. (view spoiler)[ I don't know what his plan was, but from where I stand it seems like when he found out Aria was pregnant he did not felt like personally using (okay, I should have said hurting, he definitely used her!) a pregnant woman. However, he sends her back to Luca and makes sure he gets pictures that look as if she cheated on Luca with Dante, with his enemy! And if you consider that Dante sees Luca as a monster, then I would say that Dante was hoping that Luca would snap and hurt Aria that much that she would miscarry or he would kill her and the baby as well. That much for not hurting women, especially a pregnant one. Anyone... I still don't get how anyone even for a moment could have thought that Aria has an affair with Dante like when? How? One would think that Luca would notice if his wife was going to Chicago from time to time without him... (hide spoiler)]
(view spoiler)[In the end, Aria and Luca have two kids that no one knows about and Luca is trying to keep them hidden from the world. And I'm asking for how long? How do they think this will work? The son is Luca's heir, for how long is he going to hide him? (hide spoiler)]...more
Genuine Fraud. I cannot say about the "genuine" part, but this book is definitely a fraud.
It pains me to say this because I was blown away by We WereGenuine Fraud. I cannot say about the "genuine" part, but this book is definitely a fraud.
It pains me to say this because I was blown away by We Were Liars. It's in my TOP 10. But this is like someone else wrote it. Okay, I could feel a certain similarity in the plot twist, but it's nowhere near We Were Liars.
I read several reviews, and it seems that pretty often people who liked We Were Liars were disappointed by this one. But on the other hand, people who were not impressed by We Were Liars found this one to be better. So, if you did not like We Were Liars, this might be a better one for you.
And I want to write a long review, explaining what went wrong for me but... it seems like everything went wrong. ...more
Well, I don't know what to say. I wasn't really a fan of the previous book, especially because I never found a way how to like Hartley. But the HUGE cWell, I don't know what to say. I wasn't really a fan of the previous book, especially because I never found a way how to like Hartley. But the HUGE cliffhanger forced me to read this book asap. Well, after finishing my review, I feel like I'm even generous with my rating. Funny thing that I always realize how angry a book made me only when I write the review.
Let's start from the beginning. The whole "(view spoiler)[ amnesia thing (hide spoiler)]" it only seemed to me like the author didn't know what to do with the plot and thought that this would be an amazing plot or solution. Well, no, sorry, it was not.
I'm not a doctor but (view spoiler)[, so she remembers nothing, and they just send her to school? Like nothing happened, you would expect some sort of counseling and "transition," tests what she remembers and what not. I get that her parents are assholes, but I would think that this would alert social services or someone that a girl who remembers nothing is just sent to school. Same with Sebastian, he woke from god knows how long coma a guy that is going to trial for murder just gets him out of the hospital and then he is in school like a couple of days later. (hide spoiler)] Really don't get that and I would be really surprised if that were how that worked in the US. (view spoiler)[Talking about a guy who committed a murder. It was said that he was also being charged with an attempt to kill Ella as well. - Btw, when did he try to kill her? Because what happened at the end of the Twisted Palace did not seem like attempted murder to me. But still, she is a major witness in the case. He should not be allowed anywhere near her! But he can just come to the house where she lives? No restrictions on that? Seriously? (hide spoiler)] And since I'm already talking about the lack of action from CPS or anyone for that matter, let's add other issues. (view spoiler)[ So, at the end Hartley's dad is dead, her mother just packs her backs and goes away as well as her older sister. And no social services, CPS or anyone is involved when she leaves Dylan, her 13-year-old daughter with the family of the guy her 17-year-old daughter is dating? And do not tell me that it's the money. The case was under media scrutiny; they would definitely report on that. (hide spoiler)]
Okay, this feels like this review is going to be full of spoilers.
(view spoiler)[ I won't really comment on Callum going to Dubai to close a deal when his son is in a comma. If Sebastian was in a comma like for a month or so then okay but it was what? Days? Week? And he was off and left Easton in charge of everyone. As if he wasn't drinking all the time and Callum was aware of that. You would guess he would at least force Gideon or Reed to come back. (hide spoiler)]
As for Easton. In the last book, I was really angry about his behavior towards Ella. And to be honest several times in this book it was even worse than in the previous one. As well as his behavior altogether. (view spoiler)[He made no sense at all. He was just making things worse on purpose and then trying to excuse himself. (hide spoiler)]
Okay, so little miss Hartley. Still, don't like her. And have nothing much to say about her. Only that her actions were sometimes really stupid and forced her to do things were complicated. Maybe she should keep her mouth shut, just maybe sometimes.
The first half of the book is really slow and almost pointless.
We got some mandatory Felicity drama. Again sort of doing the same to get rid of the mean girl as Ella did. (view spoiler)[ Really don't get the Kyle thing. So Felicity set it up, and her parents just went with it? I understand that Kyle did it for money but don't understand why he punched her. Makes no sense at all. (hide spoiler)]
Then there is Steve who just won't go away. And I already voiced some of my issues about him in some of the previous spoilers. But let's add another. (view spoiler)[ So he has an ankle bracelet to monitor where he goes. And put that together with the fact that he should not be allowed anywhere near Ella he should be in jail for being at Royal's place. But okay, let'S pretend he could just order Ella in his car and all would be fine. Then to his suicide, come on, that was only a stupid way how to finish the book and close the Steve's issue without writing about the trial. (hide spoiler)]
(view spoiler)[Also, Steve just goes crazy, shooting anything and everything. It also gets revealed that Easton is apparently his son. Which was suggested in the previous book by Hartley's father. I didn't believe it because a) didn't really think the author would go for the Ella and Easton kiss and b)in the first three books it was hinted that the twins were more like Steve so it would make more sense if it were them than Easton. (hide spoiler)]
Also about Hartley's father who was just behaving really stupidly and I'm sort of surprised he managed to go on with it as long as he did. (view spoiler)[He also said that he pushed Hartley at the hospital that caused her amnesia. (really convenient) But I re-read her fall, and I do not see how he could push her without anyone seeing it. They were looking at her! (hide spoiler)]
Hopefully my last issue with the book. The twins and Lauren and anything altogether. Since the author revealed that the Royals were over, no more books, no-extras no nothing I'm really confused and maybe even angry because we always got just hints on them. A built up of their story to get people interested, and I really wanted to know more about them. And the author is just like: No book for them. Okay, then at least please explain the things in this book! (view spoiler)[ The author just threw there that Lauren broke up with them which made me really angry. It was same as with Steve. Just deleting the character so I don't have to bother with an explanation. And I thought I was angry after the previous book when Lauren went from the sweet and nice girl to a complete opposite manipulative monster. But this got me angry even more. (hide spoiler)]
Also (view spoiler)[Sebastian woke up after being super angry and rude which is understandable but we won't ever know if he gets better or what. (hide spoiler)]
Wow, after letting all of my anger out I sort of wonder if there is really something I've liked about the book. Also, as some people already pointed out there were some really unnecessary typos in the book....more
I love poetry! However, I think that my love for poetry froze at the end of the nineteenth century. I'm not a fan of the poetry from the twentieth cenI love poetry! However, I think that my love for poetry froze at the end of the nineteenth century. I'm not a fan of the poetry from the twentieth century and if this is how poetry looks in the twenty-first century than no, thank you very much.
I'm not going to say this is not poetry though my personal opinion might be different. (If you gave me one page from this and asked me if it was poetry, I would say a hard NO. But, as the author says:
a) poetry is ____________. - anything you want it to be. )
So, here you have it.
However, in all honesty, I believe that when the calligrams appeared at first many probably thought that this was not poetry as well. I still do not like Calligram poetry, but I can respect it because that's crazy how much the poet has to plan to make it happen! 😲
[image]
And now everyone knows this one. ⬆ Maybe in hundred years, Amanda Lovelace will be perceived as the biggest poet of the twenty-first century, who knows!
I also sort of liked what the author was trying to say. I really liked the third part, the Queen.
when you choose to sit upon a throne made up of lies & the bodies of the people who mistakenly thought they could t r u s t you,
the only thing left to do is
f a l l.
However, that was about it.
“no” is short for “fuck off.” No, is not short for anything! NO means NO and nothing else.
The story (I assume that it's the author's life story and for that, I'm sorry because it sounds terrible) however several times I had to disagree with her statements. For me, it was too much pushing her agenda, it tarnished the "poetry" and did not feel genuine.
To conclude, if you like it/love it, I'm happy for you. However, I will stay with my poetry from the nineteenth century or older. Because for me personally this is not something I perceive as poetry.
I am not really sure what I should tell you. This did not really work. Utterly confusing. Too much that does not really mash together was forced togetI am not really sure what I should tell you. This did not really work. Utterly confusing. Too much that does not really mash together was forced together.
You have Catwoman, Scarecrow, Owls (which really shocked me cause I had no idea why those were there), Mad Hatter, Two-face, Black Mask, Mr. Toxic...
That was simply too much.
Tony Daniel should focus more on his artwork which is excellent. Unfortunately, I find his writing/story-telling somewhat lacking. ...more
I liked the story, BUT after 200 pages it started to feel like NOTHING happened nor WILL happen.
Finally at the end, we got something, but otherwise, I liked the story, BUT after 200 pages it started to feel like NOTHING happened nor WILL happen.
Finally at the end, we got something, but otherwise, it was just slow and suspicion building.
As for the relationships. Cam&Sophie: Some pluses for no keeping secrets (view spoiler)[well, except for Cam sleeping with Eloisa... (hide spoiler)] Eloisa: Do not trust her at all. (view spoiler)[What a surprise. Even if she and Cam were ONLY sleeping together. Of course, she would be angry that Sophie was getting him (hide spoiler)]
Domina? Waste of time. She is one big mean lady. (view spoiler)[ And not even a good enemy or adversary or whatever she's supposed to be. (hide spoiler)]
So, I think I will read the next book(s) because I want to know who really is the bad guy....more
Honestly, my main problem is that up until 70% in the story was really, really slow. If the Beltane Festival started earliSo, let's the review begin.
Honestly, my main problem is that up until 70% in the story was really, really slow. If the Beltane Festival started earlier, it might have been more action filled. Then I sort of expect more murdering, but somehow it seemed a bit like the Vampire Diaries. You expect to get some action, but instead of that, you get some sort of How To Get The Boy. To much time spent on the relationships.
Furthermore, there were too many minor characters I had problems remembering. Especially on Arsinoe's side. And for some time I thought that Luca and Luke were one person.
Also, I'm a bit confused about certain things. Why the king-consort has to be a mainlander? They have no power at all! So, is it a story where women have more power than the men or how is it? I got a feeling that except from the Arrons I didn't see any men in the story having any real power. Also, it is so funny that the three girls are referred to as queens, but Arsinoe has to do chores apparently. Katharine is basically terrified and to a certain extent, you could say even (view spoiler)[tortured (hide spoiler)]. Then Mirabella is sort of captured by the temple. Do they even have any real power or are they puppets? And once one of them is crowned do they have any real power at all? Or are they still just for the image?
They cannot decide whether her weeping is a sign of weakness or of great mercy. Either way, they would prefer that she did not do it.
From now on, this review might be somewhat spoilerish
So, I liked Katharine probably most from all of the sisters. Especially the moment she got away from Genevieve and had an opportunity to gain confidence and some strength.
Then there is Arsinoe that was on my nerves from the first page. I just despise her, and I hope that she won't get the crown!
And honestly, Mirabella really disappointed me. I expected some strong character that has a goal, and she'll do anything for it. (view spoiler)[Well, to be honest, if her goal is Joseph, then she might prove to be determined. (hide spoiler)]
So let's move to the other characters. Funny, for a book this long there is not much to be said about the majority of the storyline but only mostly about the characters.
I love Pietyr! And the ending shocked me and tore my heart a bit, but I hope it will get sorted out in the next book. I'm still rooting for him and Katharine!
And as I said, I cannot stand Arsinoe, and that can be said about all of them. Jules, Joseph and especially Jules and Joseph as a couple. Just plain wrong.
Then there is Billy. Absolutely plain and I just hope that he won't be the king-consort because that would be a disaster.
“I could never hate you,” she says. “But if you do not leave now, my cat will tear your throat out.”
So, all together this could be a great introduction to a great series. If the rest of the series follows the last 30% of the book, then there might be a chance for it....more
I wrote the whole review and then just deleted it by accident so I'll try to rewrite it. - The first time it was much better! I have so much to say anI wrote the whole review and then just deleted it by accident so I'll try to rewrite it. - The first time it was much better! I have so much to say and on the other had almost nothing. What I can say is that not everybody was happy about this book and the begging me neither but at the end, I found out that I have to love this book. ♥ And right now I just wish I could turn off my feelings. [image]
(view spoiler)[ At the begging I wasn't sure about the dual Tris/Four POV because they felt just same. Sometimes when I left in the middle of a chapter, I wasn't sure whose POV it is. But then when I got into it, there was no trouble at all. I just found out how to deal with it. [image]
Let's continue with our main heroes. Tris, she's strong, she decided that she's worth living. And that's good. Except for the point where she decided she knows the best: "I told you so" that was so annoying! I don't know why she said that because she did a lot of stupid things in Insurgent. But then she was strong, and adult with her decisions. I like her.
Then I thought of how strong I have become, how secure I feel with the person I now am, and how all along the way he has told me that I am brave, I am respected, I am loved and worth loving.
Four, he's different than in the first two books. Four without you is a much different person. He’s . . . Obsessive, explosive, insecure. . He made some stupid thing I supposed Tris would do. I almost forgot that he's older than Tris and the others. He seemed to me the same age as they are. When he goes through his fear landscape, and there is the part with Marcus I supposed that he's going to be like him. The man who abused his family. - Four is afraid of becoming his father that the way it's showed isn't the best one for me. I was afraid that he's not really able to bear it - all the losses that becoming someone else he could.
I love how Veronica Roth showed us their relationship. It's so real. They're in love, but they want it. They fight for their love. They want to be together; it's worth to them even the problems, the fights they have. They love each other.
every relationship having its problems.
It's not like something magical decided that they should be together - so there could be any problem - they choose to be together.
And the others: Caleb, since the first book I hated him, and I still do.
They say that if the sacrifice is the ultimate way for that person to show you that they love you, you should let them do it.
Uriah, why? No!!! No no no no no no no! Not you! I love you! Peter, well somehow I understand you. Wish you the happy life. Christina, I never found out who she really is. And I accept her, but I don't love her. Cara, sorry young lady, I still don't like you. I don't know about who else I should talk. Maybe Fours parents? But I don't really want to. Just one thing, if I should decide who I would give the memory serum, I would also choose Evelyn.
I thought that there's gonna be something else out of the city. This is not what I expected, but it has its logic. Everything we knew is different. It's explained to us - what divergent actually means. And it's different to what we were told in the first two books. Anyway, it makes sense.
[image]
This is the first book which made me cry since Delirium. I was crying, and I'm not ashamed. I was crying since Tris and Caleb were talking in the Lab. Somehow I felt what's going to happen. It's terribly sad, but I have to say that it's the right decision. Because not every story needs its happy ending.
Tris wants to live, she's in love, and finally, she may be happy. But at the end, she sees that there is no way Caleb may succeed, so she takes his place. She saved them. And I'm sad about it, but she did the right thing.
Can I be forgiven for all I’ve done to get here? I want to be. I can. I believe it.
She decided at the end, spontaneously. She knows what hers decisions going to make and she's willing to do it.
Our Tris - the strong one who is not a child anymore...She's not Beatrice. She'll be Tris, forever.
and then she stood before me, short and thin and plain and in all ways unremarkable—except that she had jumped first. The Stiff had jumped first.
[image]
I thought that in the end they were going to take the memory serum to forgot everything and start over again. And Four almost did, unless Christina he would do it.
“It is impossible to erase my choices.” He says at the begging, and he tries to do it. “I know she wouldn’t want you to erase her from your memory like she didn’t even matter to you!” I understand why he tried to do it, I really do, but I'm glad that Christina stopped him. Tris cannot be forgotten. By none of us - she's just fictional character, but she's showing to us who we should be - Sometimes it involves giving up everything you have ever known, or everyone you have ever loved, for the sake of something greater.
There are so many ways to be brave in this world. Sometimes bravery involves laying down your life for something bigger than yourself, or for someone else. Sometimes it involves giving up everything you have ever known, or everyone you have ever loved, for the sake of something greater. But sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes it is nothing more than gritting your teeth through the pain, and the work of every day, the slow walk toward a better life. That is the sort of bravery I must have now.
The epilogue showed us one thing that we didn't lose only Tris but also Four who become Tobias. Since the start of epilogue, I felt like he's different than the strong boy/man we met in Divergent. He lived and lost too much, and that changed him. Took something from him.
I miss factions. I miss Tris. I miss Four. I'll miss this story. (hide spoiler)]
Thank you, Veronica Roth, for this amazing story. ♥ -Well, I fell like I forgot a lot of things I wrote into the first review if I'll found out something I forgot I'll describe it....more
Seriously! What REALLY happened in Peru, why Magnus Bane was banned from Peru. And the reason is... (view spoiler)[ is nothing. Who knows? Magnus not Seriously! What REALLY happened in Peru, why Magnus Bane was banned from Peru. And the reason is... (view spoiler)[ is nothing. Who knows? Magnus not and neither CC does.
And actually, I'm pretty sure (I may be mistaken) Jace or somebody else said during the TMI series that he/she knows what happened in Peru. But if Magnus doesn't know why he was banned... so? Just too confusing! (hide spoiler)] Lazy, lazy. ...more
I do not DNF because I do not like this book. I DNF because the Czech translation is absolutely horrible and I need to I need to explain myself here.
I do not DNF because I do not like this book. I DNF because the Czech translation is absolutely horrible and I need to get the English version before I can continue.
So, let me tell you the long story short. In 2012, I was in a bookshop (as usual), and I saw this gorgeous book. Let's be honest, the sky on the cover is to die for. So, I bought it. And then in 2013 I bought the second book and in 2014 the last one. But, I never read it. Until just recently, I thought that I would never read it. But because an amazing person recommended it to me, the first time I came to visit my parents, I decided to give it a chance. I read only five chapters and let me tell you, the translation is offensive with how bad it is. I looked for an excerpt to read in English. The voice of the narrator sounds completely different, in English, it's way better. Plus, there so many grammatical mistakes and typos in the Czech translation! It just made me so angry. And let me tell if I see those than something is seriously wrong with the book! Some sentences make no sense, things are wrong. When the book started, it was said that Echo and Bane are brothers but then, couple pages later it makes it sound like Echo and Bane are brothers of Soren.
I cannot bear it and let a poorly done translation destroy a potentially good book for me....more
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