Title translation: Míša in winter (Míša is the diminutive form of the name Michaela (f.) or Michal (m.) in Czech and in several other Slavic languagesTitle translation: Míša in winter (Míša is the diminutive form of the name Michaela (f.) or Michal (m.) in Czech and in several other Slavic languages. Миша was also the bear mascot of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. In the Czech Republic we also have ice-cream called Míša.)
How to make a kid happy? Get him a book with the main character being named the same.
Recently I found a box of my old childhood books and I was surprised that I actually completely forgot about it. But then it brought back so many dear memories. I loved the book so much, it was the one I always wanted people to read to me....more
I hate to say it but I think that I liked the Beach ARC in the adaptation more than in the manga.
Anyway, still very entertaining and I cannot wait foI hate to say it but I think that I liked the Beach ARC in the adaptation more than in the manga.
Anyway, still very entertaining and I cannot wait for what's more to come. Niragi and Last Boss basically jumped out of the manga onto the screen, crazy that they found actors who could embody them that well.
I found the Side story quite interesting, however, I was confused by the game since I felt like the rules were not really revealed. I like the idea of the Four of Hearts, however, I would like it a bit reworked (mainly the revelation of the rules) but the mind game whether you trust the other or not was just phenomenal. Thought I really thought that Chishiya was participating and not Arisu, I was surprised by that turn. ...more
Wow, I keep enjoying this so much! I have to say that I probably enjoyed the action part and Chishiya's plan a bit more in the adaptation but still soWow, I keep enjoying this so much! I have to say that I probably enjoyed the action part and Chishiya's plan a bit more in the adaptation but still so much fun. I have to say that I was blown away by the fact that the adaptation Niragi looks like he jumped out of the manga pages. The actor did so well! And the thing is when you google the actor, Dori Sakurada, you would never believe that's him! I really like that more characters are given space to have more development, really hope to see more of An! ...more
Wow, I'm speechless. I knew what was gonna happen and I'm still speechless. I loved how we got more background for the characters mixed with the heartWow, I'm speechless. I knew what was gonna happen and I'm still speechless. I loved how we got more background for the characters mixed with the heartbreak of the game. I have to say that I really like what the manga did with Shibuki, it made her character surprisingly likeable.
This game is really intriguing, I wonder if there was a way how to crack it or there was no other way.
So far I have to say that I'm quite surprised how close the adaptation followed the manga, mostly there are only subtle changes. And if there are bigger ones (view spoiler)[the first game (hide spoiler)] it totally makes sense because it would be hard to bring it to the screen or it would not translate very well. Cannot wait to read the rest of the manga. ...more
Wow, this was so good! And I thought that I liked Chishiya in the adaptation but I feel like I might like him here even more. Best character ever. AnyWow, this was so good! And I thought that I liked Chishiya in the adaptation but I feel like I might like him here even more. Best character ever. Anyway, I have to say that this was full of action but at the same time it managed to provide a pretty good background story for several characters. I would say very well done....more
Why is there so much pressure with the first book of the year to be good? Why does it feel like it sets the tone for the rest of the year?
Anyway, befoWhy is there so much pressure with the first book of the year to be good? Why does it feel like it sets the tone for the rest of the year?
Anyway, before Christmas, I was blown away by the Alice in Borderland adaptation. I knew that I had to read the manga as well.
And I have to say that I loved this one as well. It is similar enough that I can see the characters I know from the series. But at the same time, there are differences between the two, so, I was really curious to see what will happen.
However, I have to say that I felt like without the knowledge of the adaptation I could potentially find the first chapters somewhat confusing.
But the best part so far is Karube whom I like way more than in the adaptation. Here he is just the best.
Anyway, I can totally recommend both, the manga and the adaptation as well. I cannot wait to read the rest....more
Look who's back just in time to make this my last book of 2020. And how fitting is that? (Side note, thank you, everyone, for your kind messages regarLook who's back just in time to make this my last book of 2020. And how fitting is that? (Side note, thank you, everyone, for your kind messages regarding why I was MIA here. I'm well and healthy as one can be at this time. However, GR became somewhat a toxic environment for me in the last couple of months and I just needed a break. I will go more into detail in my review of 2020. But I just wanted to say thank you.)
So, this was a buddy-read with the amazing Antonella, thankfully she supported me through this. And thanks to her I managed to leave this book in 2020 because that's exactly where it belongs to.
After the last book was such a great disappointment to me, I had zero expectations for this book. I just wanted to finish this series. (Since once again it was promised that this would be the last book and thankfully that seems to be the truth for once.) I'm going to be brief, I don't want to waste much time here. Plus, I wasted all of my patience on the previous books.
So, here are my feelings, opinions and things that came to my mind while reading. (Again, I repeat my personal opinions and feelings which means this review is subjective to me.)
Oh, so we are flipping the script again? What a surprise! Not. Suddenly Calliope is the poor little victim who is so hurt but she's trying to save everyone. You see, she is such a good girl. So smart, selfless but no one gets it how much she gives! Because no one apparently gets anything in these books. Just Calliope and Ethan, only them. And Ethan is the string master and he knew everything, he pieced everything together. And certainly, no one is being bothered by how Calliope was humiliating him in the past book? What A strong boss.
And suddenly every single character besides those two does not have a single brain cell left to share between all of them. I have to say that whatever I felt about any of the characters in the previous books is gone. They are all bad, stupid and just pathetic. Wyatt, Helen, Nari, Sedric, Darcy, Neil, Evelyn just everyone and yes that includes Mel and Liam.
Let me tell you, by including them this series stopped being about the children. It just meant that there was no story for the children to be strong enough to carry without the parents there. And yes, even Mel and Liam are completely lost to me. Their own series became unreadable to me. Because I'm sorry but Mel was just such a brat that I had a very vivid flashback to Olivia.
And when I'm talking about people not having a single brain cell that includes the villains in this book. Because... what did they do? The biggest ace in their sleeve, the meanest meanie did what? (view spoiler)[Oh, he shot himself, how terrifying! (hide spoiler)]
Which brings me to another thing, what really happened in this book? Not much, a lot of talking. Some people died for the show of it. And nothing. I was bored out of my mind, it was dragging so much! It was just an eye-roll fest, nothing to be excited about, not even angry! I just kept eyeing the progress bar and hoping that it would move faster. And again, with so many flashbacks... or should I say rather rewriting what was said in the previous books?
Also, back to the characters. I feel like if you were to take each of the books in the children series and change the names of each character in each book (Meaning, because I know I'm making zero sense, that Ethan would be Ethan in book 1. Marc in book 2. Joseph in book 3 and so on. Calliope in book 4, Martha in book 5, Jessica in book 6 etc.) they would rather like completely different characters. There is no continuity in them.
Okay, these two spoilers are regarding the deaths in this book. The first one is more general, more just my feeling about how deaths were handled in this book. No name is dropped but by reading the spoiler you may get a slight idea about who lives and who does not. The second spoiler is a real spoiler with a name in it, so, beware. (view spoiler)[I mentioned some people dying and yeah, in my opinion, those were just token kills, like, see this world is so ruthless! People die. Well, you took the easy hits. (hide spoiler)](view spoiler)[ Honestly, Liam being paralyzed from waist down? Is this the best the author can do? Because it really did feel like she was too afraid of killing any of the main four that she just injured him. (hide spoiler)]
So, overall, a book I had no expectations for managed to disappoint me by how bad it was. However, I'm glad that I can leave this series in 2020. It's finally done and I do not have to drop it and then wonder what if the author managed to come up with something decent. (She did not if you are wondering.) A couple of years ago this author was one of my favourites which was the reason why I kept giving her chances. But honestly, it's time to let it go.
Oh, and almost forgot the book was again very poorly edited, a lot of typos/missing words. Which is kind of the norm with these books but since it was dragging so much, I tended to notice more.
Anyway, this is more of a rant just after finishing reading this book (just to finish review before midnight, am I the book Cinderella?), so, I might change/add some things later. Sorry, if I make zero sense, it was done in a rush!...more
However, I still loved this one. And I'm going to tell you why. These times are stressful for most of us and I just loved curling up with this book and enjoying it for an hour. A cup of tea and sitting in my favourite armchair and for a moment I was just lost in this book.
So, thank you for bringing us this little book, it's all I needed.
I have to say that while I follow Catana, lately her posts were not showing up on my feed and therefore I can say that I did not see the majority of these comics, therefore, it all felt like new content to me. Which made it more fun....more
**** A free copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. ****
I loved Constantina's other book Hydranos and when she asked me if I**** A free copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. ****
I loved Constantina's other book Hydranos and when she asked me if I was interested in reading her short story, I was immediately interested. I have huge respect for anyone who is able to write a whole story in a short format.
The story had me hooked from the first page. I was interested in the concept of "emotional usurpation".
Other times, freedom was too heavy to digest...
The story starts with Jade living her punishment and we go back to see how she got there. And I have to say, I want more! This absolutely works as a stand-alone but at the same, the world created here is awesome enough to hold a whole novel. ...more
So, I recently re-read the Dirty series and it made me think about trying another book by Meghan March and this was the first the Internet algorithm sSo, I recently re-read the Dirty series and it made me think about trying another book by Meghan March and this was the first the Internet algorithm sent my way.
And I have to say that I'm rather disappointed.
There was a lot of similarities between the two series, to the point that I'm wondering if the author has a certain "template" a certain setting which she uses.
However, what I missed the most about this one was the easy readability the Dirty series possesses. I found it hard to connect with the main characters. Especially, Keira, she was seriously bordering on the unlikeable line. (Side note: I hated the nickname Ke-ke and I cringed every time I saw it.) And maybe a bit ironical but I felt like Mount lacked a certain presence about himself on the page. Which is funny since he was supposedly portraited as a huge alpha male. But still, I found him more tolerable than Keira. He's definitely an interesting character and I would be interested in knowing more about his past. However, if that comes at the price of Keira being there as well I think that I will rather pass on that. Plus, the terms of their relationship really make me uncomfortable.
The cliffhanger/twisted at the end was rather unexpected even though it is a bit of cliché.
While there might be some things which I would like to know more about... I do not find this series worth continuing. So, anybody knows good spoiler-filled reviews for book two and three?...more
***Advance Review Copy generously provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I recently had an ARC for I Hope This Helps by Tommy Si ***Advance Review Copy generously provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I recently had an ARC for I Hope This Helps by Tommy Siegel and while that was not the biggest hit with me, in my review I said that my favourite parts from the book were those which included the candy hearts. So, of course, I could not pass on this one.
And I was not disappointed. It was a very quick read. Very clear, concise and straight to the point/punch line.
It took the best from I Hope This Helps and gave it it's own space. It feels more neet, that there is something connecting all the comics.
So, if you are trying to decide which Tommy Siegel book to get, I would recommend Candy Hearts. But! I have to say that it only shows a part of his cartoon style. (Though, in my opinion, the best). Which means that if you like this still does not mean you will like all of his other work or the other way around. This is more of a sample....more
Okay, I'm going to be brief (for once). If you're looking for a more in-depth review, I recommend the one by Phuong ✯. She did amazing work her reviewOkay, I'm going to be brief (for once). If you're looking for a more in-depth review, I recommend the one by Phuong ✯. She did amazing work her review.
Fair warning, this might be slightly spoilerish.
So, I do like Remo and Serafina. However, I've had enough. We do not need another point of view on their book; we already got like four. (And we are probably getting another one because I can just expect Samuel to spend half of the book on how Serafina betrayed him and half of the book being a flashback taking place during Serafina's book. EDIT: oh, and also Adamo. His book is totally having flashbacks to the torture in Twister Pride if not the kidnapping of Serafina as well. And then the mom plot. I really need fewer flashbacks in these books. Especially on plot, we've seen through a different POV.). I mean just enough. And if it was not enough that it was another POV on the Twisted Pride, Serafina was mentioned so much that it was making me uncomfortable. And I repeat, I actually like Serafina and Remo, yet the constant mention of Serafina was making me sick. I cannot imagine all those who actually do not like her having to read this book and having Serafina mentioned every other page.
Well, me being brief probably just went out of the window, it seems.
If I were, to sum up, this book, it's just watered-down version of Twisted Hearts. (view spoiler)[And the terrifying thing is that Samuel and Emma seem to be heading the same way. (hide spoiler)]
I did know that Sofia had a crush on Danilo based on Serafina's book. But to this extend? She and Gemma could have exchanged some pointers. However, I have to say that the "confrontation" at the party went better for Gemma than it went for Sofia. And I'm saying it now that I'm still not okay with that scene. (view spoiler)[Well and a couple of others, mainly Sofia flashing her boobs at Danilo. (hide spoiler)] Which is the main issue with a large age gap when the story starts at the time when one of them is underage (and Sofia being underage for half of the book did not help), it just tends to cross certain lines. And yes, age gap story can be done well but this is not it.
As for Danilo, I'm actually surprised. Before reading this book I've expected that he would still have Serafina issues (view spoiler)[Okay, he has Serafina issues but different than I've expected. (hide spoiler)] I really thought that he would put pressure on Sofia not being like her sister and actually same with Sofia's family. I don't know. Based on the blurb and everything I really expected Sofia to be forced by her family to be like Serafina. (I even expected someone to suggest that they can remake Serafina's old wedding dress for her).
Maybe you should stop mentioning her." (Anna to Sofia).
But no. From what I read, it felt like that only Sofia was putting the pressure on herself to be like Serafina. (view spoiler)[The whole dying hair to look like Serafina? Using her perfume? (hide spoiler)] I have to say that most of the characters in books by this author had some serious issues and traumas. But the whole time reading this book there was a voice in my head that was screaming that someone needs to get a good therapist for Sofia. (Or maybe I was just watching too many videos by Kirk Honda).
Even if I was ashamed to admit it, I barely missed Fina anymore and often even forgot all about her - until someone reminded me. Well, not true.
Oh, yeah, I was talking about Danilo. I mean, I liked him better in Twisted Pride or even Bound by the Past. He gets major extra points for his relationship with Emma, and I mean major! (view spoiler)[I expected him to be angry. Very angry. But that sort of went out of the window after the wedding and he was actually kind of a softie - which admittedly felt a bit fake and out of character. But where he lost me was when he said that he never thought about Sofia in a "sexual" way before... A chapter or two before that he was totally checking her out. A bit of consistency? (hide spoiler)] Also, I felt like he did suddenly a one-eighty. He was all so suddenly extremely committed to Sofia and felt like he was the one wanting a Disney fairytale.
So, I called this book Twisted Hearts 2.0 and same with that book, here they actually get married pretty late in the book. I believe it was around the halfway mark, which then also leads to the problem that their relationship post-wedding feels a tad rushed. A plus compared to Twisted Hearts the pre-wedding section felt less jumpy.
But the issue was that it felt that nothing much in the book really happened. If you take Serafina out of the story, you're not left with much. And while I get it that this was sort of stand-alone, it's then strange that it so heavily relies on Serafina drama. But there is nothing besides Sofia and Danilo finding a way to work as a couple. No additional drama. No additional plotline. It even got to the point that I wanted to know more about Marco and even his issues with Bria.
To conclude, yeah, it wasn't great, but Twisted Hearts were worse. EDIT: A few days later I'm not sure it compared that well even to Twisted Hearts. At this moment I think that both were terrible. So, one star may go missing from this rating pretty soon.
A couple of notes on the side: - Well, I wasn't sure about Anna in Bound by Past. She seemed very timid, and I actually felt really sorry and sad for her. In this book, she is nothing like that. This Anna and Anna from Bound by Past feel like different characters. And honestly, while Anna was saying some hard truths, she was kind of annoying. - And while I like her more, I'm still not sure with the whole Santino/Clifford thing. - With each book, I like Samuel less and less. He does not deserve Emma at all. - I still have hopes for Nestore's book and Greta's and Amo's book. - And clearly, I was not brief, but I still recommend Phuong's ✯ review....more
I never really read anything by Dr Seuss when I was younger (only recently I read Grinch). And I just remember how I've always seen his books being meI never really read anything by Dr Seuss when I was younger (only recently I read Grinch). And I just remember how I've always seen his books being mention in YA and wondered what's that about.
And I still don't know why only two of his books were translated into Czech (if I can trust Czech version of Goodreads).
Anyway, this was quite fun and quick read. But the important question is if anyone ever did a horror version of The Cat in the Hat because it's just asking for it, isn't it?...more
***Advance Review Copy generously provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I read this book without any prior knowledge of the auth***Advance Review Copy generously provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I read this book without any prior knowledge of the author or his art... which I usually think is a bonus because it cannot happen that I already know the majority of the work. At first, I was enjoying the art quite a bit, but as I was getting more into the story, I was finding it hard and hard to keep my focus and interest. And for me, the biggest downfall was the texts which sometimes accompanied the images. Mostly I thought that it did not add anything to the story.
My favourite part was all the comics which included candy hearts!
Overall, it was an okay read, but I cannot say that I would come back to read another book by this author. However, I have mad respect for the author to try to challenge himself to draw 500 comics in 500 days, one each day. I would be exhausted on day 5....more
Back in high school, one of the teachers brought a little sample from this book, and I found it totally captivating. Terrifying but at the same captivBack in high school, one of the teachers brought a little sample from this book, and I found it totally captivating. Terrifying but at the same captivating.
So, I went back to it.
“One believes things because one has been conditioned to believe them.”
The beginning is totally the strongest part of this book, as it progresses, it goes a bit down. But at the same time, I think that the beginning is the hardest to get over. The world is being introduced to us in a rather raw way which definitely has the potential to make people uneasy. And while it was hard to read but it was also fascinating in a way. You do not like what you see, but you cannot look away.
However, the book gave me chills; it's definitely not a "summer-read", it's quite a bit to unpack and get over what's happening.
Side note, I just hope that no one ever looks at this book and thinks that it's a great idea. THAT would be terrifying....more
Well, I wanted to rate this book 2⭐ , but then I sat here and asked myself what is the extra star for? And I could not come up with an answer.
So, I wWell, I wanted to rate this book 2⭐ , but then I sat here and asked myself what is the extra star for? And I could not come up with an answer.
So, I wanted to read this book since it *was* the last one in this series. I was somewhere around the 40% mark, and I thought that the story was really dragging and nothing was happening, well, nothing which would move the story closer to the end and resolving everything. (And I believe that was one of the issues I had with Vicious Minds Part 1, I thought that there was so much unnecessary stuff that if half of it were cut there would be no need for book five.) And this book really seemed to have the same problem. And what a shock. This is not that last book! It had to be pointed out to me because I had no idea. I would absolutely finish this book, and then I would stare at the: "To Be Continued". Why?
Every character is just destroyed, completely shredded to little idiots only to built up Calliope. (view spoiler)[Even Liam and Mel, I mean they were shooting at her in a room, and they were not able to get her? (hide spoiler)] I mean Calliope supposedly teased Ethan in public, I would say more that she humiliated him, to be honest. At this point, Ethan is Calliope's Ivy. (view spoiler)[And I'm sure that the author has an explanation ready, how he did it only so that he can get what is his ultimate goal and whatever. The point is that Ethan just turned into a totally meek character who is just there to play second fiddle to Calliope. (hide spoiler)] And I do not care how the next (not going to call it last just to be sure) book is going to spin this. That he was again lying in his POV? Oh, and I almost forgot, since I'm talking about Ethan here (somehow this is just Calliope show now), let's just mention that I do not feel any chemistry between him and Calliope. None.
So, to probably the biggest thing that happened in this book which was basically almost at the end of it. (view spoiler)[ Calliope kills Coraline and I honestly thought that she was poisoning her for some time because she was coughing at one scene (maybe Cora was sick again?) but no, Calliope stabbed her. Plus then Mel and Liam attack Calliope. (hide spoiler)] And right after that I just went to cook lunch. It was probably the most *shocking* moment, and only a couple of chapters left, and I did not care one bit.
And that's the problem. With everything going on. With trying to build-up Calliope. And maybe to even trump the Ruthless People? Like to show that the children's series can be more ruthless and more everything than the original. Unfortunately, for me, it does not work. It makes it forced. Unbelievable. Even artificial. Sort of like a fake version of the story? And slowly while reading this book, I realised that I did not care for anything. Not for the story. Not for the characters. Not who's going to die, live, rule and whatever. And not just in this series, this includes the Ruthless People as well, one of my most re-read series ever.
I just cannot find it me to be interested in the story anymore because no matter what the next spin of the events will be, I won't trust it.
And I mean that. The author could take every single character I loved, kill them all and I would be like, yeah and? This spin-off or more precisely adding more books to it destroyed all characters for me, even Mel and Liam.
And the thing is I wish the events made me angry because then I would at least feel something towards this book. J.J. books usually made me feel so much, laugh, be angry and even cry, so, this emptiness is just shocking, and this really is a 1⭐ from me. ...more
![今際の国のアリス 1 [Imawa no Kuni no Alice 1]](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1447118811l/27777012._SY75_.jpg)
Loading...
