If you can’t love Dante Walker then you’re probably not going to love this book. He is cocky, flamboyant, arrogant, hilarious, and sassy. Luckily for If you can’t love Dante Walker then you’re probably not going to love this book. He is cocky, flamboyant, arrogant, hilarious, and sassy. Luckily for me, I absolutely loved him. Victoria Scott has perfectly encapsulated the jerky, arrogant seventeen year old who thinks he’s a straight up badass – and nothing is more satisfying than watching Dante Walker realize that not only does he have a sweet, kind side, but he’s also a good person and a good friend.
The book basically went like this:
Dante would be all like:
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And outwardly I would be like:
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But then when I thought the book wasn’t looking, I’d be like:
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There’s another character, Charlie Cooper, who I just loved. Mostly because, though Dante is so mean about her at the beginning, Scott wrote her with such empathy and compassion. Even while Dante was waxing poetical about how unattractive and what a loser she was, and even while she was acting like a loser, I still loved her. I think everyone who’s been an awkward teenage girl could see part of themselves in Charlie.
Whilst the writing of The Collector was pretty good, it was the slang and dialogue that really got me. Basically, she nailed it. Nailed teenage guy with a great finesse. The plot itself is pretty cool if a little simplistic. Bad Collector dude spies innocent virgin girl. Shenanigans ensue. It was hard for me to grasp the greater moral aspects of the book, the struggle between good and evil etc when I spent the whole book going, “God, girl! Just ride that guy to O-Town already!” As the book progressed, I found myself rocking backwards and forwards begging her to not change. NEVER CHANGE, CHARLIE!
I guess this was the only aspect that I found a little less satisfactory than I would have liked. For me, where it really made up for it was the characters. The dynamics between Blue and Dante and Charlie. Between the Liberator and Max and Dante. Between them all. I just couldn’t get enough of those awwwwww moments. And then it ended, and I wanted more. Especially more of teh sexy. Which meant I finished the book shaking my fist at Victoria Scott, saying:
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Which is really just my way of saying, “I love you.”...more
So Allie is an orphaned teenager in a dystopian fantasy where people are enslaved by vampire masters. Then she gets turned into a vampire and strSo Allie is an orphaned teenager in a dystopian fantasy where people are enslaved by vampire masters. Then she gets turned into a vampire and struggles with the morality of being a monster.
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So at first I was like.
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But then she was like.
[image] A comparable representation on the scale of awesomeness - not a literal depiction.
And then I was like.
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Right away from the beginning of the novel Allie was pretty ass kicking.
And then Kanin the vampire showed up and I was like.
[image] Yeah, sure. Whatevs.
But then he was like.
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And then I was like.
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So then Allie goes trekking through the woods and I’m like.
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And then she meets up Zeke and I was like.
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Then Zeke is like ewwww Vampires suck and I was like.
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Then stuff with them happened and I was like.
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So then I was worried about the writing since I’d been on the fence about The Iron Fey. But then Kagawa did a lot of:
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And I was like.
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And then Stephanie said the plot was slow, and I was like.
I just really liked how plot-heavy is was. And iI gave this four stars.
*Rocks backwards and forwards*
What is happening to me?! What am I turning into?
I just really liked how plot-heavy is was. And it's not Cat or Bones whose relationship I'm happy to put away for now. I liked Vlad as a character but I thought it was Leila who really made this novel.
It's not the usual backwards and forwards.
Her: "I really like him but I don't know if he likes me."
Him: "Wow. I really like you."
Her: "He's just saying that because he wants someone. I wish it were true."
*Sexual tension*
*Interruption*
*Lots of sex*
*Plot resolution*
*Happily ever after*
It can get a bit tiring, but this wasn't and I really want to see where Frost takes it from here.
I'd heard a lot of bad things about this book long before I ever started it. I avoided reading it a long time because of the discussion about misogynyI'd heard a lot of bad things about this book long before I ever started it. I avoided reading it a long time because of the discussion about misogyny and white males winning. I don't like those kinds of books. Begone evil white male power historical fantasy books!
*Hisses*
This is not what I found here. Do I prefer a universe where characters are equally respected and have equal opportunities despite gender? Yes. Do I prefer a bevy of naked men and women on my bed right now ready for an old fashioned orgy right now?
...back to that visual later.
What I'm saying is that it's the characters most other authors are want to discount as lackeys and side characters that become main characters and their realistic, fatally-flawed, compassionate creation is what made this book excellent.
That and the amazing writing, stunning setting and the narration which, for an audiobook, is vital.
See, a book itself is a bit like a group of naked people on your bed ready for an orgy. Not everyone has to be super beautiful and attractive because, really, who's looking at faces?
I digress.
Actually, what was my point?
I don't know. Orgies are good and so is this book. Though so far no orgies. But this book is a lot like an orgy.
Dark Needs at Night's Edge is a modern, more intensely paranormal version of The Ghost and Mrs. Muir.
[image] Rex Harrison: making ghosts sexy since 194Dark Needs at Night's Edge is a modern, more intensely paranormal version of The Ghost and Mrs. Muir.
[image] Rex Harrison: making ghosts sexy since 1947.
It is, to date, my absolute favourite book in this series. Not that it's really had that much competition.
So far it stands against an abductor, rapist, Sebastian/Kaderine who rock, and Bowen/Marie who don't.
Conrad, a bloodmad and vicious vampire, is captured by his three brothers and trapped in an old mansion to help recover his sanity. Néomi, a 1920's Prima Ballerina (and former Burlesque dancer) currently haunts said mansion as this was where she was violently murdered.
[image] Burlesque, aye? I like her already!
Of course, the sexually confidant, lively and brazen ghost is the perfect partner for virginal, uptight and angry Conrad. Their seduction and romance is, for most of this novel, based on their attraction to each other and telling each other every little thing they would do if only they could touch.
Néomi absolutely made this novel for me. She was so confidant in her sexuality, so proud of her achievements, so full of life! Conrad's inability to be the typical alpha male with her was also just SO damn refreshing. He couldn't push her around, bully her or trap her. And when it came to wooing her, he couldn't just take her for a walk on the beach or start kissing her.
The creepy atmosphere created at the beginning of the novel, as well as the slow burn relationship build between Néomi and Conrad, separates this book from a genre which is all about waiting for the next titty grap or alpha male bullshit that is supposedly romantic.
This book would have absolutely gotten four stars from me if the ending weren't a little contrived toward HEA. The first 90% of this book was so well written, so romantic, so lovely that I was absolutely enchanted. Spoiled only in the last 10% by Cole bending over backwards to give us a "perfect" ending.
If you never pick up another Cole novel because you are afraid of the romance industry mainstays of the ultra masculine male and the stockholm syndrome suffering female, then at least feel confidant that with Dark Needs at Night's Edge, Cole did something nicely different....more
First of all, I would like to thank Iyah for recommending this book to me based on the fact that she believed me to be extremely perverted, I think.
YoFirst of all, I would like to thank Iyah for recommending this book to me based on the fact that she believed me to be extremely perverted, I think.
You know sometimes how you guys have to remind me to give a book a star rating because I accidentally forget? No. Not this time. I won't rate this book. I CAN'T rate this book.
This book is so many conflicted things. Filthy, dirty, shocking, perverted, angry, degraded, frustrated. It's raw, honest, painful, sorrowful, empty, begging, pitiable.
I hated it. I loved it. I despised it. I forgave it. I understood it and yet reviled it.
This is not an easy book to read. This is not a satisfying book to read.
I hated Daniel. I still do and I always will. He is an abusive, perverted, violent, selfish, megalomaniacal monster.
But whilst I will flat out say I hated every character in this book, Daniel is the exception. He's the exception because he's the only one I hated for every word on every page with every part of myself. The other characters I hate because I love them, if that makes sense. I hate Sarah because I wanted to steal her away and heal her. I hated Jamie because he wanted to do the exact same thing and he failed. I hated Mike for various complicated reasons.
Maguire doesn't go easy on you. She softens nothing, gives you no ease, no satisfaction. She doesn't want to. She tells a tragic, painful story and spares no details. Her writing is as violent, unpredictable and changeable as Daniel and Sarah's "love affair".
Reading this novel was not about love. I didn't love this novel. More like I read this novel for the same reason that Daniel and Sarah were together. Some kind of sick, irredeemable compulsion that wouldn't release me and that I felt helpless to stop.
Fortunately, unlike Daniel and Sarah, I'm strong enough to stop.
Actually, no just one big spoiler. And it's not really a spoiler, but you know how precious some people can be.
[Warning this review contains spoilers.
Actually, no just one big spoiler. And it's not really a spoiler, but you know how precious some people can be.
[image] This cat just had the ending of Shadowfever spoiled...
Okay, so this is a romance novel. You pretty much know how they all end, right? Happily Ever After with lots of sex and pregnancy/babies.
So far this is the only one I've read that HASN'T ended with pregnancy.
All I can say is THANK YOU!
What the hell is romantic about meeting a man and finding out a month later that you're pregnant? Or, according to a previous book, being pregnant with TWINS?!
[image] Twins. Two bodies. One soul. One very evil soul...
I wouldn't wish twins on my worst enemy!
Why do people think parenthood is romantic? Allow me to illuminate what parenthood basically is:
"Harry, put your pants on." "No flashing your willy, Harry." "Put your willy back in your pants!"
"Why are you crying?" "Do you want a drink?" "Why did you throw your drink on the ground?" "Why are you crying now?" "Are you sure you want a drink this time?" "Why did you throw your drink on the ground AGAIN?!"
"Do you need to go potty?" "Are you sure?" "Why is there stinky poo in your pants?" "WHY IS THERE STINKY POO ON MUMMY'S WALLS?!"
"No mummy doesn't want to kiss the shark anymore." "I'm sorry, mummy will kiss the shark now." "Why did you hit mummy with the shark?"
"You can have ONE train." "No. One." "Now you broke the train." "Why are you crying?! You're the one who broke the train!" "Okay, mummy fixed the train." "Why are you crying?" "Well then you shouldn't have broken the train, AGAIN!"
"Where's mummy's phone?" "No, that's not mummy's phone, that's a carrot." "Why is mummy's phone in the veggie keeper?"
"Do you want to watch thomas?" "No, mummy doesn't want to watch Aristocats again." "Because mummy will do bad things if she watches Aristocats. AGAIN." "Fine, we'll watch Aristocats." "No mummy's not crying."
"Don't run away!" "No, mummy said not to run away!" "It's not funny!" "Come back!" "Thank you, stranger, for returning my beloved child." "You are in so much trouble!"
"Do you want some cheese for lunch?" "Okay, here's your cheese!" "Why did you throw your cheese on the ground?" "But this is mummy's cheese!" "It's exactly like the cheese she gave you!" "Fine, have mummy's cheese." "WHY DID YOU THROW MUMMY'S CHEESE ON THE GROUND?"
Do you want to know the truth? Children are evil. Now, I wouldn't go quite so far as to say that they're little Stewies in the making.
[image] Though I won't dismiss the theory...
But babies do three things from the moment they're born.
1) Struggle to learn their mother-tongue so that they can use the same word, 'No!', over and over again. 2) Struggle to learn to move, walk and run so that they can throw things at you and then run away while cackling with fiendish laughter. 3) Study you to learn your weaknesses.
They don't have anything else to do! They eat, sleep and poop and they're learning how to bring you down and crush your spirit while doing all three of those tasks - all the while knowing that if you ever chose to, you could crush them with your giant adult fists.
[image] Look at that... pure, malevolent evil...
And yet, people still procreate, why? There are childless people reading this right now. And I bet you. I BET you that they will probably still have children despite everything that I have said.
You know why? WHY?! Because either they think I'm exaggerating and "it won't be THAT bad!" Or they're cocky little bastards who think that, "Sure, kids CAN be like that. But not mine. MY kids will be fantastic."
Yes. You keep thinking that. That's what I thought too. Certificate III in childcare and a childhood development course and I thought I would be Mummy Extraordinaire. My best friend, who is a trained and practising Child Psychologist, thought so too. She thought I never saw her look of contempt at my screaming child and that I couldn't see the idea as plain as day in her head, "Well, MY child won't do that!" Hahahaha! I got the last laugh on that one, bitch!
ITS WHAT THEY WANT YOU TO THINK!
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There is NOTHING romantic about having babies. Nothing. You will get a massive belly, need to pee all the time. Then you will go through childbirth and while recovering from this "experience" you will be tending a newborn. You will bleed constantly for six weeks while your nipples leak and you can't remember the last time you got a good night's sleep. Your hormones will trick you into thinking your grandpa-faced little newborn is beautiful and people will lie to you because they realize that with the birth of your child has begun your decent into insanity. People will coo over your child who will be perfectly well-behaved until they bugger off and then you're left alone with a screaming infant WHO CAN'T BE REASONED WITH!
Yes, I love my son, he's the light of my life, blah de blah, blah.
But I can't take anymore of these Happily Ever After WITH BABIES endings!
Why can't we have Happily Ever After, with a lot of money, sex and freedom to travel the globe, eat in expensive restaurants and have even MORE sex except this time on the kitchen floor, endings?
No. Instead we get this:
[image] The little jerk...
I keep ending these novels with super-happy couples petting their lovely pregnant bellies and all I can think is, "Poor bastards! Don't even know what they're in for..."...more
Yes, in case you're wondering, I'm even more ashamed than when I gave its predeccesor The Highlander's Touch three stars. It seems that I'm deterioratYes, in case you're wondering, I'm even more ashamed than when I gave its predeccesor The Highlander's Touch three stars. It seems that I'm deteriorating into some obscure form of madness in which time-travelling, historical romance can illicit a four star rating out of me.
They should name a damn charitable foundation after me to help other people suffering from this obscure mental illness.
But it's honestly not my fault. The fault lies with Karen Marie Moning.
[image] There it is, folks. The face of pure evil.
She makes these RIDICULOUS books that you should blush at the idea of reading - readable, fun and hilarious. If I deign to pick up a Historical Romance - especially one in which time-travelling is involved - I would spend most of it groaning, rolling my eyes and looking for a wall to bash my head on.
And yet, here we are. I've read two books in this series now and I have no intention of stopping. I mean, I totally could stop. If I wanted to...
[image] I could stop anytime...
The strongest part of this book is, without a doubt, the characters. They're fantastic. Gwen and Drustan had me in hysterics. I thought this was going to be the usual pushy, chauvinistic male character with sex-pot-in-the-making virgin who admires his studly-studlyness until they have great sex and babies and we forget that they ever had issues. No. This is a story where the pushy, chauvinistic male character gets locked in the privy by the brilliant and stubborn female protagonist until he learns to behave himself. I feel this is a trend that already should have existed in many more romances. Because women have been writing 'romantic' men who're really just giant jackasses for waaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyy too long.
I absolutely adored this book from start to finish and it's not because I like romances. Or history. Or time-travelling. It's because Karen Marie Moning has me wrapped around her twisted little finger as she kicks my ass with her story-telling ability and writing craft. I'm only glad I wasn't a fan of such books BEFORE I read Moning's, because otherwise she would have ruined Historical Romances as thoroughly for me as she's ruined Urban Fantasy with her Fever Series.
Simply because she can, the heartless bitch!...more
This is the third novel I've read belabelled Steampunk and so far it is the best.
Unlike Clare's rendition of Clockwork Angel, Brook's The Iron Duke doThis is the third novel I've read belabelled Steampunk and so far it is the best.
Unlike Clare's rendition of Clockwork Angel, Brook's The Iron Duke doesn't nervously flirt with Steampunk but wantonly embraces it like a Steampunk addict chasing after its next hit.
Similarly to Carriger's Soulless, The Iron Duke is heavy on romance though with far more satisfying love scenes and lacking in the supernatural, paranormal element.
No, Brook understands Steampunk and she executed it well, creating a world styled off 19th century England but with a rich and textured history. Don't be fooled by the confusing, awkward and clunky beginning. Brook didn't choose the best method to relay the backstory of Horde control and a mechanical population at odds with the wealthy elitists who refuse "nanoagents".
However, this confusing introduction is soon swept away by the fantasy of men with piston-operated arms, mechanical eyes, steel-plated sabre-cats, Krakken, air-ships, automatons and all the whimsy that a novel like this deserves.
The story may revolve around the romance of the two leads, The Iron Duke and Mina, an intelligent, cold, strong Inspector, but it also focuses heavily on the mystery and adventure aspect. It includes a full cast of interesting and rich characters, enough turns and twists to keep you guessing and different, textured environments to keep you turning the page.
The romance began, for me, as the weakest aspect of this story. The Iron Duke, Trahearn, Rhys or whatever you want to call him, is An Alpha with a capital A. In fact, he rarely deviates from the genre mainstay as the rich, capable, manly, intelligent person who is immediately dazzled and enchanted by the cold, resisting heroine. In fact, he was downright giving me Woodiwiss flashbacks.
[image] No! No! Please! No!!!!
You know who I'm talking about. The kind of RAM (Romanticized Alpha Male) who thinks No means, "You just haven't gotten me helpless and alone enough" and who eventually comes to hold dearer the heroine's continued rebuffs over any freely available blowjob. Every time I read one of these books, I can't help but think the writers are kidding themselves. Yes, your heroine is ewnique and special but if he can get it easier from a tavern wench, then why bother with the cold, frigid heroine? After reading that sentence, I'm kind of wondering whether I should have been born a man...
[image] The bar wench is easier, she comes with beer and she won't expect you to call her in the morning. What's not to love?
However, all is saved by the female protagonist, Mina. Two words: Kick. Ass. There is nothing stupid, helpless, ineffectual or ridiculous about her. She manages to get through the ENTIRE novel without making me hate her for existing. Which is what female protagonists having been doing to me a lot lately (*shakes fist at almost the entire YA genre). Not only that, but her competence and intelligence makes sense since she is, indeed, an inspector and she damn well acts like one. She pulls a gun if she needs to and she gets shit done all the while being professional, capable, yet realistic and... well, pretty damn relatable. Also, the sex. And don't lie and think it's not that important. It's damn important and Brook definitely delivers on that part. Which makes Mina's character that little more likable to me as she isn't the virginal prude. In fact, a lot of this novel was about her developing a comfortableness with her own sexuality, which I really enjoyed.
And as the novel progresses, Trahearn becomes more human and less RAM. I wouldn't say I ever truly warmed to him completely. He still remained pretty firmly in the RAM camp but Mina and his relationship with her was just so awesome that I managed to forget it. Maybe it's because he came on way too thick at the beginning. I don't find it sexy when a man corners me and kisses me against my will when I've repeatedly told him no. I didn't find it sexy in this novel either. In fact, Brook was a little too happy with this plot device and at a couple of points managed to make me quite annoyed with Trahearn. But then Mina shot him and I felt so much better.
[image] SOooooooo much better!
Over all, I felt the writing was solid, the story telling became fantastic after the first clunky scene and that this book was a very solid four stars.
In fact, if Brooks had written Trahearn just a little differently, I think I might even have given this story five stars. Still, as it is, it's a very good read. I recommend it to romance readers, steampunk enthusiasts and anybody who's just into a fun, adventure novel that won't let you down in the imagination department.
[image] This novel is kind of like that... awesome with a side of bullet sandwich!...more
In all fairness, I had plenty of warning. I'd read Tatiana's review so I should have been well prepared.
Conventional wisdom states that when cousins gIn all fairness, I had plenty of warning. I'd read Tatiana's review so I should have been well prepared.
Conventional wisdom states that when cousins get freaky, you're likely to end up with something like this:
[image] No! No! Noooooooooooooooooo!
But nobody told Daisy and Edmond that. Nothing says true love like boinking your underage, nicotine addicted, telepathic first cousin while a war is going on.
This book was infinitely better when Daisy and Edmond weren't doing things against all the laws of God and man*.
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Like Justin Beiber...
The story of Daisy and Piper's struggle to survive in an occupied territory whilst finding their family and Daisy overcoming certain issues was fantastic. I really enjoyed the writing style, voice of the main character, the pacing most of the contents of this book.
It just never lost the squick factor though and my rating of four stars is really 3.5 stars because I was wondering how even half of Daisy and Edmond's relationship made sense. Their relationship always held a strange trifector of intrigue, horror and hypnotizing squick.
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Like 8 manips of Robert Downey Jr as a 1950's perv fantasy.
Nobody else in the book was horrified at their relationship. I mean, they're modern day Brits! It's not like we're in a culture where this is normal practise! His family all accepted it as normal and I simply can't imagine why!
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Okay, nevermind...
So over all it was a good read. Weird but interesting enough and otherwise well written enough to keep my interest.
*Just so that I don't get any smartarses in the comments section:
1. Yes, I'm fully aware that the Bible actually never forbids the marrying of cousins - only brothers and sisters and so TECHNICALLY cousins marrying isn't against all the laws of God and man in the strictest sense.
and
2. Yes, I'm also aware of the buttload of research that shows that children of first cousins aren't actually statistically more likely to suffer from birth defects. Who really wanted to research that? Was it people trying to validate their "lifestyle" choices? I guess I just don't get it but then again, none of my cousins were hot...
Pretty much, I think this rating is going to come as a massive shock to... well, anyone who's ever read a review from me before.
The thing is, EvernighPretty much, I think this rating is going to come as a massive shock to... well, anyone who's ever read a review from me before.
The thing is, Evernight really isn't that bad. In fact, as far as sappy YA paranormal books go, it's not THAT bad.
I don't actually know what to do with myself. I kind of expected a REALLY painful and agonizing reading experience before I came on GR and vomitted vitriol into everyone's faces. I guess you're all spared of that... for now! *Cue evil laugh*
Evernight is the bastard child of Twilight and Harry Potter. If you can imagine that Harry Potter is the dignified, lovable parent and Twilight is the alcoholic but not-abusive-enough-to-warrant-removal parent then Evernight comes out somewhere in between. It aims, but ultimately falls short of being as dignified, full of solid characterization and whimsical as Harry Potter but neither is it angrily raiding the fridge for baloney and shouting at the cat to get a day job while dressed in a moomoo.
It even tries for an M. Night Shaymalan twist twice in the novel but neither one was actually of any great surprise. I will add in here, as Anila pointed out, that there is withholding of information from the first person narrative. Authors, don't do this - it's really annoying and crappy. Still, the book is not entirely archtypical of a genre so polluted with hastily spat out gibberish.
Bianca is actually intelligent. I don't mean the Wuthering Heights reading kind of intelligence although Wuthering Heights does warrant a mention in this book. Aside from actually being a geek and doing her homework, she speaks intelligently and forms opinions and makes comments that actually convinces me that this character IS intelligent. Unlike Luce from Fallen who is supposedly a straight A student who never cracks open a book and often has trouble forming a complete sentence let alone a complete thought.
Lucas as the love interest is okay. He's antagonistic and defensive yet also vulnerable and sweet. The lovey dovey aspect of this novel was actually what bored me the most. I just didn't actually believe that their love was anything more than "calf love". It was an incredibly childish and silly romance. Which is to be expected because Bianca and Lucas are childish and silly. Still, the only time I ever felt the chemistry was in their first meeting and after that, I felt like Gray was simply forcing them together because her plotline required it.
The writing was okay, the secondary characters were okay and the plot and pacing was alright.
Over all, it was a thoroughly average novel but I felt that the characterization of Bianca was what actually saved it from being a complete rip off of The Covenant or some other book like that.
I've been told the series does not improve with more books so I won't be reading the rest of this series but I do feel that as a novel, over all, I would rather a teenager read this than say Fallen or Evermore or Hush Hush.
And now there's nothing more to say other than the fact that I feel like I should go into hiding or something lest the GR police show up to arrest me and beat me because they keep saying that I'm resisting arresst even though I'm curled up on the ground sobbing while they play hackysack with my kidneys....more
There’s a scene in Vampire’s Suck (yes, my husband and saw it with a group of friends and exited the cinema a few hours later with a few less braincelThere’s a scene in Vampire’s Suck (yes, my husband and saw it with a group of friends and exited the cinema a few hours later with a few less braincells). Vampire’s Suck’s version of Mike Newton from Twilight approached the Bella character upon meeting her, threw an arm around her shoulder and said, “Wow, you look pretty frigid and boring! Wanna go to prom?”
Despite the stupidity of this movie they managed to encapsulate, in one brilliant sentence, the biggest problem I’ve had with the YA paranormal novels of late. Particularly Fallen, Hugh Hush, Evermore, Halo, and the countless others like it that I haven’t managed to torture myself with. The female main characters are BORING. What’s more, they’re written in the roles of heroines and tragically couldn’t act less heroic.
Unless those bitches were hiding their sheballs somewhere I couldn’t see. (Yes, most women totally have sheballs.)
[image]
Except for Chris Crocker…
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See?
Evie is such a refreshing departure. She’s funny and, here’s something new, FUN. From her crazy antics and funny obsessions to even the most simple of phrases that come from her mouth.
Now, I’ll briefly explain about the Mary Sue test. Most authors and people in general are familiar with this term. It basically means the Main Character, if she is a Mary Sue, is basically an author self-insert.
Otherwise known as Luce, Nora, Ever, Bethany, Clary, Tessa and the biggest Mary Sue ever – Anita Blake.
Though imagining yourself doing various and weird sexual acts with Jean “I stole my leather pants from a hooker and now she wants them back” Claude is just a little weird.
[image]
Unfortunately Evie ticks quite a few boxes on the Mary Sue test:
Evie is remarkably beautiful.
Evie carries an unusual weapon, wears a strange piece of jewelry, or otherwise displays a unique possession on her person.
Evie is notably witty, always ready with a sharp comeback or clever remark. Alternatively, she is fascinatingly stern and close-mouthed.
She is a natty dresser, always in fashion, or not in fashion but so well as to make the fashionable pale in comparison.
There's an unusual story centering around Evie's birth or infancy.
She was adopted, raised by people other than her parents, or for some reason has no biological parents.
There are prophecies about Evie.
Evie has psychic abilities, exceptional strength, magical powers, can heal with a touch, or has any other skill, talent, or power that we would consider superhuman.
More Than one special power.
Practically no one else in the story has similar powers.
But you know, she never feels like a Mary Sue. I guess her cute yearning for cars, high school, lockers, television and all the other little quirks to her personality give her a rounded character.
I thoroughly enjoyed the relationship between Evie and Lend. Not only did they have some witty and fun banter. There’s also that rare feeling that I have when I read novels, that these two could actually make it. I’m serious in that I could actually see these two getting married and the whole happily ever after too. They really make a lovely couple. Unlike some people…
[image]
Anita and Jean Claude know how to have a good time together… no really!
The plot and pacing move nicely throughout the story and whilst it was easy to guess who the bad guy was and what the eventual outcome would be, it didn’t annoy me like it has in other novels. Can I help it if I’m, like, practically a genius or something? No, no I can’t!
So over all this novel was a breath of fresh air. I completely enjoyed it and I absolutely can’t wait to read the sequel! I highly recommend it to most people, except for anyone named Bob and I think that out of most of the other YA paranormal lit out there, this one is definitely the best. ...more
I actually had a massive struggle to be-star this book in an appropriate manner. I think it's one of the first times I've ever really cursed GoodRead'I actually had a massive struggle to be-star this book in an appropriate manner. I think it's one of the first times I've ever really cursed GoodRead's refusals to allow half stars because whilst this wasn't QUITE a four star read, it was definitely more than a three.
In fact, I really want to give it four stars just on principle.
I might...
But, no, that would compromise my ethics.
And that's like Spiderman deciding to turn into a giant, flying douche evil. It's just WRONG.
[image] Nobody wants to see that...
Raised by Wolves is rather predictably about a human girl, Bryn who is... raised by wolves.
There's nothing particularly original about the portrayal of werewolf society in this novel. It is highly reminiscent of the Mercy Thompson series and some of the descriptions about pack running reeked of Bitten.
Bryn gets in trouble when a 'bitten' boy shows up and she and he both discover they were attacked by the same rabid werewolf.
OOOOOHHHH! Shit just got real!
So Bryn has been a very bad girl and in pack society, this is the perfect opportunity to exercise their rights to BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF A FIFTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL.
Until she's sorry.
[image] Shit...
Now, Bryn knows that she's deserved this and rightfully brought the anger of the pack down onto her little, barely-pubescent shoulders because in a moment of stress she broke a small, tiny, insignificant agreement she had with a leader.
She totally knows they're justified and was all ready to start telling people she tripped... repeatedly until she suffered cracked ribs, seven contusions, four lacerations, a concussion and passed out for three days.
She knows this is perfectly reasonable.
Unfortunately, her adopted human-yet-married-to-pack mother packs up Bryn and her four month old twins, flips her husband the bird and moves her family as far away as she possibly can.
Now this is where the story really picks up because Bryn starts to take matter into her own hands and I really enjoyed her journey from brainwashed pack member into someone who realizes that maybe it's not okay to beat someone who's not legally allowed to drink - just because she didn't follow every rule perfectly.
So why wasn't this book a four star read?
Well, for starters, Barnes needs to clean up her prose a little. There were times when I felt like she kind of got lost in writing things that didn't make sense. Often, her writing didn't always convey what I think she felt it would and the climatic end needed to be more powerful in its deliverance.
I think Callum gets off really lightly for his actions. I finished the novel really wanting to bash his face in for masking his actions as love. Gross.
[image] This isn't sexy!
It's hard to know what to think about Raised by Wolves. On one hand, I want to read about Bryn when she's much older and no longer easily grounded by everyone within a 10 mile vicinity. I think that would be a more enjoyable story. I think I'd really like to read about her come into her own, but I do need the writing to clear up a little and become smoother and more emotive.
I don't know how interested I am in reading more of teenage Bryn though. Other than that, for a YA paranormal read, this wasn't bad at all.
And if you don't like it - they may just beat you... for your own good of course......more
If you've been on GoodReads for any decent amount of time then you probably know Tatiana. If you don't then she is a very popular, entertaining reviewIf you've been on GoodReads for any decent amount of time then you probably know Tatiana. If you don't then she is a very popular, entertaining reviewer with almost flawless taste in books and you should go read and like all her reviews abunch.
Usually, we tend to agree on a lot of books. When comparing books, we generally have an 88% similarity rating which has led me, in the past, to comment that we must be soulmates. So you can understand my obvious distress when I read this book and quite liked it when Tatiana didn't.
It's hard to say what I actually liked about Soulless because it's hard to categorize what it actually is. Some people said it was a Romance, which I struggled with because there really wasn't that much romancing and Alexia, whilst prone to Lord Maccon's physique, wasn't much of a romantic either.
Then there was the Steampunk which made brief appearances but didn't play a large role in the story.
Alexia, a shrewish, intellectual "over-the-hill" spinster of good fortune finds herself in a sticky situtation when vampires start to go missing and she gets involved with Lord Maccon, a scottish werewolf who is happy to overlook her tan skin, roman nose and out-spoken temperment.
It had many of the mainstays of a harlequin romance: the horrible family, the "mystery", the rich and handsome man.
What I found I enjoyed was Alexia's voice and personality. I enjoyed her volatile relationship with Lord Maccon and I felt the story was fairly well written with good pacing and an interesting set of characters.
What I didn't like about the story, and my main gripe, is with Alexia's apparent Soullessness. Alexia states that when she discovered that she was Soulless, her answer was to go look up a bunch of greek philosophy. Naturally. I do that all the time. Should I put peppercorn on my stake? Hmmmmm, what do the greek philosophers say about that? Aristotle is quoted later in regards to the soul and it is made apparent that Alexia is familiar with Aristotle.
The thing is, if she really was that familiar with Aristotle then she'd know that he believed the soul to be our very essence. Our nature. The thing that drives us. The soul of the eye is sight - and all that shit.
It appears that the only downside to not having a soul is that she's not very creative and she struggles with fashion. Shit. Really?
[image] You have no soul!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Okay, we already knew that, but still...
Still, weirdly, despite the fact that she apparently struggles with fashion, she still feels she can berate her bff's horrible taste in hats. It's quite a conundrum!
See, now I don't believe in a lot of spiritual crap stuff. I don't believe in ghosts, crystals, chi, spiritual energy, astrology, numerology, runes, tarots, I don't think I've ever even SEEN a Ouija board. You might convince me a demon is around causing issues but I'd still rather check out whether infrasound or electromagnetic issues are what's really playing up as opposed to believe that something supernatural is going on.
I do still believe in souls though and I would tend to believe that if someone didn't have a soul then they would find it very difficult to love. All in all, I really felt like this aspect of the book was it's greatest potential that was never really even touched by the author. It seemed to be more of a trick used to lure us in. Oh! She doesn't have a soul? Exciting, I wonder what that's like! Carriger's answer= not all that different really...
My only other problem was with the embarrasingly horrible lemon scenes. Carriger, from what I've seen, can write a lot of things, but steamy this was not.
Lastly, the visit at the end from a certain historical figure was sloppily done and I felt it detracted from what was otherwise an enjoyable story for me.
So, just to recap, if you woke up this morning and dressed yourself in this:
[image] Then you are most definitely going to hell for all the right reasons....more
Kat Kennedy
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