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Merissa (11950 KP) rated Abandoned Things in Books
Jan 31, 2023
ABANDONED THINGS is a standalone book that I loved from beginning to end.
Frankie is an author, trying to finish college and his series. He goes incognito to book signings. Everything changes when Rook, a character from his book turns up. That can't happen, right? Wrong!
There is nothing about this book I didn't like. Frankie - prepared to stand by those he cares for and stand up for what is right. Rook - a grumpy a$$ who is able to see when he's made a mistake and change (a little bit). Together, they are just perfect. I loved how Rook was so grumpy with everyone else and, yes, even Frankie at times, but how caring and gentle he was too.
The other characters were just as good, doing what they do best and providing support to Frankie and Rook and letting the story move along. I can't say the twist was a surprise but I loved how it came about and the excitement it brought.
This was a fantastic story and I would love to see more from these characters. I have to say, I love this author's imagination and her stories never disappoint!
Absolutely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Frankie is an author, trying to finish college and his series. He goes incognito to book signings. Everything changes when Rook, a character from his book turns up. That can't happen, right? Wrong!
There is nothing about this book I didn't like. Frankie - prepared to stand by those he cares for and stand up for what is right. Rook - a grumpy a$$ who is able to see when he's made a mistake and change (a little bit). Together, they are just perfect. I loved how Rook was so grumpy with everyone else and, yes, even Frankie at times, but how caring and gentle he was too.
The other characters were just as good, doing what they do best and providing support to Frankie and Rook and letting the story move along. I can't say the twist was a surprise but I loved how it came about and the excitement it brought.
This was a fantastic story and I would love to see more from these characters. I have to say, I love this author's imagination and her stories never disappoint!
Absolutely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Lilyn G - Sci-Fi & Scary (91 KP) rated Dreamfall in Books
May 30, 2018
Great potential, poor follow-through
Dreamfall ticked me off, because it felt like the author ended the book on a massive cliff-hanger. I didn’t feel like I was given enough of the story to even faintly satisfy me. Look, I wasn’t expecting it to be a complete stand-alone, because I knew that there were more books in the series. A good series should have each book able to effectively function as a stand-alone. The author should be able to leave some threads dangling, but successfully resolve the story arc of the book while advancing the series story arc as a whole. If I had paid for this book instead of borrowing it from the library, I would be pissed. Maybe I’m being unfair. I’m willing to admit that’s a possibility, but this was just not a satisfying read. At all!
I had high hopes for Dreamfall, but the ending wasn’t the only way it disappointed me. The first couple chapters made it seem like it was going to be super creepy. Insomnia, sleep paralysis, promises of monsters, etc, are an awesome combination especially if you have experienced insomnia, sleep paralysis, and night terrors. You’re able to put yourself right there in the book with the characters. Except that, although the beginning promised great things, the fact that this is a YA book soon asserted itself. Horror-lite, except in the hands of a truly talented horror story-teller, waters down to a handful of creepy scenes and some mild tension on occasion. That’s what happened here in Dreamfall. The only stand-out scenes involved a coffin and a cave. (Though, to be fair, if you find lots of things scary, you might find more to be creeped out by in it.)
And the drama. Oh, the unnecessary drama. Now, to her credit, for once I’m not talking about a love triangle. Instead, it’s a case of the author simply trying way too hard to stretch out the drama. For non-spoiling, I’ll simply say that some of the dialogue made zero sense, and apparently no one besides Jaime ever apparently thinks to check the cameras.
The characters were okay, mostly. I’m out of the YA age range, so the chances I was going to connect with any of them were fairly small. However, I had kind of hoped that I would care about a few of them. I did mildly care about one and that was purely a circumstance of name and time of year more than anything else. Anyways, that one poofed, and thus ended my affection for any of the characters. (Though there was one twist associated with that particular character that made me grin.)
But, because I’m aware that I’ve ranted a good bit about the book, I need to balance this out a bit. Dreamfall has a very interesting plot idea. The pacing of the book is nice and quick. The dialogue between the characters is mostly believable, even if some of the ‘real’ situations are not. Even though the book swiftly lost pretty much all chance of scaring me, up until the end, I was interested – if not thrilled – by what I was reading. My main pick with this book really comes down to the fact that it feels like it was forced to be two (or more?) books instead of one. As fantastic as this plot idea is, it really is a ONE book idea. Oh, I liked the cover, too.
So disappointed because I had my hopes up, and they got thoroughly dashed.
I had high hopes for Dreamfall, but the ending wasn’t the only way it disappointed me. The first couple chapters made it seem like it was going to be super creepy. Insomnia, sleep paralysis, promises of monsters, etc, are an awesome combination especially if you have experienced insomnia, sleep paralysis, and night terrors. You’re able to put yourself right there in the book with the characters. Except that, although the beginning promised great things, the fact that this is a YA book soon asserted itself. Horror-lite, except in the hands of a truly talented horror story-teller, waters down to a handful of creepy scenes and some mild tension on occasion. That’s what happened here in Dreamfall. The only stand-out scenes involved a coffin and a cave. (Though, to be fair, if you find lots of things scary, you might find more to be creeped out by in it.)
And the drama. Oh, the unnecessary drama. Now, to her credit, for once I’m not talking about a love triangle. Instead, it’s a case of the author simply trying way too hard to stretch out the drama. For non-spoiling, I’ll simply say that some of the dialogue made zero sense, and apparently no one besides Jaime ever apparently thinks to check the cameras.
The characters were okay, mostly. I’m out of the YA age range, so the chances I was going to connect with any of them were fairly small. However, I had kind of hoped that I would care about a few of them. I did mildly care about one and that was purely a circumstance of name and time of year more than anything else. Anyways, that one poofed, and thus ended my affection for any of the characters. (Though there was one twist associated with that particular character that made me grin.)
But, because I’m aware that I’ve ranted a good bit about the book, I need to balance this out a bit. Dreamfall has a very interesting plot idea. The pacing of the book is nice and quick. The dialogue between the characters is mostly believable, even if some of the ‘real’ situations are not. Even though the book swiftly lost pretty much all chance of scaring me, up until the end, I was interested – if not thrilled – by what I was reading. My main pick with this book really comes down to the fact that it feels like it was forced to be two (or more?) books instead of one. As fantastic as this plot idea is, it really is a ONE book idea. Oh, I liked the cover, too.
So disappointed because I had my hopes up, and they got thoroughly dashed.
Alison Pink (7 KP) rated A Clash of Kings (Reissue) in Books
Jan 15, 2018
Wow! This book was much darker than the first. It seemed like nothing good happened. Don't take that wrong...the book itself was wonderful! There was just a great deal of death & destruction in this one. Of course, when all the castles in the realm head to war & there are now 4 kings instead of 1, what else should 1 expect?
I must say that I have decided on 3 favorites in all the characters I've met so far: Tyrion, Bran, & Areya. They are all so well written! Tyrion the Imp is so twisted. I never quite know what is going to happen to him. 1 minute he's tenderhearted, the next he's riding to battle with an axe in hand. Bran is so brave but he just doesn't know it. Areya is just such a stong, anti-female character. She is a little warrior, but also very cunning too.
I can't wait to see what the next book in the series has in store for me!
I must say that I have decided on 3 favorites in all the characters I've met so far: Tyrion, Bran, & Areya. They are all so well written! Tyrion the Imp is so twisted. I never quite know what is going to happen to him. 1 minute he's tenderhearted, the next he's riding to battle with an axe in hand. Bran is so brave but he just doesn't know it. Areya is just such a stong, anti-female character. She is a little warrior, but also very cunning too.
I can't wait to see what the next book in the series has in store for me!
Alison Pink (7 KP) rated Dragonfly in Amber in Books
Jan 15, 2018
Wow! Just wow! Talk about a cliffhanger. As I said when I read Outlander, I am by no means a fan of the "romance" novel. That's why I waited so long to dive into the series. But let me tell you, these books are so much more than that. Just like the first installment DiA has its typical romance novel elements but it has much, much more than that too. This book delves much deeper into the history of the time period that Clare falls in to. It took me awhile to really get hooked on this book, but I did. Gabaldon is a wonderful storyteller! She writes with so much detail & passion, not to mention what must be a HUGE amount of painstaking research. I am very much looking forward to reading the next book. Hopefully it won't be as far between the 2nd & 3rd as it was between the 1st & 2nd!!
tapestry100 (306 KP) rated Renato Jones: The One%, Season 1 in Books
Aug 2, 2017
Renato Jones was born into privilege, died because of that privilege, was reborn again through that privilege, and now he spends his time between being one of the ONES, the top 1% wealthiest people in the world, and the Freelancer, making sure that the ONES still know their place in the world. Making definite nods to Frank Miller (I'm not familiar with Andrews work, so I don't know if his artistic and writing styles are usually this influenced by Miller, but it is quite clear in this book), this first volume of Renato Jones is a hyper-stylized, hyper-violent, hyper-sensational free for all that seems eerily prescient of today's political atmosphere. The book is cleverly constructed, with fake ads throughout that mock the ridiculous over the top nature of the super rich in the book. Personally, I'm thoroughly intrigued to see where Andrews is going to take this series so will be following along for sure.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated When Lightning Strikes (1-800-Where-R-You, #1) in Books
Apr 27, 2018
I hate Meg Cabot. she is a terrible writer. she doesn't write sentinces, she writes fragments and then puts more fragments at the end to clear up what was perfectly clear in the first place. she leaves out things that are important. she doesn't describe stuff. her prose stinks. how on EARTH she became a best selling and popular author, i have no idea.
<b>but. </b>
i read the first book of her series here, "When Lightning Strikes," and seriously had to read the others. i still haven't read the last book, my library doesn't have it in right now, but this book got me hooked to a story that was written by (excuse me) a sucky writer. it was wild, weird, crazy, funny, and had some very creative twists in it. great story.
now if only she could learn to write. sentinces, i mean. (<-- example of what she does. i swear i don't write like that normally.)
<b>but. </b>
i read the first book of her series here, "When Lightning Strikes," and seriously had to read the others. i still haven't read the last book, my library doesn't have it in right now, but this book got me hooked to a story that was written by (excuse me) a sucky writer. it was wild, weird, crazy, funny, and had some very creative twists in it. great story.
now if only she could learn to write. sentinces, i mean. (<-- example of what she does. i swear i don't write like that normally.)
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated The Hour of Dust and Ashes (Charlie Madigan, #3) in Books
Apr 27, 2018
I've been anxiously awaiting the release of this book since the second one came out last August. I love this series! The tension starts at the very beginning and follows through the entire book, to the last page. I love the characters (Charlie is my hero) and I was furious about what happened at the end (in a good way. I have to read the next book now!).
I will say I wished I'd read the other two again before reading this one. I didn't forget too much, but there were a few little things were I was thinking "Okay I remember something about that, but no details." I would certainly recommend reading them closer together than one year.
If you liked the first two Charlie Madigan books, you'll love this one. Lots of loose ends were tied up, doors were opened, and secrets were revealed. I loved it!
Content/Recommendation: Some language, no sex. Ages 17+
I will say I wished I'd read the other two again before reading this one. I didn't forget too much, but there were a few little things were I was thinking "Okay I remember something about that, but no details." I would certainly recommend reading them closer together than one year.
If you liked the first two Charlie Madigan books, you'll love this one. Lots of loose ends were tied up, doors were opened, and secrets were revealed. I loved it!
Content/Recommendation: Some language, no sex. Ages 17+
Leah (: (569 KP) rated Queen of Someday (Stolen Empire, #1) in Books
Feb 4, 2019
This book tells the story of a young Sophia on her journey to Russia where she will hopefully marry Peter to become queen one day.
I didn’t realise it was telling the story of the young Catherine the Great and how she came to be ruler of Russia.
I found Sophie’s character to overall be very enjoyable as she was badass and would take care of herself whilst also having a kind and caring side. However she was a bit annoying at times with how naive and idealistic she could be.
What was really great about this book was at the end of most chapters there was a link to a short video. In this the author would give some extra information and sometimes explain differences between her story and known historical facts and the reasons behind them.
Overall I enjoyed this book and decided to buy the rest in the series and that is saying something.
I didn’t realise it was telling the story of the young Catherine the Great and how she came to be ruler of Russia.
I found Sophie’s character to overall be very enjoyable as she was badass and would take care of herself whilst also having a kind and caring side. However she was a bit annoying at times with how naive and idealistic she could be.
What was really great about this book was at the end of most chapters there was a link to a short video. In this the author would give some extra information and sometimes explain differences between her story and known historical facts and the reasons behind them.
Overall I enjoyed this book and decided to buy the rest in the series and that is saying something.
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated A Summer to Remember (Bedwyn Prequels #2) in Books
Feb 15, 2019
In a lot of ways I liked <i>A Summer to Remember</i> better than it's predecessor, <i>One Night for Love</i>. Lauren turned out better than I had hoped (or feared, rather :P), and the love story between her and Kit was very sweet, realistic, and lovely. I couldn't ask for more! I loved how Lauren gradually opened herself up and became a whole person - it was just wonderful. Pure magic in this book. That's all I have to say - definitely a keeper for me. :)
Now...I'm not sure how I'll be able to like Freyja with how she is written in this book. I wish her book was the first in the Bedwyn series so I can get it over with. I'll just have to have faith in Ms. Balogh and how she writes her and her story, because I didn't like her in the least here. I'll cautiously go in. :D
Now...I'm not sure how I'll be able to like Freyja with how she is written in this book. I wish her book was the first in the Bedwyn series so I can get it over with. I'll just have to have faith in Ms. Balogh and how she writes her and her story, because I didn't like her in the least here. I'll cautiously go in. :D
Cori June (3033 KP) rated The Friday Society in Books
Mar 19, 2019 (Updated Jul 27, 2020)
Fun characters (1 more)
nice intro to steampunk
slightly repetitive (1 more)
too much build up for a one off book
A fun teen book set in 1900 London. It follows three young woman whose paths seem fated to cross. Assistants to three famous men, they become entangled in a mystery only they can solve. I really hoped this book would become a series because there is a lot of build up and it makes the ending seemed a little rushed. While it is considered steampunk, I feel like it is more like getting your feet wet just enough to be curious about the genre.
You have the no nonsense scientist, flighty yet loyal performer, and the doesn't speak English Japanese fighter. Three girl which should have little in common are more similar than they'd think. You get all three girl's POV which is nice. And I can identify with some of their irritations. A cute, fun and quick read.
You have the no nonsense scientist, flighty yet loyal performer, and the doesn't speak English Japanese fighter. Three girl which should have little in common are more similar than they'd think. You get all three girl's POV which is nice. And I can identify with some of their irritations. A cute, fun and quick read.