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Dragon By Midnight
Dragon By Midnight
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The concept of Dragon by Midnight immediately intrigued me: a Cinderella retelling where, at the stroke of midnight, Cinderella becomes a dragon and is hunted by Prince Charming? Yes please!

Karen Kincy had some bestseller-worthy ideas when it came to this book: I loved Sikandar's mysterious sorcerer vibe and dark past; the Jinni gave Arabian nights/Aladdin vibes and the plot twist of the curse was brilliant.
However, in my opinion, the major elements that made Dragon by Midnight great were just not developed enough and I was left with unanswered questions, in particular with Cinderella's story line.
Sikandar is bound to be everyone's favourite character and the description of him as a cinnamon roll hero is perfect. I would have liked him to keep his mystery for a bit longer and for the worthiness of his previous actions to be withheld instead of instantly revealed - it felt like he was a mysterious murderer one second and then an amazing hero the next . Although this was in keeping with the fast-paced nature of the story.
Similarly, the romance between Sikandar and Cinderella developed so quickly. She almost fell in love with him straight away! It was also very fluffy and cute: which is not a criticism! This is a YA book after all. However, sometimes Cinderella seemed too wrapped up in the cute boy and less concerned about ... well, being a dragon!
Prince Benedict Charming was brilliant in his arrogance and cringe worthiness. I did expect a bit more action and dragon-hunting from him though and his attitude towards Cinderella when she returned to the castle as a girl was very odd. I truly couldn't tell if he was so self-absorbed he didn't care what had happened, or if he was plotting something.
Overall I did enjoy Dragon by Midnight and read it within a day. It is a very cute, fast-paced fairytale with some genius ideas. The overly descriptive language and lack of character development would push it closer to the middle-grade side of YA for me but I enjoyed the story and will possibly pick up the sequel if I see it.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
  
A Fall of Light
A Fall of Light
L.J. Greene | 2023 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
only ONE thing knocked that star off!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

Greg appears as a side character in a series by Greene. I have not read those books, but I don't feel I missed out on anything by not doing. I'm intrigued by this group, though, and may well go back and read them. *if I can find the time*

I gave this 4 stars, and one thing ONLY knocked that star off.

Single person point of view.

Only Greg gets a say here, and I wanted, so desperately wanted to hear from Louis, at many key points along the way and I don't get him.

That said, it's the only fault I can find with this book.

I loved that Greg knew, deep down, that he wasn't a casual person, and he could never be casual with Louis. Yet he jumped right in with everything. I loved that Greg let Louis keep his secret for as long as he wanted to. He knew it would come out in the end, he just had to bide his time. I hated what Greg's brother was doing to him, I really did. Said brother does get his comeuppence though.

Greg's past is dark and shocking, being made homeless at 16, he did what he had to do to survive. Loved that Louis did NOT hold it against him, even if his own flesh and blood did. Loved that the band supported him doing the solo stuff, to appease his brother, and also that they stood by him.

It's not especially explicit for a MM romance, but I liked that here, it's more about the emotions going through Greg (since we don't get Louis!) than anything else.

Some difficult topics dealt with: religious intervention, conversion therapy, street life and doing what you need to do to survive. Triggers for some, be mindful.

This is the first I've read of Greene's work. Like I said, I'd like, *time allowing* to read the series that Greg first appears in, but if not, I will absolutely read any future books by this author.

4 very VERY good stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
A Thousand Glittering Lights
A Thousand Glittering Lights
Jennie Lynn Roberts | 2024 | Contemporary, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
A THOUSAND GLITTERING LIGHTS is set in the contemporary world, with a game designer as our FMC. The MMC remains a mystery so I won't say anything to spoil it.

Jennie Lynn Roberts is a one-click author for me BUT I will admit to feeling slightly dubious when I saw this was a contemporary. Surely it can't be as good as her fantasy - can it? The obvious answer is YES!!! It can be just as good, in fact, I'm hard-pressed to say which I prefer.

Ellie isn't having an easy time of it and struggles to leave the safety of her cottage. Her best friend and business partner is giving Ellie plenty of excuses about why she can't be there for her. Her dad is pressuring her to sell her business. And then - out of nowhere - a man, or ghost, starts appearing to Ellie. She thinks she's going mad. And I loved it.

There is a level of mystery to this story that had me hooked. I didn't try to figure things out for myself. I just sat back and let the story hold me, and boy, did it ever. There were so many levels to this that all fitted together perfectly in ways that might not be immediately clear. In fact, I think I may be a little afraid of this author if she ever decides to go 'dark!' 😆

This book was a very emotional read for me, with situations and circumstances so incredibly well written, I felt it like a punch to the throat. I was f'ugly crying more than once, while still trying to convince myself that I'd get my HEA.

There's so much to this book that I absolutely adored and have no hesitation in HIGHLY RECOMMENDING. Seriously, get your copy and lose yourself in this steamy, supernatural romance.

** 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; the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
May 22, 2024
  
This Savage Song (Monsters of Verity, #1)
This Savage Song (Monsters of Verity, #1)
V.E. Schwab | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (9 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is my first book in the 10 Books in 10 Days Challenge presented by Epic Reads.

This book has such an interesting concept in the way it takes the standard Good vs Evil and blurs the lines completely. There are the standard "monsters" and "humans" but it gets hard to tell who is actually at fault in the war that is brewing in the book.

I loved the characters in this book. If I were to rate the book on characters alone, I would have given it a five star review, but alas, I did not. I really enjoyed how August and Kate were both trying to be something they weren't in order to impress their families, but then when they met each other, they weren't as pressured to do that. They rescued each other from their own self destruction.

There were a few really subtle moments of romance, but it wasn't the main focus of the novel, which is something I appreciated a lot. Too often in these dystopian fantasy novels, the girl needs a male romantic lead to make her feel whole and give her some amount of power. Not here!! Kate is already strong as hell!

It was cool to see them anchoring each other through talking. When either one of them was going to break, they told each other to tell them something, anything, and that was just one of those moments that were so emotional. They start repeating each other and caring for one another, something that I don't think either of them had really had before.

I loved all of August's quotes about humanity and what makes a person human. They were very well written!!

I can honestly keep going on the characters and do a character study on these two, but I am not going to do that. (At least not right now.)

I want Ilsa to be my best friend (even though she's kinda creepy at times) and Allegro to cuddle with. It was so freaking cute how the cat was brought in to further humanize August and Ilsa. It reminded me of my cat too.

The monsters were creepy as hell. It actually made me a little nervous in the dark for a bit while I was reading it. (To be honest, I don't get scared of the dark, so that just amps the creepy factor of this book.)

I loved all of the descriptions of sound, music and silence. Because they are all so important and ingrained into the story itself, it was cool whenever Victoria Schwab would bring attention to them in more artistic and melodic ways was just beautiful. I also loved all of the star imagery (but that's just because I am obsessed with the stars.)

I really want to explore the rest of the world and see what else is in store for these characters.

Overall, very well written novel. There were a few moments where it felt a little slow to me, but those were pretty few and far between.

Plot/joke spoilers in the rest of the review.

WTF happened in the freaking Elegy? Did a new Sunai/Malaki just emerge looking like Kate's mom?!?!?!? That is just bananas!!

Also, Leo, wtf dude? You're such a prick. Why would you do that?

Sunai's favorite food = SOUL FOOD (This line was freaking brilliant.)
  
Alee: an Every Girl novel
Alee: an Every Girl novel
Nicole Loufas | 2019 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I love realistic fiction books that are a bit dark. When I first read the synopsis of Alee by Nicole Loufas, I was instantly hooked. I ended up devouring this novel in a short time!

The book starts out with Alee as a 17 year old high school senior. After sleeping with her boyfriend's best friend, she dumps her boyfriend for being too selfish. After being slut shamed at school, Alee finds comfort in her best friend Bryn. However, while at swim practice, Bryn is shot and killed. Around that time, Alee reconnects with her father that left her and her mother when she was 5, but even he isn't really there being as he's a homeless drug addict. With everything going wrong, Alee finds solace in Laine, her now ex-boyfriend's best friend - the one she slept with. The book talks briefly about Alee's life until the age of 21 where it really focuses on what is going on with Alee. When a major life even happens, Alee is thrown into a downward spiral that she may not ever escape.

I thought the plot for Alee was written beautifully. It's a story that most people can relate to in some way. I was sucked into the plot, and I felt like I was a ghost watching Alee's life unfold from the age of 17 to 21. There are a few minor plot twists which are interesting, but there are no cliff hangers. All of my questions were answered by the end of the book. The pacing for Alee is mostly perfect. There are a few, very rare, times where the pacing slows down, but it instantly picks right back up. I was never bored while reading Alee.

The characters in Alee felt very realistic and fleshed out. In fact, I felt like I knew all of these characters at one point in my life. Alee is such a strong character. She has had so much bad happen to her. It's as if she can't catch a break. It was interesting to follow Alee's thoughts on everything that would happen to her. She tried to stay positive even when her world was crashing down. I absolutely loved Alee, and I kept wanting something positive to happen to her. Laine seemed like such a great guy, and it was obvious how much Alee meant to him (and him to Alee). I loved reading about the love between Laine and Alee. I liked how Loufas made them feel like a real couple by giving them problems as well and not some Hollywood romance. I never really liked Benny. He was well written, but I always felt like I couldn't trust him. Throughout the book, I just kept wishing that he'd stay away from Alee!

Alee is a dark read, and it has quite a few strong triggers. These include gun violence, death, murder, suicide, rape, drug use, alcoholism, miscarriage, profanity, mentions of underage sex, and sexual situations (although not too graphic).

All in all, Alee was a very interesting and emotional read. If you are a fan of sunshine and rainbow books, Alee is not for you. However, if you're after a gritty, beautifully written realistic fiction novel that discuses tough issues, then Alee is the book you've been waiting for. I would definitely recommend Alee by Nicole Loufas to those aged 17+. Alee is one of those books that will keep you thinking about everything that happened in it long after you've finished reading it.
  
Rebecca (2020)
Rebecca (2020)
2020 | Drama, Mystery, Romance
A dull adaptation
Rebecca is an adaptation of Daphne Du Maurier’s 1938 novel of the same name, following a young woman’s whirlwind romance and her battle to rid her new marriage and home of the shadow of her husband’s first wife.

Rebecca as a novel is a classic and a book I very much enjoyed, and whilst I’ve never seen the Hitchcock adaptation, it’s often referred to as a fairly legendary classic too. However I’m afraid to say the same cannot be said about this new version. The basic plot and story is present, although rather frustratingly the ending has been extended unnecessarily, but it has not been executed very well.

The trailer made this look quite sinister and spooky, which is quite right when the original novel is a gothic horror with aspects of a ghost story thrown in. However this film turns out to be nothing of the sort. It’s more of a romantic drama with a hint of thriller thrown in – the gothic horror ghost story is nowhere to be seen and neither is any form of intrigue or suspense. In fact I’d be so bold as to say this is just outright dull, and even the campy over the top sinister vibes from Kristin Scott Thomas’s housekeeper Mrs Danvers are laughable at best. The most interesting part of this was the opening scene with it’s sinister score but this just didn’t carry through to the rest of the film.

Sadly the cast don’t fare very well in this either. Lily James is a great actor, but her version of the new wife is too mousy and timid and you wonder what on earth Maxim ever sees in her. The character herself is very frustrating and irksome as she’s far too naïve and sweet. And Armie Hammer is miscast as Maxim De Winter himself. He looks the part, dashing and handsome, but he’s lacking in the intrigue, charm and secrecy that you’d expect this character to have. He’s also missing the age gap that is rather notable in the book.

The cinematography in this is rather concerning. The scenes in Monte Carlo are far too colourful and garish and they just look out of place, even more so for something that is meant to be a gothic horror. I’m unsure of why this has been done, other than to show a striking difference between Monte Carlo and Maxim’s Cornish home of Manderley. In fact what is most concerning about this film is why Ben Wheatley wanted to direct it. By far the biggest shock of this film was finding out Wheatley, of Kill List and Sightseers fame, had directed it. Wheatley is known for psychological dark (and often funny) thrillers and there is nothing of his style to be seen in this film at all. Which is a shame, as I think a little more of his dark style would’ve propelled this film into more than just a sub-par drama.

Overall this a very disappointing and long winded adaptation of a classic novel. Whilst there are a few decent scenes and a good, if not out of character, performance from Lily James, these are nowhere near enough to save this from being a bit of a bore.
  
A Court of Frost and Starlight: Court of Thorns and Roses
A Court of Frost and Starlight: Court of Thorns and Roses
Sarah J. Maas | 2018 | Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
Cute and heartwarming (0 more)
Super shorr (2 more)
No action
Feels like a Christmas special
The war is over but the aftermath is just starting. With everyone needing to heal and Winter Solstice around the corner, everyone is busy rebuilding their cities and trying to get past all the brutality the war wrought on the people. Feyre and her family are trying to help everyone while also trying to overcome her hat they went through. Buying each other gifts and giving each other support is one of the biggest ways Feyre is helping make the world a better place. Feyre even learns that creating has helped her through some tough times and tries to plan to help others with their tough times. Nothing like Winter Solstice to help bring people together and help them move past the awful things they had to endure.


Review

A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J Maas is like a Christmas special in the middle of a television show. There isn’t any dark and cruel things happening. It was a nice reprieve from the story line, showing how much we all need our friends and families after going through such dark and trying times. It is the shortest of the series this far, but it is also the most touching. Not because anyone is declaring their love or doing cute things, but because of the lessons or ideals behind what is going on.

I will say that even though I’m not into what I deem as filler, it was a nice turn of events. Since every book before this was jam packed with action suspense and strategic planning, seeing our main characters do something like supporting one another, trying to heal and find ways to make the world more peaceful, was nice. I really enjoyed Feyre’s parts as each chapter seemed to focus on one character or another. Not because she is my favorite and I loved seeing her grow as a person, but because she is keeping her promise on making the world a better place. In a way they all are in their own ways but Feyre definitely did something she has not only promised to do, but something that will in turn make their world a more beautiful place to live.

There wasn’t a lot of conflict in A Court of Frost and Starlight, but what can one expect in this particular book. Because it was a Christmas Special in a way, it was very docile compared to what it could have been. Romance did seem to be an underlying concept as I would only assume after everything they went through, but to me it left me not really wanting to continue the series. And not just because I don’t have the last book. The reason I say this is because I felt it wrapped up the series.

What I mean by that is that even in the parts that had me wanting more, just to gather information, I was still left feeling content with it at the end. It just felt right to leave it like that. With all this being said, I would rate this novel three out of five stars. It was good but not my cup of tea so to speak. I tend to not care about books without conflict. It seems the world is going to be better just from this book and in my opinion was a great way to end a series.