Ande Thomas (69 KP) rated The Name of the Wind in Books
May 30, 2019
I don't consider myself a high fantasy fan. I generally tend to prefer a more grounded world, even just loosely, to the limitless possibilities of magic. But I <b>love</b> the way it's presented here. I love how physical Temerant's magic is. There's a tangibility to it. Not only does it require physical material, but it inflicts a physical toll on the caster. There are real consequences to it, and it relies more on quick thinking and an alchemy-like knowledge over spell memorization and gestures.
One of the only things I can hold against the author is how many times we, the reader, simply "can't understand." Never been poor? You can't understand. Not a musician? Can't understand. If you've never been in a dark cave, if you've never seen Denna, if you've never been on stage. It's a very lazy way to explain something. <i>Make us understand.</i> It's why we read. So we can reach outside of our own experiences. I can only hope he moves past his crutches in the next book because I'm really enjoying Kvothe's story.
Dana (24 KP) rated Crimson Bound in Books
Mar 23, 2018
This is a loose retelling of the Little Red Riding Hood fairy tale. While there are some major theme similarities and some small details that are the same, I didn't get the full feeling of Little Red Riding Hood like I did with Beauty and the Beast in Cruel Beauty. I still enjoyed the story though.
I liked how there was another fairy tale being woven into the story being told. And the mythology of the world was stunning. I loved the idea of the woodwives and how it is actually the women who were charged to save the world. Talk about girl power!
I liked reading about Rachelle's development as a character and how she is continuously battling the Great Forest inside of her. And Amelie's relationship with Rachelle was so sweet. It really felt like they were most themselves and most at peace when they were with each other.
I really enjoyed reading about the imagery and contrasts between the light and dark. It captured how the characters are living in the light, clinging to their hope for a better world while they live in a dying one.
I only wish there were more ties to Cruel Beauty and those story lines, especially since I fell in love with that world so easily.
I recommend this to anyone who like fun and interesting takes on fairy tales, folk tales, new mythologies, or high fantasy novels.
The Call of Cthulhu: And Other Weird Stories
Book
Collecting uniquely uncanny tales from the master of American horror, H.P. Lovecraft's The Call of...
The Book of Gates (Galenor #1)
8.0
Rate It
Book
What if your survival was bound to someone else’s? My name is JudyAnn. I am from Galénor, a...
Young Adult Fantasy
The Exercise Of Vital Powers (Legends of the Order #1)
Book
Some Lessons Must Be Learned The Hard Way. Since its inception, The Order has been dedicated to...
Adult Fantasy
A Curse So Dark and Lonely
8.5
Rate It
Book
In a lush, contemporary fantasy retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Brigid Kemmerer gives readers...
Human Again: A Beauty and the Beast Retelling (End of Ever After #4)
6.0
Rate It
Book
Azahr has always known what to expect from life. As the second son of Delphe, a great military...
Fantasy Young Adult Fairy Tale Retelling
O Captain, My Captor
1.0
Rate It
Book
Introducing a world of high adventure and dark secrets, where the days are filled with wonder and...
lesbian erotica mermaid pirate dubious consent
Iced (Fever, #6)
9.0
Rate It
Book
The year is 1 AWC—After the Wall Crash. The Fae are free and hunting us. It’s a war zone out...
urban fantasy fae fever series
Merissa (12904 KP) rated Hidden Realm (Legends of Lightning #1) in Books
Oct 28, 2021
What I got was a fantasy with elements of Brothers Grimm and all their original fairy tales. Now, it DOES say it is dark, so please pay attention to that if you have any triggers.
Esther is content (as far as she seems possible to be) with her life, but it takes a strange turn when she starts to manifest injuries from her dreams. She does a minimum amount of digging and decides to pack up her life and travel to a different realm.
There is a LOT of violence and rape is inferred on what felt like every page. Due to this, the impact of it lessened with each repeat. The emotional connection with the main characters was also lacking for me. I felt more for one of the supporting characters when his family died than I did for Esther or Oisin.
Just a quick heads up - prepare yourself for whiplash as Esther's emotions change course on a dime.
There is a lot of potential to this story with plenty of intrigue and twists to keep your attention. It does need tightening up in places, but on the whole, it was a good read. I am engaged enough to want to know what happens to Esther and Oisin now.
** 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!