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Cyn Armistead (14 KP) rated Fantasy in Death (In Death, #30) in Books
Mar 1, 2018
<i>Fantasy in Death</i> is an interesting take on the death-by-gaming plot that has previously been done by a couple of fantasy and science fiction authors, most notably in Niven and Barnes' Dream Park series. I doubt that most of Robb's readers will be familiar with the other books, as they're probably coming from the romance world (crossing over from her Nora Roberts titles) instead of the science fiction genre.
What hit me the most, though, was nostalgia for the dot com boom. The portrayal of the hot start-up company with its open, cheerful offices full of tech toys and energy, well-paid employees on fire with ideas and enthusiasm happily burning the midnight oil to work on exciting projects—I remember those days! Okay, the technology wasn't as advanced as the stuff in the book, but I can relate.
I always enjoy the portrayal of Dallas and Roarke's relationship as a mature partnership. It is a bit clich&ecuted at this point that every case has some aspect that justifies bringing in Roarke as a civilian consultant, but it's part of the formula. The sex is somewhat paint by numbers by now, too, but as prolific as Robb/Roberts is, I'm wondering if she has templates for different series and she has her own <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratemeyer_Syndicate">Stratemeyer Syndicate</a>-type operation going on somewhere. (I've never read anything but the Eve Dallas books, so please take that as the joke it's meant to be!)
I was a little disappointed in the reveal, as I felt that the bad guy was too obvious. I won't say more, as I don't want to give anything away. I'll probably continue reading the series, but I'm past feeling an urgent need to grab them as soon as they come out, and this definitely isn't one of the few series that I could re-read and enjoy.
What hit me the most, though, was nostalgia for the dot com boom. The portrayal of the hot start-up company with its open, cheerful offices full of tech toys and energy, well-paid employees on fire with ideas and enthusiasm happily burning the midnight oil to work on exciting projects—I remember those days! Okay, the technology wasn't as advanced as the stuff in the book, but I can relate.
I always enjoy the portrayal of Dallas and Roarke's relationship as a mature partnership. It is a bit clich&ecuted at this point that every case has some aspect that justifies bringing in Roarke as a civilian consultant, but it's part of the formula. The sex is somewhat paint by numbers by now, too, but as prolific as Robb/Roberts is, I'm wondering if she has templates for different series and she has her own <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratemeyer_Syndicate">Stratemeyer Syndicate</a>-type operation going on somewhere. (I've never read anything but the Eve Dallas books, so please take that as the joke it's meant to be!)
I was a little disappointed in the reveal, as I felt that the bad guy was too obvious. I won't say more, as I don't want to give anything away. I'll probably continue reading the series, but I'm past feeling an urgent need to grab them as soon as they come out, and this definitely isn't one of the few series that I could re-read and enjoy.
Ali A (82 KP) rated A Multitude of Dreams in Books
Sep 6, 2023
Trigger Warnings: plague, death, blood, racism, murder, self harm, genocide, survivors guilt
A Multitude of Dreams is a reimagining of Edgar Allan Poe’s The Masque of the Red Death. Four years ago, King Stuart gathered his royals, noblemen, and daughters and locked them into the safety of the castle walls. Every window was boarded up and every door sealed shut - all to protect those within of the horrible mori roja plague ravaging the land outside.
Told in third person, this novel follows Seraphina, a Jewish girl, who is also the (fake) Princess Imogene, and Nico, who once lived a comfortable life but now works for Lord Crane, the man who saved his life after he lost everything. When Lord Crane sends Nico and two others on the search for survivors, Nico meets a princess who wants out. But both are living in giant webs of lies and deception that they must unravel if they’re going to survive.
I wanted this title because I read The Poison Season and I really enjoyed it. So, when I saw Mara Rutherford had another YA novel coming out, I immediately put it on my TBR list. It’s also listed as Fantasy Gothic and
I was all about it and also the cover - like, I love it!
There were a few twists in here I didn’t quite see right away, which was nice. And, even some of the ones that I did see coming, I still enjoyed Rutherford’s storytelling and it kept me interested. And yes, there is some romance in this, but it wasn’t the main focus of the story - surviving and getting out of the castle was.
Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who’s in need of a good gothic fantasy with a hidden identity, Jewish representation, a masquerade, and the fight of survival.
*Thank you Inkyard Press and BookishFirst for a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review
A Multitude of Dreams is a reimagining of Edgar Allan Poe’s The Masque of the Red Death. Four years ago, King Stuart gathered his royals, noblemen, and daughters and locked them into the safety of the castle walls. Every window was boarded up and every door sealed shut - all to protect those within of the horrible mori roja plague ravaging the land outside.
Told in third person, this novel follows Seraphina, a Jewish girl, who is also the (fake) Princess Imogene, and Nico, who once lived a comfortable life but now works for Lord Crane, the man who saved his life after he lost everything. When Lord Crane sends Nico and two others on the search for survivors, Nico meets a princess who wants out. But both are living in giant webs of lies and deception that they must unravel if they’re going to survive.
I wanted this title because I read The Poison Season and I really enjoyed it. So, when I saw Mara Rutherford had another YA novel coming out, I immediately put it on my TBR list. It’s also listed as Fantasy Gothic and
I was all about it and also the cover - like, I love it!
There were a few twists in here I didn’t quite see right away, which was nice. And, even some of the ones that I did see coming, I still enjoyed Rutherford’s storytelling and it kept me interested. And yes, there is some romance in this, but it wasn’t the main focus of the story - surviving and getting out of the castle was.
Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who’s in need of a good gothic fantasy with a hidden identity, Jewish representation, a masquerade, and the fight of survival.
*Thank you Inkyard Press and BookishFirst for a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review
Requiem (Tales of the Five Realms #1)
8.0
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In a world where light and shade battle for hearts and minds, young rebel, Hagar, earns a...
Paranormal Romance
Inseparable (Rise of the Iliri #4)
9.0
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DISASTER! THE BLACK BLADES DISBANDED, AN ALLIANCE IN TURMOIL... Growing ever more tender yet always...
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated King's Cage in Books
May 16, 2018
The third installment in Victoria Aveyard’s Red Queen series, King’s Cage, is probably my favorite so far. Once again, Aveyard proves she is more focused on telling a story than describing a romance – something my readers know I really like. Especially when it comes to young adult fantasy. In fact, I feel labeling this series as “romance” is a stretch – especially given how little Aveyard focuses on actual material meant to draw in readers of that genre.
King’s Cage begins where Glass Sword left off: Mare’s deal with Maven. While she spends her time in prison, we finally get to learn more about other characters in the story – namely Cameron and (later) Evangeline. Though the latter takes place more toward when the action begins to kick up. Naturally, the story is more focused on Mare even from these perspectives, but it provides a refreshing look at the rebellion.
Surprisingly, there are several turns in King’s Cage that caught me entirely off guard. This is a good thing: I hate when books and stories become predictable. I won’t divulge more than that, for fear of spoilers, but I will say this: so far, this book is my favorite in the series and though I am so angry at the ending I could burn it, part of me wants to open it back up to page one and start again. I don’t imagine the library will like it much if I burn their book.
Until the fourth book hits shelves, I guess I’ll have to satisfy my hunger for more by reading the two novellas that Aveyard wrote for her post-apocalypse universe. Oh, and as a side note? This is the first one I read physically so I finally got to see a map of the lands. As I suspected, it takes place in the ruins of what was once the United States.
King’s Cage begins where Glass Sword left off: Mare’s deal with Maven. While she spends her time in prison, we finally get to learn more about other characters in the story – namely Cameron and (later) Evangeline. Though the latter takes place more toward when the action begins to kick up. Naturally, the story is more focused on Mare even from these perspectives, but it provides a refreshing look at the rebellion.
Surprisingly, there are several turns in King’s Cage that caught me entirely off guard. This is a good thing: I hate when books and stories become predictable. I won’t divulge more than that, for fear of spoilers, but I will say this: so far, this book is my favorite in the series and though I am so angry at the ending I could burn it, part of me wants to open it back up to page one and start again. I don’t imagine the library will like it much if I burn their book.
Until the fourth book hits shelves, I guess I’ll have to satisfy my hunger for more by reading the two novellas that Aveyard wrote for her post-apocalypse universe. Oh, and as a side note? This is the first one I read physically so I finally got to see a map of the lands. As I suspected, it takes place in the ruins of what was once the United States.
ArecRain (8 KP) rated Moon Called in Books
Jan 18, 2018
Thank you, Patricia Briggs for proving to me that there is still some amazing urban fantasy/paranormal fiction out there. I am so used to reading paranormal romance that I was actually pleasantly surprised that I became so completely wrapped up in the plotline that I didn’t even notice the lack of sex scenes and romance.
There are so many things to love about this novel. From the fantastic world the Briggs creates to the even more interesting characters that fill the pages. Briggs took the time to explain the world just enough for us to understand the races and world without making us bored from over description. There were some things that I felt Briggs could have left out bit what’s a little background info?
I also enjoyed that Briggs’ female protagonist, Mercy, was not the stereotypical lead. She was smart enough to take care of herself and keep herself out of trouble, or call people who could. In no way was she kind of woman who, while enjoying her independence, thought she was a superwoman who could take on anything and everything by herself and come out on top. I loved her sarcasm without the bitchiness and her wit without the “know it all” attitude.
It wasn’t just Mercy that made the storyline interesting, it was all the characters. I found myself interested in all the characters from different races that befriended or aided her, not to mention the entire werewolf pack.
I do have one complaint about this the novel, but it has more to do with Briggs than the story. While the storyline was intriguing and kept me turning the pages, Briggs writing style irked me. At times, it felt dry and I was just reading words. Briggs also liked to throw in random words that I had never heard of in my life. I am a fairly intelligent girl and I know me some vocabulary, but I had no idea where Briggs pulled these words from. At least they were easy to figure out from context clues.
There are so many things to love about this novel. From the fantastic world the Briggs creates to the even more interesting characters that fill the pages. Briggs took the time to explain the world just enough for us to understand the races and world without making us bored from over description. There were some things that I felt Briggs could have left out bit what’s a little background info?
I also enjoyed that Briggs’ female protagonist, Mercy, was not the stereotypical lead. She was smart enough to take care of herself and keep herself out of trouble, or call people who could. In no way was she kind of woman who, while enjoying her independence, thought she was a superwoman who could take on anything and everything by herself and come out on top. I loved her sarcasm without the bitchiness and her wit without the “know it all” attitude.
It wasn’t just Mercy that made the storyline interesting, it was all the characters. I found myself interested in all the characters from different races that befriended or aided her, not to mention the entire werewolf pack.
I do have one complaint about this the novel, but it has more to do with Briggs than the story. While the storyline was intriguing and kept me turning the pages, Briggs writing style irked me. At times, it felt dry and I was just reading words. Briggs also liked to throw in random words that I had never heard of in my life. I am a fairly intelligent girl and I know me some vocabulary, but I had no idea where Briggs pulled these words from. At least they were easy to figure out from context clues.
Mandatory Repairs (Collier's Creek)
6.0
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He's never been to the Cowboy State before, but he's already made an enemy. Max Stone is a...
Contemporary MM Romance
Fate in Suspension (Horn & Haven #1)
8.0
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Quiet. That's how he likes life, no drama to clean up... Tai Xen-Vorsy leads a straightforward...
Adult Fantasy LGBTQIA+ Paranormal Romance
Dakotah Salazar (12 KP) rated Yesterday (2019) in Movies
Jul 6, 2019
Charming (2 more)
Cinematography
Hamish Patel and Lily James
Script (3 more)
Lack of Premise Progression
Stale Use of Songs
Overshadowed, Bland Romance
A Beatle Bummer
In a ambitious musical fantasy shows Jack, played by Hamish Patel as a struggling musician looking to find a break in his career. With the help of his manager Ellie, played by Lily James, believes in his dream to stick by his side throughout the struggles. Jack gets hit by the bus and the world seems to have forgotten one of the most popular bands of all time: The Beatles. And now only Jack knows and tries to revive their catalogue for the world to hear again.
It is a pretty charming film throughout, and it really had a lot of strong performances to carry it's premise. Hamish Patel and Lily James have good chemistry, and there is a sense of history between them, as they have been good friends all of their lives, but never tried to put themselves in the next step. Lily James is the one who tries to pursue into that more, while Hamish is focused on himself and the music. Truthfully, there isn't a whole lot of depth besides that history. We are relied on this to carry the romance which is a huge factor of the movie. So much that it distracts everything else and both characters act irrational instead of acting like normal human beings and having a conversation.
It's a sharp film to look at. The lighting, production design, cinematography is wonderful. It has the Danny Boyle stamp on there, especially an obvious slanted shot in the beginning of the film. Even the score has trinkets of The Beatles layered throughout.
The script needed rewrites...there are many ways that this premise could've been successful, but after the film was over, it proved me wrong...this premise is troubling in many ways. There isn't a good way to progress this kind of story and I wanted the film to pursue the story from a fantasy perspective. Especially with something like Rocketman where the songs become part of its whole story. Every Beatles song after another sound so trite and it's because they lack the flavor of what they are genuinely about. It rushes through each one and uses a LOT of songs that it becomes a headache after a while. I think Hamish has a great voice for it, but I couldn't stand how the songs were treated throughout this movie. Especially with it's terrible third act where it becomes a huge, convenient mess for everyone. The script was simply bad.
I would wait for it if interested. Seeing it in a theater might give an impression for its great filmmaking, but a very hollow experience in my opinion.
It is a pretty charming film throughout, and it really had a lot of strong performances to carry it's premise. Hamish Patel and Lily James have good chemistry, and there is a sense of history between them, as they have been good friends all of their lives, but never tried to put themselves in the next step. Lily James is the one who tries to pursue into that more, while Hamish is focused on himself and the music. Truthfully, there isn't a whole lot of depth besides that history. We are relied on this to carry the romance which is a huge factor of the movie. So much that it distracts everything else and both characters act irrational instead of acting like normal human beings and having a conversation.
It's a sharp film to look at. The lighting, production design, cinematography is wonderful. It has the Danny Boyle stamp on there, especially an obvious slanted shot in the beginning of the film. Even the score has trinkets of The Beatles layered throughout.
The script needed rewrites...there are many ways that this premise could've been successful, but after the film was over, it proved me wrong...this premise is troubling in many ways. There isn't a good way to progress this kind of story and I wanted the film to pursue the story from a fantasy perspective. Especially with something like Rocketman where the songs become part of its whole story. Every Beatles song after another sound so trite and it's because they lack the flavor of what they are genuinely about. It rushes through each one and uses a LOT of songs that it becomes a headache after a while. I think Hamish has a great voice for it, but I couldn't stand how the songs were treated throughout this movie. Especially with it's terrible third act where it becomes a huge, convenient mess for everyone. The script was simply bad.
I would wait for it if interested. Seeing it in a theater might give an impression for its great filmmaking, but a very hollow experience in my opinion.
HyruleBalverine (16 KP) rated The Gargoyle in Books
Nov 27, 2017 (Updated Nov 27, 2017)
A literary Journey that will have you questioning the reality your characters live in.
I typically read books in the science fiction, science fiction / fantasy, crime Thriller, or horror genres. A friend of mine suggested that I read this book because she really liked it. I will admit to going into with skepticism expect there to be some sort of romance novel. While there is some discussion of a romantic history and potentially some romantic feelings between the characters that is not what this book is about.
As you read through the story someone getting to know the characters and events unfold including the tails that Marianne tells of the past, you start to question whether this woman is telling the truth or she is actually crazy. The book never blatantly tells you one way or the other, but leaves it up to you to decide based on what you read and take from the book. I definitely has a clear opinion as to what was really going on but I won't spoil it for you by telling you what I think or why.
I will tell you after having read this book, I made it a point to recommend it to other friends I have that read because I thought it was that amazing especially given that it is not the type of story I typically read.
As you read through the story someone getting to know the characters and events unfold including the tails that Marianne tells of the past, you start to question whether this woman is telling the truth or she is actually crazy. The book never blatantly tells you one way or the other, but leaves it up to you to decide based on what you read and take from the book. I definitely has a clear opinion as to what was really going on but I won't spoil it for you by telling you what I think or why.
I will tell you after having read this book, I made it a point to recommend it to other friends I have that read because I thought it was that amazing especially given that it is not the type of story I typically read.