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Lilyn G - Sci-Fi & Scary (91 KP) rated The Martian in Books
Jun 6, 2018
Fantastic novel! One of my all time favorite books.
Mark Watney is a snarky, foul-mouthed, crude nerd that’s stuck on Mars and forced to survive by himself. He’s beyond awesome. He takes a pounding from Mars right from the beginning. Has to be able to utilize all his skills and fix all his problems by himself (“Martian taters” “Cannibalized it so much it looks like I left it in a bad part of town”), deal with countless months by himself, and basically frantically try not to die. Through it all, he keeps a sense of humor that still (yes, still, I’m on my 12th listen or so) makes me snicker, and is obviously brilliant in a MacGuyver sort of way, yet utterly relate-able. At this point, I’ve listened to The Martian so much that he’s like a dear friend that I’m constantly rooting for. His reactions are utterly believable .
Andy Weir did a FANTASTIC job with this book.
If you like scifi at all, you will love this book. If you need a hero you can root for, you will love this book. Also, if you're looking for an audio book that is fast-paced, great quality, with an easy to understand and wonderful narrator, you will love the audio book version.
Now, to be fair, some people have complained that there's a lot of science in this book, and that it can be kind of hard to get through because of that. Here's my take on that. Is there a lot of science? Yes. BUT, its not overwhelming. Weir doesn't bombard you with pages upon pages of incomprehensible technobabble. He tells you what's going on in a way that, even if you don't understand the precise details behind what's happening, you still know what's going on. I don't believe at any point that its excessive, and most of the time I found it downright fascinating!
I'm sure this book has a few negatives, but... not any that I can identify.
PS: Lots of F-bombs dropped in the book. Don’t read if you’re sensitive to that.
Andy Weir did a FANTASTIC job with this book.
If you like scifi at all, you will love this book. If you need a hero you can root for, you will love this book. Also, if you're looking for an audio book that is fast-paced, great quality, with an easy to understand and wonderful narrator, you will love the audio book version.
Now, to be fair, some people have complained that there's a lot of science in this book, and that it can be kind of hard to get through because of that. Here's my take on that. Is there a lot of science? Yes. BUT, its not overwhelming. Weir doesn't bombard you with pages upon pages of incomprehensible technobabble. He tells you what's going on in a way that, even if you don't understand the precise details behind what's happening, you still know what's going on. I don't believe at any point that its excessive, and most of the time I found it downright fascinating!
I'm sure this book has a few negatives, but... not any that I can identify.
PS: Lots of F-bombs dropped in the book. Don’t read if you’re sensitive to that.
Jessica - Where the Book Ends (15 KP) rated Gemina: The Illuminae Files: Book 2 in Books
Jan 30, 2019
Illuminae is one of my favorite books of the year, so it's no surprise to me that I loved Gemina as well. I must admit that I did like Illuminae a bit better. Gemina did hold it's own as a sequel and put up a great fight for first place. The action, writing, and emotional experience all packed within the covers of these pages is absolutely phenomenal.
This was a book that I didn't want to go into too it with too much knowledge so I didn't read the synopsis and stayed away from the reviews on BookTube. I read this book much like I read the first one by listening to the story and following along in the physical books. The audiobook has a full cast of characters that I personally feel brings the story to life. If I tried to read this book without the audio file I think the book would fall flat and I'd lose interest in it. At least that's how I would be.
I was expecting the same cast of characters and was coming taken by surprise when I learned there were new MCs in this book. Although, I do love how the authors wove the stories together from Illuminae and Gemina. It was outstanding and very well done.
The imagination and thought that must have gone into the writing of this book is something I can barely wrap my head around. I would love to be able to see how they actually wrote these books and the process behind them.
Gemina has a great plot that left me on the edge of my seat. The characters were well rounded and developed a lot throughout the book. The way the characters changed along with the plot throughout the book was very well done. This is most definitely a characters driven story.
I am looking forward to reading Obsidio. I have my physical copy read just waiting for my turn to get the audiobook from the library.
Definitely give this one a shot I don't see how anyone could be disappointed.
This was a book that I didn't want to go into too it with too much knowledge so I didn't read the synopsis and stayed away from the reviews on BookTube. I read this book much like I read the first one by listening to the story and following along in the physical books. The audiobook has a full cast of characters that I personally feel brings the story to life. If I tried to read this book without the audio file I think the book would fall flat and I'd lose interest in it. At least that's how I would be.
I was expecting the same cast of characters and was coming taken by surprise when I learned there were new MCs in this book. Although, I do love how the authors wove the stories together from Illuminae and Gemina. It was outstanding and very well done.
The imagination and thought that must have gone into the writing of this book is something I can barely wrap my head around. I would love to be able to see how they actually wrote these books and the process behind them.
Gemina has a great plot that left me on the edge of my seat. The characters were well rounded and developed a lot throughout the book. The way the characters changed along with the plot throughout the book was very well done. This is most definitely a characters driven story.
I am looking forward to reading Obsidio. I have my physical copy read just waiting for my turn to get the audiobook from the library.
Definitely give this one a shot I don't see how anyone could be disappointed.
Caffeinated Fae (464 KP) rated Hook in Books
Nov 11, 2019
Characters (1 more)
Action Packed
Heartbreaking & beautiful.
Trigger Warning: Sexual Assault, Child Abuse, Murder, Abuse, Angst, Drug Use
As many of you know, I've been waiting anxiously for Hook to come out! I was one of the lucky bloggers that Gina gave a copy to in exchange for an honest review. I read Pan earlier this year and fell completely head over heels for Gina's writing, and I've been shoving Pan down everyone's throats because it is that amazing! Now, full disclosure, I have only read one other M/M romance, so I wasn't sure what to expect. All I knew was that I couldn't wait to fly into Neverland again.
I built Hook up in my head so much that at times I was worried it wouldn't live up to the hype. Luckily, Hook was everything I wanted and more. This book follows Hook & John's story. The chemistry between them was out of this world. It was fun to see the anger, the angst, and the fire between the two of them. The characters as always were well written and thoroughly entertaining. I laughed, I cried, and I had to put my book down a few times, so I didn't throw my kindle.
The plotline was one of the shining stars of this book. It was action-packed, intense, and extremely engaging. I never wanted to put the book down, yet I enjoyed it so much I never wanted it to end. I loved the undercover aspect of the book, and it makes me want to reread some of my favorite romantic suspense. I was always on the edge of my seat and couldn't wait to see how everything unfolded.
All in all, I LOVED this book. It lived up to the hype that I had in my head, and I cannot wait to read the next book in this series when it comes out. If you enjoy angst-filled bad boys with a heart of gold, this is the book for you. Gina truly knows how to write angst in a way that everyone can enjoy.
As many of you know, I've been waiting anxiously for Hook to come out! I was one of the lucky bloggers that Gina gave a copy to in exchange for an honest review. I read Pan earlier this year and fell completely head over heels for Gina's writing, and I've been shoving Pan down everyone's throats because it is that amazing! Now, full disclosure, I have only read one other M/M romance, so I wasn't sure what to expect. All I knew was that I couldn't wait to fly into Neverland again.
I built Hook up in my head so much that at times I was worried it wouldn't live up to the hype. Luckily, Hook was everything I wanted and more. This book follows Hook & John's story. The chemistry between them was out of this world. It was fun to see the anger, the angst, and the fire between the two of them. The characters as always were well written and thoroughly entertaining. I laughed, I cried, and I had to put my book down a few times, so I didn't throw my kindle.
The plotline was one of the shining stars of this book. It was action-packed, intense, and extremely engaging. I never wanted to put the book down, yet I enjoyed it so much I never wanted it to end. I loved the undercover aspect of the book, and it makes me want to reread some of my favorite romantic suspense. I was always on the edge of my seat and couldn't wait to see how everything unfolded.
All in all, I LOVED this book. It lived up to the hype that I had in my head, and I cannot wait to read the next book in this series when it comes out. If you enjoy angst-filled bad boys with a heart of gold, this is the book for you. Gina truly knows how to write angst in a way that everyone can enjoy.
TravelersWife4Life (31 KP) rated At Love's Command (Hanger's Horsemen, #1) in Books
Feb 23, 2021
Have you ever read a book by Karen Witemeyer? If not, you are missing out on some of the best fiction books out there. At Love’s Command is the first book in a new 3 (or 4) book series and wowzah what a fun start to the series it book was. Even if you do not like westerns, I can guarantee that you will like this one. Karen Witmeyer has a similar writing style to that of Mary Connealy, and Ronie Kendig.
I think I smiled within the first few pages of At Love’s Command as Karen Witemeyer brought forth her character's fun wit and charm. I loved their believable personalities and their willingness to be strong in their beliefs. Matthew is now one of my favorite male characters ever. He showed humility, leadership, love, and most of all a deep trust in turning to God with any problem that came his way. Dr. Josephine was also a most likable character, I loved her “10-dollar words”, and the verbal sparring she sis with Matthew and others from The Horsemen gang. She was also a strong independent woman, but she was humble and showed wisdom when she knew others had better knowledge of the situation than she did. I will say it again, I LOVED this combination of characters.
The storyline pulled me in right from the very beginning, as I said, I was smiling from some of the interactions within the first few pages. It was so believable, combined with the bits of history thrown in, interwoven with some good action, and the theme of turning to God in every situation made this book so enjoyable for me. I will definitely be reading the rest of the books in this series. <br/>I give this book 5 out of 5 stars for the great characters, the intriguing storyline (that I am so looking forward to reading more of), and for the characters continually pointing back to God as their source of strength and wisdom. I HIGHLY recommend this book.
*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
https://travelingwife4life.wordpress.com/2020/06/26/at-loves-command-bethany-house
I think I smiled within the first few pages of At Love’s Command as Karen Witemeyer brought forth her character's fun wit and charm. I loved their believable personalities and their willingness to be strong in their beliefs. Matthew is now one of my favorite male characters ever. He showed humility, leadership, love, and most of all a deep trust in turning to God with any problem that came his way. Dr. Josephine was also a most likable character, I loved her “10-dollar words”, and the verbal sparring she sis with Matthew and others from The Horsemen gang. She was also a strong independent woman, but she was humble and showed wisdom when she knew others had better knowledge of the situation than she did. I will say it again, I LOVED this combination of characters.
The storyline pulled me in right from the very beginning, as I said, I was smiling from some of the interactions within the first few pages. It was so believable, combined with the bits of history thrown in, interwoven with some good action, and the theme of turning to God in every situation made this book so enjoyable for me. I will definitely be reading the rest of the books in this series. <br/>I give this book 5 out of 5 stars for the great characters, the intriguing storyline (that I am so looking forward to reading more of), and for the characters continually pointing back to God as their source of strength and wisdom. I HIGHLY recommend this book.
*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
https://travelingwife4life.wordpress.com/2020/06/26/at-loves-command-bethany-house
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Night Chill (Night Chill, #1) in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review can also be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com/">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
The cover and synopsis of this book sounded creepy, and I love creepy! I'm always after a great horror novel, and this was definitely didn't disappoint. In fact, it reminded me a lot of Richard Laymon's novels except a lot better (and Richard Laymon is one of my favorite horror authors).
How creepy is that cover!?! (Hint: the answer is very)! I'm not sure who the little girl is on the cover. I thought it may be Melissa (not going into details due to spoilers), but I could be wrong. Still, the cover definitely grabbed my attention.
I don't really know how the title pertains to the story, but it's definitely a creepy title nonetheless.
The world building was done very well which is what makes this story that much spookier. Gunhus does a fantastic job making the readers believe that something like this could actually happen. Not once did I doubt anything in the story line. I felt that all my questions were answered throughout the book except one question about Max although it's not relevant to the story.
The pacing reels you in from the very first sentence. I devoured this book, and it held my attention very much so throughout the whole book. Never once does it slow down or go too fast that I don't know what's going on.
The plot was super spooky! The idea that a stranger with supernatural powers is trying to kidnap your child, and no one believes what you say even though it's the truth is definitely frightening. While it's probably been done before, Gunhus takes the idea and nurtures it, giving it wings to grow into something horrorific. There were some good plot twists although I did predict one early on. The ending of the book leaves it open to become a series although you can read this book as a standalone. However, if there is another book, I definitely will be reading it!
I thought the characters were very well written. Jack came across as a very devoted dad. At first, I did doubt his sanity, and I did wonder if he was hallucinating, but he quickly quashed those ideas. I loved how Jack was willing to do whatever it took to save Sarah and keep his family together. I found Nate Huckley to be an awesome bad guy although simply referring to him as "bad guy" seems so wrong because he is so much more. Huckley is intelligent, witty, and knows exactly what he wants. I found him to be scary mostly due to how he could be anywhere he wanted no matter what. He could also make people do whatever he wanted them too. He's definitely one of my favorite baddies in a book. My favorite character, however, was Joseph Lonetree. I loved how hardcore he came across although he proved to be a big softie. I understood his need to do what he did. Lonetree didn't take any crap from anyone.
I enjoyed the dialogue and found that it flowed smoothly and freely. I mostly enjoyed reading about Jack though. There is some swear words as well as violence and gore so be warned if that's not your thing.
Overall, Night Chill is a creepy story that leaves you wondering what if this really did and has been happening. The plot is fantastic, the world building spooky, and the characters amazing!
I'd recommend this book to those aged 18+ who are fans of classic horror and for fans of writers such as Richard Laymon.
(I received this title in ebook format for free from the tour host in exchange for a fair and honest review).
The cover and synopsis of this book sounded creepy, and I love creepy! I'm always after a great horror novel, and this was definitely didn't disappoint. In fact, it reminded me a lot of Richard Laymon's novels except a lot better (and Richard Laymon is one of my favorite horror authors).
How creepy is that cover!?! (Hint: the answer is very)! I'm not sure who the little girl is on the cover. I thought it may be Melissa (not going into details due to spoilers), but I could be wrong. Still, the cover definitely grabbed my attention.
I don't really know how the title pertains to the story, but it's definitely a creepy title nonetheless.
The world building was done very well which is what makes this story that much spookier. Gunhus does a fantastic job making the readers believe that something like this could actually happen. Not once did I doubt anything in the story line. I felt that all my questions were answered throughout the book except one question about Max although it's not relevant to the story.
The pacing reels you in from the very first sentence. I devoured this book, and it held my attention very much so throughout the whole book. Never once does it slow down or go too fast that I don't know what's going on.
The plot was super spooky! The idea that a stranger with supernatural powers is trying to kidnap your child, and no one believes what you say even though it's the truth is definitely frightening. While it's probably been done before, Gunhus takes the idea and nurtures it, giving it wings to grow into something horrorific. There were some good plot twists although I did predict one early on. The ending of the book leaves it open to become a series although you can read this book as a standalone. However, if there is another book, I definitely will be reading it!
I thought the characters were very well written. Jack came across as a very devoted dad. At first, I did doubt his sanity, and I did wonder if he was hallucinating, but he quickly quashed those ideas. I loved how Jack was willing to do whatever it took to save Sarah and keep his family together. I found Nate Huckley to be an awesome bad guy although simply referring to him as "bad guy" seems so wrong because he is so much more. Huckley is intelligent, witty, and knows exactly what he wants. I found him to be scary mostly due to how he could be anywhere he wanted no matter what. He could also make people do whatever he wanted them too. He's definitely one of my favorite baddies in a book. My favorite character, however, was Joseph Lonetree. I loved how hardcore he came across although he proved to be a big softie. I understood his need to do what he did. Lonetree didn't take any crap from anyone.
I enjoyed the dialogue and found that it flowed smoothly and freely. I mostly enjoyed reading about Jack though. There is some swear words as well as violence and gore so be warned if that's not your thing.
Overall, Night Chill is a creepy story that leaves you wondering what if this really did and has been happening. The plot is fantastic, the world building spooky, and the characters amazing!
I'd recommend this book to those aged 18+ who are fans of classic horror and for fans of writers such as Richard Laymon.
(I received this title in ebook format for free from the tour host in exchange for a fair and honest review).
Inky Books (3 KP) rated Eona: The Last Dragoneye (Eon, #2) in Books
Jun 21, 2018
When I was young, well, younger, I was obsessed with dragons. I would read anything with dragons in it. So when I found Eon, and saw that there was another book in the series I was so happy.
Back in that time when all I had to worry about was getting good grades and reading books, I would have given this book five stars. Now, however, that I’ve come to read some of the finer offerings this genre has to give, I find myself disappointed. Let this be a lesson to anyone: never re-read your favorite childhood book series (unless it’s Harry Potter or Eragon).
To be 100% honest, this book was a mess from start to finish. I found that the writing wasn’t descriptive enough for me to fully appreciate what the author was trying to do. There was also a lot of world building in a small space, and it didn’t work at all. There needed to be more time for that. I felt that 80% of the book was action. Yes, action is good, but there was too much and not enough time left for characters to develop.
Now my major problem is the main character, Eona. She continues to lie and deceive and deny that she’s doing it throughout the book. It’s very annoying and the author should have been able to come up with other events to keep me interested. Also, bringing all those lies out at the end? Yeah, well, that didn’t work for as much as a shock factor as intended. It was easy to see the outcome.
There are only two things going for this book. The first being the overall plot with the dragons. I won’t say more because I don’t want to spoil it, but I think that was a good way to get the book to end. The second is all the mythology and the world history that was weaved into the plot. I really liked learning about those pieces of the world.
All of that being said, I’ve finally decided on just 3 stars. While I did like it at one point in my life, I don’t as much now. I like parts of the book, but it overall lost all importance in my opinion. I won’t be reading it again unless I forget, for some reason, about how confusing the plot ended up being.
Back in that time when all I had to worry about was getting good grades and reading books, I would have given this book five stars. Now, however, that I’ve come to read some of the finer offerings this genre has to give, I find myself disappointed. Let this be a lesson to anyone: never re-read your favorite childhood book series (unless it’s Harry Potter or Eragon).
To be 100% honest, this book was a mess from start to finish. I found that the writing wasn’t descriptive enough for me to fully appreciate what the author was trying to do. There was also a lot of world building in a small space, and it didn’t work at all. There needed to be more time for that. I felt that 80% of the book was action. Yes, action is good, but there was too much and not enough time left for characters to develop.
Now my major problem is the main character, Eona. She continues to lie and deceive and deny that she’s doing it throughout the book. It’s very annoying and the author should have been able to come up with other events to keep me interested. Also, bringing all those lies out at the end? Yeah, well, that didn’t work for as much as a shock factor as intended. It was easy to see the outcome.
There are only two things going for this book. The first being the overall plot with the dragons. I won’t say more because I don’t want to spoil it, but I think that was a good way to get the book to end. The second is all the mythology and the world history that was weaved into the plot. I really liked learning about those pieces of the world.
All of that being said, I’ve finally decided on just 3 stars. While I did like it at one point in my life, I don’t as much now. I like parts of the book, but it overall lost all importance in my opinion. I won’t be reading it again unless I forget, for some reason, about how confusing the plot ended up being.
Becs (244 KP) rated Too Hot To Touch in Books
Oct 2, 2019
Style: Extensive reading.
Point of View: Third person.
Difficulty Reading: Too Hot To Touch was a pretty easy read. I flew through the book but I also enjoy reading erotic romance books and tend to finish them in a short matter of time.
Promise: Lore Leigh promises a hot and steamy read that involves Breeds (like a shapeshifter) and humans falling in love (eventually…).
Quality: Too Hot To Touch was a quality read and in my book is worth a reread. Maybe not the type of book that you would reread over and over again as your go-to reread. But more of a when your craving a quick steamy romance.
Insights: So when I first received the book, I was like ‘Oh yea! This is going to be something like Twilight werewolves!!’ But as I started reading more and more I realized that it wasn’t. If that’s what you’re looking for, don’t read this. This is more of certain characters having an animal gene that doesn’t turn them into animals but gives them the ability to tap into the hunger and lust that animals get. Don’t get me wrong! It was still a very well written and catchy book. But if you’re not a fan of erotic romances, I would choose a different book.
Ah-Ha Moment: I mean any of the sexy scenes! But other than that not really a moment in the book that actually stood out to me.
Favorite Quote: “Every good girl loved a bad boy. It was a fact of life, a quirk of nature. Opposites attracts, and the badder the boy, the more attractive he was to that good girl who couldn’t help but be drawn to him.” – I mean it’s not wrong.
What will you gain: A well-written erotic romance that will leave you wanting to read Lora Leigh’s other novels.
Aesthetics: The cover was cool but didn’t really seem to go with the book. What I like most was how there were three novellas inside of the one book. Gave me a longer read instead of a simple, 100-page read.
“They were created, they weren’t born. They were trained, they weren’t raised. They were taught to kill, and now they’ll use their training to ensure their freedom.”
Point of View: Third person.
Difficulty Reading: Too Hot To Touch was a pretty easy read. I flew through the book but I also enjoy reading erotic romance books and tend to finish them in a short matter of time.
Promise: Lore Leigh promises a hot and steamy read that involves Breeds (like a shapeshifter) and humans falling in love (eventually…).
Quality: Too Hot To Touch was a quality read and in my book is worth a reread. Maybe not the type of book that you would reread over and over again as your go-to reread. But more of a when your craving a quick steamy romance.
Insights: So when I first received the book, I was like ‘Oh yea! This is going to be something like Twilight werewolves!!’ But as I started reading more and more I realized that it wasn’t. If that’s what you’re looking for, don’t read this. This is more of certain characters having an animal gene that doesn’t turn them into animals but gives them the ability to tap into the hunger and lust that animals get. Don’t get me wrong! It was still a very well written and catchy book. But if you’re not a fan of erotic romances, I would choose a different book.
Ah-Ha Moment: I mean any of the sexy scenes! But other than that not really a moment in the book that actually stood out to me.
Favorite Quote: “Every good girl loved a bad boy. It was a fact of life, a quirk of nature. Opposites attracts, and the badder the boy, the more attractive he was to that good girl who couldn’t help but be drawn to him.” – I mean it’s not wrong.
What will you gain: A well-written erotic romance that will leave you wanting to read Lora Leigh’s other novels.
Aesthetics: The cover was cool but didn’t really seem to go with the book. What I like most was how there were three novellas inside of the one book. Gave me a longer read instead of a simple, 100-page read.
“They were created, they weren’t born. They were trained, they weren’t raised. They were taught to kill, and now they’ll use their training to ensure their freedom.”
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Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated The Doll House in Books
May 15, 2018
Slowly but surely, I’m getting caught up on my NetGalley reviews. (I’m waaaay behind.) This time around, I finished reading The Doll House by Phoebe Morgan. It’s a slow simmer with a bit of predictability and a lot of unnecessary information, but in the end, Morgan manages to redeem the book through fast-paced, constant action.
The plot is a bit all over the place for the majority of the book, but, like The Roanoke Girls, this seems to be a technique used to drive the story forward. That said, the chapters end with a bit of suspense before the jump to another character. (Also, it should be mentioned that I HATE how Morgan switches between first and third person.) Unfortunately, the first 80% of the book feel like a drag. There’s little to no action, with the most exciting parts being an apparent flashback to the antagonist’s past. The last little bit of the book picks up drastically, which was a nice relief from what came before.
I said earlier that it’s a slow burn, and The Doll House really is. Morgan leaves enough clues throughout the book that a reader can pick up on something awful culminating at the end, but its done in a manner that is simply alright. For instance, the conflict between Ashley and her husband is unnecessary. The title, The Doll House, is a bit of a misnomer because aside from a few parts of the house showing up and a few references to it, the dollhouse is very rarely mentioned. (Also, let’s take a moment here to point out that the dollhouse on the cover of the book is white and it’s made extremely clear that the actual dollhouse is pink. That would have been a simple photoshop fix.)
Now, the characters in The Doll House are really something else. Personally, my favorite is Ashley, the self-conscious, overweight mom of three whom I feel is quite realistically depicted. Corinne is more skittish than my Dad’s dog, which is pretty impressive. Which… it amazes me that she keeps her job with how much she calls out in the book alone. The male characters are alright, albeit apparently quite handsome. Andy is a pig, but you’d have to read the book to see why.
Overall, I didn’t hate or love this book to death. It’s a pretty solid three out of five, which is better than some of the other stuff I’ve read lately. I’d like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book free of charge in exchange for an unbiased review.
The plot is a bit all over the place for the majority of the book, but, like The Roanoke Girls, this seems to be a technique used to drive the story forward. That said, the chapters end with a bit of suspense before the jump to another character. (Also, it should be mentioned that I HATE how Morgan switches between first and third person.) Unfortunately, the first 80% of the book feel like a drag. There’s little to no action, with the most exciting parts being an apparent flashback to the antagonist’s past. The last little bit of the book picks up drastically, which was a nice relief from what came before.
I said earlier that it’s a slow burn, and The Doll House really is. Morgan leaves enough clues throughout the book that a reader can pick up on something awful culminating at the end, but its done in a manner that is simply alright. For instance, the conflict between Ashley and her husband is unnecessary. The title, The Doll House, is a bit of a misnomer because aside from a few parts of the house showing up and a few references to it, the dollhouse is very rarely mentioned. (Also, let’s take a moment here to point out that the dollhouse on the cover of the book is white and it’s made extremely clear that the actual dollhouse is pink. That would have been a simple photoshop fix.)
Now, the characters in The Doll House are really something else. Personally, my favorite is Ashley, the self-conscious, overweight mom of three whom I feel is quite realistically depicted. Corinne is more skittish than my Dad’s dog, which is pretty impressive. Which… it amazes me that she keeps her job with how much she calls out in the book alone. The male characters are alright, albeit apparently quite handsome. Andy is a pig, but you’d have to read the book to see why.
Overall, I didn’t hate or love this book to death. It’s a pretty solid three out of five, which is better than some of the other stuff I’ve read lately. I’d like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book free of charge in exchange for an unbiased review.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated Spinning Silver in Books
Dec 25, 2018
I had previously read Uprooted, and adored it, so I was eager to get my hands on this book as soon as it came out. I was very excited to see it as a Book of the Month choice for July, and quickly made it my pick!
I received the book last weekend while I was at Anthrocon, so I didn't get a chance to sit down with it until yesterday. (It officially came out Tuesday.) I proceeded to read straight through the entire book because it was SO. GOOD. Novik writes absolutely ENTHRALLING fairy tales. And in Spinning Silver, she has written fae as beautiful, alien, capricious, and as absolutely bound by rules as they should be. Doing a thing three times, even by normal means, gives one the power to ACTUALLY do the thing; in Miryem's case, turning the Staryk's silver into gold (by creative buying and selling) means she gains the power to LITERALLY turn silver into gold. Which then gets her into the trouble the rest of the book is built on.
One of my favorite lines was very near the end of the book, about the Staryk palace:
"The Staryk didn't know anything of keeping records: I suppose it was only to be expected from people who didn't take on debts and were used to entire chambers wandering off and having to be called back like cats."
My only real quibble with the book is that it shifts viewpoints between at least five characters, and doesn't start their sections with names or anything, so it takes a few sentences to figure out who's talking. It never takes too long, but it did occasionally make me go "Wait, who is this....ah, okay."
The plotlines weave in and out of each other's way for most of the book before all colliding into each other at the end and showing how everything connects. I was definitely confused on occasion, but it was that enchanting Alice-in-Wonderland kind of confusion more than actual puzzlement. The book is, by turns, a mix of Rumpelstiltskin, Tam-Lin, Winter King vs Summer King, Snow Queen, and a little Hansel and Gretel. I love seeing elements of so many fairy tales woven together and yet still remaining recognizable.
And the ending! Oh, the ending was absolutely, marvelously perfect.
I loved this book, just as much as I loved Uprooted. I can't wait to see what fairy tales Novik spins next!
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
I received the book last weekend while I was at Anthrocon, so I didn't get a chance to sit down with it until yesterday. (It officially came out Tuesday.) I proceeded to read straight through the entire book because it was SO. GOOD. Novik writes absolutely ENTHRALLING fairy tales. And in Spinning Silver, she has written fae as beautiful, alien, capricious, and as absolutely bound by rules as they should be. Doing a thing three times, even by normal means, gives one the power to ACTUALLY do the thing; in Miryem's case, turning the Staryk's silver into gold (by creative buying and selling) means she gains the power to LITERALLY turn silver into gold. Which then gets her into the trouble the rest of the book is built on.
One of my favorite lines was very near the end of the book, about the Staryk palace:
"The Staryk didn't know anything of keeping records: I suppose it was only to be expected from people who didn't take on debts and were used to entire chambers wandering off and having to be called back like cats."
My only real quibble with the book is that it shifts viewpoints between at least five characters, and doesn't start their sections with names or anything, so it takes a few sentences to figure out who's talking. It never takes too long, but it did occasionally make me go "Wait, who is this....ah, okay."
The plotlines weave in and out of each other's way for most of the book before all colliding into each other at the end and showing how everything connects. I was definitely confused on occasion, but it was that enchanting Alice-in-Wonderland kind of confusion more than actual puzzlement. The book is, by turns, a mix of Rumpelstiltskin, Tam-Lin, Winter King vs Summer King, Snow Queen, and a little Hansel and Gretel. I love seeing elements of so many fairy tales woven together and yet still remaining recognizable.
And the ending! Oh, the ending was absolutely, marvelously perfect.
I loved this book, just as much as I loved Uprooted. I can't wait to see what fairy tales Novik spins next!
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com