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Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated The Serpent's Mark in Books
Feb 3, 2020
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<b>Nicholas Shelby Series</b>
#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39904044-the-angel-s-mark">The Angel's Mark</a> - Not Read
#2 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2849284383">The Serpent's Mark</a> - DNF
<img src="https://diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Book-Review-Banner-1.png"/>;
<b><i>The first book in 2019 that I didn't manage to finish is The Serpent's Mark by S.W. Perry.</i></b>
I am sad and disappointed. If you know me, you will know how I don't want to leave things unfinished, especially when reading books. I want to finish every book I read, so I can have a thorough opinion and valid comments.
I stopped reading this book at page 75, which is very early days, but I just couldn't continue because of a few points.
Before I start, I need to mention all the things that attracted me to this book in the first place. I love mysteries, and this book promised conspiracy, murder and espionage in Elizabethan London. It is set in the year 1591, where a doctor is investigated of his questionable practices. This was, by itself a promising start. And if you haven't seen the beautiful cover already, please do. It's art to have this book on your shelves.
However, while reading those 75 pages, I haven't encountered any murder. Conspiracy and espionage maybe, but it is so subtle, that everything else comes in first place, while I am here, flipping pages and desperately waiting for something to happen.
A book that contains a lot of politics and religion in a same chapter is just not the book for me. As a person that moved into the UK, I know a little bit about politics and not much about history politics, but I am also not very interested in it either. Documentaries, yes - but books for pleasure, not quite so much. This book was over-flooding with politics and religion, and it is something I just couldn't put past me. After deciding to DNF it, I also realized that it was a second book of a series, but can also be read as a standalone.
I wish I enjoyed it, but I just couldn't. However, if the book seems like something you might enjoy, please go for it, read it, and let me know how it went. <b>We all have different tastes in book - and that's OKAY! :)</b>
Thank you to ReadersFirst, a UK based website that sends me books every month in exchange for my honest reviews. What you do it absolutely amazing!
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
<b>Nicholas Shelby Series</b>
#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39904044-the-angel-s-mark">The Angel's Mark</a> - Not Read
#2 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2849284383">The Serpent's Mark</a> - DNF
<img src="https://diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Book-Review-Banner-1.png"/>;
<b><i>The first book in 2019 that I didn't manage to finish is The Serpent's Mark by S.W. Perry.</i></b>
I am sad and disappointed. If you know me, you will know how I don't want to leave things unfinished, especially when reading books. I want to finish every book I read, so I can have a thorough opinion and valid comments.
I stopped reading this book at page 75, which is very early days, but I just couldn't continue because of a few points.
Before I start, I need to mention all the things that attracted me to this book in the first place. I love mysteries, and this book promised conspiracy, murder and espionage in Elizabethan London. It is set in the year 1591, where a doctor is investigated of his questionable practices. This was, by itself a promising start. And if you haven't seen the beautiful cover already, please do. It's art to have this book on your shelves.
However, while reading those 75 pages, I haven't encountered any murder. Conspiracy and espionage maybe, but it is so subtle, that everything else comes in first place, while I am here, flipping pages and desperately waiting for something to happen.
A book that contains a lot of politics and religion in a same chapter is just not the book for me. As a person that moved into the UK, I know a little bit about politics and not much about history politics, but I am also not very interested in it either. Documentaries, yes - but books for pleasure, not quite so much. This book was over-flooding with politics and religion, and it is something I just couldn't put past me. After deciding to DNF it, I also realized that it was a second book of a series, but can also be read as a standalone.
I wish I enjoyed it, but I just couldn't. However, if the book seems like something you might enjoy, please go for it, read it, and let me know how it went. <b>We all have different tastes in book - and that's OKAY! :)</b>
Thank you to ReadersFirst, a UK based website that sends me books every month in exchange for my honest reviews. What you do it absolutely amazing!
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Trolls World Tour (2019) in Movies
Jun 8, 2020
Trolls World Tour, or the film that kicked off the Home Premiere debacle... I decided to pay money for this, a lot of money for just one person to watch, and all because I wanted to see something brand new.
Life in the village is going great, but when a bat flies in with a message for Queen Poppy the tune changes. Poppy's eternal enthusiasm means she doesn't want to see the potential danger that's on its way... because evidently she learned nothing in the last movie... When Barb from the Hard Rock trolls starts conquering all the other villages it's down to a few determined trolls to come to the rescue.
The first thing that struck me was that this would have been so much better on the big screen, the impact of all the explosive glitter and sparkle is lost in the home setting. That's entirely a me point though, surround me visually with all that song and glitter and you'll mesmerise me but on the small screen it doesn't have the same wow to it.
I had one thing that kept popping up in my head throughout the film, and that was how on earth do they not know that these other places exist when they're so close together? Especially as in the last film the Bergens meant they had to discover more around their village... which leads to the next thought of, if the Bergens love trolls so much then how haven't they discovered the others either... but this could be a slippery slope.
If you ignore that continuity then the plot isn't bad, classic good versus evil with a logical reasoning behind the events. The only issue it that there are a lot of new characters and ideas to deal with. I still don't know some of the names from the original characters! Evidently it's Cooper and not "giraffe" as I kept having to put in my notes every time.
I love all the different styles of music that World Tour collects together but it does feel like there's a bias against the Classical trolls. I didn't sit and count all the trolls to get percentages but it feels like they aren't seen as much as the others at times. There's a good mix on genres with the new trolls and I particularly liked the bounty hunters, it was a funny addition to the lineup.
The acting and the script is pretty much what you'd expect but I don't think it has the same spark as the first film. There are tangents that seem unnecessary and fleeting moments that had potential but were glitter glued over almost as soon as they presented themselves. Even though it felt like it missed some good opportunities and didn't shine as bright as the first, I know that kids will still love this one.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/06/trolls-world-tour-movie-review.html
Life in the village is going great, but when a bat flies in with a message for Queen Poppy the tune changes. Poppy's eternal enthusiasm means she doesn't want to see the potential danger that's on its way... because evidently she learned nothing in the last movie... When Barb from the Hard Rock trolls starts conquering all the other villages it's down to a few determined trolls to come to the rescue.
The first thing that struck me was that this would have been so much better on the big screen, the impact of all the explosive glitter and sparkle is lost in the home setting. That's entirely a me point though, surround me visually with all that song and glitter and you'll mesmerise me but on the small screen it doesn't have the same wow to it.
I had one thing that kept popping up in my head throughout the film, and that was how on earth do they not know that these other places exist when they're so close together? Especially as in the last film the Bergens meant they had to discover more around their village... which leads to the next thought of, if the Bergens love trolls so much then how haven't they discovered the others either... but this could be a slippery slope.
If you ignore that continuity then the plot isn't bad, classic good versus evil with a logical reasoning behind the events. The only issue it that there are a lot of new characters and ideas to deal with. I still don't know some of the names from the original characters! Evidently it's Cooper and not "giraffe" as I kept having to put in my notes every time.
I love all the different styles of music that World Tour collects together but it does feel like there's a bias against the Classical trolls. I didn't sit and count all the trolls to get percentages but it feels like they aren't seen as much as the others at times. There's a good mix on genres with the new trolls and I particularly liked the bounty hunters, it was a funny addition to the lineup.
The acting and the script is pretty much what you'd expect but I don't think it has the same spark as the first film. There are tangents that seem unnecessary and fleeting moments that had potential but were glitter glued over almost as soon as they presented themselves. Even though it felt like it missed some good opportunities and didn't shine as bright as the first, I know that kids will still love this one.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/06/trolls-world-tour-movie-review.html
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Ignite (Midnight Fire, #1) in Books
Oct 2, 2020
Kira Dawson has the power to burn vampires to a crisp. The problem is, she doesn't know it yet. The even bigger problem is, she's dating one.
When Kira Dawson moves to South Carolina, she meets Luke, a blond goofball who quickly becomes her best friend, and Tristan, a mysterious bad boy who sends shivers down her spine. Kira knows they're keeping secrets, but when she discovers Tristan's lust for blood and her own dormant mystical powers, Kira is forced to fight for her life and make the heart-breaking decision between the familiar comfort of friendship and the fiery passion of love.
Ignite was another book from Tea's Wishlist challenge. I did enjoy this book, even though I found it slow at first. We have a familiar setting of a girl that moves to a new place, makes friends and enemies right away, and discovers secrets. And, it turns out the boy she loves is a vampire.
The first though I have in the first chapters, and I believe you did too, was - Twilight much? But, no. Once you get to read further into the book, you realise that Kira is nothing like Bella. And Tristan is nothing like Edward either...
This book is so different, and somewhat refreshing from all vampire books I have read so far. It isn't even a book about vampires. It's a book about this girl that can mirror the sun's light and heat from her hands, and is able to hurt only vampires. With her friend, Luke, Kira will discover that she has this ability, and so much more, she will discover secrets about her past that will change her life forever, and she will have to choose between her best friend or the love of her life.
I thought that this book might have used more action, as I felt a bit bored, especially at the beginning, and sometimes during some parts of the book.
I loved Kira's character - she is the typical girl that moves and tries her best to fit in.
I loved Tristan - he proves that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, and sometimes people aren't what everyone thinks they are, and your environment doesn't define you as a person.
I didn't like Luke - I know he was there with a mission to tell Kira her secrets and protect her - but what friend would make you feel guilty about every single choice you have to make in your life. He is like, the very attached and overprotective boyfriend, that isn't her boyfriend.
Overall, it was a great refreshing read, and I look forward to reading the rest of the series. If you love vampire high-school stories, women that discover they have powers, a lot of forbidden love and paranormal fantasy - you will really enjoy this book. Solid 4 stars from me!
When Kira Dawson moves to South Carolina, she meets Luke, a blond goofball who quickly becomes her best friend, and Tristan, a mysterious bad boy who sends shivers down her spine. Kira knows they're keeping secrets, but when she discovers Tristan's lust for blood and her own dormant mystical powers, Kira is forced to fight for her life and make the heart-breaking decision between the familiar comfort of friendship and the fiery passion of love.
Ignite was another book from Tea's Wishlist challenge. I did enjoy this book, even though I found it slow at first. We have a familiar setting of a girl that moves to a new place, makes friends and enemies right away, and discovers secrets. And, it turns out the boy she loves is a vampire.
The first though I have in the first chapters, and I believe you did too, was - Twilight much? But, no. Once you get to read further into the book, you realise that Kira is nothing like Bella. And Tristan is nothing like Edward either...
This book is so different, and somewhat refreshing from all vampire books I have read so far. It isn't even a book about vampires. It's a book about this girl that can mirror the sun's light and heat from her hands, and is able to hurt only vampires. With her friend, Luke, Kira will discover that she has this ability, and so much more, she will discover secrets about her past that will change her life forever, and she will have to choose between her best friend or the love of her life.
I thought that this book might have used more action, as I felt a bit bored, especially at the beginning, and sometimes during some parts of the book.
I loved Kira's character - she is the typical girl that moves and tries her best to fit in.
I loved Tristan - he proves that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, and sometimes people aren't what everyone thinks they are, and your environment doesn't define you as a person.
I didn't like Luke - I know he was there with a mission to tell Kira her secrets and protect her - but what friend would make you feel guilty about every single choice you have to make in your life. He is like, the very attached and overprotective boyfriend, that isn't her boyfriend.
Overall, it was a great refreshing read, and I look forward to reading the rest of the series. If you love vampire high-school stories, women that discover they have powers, a lot of forbidden love and paranormal fantasy - you will really enjoy this book. Solid 4 stars from me!
KittyMiku (138 KP) rated Her Last Goodbye in Books
May 23, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
As with any mystery, it is amazing to have that suspense with a tad bit of danger. After all, the excitement is in the wondering who did what and what may have caused an event to happen. However, Her Last Goodbye is more than just that. It allows the reader to see into some of the worries and dangers it is to be a parent, how romance can lead to vulnerable states of mind (which we all know can lead to some acts of intimacy), as well as how some people have some complicated views on how a relationship should work. It was even more shocking and terrifyingly real than the first book in the Morgan Dane series. I found myself ridden with anxiety, fear, and concern through out the book. Having so many difficult situations to have to sort through and ideas, I found this book hard to put down, even when it got too intense to keep reading at the moment.
First of all, Morgan having three children is always nice to see. With her concern about her children's livelihood always about her, it wasn't hard for her to connect with the missing woman, Chelsea, who was a mother of 2 small children, and how she wasn't likely to leave her children that she adored so much. It was, however, rough for her to try to come up with clues and facts to prove that the woman just didn't run away from her family. To see Morgan struggle through that idea and then to end up having her own children threatened on multiple occasions by a variety of men, only made things worse. I found those parts exceptionally hard to read. Having a child myself, I don't think I would have been as rational or as brave as she was. Just the thought of the things she went through and the ideas of a mother just abandoning her children, has me shaken. Even though, as stated in the book, mothers sometimes do strange things like that, it still isn't easy to process or understand. Then to watch a mother go into Mama Bear mode to protect her own, kept my own mind whirling. I like to think I would do anything to protect my daughter, but my own problem with conflict would have been enough to make sure I got out of whatever situation that would put me in that rough spot. It had fuel Morgan even more though. She pushed harder to find and get rid of the person behind her own children's danger. This only makes her even more loveable. It is actually inspiring to have such a strong woman character, who would do anything to protect her loved ones. I can't help but feel more drawn to her in this book, and I feel that my admiration and love for her will grow in the future. Even so, I still found a lot of other disturbing things within the story.
We all know that there are people out there who believe women should be completely submissive to men, but it was still really hard to read and stomach a character who had this belief. To kidnap, condition, and even train another person seems extremely harsh, yet a they existed. I found it harder to read how they would torture another human being to break their mind and their spirit, just to train a woman to think and be something they weren't. Especially when said person was supposedly in love with their prey. I did find it inspiring on how, even being tortured, a woman can overcome it and try to escape and get back to her family. In fact, the thought of her family propelled her and kept her trying to get back home. It really made me happy to see that family was her motivation. Though, it was rough to get through, it made me wonder how many women could go through what she had and still find the courage and strength to keep trying to figure out a way to escape and get home. Even though, it was clear she was traumatized, it was clear she was more concerned with getting home to her children than how she could be caught and tortured and punished for trying. I found this to be a pleasant idea to have about someone who was captured. After all, wouldn't you end up within just a few days of being hurt over and over, give up and just conform to whoever was trying to condition you was ways? I probably would have. But this woman character definitely shed some light how nothing else mattered where your family is concern.
I found how strong feelings for someone and their family can really change how you view things to be a nice delight. I hadn't expected Lance to end up falling for Morgan's children the way he did to happen. It had been hinted that he loved and wanted a relationship with Morgan, but to see him fall in love with her girls and want to protect them as much as Morgan did, was really a pleasant sight. I know there are men out there like that, but its still rare and to see how his love for Morgan ends up extending to her children was just the right about of sentiment and love the book need to keeps things from going overboard. I enjoyed how he tried his best to make sure her girls were safe and even let them into his house to keep them protected, to be exhilarating and touching. It is always nice to have some wholesome love and concern to help break up some of the tension in a storyline and Leigh's way of adding this to Lance's character was a nice call. It helped keep the danger presented while showing a parental side to Lance and offering up how your friends and potential lover's can easily adore your children as much as you do.
Overall, I would rate Melinda Leigh's Her Last Goodbye 5 stars out of 5 stars for how well written and emotional filled the book was. It could stand alone as it gives refreshers on what happened in the last book, as well as had its own storyline. Though, the character developments increased and they continued to grow through out the story, the reader wouldn't feel like they missed a whole lot by reading this book first. I have to say that has to be something that is delightful. After all, wouldn't is just bite if you had to read the first book to even think about picking up the second. Sometimes you don't always realize what you are grabbing and having a series that has books that could stand alone if they needed to, makes it so much easier to start by whatever book you happen to pick up first. I definitely recommend this book to all our thrill seekers. Its not for the faint of heart, but is still extremely excellent to read.
First of all, Morgan having three children is always nice to see. With her concern about her children's livelihood always about her, it wasn't hard for her to connect with the missing woman, Chelsea, who was a mother of 2 small children, and how she wasn't likely to leave her children that she adored so much. It was, however, rough for her to try to come up with clues and facts to prove that the woman just didn't run away from her family. To see Morgan struggle through that idea and then to end up having her own children threatened on multiple occasions by a variety of men, only made things worse. I found those parts exceptionally hard to read. Having a child myself, I don't think I would have been as rational or as brave as she was. Just the thought of the things she went through and the ideas of a mother just abandoning her children, has me shaken. Even though, as stated in the book, mothers sometimes do strange things like that, it still isn't easy to process or understand. Then to watch a mother go into Mama Bear mode to protect her own, kept my own mind whirling. I like to think I would do anything to protect my daughter, but my own problem with conflict would have been enough to make sure I got out of whatever situation that would put me in that rough spot. It had fuel Morgan even more though. She pushed harder to find and get rid of the person behind her own children's danger. This only makes her even more loveable. It is actually inspiring to have such a strong woman character, who would do anything to protect her loved ones. I can't help but feel more drawn to her in this book, and I feel that my admiration and love for her will grow in the future. Even so, I still found a lot of other disturbing things within the story.
We all know that there are people out there who believe women should be completely submissive to men, but it was still really hard to read and stomach a character who had this belief. To kidnap, condition, and even train another person seems extremely harsh, yet a they existed. I found it harder to read how they would torture another human being to break their mind and their spirit, just to train a woman to think and be something they weren't. Especially when said person was supposedly in love with their prey. I did find it inspiring on how, even being tortured, a woman can overcome it and try to escape and get back to her family. In fact, the thought of her family propelled her and kept her trying to get back home. It really made me happy to see that family was her motivation. Though, it was rough to get through, it made me wonder how many women could go through what she had and still find the courage and strength to keep trying to figure out a way to escape and get home. Even though, it was clear she was traumatized, it was clear she was more concerned with getting home to her children than how she could be caught and tortured and punished for trying. I found this to be a pleasant idea to have about someone who was captured. After all, wouldn't you end up within just a few days of being hurt over and over, give up and just conform to whoever was trying to condition you was ways? I probably would have. But this woman character definitely shed some light how nothing else mattered where your family is concern.
I found how strong feelings for someone and their family can really change how you view things to be a nice delight. I hadn't expected Lance to end up falling for Morgan's children the way he did to happen. It had been hinted that he loved and wanted a relationship with Morgan, but to see him fall in love with her girls and want to protect them as much as Morgan did, was really a pleasant sight. I know there are men out there like that, but its still rare and to see how his love for Morgan ends up extending to her children was just the right about of sentiment and love the book need to keeps things from going overboard. I enjoyed how he tried his best to make sure her girls were safe and even let them into his house to keep them protected, to be exhilarating and touching. It is always nice to have some wholesome love and concern to help break up some of the tension in a storyline and Leigh's way of adding this to Lance's character was a nice call. It helped keep the danger presented while showing a parental side to Lance and offering up how your friends and potential lover's can easily adore your children as much as you do.
Overall, I would rate Melinda Leigh's Her Last Goodbye 5 stars out of 5 stars for how well written and emotional filled the book was. It could stand alone as it gives refreshers on what happened in the last book, as well as had its own storyline. Though, the character developments increased and they continued to grow through out the story, the reader wouldn't feel like they missed a whole lot by reading this book first. I have to say that has to be something that is delightful. After all, wouldn't is just bite if you had to read the first book to even think about picking up the second. Sometimes you don't always realize what you are grabbing and having a series that has books that could stand alone if they needed to, makes it so much easier to start by whatever book you happen to pick up first. I definitely recommend this book to all our thrill seekers. Its not for the faint of heart, but is still extremely excellent to read.
Rachel King (13 KP) rated On the Prowl (Alpha & Omega, #0.5) in Books
Feb 11, 2019
The first story, Alpha and Omega by Patricia Briggs, is an off-shoot of her Mercy Thompson series. This story focuses on a much-abused female werewolf in Chicago, Anna. The Merrick's son, Charles, comes to end the abuse and inadvertedly rescues her when he discovers that she is a rare Omega werewolf. Despite the short length of the story, Briggs still writes an exceptional story with unique characters and an intriguing plot. I look forward to reading the next full-length book in this new series, Cry Wolf (Alpha and Omega, Book 1).
The second story, Inhuman by Eileen Wilks, takes place in the middle of her Lupi series, but focuses on a woman, Kai, who can see thoughts. She has a secret relationship with her neighbor Nathan, who is not human, and this developments into some interesting events when he strives to protect her from a killer. Though this story ended with a "to be continued," I am intrigued enough that I want the next book, Night Season (The World of the Lupi, Book 4).
The third story, Buying Trouble by Karen Chance, features a minor character in the Dorina Basarab series, Claire. Claire believes she is a "null," a person that nullifies magic within a certain radius. When she discovers that she is to be sold like a slave, a very sexy Lord of the Fey decides to rescue her. The chemistry between Claire and him is far beyond magnetic and has some very interesting consequences for Claire. I was a bit disappointed that Claire does not get any full-length novels, as her story has great potential.
The final story, Mona Lisa Betwining by Sunny, is heavy in erotic material and light on plot. The story takes someplace in the middle of the Monere series and resembles Anne Bishop's Black Jewels series in many ways. Though Bishop's writing is superior, there is some uniqueness to this series, such as the use of moon imagery. I may check out the first novel, Mona Lisa Awakening (Monere: Children of the Moon, Book 1).
I like reading anthologies not only to get some extra morsels from my favorite authors, but also to be introduced to new authors without having to commit to an entire full-length novel. While Briggs story was certainly the best of the bunch, the other stories were good reads, and I was glad to be introduced to their styles and stories.
The second story, Inhuman by Eileen Wilks, takes place in the middle of her Lupi series, but focuses on a woman, Kai, who can see thoughts. She has a secret relationship with her neighbor Nathan, who is not human, and this developments into some interesting events when he strives to protect her from a killer. Though this story ended with a "to be continued," I am intrigued enough that I want the next book, Night Season (The World of the Lupi, Book 4).
The third story, Buying Trouble by Karen Chance, features a minor character in the Dorina Basarab series, Claire. Claire believes she is a "null," a person that nullifies magic within a certain radius. When she discovers that she is to be sold like a slave, a very sexy Lord of the Fey decides to rescue her. The chemistry between Claire and him is far beyond magnetic and has some very interesting consequences for Claire. I was a bit disappointed that Claire does not get any full-length novels, as her story has great potential.
The final story, Mona Lisa Betwining by Sunny, is heavy in erotic material and light on plot. The story takes someplace in the middle of the Monere series and resembles Anne Bishop's Black Jewels series in many ways. Though Bishop's writing is superior, there is some uniqueness to this series, such as the use of moon imagery. I may check out the first novel, Mona Lisa Awakening (Monere: Children of the Moon, Book 1).
I like reading anthologies not only to get some extra morsels from my favorite authors, but also to be introduced to new authors without having to commit to an entire full-length novel. While Briggs story was certainly the best of the bunch, the other stories were good reads, and I was glad to be introduced to their styles and stories.
Contains spoilers, click to show
Celestine is Flawed to the very backbone, according to The Guild. She went against society and assisted a Flawed man – going against every value a Perfect citizen should hold. She was branded as flawed, not just the maximum of five times, but a sixth. Now, she finds herself on the run from The Guild and their Whistleblowers, an attempt at freedom that a Flawed citizen should never have.
Perfect is the second and final book in Cecelia Ahern’s Flawed series.
I read Flawed, the first book, a couple of years ago now. It’s the first book I had ever read by Cecelia Ahern, and it’s what made her writing stand out to me. However, for whatever reason (I can’t remember now) I’d put off buying Perfect. And when I did finally buy it, it sat on my bookshelf for ages. That was until the other weekend when I finally made the decision to read it.
I forgot how immersive the world Ahern created was. I was straight into the book as it jumped straight into action, and found it really easy to remember everything that had happened in the previous book.
Perfect is a fast paced novel, that never really slows down for a second. I found myself finishing it in just a couple of days, and really couldn’t put it down. It was addictive and kept me wanting to know what happened next.
I love Celestine as a character. The fact that she points out that she’s Flawed, but likes that part of herself because it makes her real is one of my favourite ideas of the whole book.
Celestine is strong and confident, and doesn’t need to have anyone by her side to help her get her way. She’s the perfect independent protagonist and I love her for that.
The focus on an over-controlling society where if you do the slightest thing wrong, you’re branded for life was really interesting. It makes you question whether a person can really be fully bad, and whether a person’s past is really different to who they are in the present day.
It’s definitely a thrilling book with some of the best characters you’ll find in YA. I would usually comment about how I’m not really into YA or Dystopia, but I’m not because I’m now definitely a convert and really enjoying the genre.
Perfect is the second and final book in Cecelia Ahern’s Flawed series.
I read Flawed, the first book, a couple of years ago now. It’s the first book I had ever read by Cecelia Ahern, and it’s what made her writing stand out to me. However, for whatever reason (I can’t remember now) I’d put off buying Perfect. And when I did finally buy it, it sat on my bookshelf for ages. That was until the other weekend when I finally made the decision to read it.
I forgot how immersive the world Ahern created was. I was straight into the book as it jumped straight into action, and found it really easy to remember everything that had happened in the previous book.
Perfect is a fast paced novel, that never really slows down for a second. I found myself finishing it in just a couple of days, and really couldn’t put it down. It was addictive and kept me wanting to know what happened next.
I love Celestine as a character. The fact that she points out that she’s Flawed, but likes that part of herself because it makes her real is one of my favourite ideas of the whole book.
Celestine is strong and confident, and doesn’t need to have anyone by her side to help her get her way. She’s the perfect independent protagonist and I love her for that.
The focus on an over-controlling society where if you do the slightest thing wrong, you’re branded for life was really interesting. It makes you question whether a person can really be fully bad, and whether a person’s past is really different to who they are in the present day.
It’s definitely a thrilling book with some of the best characters you’ll find in YA. I would usually comment about how I’m not really into YA or Dystopia, but I’m not because I’m now definitely a convert and really enjoying the genre.
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated The Secret Life of Pets 2 (2019) in Movies
May 24, 2019
Put it down
#secretlifeofpets2 like its predecessor offers nothing new to the #animated film genre in a film thats not only overlong (even at just an hour & a half) but extremely souless too. I hated the #original #secretlifeofpets & im actually a big fan of cgi animated movies too so when we decided to go see this with my nephews i wasnt to excited but i figured it might be an improvement on the first, boy was i wrong. First of all my nephews absolutely #loved this film laughing, sitting on the edge of their seats, talking about the characters & feeling #anxious during the action so while my review is a negative one younger kids will dig its #furry characters, loud action & vibrant colour pallet for sure. Heres why i hated it - i find the pets themselves so visually ugly & lazily designed that it offends my eyes looking at them (seriously some of them or hideous). Dialog is so atrocious & basic you could practically guess what flat one liner would be delivered predictably by almost every one. Story for about an hour felt non existent & i questioned myself on whether id missed a part that told us about the end goal or the #journey the film was taking us on. It was like we had just watched a bunch of 10 minute short films all cut together to make a feature length movie with no payoff. Once the film does finally reach the end we do get an in site into what the film was overall trying to say (#parents arnt alone in bringing up kids, theres always other things that aid in the up bringing & although the world is a #dangerous place #failure & getting #hurt is all part of #learning & growing as a person process) but it just seems it got side tracked along the way. Animation is nice & theres some good looking scenes no doubt but its standard stuff. #Soundtrack wise its quite fun & keeps the films pace lively. Pact full of stereotyping, stolen set pieces from the likes of #toystory, storylines that are all over the place & #jokes that fall flat its hard film for #adults to sit through as it offers nothing as a reward. Your kids might #love it but you might not be able to stay #awake to even notice. #pets #dog #cat #illumination #minions #kids #children #kevinheart #pet #silly #funny
ArecRain (8 KP) rated Servant: The Awakening (Servant, #1) in Books
Jan 18, 2018
I had to force myself past the first few pages due to their confusing descriptions and use of wording. Once I passed those, however, the novel went by fairly quickly.
First off, I would like to say that you can tell Fantasy/Sci-fi are not Ms. Foster's usual territory. It seemed that she was so focused on developing the romance part of the novel that she completely forgot that there was suppose to be plot development, too. She did bother to come up with a plot but it was neither creative nor original. A doctor abusing patients for their own purposes? A female heroine with special powers trying to stop an evil while a man who is her exact opposite is somehow attracted to her and demands that she do as he says to keep her safe? Nope, not original at all.
I was also annoyed by the complete lack of character history. I felt that Ms. Foster purposely made Gaby an abused victim to foster home with a lack of education. It worked out for Foster seeing as that Gaby as an educational unintelligent person who lack major social skill fit into the story rather well. I just wished that Foster had come up with a better background than that. It just seemed to like a lazy way out. Not to mention that she barely mention's Mort's history, and Luther's is just non-existent.
All in all, the story didn't seem original or well developed but I couldn't stop myself from reading it. I admit it's not a great novel, or even good for that matter. I still must also admit that I liked it and couldn't put it down. I bought the book for the paranormal aspect but ended up reading it for the romance. I just had to see if Luther and Gaby hooked up. However, Gaby's personality and mouth made it hard. I understand that they way she talked and acted was part of the character that was Gabrielle Cody, yet all her foul language and agreeableness made the novel unpleasant to read. I am not offending by cursing, but Gaby's was excessive to the point of annoying. Growing up where I have, it was unbelievable, however.
An interesting book if not taken seriously.
First off, I would like to say that you can tell Fantasy/Sci-fi are not Ms. Foster's usual territory. It seemed that she was so focused on developing the romance part of the novel that she completely forgot that there was suppose to be plot development, too. She did bother to come up with a plot but it was neither creative nor original. A doctor abusing patients for their own purposes? A female heroine with special powers trying to stop an evil while a man who is her exact opposite is somehow attracted to her and demands that she do as he says to keep her safe? Nope, not original at all.
I was also annoyed by the complete lack of character history. I felt that Ms. Foster purposely made Gaby an abused victim to foster home with a lack of education. It worked out for Foster seeing as that Gaby as an educational unintelligent person who lack major social skill fit into the story rather well. I just wished that Foster had come up with a better background than that. It just seemed to like a lazy way out. Not to mention that she barely mention's Mort's history, and Luther's is just non-existent.
All in all, the story didn't seem original or well developed but I couldn't stop myself from reading it. I admit it's not a great novel, or even good for that matter. I still must also admit that I liked it and couldn't put it down. I bought the book for the paranormal aspect but ended up reading it for the romance. I just had to see if Luther and Gaby hooked up. However, Gaby's personality and mouth made it hard. I understand that they way she talked and acted was part of the character that was Gabrielle Cody, yet all her foul language and agreeableness made the novel unpleasant to read. I am not offending by cursing, but Gaby's was excessive to the point of annoying. Growing up where I have, it was unbelievable, however.
An interesting book if not taken seriously.
Dana (24 KP) rated Dreams of Gods and Monsters (Daughter of Smoke and Bone, #3) in Books
Mar 23, 2018
I really enjoyed this series when I started it back when it first came out. Unfortunately for me, being the weird person I am, I decided to wait TWO YEARS after this book came out to actually read it, even though I had bought it when it came out. (Seriously, we are talking not very smart right here.) Because of that, it was kinda hard to get back in the series. I didn't remember a lot of stuff until it was remembered by the characters themselves. When a couple of new characters were introduced, I thought I was already supposed to know them. It was a mess.
Speaking of the characters, I love the little commentaries they have when it is in their point of view. Zuzana and Karou are so sassy all of the time and I just love it. I was also happy that all of my ships were still afloat by the end of the book and I even got some new ones!! (Liziri, am I right?) I am just happy that the characters got to be happy.
For me, maybe because it had been so long since I had read the other books, the story line got very confusing at points. A lot was going on at once and was sometimes hard to follow. I didn't know what was going on at all for the first few chapters, but it started to get cleared up a bit as I went along.
In my opinion, too much happened too late in this book. A whole new conflict started/was revealed with about seventy pages left and was never really resolved which I thought was odd. It was a really cool plot line that could have gone onto another book, but the series is over, so I honestly don't know what to think about that.
Overall, despite my complaining, I really did enjoy this book and the series as a whole. It had a very interesting concept throughout and the characters and their stories were very compelling, which is something I absolutely love about the series. I just think I would have enjoyed it more if I had either reread the previous two books or read this one when it came out.
I would definitely recommend this series to people who want to read something different, because this is certainly that!!
Speaking of the characters, I love the little commentaries they have when it is in their point of view. Zuzana and Karou are so sassy all of the time and I just love it. I was also happy that all of my ships were still afloat by the end of the book and I even got some new ones!! (Liziri, am I right?) I am just happy that the characters got to be happy.
For me, maybe because it had been so long since I had read the other books, the story line got very confusing at points. A lot was going on at once and was sometimes hard to follow. I didn't know what was going on at all for the first few chapters, but it started to get cleared up a bit as I went along.
In my opinion, too much happened too late in this book. A whole new conflict started/was revealed with about seventy pages left and was never really resolved which I thought was odd. It was a really cool plot line that could have gone onto another book, but the series is over, so I honestly don't know what to think about that.
Overall, despite my complaining, I really did enjoy this book and the series as a whole. It had a very interesting concept throughout and the characters and their stories were very compelling, which is something I absolutely love about the series. I just think I would have enjoyed it more if I had either reread the previous two books or read this one when it came out.
I would definitely recommend this series to people who want to read something different, because this is certainly that!!
Debbiereadsbook (1171 KP) rated Finally Letting Go (Infinity #2) in Books
Mar 12, 2018
much MUCH better read than book one!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book two in the Infinity series. I would recommend that you read book one, Worth The Risk, if only to know just how Brandon wrecked Tyler 3 years ago. Not totally necessary, though.
Brandon is so far in the closet, he doesn't even know WHERE he is anymore! Facing up to his father, and NOT going to law school, Brandon now comes face to face with Tyler, and he has to own up to what he did. And he does. Tyler's best friend, Simon, though, won't let Brandon get away with it. But Simon's reaction to meeting Brandon properly again for the first time is MASSIVE and INSTANT, and oh so unexpected. Simon won't, though, be anyone dirty little secret. Brandon has to own up WHO he is before Simon will go down that road.
And my gosh! What a great read! I love characters who, for one reason or another cannot own up to who they really are, who they really want, and Brandon, bless his heart, he fights. He FIGHTS so darn HARD, but Simon will not let up!
And let me tell ya, once Brandon admits to HIMSELF who he is and WHO he wants, that man is all in! And it is spectacular watching both these men fall and fall hard for each other. It is, really, quite beautiful watching these two, it really is.
And I did NOT see that coming at me, no ma'am I did not expect that!! Way to go Brandon!
I said in my review for Worth The Risk that there was some repetition of a couple of phases, and I was worried here, but there was none of that!
I loved that Tyler and Jax play a huge part here, and that Ben, the owner of Infinity plays a part, and his book is laid out, sorta. There is a little bit of a preview for Ben's book, Breaking The Rules, and his book is told in the first person. Now those who follow my reviews will know that's not a great favourite of mine, but because I KNOW this now, it won't be a problem. Can't wait to read it!
A much MUCH better read than book one so...
5 full stars.
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is book two in the Infinity series. I would recommend that you read book one, Worth The Risk, if only to know just how Brandon wrecked Tyler 3 years ago. Not totally necessary, though.
Brandon is so far in the closet, he doesn't even know WHERE he is anymore! Facing up to his father, and NOT going to law school, Brandon now comes face to face with Tyler, and he has to own up to what he did. And he does. Tyler's best friend, Simon, though, won't let Brandon get away with it. But Simon's reaction to meeting Brandon properly again for the first time is MASSIVE and INSTANT, and oh so unexpected. Simon won't, though, be anyone dirty little secret. Brandon has to own up WHO he is before Simon will go down that road.
And my gosh! What a great read! I love characters who, for one reason or another cannot own up to who they really are, who they really want, and Brandon, bless his heart, he fights. He FIGHTS so darn HARD, but Simon will not let up!
And let me tell ya, once Brandon admits to HIMSELF who he is and WHO he wants, that man is all in! And it is spectacular watching both these men fall and fall hard for each other. It is, really, quite beautiful watching these two, it really is.
And I did NOT see that coming at me, no ma'am I did not expect that!! Way to go Brandon!
I said in my review for Worth The Risk that there was some repetition of a couple of phases, and I was worried here, but there was none of that!
I loved that Tyler and Jax play a huge part here, and that Ben, the owner of Infinity plays a part, and his book is laid out, sorta. There is a little bit of a preview for Ben's book, Breaking The Rules, and his book is told in the first person. Now those who follow my reviews will know that's not a great favourite of mine, but because I KNOW this now, it won't be a problem. Can't wait to read it!
A much MUCH better read than book one so...
5 full stars.
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**