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Becs (244 KP) rated How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord in TV
Jul 22, 2019
Catching and Action-Packed!
TRIGGER WARNINGS: memory loss, anger issues, agoraphobia, graphic injuries, fat-shaming, body-shaming, forced marriage, incest, manipulation, toxic relationship, mind control, misogynistic language, slavery, torture, violence, executions
I was generally worried at whether this show was going to be good or if it was going to be one of those trashy anime's that are just 'alright'. I randomly put it on as I had just finished my hundredth re-watch of Vampire Knight and was shocked. This was crafted into a rather enjoyable story that had an amazing cast of main characters. There was silliness, softcore (ecchi) content, action, and adventure.
Throughout the show, there are scenes that are deemed inappropriate and the first episode contains one of those "whoa there" scenes. I wouldn't recommend watching if you don't want somewhat sexual scenes littered throughout the show. Besides those moments, How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord is pretty fun and an enjoyable series that fits with the genre of the show.
How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord captures the whole overpowered main character but balances it with a main character that has limits to his power. There is also the whole sense of danger to those that are close to the main character. The story is told really well and wraps up nicely, leaving the ending open so that if more seasons do end up getting made it would work perfectly with continuing the story on. But if this was the end, then it ended on a good note.
You won't see much of the modern world in the show except for the very beginning. The setting is set in a parallel fantasy world (isekai) where the main character is instantly sucked into a world similar to the game that he was playing. There isn't much connection between the game world and the modern world, but it really isn't an issue as it happened early on in the show.
The show itself is about the main character, who plays an all-mighty powerful Demon Lord in a game in the modern world, but then gets physically summoned into this parallel fantasy world. The twist: the main character is actually stuck in the body of his character Diablo. The story follows a pretty typical plotline where the main character adapts to being in a new body, a new world, how he deals with his surroundings, and how he tackles the issues that arise.
The biggest plot point revolves around the two summoners: Rem and Shera. Each had their own reason for summoning Diablo and he even gets involved with those same issues, seeking to help them. It's insinuated incredibly well that these two young women are main characters alongside Diablo, but some issues arise. Like the slave collars that are around the women's necks should have been around Diablo's neck. The issues that these young women have are as weighty as the salve collars. Slavery is apparently legal in this world, but Diablo doesn't abuse his power and actually allows the women to do as they please, even going as far as forming a bond with both of them.
Overall, I enjoyed watching the story unfold and seeing the producers establish the difference between the modern world and the game that Diablo was experiencing. And even seeing Diablo overpower so many of the opponents he encountered throughout the world. I was entertained throughout every episode and ended up binging this in an entire night!
Generally, when you have a show like this, the characters have to carry a ton to really make the show good. In How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord, they do an exceptional job at portraying that. Diablo is a pretty solid main character, even being likable! The problem with action-packed shows like this with an overly powerful main character is that the character isn't likable and that makes the show rather boring. With this show, you do not get that vibe one bit. Diablo actually works because he's a generally nice guy at heart, never resorting to using his powers right away or even stop caring about whether or not he kills someone. His strength is evenly matched with his lack of communication and his heavy social anxiety. I mean, you get inside his head quite often and he uses both his brains and brawn to help in a rough spot, instead of just randomly firing about as most power main characters do. This really adds to the appeal of Diablo.
The other two main characters, Rem and Shera are two girls with their own reasons for summoning a powerful demon to aid them. Both are entertaining and even have their own backstories that really add to the story. Rem's backstory is a bit more emotional compared to Shera's but the watcher is able to emphasize with both excruciatingly well. Especially when all three main characters develop a sturdy friendship and gain the trust of the others. Shera is the glue that holds both Rem and Diablo together when they start doubting themselves.
There are a wide variety of antagonists and side characters that don't get a ton of focus, but they do help push the main cast and story along. These antagonists have their own goals and that causes serious conflict with the goals Diablo, Rem, and Shera have/want to do. But then there are also the side characters that are actually on the side of the three mains and do play important roles in various points of the story.
The art and visual effects were well down and it wasn't the same graphic scenes and spells as most anime's do. For instance, Diablo doesn't just spam the same spell over and over (like I do when I'm playing a game because I'm a button smasher haha) instead, he uses different attacks and spells for each occasion. The show doesn't shower blood around like it's rain *cough cough Game of Thrones cough cough*, but it does a good enough job letting the watcher know when someone gets hurt/ dies.
My final thoughts:
Overall, this was a well-done show that held the action and made the characters very likable, without rushing the story. There is comedy, action, magic, and a bit of a push on the boundary with softcore (ecchi) content but you get a good sense from the main characters and story that it's defiantly worth checking out.
I was generally worried at whether this show was going to be good or if it was going to be one of those trashy anime's that are just 'alright'. I randomly put it on as I had just finished my hundredth re-watch of Vampire Knight and was shocked. This was crafted into a rather enjoyable story that had an amazing cast of main characters. There was silliness, softcore (ecchi) content, action, and adventure.
Throughout the show, there are scenes that are deemed inappropriate and the first episode contains one of those "whoa there" scenes. I wouldn't recommend watching if you don't want somewhat sexual scenes littered throughout the show. Besides those moments, How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord is pretty fun and an enjoyable series that fits with the genre of the show.
How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord captures the whole overpowered main character but balances it with a main character that has limits to his power. There is also the whole sense of danger to those that are close to the main character. The story is told really well and wraps up nicely, leaving the ending open so that if more seasons do end up getting made it would work perfectly with continuing the story on. But if this was the end, then it ended on a good note.
You won't see much of the modern world in the show except for the very beginning. The setting is set in a parallel fantasy world (isekai) where the main character is instantly sucked into a world similar to the game that he was playing. There isn't much connection between the game world and the modern world, but it really isn't an issue as it happened early on in the show.
The show itself is about the main character, who plays an all-mighty powerful Demon Lord in a game in the modern world, but then gets physically summoned into this parallel fantasy world. The twist: the main character is actually stuck in the body of his character Diablo. The story follows a pretty typical plotline where the main character adapts to being in a new body, a new world, how he deals with his surroundings, and how he tackles the issues that arise.
The biggest plot point revolves around the two summoners: Rem and Shera. Each had their own reason for summoning Diablo and he even gets involved with those same issues, seeking to help them. It's insinuated incredibly well that these two young women are main characters alongside Diablo, but some issues arise. Like the slave collars that are around the women's necks should have been around Diablo's neck. The issues that these young women have are as weighty as the salve collars. Slavery is apparently legal in this world, but Diablo doesn't abuse his power and actually allows the women to do as they please, even going as far as forming a bond with both of them.
Overall, I enjoyed watching the story unfold and seeing the producers establish the difference between the modern world and the game that Diablo was experiencing. And even seeing Diablo overpower so many of the opponents he encountered throughout the world. I was entertained throughout every episode and ended up binging this in an entire night!
Generally, when you have a show like this, the characters have to carry a ton to really make the show good. In How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord, they do an exceptional job at portraying that. Diablo is a pretty solid main character, even being likable! The problem with action-packed shows like this with an overly powerful main character is that the character isn't likable and that makes the show rather boring. With this show, you do not get that vibe one bit. Diablo actually works because he's a generally nice guy at heart, never resorting to using his powers right away or even stop caring about whether or not he kills someone. His strength is evenly matched with his lack of communication and his heavy social anxiety. I mean, you get inside his head quite often and he uses both his brains and brawn to help in a rough spot, instead of just randomly firing about as most power main characters do. This really adds to the appeal of Diablo.
The other two main characters, Rem and Shera are two girls with their own reasons for summoning a powerful demon to aid them. Both are entertaining and even have their own backstories that really add to the story. Rem's backstory is a bit more emotional compared to Shera's but the watcher is able to emphasize with both excruciatingly well. Especially when all three main characters develop a sturdy friendship and gain the trust of the others. Shera is the glue that holds both Rem and Diablo together when they start doubting themselves.
There are a wide variety of antagonists and side characters that don't get a ton of focus, but they do help push the main cast and story along. These antagonists have their own goals and that causes serious conflict with the goals Diablo, Rem, and Shera have/want to do. But then there are also the side characters that are actually on the side of the three mains and do play important roles in various points of the story.
The art and visual effects were well down and it wasn't the same graphic scenes and spells as most anime's do. For instance, Diablo doesn't just spam the same spell over and over (like I do when I'm playing a game because I'm a button smasher haha) instead, he uses different attacks and spells for each occasion. The show doesn't shower blood around like it's rain *cough cough Game of Thrones cough cough*, but it does a good enough job letting the watcher know when someone gets hurt/ dies.
My final thoughts:
Overall, this was a well-done show that held the action and made the characters very likable, without rushing the story. There is comedy, action, magic, and a bit of a push on the boundary with softcore (ecchi) content but you get a good sense from the main characters and story that it's defiantly worth checking out.
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Eternal Rider (Lords of Deliverance, #1, Demonica, #6) in Books
Feb 11, 2019
I loved that this book took a concept that I am very familiar with, the Four Horsemen from Revelation, and turned it on its head. For all of the repetitiveness of fantasy fiction using the same species over and over again - from mermaids to vampires - the horsemen are definitely new vehicles for enticing literature.
The background of the story is that all of the horsemen once lead human lives, but were cursed to become the horsemen after reacting very badly to the news that Lilith is their mother. Another interesting quirk on the common tale is that one of them is actually female, Limos. The four are destined to either fulfill the Biblical prophecy or the demonic equivalent - which none of them want to do. In addition, each of them have a unique method by which they fall into the demonic prophecy's designated role and must fight to keep said method from playing out.
Ares, whom the story says the Greek god of war is named for, is destined to become War should the being bearing his seal, or agimortus, dies. Thanks to Cara, a human, inadvertently crossing paths with a hellhound, she becomes the bearer of the agimortus. Luckily, she has a few tricks of her own to aid her in her new role. I liked Cara and the way she seemed to blossom despite her captivity and impending death, as well as how easily she could stand up to Ares. I would have liked a little more character development, as it did not feel like her character arc was complete.
Ares is also an interesting character. Even though he is drawn to wars and violence, with his very presence inciting violence and rage among humans, Cara is immune to this ability. Because of how her presence weakens him, Ares shows a vulnerability characteristic of the humanity he left behind thousands of years ago. Around Cara, he is simply a normal guy falling in love, and the way he attempts to "macho-up" to deal with it is positively adorable.
The violence in the book is both believable and quite gritty. Of course, the horsemen's supernatural abilities of strength and healing allow it to be especially intense and dramatic. The sexual scenes in the book are also quite graphic and detailed, without feeling cheesy or awkward.
The laws built into Ione's world of horsemen, angels, and demons is complex without being confusing. The reader is introduced to its structure piece by piece throughout the novel without being bombarded by the details, and all of the pieces fit together nicely. In addition, Ione even includes a glossary at the beginning of the book to help the reader become more accustomed to the world.
The other siblings are all unique and show lots of promise for future books in the series. Thanatos, destined to become Death, has a seductive air of mystery that had me wondering several times throughout the book if something would occur between him and Cara. The sister, Limos, destined to be Famine, also shows many interesting characteristics, such as a certain hidden madness that she struggles to keep leashed, and the chemistry she shares with Arik is palpable. Even though Reseph becomes Pestilence early in the book, I have a feeling he may prove to be the most interesting of the siblings under a theme of redemption. I only have to wait till December for Immortal Rider (Lords of Deliverance), which centers on Limos, to find out what happens next!
The background of the story is that all of the horsemen once lead human lives, but were cursed to become the horsemen after reacting very badly to the news that Lilith is their mother. Another interesting quirk on the common tale is that one of them is actually female, Limos. The four are destined to either fulfill the Biblical prophecy or the demonic equivalent - which none of them want to do. In addition, each of them have a unique method by which they fall into the demonic prophecy's designated role and must fight to keep said method from playing out.
Ares, whom the story says the Greek god of war is named for, is destined to become War should the being bearing his seal, or agimortus, dies. Thanks to Cara, a human, inadvertently crossing paths with a hellhound, she becomes the bearer of the agimortus. Luckily, she has a few tricks of her own to aid her in her new role. I liked Cara and the way she seemed to blossom despite her captivity and impending death, as well as how easily she could stand up to Ares. I would have liked a little more character development, as it did not feel like her character arc was complete.
Ares is also an interesting character. Even though he is drawn to wars and violence, with his very presence inciting violence and rage among humans, Cara is immune to this ability. Because of how her presence weakens him, Ares shows a vulnerability characteristic of the humanity he left behind thousands of years ago. Around Cara, he is simply a normal guy falling in love, and the way he attempts to "macho-up" to deal with it is positively adorable.
The violence in the book is both believable and quite gritty. Of course, the horsemen's supernatural abilities of strength and healing allow it to be especially intense and dramatic. The sexual scenes in the book are also quite graphic and detailed, without feeling cheesy or awkward.
The laws built into Ione's world of horsemen, angels, and demons is complex without being confusing. The reader is introduced to its structure piece by piece throughout the novel without being bombarded by the details, and all of the pieces fit together nicely. In addition, Ione even includes a glossary at the beginning of the book to help the reader become more accustomed to the world.
The other siblings are all unique and show lots of promise for future books in the series. Thanatos, destined to become Death, has a seductive air of mystery that had me wondering several times throughout the book if something would occur between him and Cara. The sister, Limos, destined to be Famine, also shows many interesting characteristics, such as a certain hidden madness that she struggles to keep leashed, and the chemistry she shares with Arik is palpable. Even though Reseph becomes Pestilence early in the book, I have a feeling he may prove to be the most interesting of the siblings under a theme of redemption. I only have to wait till December for Immortal Rider (Lords of Deliverance), which centers on Limos, to find out what happens next!
Lee (2222 KP) rated The Curse of La Llorona (2019) in Movies
Apr 21, 2019
I've said it before, The Conjuring is my all time favourite scary movie. However, since the success of that first movie, there have been a number of spin off movies, in an bid to build what's now known as the 'Conjuring Universe'. These movies have all varied in quality, ranging from the not too bad (Annabelle Creation) to the downright awful (The Nun). With a third Annabelle movie due out this year, not to mention another Conjuring sequel and other planned universe movies such as The Crooked Man, there's no sign of them stopping anytime soon.
Which brings us to The Curse of La Llorona, the latest entry to the universe and one which is based on Mexican folklore. La Llorona, also known as "The Weeping Woman", is the ghost of a woman who drowned her children and now cries while looking for them in the river. Nowadays, children are told to be well behaved and respectful of their elders, otherwise La Llorona will come and take them away.
This movie wasn't originally billed as being part of the Conjuring universe, and featured a pretty dull first trailer. However, a subsequent trailer featured a familiar face from the Annabelle movies in the form of Father Perez (Tony Amendola), and a link to the Conjuring universe was later confirmed, despite his presence in this movie being somewhat brief.
We're in Los Angeles, 1976. Anna (Linda Cardellini) is a widow with two young kids and working in social services. She still mourns the death of her police officer husband while trying to keep her family together and maintain her demanding job. That job involves dealing with some difficult cases involving children and one such case takes her to the Alvarez home. The mother appears to have lost her mind, while her children are locked in a cupboard that has strange markings on the door. As the title of the movie suggests, there is a curse at play and it's not long before that curse, and the horror that brings with it, is passed onto Anna and her children.
Like The Nun, La Llorona is essentially just a woman with scary face makeup who shrieks at people every so often and tries to make you jump. But thankfully, there's a little more to La Llorona than just that. Some slow, effective reveals provide some pretty decent chills and scares, making this a much more solid and enjoyable movie as she begins to terrorise the children before eventually invading their home and going full on evil.
After Father Perez brings us all up to speed on the backstory of La Llorona, and a flashback to 1763 gives us a visual and graphic representation, the family are referred to an ex priest who is better suited in helping them shake off the curse. He comes to their home in order to prepare for the arrival, and hopefully the removal of, La Llorona. It all feels very formulaic, similar to countless movies we've seen before, such as Poltergeist.
The Curse of La Llorona is pretty corny at times, attempting to inject humour which doesn't always seem to work. However, I did like it. It's certainly a huge step up from last year's disappointing Nun movie and featured enough intensity and scares in its short 93 minute runtime to make it enjoyable enough.
Which brings us to The Curse of La Llorona, the latest entry to the universe and one which is based on Mexican folklore. La Llorona, also known as "The Weeping Woman", is the ghost of a woman who drowned her children and now cries while looking for them in the river. Nowadays, children are told to be well behaved and respectful of their elders, otherwise La Llorona will come and take them away.
This movie wasn't originally billed as being part of the Conjuring universe, and featured a pretty dull first trailer. However, a subsequent trailer featured a familiar face from the Annabelle movies in the form of Father Perez (Tony Amendola), and a link to the Conjuring universe was later confirmed, despite his presence in this movie being somewhat brief.
We're in Los Angeles, 1976. Anna (Linda Cardellini) is a widow with two young kids and working in social services. She still mourns the death of her police officer husband while trying to keep her family together and maintain her demanding job. That job involves dealing with some difficult cases involving children and one such case takes her to the Alvarez home. The mother appears to have lost her mind, while her children are locked in a cupboard that has strange markings on the door. As the title of the movie suggests, there is a curse at play and it's not long before that curse, and the horror that brings with it, is passed onto Anna and her children.
Like The Nun, La Llorona is essentially just a woman with scary face makeup who shrieks at people every so often and tries to make you jump. But thankfully, there's a little more to La Llorona than just that. Some slow, effective reveals provide some pretty decent chills and scares, making this a much more solid and enjoyable movie as she begins to terrorise the children before eventually invading their home and going full on evil.
After Father Perez brings us all up to speed on the backstory of La Llorona, and a flashback to 1763 gives us a visual and graphic representation, the family are referred to an ex priest who is better suited in helping them shake off the curse. He comes to their home in order to prepare for the arrival, and hopefully the removal of, La Llorona. It all feels very formulaic, similar to countless movies we've seen before, such as Poltergeist.
The Curse of La Llorona is pretty corny at times, attempting to inject humour which doesn't always seem to work. However, I did like it. It's certainly a huge step up from last year's disappointing Nun movie and featured enough intensity and scares in its short 93 minute runtime to make it enjoyable enough.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The First Mistake in Books
Apr 27, 2019
Predictable but Good
I love a good thriller, so I was very excited to read The First Mistake by Sandie Jones. The synopsis just sucked me in. I was so happy that this book didn't disappoint.
The plot sucked me in right away. I found myself immersed in the world that Sandie Jones had created for her characters. Alice is still grieving over her husband Tom who died years ago. However, she's now married to Nathan and has a daughter with him. Alice soon suspects that Nathan is having an affair. When Alice tries to find out if Nathan is cheating, that's when she begins to realize that no one is who they seem. I will say that while I did find the plot interesting enough, I also found it predictable. Early on, I had predicted the plot twists for this book including the major plot twist. That didn't me enjoy it any less. I kept reading to make sure I was correct in my predictions. What really irked me the most was the ending of The First Mistake. It just seemed really rushed. The truth came out, and then it was all over within a page. I don't want to go into too much detail due to spoilers, but I just felt as if the author couldn't be bothered to write anymore, so she took the easy way out. I would have liked to know what happened to everyone in a few months time instead of the book ending so suddenly.
I thought all of the characters were well written in The First Mistake. Alice was a likable character, and I found myself angry when it seemed like Nathan may have been cheating on her. However, I felt like she was cheating on Nathan in a sense as she was still grieving her dead husband almost 10 years later. Beth was an interesting character, and I enjoyed her backstory. However, I felt like she wasn't around enough in the actual present day story. We learn about her past, but we don't see her and Alice interact too much even though they are best friends. Although I had Nathan figured out, I felt he was fleshed out very well, and I loved how convincing and charming he was towards his wife and how great he was at calming her fears about him having an affair even when all the evidence that he was cheating was there. Olivia was my favorite character. She's Nathan's and Alice's daughter. I just thought she was the cutest little girl!
The pacing was done very well, and the only place I felt like it faltered was during Beth's backstory. I just felt there was too much information that was irrelevant when learning about Beth's past. Apart from that, I felt like the pacing stayed consistent throughout.
Trigger warnings for The First Mistake include sexual situations (though not graphic), drinking alcohol, profanity, violence, and death.
All in all, The First Mistake is an interesting read. Although I found it predictable, and I hated the ending, I still enjoyed this book very much. I would recommend The First Mistake by Sandie Jones to everyone aged 17+ who enjoy a good thriller. This one does not disappoint.
--
(A special thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC paperback of The First Mistake by Sandie Jones in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
The plot sucked me in right away. I found myself immersed in the world that Sandie Jones had created for her characters. Alice is still grieving over her husband Tom who died years ago. However, she's now married to Nathan and has a daughter with him. Alice soon suspects that Nathan is having an affair. When Alice tries to find out if Nathan is cheating, that's when she begins to realize that no one is who they seem. I will say that while I did find the plot interesting enough, I also found it predictable. Early on, I had predicted the plot twists for this book including the major plot twist. That didn't me enjoy it any less. I kept reading to make sure I was correct in my predictions. What really irked me the most was the ending of The First Mistake. It just seemed really rushed. The truth came out, and then it was all over within a page. I don't want to go into too much detail due to spoilers, but I just felt as if the author couldn't be bothered to write anymore, so she took the easy way out. I would have liked to know what happened to everyone in a few months time instead of the book ending so suddenly.
I thought all of the characters were well written in The First Mistake. Alice was a likable character, and I found myself angry when it seemed like Nathan may have been cheating on her. However, I felt like she was cheating on Nathan in a sense as she was still grieving her dead husband almost 10 years later. Beth was an interesting character, and I enjoyed her backstory. However, I felt like she wasn't around enough in the actual present day story. We learn about her past, but we don't see her and Alice interact too much even though they are best friends. Although I had Nathan figured out, I felt he was fleshed out very well, and I loved how convincing and charming he was towards his wife and how great he was at calming her fears about him having an affair even when all the evidence that he was cheating was there. Olivia was my favorite character. She's Nathan's and Alice's daughter. I just thought she was the cutest little girl!
The pacing was done very well, and the only place I felt like it faltered was during Beth's backstory. I just felt there was too much information that was irrelevant when learning about Beth's past. Apart from that, I felt like the pacing stayed consistent throughout.
Trigger warnings for The First Mistake include sexual situations (though not graphic), drinking alcohol, profanity, violence, and death.
All in all, The First Mistake is an interesting read. Although I found it predictable, and I hated the ending, I still enjoyed this book very much. I would recommend The First Mistake by Sandie Jones to everyone aged 17+ who enjoy a good thriller. This one does not disappoint.
--
(A special thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC paperback of The First Mistake by Sandie Jones in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Then She Was Gone in Books
Apr 27, 2019
Just Okay
I loved I Found You by Lisa Jewell, so when I read the synopsis of her other book, Then She Was Gone, it was a book I knew I had to read. While this book was still a good read, it wasn't great, and I was left feeling a little disappointed.
The plot for Then She Was Gone was interesting enough although I did predict the mystery of why Poppy looked like Ellie early on. There were a couple of plot twists that I didn't see coming though of which I was thankful. I was constantly trying to figure out what Floyd's endgame was when it came to Laurel. I was also always hopeful that Ellie would return home safely. I thought the ending was done nicely. It tied up all loose ends and provided me with enough closure to be satisfied.
The one thing that bothered me, and I know it's a personal preference, was how the book was written in present tense aside from when Ellie and Noelle were telling their side of the story. It just really irks me when books are written this way. That really seemed to take away from the story for me.
The characters in Then She Was Gone were mostly believable. I had a hard time believing Noelle's side of things could actually happen for as long as they did when it came to Poppy. I also had a hard time believing Noelle could stay a virgin for so long. Poppy seemed very intelligent for her young years to not have been in some kind of advanced schooling. Poppy came across more of an adult than a child in every scene she was in. The author does attempt to explain why Poppy is the way she is, but I still found Poppy a bit unrealistic for a little girl. I liked Laurel, and I could only imagine her pain, but I felt like she was too uncaring toward her daughter Hanna and her son Jake. Maybe I'd have to be in Laurel's shoes to understand what it's like (although I pray I never am). It would have been nice to get a glimpse of Hanna's and Jake's point of view of things. Jake is hardly ever mentioned in the book, and there were many times I had to rack my brain to remember who Jake was whilst reading Then She Was Gone. It seems like Jake was put in as an afterthought to quickly tie up some loose ends. I enjoyed the character of Paul, Laurel's ex-husband. I admired his sunny disposition. Sara-Jade was another character I liked a lot although she wasn't in the book often enough. I liked Floyd and felt he was a well fleshed out character, but I was always wary when it came to him.
The pacing was done well enough. My interest never wavered, and I found myself needing to know what happened next to see if my predictions were correct. Then She Was Gone is definitely a page turner. I'll give it that.
Trigger warnings for Then She Was Gone include profanities, sexual situations (although not graphic), kidnapping, drinking alcohol, violence, death, murder, and miscarriages.
Overall, Then She Was Gone is just a decent read. The plot is interesting enough, and some of the characters are well written. For me, the present tense use really took away my enjoyment of the book. I would still recommend Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell to those aged 17+ especially to those who like thrillers.
The plot for Then She Was Gone was interesting enough although I did predict the mystery of why Poppy looked like Ellie early on. There were a couple of plot twists that I didn't see coming though of which I was thankful. I was constantly trying to figure out what Floyd's endgame was when it came to Laurel. I was also always hopeful that Ellie would return home safely. I thought the ending was done nicely. It tied up all loose ends and provided me with enough closure to be satisfied.
The one thing that bothered me, and I know it's a personal preference, was how the book was written in present tense aside from when Ellie and Noelle were telling their side of the story. It just really irks me when books are written this way. That really seemed to take away from the story for me.
The characters in Then She Was Gone were mostly believable. I had a hard time believing Noelle's side of things could actually happen for as long as they did when it came to Poppy. I also had a hard time believing Noelle could stay a virgin for so long. Poppy seemed very intelligent for her young years to not have been in some kind of advanced schooling. Poppy came across more of an adult than a child in every scene she was in. The author does attempt to explain why Poppy is the way she is, but I still found Poppy a bit unrealistic for a little girl. I liked Laurel, and I could only imagine her pain, but I felt like she was too uncaring toward her daughter Hanna and her son Jake. Maybe I'd have to be in Laurel's shoes to understand what it's like (although I pray I never am). It would have been nice to get a glimpse of Hanna's and Jake's point of view of things. Jake is hardly ever mentioned in the book, and there were many times I had to rack my brain to remember who Jake was whilst reading Then She Was Gone. It seems like Jake was put in as an afterthought to quickly tie up some loose ends. I enjoyed the character of Paul, Laurel's ex-husband. I admired his sunny disposition. Sara-Jade was another character I liked a lot although she wasn't in the book often enough. I liked Floyd and felt he was a well fleshed out character, but I was always wary when it came to him.
The pacing was done well enough. My interest never wavered, and I found myself needing to know what happened next to see if my predictions were correct. Then She Was Gone is definitely a page turner. I'll give it that.
Trigger warnings for Then She Was Gone include profanities, sexual situations (although not graphic), kidnapping, drinking alcohol, violence, death, murder, and miscarriages.
Overall, Then She Was Gone is just a decent read. The plot is interesting enough, and some of the characters are well written. For me, the present tense use really took away my enjoyment of the book. I would still recommend Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell to those aged 17+ especially to those who like thrillers.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated On Wings of Silence: Mexico '68 in Books
May 6, 2019
A Well Written and Interesting Historical Fiction Novel
I'm a fan of books written in verse. There's just something special about them that calls out to me. When I first heard about On Wings of Silence: Mexico '68 by Dede Fox, the synopsis intrigued me. When I heard that it was written in verse, it was then that I knew I had to read this book. I ended up loving this book.
I will admit that I had never heard of the Tlatelolco Massacre before I read On Wings of Silence: Mexico '68. The plot does a fantastic job of explaining the massacre to those who know nothing about it. It was also interesting to read about Diana's time in Mexico as an American university student. Everything is told through Diana's perspective. This book made me want to research more about the Tlatelolco Massacre that the Mexican government tried to keep hushed up.
The prose in On Wings of Silence: Mexico '68 was done beautifully and perfectly. Every word elicited all kinds of feelings whilst reading this book. Because this novel was written in verse, it really drove those feelings home and made them feel more realistic. I think I experienced a total spectrum of feelings while reading On Wings of Silence: Mexico '68. Some readers may have a little trouble with some of the Spanish in this book, but there are enough context clues to figure out what is being said.
I really cared and felt for Diana, the main character in On Wings of Silence: Mexico '68. Diana was such an authentic and fleshed out character which can sometimes be a challenge in books written in verse. Dede Fox made character writing appear easy! My heart felt so full while Diana was falling in love with Guillermo. I felt as if I was falling in love at the same time. When Guillermo went missing while on the phone with Diana, I felt such panic. Her search for her boyfriend felt as if it was my search. I was worried for Guillermo as if he was a real person instead of a fictional character. (Sadly, as this book is based on an actual historical event, I imagine that feeling was all too real for many people.) I lived in hope Guillermo would turn up at some point. I'll just leave it at that because you'll have to read the book in order to find out Guillermo's fate. Diana was such a strong female character as well. I really admired her. Natalie and Melinda, Diana's roommates, were likable characters, but we don't get much of a backstory on them. I feel as if this was done on purpose so the reader could really focus more on Diana's story.
The pacing was done fantastically! I devoured this book in one sitting. I couldn't get enough. Each word flowed beautifully into the next, and I was left captivated and hungry for more of the story.
Trigger warnings for On Wings of Silence: Mexico '68 include attempted rape, sexual assault, violence (although not graphic), drinking, some minor profanities in English and Spanish, and political corruption.
Overall, On Wings of Silence: Mexico '68 is a beautifully written piece of literature that will leave its reader with a plethora of feelings as well as a history lesson. I would definitely recommend On Wings of Silence: Mexico '68 by Dede Fox to everyone 16+.
--
(Thanks to the Dede Fox for providing me with a paperback of On Wings of Silence: Mexico '68 in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
I will admit that I had never heard of the Tlatelolco Massacre before I read On Wings of Silence: Mexico '68. The plot does a fantastic job of explaining the massacre to those who know nothing about it. It was also interesting to read about Diana's time in Mexico as an American university student. Everything is told through Diana's perspective. This book made me want to research more about the Tlatelolco Massacre that the Mexican government tried to keep hushed up.
The prose in On Wings of Silence: Mexico '68 was done beautifully and perfectly. Every word elicited all kinds of feelings whilst reading this book. Because this novel was written in verse, it really drove those feelings home and made them feel more realistic. I think I experienced a total spectrum of feelings while reading On Wings of Silence: Mexico '68. Some readers may have a little trouble with some of the Spanish in this book, but there are enough context clues to figure out what is being said.
I really cared and felt for Diana, the main character in On Wings of Silence: Mexico '68. Diana was such an authentic and fleshed out character which can sometimes be a challenge in books written in verse. Dede Fox made character writing appear easy! My heart felt so full while Diana was falling in love with Guillermo. I felt as if I was falling in love at the same time. When Guillermo went missing while on the phone with Diana, I felt such panic. Her search for her boyfriend felt as if it was my search. I was worried for Guillermo as if he was a real person instead of a fictional character. (Sadly, as this book is based on an actual historical event, I imagine that feeling was all too real for many people.) I lived in hope Guillermo would turn up at some point. I'll just leave it at that because you'll have to read the book in order to find out Guillermo's fate. Diana was such a strong female character as well. I really admired her. Natalie and Melinda, Diana's roommates, were likable characters, but we don't get much of a backstory on them. I feel as if this was done on purpose so the reader could really focus more on Diana's story.
The pacing was done fantastically! I devoured this book in one sitting. I couldn't get enough. Each word flowed beautifully into the next, and I was left captivated and hungry for more of the story.
Trigger warnings for On Wings of Silence: Mexico '68 include attempted rape, sexual assault, violence (although not graphic), drinking, some minor profanities in English and Spanish, and political corruption.
Overall, On Wings of Silence: Mexico '68 is a beautifully written piece of literature that will leave its reader with a plethora of feelings as well as a history lesson. I would definitely recommend On Wings of Silence: Mexico '68 by Dede Fox to everyone 16+.
--
(Thanks to the Dede Fox for providing me with a paperback of On Wings of Silence: Mexico '68 in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
This was another Greek mythology story that completely captured my heart. I was iffy about this one when I started it because it is written in present tense, first person. I loathe reading first person, and present tense just sounds so awkward that I dont even attempt to read anything written as such. However, from page one, I was hooked.
The story is narrated by one of the 50 mytholgical mermaids, Sirena. She lives with ten of her sisters on an island where they are protected and guided by three guardian birds. The sole purpose of Sirenas and her sisters existence is to somehow make human males fall in love them so that the mermaids can become immortal like their ancestors. They live simple lives, dressing up in starfish and pearls and singing to lure ships towards their island where their ship will wreck on the reef just offshore. What makes Sirena different than her sisters, however, is her conscience. Whereas her sisters are only concerned with becoming immortal, Sirena actually cares about the welfare of the men whose lives they put in danger.
When the story begins, Sirena is preening herself before singing to lure not one, but three ships to her sisters island. The men on the ships fall under their spell and two of the three ships crash upon the reef. Most of the men die because they do not know how to swim. While the ones who know how to swim make it safely to shore, the mermaids try to save as many of the others as they can. Only eleven men initially survive. They eventually die because of lack of resources on the island, but not before they beat one of Sirenas sisters, Cecilia, to death for trying to save a drowning sailor.
Shortly after, Sirena runs away to the island of Lemnos to escape the life she has been subjected to. There, she tries to help heal Philoctetes who has been bitten by a serpent sent by Hera. From there, their relationship blossoms and they come to love each other despite their differences, including Sirenas newly acquired immortality. Eventually however, Odysseus comes to obtain Hercules bow and arrows from Philoctetes so that the Greeks can win the Trojan War. The book ends with Philoctetes leaving with Odysseus, leaving Sirena on the deserted island of Lemnos.
This book completely crushed my heart. All in all, the book was actually pretty graphic for what I thought was an independent reader novel. Whenever Cecilia is killed by the sailors, Napoli gruesomely describes the mermaids smashed in face. Sirena makes multiple references to their beautiful breasts. While Napoli had enough decently to leave out any sex scenes, it is blatantly alluded to.
The majority of the novel is Sirena and Philoctetes bonding and building their relationship. Napoli takes us through the two learning about each other, bantering playfully, and falling in love. Only to rip them apart. It was so anticlimactic and soul-crushing, I almost started crashing.
All in all, it was a great novel. Despite being written in first person, it was expertly written. I love the simplicity of Sirenas thinking. It is clear that she lacks any education beyond her island world. Reading about Sirena and Philoctetes developing relationship was enchanting.
Definitely worth the heart break at the end.
The story is narrated by one of the 50 mytholgical mermaids, Sirena. She lives with ten of her sisters on an island where they are protected and guided by three guardian birds. The sole purpose of Sirenas and her sisters existence is to somehow make human males fall in love them so that the mermaids can become immortal like their ancestors. They live simple lives, dressing up in starfish and pearls and singing to lure ships towards their island where their ship will wreck on the reef just offshore. What makes Sirena different than her sisters, however, is her conscience. Whereas her sisters are only concerned with becoming immortal, Sirena actually cares about the welfare of the men whose lives they put in danger.
When the story begins, Sirena is preening herself before singing to lure not one, but three ships to her sisters island. The men on the ships fall under their spell and two of the three ships crash upon the reef. Most of the men die because they do not know how to swim. While the ones who know how to swim make it safely to shore, the mermaids try to save as many of the others as they can. Only eleven men initially survive. They eventually die because of lack of resources on the island, but not before they beat one of Sirenas sisters, Cecilia, to death for trying to save a drowning sailor.
Shortly after, Sirena runs away to the island of Lemnos to escape the life she has been subjected to. There, she tries to help heal Philoctetes who has been bitten by a serpent sent by Hera. From there, their relationship blossoms and they come to love each other despite their differences, including Sirenas newly acquired immortality. Eventually however, Odysseus comes to obtain Hercules bow and arrows from Philoctetes so that the Greeks can win the Trojan War. The book ends with Philoctetes leaving with Odysseus, leaving Sirena on the deserted island of Lemnos.
This book completely crushed my heart. All in all, the book was actually pretty graphic for what I thought was an independent reader novel. Whenever Cecilia is killed by the sailors, Napoli gruesomely describes the mermaids smashed in face. Sirena makes multiple references to their beautiful breasts. While Napoli had enough decently to leave out any sex scenes, it is blatantly alluded to.
The majority of the novel is Sirena and Philoctetes bonding and building their relationship. Napoli takes us through the two learning about each other, bantering playfully, and falling in love. Only to rip them apart. It was so anticlimactic and soul-crushing, I almost started crashing.
All in all, it was a great novel. Despite being written in first person, it was expertly written. I love the simplicity of Sirenas thinking. It is clear that she lacks any education beyond her island world. Reading about Sirena and Philoctetes developing relationship was enchanting.
Definitely worth the heart break at the end.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Good Daughter in Books
Feb 1, 2018
Charlie and Sam grew up in Pikeville, Georgia, with anything but an idyllic childhood. When the girls were teens, they were part of a brutal assault at their family's farmhouse. The attack left their mother, "Gamma," dead and profoundly affected their father, a prominent local attorney. Years later, Charlie remains in Pikeville, a lawyer like her father, and trying to keep the past behind her. All that changes when the town witnesses violence yet again--and Charlie is right in the thick of it. Suddenly, she's forced to confront so many of the emotions she's buried for years and to fully deal with exactly what happened to her family so many years ago.
Slaughter's latest novel starts quickly out of the gate--with a brutal, graphic, and spell-binding description of the assault and attack on Charlie, Sam, and Gamma--and it never lets up from there. <i>Seriously, this book never lets you take a breath or a break: it's just constant action and second guessing. </i>
Told from the points of view of both Charlie and Sam, including their varying memories of the incident at the farmhouse, we are forced to see all the events and violence through the eyes of the two sisters alone. As I mentioned, this keeps you guessing--and reading. I completely put down the other novel I was reading at the time (FINAL GIRLS) to read this: I had to know how it ended.
All the characters in this book are entwined, and Slaughter does a great job of depicting the small town of Pikeville. It's a mystery at its core, sure, but it also goes deeper with commentary on race, class, and how modern society deals with mass tragedy. The characters are well-drawn: I immediately found myself intrigued by Sam, Charlie, their father (Rusty), the descriptions of Gamma, and by a slew of small-town folk, including Rusty's secretary Lenore, and Charlie's estranged husband, Ben. Slaughter is excellent with the details.
Indeed, <i>she's great at doling out those "whoa" moments.</I> The plot never lets down; in fact, it continues to pick up as the novel continues on. I truly gasped a couple of times and found myself going "wow"! That's not easy to do once, let alone consistently.
This is a beautiful book at times--the way the plot and characters weave together. It even makes you laugh at moments, despite some truly somber subject matter. I found myself a bit irked at times by Charlie and Sam's fighting (I've read a lot of books with sisters fighting as of late), but if that's my only nitpick, that's not bad at all.
Overall, a great mystery that keeps you guessing and surprised to the very end. Excellent, fascinating, and deep characters. Definitely worth a read.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 08/22/2017.
You can read my review of Slaughter's novel PRETTY GIRLS <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1374683896?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1">here</a>;.
<center><a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">Blog</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/mwcmoto">Twitter</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+KristyHamiltonbooks">Google+</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.instagram.com/justacatandabook/">Instagram</a>; </center>
Slaughter's latest novel starts quickly out of the gate--with a brutal, graphic, and spell-binding description of the assault and attack on Charlie, Sam, and Gamma--and it never lets up from there. <i>Seriously, this book never lets you take a breath or a break: it's just constant action and second guessing. </i>
Told from the points of view of both Charlie and Sam, including their varying memories of the incident at the farmhouse, we are forced to see all the events and violence through the eyes of the two sisters alone. As I mentioned, this keeps you guessing--and reading. I completely put down the other novel I was reading at the time (FINAL GIRLS) to read this: I had to know how it ended.
All the characters in this book are entwined, and Slaughter does a great job of depicting the small town of Pikeville. It's a mystery at its core, sure, but it also goes deeper with commentary on race, class, and how modern society deals with mass tragedy. The characters are well-drawn: I immediately found myself intrigued by Sam, Charlie, their father (Rusty), the descriptions of Gamma, and by a slew of small-town folk, including Rusty's secretary Lenore, and Charlie's estranged husband, Ben. Slaughter is excellent with the details.
Indeed, <i>she's great at doling out those "whoa" moments.</I> The plot never lets down; in fact, it continues to pick up as the novel continues on. I truly gasped a couple of times and found myself going "wow"! That's not easy to do once, let alone consistently.
This is a beautiful book at times--the way the plot and characters weave together. It even makes you laugh at moments, despite some truly somber subject matter. I found myself a bit irked at times by Charlie and Sam's fighting (I've read a lot of books with sisters fighting as of late), but if that's my only nitpick, that's not bad at all.
Overall, a great mystery that keeps you guessing and surprised to the very end. Excellent, fascinating, and deep characters. Definitely worth a read.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 08/22/2017.
You can read my review of Slaughter's novel PRETTY GIRLS <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1374683896?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1">here</a>;.
<center><a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">Blog</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/mwcmoto">Twitter</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+KristyHamiltonbooks">Google+</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.instagram.com/justacatandabook/">Instagram</a>; </center>
Dana (24 KP) rated Annihilation, Book One in Books
Mar 23, 2018
So this was my first time being introduced to some of these characters, others, such as Drax, Ronan, Thanos and Gamora I was a bit more familiar with, but only their basic story lines from Guardians of the Galaxy.
My dad gave me these three books to borrow and read because I had told him I wanted to read more graphic novels. I quite enjoyed this series! I loved getting to know the lesser known characters, well, lesser known to me.
The overarching plot wasn't clear at the beginning, but I was okay with that. It kept me guessing what the hell was happening, which I am almost always happy with!
In this book, we get three different comics in the bound book.
The first comic we get is with Drax. We get to see part of his origin story, and his new beginning in this universe. He meets a girl, Cassie, who is honestly one of my favorite (if not my top) character in this series. She is so great! As a combination of sass, bravery, kick-ass-ness, and just an all around badass, she is what more girls need to see in what they are reading. This girl is about eleven years old or so and she is strong. She wears beanies and skirts, but has to deal with problems at home and, spoiler alert, being introduced to an alien race and not batting an eyelash! I just loved this girl.
As for the Drax story, it was mainly setting up the issue of the series and giving a background on why it matters. But that is a good thing. Without this introduction, there would have been no reason to care about the story or the characters in it.
Now, onto the next story: following Richard Rider, a member of the Nova Corps! Now, here is another character/set of characters we are briefly introduced to in the Guardians of the Galaxy movie, but I loved getting to know more about it and their role in the universe and a little into their culture and relationships to the rest of the universe. I think Richard is a compelling character and I I enjoyed getting to see him have to deal with adversity from the beginning.
We are also introduced to Super Skrull. I have to be honest, I had no idea who this guy was when I picked up these comics, but I really like this character. His whole culture he comes from is cool to get to explore, but I just loved seeing him do his thing. I am stoked to see what else he has to bring to the table!
Getting the cut ins from the Nova Corps intelligence bank on each of the new characters was both a brilliant way to give new readers like me a brief introduction as to why these characters matter as well as a great way to refresh the memories of those who have known about these characters, but do not necessarily remember their significance to this story. This aspect was expertly done!
Overall, this was a really good beginning to what I think will be a pretty cool set of comics! I can't wait to read the next one!
My dad gave me these three books to borrow and read because I had told him I wanted to read more graphic novels. I quite enjoyed this series! I loved getting to know the lesser known characters, well, lesser known to me.
The overarching plot wasn't clear at the beginning, but I was okay with that. It kept me guessing what the hell was happening, which I am almost always happy with!
In this book, we get three different comics in the bound book.
The first comic we get is with Drax. We get to see part of his origin story, and his new beginning in this universe. He meets a girl, Cassie, who is honestly one of my favorite (if not my top) character in this series. She is so great! As a combination of sass, bravery, kick-ass-ness, and just an all around badass, she is what more girls need to see in what they are reading. This girl is about eleven years old or so and she is strong. She wears beanies and skirts, but has to deal with problems at home and, spoiler alert, being introduced to an alien race and not batting an eyelash! I just loved this girl.
As for the Drax story, it was mainly setting up the issue of the series and giving a background on why it matters. But that is a good thing. Without this introduction, there would have been no reason to care about the story or the characters in it.
Now, onto the next story: following Richard Rider, a member of the Nova Corps! Now, here is another character/set of characters we are briefly introduced to in the Guardians of the Galaxy movie, but I loved getting to know more about it and their role in the universe and a little into their culture and relationships to the rest of the universe. I think Richard is a compelling character and I I enjoyed getting to see him have to deal with adversity from the beginning.
We are also introduced to Super Skrull. I have to be honest, I had no idea who this guy was when I picked up these comics, but I really like this character. His whole culture he comes from is cool to get to explore, but I just loved seeing him do his thing. I am stoked to see what else he has to bring to the table!
Getting the cut ins from the Nova Corps intelligence bank on each of the new characters was both a brilliant way to give new readers like me a brief introduction as to why these characters matter as well as a great way to refresh the memories of those who have known about these characters, but do not necessarily remember their significance to this story. This aspect was expertly done!
Overall, this was a really good beginning to what I think will be a pretty cool set of comics! I can't wait to read the next one!
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Treatment (The Program, #2) in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review can be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com/">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
I loved The Program by Suzanne Young, so I had to get The Treatment as soon as it was released to find out what happened to James and Sloane. While I didn't love The Treatment as much as The Program, this was still a good read.
I like the title. It's a good fit for what the books about, and it fits with the first boo in the series.
I like the cover. I like how, to me, it kind of portrays James and Sloane on the run. I had the hardback copy of this book, so when I took off the dust jacket, it had the pill cover which is the treatment.
The world building was done fantastically! I could see each of the scenes in my mind clearly. This time, the setting of the book takes James and Sloane all over the United States.
The pacing was a bit slow for about the first two-thirds of the book, and I was really disappointed. However, I kept reading because I desperately wanted to like this book. Luckily, I was rewarded when the last section of the book picked up pace, and I couldn't wait to see what would happen next.
The plot is good. Sloane and James are on the run from the Program after rekindling their romance from before the Program. They meet other rebels who are on the run, and they all try to stay one step ahead of the Program. Sloane is still wondering if she should take the Treatment, which would restore all of her memories, that Realm gave her. The only thing I didn't like about the plot is that it was too mushy when it came to the romance. The first book in the series wasn't as bad as this. Plus, it seemed in this book that James and Sloane were having sex at the end of almost every chapter!
I thought the characters were written really well even if James and Sloane were humping like rabbits all the time! Sloane is still a very strong female character, and in this book, we're introduced to Dallas who is also a very strong female character. Dallas does have some vulnerability though, and I found it very interesting to learn what she was like before the Program. We're also introduced to Cas in this book. Cas was like the comic relief in this book. He would always try to defuse the situation. Realm is back in this book, and I don't really like him. He's not written poorly, but he just grates on my nerves the way he's always trying to make Sloane second guess her love for James. James is very hot-headed in this book. I still do like him as a character, and I can understand why he got angry.
I enjoyed the dialogue especially when Dallas or Cas where involved in the scene. The dialogue felt very natural and fitting for a young adult book. There is some swearing in this book as well as violence. There are some sexual scenes in this book although they aren't graphic.
Overall, The Treatment (The Program #2) by Suzanne Young starts off being slow but picks up during the last third of the book. The characters are still written very well, and the world building is fantastic.
I'd recommend this book to those aged 16+ who enjoyed The Program and want to know more about Sloane and James.
I loved The Program by Suzanne Young, so I had to get The Treatment as soon as it was released to find out what happened to James and Sloane. While I didn't love The Treatment as much as The Program, this was still a good read.
I like the title. It's a good fit for what the books about, and it fits with the first boo in the series.
I like the cover. I like how, to me, it kind of portrays James and Sloane on the run. I had the hardback copy of this book, so when I took off the dust jacket, it had the pill cover which is the treatment.
The world building was done fantastically! I could see each of the scenes in my mind clearly. This time, the setting of the book takes James and Sloane all over the United States.
The pacing was a bit slow for about the first two-thirds of the book, and I was really disappointed. However, I kept reading because I desperately wanted to like this book. Luckily, I was rewarded when the last section of the book picked up pace, and I couldn't wait to see what would happen next.
The plot is good. Sloane and James are on the run from the Program after rekindling their romance from before the Program. They meet other rebels who are on the run, and they all try to stay one step ahead of the Program. Sloane is still wondering if she should take the Treatment, which would restore all of her memories, that Realm gave her. The only thing I didn't like about the plot is that it was too mushy when it came to the romance. The first book in the series wasn't as bad as this. Plus, it seemed in this book that James and Sloane were having sex at the end of almost every chapter!
I thought the characters were written really well even if James and Sloane were humping like rabbits all the time! Sloane is still a very strong female character, and in this book, we're introduced to Dallas who is also a very strong female character. Dallas does have some vulnerability though, and I found it very interesting to learn what she was like before the Program. We're also introduced to Cas in this book. Cas was like the comic relief in this book. He would always try to defuse the situation. Realm is back in this book, and I don't really like him. He's not written poorly, but he just grates on my nerves the way he's always trying to make Sloane second guess her love for James. James is very hot-headed in this book. I still do like him as a character, and I can understand why he got angry.
I enjoyed the dialogue especially when Dallas or Cas where involved in the scene. The dialogue felt very natural and fitting for a young adult book. There is some swearing in this book as well as violence. There are some sexual scenes in this book although they aren't graphic.
Overall, The Treatment (The Program #2) by Suzanne Young starts off being slow but picks up during the last third of the book. The characters are still written very well, and the world building is fantastic.
I'd recommend this book to those aged 16+ who enjoyed The Program and want to know more about Sloane and James.