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Becs (244 KP) rated Ember Burning in Books
Oct 2, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
I received Ember Burning for an honest review and am just now getting around to do it. My bad…
Okay, so I was honestly really looking forward to reading this novel when I first received it in the mail that I’m kicking myself in the rear end for not picking it up sooner. I was shocked that it was exactly everything I was looking for in a young adult fantasy novel.
It’s got some witchiness to it. It’s got an adventure in it. And it’s got the best thing known to man, love. Fast-paced with well-rounded characters that make you either hate them or love them with a hint of history underlain throughout the novel. What more can I say about this wonderful book?
Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy, Young Adult
Reading Level: High School and up
Interests: Witch’s, Egyptian hieroglyphics, darkness
Style: Not so light but also not a heavy read. Very fast-paced – which I loved.
Difficulty Reading: NO, I could not put this book down. Oh my goodness, Jennifer Alsever has such a unique way of writing. At first, I was a little annoyed that there were so many sentences that could be switched to, ya know, longer sentences which leads to a way easier read. But they grew on me and as I started to get further into the book, I understood why it was written in such a way. Because that is the personality of the main character Ember. It definitely helped understand her more as an individual, rather than just another character in a book.
Promise: A mystery meets fantasy – it delivers.
Insights: Honestly, none. I wouldn’t change anything in Ember Burning even if it meant saving the planet. (Okay, maybe I might change stuff to save the planet. But that’s our home for crying out loud.) Ember Burning is such a well-written novel that leaves you wanting to continue on her journey with her in Oshun Rising and Venus Shining. (Which by the way, is the rest of the series.)
Ah-Ha Moment: WHEN EMBER AND TRE KISS. (Yes, that needed all caps.) Awh man, I love me a good romance. Especially one so sweet and simple like Ember and Tre’s. **SPOILERS AHEAD** I mean it’s such goals to be laying out talking about life and then turning to each other, kissing, and then both admitting that you wanted to do that for a while now. Like OH MY GOD, I’m seriously dying over here. **SPOILERS END** I ship Ember and Tre so hard and Lilly, Zoe or this redhead b**ch better not get in the way of their love. I’ll come after them. (‘I kill you!‘)
Favorite Quote: “Of course I know this is ridiculous. What I’m doing. Going to Trinity Forest. Alone. Like the freak show I am. The girl who goes off the tracks. Who obsesses about missing people, about what happens in Trinity. But the mystery of Trinity calls to me. If I disappear, so be it.” – Girl, you ain’t no freak show. You are so perfectly normal. And if you’re a freak show well, I guess I’m a freak show too.
What will you gain: A love for Ember and her determination to get out of the black vortex known as Trinity Forest. A hate for Zoe’s sweet yet bossy attitude of not giving a shit about anything. A love-hate for Lilly and her psychotic yet charming sides. A love for Tre, my favorite character in the entire novel.
Aesthetics: The cover. The way Tre smiles. The entire book. The way Tre looks. The way Jennifer Alsever describes Synesthesia within Ember’s mind. Have I mentioned Tre and how much I really dig him?
“Would you sacrifice your future to forget your past.”
Okay, so I was honestly really looking forward to reading this novel when I first received it in the mail that I’m kicking myself in the rear end for not picking it up sooner. I was shocked that it was exactly everything I was looking for in a young adult fantasy novel.
It’s got some witchiness to it. It’s got an adventure in it. And it’s got the best thing known to man, love. Fast-paced with well-rounded characters that make you either hate them or love them with a hint of history underlain throughout the novel. What more can I say about this wonderful book?
Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy, Young Adult
Reading Level: High School and up
Interests: Witch’s, Egyptian hieroglyphics, darkness
Style: Not so light but also not a heavy read. Very fast-paced – which I loved.
Difficulty Reading: NO, I could not put this book down. Oh my goodness, Jennifer Alsever has such a unique way of writing. At first, I was a little annoyed that there were so many sentences that could be switched to, ya know, longer sentences which leads to a way easier read. But they grew on me and as I started to get further into the book, I understood why it was written in such a way. Because that is the personality of the main character Ember. It definitely helped understand her more as an individual, rather than just another character in a book.
Promise: A mystery meets fantasy – it delivers.
Insights: Honestly, none. I wouldn’t change anything in Ember Burning even if it meant saving the planet. (Okay, maybe I might change stuff to save the planet. But that’s our home for crying out loud.) Ember Burning is such a well-written novel that leaves you wanting to continue on her journey with her in Oshun Rising and Venus Shining. (Which by the way, is the rest of the series.)
Ah-Ha Moment: WHEN EMBER AND TRE KISS. (Yes, that needed all caps.) Awh man, I love me a good romance. Especially one so sweet and simple like Ember and Tre’s. **SPOILERS AHEAD** I mean it’s such goals to be laying out talking about life and then turning to each other, kissing, and then both admitting that you wanted to do that for a while now. Like OH MY GOD, I’m seriously dying over here. **SPOILERS END** I ship Ember and Tre so hard and Lilly, Zoe or this redhead b**ch better not get in the way of their love. I’ll come after them. (‘I kill you!‘)
Favorite Quote: “Of course I know this is ridiculous. What I’m doing. Going to Trinity Forest. Alone. Like the freak show I am. The girl who goes off the tracks. Who obsesses about missing people, about what happens in Trinity. But the mystery of Trinity calls to me. If I disappear, so be it.” – Girl, you ain’t no freak show. You are so perfectly normal. And if you’re a freak show well, I guess I’m a freak show too.
What will you gain: A love for Ember and her determination to get out of the black vortex known as Trinity Forest. A hate for Zoe’s sweet yet bossy attitude of not giving a shit about anything. A love-hate for Lilly and her psychotic yet charming sides. A love for Tre, my favorite character in the entire novel.
Aesthetics: The cover. The way Tre smiles. The entire book. The way Tre looks. The way Jennifer Alsever describes Synesthesia within Ember’s mind. Have I mentioned Tre and how much I really dig him?
“Would you sacrifice your future to forget your past.”
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Fantasy Island (2020) in Movies
May 5, 2020
Michael Peña and Maggie Q in a film... I'm in. This was high up my watchlist even though Blumhouse and I don't always see eye to eye.
A group of strangers arrive on an island, this experience will give them their deepest desires. Wish for it and you can live it, all you have to do is see it through to the end on Fantasy Island.
Evidently, Nic Cage turned down the role of Mr Roarke... I didn't know that he turned down any roles so that (if true) should have been a massive warning sign.
I do have to wonder how some of these stories come about. This is based on the 70's TV show of the same name which was entirely not scary as far as I know. Is there a giant bingo cage full of ping pong balls inscribed with names of old shows and films? Do they just let studios try their luck to spin whatever they get to their niche?
Twisting this tale is a pretty good idea, though I'm not really sure why an island would want to do that to people, but what do I know about malevolent black goop spirits? I was generally on board with the storyline and I thought it wove them together quite well but that ending... are you kidding me? There was some speculation thrown out about what was going on and that thread was believable. The one they gave us was laughable, the absolute worst choice. Had they done a small reshuffle they could have given a much less ridiculous conclusion.
There are a lot of different threads and each one has its moments, as daft as they might be they come together quite well even when the filler is poor.
Maggie Q's performance as Gwen felt like the most believable out of the whole ensemble, but that's not really a surprise from her. Gwen is basically the only decent person in the group and throughout her stay she is the one that's grounded and tries to deal with her situation. That should give us something good to work off... but she's kind of bland on screen compared to everything else.
Michael Peña is always a pull to a movie for me, but Roarke's story wasn't all the effective. Had he been a construct of the island then there might have been something in it, but as it was you didn't get any real struggle with his actions, I couldn't see how a character that wasn't portrayed as actively evil could go along with any of it even given his background.
While the rest of the cast is filled with faces you'd know there isn't really a great performance to be seen. From unlikeable characters to a script that's not amusing when it tries to be, what's left of the film is plain in a glossy kind of way, and by that I mean it's got the makings of something good but misses anything that could have made an impact. The effects are fine for the most part and the sets are fine when you take into consideration they're supposed to be a fantasy and don't need to fit together perfectly. The exception is Roarke's door that Maggie Q interacts with, I liked that move and I don't know whether the rest of the film might have benefitted from something similar.
Bits of the film are quite good and could have made for an exciting watch, but that ending was so frustrating that any enjoyment went straight out the window and any thrill from what I'd already seen was gone. Also, considering it is classified as horror there wasn't really enough, or anything of quality, too make that a reality. Untapped potential in abundance here.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/05/fantasy-island-movie-review.html
A group of strangers arrive on an island, this experience will give them their deepest desires. Wish for it and you can live it, all you have to do is see it through to the end on Fantasy Island.
Evidently, Nic Cage turned down the role of Mr Roarke... I didn't know that he turned down any roles so that (if true) should have been a massive warning sign.
I do have to wonder how some of these stories come about. This is based on the 70's TV show of the same name which was entirely not scary as far as I know. Is there a giant bingo cage full of ping pong balls inscribed with names of old shows and films? Do they just let studios try their luck to spin whatever they get to their niche?
Twisting this tale is a pretty good idea, though I'm not really sure why an island would want to do that to people, but what do I know about malevolent black goop spirits? I was generally on board with the storyline and I thought it wove them together quite well but that ending... are you kidding me? There was some speculation thrown out about what was going on and that thread was believable. The one they gave us was laughable, the absolute worst choice. Had they done a small reshuffle they could have given a much less ridiculous conclusion.
There are a lot of different threads and each one has its moments, as daft as they might be they come together quite well even when the filler is poor.
Maggie Q's performance as Gwen felt like the most believable out of the whole ensemble, but that's not really a surprise from her. Gwen is basically the only decent person in the group and throughout her stay she is the one that's grounded and tries to deal with her situation. That should give us something good to work off... but she's kind of bland on screen compared to everything else.
Michael Peña is always a pull to a movie for me, but Roarke's story wasn't all the effective. Had he been a construct of the island then there might have been something in it, but as it was you didn't get any real struggle with his actions, I couldn't see how a character that wasn't portrayed as actively evil could go along with any of it even given his background.
While the rest of the cast is filled with faces you'd know there isn't really a great performance to be seen. From unlikeable characters to a script that's not amusing when it tries to be, what's left of the film is plain in a glossy kind of way, and by that I mean it's got the makings of something good but misses anything that could have made an impact. The effects are fine for the most part and the sets are fine when you take into consideration they're supposed to be a fantasy and don't need to fit together perfectly. The exception is Roarke's door that Maggie Q interacts with, I liked that move and I don't know whether the rest of the film might have benefitted from something similar.
Bits of the film are quite good and could have made for an exciting watch, but that ending was so frustrating that any enjoyment went straight out the window and any thrill from what I'd already seen was gone. Also, considering it is classified as horror there wasn't really enough, or anything of quality, too make that a reality. Untapped potential in abundance here.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/05/fantasy-island-movie-review.html
Darren (1599 KP) rated A Wrinkle in Time (2018) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: A Wrinkle in Time starts when a trouble high school student Meg (Reid) hasn’t given up hope on being reunited with her father Mr Murry (Pine) after his sudden disappearance. Meg has become closed off from the world with her adopted brother Charles Wallace (McCabe) noticing the change in her. Meg, Charles and Calvin (Miller) get visited by Mrs Whatsit (Witherspoon) that opens up the possibilities for answers.
Mrs Whatsit takes the three children on an adventure through the universe with Mrs Which (Winfrey) and Mrs Who (Kaling), who believe they can locate Mr Murry after his research has taken him across the universe unlike anyone in human history.
Thoughts on A Wrinkle in Time
Characters – Meg is an outsider teenage girl, daughter of two brilliant scientists, with her father disappeared for four years now. She went from the popular out going girl to the shy closed off one. she has never given up hope of finding her father, which does leave questions about her relationship with her mother, she gets a chance to find her father with the will she shows in her heart. Mrs Which leads the three light entities that can help Meg travel the universe to find her father, she isn’t just guiding Meg, but the newest member of the team Mrs Whatsit. Mrs Whatsit is the bubbly member of the light entities, she is on her first mission of guidance which does see her make mistakes along the way. Mrs Who is the third member of the team, she is always positive like the rest only she gets the least amount of time to do anything of the three. Mr Murry is the father that has gone missing, he is a brilliant scientist that has always believed in travel through the universe to be possible and has been searching for a way to achieve. Calvin is the high school friend of Meg that ends up on the journey, he wants to support her even when it shows his own weakness in the world.
Performances – Storm Reid is the highlight of the film which sees her going on the adventure to find her father, this is a disappointing as we do have a talent cast, only they just don’t seem to shine on the levels you would expect them to reach.
Story – The story here follows a teenage girl that gets to do on an adventure across the universe in search for her father through the powers of light entities. This is a story that has come from a popular novel and is meant to show the science behind potential travel through the universe and how the power is within us all. This is a story that just drags along, it doesn’t offer anything to the world we are entering. This story could have so much potential and ends up just glossing over too much, making it a hard watch.
Adventure/Fantasy/Sci-Fi – The adventure side of the film shows the journey that takes the children across the universe to see just where one’s father has gone, this does show us the fantasy elements of the film in the sci-fi universe we end up going along.
Settings – The film is set in a fictional land where the people can travel to unknown planets in the universe, each one has its own unique look.
Special Effects – The visual effects used to create the different worlds look beautiful, only they don’t seem to make anything feel as important to the story.
Scene of the Movie – Understand other people’s problems from behind closed doors.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – This story just doesn’t become interesting.
Final Thoughts – This is a film that had so much potential only to fall so short, it has an amazing cast that just don’t get a chance to shine, the story just doesn’t get us going like it should do.
Overall: Disappointing.
https://moviesreview101.com/2019/06/13/a-wrinkle-in-time-2018/
Mrs Whatsit takes the three children on an adventure through the universe with Mrs Which (Winfrey) and Mrs Who (Kaling), who believe they can locate Mr Murry after his research has taken him across the universe unlike anyone in human history.
Thoughts on A Wrinkle in Time
Characters – Meg is an outsider teenage girl, daughter of two brilliant scientists, with her father disappeared for four years now. She went from the popular out going girl to the shy closed off one. she has never given up hope of finding her father, which does leave questions about her relationship with her mother, she gets a chance to find her father with the will she shows in her heart. Mrs Which leads the three light entities that can help Meg travel the universe to find her father, she isn’t just guiding Meg, but the newest member of the team Mrs Whatsit. Mrs Whatsit is the bubbly member of the light entities, she is on her first mission of guidance which does see her make mistakes along the way. Mrs Who is the third member of the team, she is always positive like the rest only she gets the least amount of time to do anything of the three. Mr Murry is the father that has gone missing, he is a brilliant scientist that has always believed in travel through the universe to be possible and has been searching for a way to achieve. Calvin is the high school friend of Meg that ends up on the journey, he wants to support her even when it shows his own weakness in the world.
Performances – Storm Reid is the highlight of the film which sees her going on the adventure to find her father, this is a disappointing as we do have a talent cast, only they just don’t seem to shine on the levels you would expect them to reach.
Story – The story here follows a teenage girl that gets to do on an adventure across the universe in search for her father through the powers of light entities. This is a story that has come from a popular novel and is meant to show the science behind potential travel through the universe and how the power is within us all. This is a story that just drags along, it doesn’t offer anything to the world we are entering. This story could have so much potential and ends up just glossing over too much, making it a hard watch.
Adventure/Fantasy/Sci-Fi – The adventure side of the film shows the journey that takes the children across the universe to see just where one’s father has gone, this does show us the fantasy elements of the film in the sci-fi universe we end up going along.
Settings – The film is set in a fictional land where the people can travel to unknown planets in the universe, each one has its own unique look.
Special Effects – The visual effects used to create the different worlds look beautiful, only they don’t seem to make anything feel as important to the story.
Scene of the Movie – Understand other people’s problems from behind closed doors.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – This story just doesn’t become interesting.
Final Thoughts – This is a film that had so much potential only to fall so short, it has an amazing cast that just don’t get a chance to shine, the story just doesn’t get us going like it should do.
Overall: Disappointing.
https://moviesreview101.com/2019/06/13/a-wrinkle-in-time-2018/
Hazel (1853 KP) rated The Problem with Forever in Books
Dec 7, 2018
3.5
<i>This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>
Jennifer L. Armentrout is an American author best known for her young adult novel<i> Obsidian</i>. Although her previous books have contained fantasy elements, <i>The Problem With Forever</i> tackles a contemporary, realistic situation. It is a story of two teenage abuse survivors, and the ways they try to break free from their past.
Mallory has spent four years in therapy since being adopted/rescued by a couple of doctors, Carl and Rosa. Struggling with selective mutism as a result of her past, she has been unable to live a “normal” life. However, Mallory has ambitions to go to college, but in order to do this she must be able to cope being around and speaking to other people. So she takes what feels like the biggest step of her life and enrolls in high school for her senior year.
Of course high school was going to be a life changing experience for Mallory but she got even more than she bargained for. On her very first day she meets Rider, or rather is reunited; the boy she was in a foster home with. Neither believed they would ever see each other again and are delighted about being able to rekindle their strong friendship; except there are many obstacles in the way of their ‘happy ever after.’ A jealous girlfriend, over-protective parents, contrasting social circumstances, and, perhaps most importantly, the effects their challenging past has had on the pair.
The horror of Mallory and Rider’s past makes The Problem With Forever a heart-wrenching tale. It is shocking to think that children in real life have gone through, or are going through, similar experiences. Readers will want a happy ending for both characters, yet will undergo a foreboding sense that something will go wrong.
<i>The Problem With Forever</i> is also a love story – however this is where I think the novel falls down. The romance that blooms between Mallory and Rider seems to happen far too quickly, especially as they have only recently been reunited. That is not the only problem: Mallory and Rider grew up like foster siblings, which makes their new relationship feel somewhat wrong. The overall story could have been just as good without love coming into play.
Overall, I am sure readers will agree, Armentrout’s latest novel is a heart-wrenching story that comes with a strong message about letting go of the past and becoming someone new, someone better. You may have had a bad past, but you will have new experiences if you let yourself. You will not feel this way forever. Full of powerful statements, <i>The Problem With Forever</i> is likely to move many to tears – so be prepared!
<i>This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>
Jennifer L. Armentrout is an American author best known for her young adult novel<i> Obsidian</i>. Although her previous books have contained fantasy elements, <i>The Problem With Forever</i> tackles a contemporary, realistic situation. It is a story of two teenage abuse survivors, and the ways they try to break free from their past.
Mallory has spent four years in therapy since being adopted/rescued by a couple of doctors, Carl and Rosa. Struggling with selective mutism as a result of her past, she has been unable to live a “normal” life. However, Mallory has ambitions to go to college, but in order to do this she must be able to cope being around and speaking to other people. So she takes what feels like the biggest step of her life and enrolls in high school for her senior year.
Of course high school was going to be a life changing experience for Mallory but she got even more than she bargained for. On her very first day she meets Rider, or rather is reunited; the boy she was in a foster home with. Neither believed they would ever see each other again and are delighted about being able to rekindle their strong friendship; except there are many obstacles in the way of their ‘happy ever after.’ A jealous girlfriend, over-protective parents, contrasting social circumstances, and, perhaps most importantly, the effects their challenging past has had on the pair.
The horror of Mallory and Rider’s past makes The Problem With Forever a heart-wrenching tale. It is shocking to think that children in real life have gone through, or are going through, similar experiences. Readers will want a happy ending for both characters, yet will undergo a foreboding sense that something will go wrong.
<i>The Problem With Forever</i> is also a love story – however this is where I think the novel falls down. The romance that blooms between Mallory and Rider seems to happen far too quickly, especially as they have only recently been reunited. That is not the only problem: Mallory and Rider grew up like foster siblings, which makes their new relationship feel somewhat wrong. The overall story could have been just as good without love coming into play.
Overall, I am sure readers will agree, Armentrout’s latest novel is a heart-wrenching story that comes with a strong message about letting go of the past and becoming someone new, someone better. You may have had a bad past, but you will have new experiences if you let yourself. You will not feel this way forever. Full of powerful statements, <i>The Problem With Forever</i> is likely to move many to tears – so be prepared!
As a child, Miles watched in horror as his mother was murdered before his very eyes. Despite that awful event, Miles grew up into a well-respected professor, as well as an inventor. He married his wife, Lily, and they had a family, daughter Eva and son Errol. Miles loves to tinker in his workshop while Eva watches and assists. Miles best invention, however? A machine built off plans supposedly from Thomas Edison and handed down to Miles: it allows you to speak with your deceased loved ones. But Miles' hard-fought happy adult life ends when a terrible storm hits his family home: at the same time, the machine turns itself on, warning them of danger. Shortly after, Eva awakes and is told by Lily that Miles and Errol are dead. Their home has been lost in the "Great Flood," and they can never return. Eva reinvents herself as Necco, and she and her mother find a new life among the homeless of Burntown. But then Necco's mother dies and a series of events shows that Necco is in grave danger. What exactly happened the night of the Great Flood? And will Necco ever be safe again?
The premise of this book probably sounds absurd, but please, don't let it deter you. I've read a handful of McMahon's books over time now and liked them all, but <i>I really, really enjoyed this book.</i> Many of her books have a blend of paranormal, fantasy, etc., and this one was no exception, expertly weaving in fantasy and supernatural flavors into a surprisingly riveting mystery.
The novel starts off a bit convoluted--there are a lot of narrators--and you have to suspend your disbelief at times for the plot to work, but it's really worth it. Necco is a wonderful character, and she's surrounded by this intriguing group of people, including Pru, a cafeteria lady/circus fanatic; Theo, a high school student finding her way; and Mr. Marcelle, a delivery man who helps out his private investigator brother. McMahon seamlessly weaves together these characters--and many more--into a mesmerizing tale that is part ghost story, part mystery, part love story. I honestly couldn't put this book down: I stayed up late to finish it.
This novel isn't your usual mystery or your usual supernatural tale, but it's certainly worth reading if you like one or both genres. There's a sweetness to it, as well as a completely compelling plot that will pull you in immediately.
You can read my review of McMahon's novel, THE NIGHT SISTER, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24040551-the-night-sister">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>
The premise of this book probably sounds absurd, but please, don't let it deter you. I've read a handful of McMahon's books over time now and liked them all, but <i>I really, really enjoyed this book.</i> Many of her books have a blend of paranormal, fantasy, etc., and this one was no exception, expertly weaving in fantasy and supernatural flavors into a surprisingly riveting mystery.
The novel starts off a bit convoluted--there are a lot of narrators--and you have to suspend your disbelief at times for the plot to work, but it's really worth it. Necco is a wonderful character, and she's surrounded by this intriguing group of people, including Pru, a cafeteria lady/circus fanatic; Theo, a high school student finding her way; and Mr. Marcelle, a delivery man who helps out his private investigator brother. McMahon seamlessly weaves together these characters--and many more--into a mesmerizing tale that is part ghost story, part mystery, part love story. I honestly couldn't put this book down: I stayed up late to finish it.
This novel isn't your usual mystery or your usual supernatural tale, but it's certainly worth reading if you like one or both genres. There's a sweetness to it, as well as a completely compelling plot that will pull you in immediately.
You can read my review of McMahon's novel, THE NIGHT SISTER, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24040551-the-night-sister">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>
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin, #1) in Books
Dec 7, 2018
<i>This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review</i>
<i>Grave Mercy</i> is the first book in Robin LaFevers’ trilogy <i>His Fair Assassin</i> set in Brittany in the middle ages. Young Ismae Rienne escapes from her new, abusive husband to the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where she learns that she was sired by the god of death. She, like the other sisters of the convent, has been blessed with certain gifts as a result. Their job is to be the handmaidens of death and help to kill people on behalf of St. Mortain.
Ismae’s task is to live in the high courts with a man named Gavriel Duval in order to remove the traitors that threaten the soon to be crowned duchess, Anne. While she is there she begins to suspect that one of the allies is a traitor, but whom? She also begins to fall in love and feels torn in two when the convent demands his death.
It takes a long time to understand what is going on in <i>Grave Mercy</i> especially as a lot of it involves politics of an era of long ago. Towards the end it begins to become more exciting once the reader has worked out who are the good characters and who are the bad and all that is left is to discover how it all resolves itself.
There is something about death and murder in historical fiction that is more gruesome than in contemporary novels. This is another reason why the book was difficult to read.
Initially the amount of names listed on the “Dramatis Personae” at the start of the book was a little daunting however not all of them are key to the plot. The main character, Ismae, is likable and her strength and independence is admirable especially as women did not have much control over their lives at that time. Most of the other characters also existed in real life as, although in part a fantasy novel, LaFevers’ has kept it as historically accurate as possible.
Looking at the reviews on <i>Goodreads</i>, over 900 readers have listed <i>Grave Mercy</i> as Young Adult. After reading the book there is nothing to suggest that it was written for that age group. Admittedly the characters are very young: Ismae, 17, and Anne, 12; but in the 1400s they would have seemed older than society regards people of that age today. The romantic element of the novel is the kind you would expect to find in adult historical novels rather than books for younger readers.
Overall this is a book for people who appreciate historical and political fiction but also like an element of fantasy and romance. It is written really well but to be able to engage fully with the story you need to be really interested in the subject matter.
<i>Grave Mercy</i> is the first book in Robin LaFevers’ trilogy <i>His Fair Assassin</i> set in Brittany in the middle ages. Young Ismae Rienne escapes from her new, abusive husband to the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where she learns that she was sired by the god of death. She, like the other sisters of the convent, has been blessed with certain gifts as a result. Their job is to be the handmaidens of death and help to kill people on behalf of St. Mortain.
Ismae’s task is to live in the high courts with a man named Gavriel Duval in order to remove the traitors that threaten the soon to be crowned duchess, Anne. While she is there she begins to suspect that one of the allies is a traitor, but whom? She also begins to fall in love and feels torn in two when the convent demands his death.
It takes a long time to understand what is going on in <i>Grave Mercy</i> especially as a lot of it involves politics of an era of long ago. Towards the end it begins to become more exciting once the reader has worked out who are the good characters and who are the bad and all that is left is to discover how it all resolves itself.
There is something about death and murder in historical fiction that is more gruesome than in contemporary novels. This is another reason why the book was difficult to read.
Initially the amount of names listed on the “Dramatis Personae” at the start of the book was a little daunting however not all of them are key to the plot. The main character, Ismae, is likable and her strength and independence is admirable especially as women did not have much control over their lives at that time. Most of the other characters also existed in real life as, although in part a fantasy novel, LaFevers’ has kept it as historically accurate as possible.
Looking at the reviews on <i>Goodreads</i>, over 900 readers have listed <i>Grave Mercy</i> as Young Adult. After reading the book there is nothing to suggest that it was written for that age group. Admittedly the characters are very young: Ismae, 17, and Anne, 12; but in the 1400s they would have seemed older than society regards people of that age today. The romantic element of the novel is the kind you would expect to find in adult historical novels rather than books for younger readers.
Overall this is a book for people who appreciate historical and political fiction but also like an element of fantasy and romance. It is written really well but to be able to engage fully with the story you need to be really interested in the subject matter.
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated A Warrior's Blush in Books
Jan 9, 2020
A Warriors Blush by Shannon Whittall is an action-adventure fantasy story with just a hit of romance. This book could z easily be the beginning of a very interesting series if the author wanted to go that route with it. The ending is also surprising, but I do not encourage any readers to skip ahead in the book to see what I mean.
Lenora Belavier has been held prisoner and was used as a slave in the female prison, Golnar. It is here in Golnar that Lenora makes two names for herself. The first is Iron-Will for the excellent blades she forges. The second is Golnars Ghost, for protecting her fellow prisoners from the guards without them finding out who the ghost is. One day after much planning Lenora escapes from Golnar and brings an eleven-year-old prisoner, Mear, with her. Elijah finds Lenora (who has now adopted a new name) and Mear injured in the desert and takes them to Drodals Keep for healing.
In Drodal Lenora endures training for a magical ability that she does not believe she possesses, by a temperamental Elijah. Mear, on the other hand, seems to be enjoying her freedom and wonders off for some unknown reason. Lenora and Elijah slowly form an unlikely friendship as they start looking into the appearance of Bolgran, the evil monsters controlled by Myrna. Myrna, the evil Queen who Lenora was fighting against when she was arrested has learned of Lenora surviving Golnar and seeking refuge at Drodal. In an attempt to destroy her enemy Myrna floods Drodal with Bolgren and it doesn't look good for the small keep.
What I liked best about this book was that it was not predictable nor was it confusing. The twists in the story were extremely enjoyable and even surprised me. I am purposely leaving these twists out of the review as to not ruin them for the interested reader. What I did not like was how some of the characters and creatures were named similar to each other. The biggest of these issues was Bolgran, a terrible monster, and Brogan, a blacksmith. This did cause a bit of confusion because one is obviously evil and the other is not.
This book is age-appropriate for readers who are at least in high school. Younger readers would enjoy most of the story but would have to be mature. The rape and abuse of female prisoners is a big driving factor for Lenora and readers must be able to handle that. Overall I rate this book 3 out of 4. While it was a good book the name issue felt a little sloppy and lost it some points with me. I would still recommend this book to people who like fantasy but they would have to pay close attention to the names.
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Lenora Belavier has been held prisoner and was used as a slave in the female prison, Golnar. It is here in Golnar that Lenora makes two names for herself. The first is Iron-Will for the excellent blades she forges. The second is Golnars Ghost, for protecting her fellow prisoners from the guards without them finding out who the ghost is. One day after much planning Lenora escapes from Golnar and brings an eleven-year-old prisoner, Mear, with her. Elijah finds Lenora (who has now adopted a new name) and Mear injured in the desert and takes them to Drodals Keep for healing.
In Drodal Lenora endures training for a magical ability that she does not believe she possesses, by a temperamental Elijah. Mear, on the other hand, seems to be enjoying her freedom and wonders off for some unknown reason. Lenora and Elijah slowly form an unlikely friendship as they start looking into the appearance of Bolgran, the evil monsters controlled by Myrna. Myrna, the evil Queen who Lenora was fighting against when she was arrested has learned of Lenora surviving Golnar and seeking refuge at Drodal. In an attempt to destroy her enemy Myrna floods Drodal with Bolgren and it doesn't look good for the small keep.
What I liked best about this book was that it was not predictable nor was it confusing. The twists in the story were extremely enjoyable and even surprised me. I am purposely leaving these twists out of the review as to not ruin them for the interested reader. What I did not like was how some of the characters and creatures were named similar to each other. The biggest of these issues was Bolgran, a terrible monster, and Brogan, a blacksmith. This did cause a bit of confusion because one is obviously evil and the other is not.
This book is age-appropriate for readers who are at least in high school. Younger readers would enjoy most of the story but would have to be mature. The rape and abuse of female prisoners is a big driving factor for Lenora and readers must be able to handle that. Overall I rate this book 3 out of 4. While it was a good book the name issue felt a little sloppy and lost it some points with me. I would still recommend this book to people who like fantasy but they would have to pay close attention to the names.
https://nightreaderreviews.blogspot.cpm
https://www.facebook.com/nightreadersreviews
https://www.austinmacauley.com/book/warriors-blush
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Serenade (The Dark Nocturne #1) in Books
Aug 1, 2022
I don't normally read young adult books anymore, but when I read the synopsis for Serenade by Morgan Shamy, I was intrigued. I decided to get the eBook, and I am happy I did because I ended up loving Serenade!
I felt as if the plot of Serenade by Morgan Shamy was very original. Yes, it does have some of the other elements of paranormal fantasy that others of the same genre have such as the evil supernatural and paranormal creatures, but Shamy uses all of that and changes it all around to form a very different narrative. Her background in music and dance really shines through throughout Serenade. Whilst reading this novel, I was kept on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next to November and her school. I also enjoyed how Morgan Shamy is not afraid of killing off any character whether they are minor or major. It made the book that much more suspenseful. There was one major plot twist that I didn't see coming. Although Serenade is a series, there's no major cliff hanger which was a plus.
I loved each and every character in Serenade. Each was well fleshed out, and I felt as if I was reading about actual people instead of characters in a book. November was an awesome main character! While there were a few times, I felt as if she made the wrong decision, I could easily see why she chose to do/act the way she did. It was interesting to see her hatch her plan to take on the baddies of the book as well as how she would stand up for her cousin. There was something very endearing about April, and I think she was my favorite character. There was something so innocent and sweet about her. I wanted a friend like April. In fact, I think I kind of was like April in high school - low self-esteem and never quite fitting in. I never liked Cam, not because he wasn't written well, but I hated how assured of himself he was. I was always drawn to Vincent even if he was moody and broody a lot of the time. My favorite creatures in Serenade were definitely the sylphs. I loved how they could go from being beautiful and alluring to deadly quite suddenly.
Trigger warnings for Serenade include violence, death, and murder.
Overall, Serenade is an original take on the whole paranormal fantasy genre that's full of relatable characters and a plot that sucks you in from the very first page. Once you start reading this novel, you will struggle to put it down. It will have that affect on you. I would definitely recommend Serenade by Morgan Shamy to those aged 14+ who are after a book with a fresh new plot full of action, adventure, and some really cool monsters. I have already started reading Etude, the next book in The Dark Nocturne series by Morgan Shamy!
I felt as if the plot of Serenade by Morgan Shamy was very original. Yes, it does have some of the other elements of paranormal fantasy that others of the same genre have such as the evil supernatural and paranormal creatures, but Shamy uses all of that and changes it all around to form a very different narrative. Her background in music and dance really shines through throughout Serenade. Whilst reading this novel, I was kept on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next to November and her school. I also enjoyed how Morgan Shamy is not afraid of killing off any character whether they are minor or major. It made the book that much more suspenseful. There was one major plot twist that I didn't see coming. Although Serenade is a series, there's no major cliff hanger which was a plus.
I loved each and every character in Serenade. Each was well fleshed out, and I felt as if I was reading about actual people instead of characters in a book. November was an awesome main character! While there were a few times, I felt as if she made the wrong decision, I could easily see why she chose to do/act the way she did. It was interesting to see her hatch her plan to take on the baddies of the book as well as how she would stand up for her cousin. There was something very endearing about April, and I think she was my favorite character. There was something so innocent and sweet about her. I wanted a friend like April. In fact, I think I kind of was like April in high school - low self-esteem and never quite fitting in. I never liked Cam, not because he wasn't written well, but I hated how assured of himself he was. I was always drawn to Vincent even if he was moody and broody a lot of the time. My favorite creatures in Serenade were definitely the sylphs. I loved how they could go from being beautiful and alluring to deadly quite suddenly.
Trigger warnings for Serenade include violence, death, and murder.
Overall, Serenade is an original take on the whole paranormal fantasy genre that's full of relatable characters and a plot that sucks you in from the very first page. Once you start reading this novel, you will struggle to put it down. It will have that affect on you. I would definitely recommend Serenade by Morgan Shamy to those aged 14+ who are after a book with a fresh new plot full of action, adventure, and some really cool monsters. I have already started reading Etude, the next book in The Dark Nocturne series by Morgan Shamy!
Autumn (430 KP) rated A Plague of Giants in Books
Nov 18, 2017 (Updated Nov 18, 2017)
The world building (2 more)
The kennings
Abhinava Khose, Murr, and Eep
I received an ARC at no cost through a giveaway hosted by the author and/or publisher.
What I liked: Wow, Hearne has really created a whole new world in this series. I can't imagine the time it took to come up with several nations, kennings, and all the culture behind each. I was impressed. The kennings are interesting and somewhat horrifying. It would be amazing to do any of the things the blessed are able to do, but the fact that you age and use up your life span if you push your kenning too hard is horrifying and almost not worth it, in my opinion. The creatures in this book are scary and I would not want to live in a world where they exist. However, they really added to the world building, especially once the 6th kenning is found. Abhinava Khose was probably my favorite character, largely due to the fact that he can control and communicate with animals. I found myself sucked in any time the bard delivered a piece of his story. I love books that switch perspectives, and this was definitely a new way of doing it. I liked the way it was written for the most part.
What I didn't like: I will say that it took some time to grab my attention, but that may be because I don't usually read high fantasy. It took me a while to read this book and at one point I didn't know if I would continue. However, I am glad I stuck it out because it picked up and I became invested in the story.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It took some time for me to get into it, but I am glad I finished it. I think the author has built an interesting world full of magic and war and I will definitely pick up the next book in this series.
What I liked: Wow, Hearne has really created a whole new world in this series. I can't imagine the time it took to come up with several nations, kennings, and all the culture behind each. I was impressed. The kennings are interesting and somewhat horrifying. It would be amazing to do any of the things the blessed are able to do, but the fact that you age and use up your life span if you push your kenning too hard is horrifying and almost not worth it, in my opinion. The creatures in this book are scary and I would not want to live in a world where they exist. However, they really added to the world building, especially once the 6th kenning is found. Abhinava Khose was probably my favorite character, largely due to the fact that he can control and communicate with animals. I found myself sucked in any time the bard delivered a piece of his story. I love books that switch perspectives, and this was definitely a new way of doing it. I liked the way it was written for the most part.
What I didn't like: I will say that it took some time to grab my attention, but that may be because I don't usually read high fantasy. It took me a while to read this book and at one point I didn't know if I would continue. However, I am glad I stuck it out because it picked up and I became invested in the story.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It took some time for me to get into it, but I am glad I finished it. I think the author has built an interesting world full of magic and war and I will definitely pick up the next book in this series.