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Fate in Suspension (Horn & Haven #1)
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Quiet. That's how he likes life, no drama to clean up... Tai Xen-Vorsy leads a straightforward...
Adult Fantasy LGBTQIA+ Paranormal Romance
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated The Poppy War (The Poppy War #1) in Books
Mar 11, 2024
47 of 220
Book
The poppy War ( Book 1)
By R.F. Kuang
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
When Rin aced the Keju – the test to find the most talented students in the Empire – it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn’t believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin’s guardians, who had hoped to get rich by marrying her off; and to Rin herself, who realized she was finally free from a life of servitude. That she got into Sinegard – the most elite military school in Nikan – was even more surprising.
But surprises aren’t always good.
Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Fighting the prejudice of rival classmates, Rin discovers that she possesses a lethal, unearthly power – an aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of psychoactive substances and a seemingly insane teacher, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive – and that mastering these powers could mean more than just surviving school.
For while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea. The Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most people calmly go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark away
I was really nervous going into this book as I tried to read Babel and really hated it!
But this was another level I absolutely loved it. I really enjoyed part 1 but the part 2 was even better and that ending was definitely worth it. This didn’t hold back on the details either really really good read. So much to take in and I love anything to do with the gods.
Book
The poppy War ( Book 1)
By R.F. Kuang
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
When Rin aced the Keju – the test to find the most talented students in the Empire – it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn’t believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin’s guardians, who had hoped to get rich by marrying her off; and to Rin herself, who realized she was finally free from a life of servitude. That she got into Sinegard – the most elite military school in Nikan – was even more surprising.
But surprises aren’t always good.
Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Fighting the prejudice of rival classmates, Rin discovers that she possesses a lethal, unearthly power – an aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of psychoactive substances and a seemingly insane teacher, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive – and that mastering these powers could mean more than just surviving school.
For while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea. The Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most people calmly go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark away
I was really nervous going into this book as I tried to read Babel and really hated it!
But this was another level I absolutely loved it. I really enjoyed part 1 but the part 2 was even better and that ending was definitely worth it. This didn’t hold back on the details either really really good read. So much to take in and I love anything to do with the gods.
The Guardians of Earth
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A middle grade fantasy novel teaching kids about the protection of the environment. ...
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated Where Dead Men Meet in Books
May 16, 2018
Originality is key. In this regard, Where Dead Men Meet by Mark Mills is so predictable that you already know the outcome from the first page. Kidnapped at a young age and taken to another country, Luke Hamilton grows up believing that his family is dead. After Sister Agnes, a key character in Luke’s life, turns up dead, Luke quickly finds himself caught up in a situation that spins out of control. His very existence is unfinished business to the Karaman brothers, a pair of crime lords whose reach is impossibly long. Brushing close with death, Luke Hamilton soon flees across several countries. Along the way, he meets Pippi. Can he trust her?
Well, the answer there is clear as day, but I’ll leave it at that. There’s nothing original about the plot in this book. Absolutely nothing, which makes it a rather dull read for me. Luke Hamilton is a misfit. An orphan of a wealthy family, too. What should be a major plot twist in Where Dead Men Meet becomes obvious before its actual reveal, too. This is a serious no-go for me. If I’ve read it once, I don’t want to read it again. If I’ve watched it once, I don’t typically want to read it again either.
The characters are alright. Luke Hamilton seems a bit soft, Pippi is roguish, and the others, which are largely minor in comparison, are fairly standard in their actions. I never felt any connection to any of them. If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, then you know that my emotional connection to a character is a must.
Despite these major flaws, Mark Mills can write. Though I don’t care much for Where Dead Men Meet‘s plot, Mills’s style of writing is nice. I haven’t had the opportunity to read more of his work, but, provided it is more original in its concept, I’d definitely give it a try. This book is probably better suited to readers that prefer more cinematic thrillers.
I would like to thank the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy via NetGalley for unbiased review.
Well, the answer there is clear as day, but I’ll leave it at that. There’s nothing original about the plot in this book. Absolutely nothing, which makes it a rather dull read for me. Luke Hamilton is a misfit. An orphan of a wealthy family, too. What should be a major plot twist in Where Dead Men Meet becomes obvious before its actual reveal, too. This is a serious no-go for me. If I’ve read it once, I don’t want to read it again. If I’ve watched it once, I don’t typically want to read it again either.
The characters are alright. Luke Hamilton seems a bit soft, Pippi is roguish, and the others, which are largely minor in comparison, are fairly standard in their actions. I never felt any connection to any of them. If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, then you know that my emotional connection to a character is a must.
Despite these major flaws, Mark Mills can write. Though I don’t care much for Where Dead Men Meet‘s plot, Mills’s style of writing is nice. I haven’t had the opportunity to read more of his work, but, provided it is more original in its concept, I’d definitely give it a try. This book is probably better suited to readers that prefer more cinematic thrillers.
I would like to thank the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy via NetGalley for unbiased review.
ClareR (5950 KP) rated Happy Family in Books
Oct 29, 2019
One to look out for next year!
Happy Family is set in the near future, where people game via glasses and one augmented reality game in particular is very popular: Happy Family. This game was invented by Tom Hannah, also an artist, who has hidden himself away with his suicidal thoughts in Spain in the middle of nowhere, after the death of his mother. Germaine Kiecke, an art academic, is a huge fan of Tom’s and wants to interview him for her new book. But Tom is guarded by a strange girl and three huge dogs who are named after the Marx brothers. Germaine has had a traumatic upbringing as an orphan in Belgium in a notorious orphanage called ‘Motherhood’. Thus she finds it impossible to express her feelings except through Tom’s game Happy Family. So when she finds out that something threatens this game for her and millions of others, she’s forced to take a look at how she lives her life.
Germaine was a difficult character to get an understanding of, but I think in view of her childhood that was reasonable. The other characters who also relied on Tom Hannah in some way were actually very amusing - whether they were supposed to be or not, I don’t know, but towards the end of the novel, their antics descended (or ascended!) into slapstick. For various reasons that I won’t go into (I don’t want to spoil it!), this was both sad and funny - there was a healthy dose of black humour throughout really.
I read this on The Pigeonhole, and the other readers had a real mix of opinions: it seems to have been a real ‘marmite’ book. Personally, I loved it. It ticked a lot of boxes for me, first and foremost being it’s quirkiness. There was some gaming talk, but it was relevant to the story and the characters, and I don’t actually think there was that much considering that it was set against the backdrop of the game (and lets face it, I have two teenage sons who are obsessed with the Xbox 🙄).
I really enjoyed this book, and thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising it.
Germaine was a difficult character to get an understanding of, but I think in view of her childhood that was reasonable. The other characters who also relied on Tom Hannah in some way were actually very amusing - whether they were supposed to be or not, I don’t know, but towards the end of the novel, their antics descended (or ascended!) into slapstick. For various reasons that I won’t go into (I don’t want to spoil it!), this was both sad and funny - there was a healthy dose of black humour throughout really.
I read this on The Pigeonhole, and the other readers had a real mix of opinions: it seems to have been a real ‘marmite’ book. Personally, I loved it. It ticked a lot of boxes for me, first and foremost being it’s quirkiness. There was some gaming talk, but it was relevant to the story and the characters, and I don’t actually think there was that much considering that it was set against the backdrop of the game (and lets face it, I have two teenage sons who are obsessed with the Xbox 🙄).
I really enjoyed this book, and thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising it.
Pan Book 1: The Fearless Beribolt
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Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Deadly Class in TV
Jul 3, 2020
Teenage Angst, Romance & The Deadly Arts - 8/10
Deadly Class is a tv series airing on SYFY based on the graphic novel created by Rick Remander and Wesley Craig and published by Image Comics. Developed by by Miles Orion Feldscott and produced by the Russo brothers, it's set in a much more macabre late 1980's San Francisco. For me this show has been addicting and is easy to get swept up in the chaos of the halls of Kong's Dominion.
Marcus (Benjamin Wadsworth) is a recently homeless orphan who is inducted into a boarding school of elite assassins called King's Dominion. Recruited off the streets by a gang of students, mainly Saya (Lana Condor), on orders by the headmaster Master Lin (Benedict Wong). He must learn the deadly arts while navigating the perilous halls and vicious social cliques in the free-for-all that is King's Dominion. The institution's a place where the world's top mob and crime families send their children to become better killers and it's graduates include serial killers and government assassins.
This show might not be for everyone but I have found it really enjoyable. It's very cliche at times and definitely has it's standard archetypes but the characters pop with personality especially when the show goes into these really awesome motion comic scenes when delving into their personal backgrounds. The action is definitely top class and keeps the show going but it's not able to always keep that tension when not in the halls or classrooms of the school where anything can happen. By the 1st or 2nd episode you'll know if it's for you. I particularly like how the main group is a bunch of misfits who come together and the progression of the main character. Like i said, I give it a 8/10.
Marcus (Benjamin Wadsworth) is a recently homeless orphan who is inducted into a boarding school of elite assassins called King's Dominion. Recruited off the streets by a gang of students, mainly Saya (Lana Condor), on orders by the headmaster Master Lin (Benedict Wong). He must learn the deadly arts while navigating the perilous halls and vicious social cliques in the free-for-all that is King's Dominion. The institution's a place where the world's top mob and crime families send their children to become better killers and it's graduates include serial killers and government assassins.
This show might not be for everyone but I have found it really enjoyable. It's very cliche at times and definitely has it's standard archetypes but the characters pop with personality especially when the show goes into these really awesome motion comic scenes when delving into their personal backgrounds. The action is definitely top class and keeps the show going but it's not able to always keep that tension when not in the halls or classrooms of the school where anything can happen. By the 1st or 2nd episode you'll know if it's for you. I particularly like how the main group is a bunch of misfits who come together and the progression of the main character. Like i said, I give it a 8/10.
TravelersWife4Life (31 KP) rated Star of Persia: Esther's Story in Books
Feb 24, 2021
I love the story of Esther!
This was my first time reading a book by Jill Eileen Smith and I truly liked it. I usually tend to stay away from Biblical fiction, as I want to remember the story as it happens in the Bible. However, I may revisit my stance on that after reading this wonderful retelling of Esther in the Star of Persia. I believe that Jill Eileen Smith helped me see Esther’s story from a completely new perspective that only added to my knowledge of the original Biblical story.
The whole book was liking being inside Esther’s head and seeing what she would have been going through during the virgin selection prosses, through her reign as Queen of Persia. This book also helped give words to the emotions Esther would have been experiencing as she was being taken away from her family, thrown into a completely new world, and knowing that she risked everything for the lives of her people. This book gave me a new respect for Esther and helped me to understand the enormity of what Esther did for the Jewish people. I think that the Star of Persia added to my understanding of that period and showed how amazingly God used an orphan to achieve great things for His people.
I loved the historical accuracy of this book as well. If you read the authors' note at the end of the book, Jill Eileen Smith explains some of the different variants, both Biblical and secular, about the story of Esther. An awesome fountain of facts! It helped me understand more of the intricacies of the Biblical story from a historical standpoint.
I give this book 5 out of 5 stars for the creative insights to the life and times of Esther, for giving me a better connection to the Biblical story, and for the great historical detail that went into making this book so accurate. I highly recommend reading this book.
*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
This was my first time reading a book by Jill Eileen Smith and I truly liked it. I usually tend to stay away from Biblical fiction, as I want to remember the story as it happens in the Bible. However, I may revisit my stance on that after reading this wonderful retelling of Esther in the Star of Persia. I believe that Jill Eileen Smith helped me see Esther’s story from a completely new perspective that only added to my knowledge of the original Biblical story.
The whole book was liking being inside Esther’s head and seeing what she would have been going through during the virgin selection prosses, through her reign as Queen of Persia. This book also helped give words to the emotions Esther would have been experiencing as she was being taken away from her family, thrown into a completely new world, and knowing that she risked everything for the lives of her people. This book gave me a new respect for Esther and helped me to understand the enormity of what Esther did for the Jewish people. I think that the Star of Persia added to my understanding of that period and showed how amazingly God used an orphan to achieve great things for His people.
I loved the historical accuracy of this book as well. If you read the authors' note at the end of the book, Jill Eileen Smith explains some of the different variants, both Biblical and secular, about the story of Esther. An awesome fountain of facts! It helped me understand more of the intricacies of the Biblical story from a historical standpoint.
I give this book 5 out of 5 stars for the creative insights to the life and times of Esther, for giving me a better connection to the Biblical story, and for the great historical detail that went into making this book so accurate. I highly recommend reading this book.
*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.