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Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated Forest of a Thousand Lanterns in Books
Jan 11, 2018
A fun blend of Fairy Tales and Asian mythology.
You know I love my Fairy Tales! Especially re-imagining the villains. Forest of a Thousand Lanterns is an Asian take on the evil queen from Snow White. The author is a Vietnamese American, and this is her debut novel. She has quite skillfully woven a new origin story for the wicked stepmother in a fantasy land heavily influenced by East Asian mythology and culture. I don't know enough about the individual countries' mythologies to tell you if the influences come specifically from Vietnam, or more generically from the area. I know that their beliefs can vary pretty wildly by locale.
That said, this is another superb debut novel. I'm eager to read the sequel - it's billed as "A Rise of the Empress novel" so I'm sure there will be one or more. Xifeng is a pretty complex character - she is somewhat single-minded in what she wants, but conflicted in what to do to get it. (It being the position of Empress.) I was intrigued by who was chosen to fill the roles of the traditional tale; Xifeng, of course, would be the wicked stepmother. The Fool is Xifeng's version of Snow White, and Xifeng thought for some time that she knew who The Fool was. The reader, of course, knows the Fool must be Snow White, and so not the people who Xifeng suspected. The one that surprised me was the identity of The Huntsman. I won't spoil anything - but he was unexpected.
There's also more going on than just the Snow White plot. There are gods and goddesses and spirits and an underlying war. I am quite eager to see how those play out.
There is a slow spot in the middle - I set the book down for a couple of days before picking it up again, and that's always a sign I'm not as absorbed in the book as I could be. But I did pick it up again and read straight through to the end, so it's not too bad!
If you like Fairy Tales and Asian mythology, this is definitely a neat blend of the two. I really liked it.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
That said, this is another superb debut novel. I'm eager to read the sequel - it's billed as "A Rise of the Empress novel" so I'm sure there will be one or more. Xifeng is a pretty complex character - she is somewhat single-minded in what she wants, but conflicted in what to do to get it. (It being the position of Empress.) I was intrigued by who was chosen to fill the roles of the traditional tale; Xifeng, of course, would be the wicked stepmother. The Fool is Xifeng's version of Snow White, and Xifeng thought for some time that she knew who The Fool was. The reader, of course, knows the Fool must be Snow White, and so not the people who Xifeng suspected. The one that surprised me was the identity of The Huntsman. I won't spoil anything - but he was unexpected.
There's also more going on than just the Snow White plot. There are gods and goddesses and spirits and an underlying war. I am quite eager to see how those play out.
There is a slow spot in the middle - I set the book down for a couple of days before picking it up again, and that's always a sign I'm not as absorbed in the book as I could be. But I did pick it up again and read straight through to the end, so it's not too bad!
If you like Fairy Tales and Asian mythology, this is definitely a neat blend of the two. I really liked it.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
Connor Sheffield (293 KP) rated Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade in Books
May 15, 2017
Delve deeper into the story of Altaïr (2 more)
A familiar story with new and unfamiliar events
Opening up the world of Assassin's Creed even further
The Untold Story of Altaïr
Though this is actually the 3rd installment to the franchise of novels written by Bowden, it follows the story of the very first Assassin's Creed game and protagonist. The story begins with an older Altaïr, already set after the events of the video game, which means that he is wiser, and now a leader rather than a follower.
As he prepares to make an announcement, two young residents of Masyaf, the home of the Assassin's brotherhood at the time, as one of them claims that he is going to tell his brother assassin, the story of the great master assassin that approaches his pupils and the residents of Masyaf. This story, though it could be exaggerated through the tales of someone other than Altaïr himself, is one that is very thrilling as we follow a protagonist who we often question the actions of, as he questions himself also.
Altaïr is one of my favourite Assassin's because he often questions the creed and bends the rules to suit his needs, but as the days, weeks, and years pass, he grows wiser and becomes one with the creed. There are twists and turns within the story that are unexpected and very intriguing. His story is incredible to witness and very thrilling to read, even when it is only a sequence of him resting between his journeys. We learn more about the past of Altaïr, about his life as a child within Masyaf and then his life in training to become the Assassin we all know him as.
Though the game holds up with graphics to this day, the game play is not to everyone's enjoyment as we become use to the more slick controls of the later games, so if you do not wish to play the video game due to these reasons, then I highly recommend the book, and should you play the game at any point afterwards, your experience will not be the same.
As he prepares to make an announcement, two young residents of Masyaf, the home of the Assassin's brotherhood at the time, as one of them claims that he is going to tell his brother assassin, the story of the great master assassin that approaches his pupils and the residents of Masyaf. This story, though it could be exaggerated through the tales of someone other than Altaïr himself, is one that is very thrilling as we follow a protagonist who we often question the actions of, as he questions himself also.
Altaïr is one of my favourite Assassin's because he often questions the creed and bends the rules to suit his needs, but as the days, weeks, and years pass, he grows wiser and becomes one with the creed. There are twists and turns within the story that are unexpected and very intriguing. His story is incredible to witness and very thrilling to read, even when it is only a sequence of him resting between his journeys. We learn more about the past of Altaïr, about his life as a child within Masyaf and then his life in training to become the Assassin we all know him as.
Though the game holds up with graphics to this day, the game play is not to everyone's enjoyment as we become use to the more slick controls of the later games, so if you do not wish to play the video game due to these reasons, then I highly recommend the book, and should you play the game at any point afterwards, your experience will not be the same.
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson: Homecoming in Books
Feb 15, 2019
Hmm...how to start? The first graphic novel featuring Mercy Thompson is a mixed bag; the story as a whole is perfectly fine, it may not be great but it's serviceable. The illustrations are very good and attractive, however Mercy herself is not. Well, okay, the girl(s) is actually drawn well, but she's not Mercy. My first thought was, "When did Mercy go from being Native American/white to Hispanic?" Even though there are different artists and styles of Mercy used in this book, like many graphic novels employ, none of them come close to matching her description. Save the cover illustration which is done by the same artist who does the full-length novel covers, Dan Dos Santos. Since she is the main character, I really think that is vital and hope the artists work on that for the next book. As for the dialogue, it's rather mediocre, sometimes choppy, and a few times didn't follow a logical sequence. I'd be reading along, then a sentence or statement would pop up that made me think I missed something somehow, so I'd proceed to go back, then find out I didn't miss anything after-all, and it just didn't make sense with everything around it. My last complaint has to do with how the book reads and the panel progression. The way the panels and speech balloons were set led to much confusion, I'd read one panel, move on to the next just to find out I should have read that one first. I have read graphic novels before and never had as many problems with them as I did with this one. I felt that more panels would have helped tell the story and there wouldn't be so much confusion as to what had actually happened. Still, the book isn't totally bad, it's a good starting place, but hopefully everyone involved will learn from this first graphic novel so the next will be better executed. I'd say that if you're not into graphic novels, that you should give it a pass unless you absolutely must read everything Mercy Thompson related.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated A Blade So Black in Books
Mar 21, 2019
I've seen the point brought up that so many fantasy protagonists have really neglectful parents. Who lets their kid be gone for an unknown amount of time doing something "important" that their kid refuses to tell them about because it's a "secret"? This book makes a point of how NOT neglectful Alice's mother is. The blurb calls her overprotective, but really it's just normal protective. Alice's mom just wants to know her daughter hasn't been shot by the police when she's gone for 24 hours and not answering her phone, that seems normal to me! I actually enjoyed how that was different than a lot of fantasy YA, even if it's really a small sideplot.
In the main plot, Alice is a Dreamwalker, wielding Figment Blades and her own Muchness to kill the Nightmares that try to cross from Wonderland to our world. Her mentor is Addison Hatta, an exile from Wonderland who's been charged to guard his Gateway and train new Dreamwalkers. Along the way we meet two more Dreamwalkers, more exiled Wonderlanders, and learn a bit about the war in Wonderland and why they're exiled but still charged with such an important mission as guiding the Gateways between our world and theirs.
About the only thing I didn't like about this book was how it left so many questions unanswered at the end. We got a cliffhanger to lead us into the sequel, A Dream So Dark, but it isn't due out until September! I'm also wondering where the Cheshire Cat is - he's too instrumental a character to leave out, I would think - but I have a few possible ideas about where the author is going with that, so I'm anxious for the sequel, to see if I'm right.
A Blade So Black is a very unique take on Wonderland by a POC author, starring a POC heroine. There's also an adorable lesbian couple as side characters. With minority racial representation, a fairy tale base, and a splash of LGBT+ rep, this book checked a lot of the boxes I look for in my fantasy. It wasn't the best YA fantasy that I've read in the last year, but it was definitely fun!
You can read all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
In the main plot, Alice is a Dreamwalker, wielding Figment Blades and her own Muchness to kill the Nightmares that try to cross from Wonderland to our world. Her mentor is Addison Hatta, an exile from Wonderland who's been charged to guard his Gateway and train new Dreamwalkers. Along the way we meet two more Dreamwalkers, more exiled Wonderlanders, and learn a bit about the war in Wonderland and why they're exiled but still charged with such an important mission as guiding the Gateways between our world and theirs.
About the only thing I didn't like about this book was how it left so many questions unanswered at the end. We got a cliffhanger to lead us into the sequel, A Dream So Dark, but it isn't due out until September! I'm also wondering where the Cheshire Cat is - he's too instrumental a character to leave out, I would think - but I have a few possible ideas about where the author is going with that, so I'm anxious for the sequel, to see if I'm right.
A Blade So Black is a very unique take on Wonderland by a POC author, starring a POC heroine. There's also an adorable lesbian couple as side characters. With minority racial representation, a fairy tale base, and a splash of LGBT+ rep, this book checked a lot of the boxes I look for in my fantasy. It wasn't the best YA fantasy that I've read in the last year, but it was definitely fun!
You can read all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
Sam (74 KP) rated The Undomestic Goddess in Books
Mar 27, 2019
Samantha is a high powered lawyer in a high powered law firm in London. She’s one of the best and has worked hard to get where she is. And when the opportunity a arises for her to become a partner at the firm, she works even harder than before. She’s got everything set out and knows that the promotion is hers, then finds out she has made a terrible mistake. A mistake that has cost fifty million. And she runs.
She finds herself being mistaken for the new housekeeper at a lovely house in the country and she is so flustered that she doesn’t know how to tell her new employers that it is all a mistake, so instead she goes along with it.
Samantha Sweeting is probably my favourite female protagonist ever. She is absolutely hilarious (even if she doesn’t know it) and she’s definitely not your stereotypical character. She runs when she realises she’s made a mistake, and then follows the fake it to make it life, pretending to be a housekeeper even though she’s got no idea how to even turn on a washing machine.
She is so comical, especially how she doesn’t have any idea how to do anything in a house but somehow becomes an amazing housekeeper.
The Undomestic Goddess is a novel about overcoming everything you have spent your life trying to be in order to find happiness. Samantha is faced with the problem of whether she wants to be happy, have time for herself and her own life, or she could go back to Carter Spink. It raises the question of whether happiness is truly worth more than money, and if success really equals happiness.
When I read Sophie Kinsella’s My Not So Perfect Life, I thought that I had found the most true and realistic book I could. But The Undomestic Goddess beats even that and is even more entertaining. I can’t believe I hadn’t discovered it sooner than when I spotted it in Morrisons. It’s such a heartfelt and honest book that it’s definitely a must read.
She finds herself being mistaken for the new housekeeper at a lovely house in the country and she is so flustered that she doesn’t know how to tell her new employers that it is all a mistake, so instead she goes along with it.
Samantha Sweeting is probably my favourite female protagonist ever. She is absolutely hilarious (even if she doesn’t know it) and she’s definitely not your stereotypical character. She runs when she realises she’s made a mistake, and then follows the fake it to make it life, pretending to be a housekeeper even though she’s got no idea how to even turn on a washing machine.
She is so comical, especially how she doesn’t have any idea how to do anything in a house but somehow becomes an amazing housekeeper.
The Undomestic Goddess is a novel about overcoming everything you have spent your life trying to be in order to find happiness. Samantha is faced with the problem of whether she wants to be happy, have time for herself and her own life, or she could go back to Carter Spink. It raises the question of whether happiness is truly worth more than money, and if success really equals happiness.
When I read Sophie Kinsella’s My Not So Perfect Life, I thought that I had found the most true and realistic book I could. But The Undomestic Goddess beats even that and is even more entertaining. I can’t believe I hadn’t discovered it sooner than when I spotted it in Morrisons. It’s such a heartfelt and honest book that it’s definitely a must read.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Between The Lies in Books
Apr 10, 2019
Chloe Daniels was in a terrible car accident, but when she wakes up, she has no idea who she is or who the people around her are. Not only has Chloe lost her memory, but she has also lost her son in this terrible accident. With flashes of what could have happened that night, Chloe is determined to find out the truth. But her family keeps filling her head with falsehoods that are hindering her from finding out what is really going on. Still weak from her accident and still unsure which memories are real and which have been implanted, Chloe set out to find out what happened that night and who she was then and who she is today.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's for the opportunity to read and review this book.
First of all, I don't know what I would do, if I woke up one day and had no idea who I was or who the people around me were. Then to find out that my family had been keeping secrets from me and trying to rewrite my history, that would make me go berserk. But Chloe is able to keep her composure long enough to discover what is really going on.
The book started off a little slow for me, but about half way through the story picked up and I couldn't put it down after that. Lots of ups and downs and twists and turns. When you find out the truth, it's really hard to believe. At first I was sure I knew what was going on, but towards the end, I found out I was very wrong. Chloe remembers nothing, but in her dreams she sees flashes of what could have happened. Are these dreams real, or are the manifestations? From what her family and the police tell her, they can't be real, but it feels true to her core. Chloe will go against everyone that is trying to "protect" her in order to protect herself.
This is the first book I have read by Michelle Adams, but it will not be my last. Her other book is If You Knew My Sister.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's for the opportunity to read and review this book.
First of all, I don't know what I would do, if I woke up one day and had no idea who I was or who the people around me were. Then to find out that my family had been keeping secrets from me and trying to rewrite my history, that would make me go berserk. But Chloe is able to keep her composure long enough to discover what is really going on.
The book started off a little slow for me, but about half way through the story picked up and I couldn't put it down after that. Lots of ups and downs and twists and turns. When you find out the truth, it's really hard to believe. At first I was sure I knew what was going on, but towards the end, I found out I was very wrong. Chloe remembers nothing, but in her dreams she sees flashes of what could have happened. Are these dreams real, or are the manifestations? From what her family and the police tell her, they can't be real, but it feels true to her core. Chloe will go against everyone that is trying to "protect" her in order to protect herself.
This is the first book I have read by Michelle Adams, but it will not be my last. Her other book is If You Knew My Sister.
Sensitivemuse (246 KP) rated The Conqueror's Shadow in Books
Apr 26, 2019
Anti heroes join this great plot
I haven’t read a good fantasy in such a long time! And this one was excellent! It’s fun to see a bunch of misfit anti heroes come together to try and save the world because not only did they leave on bad terms back then in the day, Corvis actually had the galls to come back to ask them for favors (we all had that one friend didn’t we?)
Each of the characters have their distinct quirk and personality. Also they’re not afraid to tell Corvis how it is (and he surprisingly takes it...which makes them a more fun bunch to read) I can’t really say I have a favorite although I admit I was disappointed in Khanda towards the last half of the book. He definitely had the best and more fun personality to read on but he just *had* to do it didn’t he? (you’ll see when you finish the book)
The plot had a steady pace and it was good. I was actually surprised as to who the Serpent really was as you’d think it was obvious. It was a good surprise and the action in the last third of the book was massive with lots of action. Although it gets pretty dark at times and Corvis isn’t a hero per se (more like a terrorizing horrible despot who decimates towns and villages to his liking) it has black comedy elements in it and overall because of this provides a ‘lightness’ to the story. It helps that the cast of characters have witty retorts and comebacks which also provides a few laughs here and there.
The world building and setting is pretty much your standard fantasy setting that is portrayed in most novels of the genre out there. Nevertheless it doesn’t take away from the novel and still provides a good foundation for it.
A plot rich with a variety of characters, good light banter, and some action is what makes up this book in a nutshell. I definitely recommend it as it was an enjoyable read.
Each of the characters have their distinct quirk and personality. Also they’re not afraid to tell Corvis how it is (and he surprisingly takes it...which makes them a more fun bunch to read) I can’t really say I have a favorite although I admit I was disappointed in Khanda towards the last half of the book. He definitely had the best and more fun personality to read on but he just *had* to do it didn’t he? (you’ll see when you finish the book)
The plot had a steady pace and it was good. I was actually surprised as to who the Serpent really was as you’d think it was obvious. It was a good surprise and the action in the last third of the book was massive with lots of action. Although it gets pretty dark at times and Corvis isn’t a hero per se (more like a terrorizing horrible despot who decimates towns and villages to his liking) it has black comedy elements in it and overall because of this provides a ‘lightness’ to the story. It helps that the cast of characters have witty retorts and comebacks which also provides a few laughs here and there.
The world building and setting is pretty much your standard fantasy setting that is portrayed in most novels of the genre out there. Nevertheless it doesn’t take away from the novel and still provides a good foundation for it.
A plot rich with a variety of characters, good light banter, and some action is what makes up this book in a nutshell. I definitely recommend it as it was an enjoyable read.
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Alita: Battle Angel (2019) in Movies
May 13, 2019
Fighting fit
#alitabattleangel may just be the most #intense & visually splendid mature cgi fest I've seen in a long long time. Having not seen #anime that inspired this #movie i had no idea what i was walking into with this one. Upon leaving it i not only felt extremely satisfied but also like i had experienced something #breathtaking & full to the brim with #passion. To start I can't stress enough just how god damn #beautiful this #film is, cgi is staggering as well as jaw dropping. From the intricate inner machinery wires, dust particles & realistic lighting to the tiny blemishes on skin Alita simply knocks it out the park. Its locations are vast, immersive, claustrophobic, lived in, #depressing & full to the brim with story telling/world building so much so that they could each tell a story themselves. #Animation is slick, fluid & #natural with #human & cgi interaction weighty & almost flawlessly done. Story wise its extremely empowering as we watch #Alita grow from & innocent child like #girl into a tuff driven #woman. Seeing Alita emit such wonderful human emotions such as #love, excitement & #happiness is not only #heartwarming but also #magical. Starting so warm & ending so bleak we see Alitas innocence almost ripped away from her as she is forced to #mature fast letting her primal instincts & bad human traits (such as jealousy/#anger) take control tarnishing her other wise loving/careing inner self. Its tense, adrenaline inducing stuff & this mixed with well constructed action & your token damn right nasty at times #robertrodriguez death scenes its not always the happiest of films either. #Deep themes are explored but theres alot of them too so only surfaces are scratched. My favourite being how #society/entertainment glorifies/condones violence & uses it as a tool to control us all. Negatives - if anything #Battleangel is far to short, i feel i needed another hour of content in there somewhere especially the final act which felt rushed. If we dont get a sequel or 3 i will be very disappointed as this is a fantastic world i simply must know more about it. A must see for sure. #edskrein is an absolute joy to watch too. #odeon #odeonlimitless #robot #thursdaythoughts
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Glass (2019) in Movies
May 13, 2019
See the cracks
#glass may open like its #unbreakable but soon after starts to #split at the seems becoming a #disappointing & unnecessary conclusion to a trilogy we didnt really need. I confess I didnt really care that much for Split but as with Glass i found the most impressive aspect of both of these films is simply watching #jamesmacavoy put in some seriously impressive character work & ultimatly carry both films alone. His ability to flip seamlessly between these inner characters is not only impressive stuff to watch but adds great tension & unpredictability to what is other wise a very dull movie. At first i was slightly #impressed with Glass (as it seem as if #mnightshyamalan had progressed as a film maker & not only learnt from his mistakes but also adapted completely new styles of film making too) but as the film played out i realised what he has actually done is instead stolen ideas from much better films (ie #getout) then re used them again here. Dont get me wrong at times Glass is filmed great, the score is good & there are some well done #tense moments but theses are more often on not ruined by Shyamalans dorky & damn right #silly sense of #humour, bad writing & forced exposition heavy visual cues & dialog. Its so patronising & predictable at times its almost like hes not only taking the piss out of the #superhero genre but us the viewer too. For a #film thats been so heavily promoted & built up now for such a long time i feel weve all been eagerly anticipating its release to see this big conclusion & i can tell you now its so not been worth the wait. Not only is the final act so #boring & increadibly anticlimactic the end its self feels flat, tact on & empty like M Night just straight up ran out of ideas. This film series started out so #fresh & interesting but Glass takes a strange turn to the generic & mundane side of the superhero genre that most #Marvel films these days have managed to grow out of by now. This is one #trilogy that should of stayed Unbreakable. Very disappointing. #odeonlimitless #odeon #saturday #weekendvibes #filmcritic #comicbook #hero #filmbuff #samuelljackson #brucewillis #comic #villain #sundayfunday
Janeeny (200 KP) rated A History of the World in 100 Objects in Books
Jun 10, 2019
When I first read this I didn’t realise that this was a book to accompany a very successful radio show on BBC Radio 4, which is thankfully still available to listen to.
I’ve had this for 6 years and have been reluctant to read this as I have to be in the right frame of mind for certain non-fiction books. Especially ones that seem like they are going to be a stream of facts with not a lot of context, so “A History of the world . . “ pleasantly surprised me. This book isn’t weighed down with facts and history, the author doesn’t go into too much uneccesary detail or waffle on too much. He provides just enough information to peak your interest.
Each object has its own chapter, and each chapter is reassuringly only a few pages long and nicely segmented. Its a bite-size history of the era in which the object was made, the story of the finding the object, and a couple of ‘expert’ opinions on the objects impact on the world.
When I read Non-fiction I like to come away from the experience with a ‘Party fact’ (you know, that bit of useless trivia you tell people at social gatherings to either fill a silence or sound interesting) and I certainly got my fair share with this book.
My party fact would be the flood tablet, the story on the tablet tells the tale of a man who was told by his god to build a boat and load it with his family and animals because a deluge is about to wipe humanity from earth. The thing that made this stick in my mind was that it pre-dated the Noah story by about 400 years.
Of course, since reading I’ve looked into this and found out that there are many flood stories that pre-date Noah, but at the time I was thinking “How does the world not know about this?” “Does Richard Dawkins know about this?” A little research has prevented me from a social faux pas, but still it’s all intriguing.
The History of the world in 100 objects, does exactly what it says on the tin!
I’ve had this for 6 years and have been reluctant to read this as I have to be in the right frame of mind for certain non-fiction books. Especially ones that seem like they are going to be a stream of facts with not a lot of context, so “A History of the world . . “ pleasantly surprised me. This book isn’t weighed down with facts and history, the author doesn’t go into too much uneccesary detail or waffle on too much. He provides just enough information to peak your interest.
Each object has its own chapter, and each chapter is reassuringly only a few pages long and nicely segmented. Its a bite-size history of the era in which the object was made, the story of the finding the object, and a couple of ‘expert’ opinions on the objects impact on the world.
When I read Non-fiction I like to come away from the experience with a ‘Party fact’ (you know, that bit of useless trivia you tell people at social gatherings to either fill a silence or sound interesting) and I certainly got my fair share with this book.
My party fact would be the flood tablet, the story on the tablet tells the tale of a man who was told by his god to build a boat and load it with his family and animals because a deluge is about to wipe humanity from earth. The thing that made this stick in my mind was that it pre-dated the Noah story by about 400 years.
Of course, since reading I’ve looked into this and found out that there are many flood stories that pre-date Noah, but at the time I was thinking “How does the world not know about this?” “Does Richard Dawkins know about this?” A little research has prevented me from a social faux pas, but still it’s all intriguing.
The History of the world in 100 objects, does exactly what it says on the tin!