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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Ultraviolet (Ultraviolet, #1) in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review can be found on my blog (<a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com/">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
Wow, wow, wow! This is one of the best books that I've read this year! I absolutely loved this book!
Alison is in a mental institution after she went crazy the night she claimed to have killed Tori Beaugrand, the most popular girl in school, by making her disintegrate. However, Tori's body hasn't been found. Alison also has the weird ability to see numbers as colors and to taste words amongst other things. Ali just wants to know what's wrong with her and why people won't help her find out what happened to Tori.
To be honest, I didn't really know what to think when I saw the title. It doesn't really capture my attention. While the title does have something to do with the book, I think there could've been better titles. But please, don't let the title fool you. Ultraviolet is amazing!
I felt the same with the cover as I did with the title. I feel like the cover is a bit bland which is a shame because there is an excellent story underneath. I just feel like the cover could've been a bit more interesting so that people would actually pick up the book.
I loved the fact that this book was mainly set in a mental asylum. Anything to do with those kind of institutions makes me want to read a book instantly! The world building is definitely believable. I felt as if I was right beside Ali in everything she did. I loved getting a glimpse at the inside of this institution. Even when the plot takes a twist, I still found everything to be quite believable.
The pacing was fantastic! I was always reading a few words ahead just because I wanted to see what was coming next. Ultraviolet is a real page turner, and I couldn't read this book fast enough. Most of the time, I felt like shutting myself in a room where no one could disturb me. I am even saddened that it ended because I was enjoying it so much.
The plot was fantastic! While the whole girl locked up in mental institution even though she thinks she's fine thing has been done before, Anderson puts her own spin on it to make it her own. I even enjoyed the plot twist even though it was kind of predictable. I also enjoyed the fact that there was minimal romance in this book. I'm not big on romances, so this was perfect for me.
The characters were fantastic! I loved Alison! I felt that she was such a strong character especially with what she had to endure. I sympathized with her a lot of the time, and I even felt what she was feeling most of the time. I just wish she would've chose to tell her therapist about her condition rather then hiding it although I can totally understand why she was scared to tell him. I found Kirk to be annoying, but I think that's how the author wanted us to feel about it. Faraday was an interesting character. I loved how he was willing to listen, and I mean really listen, to what Ali had to say. I loved his helpful nature as well. Tori was super interesting as well, but I'll just leave it at that because of spoilers.
The dialogue was fantastic! I enjoyed reading about what Alison was going through and what she was thinking. It was super interesting. It did annoy me that we were told over and over what a certain noise looked like or what color a number was, etc. I really wish there was just a bit less then that. Overall though, I found the dialogue to flow quite well and feel natural. There was also no swearing in this book.
While this book is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone. The second book in the series is about another character that was mentioned in the book and is more of a companion novel.
Overall, Ultraviolet was a fantastic book that has an incredible plot as well as interesting characters. This book taught me a bit more about Synthesia which I was thrilled about learning. This is one of those books that I know I'll be thinking about for a long time.
I'd recommend this book to everyone aged 13+ because it is just that amazing!
Wow, wow, wow! This is one of the best books that I've read this year! I absolutely loved this book!
Alison is in a mental institution after she went crazy the night she claimed to have killed Tori Beaugrand, the most popular girl in school, by making her disintegrate. However, Tori's body hasn't been found. Alison also has the weird ability to see numbers as colors and to taste words amongst other things. Ali just wants to know what's wrong with her and why people won't help her find out what happened to Tori.
To be honest, I didn't really know what to think when I saw the title. It doesn't really capture my attention. While the title does have something to do with the book, I think there could've been better titles. But please, don't let the title fool you. Ultraviolet is amazing!
I felt the same with the cover as I did with the title. I feel like the cover is a bit bland which is a shame because there is an excellent story underneath. I just feel like the cover could've been a bit more interesting so that people would actually pick up the book.
I loved the fact that this book was mainly set in a mental asylum. Anything to do with those kind of institutions makes me want to read a book instantly! The world building is definitely believable. I felt as if I was right beside Ali in everything she did. I loved getting a glimpse at the inside of this institution. Even when the plot takes a twist, I still found everything to be quite believable.
The pacing was fantastic! I was always reading a few words ahead just because I wanted to see what was coming next. Ultraviolet is a real page turner, and I couldn't read this book fast enough. Most of the time, I felt like shutting myself in a room where no one could disturb me. I am even saddened that it ended because I was enjoying it so much.
The plot was fantastic! While the whole girl locked up in mental institution even though she thinks she's fine thing has been done before, Anderson puts her own spin on it to make it her own. I even enjoyed the plot twist even though it was kind of predictable. I also enjoyed the fact that there was minimal romance in this book. I'm not big on romances, so this was perfect for me.
The characters were fantastic! I loved Alison! I felt that she was such a strong character especially with what she had to endure. I sympathized with her a lot of the time, and I even felt what she was feeling most of the time. I just wish she would've chose to tell her therapist about her condition rather then hiding it although I can totally understand why she was scared to tell him. I found Kirk to be annoying, but I think that's how the author wanted us to feel about it. Faraday was an interesting character. I loved how he was willing to listen, and I mean really listen, to what Ali had to say. I loved his helpful nature as well. Tori was super interesting as well, but I'll just leave it at that because of spoilers.
The dialogue was fantastic! I enjoyed reading about what Alison was going through and what she was thinking. It was super interesting. It did annoy me that we were told over and over what a certain noise looked like or what color a number was, etc. I really wish there was just a bit less then that. Overall though, I found the dialogue to flow quite well and feel natural. There was also no swearing in this book.
While this book is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone. The second book in the series is about another character that was mentioned in the book and is more of a companion novel.
Overall, Ultraviolet was a fantastic book that has an incredible plot as well as interesting characters. This book taught me a bit more about Synthesia which I was thrilled about learning. This is one of those books that I know I'll be thinking about for a long time.
I'd recommend this book to everyone aged 13+ because it is just that amazing!
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated The Purge: Election Year (2016) in Movies
Jun 11, 2019
Deathly Dull
The Purge series has set itself as one of the front-runners in modern horror. The first film, starring Ethan Hawke, was a huge success, bringing with it one of the best stories seen in the genre for decades.
Its successor, Anarchy, was warmly received – namely for its greater focus on the night of crime itself, rather than the plight of one family. Naturally, another sequel was always going to be on the cards and Election Year continues the franchise. But does it continue the positive trend?
With only one returning cast member, Frank Grillo’s brooding Leo Barnes, The Purge: Election Year goes for a more political approach than its horror-rooted predecessors and director James DeMonaco was brave in altering the formula. He gets through it – but only by the skin of his teeth.
As a young girl, Senator Charlie Roan (Elizabeth Mitchell) survived the annual night of lawlessness that took the lives of her family members. As a presidential candidate, Roan is determined to end the yearly tradition of blood lust once and for all. When her opponents hatch a deadly scheme, the senator finds herself trapped on the streets of Washington, D.C., just as the latest Purge gets underway. Now, it’s up to Leo Barnes (Frank Grillo), her head of security, to keep her alive during the next 12 hours of mayhem.
The first major stumbling block Election Year faces is its lack of originality. Yes, the basic formula goes for a more political tone but the story itself is a near carbon copy of its predecessor. It’s unfortunate that once again, despite the plight of fans, the production studio continues to overlook the most fascinating part of the Purge, its inception.
Once again we are forced to sit through the hack and slash killings, only this time the acting isn’t as good and the majority of scares are signposted from the off. The ones that aren’t; well they’re in the trailer. It’s such a shame that a series with such promise has resorted to rehashing the same “tricks” to sell tickets.
The cast gel together well but the acting is below par and the dialogue is at times, dreadful with the same three expletives doing the rounds from character to character. Frank Grillo is underused with Elizabeth Mitchell’s preachy politician mistakenly put in the foreground. By far the most interesting person throughout the course of the film is Mykelti Williamson’s deli owner Joe, but he is lumbered with shockingly bad catchphrases.
The cinematography is very plain and the city setting isn’t utilised well at all. Washington should’ve been an exceptional place to helm a film about a night of legalised murder, but instead the audience is confined to its dimly-lit backstreets and alleys.
Overall, The Purge: Election Year is a step in the wrong direction for a series that showed such promise. Creating a film that, despite its intriguing political intentions, is exactly the same as its predecessor is sheer laziness and I don’t like to use this word when reviewing films, but it’s just completely and utterly boring.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2016/08/26/deathly-dull-the-purge-election-year-review/
Its successor, Anarchy, was warmly received – namely for its greater focus on the night of crime itself, rather than the plight of one family. Naturally, another sequel was always going to be on the cards and Election Year continues the franchise. But does it continue the positive trend?
With only one returning cast member, Frank Grillo’s brooding Leo Barnes, The Purge: Election Year goes for a more political approach than its horror-rooted predecessors and director James DeMonaco was brave in altering the formula. He gets through it – but only by the skin of his teeth.
As a young girl, Senator Charlie Roan (Elizabeth Mitchell) survived the annual night of lawlessness that took the lives of her family members. As a presidential candidate, Roan is determined to end the yearly tradition of blood lust once and for all. When her opponents hatch a deadly scheme, the senator finds herself trapped on the streets of Washington, D.C., just as the latest Purge gets underway. Now, it’s up to Leo Barnes (Frank Grillo), her head of security, to keep her alive during the next 12 hours of mayhem.
The first major stumbling block Election Year faces is its lack of originality. Yes, the basic formula goes for a more political tone but the story itself is a near carbon copy of its predecessor. It’s unfortunate that once again, despite the plight of fans, the production studio continues to overlook the most fascinating part of the Purge, its inception.
Once again we are forced to sit through the hack and slash killings, only this time the acting isn’t as good and the majority of scares are signposted from the off. The ones that aren’t; well they’re in the trailer. It’s such a shame that a series with such promise has resorted to rehashing the same “tricks” to sell tickets.
The cast gel together well but the acting is below par and the dialogue is at times, dreadful with the same three expletives doing the rounds from character to character. Frank Grillo is underused with Elizabeth Mitchell’s preachy politician mistakenly put in the foreground. By far the most interesting person throughout the course of the film is Mykelti Williamson’s deli owner Joe, but he is lumbered with shockingly bad catchphrases.
The cinematography is very plain and the city setting isn’t utilised well at all. Washington should’ve been an exceptional place to helm a film about a night of legalised murder, but instead the audience is confined to its dimly-lit backstreets and alleys.
Overall, The Purge: Election Year is a step in the wrong direction for a series that showed such promise. Creating a film that, despite its intriguing political intentions, is exactly the same as its predecessor is sheer laziness and I don’t like to use this word when reviewing films, but it’s just completely and utterly boring.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2016/08/26/deathly-dull-the-purge-election-year-review/
Debbiereadsbook (1749 KP) rated A Spider in the Garden in Books
Feb 12, 2022
loved this, very different!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
It's quite hard, I think, to come up with new stuff these days but I'm so bloody glad there are writers who can! Cos I loved this book!
Aranha is a spider shifter, the last of her kind. Dag is a daywalker, a vampire who walks in the light, but also, his kind are dwindling. Neither should have crossed paths with each other, but they do, and there follows some interesting revelations about their history, and their future. And the battle to save a human girl from the vampire's clutches.
Aranha has lived alone for 200 years, and suddenly she has to look after someone. I loved how she just took Jonah in, knowing what he is and how it will affect her. I'm not going into details, but they should NOT have been together!
I loved that Dag, when he meets Jonah, is taken aback by him being with Aranha, but knows they come together and so accepts too.
I LOVED the history behind the webmakers and the daywalkers and how that all came about and how it all went wrong so long ago! The animosity between the daywalkers and the vampires was unexpected, but explained away perfectly. Again, not spoiling it by explaining!
I loved how it all came together, all the history, all Aranha's heritage, and Dag's brothers.
It's got some violence, but vampires trying to take over the world ain't ever gonna be a picnic. It's smexy, in places, but not ever so explicit. It's all at a level fitting for this book.
It's wonderfully told from both Dag and Aranha point of view. I would have liked to hear from Jonah, and maybe Evelyn but that's just me being greedy!
The only thing, the thing that is bugging me the most?? I want more. I want more of this world, and these people in it. I want to hear from them 6 months, 6 years, hell 600 years down the line. I want to know, if what they decided to do here works. I want to know, if Dag and Aranha are truly happy. If Jonah and Evelyn make it work. Even if Aranha's father gets a happy ever after!
Given that this only the author's second book, I can't wait to read more.
A fabulous, different 5 star read
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
It's quite hard, I think, to come up with new stuff these days but I'm so bloody glad there are writers who can! Cos I loved this book!
Aranha is a spider shifter, the last of her kind. Dag is a daywalker, a vampire who walks in the light, but also, his kind are dwindling. Neither should have crossed paths with each other, but they do, and there follows some interesting revelations about their history, and their future. And the battle to save a human girl from the vampire's clutches.
Aranha has lived alone for 200 years, and suddenly she has to look after someone. I loved how she just took Jonah in, knowing what he is and how it will affect her. I'm not going into details, but they should NOT have been together!
I loved that Dag, when he meets Jonah, is taken aback by him being with Aranha, but knows they come together and so accepts too.
I LOVED the history behind the webmakers and the daywalkers and how that all came about and how it all went wrong so long ago! The animosity between the daywalkers and the vampires was unexpected, but explained away perfectly. Again, not spoiling it by explaining!
I loved how it all came together, all the history, all Aranha's heritage, and Dag's brothers.
It's got some violence, but vampires trying to take over the world ain't ever gonna be a picnic. It's smexy, in places, but not ever so explicit. It's all at a level fitting for this book.
It's wonderfully told from both Dag and Aranha point of view. I would have liked to hear from Jonah, and maybe Evelyn but that's just me being greedy!
The only thing, the thing that is bugging me the most?? I want more. I want more of this world, and these people in it. I want to hear from them 6 months, 6 years, hell 600 years down the line. I want to know, if what they decided to do here works. I want to know, if Dag and Aranha are truly happy. If Jonah and Evelyn make it work. Even if Aranha's father gets a happy ever after!
Given that this only the author's second book, I can't wait to read more.
A fabulous, different 5 star read
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Sensitivemuse (246 KP) rated The Sworn Virgin in Books
Sep 28, 2017
Great historical detail, but falls short
So what I really liked the most about the book is the historical background and aspect. It’s rich in detail and sheds a light on the customs in Albania. I loved the descriptions of the setting, the clothing especially and how family life was at the time. Despite that Eleanora lived differently from others in the village, traditions are deep rooted, strong and followed to the exact detail. It’s all about maintaining family honor and if disgraced, the way to gain it back is likely with someone killing the other from the rival family that did you wrong. It’s pretty harsh and during that time doesn’t give much voice to women in general, but Eleanora’s personality is strong and admirable even though she’s pretty much a daddy’s girl (which helps her let her be who she wants to be).
The first half of the book was great and got the reading going pretty quickly. It wasn’t until the last third of the novel where things bog down and I was afraid of this: the moment the ‘man of the her dreams’ came into the story. Then I was instantly reminded as to why I hated “Memoirs of a Geisha” so much and this mirrors it. Holy mother. The guy was the sun, moon and stars for Eleanora. I kind of get it after what happened to her dad but for crying out loud I was rooting for Eleanora for taking the vow and being strong. All it takes is an Adonis to break that all down. Eleanora then takes a complete 360 and becomes a mooncalf.
I lost admiration after her treatment of Meria. I get it. Meria shouldn’t have done that nonsense because she’s all obsessed with family honor and had Eleanora’s best interest even though it was far from beneficial. I thought her treatment was excessive to the point of abuse and cruelty and I felt like jumping in and giving Eleanora the beat down for her stupidities.
Then Eleanora’s mood swings go from pity party to guilt and goes back and forth for what seemed like the entire last third of the novel and it got tiresome to read. You know Eleanora, you could have solved all this if you JUST. TELL. HIM.
And when she does. Your patience is done with the book and depending how you found the book you either breathe a sigh in relief or roll your eyes because it took about 50 pages to get Eleanora to smarten up and the book would have ended sooner than later.
I liked the book at first, but it just didn’t hold it for me. The pity trips, and the self torment Eleanora goes through is just too much and made up a good half of the novel. I wish it could have been better because the historical aspect was excellent.
The first half of the book was great and got the reading going pretty quickly. It wasn’t until the last third of the novel where things bog down and I was afraid of this: the moment the ‘man of the her dreams’ came into the story. Then I was instantly reminded as to why I hated “Memoirs of a Geisha” so much and this mirrors it. Holy mother. The guy was the sun, moon and stars for Eleanora. I kind of get it after what happened to her dad but for crying out loud I was rooting for Eleanora for taking the vow and being strong. All it takes is an Adonis to break that all down. Eleanora then takes a complete 360 and becomes a mooncalf.
I lost admiration after her treatment of Meria. I get it. Meria shouldn’t have done that nonsense because she’s all obsessed with family honor and had Eleanora’s best interest even though it was far from beneficial. I thought her treatment was excessive to the point of abuse and cruelty and I felt like jumping in and giving Eleanora the beat down for her stupidities.
Then Eleanora’s mood swings go from pity party to guilt and goes back and forth for what seemed like the entire last third of the novel and it got tiresome to read. You know Eleanora, you could have solved all this if you JUST. TELL. HIM.
And when she does. Your patience is done with the book and depending how you found the book you either breathe a sigh in relief or roll your eyes because it took about 50 pages to get Eleanora to smarten up and the book would have ended sooner than later.
I liked the book at first, but it just didn’t hold it for me. The pity trips, and the self torment Eleanora goes through is just too much and made up a good half of the novel. I wish it could have been better because the historical aspect was excellent.
Kristin (149 KP) rated Other Side of Forever in Books
Dec 7, 2018
Disclaimer: I received an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
Allie is that awkward girl in school with only a couple friends, trying to keep her head down and her nose clean and make it through each day without causing a scene. However, there's a secret she's been carrying for years, a secret not even her best friend knows, and that's how she wants it to stay. That is, until a new boy strolls into the shop where she works, and throws all her best-laid plans of staying off love's radar out the window.
I rather enjoyed this book right from the start, as I remember being one of those awkward high school kids. Although, it was never to the extent of Allie, as she has to hold her emotions in check due to her secret. Not too easy when you're being harassed by two older bullies just for accidentally pushing one down the stairs. But while the two girls are trashing the store where she works, Allie loses it, and now what does she do? They know there's something up with her, but not exactly what, and then this hot new guy shows up, and her day just keeps getting better. Although many people would love the gorgeous new kid to take a shine to them, Allie's the complete opposite, and it gnaws at her that she feels an electric attraction to him whenever he's around. The main characters really grabbed my attention, as Allie and Ethan are both hiding something, and I couldn't wait to get to the part where they finally opened up about their secrets. Ethan's is a little beyond what Allie could have imagined, but their bond is great, and he helps her cope with everything in her life.
My only issue is I felt the ending was rushed. It was a great story, don't get me wrong, but about 3/4 through, I was under the impression it would continue into a second book because of the issue with Ethan (I don't want to give too much away). However, only a couple of chapters later, it gets resolved in one of those "happened in the background" type ways, and it just didn't seem to flow with the pace of the story. I would love a continuation, to see how the characters cope with what happens in the end, but if that's the case, then I wish the last couple chapters of this one had been stretched into a sequel. Still, a very good read, and I'd recommend it to fans of the paranormal, paranormal romance, and YA.
4 stars
Allie is that awkward girl in school with only a couple friends, trying to keep her head down and her nose clean and make it through each day without causing a scene. However, there's a secret she's been carrying for years, a secret not even her best friend knows, and that's how she wants it to stay. That is, until a new boy strolls into the shop where she works, and throws all her best-laid plans of staying off love's radar out the window.
I rather enjoyed this book right from the start, as I remember being one of those awkward high school kids. Although, it was never to the extent of Allie, as she has to hold her emotions in check due to her secret. Not too easy when you're being harassed by two older bullies just for accidentally pushing one down the stairs. But while the two girls are trashing the store where she works, Allie loses it, and now what does she do? They know there's something up with her, but not exactly what, and then this hot new guy shows up, and her day just keeps getting better. Although many people would love the gorgeous new kid to take a shine to them, Allie's the complete opposite, and it gnaws at her that she feels an electric attraction to him whenever he's around. The main characters really grabbed my attention, as Allie and Ethan are both hiding something, and I couldn't wait to get to the part where they finally opened up about their secrets. Ethan's is a little beyond what Allie could have imagined, but their bond is great, and he helps her cope with everything in her life.
My only issue is I felt the ending was rushed. It was a great story, don't get me wrong, but about 3/4 through, I was under the impression it would continue into a second book because of the issue with Ethan (I don't want to give too much away). However, only a couple of chapters later, it gets resolved in one of those "happened in the background" type ways, and it just didn't seem to flow with the pace of the story. I would love a continuation, to see how the characters cope with what happens in the end, but if that's the case, then I wish the last couple chapters of this one had been stretched into a sequel. Still, a very good read, and I'd recommend it to fans of the paranormal, paranormal romance, and YA.
4 stars
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Fallout (Crank, #3) in Books
Jun 6, 2018
(This review can also be found on my blog at <a href="http://www.themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty Something Year Old Girl</a>).
Fallout by Ellen Hopkins is the final book in the Crank trilogy. I so wanted and expected this book to be just as great as the first two. However, this wasn't the case. It was alright, but no where near as good as Crank and Glass. Perhaps it was just because I wanted more Kristina, and she wasn't mentioned too much in this book.
Fallout follows the lives of three of Kristina's children. Hunter is the oldest at 19. He is extremely angry at his mother and can't understand why his mother abandoned him. Next is Autumn who lives with her aunt and grandfather. When the stability of her home life falls out beneath her, Autumn turns to drinking and becomes a bit of a wild child. Summer doesn't even know she has any biological siblings. She's been living in and out of foster homes her whole life for the most part. When she meets the boy who seems to love her, things start to go wrong. However, each one of them wants Kristina to acknowledge them.
The title of this book makes sense as all of Kristina's children have fallen out with her. I think it does a great job of giving you a hint about what this book will be about.
The cover of this book doesn't really do it for me. I like how the author stuck with the whole druggy looking title. However, I just didn't care for the ugly yellow background and how plain the cover looked. Perhaps that's just a personal thing as all the covers have been plain looking, but as this was told from the point of view from Kristina's children, I thought this cover would just have a different look.
The world building in Fallout is alright, but it's easy to forget which world you're in. Maybe that's just my bad memory, but I always had to remind myself which setting belonged to what character.
The pacing in this book is slower than the first two books, and is just a bit slow overall. It took me a longer time than usual to read this book because most of the time, I just had trouble getting into it. I just found myself not caring really when it came to everything in Fallout.
There's not much dialogue going on between the characters as with the first two books in the series. I thought the internal dialogue which each character was really good, and I felt like the dialogue between each individual character was appropriate for each of their age. There are a few swear words in this book so be warned if that's not your cup of tea.
I found myself not caring about the characters most of the time. I don't know if this was because I wanted more Kristina or because they weren't as well developed as Kristina. I got Autumn and Summer confused a lot of the time whilst reading since they almost seem to have the same personality. The only way I was able to tell them apart (besides it having their name printed at the top of the page when it was time for their point of view) was because of the setting, and even then it was sometimes difficult. With that said, I started off enjoying reading about Hunter as he seemed to just be a more well defined, more interesting character. About halfway through the book, I even stopped caring about him because he just became a little bit boring.
I enjoyed that Fallout was written in verse like the first two books in the series. Hopkins does a fantastic job putting words in verse and putting it into a story. I just wish this book could've been as good as the first two. Instead Fallout falls a little bit flat with the characters and the plot both leaving me feeling uncaring. Don't get me wrong, it's still an okay book, but I just think that this book didn't need to be written as not much is going on.
I'd recommend this book to those aged 15+ who are interested in learning about Kristina's children since you won't be hearing much about Kristina in this book.
Fallout by Ellen Hopkins is the final book in the Crank trilogy. I so wanted and expected this book to be just as great as the first two. However, this wasn't the case. It was alright, but no where near as good as Crank and Glass. Perhaps it was just because I wanted more Kristina, and she wasn't mentioned too much in this book.
Fallout follows the lives of three of Kristina's children. Hunter is the oldest at 19. He is extremely angry at his mother and can't understand why his mother abandoned him. Next is Autumn who lives with her aunt and grandfather. When the stability of her home life falls out beneath her, Autumn turns to drinking and becomes a bit of a wild child. Summer doesn't even know she has any biological siblings. She's been living in and out of foster homes her whole life for the most part. When she meets the boy who seems to love her, things start to go wrong. However, each one of them wants Kristina to acknowledge them.
The title of this book makes sense as all of Kristina's children have fallen out with her. I think it does a great job of giving you a hint about what this book will be about.
The cover of this book doesn't really do it for me. I like how the author stuck with the whole druggy looking title. However, I just didn't care for the ugly yellow background and how plain the cover looked. Perhaps that's just a personal thing as all the covers have been plain looking, but as this was told from the point of view from Kristina's children, I thought this cover would just have a different look.
The world building in Fallout is alright, but it's easy to forget which world you're in. Maybe that's just my bad memory, but I always had to remind myself which setting belonged to what character.
The pacing in this book is slower than the first two books, and is just a bit slow overall. It took me a longer time than usual to read this book because most of the time, I just had trouble getting into it. I just found myself not caring really when it came to everything in Fallout.
There's not much dialogue going on between the characters as with the first two books in the series. I thought the internal dialogue which each character was really good, and I felt like the dialogue between each individual character was appropriate for each of their age. There are a few swear words in this book so be warned if that's not your cup of tea.
I found myself not caring about the characters most of the time. I don't know if this was because I wanted more Kristina or because they weren't as well developed as Kristina. I got Autumn and Summer confused a lot of the time whilst reading since they almost seem to have the same personality. The only way I was able to tell them apart (besides it having their name printed at the top of the page when it was time for their point of view) was because of the setting, and even then it was sometimes difficult. With that said, I started off enjoying reading about Hunter as he seemed to just be a more well defined, more interesting character. About halfway through the book, I even stopped caring about him because he just became a little bit boring.
I enjoyed that Fallout was written in verse like the first two books in the series. Hopkins does a fantastic job putting words in verse and putting it into a story. I just wish this book could've been as good as the first two. Instead Fallout falls a little bit flat with the characters and the plot both leaving me feeling uncaring. Don't get me wrong, it's still an okay book, but I just think that this book didn't need to be written as not much is going on.
I'd recommend this book to those aged 15+ who are interested in learning about Kristina's children since you won't be hearing much about Kristina in this book.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Alternity in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review is also on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.co.uk">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
When I read the synopsis of Alternity by Mari Mancusi, I knew I would probably love this book! I wasn't wrong. This book is amazing!
Skye is just your average 18 year old girl. There's nothing that different about her. She has a fantastic boyfriend, she goes to school, and she works as a video games tester. She's been having these strange nightmares about being in a weird place. They're making her lose sleep until one day she actually wakes up in the place from her nightmare. Now she doesn't know who to trust. And why do people keep calling her Mariah?? Skye soon discovers she's arrived on another planet, and something sinister is going on.
The title to this book is great!! Alternity - like an alternative reality. It definitely fits right in with the story. From what I've heard, this book was originally released under the title of Moongazing. I'm glad the author decided to change the title as Alternity sounds like a much more interesting title.
I love the sci-fi feel of this cover. The picture of Skye on the front with a katana and the moon in the background is perfect for this story. I'm usually not a fan of just putting a pretty face on the cover, but it seems to work with this book.
I thought the world building and setting were fantastic!! The author has us believe that the planet of Terra is very much like Earth would be if there was to be some sort of post apocalyptic event. There's no sun, no sky...just bleakness. The underground bit of Terra is portrayed rather well with it being full of the poor people of Terra and those who have been mutated by radiation due to having to mine for the rich people.
The pacing for Alternity is beyond fantastic! In fact, I couldn't put this book down! Each chapter had me looking forward to the next as everything just flowed really well. Never, not even for one moment, was I even remotely bored reading Alternity.
The dialogue is fantastic in this book. I especially enjoyed the dialogue between Dawn and Skye. There are a few swear words but not many. The only minor annoyance I found was that at two points in the book, the author goes from using present tense to past tense.
The characters in this book are very believable. Skye was a great protagonist. She felt like a real person. In fact, I found myself wanting to be friends with her especially as we both have a love for video games! I love the fact that she started out a bit unsure of herself but throughout the story, she became a strong person. Dawn came across as a lovely guy. He wants what's best for his people, and he'll do whatever it takes to protect them. Duske makes an excellent villain. He's very charming, but he can be very very vile. He is very believable as being a bad guy, and he plays the role excellently.
Alternity by Mari Mancusi is a well executed book that will leave you feeling as if you are a part of the book. This is definitely one of those books that you have to read as you will not be disappointed!
I'd recommend this book to everyone aged 16+, especially those who are fans of dystopian or post-apocalyptic novels. However, I feel this is one of those books that can be enjoyed by almost everyone.
When I read the synopsis of Alternity by Mari Mancusi, I knew I would probably love this book! I wasn't wrong. This book is amazing!
Skye is just your average 18 year old girl. There's nothing that different about her. She has a fantastic boyfriend, she goes to school, and she works as a video games tester. She's been having these strange nightmares about being in a weird place. They're making her lose sleep until one day she actually wakes up in the place from her nightmare. Now she doesn't know who to trust. And why do people keep calling her Mariah?? Skye soon discovers she's arrived on another planet, and something sinister is going on.
The title to this book is great!! Alternity - like an alternative reality. It definitely fits right in with the story. From what I've heard, this book was originally released under the title of Moongazing. I'm glad the author decided to change the title as Alternity sounds like a much more interesting title.
I love the sci-fi feel of this cover. The picture of Skye on the front with a katana and the moon in the background is perfect for this story. I'm usually not a fan of just putting a pretty face on the cover, but it seems to work with this book.
I thought the world building and setting were fantastic!! The author has us believe that the planet of Terra is very much like Earth would be if there was to be some sort of post apocalyptic event. There's no sun, no sky...just bleakness. The underground bit of Terra is portrayed rather well with it being full of the poor people of Terra and those who have been mutated by radiation due to having to mine for the rich people.
The pacing for Alternity is beyond fantastic! In fact, I couldn't put this book down! Each chapter had me looking forward to the next as everything just flowed really well. Never, not even for one moment, was I even remotely bored reading Alternity.
The dialogue is fantastic in this book. I especially enjoyed the dialogue between Dawn and Skye. There are a few swear words but not many. The only minor annoyance I found was that at two points in the book, the author goes from using present tense to past tense.
The characters in this book are very believable. Skye was a great protagonist. She felt like a real person. In fact, I found myself wanting to be friends with her especially as we both have a love for video games! I love the fact that she started out a bit unsure of herself but throughout the story, she became a strong person. Dawn came across as a lovely guy. He wants what's best for his people, and he'll do whatever it takes to protect them. Duske makes an excellent villain. He's very charming, but he can be very very vile. He is very believable as being a bad guy, and he plays the role excellently.
Alternity by Mari Mancusi is a well executed book that will leave you feeling as if you are a part of the book. This is definitely one of those books that you have to read as you will not be disappointed!
I'd recommend this book to everyone aged 16+, especially those who are fans of dystopian or post-apocalyptic novels. However, I feel this is one of those books that can be enjoyed by almost everyone.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Pilgrims Don't Wear Pink (Pilgrims, #1) in Books
Apr 27, 2018
I liked Pilgrims Don't Wear Pink. For the most part, it was a good read. There was only one thing that I didn't particularly like, but it was a pretty large part.
The good:
-The plot was fun. I enjoyed the storyline, the twists and turns, and the ending. Some of it I saw coming, some of it I didn't—but even when I expected it, I enjoyed seeing it work out.
-The characters: Dev (Libby's extremely gay friend) was fabulous in every sense of the word. If he were real, he'd be my buddy, even though he'd be constantly criticizing my shoes. Garrett, the reporter, is so nerd-tastic that I literally geeked out when he was introduced. Cam's romantic side was the hero every girl dreams about.
-The relationship progression: I knew from the get-go that Cam was going to be the greasy sleazy character that charms the girls but is really a jerk, and that Garrett was going to be the awesome-sauce hero. But when Libby first meets the characters, the reader perceives them just like she does: that Cam was a Shakespeare-quoting flower-throwing romantic, and Garrett was a nerd (again, I liked him more from the beginning anyway). The transition happened so slowly and flawlessly that I didn't see it happen, it just did.
-I've lead camps before. They're so much fun. Strohm nailed it! I loved the little girls! Ah for those scenes I totally wanted to be Libby.
-The writing was totally great. It felt like a teen's interior monologue, it was witty, fun, clear, and easy to read. It was perfect for the genre.
-The ending was pretty darn perfect. I liked what Libby learned, and how she changed. If the character hasn't changed from the beginning of the book to the end, nothing happened! The change was good. All in all the whole book was pretty cute.
The only not-so-good thing:
-I couldn't figure Libby out. Why doesn't she watch Battlestar Galactica or play Assassin's Creed? (That would totally be her thing. I bet after this story ends she turns into a total geek.) Libby was somewhat contradictory. She seemed to have a pretty clear view of right and wrong, and she was smart, but she didn't pick up on things that were blatantly obvious (trying to keep it spoiler-free here).
When there is only one not-so-good thing in the whole book, usually I'll rate it pretty high. But when the only not-so-good thing in the whole book is the main character? The whole way through reading this I kept thinking "Libby, what the heck are you thinking?" and she kind of annoyed me. I liked her, but again, her character seemed conflicting.
All in all, I enjoyed Pilgrims Don't Wear Pink, and would still recommend it for a fun quick light read.
Content/Recommendation: Little language, few references to sex. Ages 14+
The good:
-The plot was fun. I enjoyed the storyline, the twists and turns, and the ending. Some of it I saw coming, some of it I didn't—but even when I expected it, I enjoyed seeing it work out.
-The characters: Dev (Libby's extremely gay friend) was fabulous in every sense of the word. If he were real, he'd be my buddy, even though he'd be constantly criticizing my shoes. Garrett, the reporter, is so nerd-tastic that I literally geeked out when he was introduced. Cam's romantic side was the hero every girl dreams about.
-The relationship progression: I knew from the get-go that Cam was going to be the greasy sleazy character that charms the girls but is really a jerk, and that Garrett was going to be the awesome-sauce hero. But when Libby first meets the characters, the reader perceives them just like she does: that Cam was a Shakespeare-quoting flower-throwing romantic, and Garrett was a nerd (again, I liked him more from the beginning anyway). The transition happened so slowly and flawlessly that I didn't see it happen, it just did.
-I've lead camps before. They're so much fun. Strohm nailed it! I loved the little girls! Ah for those scenes I totally wanted to be Libby.
-The writing was totally great. It felt like a teen's interior monologue, it was witty, fun, clear, and easy to read. It was perfect for the genre.
-The ending was pretty darn perfect. I liked what Libby learned, and how she changed. If the character hasn't changed from the beginning of the book to the end, nothing happened! The change was good. All in all the whole book was pretty cute.
The only not-so-good thing:
-I couldn't figure Libby out. Why doesn't she watch Battlestar Galactica or play Assassin's Creed? (That would totally be her thing. I bet after this story ends she turns into a total geek.) Libby was somewhat contradictory. She seemed to have a pretty clear view of right and wrong, and she was smart, but she didn't pick up on things that were blatantly obvious (trying to keep it spoiler-free here).
When there is only one not-so-good thing in the whole book, usually I'll rate it pretty high. But when the only not-so-good thing in the whole book is the main character? The whole way through reading this I kept thinking "Libby, what the heck are you thinking?" and she kind of annoyed me. I liked her, but again, her character seemed conflicting.
All in all, I enjoyed Pilgrims Don't Wear Pink, and would still recommend it for a fun quick light read.
Content/Recommendation: Little language, few references to sex. Ages 14+
Kara Skinner (332 KP) rated Claiming Her Highway in Books
Sep 10, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
Genre: Historical
Words: 17,970
Average Goodreads Rating: 3.8/5 stars
My rating: 2/5 stars
Cass runs one of the greatest band of highwaymen around. Despite being a woman, she’s respected by her crew, and every night they return to camp richer than they were and she can enjoy being in the arms of her second-in-command, Will Carpenter. But that all changes when Will accepts a position in the King’s Guard. Cass knows Will wants more than what she can give him. He wants marriage and kids, as well as honest work instead of thieving. But Cass doesn’t know if she can ever give him up.
Claiming Her Highwayman is free on Smashwords.
I found myself underwhelmed by this story. When it starts, Will and Cass are already a couple, and the chemistry between them already feels forced, as well as the heist they’re about to go on. It’s like a bad first draft that hasn’t developed into something greater yet. Cass and Will feel more like paper dolls than people and unfortunately, I never get that attached to them. They just don’t have the chemistry.
It doesn’t help that my suspension of disbelief took a huge beating when Will’s offered a job with the King’s Guard, as the princess’s personal guard. He’s a highwayman! Since when do they let criminals guard princesses? Um, never. Not only that, but he’s still in contact with his old gang, and he’s not even in training to be a soldier! He just is. Apparently the standards for becoming a member of the King’s Guard is really low.
It would make a hell of a lot more sense to me if there was a scarcity of guards for some reason, like the country was at war, and that’s why they’re turning to criminals to keep up with the demand of soldiers. That would flesh out the plot, too. But nope. Apparently we’re supposed to accept that a robber can become a princess’s bodyguard easily after mugging her with his gang of bandits. Oh, and he almost becomes her husband. Because every king wants his little girl to marry a common criminal.
Despite everything wrong with the story, I like Will’s and Cass’s characters. Even though Will only exists to be Cass’s lover, he’s got some pretty charming lines in the story. His need to protect her is incredibly sexy.
Cass’s character is a little more complex. She’s strong and independent, and she knows what she wants in life. She’s the type of girl who would be bored to death in most respectable professions for a woman, instead enjoying being a bandit. But I hated her when Bryce, one of her men, attacked her in her tent. All she did to defend herself was bide her time until she could scream for help
What. The. Fuck.
She’s a damn gang leader and she doesn’t know how to defend herself against one man who gets too handsy? Please. That’s fucking ludicrous, and all of my respect for her is just gone because of that one scene. How the hell did she become a leader in the first place if she needs to scream like a damn damsel whenever she gets attacked? Not cool.
This book really didn’t do much for me. While it’s all right, it’s not that good. The characters aren’t good, and neither is the writing. I suggest you look elsewhere for your historical romance bad boy.
Words: 17,970
Average Goodreads Rating: 3.8/5 stars
My rating: 2/5 stars
Cass runs one of the greatest band of highwaymen around. Despite being a woman, she’s respected by her crew, and every night they return to camp richer than they were and she can enjoy being in the arms of her second-in-command, Will Carpenter. But that all changes when Will accepts a position in the King’s Guard. Cass knows Will wants more than what she can give him. He wants marriage and kids, as well as honest work instead of thieving. But Cass doesn’t know if she can ever give him up.
Claiming Her Highwayman is free on Smashwords.
I found myself underwhelmed by this story. When it starts, Will and Cass are already a couple, and the chemistry between them already feels forced, as well as the heist they’re about to go on. It’s like a bad first draft that hasn’t developed into something greater yet. Cass and Will feel more like paper dolls than people and unfortunately, I never get that attached to them. They just don’t have the chemistry.
It doesn’t help that my suspension of disbelief took a huge beating when Will’s offered a job with the King’s Guard, as the princess’s personal guard. He’s a highwayman! Since when do they let criminals guard princesses? Um, never. Not only that, but he’s still in contact with his old gang, and he’s not even in training to be a soldier! He just is. Apparently the standards for becoming a member of the King’s Guard is really low.
It would make a hell of a lot more sense to me if there was a scarcity of guards for some reason, like the country was at war, and that’s why they’re turning to criminals to keep up with the demand of soldiers. That would flesh out the plot, too. But nope. Apparently we’re supposed to accept that a robber can become a princess’s bodyguard easily after mugging her with his gang of bandits. Oh, and he almost becomes her husband. Because every king wants his little girl to marry a common criminal.
Despite everything wrong with the story, I like Will’s and Cass’s characters. Even though Will only exists to be Cass’s lover, he’s got some pretty charming lines in the story. His need to protect her is incredibly sexy.
Cass’s character is a little more complex. She’s strong and independent, and she knows what she wants in life. She’s the type of girl who would be bored to death in most respectable professions for a woman, instead enjoying being a bandit. But I hated her when Bryce, one of her men, attacked her in her tent. All she did to defend herself was bide her time until she could scream for help
What. The. Fuck.
She’s a damn gang leader and she doesn’t know how to defend herself against one man who gets too handsy? Please. That’s fucking ludicrous, and all of my respect for her is just gone because of that one scene. How the hell did she become a leader in the first place if she needs to scream like a damn damsel whenever she gets attacked? Not cool.
This book really didn’t do much for me. While it’s all right, it’s not that good. The characters aren’t good, and neither is the writing. I suggest you look elsewhere for your historical romance bad boy.
Annie Chanse (15 KP) rated Death is but a Dream in Books
Dec 19, 2017
Contains spoilers, click to show
*contains spoilers*
A police detective -- Callista, Callie for short -- saves a little girl from getting hit by a bus. She, herself, is then hit instead. She wakes up to find herself in the Underworld where she is taken before Hades and offered a deal. Protect his son, Plutus, and find out who wants him dead, and Hades will restore her to life. However, if Callie fails in her objective or dies while in the Underworld, she will die an eternal death, and her soul will never be allowed to have an afterlife.
It doesn't seem like a super great choice, but when a god offers you a deal, the "offering" part is really just a polite term to cover up the fact that you are going to do what that god wants you to do or your screwed. And so Callie has little choice but to accept Hades' offer. She meets several interesting characters along the way, including one of the Furies, Tisiphone, who becomes Callie's friend and ally in the Underworld.
Callie's job is complicated, however, by the fact that Hades forbids her to interview, interrogate, or even outwardly suspect any of his royal family of trying to kill his son, and even FURTHER complicated by the fact that Hades lies to her and manipulates her at every turn.
"Death is but a Dream" is a beautiful and original story of the Olympian gods, and it is quite unique in its view of Greek mythology. Perhaps the closest comparison I can make to a book/series already out there in the market is with Amber Benson's series that starts with "Death's Daughter." (I'm sorry. I can't actually remember what the series is called as a whole.) It has the same tone. Both feature strong, independent female protagonists who are thrown into a fantastical world that they want no part of, so yes, fans of Amber Benson's work will really enjoy this book, I think.
The only complaint I have is that the book could have benefited from some series editing. I had an e-book copy of the novel, and there were quite a few more errors than I would expect a published, completed book to have. Most of the errors were inconsequential -- missing commas, wrong words, etc. -- and could be easily overlooked or fixed by the reader simply inserting the correct word while reading, but still, a polished book should be as free of errors as is possible, and this book had a good number.
I still really, really enjoyed the book, though. I highly recommend it.
A police detective -- Callista, Callie for short -- saves a little girl from getting hit by a bus. She, herself, is then hit instead. She wakes up to find herself in the Underworld where she is taken before Hades and offered a deal. Protect his son, Plutus, and find out who wants him dead, and Hades will restore her to life. However, if Callie fails in her objective or dies while in the Underworld, she will die an eternal death, and her soul will never be allowed to have an afterlife.
It doesn't seem like a super great choice, but when a god offers you a deal, the "offering" part is really just a polite term to cover up the fact that you are going to do what that god wants you to do or your screwed. And so Callie has little choice but to accept Hades' offer. She meets several interesting characters along the way, including one of the Furies, Tisiphone, who becomes Callie's friend and ally in the Underworld.
Callie's job is complicated, however, by the fact that Hades forbids her to interview, interrogate, or even outwardly suspect any of his royal family of trying to kill his son, and even FURTHER complicated by the fact that Hades lies to her and manipulates her at every turn.
"Death is but a Dream" is a beautiful and original story of the Olympian gods, and it is quite unique in its view of Greek mythology. Perhaps the closest comparison I can make to a book/series already out there in the market is with Amber Benson's series that starts with "Death's Daughter." (I'm sorry. I can't actually remember what the series is called as a whole.) It has the same tone. Both feature strong, independent female protagonists who are thrown into a fantastical world that they want no part of, so yes, fans of Amber Benson's work will really enjoy this book, I think.
The only complaint I have is that the book could have benefited from some series editing. I had an e-book copy of the novel, and there were quite a few more errors than I would expect a published, completed book to have. Most of the errors were inconsequential -- missing commas, wrong words, etc. -- and could be easily overlooked or fixed by the reader simply inserting the correct word while reading, but still, a polished book should be as free of errors as is possible, and this book had a good number.
I still really, really enjoyed the book, though. I highly recommend it.