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Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Through the White Wood in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
<h2><em><strong>Through the White Wood</strong></em><strong> was interesting to read.</strong></h2>
Although there were some things I didn't like about this one, I enjoyed many aspects of Jessica Leake's latest novel. <em>Through the White Wood</em> is the companion novel to <em>Beyond a Darkened Shore</em>, following Katya as she journeys to the palace of Kiev after losing control of her powers. But as she enters palace life, she learns the country she calls home is threatened by outside forces.
We learn from the beginning Katya is feared since childhood due to her ability to freeze anything she touches. Throughout the book, Katya is constantly struggling with the question, "am I a monster?"
<h2><strong>Elements of History and Folklore.</strong></h2>
Although Leake mentions in the author's note she took liberties with certain elements, I loved seeing how they would come together in <em>Through the White Wood</em>. There's a good blend of history, folklore and fantasy that nothing seems out of place and sparks a curiosity to do my own research outside of the book.
<h2><strong>I wanted more from <em>Through the White Wood</em>.</strong></h2>
I enjoyed going back into the Byzantine Empire and seeing some of the Slavic folklore coming to life. However, I really felt there's something missing from the novel. As I got further into the story, I found myself somewhat disappointed with a few aspects:
~ Katya - I wanted more from her. Sometimes I feel she is going through actions because she feels she has to and eventually it morphs into wanting.
~ Prince Sasha - I also wanted more from him, particularly his backstory and the rumors surrounding him before Katya meets him. Also, Prince Sasha's real name is Vladimir, which kind of struck me as odd? The novel mentions Sasha is a childhood name, but I don't recall going into the particulars of <em>why</em>.
~ The romance - it just felt out of place and a little rushed. I found the world far more interesting.
Most of the novel dives into this struggle as Katya learns about her history and power, and she struggles with accepting her ability as part of who she is. There is little action up until the final battle, where everything feels a little rushed to get to victory. (Little action may just be me - at a certain time of day, lots of telling exhausts me and my goal is to stay awake.)
<h2><strong>Overall</strong></h2>
I enjoyed <em>Through the White Wood</em>! I liked seeing Katya's constant struggle of whether or not she's a monster and her journey to discover who she is. The world is interesting enough for me to continue reading Katya's story, and I liked seeing the various elemental powers being a part of it. Jessica Leake's latest novel is a solid story for those who enjoy a slower-paced book with historical and folklore elements woven together.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/through-the-white-wood-by-jessica-leake/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<h2><em><strong>Through the White Wood</strong></em><strong> was interesting to read.</strong></h2>
Although there were some things I didn't like about this one, I enjoyed many aspects of Jessica Leake's latest novel. <em>Through the White Wood</em> is the companion novel to <em>Beyond a Darkened Shore</em>, following Katya as she journeys to the palace of Kiev after losing control of her powers. But as she enters palace life, she learns the country she calls home is threatened by outside forces.
We learn from the beginning Katya is feared since childhood due to her ability to freeze anything she touches. Throughout the book, Katya is constantly struggling with the question, "am I a monster?"
<h2><strong>Elements of History and Folklore.</strong></h2>
Although Leake mentions in the author's note she took liberties with certain elements, I loved seeing how they would come together in <em>Through the White Wood</em>. There's a good blend of history, folklore and fantasy that nothing seems out of place and sparks a curiosity to do my own research outside of the book.
<h2><strong>I wanted more from <em>Through the White Wood</em>.</strong></h2>
I enjoyed going back into the Byzantine Empire and seeing some of the Slavic folklore coming to life. However, I really felt there's something missing from the novel. As I got further into the story, I found myself somewhat disappointed with a few aspects:
~ Katya - I wanted more from her. Sometimes I feel she is going through actions because she feels she has to and eventually it morphs into wanting.
~ Prince Sasha - I also wanted more from him, particularly his backstory and the rumors surrounding him before Katya meets him. Also, Prince Sasha's real name is Vladimir, which kind of struck me as odd? The novel mentions Sasha is a childhood name, but I don't recall going into the particulars of <em>why</em>.
~ The romance - it just felt out of place and a little rushed. I found the world far more interesting.
Most of the novel dives into this struggle as Katya learns about her history and power, and she struggles with accepting her ability as part of who she is. There is little action up until the final battle, where everything feels a little rushed to get to victory. (Little action may just be me - at a certain time of day, lots of telling exhausts me and my goal is to stay awake.)
<h2><strong>Overall</strong></h2>
I enjoyed <em>Through the White Wood</em>! I liked seeing Katya's constant struggle of whether or not she's a monster and her journey to discover who she is. The world is interesting enough for me to continue reading Katya's story, and I liked seeing the various elemental powers being a part of it. Jessica Leake's latest novel is a solid story for those who enjoy a slower-paced book with historical and folklore elements woven together.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/through-the-white-wood-by-jessica-leake/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Stone of Destiny in Books
Jan 23, 2020
A few confessions regarding Stone of Destiny:
~ I called this "Souls of Destiny" for quite a while. Good thing no one actually heard me say it...
~ Coincidently, I finished the prequel to Stone of Destiny, The Forgotten Ones, a few days before I got a tour invite. How could I not sign up? Oh, and no mind reading was involved. If that's the case, it's ALWAYS a coincidence. But I do love how some people think I have some sort of psychic ability and start asking about their future. *ominous voice crystal ball and all* "The future holds the unknown...."
Stone of Destiny starts right off from where The Forgotten Ones ended in fact, the last sentence in the previous book? It's the very first sentence in the sequel. If that's not starting straight off from where the last book ended, then please, feel free to correct me. But I'm pretty sure I'm in a sensible mindset.
To my delight, the pronunciation guide has been a tad bit updated. I say tad because Gaelic (Irish?) or any language really, but those with funny symbols like Chinese isn't as easy as the romantic languages is funny and there are a few terms that appear... yet they're not in the guide. One of them I was pretty much too lazy to redownload the first book just to check the pronunciation again. But hey, for those who weren't as fortunate as me aka, you recently read the book not too long ago so the terms are happily fresh in your brain and haven't read the Danaan trilogy for awhile, the pronunciation guide will be a big help!
Meanwhile, Ethan's acting strangely around Allison for awhile to which I'm not exactly happy about, but I'm sort of happy since it doesn't last too long. Plus, while Allison continues to play the "I'm going to avoid Ethan Magliaro forever" game, it's a lot less than it was back in book one even though Ethan pops out in almost every scene of the book. It's a nice change to see those pointy fences coming down to which I'm doing a happy dance. (What? Don't tell me you like pointy fences I'm sure you don't. Unless you like bleeding. Profoundly. Bad idea if you're a hemophiliac.)
Stone of Destiny focuses more on the characters in fact, a few new characters, particularly one that was mentioned back in The Forgotten Ones, make an appearance as well unraveling Aoife's plan/ritual/ceremony/whatchamacallit in Ireland. There's no particularly plot aside from continuing to add building blocks to book one, and while there's no fancy schmancy plot, it was definitely a delight to read Stone of Destiny and to go back to the world of Tir Na Nog. Thing is, Howard sort of has expectations of epic proportions to meet in the last book of the trilogy.
I'm kidding about epic proportions. That's probably reserved for someone like Stephen King, who I actually haven't read.
------------------
Review copy provided by the author for the blog tour
original rating: 4.5 out of 5
original review posted at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/08/blog-tour-stone-of-destiny-by-laura-howard-review-and-giveaway.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cG5gfBqJVzk/VA5BIojjZ9I/AAAAAAAAD1g/7srLUfpAGEU/s1600/banner.png"; /></a>
~ I called this "Souls of Destiny" for quite a while. Good thing no one actually heard me say it...
~ Coincidently, I finished the prequel to Stone of Destiny, The Forgotten Ones, a few days before I got a tour invite. How could I not sign up? Oh, and no mind reading was involved. If that's the case, it's ALWAYS a coincidence. But I do love how some people think I have some sort of psychic ability and start asking about their future. *ominous voice crystal ball and all* "The future holds the unknown...."
Stone of Destiny starts right off from where The Forgotten Ones ended in fact, the last sentence in the previous book? It's the very first sentence in the sequel. If that's not starting straight off from where the last book ended, then please, feel free to correct me. But I'm pretty sure I'm in a sensible mindset.
To my delight, the pronunciation guide has been a tad bit updated. I say tad because Gaelic (Irish?) or any language really, but those with funny symbols like Chinese isn't as easy as the romantic languages is funny and there are a few terms that appear... yet they're not in the guide. One of them I was pretty much too lazy to redownload the first book just to check the pronunciation again. But hey, for those who weren't as fortunate as me aka, you recently read the book not too long ago so the terms are happily fresh in your brain and haven't read the Danaan trilogy for awhile, the pronunciation guide will be a big help!
Meanwhile, Ethan's acting strangely around Allison for awhile to which I'm not exactly happy about, but I'm sort of happy since it doesn't last too long. Plus, while Allison continues to play the "I'm going to avoid Ethan Magliaro forever" game, it's a lot less than it was back in book one even though Ethan pops out in almost every scene of the book. It's a nice change to see those pointy fences coming down to which I'm doing a happy dance. (What? Don't tell me you like pointy fences I'm sure you don't. Unless you like bleeding. Profoundly. Bad idea if you're a hemophiliac.)
Stone of Destiny focuses more on the characters in fact, a few new characters, particularly one that was mentioned back in The Forgotten Ones, make an appearance as well unraveling Aoife's plan/ritual/ceremony/whatchamacallit in Ireland. There's no particularly plot aside from continuing to add building blocks to book one, and while there's no fancy schmancy plot, it was definitely a delight to read Stone of Destiny and to go back to the world of Tir Na Nog. Thing is, Howard sort of has expectations of epic proportions to meet in the last book of the trilogy.
I'm kidding about epic proportions. That's probably reserved for someone like Stephen King, who I actually haven't read.
------------------
Review copy provided by the author for the blog tour
original rating: 4.5 out of 5
original review posted at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/08/blog-tour-stone-of-destiny-by-laura-howard-review-and-giveaway.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cG5gfBqJVzk/VA5BIojjZ9I/AAAAAAAAD1g/7srLUfpAGEU/s1600/banner.png"; /></a>
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Fire of the Sea in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
Want to know what I find really odd? Mermaid books are like contemporary books. I either love them or hate them, and it may or may not just be me turning into a picky reader.
I personally enjoyed the concept behind <i>Fire of the Sea</i>. There's Nordic mythology and mermaids, and I loved reading about the underwater world of unified sea creatures.
But there were just a few things that I really hated about the novel, and that was pretty much why I gave it such a low rating compared to everyone else I've seen on Goodreads. In fact, compared to the ratings I've seen on Goodreads and Amazon, I'm probably the lowest since I'm that weirdo who doesn't round up. (Not that I'm actually going to let that bother me greatly.)
<i>Fire of the Sea</i> felt more like a love story than anything else. Aeva, though loyal and courageous and torn between two worlds, was reckless and careless with some of her actions. Within several days after she saves Gunnar from being taken by the sea, she wants to leave behind her sea world and become human. Her reason? "I call it love because I don't have another name for it." It is, by far, the <i>lamest</i> reason I've ever heard. Her entire reasoning behind why she wants to become human is for love. A love for a guy she saved from the sea and should be a part of Davy Jones's locker, but because Aeva is a courageous mermaid who wanted to do a kind deed, he's not. Instead, he's tied to her.
It also felt like I was watching <i>The Little Mermaid</i> all over again. There's no prince, of course, but there's a mermaid (a princess, no less) who desires to be a part of the human world (though the reasons for each are quite different), there's a price to be paid to be human, and there's an Ursula. The Ursulas in the two are a little different, but Delphine might as well be Ursula simply due to the fact she can shift herself into an octopus.
<i>Fire of the Sea</i> was predictable, though that's beginning to not bother me as much simply due to the fact I'm ahead of the characters by a few steps. But in figuring out who Delphine was? That was a given, and I just waited to see if Aeva would actually figure it out herself before Delphine revealed herself.
So here's my final verdict: if you love a love story playing a major role with mythology and mermaids, you'll likely enjoy this. If you prefer mythology of the uncommon kind but don't care about the love story playing a major role, you might be peachy. But if you really hate love stories, then you might want to pass this up.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-fire-of-the-sea-by-lyndsay-johnson/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Want to know what I find really odd? Mermaid books are like contemporary books. I either love them or hate them, and it may or may not just be me turning into a picky reader.
I personally enjoyed the concept behind <i>Fire of the Sea</i>. There's Nordic mythology and mermaids, and I loved reading about the underwater world of unified sea creatures.
But there were just a few things that I really hated about the novel, and that was pretty much why I gave it such a low rating compared to everyone else I've seen on Goodreads. In fact, compared to the ratings I've seen on Goodreads and Amazon, I'm probably the lowest since I'm that weirdo who doesn't round up. (Not that I'm actually going to let that bother me greatly.)
<i>Fire of the Sea</i> felt more like a love story than anything else. Aeva, though loyal and courageous and torn between two worlds, was reckless and careless with some of her actions. Within several days after she saves Gunnar from being taken by the sea, she wants to leave behind her sea world and become human. Her reason? "I call it love because I don't have another name for it." It is, by far, the <i>lamest</i> reason I've ever heard. Her entire reasoning behind why she wants to become human is for love. A love for a guy she saved from the sea and should be a part of Davy Jones's locker, but because Aeva is a courageous mermaid who wanted to do a kind deed, he's not. Instead, he's tied to her.
It also felt like I was watching <i>The Little Mermaid</i> all over again. There's no prince, of course, but there's a mermaid (a princess, no less) who desires to be a part of the human world (though the reasons for each are quite different), there's a price to be paid to be human, and there's an Ursula. The Ursulas in the two are a little different, but Delphine might as well be Ursula simply due to the fact she can shift herself into an octopus.
<i>Fire of the Sea</i> was predictable, though that's beginning to not bother me as much simply due to the fact I'm ahead of the characters by a few steps. But in figuring out who Delphine was? That was a given, and I just waited to see if Aeva would actually figure it out herself before Delphine revealed herself.
So here's my final verdict: if you love a love story playing a major role with mythology and mermaids, you'll likely enjoy this. If you prefer mythology of the uncommon kind but don't care about the love story playing a major role, you might be peachy. But if you really hate love stories, then you might want to pass this up.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-fire-of-the-sea-by-lyndsay-johnson/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated The Guardian's Wyrd in Books
Jan 23, 2020
The Guardian's Wyrd didn't exactly hit the bull's eye with me, and half the time my mind was telling me to just click the DNF button because there wasn't much going on.
Or maybe I just need to lower down the chances of trying to catch my attention from 50% down to 25%. A quarter just seems a tad bit harsh, and 50 just seems like a nice number compared to 38. :p
The book focuses on a guy named Jason September, in which I actually thought he was a she and "her" name was September. Confused? Yeah... that was me for 10% of the book. Is it a girl, or is it a guy? It sounds like a guy, but is his name Jay (preferred nickname), or is it September? And if it's September, why does that sound like a girl's name? That's like my parents naming me Jace May (if you really fell for that, you must be a newcomer. Welcome. Please take a moment to look at who posted this if that is the case). I'm not exactly sure how that works, and that probably says I should remain a single pringle, in which I'm happy to oblige. Just be sure to buy me a pack of Pringles every Valentine's Day.
Said dude who isn't actually a girl in the long run apparently has a crush on his music teacher, lives in Cape Town (I'm sort of a fan for books that are well... set in not so major cities like LA or NYC), an oddball at school who gets picked on a lot and dreams of being a famous musician. The Guardian's Wyrd seems to focus a lot on Jay's dreams of being a musician. I think that probably shows how determined he is to go after his dreams, which isn't always a bad thing.
Problem is, when you're too busy daydreaming of being the next Harry Styles, it doesn't actually keep my attention forever. Oh, and he has a temper problem. LOTS of anger. >_<
<img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ISpQyM6f4zY/U3qB1NhQnYI/AAAAAAAADRA/wqRU0-4YX4s/s1600/giphy.gif"; height="179" width="320">
It's not until around 34% of the book that things actually catch my attention, when View Spoiler » . Then it sort of gets ruined a bit a few moments later when Jay meets a birdy and ends up kissing her. Within 3 pages, actually. Fortunately it doesn't seem like it's instalove, so that's not exactly a problem (yush).
While I did get warned that the language may not be what I'm used to, what does larny or jawellnofine even mean? I don't think it's in the dictionary either, so if anyone knows, do tell me. And if any of the definitions are as bad as twerking or even remotely close to it, please. Don't even say a word. Because I do NOT want to know. o_o
------------
Advanced copy provided by the publisher for review
Original Rating: 3.5 out of 5
This review and more can be found over at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/05/arc-review-the-guardians-wyrd-by-nerine-dorman.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gi5Rk5yLloA/UtliaUbdL3I/AAAAAAAACbE/J27z92_qrYU/s1600/Official+Banner.png"; /></a>
Or maybe I just need to lower down the chances of trying to catch my attention from 50% down to 25%. A quarter just seems a tad bit harsh, and 50 just seems like a nice number compared to 38. :p
The book focuses on a guy named Jason September, in which I actually thought he was a she and "her" name was September. Confused? Yeah... that was me for 10% of the book. Is it a girl, or is it a guy? It sounds like a guy, but is his name Jay (preferred nickname), or is it September? And if it's September, why does that sound like a girl's name? That's like my parents naming me Jace May (if you really fell for that, you must be a newcomer. Welcome. Please take a moment to look at who posted this if that is the case). I'm not exactly sure how that works, and that probably says I should remain a single pringle, in which I'm happy to oblige. Just be sure to buy me a pack of Pringles every Valentine's Day.
Said dude who isn't actually a girl in the long run apparently has a crush on his music teacher, lives in Cape Town (I'm sort of a fan for books that are well... set in not so major cities like LA or NYC), an oddball at school who gets picked on a lot and dreams of being a famous musician. The Guardian's Wyrd seems to focus a lot on Jay's dreams of being a musician. I think that probably shows how determined he is to go after his dreams, which isn't always a bad thing.
Problem is, when you're too busy daydreaming of being the next Harry Styles, it doesn't actually keep my attention forever. Oh, and he has a temper problem. LOTS of anger. >_<
<img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ISpQyM6f4zY/U3qB1NhQnYI/AAAAAAAADRA/wqRU0-4YX4s/s1600/giphy.gif"; height="179" width="320">
It's not until around 34% of the book that things actually catch my attention, when View Spoiler » . Then it sort of gets ruined a bit a few moments later when Jay meets a birdy and ends up kissing her. Within 3 pages, actually. Fortunately it doesn't seem like it's instalove, so that's not exactly a problem (yush).
While I did get warned that the language may not be what I'm used to, what does larny or jawellnofine even mean? I don't think it's in the dictionary either, so if anyone knows, do tell me. And if any of the definitions are as bad as twerking or even remotely close to it, please. Don't even say a word. Because I do NOT want to know. o_o
------------
Advanced copy provided by the publisher for review
Original Rating: 3.5 out of 5
This review and more can be found over at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/05/arc-review-the-guardians-wyrd-by-nerine-dorman.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gi5Rk5yLloA/UtliaUbdL3I/AAAAAAAACbE/J27z92_qrYU/s1600/Official+Banner.png"; /></a>
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated A Faerie's Revenge in Books
Jan 23, 2020
ARC provided by the author.
Original Rating: 4.5 out of 5
This review and more can be found at <a href="http://www.bookwyrmingthoughts.com/2015/11/arc-review-a-faeries-revenge-by-rachel-morgan.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
All formatting is lost.
The fifth book in Rachel Morgan's Creepy Hollow series just further proves books four and beyond (however long this one will last) are so much better than the first three books. After the daytime drama-like ending Morgan leaves us back in A Faerie's Secret, we're brought straight back to Creepy Hollow to find Calla Larkenwood in a pretty miserable and "I don't give a care but I'm going to act like I do" state.
My mother watches too much Days of Our Lives (and Dateline). Lupe and I say it just makes her more overprotective because she thinks it's based off of real events. (Dateline is. Days of Our Lives probably is, but it's most likely exaggerated.)
However, by the end of the book, I find I like Calla as a character far more than I ever liked Violet. Calla is like Violet in a lot of ways (have I mentioned this when I reviewed the fourth book?) she's ambitious and kicks faerie butt, but I feel she's more well-rounded than Violet (not that Violet wasn't well-rounded). Calla's afraid of a little thing like claustrophobia, while Violet is completely fearless. To be honest, I don't think I even remember Violet ever being afraid of anything (aside from losing her loved ones), and here's Calla, squeaking over narrow spaces. More things, bad things, happen to Calla, and I absolutely love it.
I know. You must be worried about me now. You'll have to line up behind my mom and Lupe and a few other people who know me very well, which turns out to be very few.
I also find that I miss Oryn so much from the first three books because he just goes straight to the point (and he made things entertaining).
<blockquote>The awkward moment in which I discover that both my wife and my sister have made out with the same guy.</blockquote>
Of course, by books four and five, most of the characters from the first three are pretty much just starting their future with sparkling baby faeries (I imagine them to be much more adorable). Meanwhile, Calla is still getting treated poorly by her trainer (who is really just playing favoritism possibly due to jealousy) and getting flashbacks/nightmares in the midst of dreams from Gaius trying to tell her something.
And murder. Lovely, lovely murder where Calla gets framed and accused for it. It's also by this point where Calla is confronted with the question, as Oryn so fabulously points out, "Why did you really want to join the guild? The guild, or the representation?" (See? He gets straight to the point.)
But in a nutshell, A Faerie's Revenge is really just revenge of the past something that happened ten years ago and that person wants everyone to pay. How that person will do it (and how Calla is connected) is currently unknown, but it's official: you'll definitely want to read the first three books or you'll be spoiled and possibly lost.
<blockquote>Maybe theres no such thing as good guys and bad guys after all. Not when the good guys fail to see whats wrong, and the bad guys are the ones who end up helping you.</blockquote>
Original Rating: 4.5 out of 5
This review and more can be found at <a href="http://www.bookwyrmingthoughts.com/2015/11/arc-review-a-faeries-revenge-by-rachel-morgan.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
All formatting is lost.
The fifth book in Rachel Morgan's Creepy Hollow series just further proves books four and beyond (however long this one will last) are so much better than the first three books. After the daytime drama-like ending Morgan leaves us back in A Faerie's Secret, we're brought straight back to Creepy Hollow to find Calla Larkenwood in a pretty miserable and "I don't give a care but I'm going to act like I do" state.
My mother watches too much Days of Our Lives (and Dateline). Lupe and I say it just makes her more overprotective because she thinks it's based off of real events. (Dateline is. Days of Our Lives probably is, but it's most likely exaggerated.)
However, by the end of the book, I find I like Calla as a character far more than I ever liked Violet. Calla is like Violet in a lot of ways (have I mentioned this when I reviewed the fourth book?) she's ambitious and kicks faerie butt, but I feel she's more well-rounded than Violet (not that Violet wasn't well-rounded). Calla's afraid of a little thing like claustrophobia, while Violet is completely fearless. To be honest, I don't think I even remember Violet ever being afraid of anything (aside from losing her loved ones), and here's Calla, squeaking over narrow spaces. More things, bad things, happen to Calla, and I absolutely love it.
I know. You must be worried about me now. You'll have to line up behind my mom and Lupe and a few other people who know me very well, which turns out to be very few.
I also find that I miss Oryn so much from the first three books because he just goes straight to the point (and he made things entertaining).
<blockquote>The awkward moment in which I discover that both my wife and my sister have made out with the same guy.</blockquote>
Of course, by books four and five, most of the characters from the first three are pretty much just starting their future with sparkling baby faeries (I imagine them to be much more adorable). Meanwhile, Calla is still getting treated poorly by her trainer (who is really just playing favoritism possibly due to jealousy) and getting flashbacks/nightmares in the midst of dreams from Gaius trying to tell her something.
And murder. Lovely, lovely murder where Calla gets framed and accused for it. It's also by this point where Calla is confronted with the question, as Oryn so fabulously points out, "Why did you really want to join the guild? The guild, or the representation?" (See? He gets straight to the point.)
But in a nutshell, A Faerie's Revenge is really just revenge of the past something that happened ten years ago and that person wants everyone to pay. How that person will do it (and how Calla is connected) is currently unknown, but it's official: you'll definitely want to read the first three books or you'll be spoiled and possibly lost.
<blockquote>Maybe theres no such thing as good guys and bad guys after all. Not when the good guys fail to see whats wrong, and the bad guys are the ones who end up helping you.</blockquote>
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated A Faerie's Secret (Creepy Hollow, #4) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
The fourth novel to the <i>Creepy Hollow</i> series pretty much made me realize that <b>there were actually some loose ends left untied in the third book</b> I'm not sure if I mentioned it felt like an almost abrupt ending (I probably did).
Anyways, <i>A Faerie's Secret</i> is <b>set approximately ten years after the events in <i><a title="The Faerie War by Rachel Morgan" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-the-faerie-war-by-rachel-morgan/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Faerie War</a></i></b>. Rachel introduces us to a <b>new main character Calla Larkenwood, Ryn's little sister</b> who made a few appearances in the first three novels when Violet is the main character.
<b>Calla is definitely different from Violet she's just as kick-ass, adorable, and doesn't actually follow orders from others.</b> She's a bit bratty sometimes (within reason) and a seemingly hopeless romantic who longs for companionship. She <b>desires to be a guardian and actually trains in private</b> before something happens and her parents approve of her joining a guild. She <b>gets a crash course of all four years in a month</b> before starting as a fifth-year guardian, where a lot of her peers and her mentor believe she doesn't belong. She's <b>determined to prove everyone wrong and show that she definitely belongs with the guild.</b>
Rachel seems to have focused more on giving the series more action, which doesn't really work out too well. <b>There's an entirely different faerie world that we are introduced to, and it's different from <a title="The Faerie Prince by Rachel Morgan" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-the-faerie-prince-by-rachel-morgan/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">when Violet was a guardian</a></b> not just with time, but with everything that happened in the third book. The <b>author does a pretty good job with easing us into the new guild,</b> but I'm a little curious on what the new guild looks like now that everything seems to be nice and dandy.
<b>I have very little idea on what the past characters are up to a decade later.</b> I'm very up to date with what happened to Ryn and some of the characters, but I don't really know what happened to Violet, Raven, and Flint. <b>There's some cryptic dialogue that tells me something, but it's not sure.</b> (It's not exactly safe to assume.) I know they survived, and they're still good friends. I don't know if they retired from the guardian life and pursued another career or something else entirely.
I may have enjoyed <i>A Faerie's Secret</i> more than the last two books <b>there are more dangers and adventures with Calla as our new heroine.</b> I don't really know what will happen in the next book <b>I'm left with an open ending where I have some questions that I hope to be answered in the sequel.</b>
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-a-faeries-secret-by-rachel-morgan/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
The fourth novel to the <i>Creepy Hollow</i> series pretty much made me realize that <b>there were actually some loose ends left untied in the third book</b> I'm not sure if I mentioned it felt like an almost abrupt ending (I probably did).
Anyways, <i>A Faerie's Secret</i> is <b>set approximately ten years after the events in <i><a title="The Faerie War by Rachel Morgan" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-the-faerie-war-by-rachel-morgan/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Faerie War</a></i></b>. Rachel introduces us to a <b>new main character Calla Larkenwood, Ryn's little sister</b> who made a few appearances in the first three novels when Violet is the main character.
<b>Calla is definitely different from Violet she's just as kick-ass, adorable, and doesn't actually follow orders from others.</b> She's a bit bratty sometimes (within reason) and a seemingly hopeless romantic who longs for companionship. She <b>desires to be a guardian and actually trains in private</b> before something happens and her parents approve of her joining a guild. She <b>gets a crash course of all four years in a month</b> before starting as a fifth-year guardian, where a lot of her peers and her mentor believe she doesn't belong. She's <b>determined to prove everyone wrong and show that she definitely belongs with the guild.</b>
Rachel seems to have focused more on giving the series more action, which doesn't really work out too well. <b>There's an entirely different faerie world that we are introduced to, and it's different from <a title="The Faerie Prince by Rachel Morgan" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-the-faerie-prince-by-rachel-morgan/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">when Violet was a guardian</a></b> not just with time, but with everything that happened in the third book. The <b>author does a pretty good job with easing us into the new guild,</b> but I'm a little curious on what the new guild looks like now that everything seems to be nice and dandy.
<b>I have very little idea on what the past characters are up to a decade later.</b> I'm very up to date with what happened to Ryn and some of the characters, but I don't really know what happened to Violet, Raven, and Flint. <b>There's some cryptic dialogue that tells me something, but it's not sure.</b> (It's not exactly safe to assume.) I know they survived, and they're still good friends. I don't know if they retired from the guardian life and pursued another career or something else entirely.
I may have enjoyed <i>A Faerie's Secret</i> more than the last two books <b>there are more dangers and adventures with Calla as our new heroine.</b> I don't really know what will happen in the next book <b>I'm left with an open ending where I have some questions that I hope to be answered in the sequel.</b>
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-a-faeries-secret-by-rachel-morgan/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Fire and Bone (Otherborn, #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
<strong>I can't tell if I'm <em>actually</em> disappointed with <em>Fire and Bone</em> or if I <em>feel</em> disappointed with the book.</strong>
I started Rachel A. Marks's new book right after I finished <a href="http://theartsstl.com/rin-chupeco-the-heart-forger-sourcebooks-fire/"><em>The Heart Forger</em></a>, and I was very much ruined for other books at the moment in time because Rin Chupeco's book was <em>that</em> good.
<strong><em>Fire and Bone</em> is the first novel in Marks's <em>Otherborn</em> series, which is based on Celtic mythology and set in modern-day Los Angeles.</strong> The story follows Sage, who struggles to live on her own in the streets and has the urge to burn things until she finds out she is the daughter of a Celtic goddess.
Sage is very independent - we've got the kid goes through a rough childhood and gets shifted around from foster home to foster home until they say, "Screw it!" and go off on their own (because who has time for rough homes?) trope. The one friend in her life is Ziggy, at least until she is plucked into the Otherworld where she eventually has to pledge her allegiance to one of the five main deities, known as houses.
I'm a huge fan of books that focus on character, plot and action, so <em>Fire and Bone</em>, being the first in a series, won't be a novel that I will enjoy as much compared to my reactions when (and if because so many books) I read the sequels. <strong>This novel is more of a setup - there is a lot of information about the world</strong> (though certainly not an information overload) that is revealed as Sage navigates the Otherworld and is getting attention from her bodyguard and a prince. She also tries to uncover the past that is revealed to her through dreams.
There's no surprise that <strong>there seems to be a love triangle of sorts that will most likely reveal itself</strong> in future novels. The interactions between Kieran, Faelan and Sage are telltale signs that there is probably going to be one, though I could be wrong. Assuming this <em>will</em> be a love triangle though, I'm not shipping any of them and feel it is out of place to the overall plot of the story.
<strong>I love the side characters Marks introduces to us</strong> in <em>Fire and Bone</em>. It was hard to like the characters early on, but as I continued reading the book, some of the characters had hilarious lines. I'm curious how the characters will develop in book two, so <strong>character development will be one of the things I'll be looking forward to.</strong>
Along with character development, I'm looking forward to how the plot will unfold. While a major plot point was predictable, I did <em>not</em> guess the ending of the story, and <strong>I want to KNOW what happens next</strong>. If anything, <em>Otherborn #2</em> will tear my heart to pieces and ruin me for whatever book is read next like <em>The Heart Forger</em> did.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/fire-and-bone-by-rachel-a-marks-review/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<strong>I can't tell if I'm <em>actually</em> disappointed with <em>Fire and Bone</em> or if I <em>feel</em> disappointed with the book.</strong>
I started Rachel A. Marks's new book right after I finished <a href="http://theartsstl.com/rin-chupeco-the-heart-forger-sourcebooks-fire/"><em>The Heart Forger</em></a>, and I was very much ruined for other books at the moment in time because Rin Chupeco's book was <em>that</em> good.
<strong><em>Fire and Bone</em> is the first novel in Marks's <em>Otherborn</em> series, which is based on Celtic mythology and set in modern-day Los Angeles.</strong> The story follows Sage, who struggles to live on her own in the streets and has the urge to burn things until she finds out she is the daughter of a Celtic goddess.
Sage is very independent - we've got the kid goes through a rough childhood and gets shifted around from foster home to foster home until they say, "Screw it!" and go off on their own (because who has time for rough homes?) trope. The one friend in her life is Ziggy, at least until she is plucked into the Otherworld where she eventually has to pledge her allegiance to one of the five main deities, known as houses.
I'm a huge fan of books that focus on character, plot and action, so <em>Fire and Bone</em>, being the first in a series, won't be a novel that I will enjoy as much compared to my reactions when (and if because so many books) I read the sequels. <strong>This novel is more of a setup - there is a lot of information about the world</strong> (though certainly not an information overload) that is revealed as Sage navigates the Otherworld and is getting attention from her bodyguard and a prince. She also tries to uncover the past that is revealed to her through dreams.
There's no surprise that <strong>there seems to be a love triangle of sorts that will most likely reveal itself</strong> in future novels. The interactions between Kieran, Faelan and Sage are telltale signs that there is probably going to be one, though I could be wrong. Assuming this <em>will</em> be a love triangle though, I'm not shipping any of them and feel it is out of place to the overall plot of the story.
<strong>I love the side characters Marks introduces to us</strong> in <em>Fire and Bone</em>. It was hard to like the characters early on, but as I continued reading the book, some of the characters had hilarious lines. I'm curious how the characters will develop in book two, so <strong>character development will be one of the things I'll be looking forward to.</strong>
Along with character development, I'm looking forward to how the plot will unfold. While a major plot point was predictable, I did <em>not</em> guess the ending of the story, and <strong>I want to KNOW what happens next</strong>. If anything, <em>Otherborn #2</em> will tear my heart to pieces and ruin me for whatever book is read next like <em>The Heart Forger</em> did.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/fire-and-bone-by-rachel-a-marks-review/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Knight Assassin in Books
Jan 23, 2020
Am I alone to say that this sort of felt like history + Downton Abbey + a little Arabian mythology? Perhaps it's the royal technicalities that make me think of Downton Abbey with its lords and ladies, despite the fact the book seems to be set around the Crusades and everyone seemed to be fighting over the Holy Land.
I was actually a bit reluctant to accept Knight Assassin for review for a few reasons:
1. It didn't sound very appealing A girl's mother gets murdered and she wants revenge. Then she meets a guy from her past who actually ends up being her enemy. Nope... not really for me, though the last part is semi-intriguing.
2. I don't know that much about the Knights Templar. I don't even remember that one book I read and it was nominated for a state award once.
3. I had a pretty big review pile already
However, as I got started, I realized I was underestimating, and I actually enjoyed it in most cases. But what really started to get the ball rolling?
Zayn's mother gets accused of witchcraft and burned to death.
I know it sounds really mean and really odd of me that it would catch my attention. But think about it. If that happened to me (or any of us really), I would be looking for revenge as well after I get over my initial shock, which could last for who knows how long.
Zayn gah, I keep putting an e at the end. One Direction, this is not the time to slip into a review is probably by far one of the strongest heroines I've read about. She goes through so many trials throughout the book from her mother's murder to rape to finding out what she really is and hasn't broken down for most of the book. Definitely shorter than me, but Zayn seems to be pretty impulsive for a good half of the book.
For the first half, there's a lot of flashbacks throughout the beginning to Zayn's childhood, in which I sort of found pointless. I'm not exactly sure what the connection really is, aside from how she meets Guy de Molay and Earic Goodwin. It's not until the second half where the interesting stuff happens and there's not as many flashbacks, but the first half by all means isn't boring at all. I find that Zayn has a lot of backstory, which frankly makes her less of a pancake (flat characters).
The ending though, felt like a stand alone, but it didn't feel like a stand alone. I'm surprised this isn't a series to be honest. However, if you're the type who enjoys reading a bit of history and a little mythology, perhaps you should consider Knight Assassin. It's a nice change from other genres (particularly aliens and angels at the moment) as there aren't many books set in the late 1100s.
<b>Random Thought:</b>
<blockquote>I will never recover my male ego, so long as Zayn is around to humble me.</blockquote>
Perhaps where there's a Carter, Jace, Daemon or a Herondale, there needs to be a Zayn. She might be able to keep their ego in check... well, particularly the third one. ;)
--------------------
Original Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Owls
Advance review copy provided by publisher for review
This review and more can be found at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/03/arc-review-knight-assassin-by-rima-jean.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gi5Rk5yLloA/UtliaUbdL3I/AAAAAAAACbE/J27z92_qrYU/s1600/Official+Banner.png"; /></a>
I was actually a bit reluctant to accept Knight Assassin for review for a few reasons:
1. It didn't sound very appealing A girl's mother gets murdered and she wants revenge. Then she meets a guy from her past who actually ends up being her enemy. Nope... not really for me, though the last part is semi-intriguing.
2. I don't know that much about the Knights Templar. I don't even remember that one book I read and it was nominated for a state award once.
3. I had a pretty big review pile already
However, as I got started, I realized I was underestimating, and I actually enjoyed it in most cases. But what really started to get the ball rolling?
Zayn's mother gets accused of witchcraft and burned to death.
I know it sounds really mean and really odd of me that it would catch my attention. But think about it. If that happened to me (or any of us really), I would be looking for revenge as well after I get over my initial shock, which could last for who knows how long.
Zayn gah, I keep putting an e at the end. One Direction, this is not the time to slip into a review is probably by far one of the strongest heroines I've read about. She goes through so many trials throughout the book from her mother's murder to rape to finding out what she really is and hasn't broken down for most of the book. Definitely shorter than me, but Zayn seems to be pretty impulsive for a good half of the book.
For the first half, there's a lot of flashbacks throughout the beginning to Zayn's childhood, in which I sort of found pointless. I'm not exactly sure what the connection really is, aside from how she meets Guy de Molay and Earic Goodwin. It's not until the second half where the interesting stuff happens and there's not as many flashbacks, but the first half by all means isn't boring at all. I find that Zayn has a lot of backstory, which frankly makes her less of a pancake (flat characters).
The ending though, felt like a stand alone, but it didn't feel like a stand alone. I'm surprised this isn't a series to be honest. However, if you're the type who enjoys reading a bit of history and a little mythology, perhaps you should consider Knight Assassin. It's a nice change from other genres (particularly aliens and angels at the moment) as there aren't many books set in the late 1100s.
<b>Random Thought:</b>
<blockquote>I will never recover my male ego, so long as Zayn is around to humble me.</blockquote>
Perhaps where there's a Carter, Jace, Daemon or a Herondale, there needs to be a Zayn. She might be able to keep their ego in check... well, particularly the third one. ;)
--------------------
Original Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Owls
Advance review copy provided by publisher for review
This review and more can be found at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/03/arc-review-knight-assassin-by-rima-jean.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gi5Rk5yLloA/UtliaUbdL3I/AAAAAAAACbE/J27z92_qrYU/s1600/Official+Banner.png"; /></a>
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Falls the Shadow in Books
Jan 23, 2020
Falls the Shadow: By far, the most predictable book I've ever read. Fun Fact: I figured out the entire plot by 6% of the book, which, in my humble opinion, figuring out the plot very early on in the book is bad. VERY bad, because where's the fun in knowing the big plan?!
It's not fun at all. In fact, it's like Hansel and Gretel, only those bread crumbs? They're like me placing them from school to home. It's pretty boring if you ask me unless you're hungry of course, but has anyone heard of the word germs? and that's precisely how I felt about Gaither's debut novel. There's a great idea: a society who recently came out of war not too long ago where the population is dwindling as generations continue. To save humanity, a scientific experiment company? by the name of Huxley comes up with a genius idea of cloning, in which if accidents happen, because they do, and the universe is sometimes cruel families can continue on with their lives as though nothing has changed. And that's the case with Catelyn Benson's sister, Violet. At least until Violet mysteriously disappears.
I only stuck around because I was at work early and was sitting at a table with sucky wifi, so I couldn't download any books. Not that downloading books is necessary because I'm that person who's prepared for situations like DNF or finishing books. I've got quite a few at my disposal, but it never hurts to entertain Lupe from Catching Bookz about renaming Kahlan's Zeitoun essay to Essay to Murder on my hard drive (I really did. For a reason) when the wifi actually does work.
Mainly I stuck around reading Falls the Shadow because I was hoping Gaither would surprise me. I was hoping that she would later fling said bread crumbs hopefully kindly at me in a way that I'll be shocked and amazed. I was not hoping, however, for me to be led from school to home and vice versa, with said bread crumbs already laid about, perfectly planned as though I was part of the plot planning (which I wasn't).
I think I also stuck around because there's something about Falls the Shadow. Perhaps it's the way the story is written, how Cate has to be watchful of her classmates who once treated her like furniture but as soon as "new Violet" comes around, she begins to get attacked. Or maybe it's how Cate seems to be really neutral until she finds out what Huxley's real plans are and she finally chooses a side.
Just when I lost hope though, something surprising happens! Near the end! But then it was a roller coaster ride for the rest of the book. Too bad that roller coaster ride sometimes resulted in disappointment. And now someone's bound to smack me upside the head for waiting that long.
Falls the Shadow is a novel with a heroine who acts strong but doesn't feel the same way and has a unique concept, however predictable it may be. Oh, and the clones? They're creepy. It's worse than cameras watching your every move, because it actually is. Only it's a chip.
---------------------
Advanced review copy provided by Simon & Schuster for review
Original Rating: 2.5 out of 5
Original Review posted at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/09/arc-review-falls-the-shadow-by-stefanie-gaither.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cG5gfBqJVzk/VA5BIojjZ9I/AAAAAAAAD1g/7srLUfpAGEU/s1600/banner.png"; /></a>
It's not fun at all. In fact, it's like Hansel and Gretel, only those bread crumbs? They're like me placing them from school to home. It's pretty boring if you ask me unless you're hungry of course, but has anyone heard of the word germs? and that's precisely how I felt about Gaither's debut novel. There's a great idea: a society who recently came out of war not too long ago where the population is dwindling as generations continue. To save humanity, a scientific experiment company? by the name of Huxley comes up with a genius idea of cloning, in which if accidents happen, because they do, and the universe is sometimes cruel families can continue on with their lives as though nothing has changed. And that's the case with Catelyn Benson's sister, Violet. At least until Violet mysteriously disappears.
I only stuck around because I was at work early and was sitting at a table with sucky wifi, so I couldn't download any books. Not that downloading books is necessary because I'm that person who's prepared for situations like DNF or finishing books. I've got quite a few at my disposal, but it never hurts to entertain Lupe from Catching Bookz about renaming Kahlan's Zeitoun essay to Essay to Murder on my hard drive (I really did. For a reason) when the wifi actually does work.
Mainly I stuck around reading Falls the Shadow because I was hoping Gaither would surprise me. I was hoping that she would later fling said bread crumbs hopefully kindly at me in a way that I'll be shocked and amazed. I was not hoping, however, for me to be led from school to home and vice versa, with said bread crumbs already laid about, perfectly planned as though I was part of the plot planning (which I wasn't).
I think I also stuck around because there's something about Falls the Shadow. Perhaps it's the way the story is written, how Cate has to be watchful of her classmates who once treated her like furniture but as soon as "new Violet" comes around, she begins to get attacked. Or maybe it's how Cate seems to be really neutral until she finds out what Huxley's real plans are and she finally chooses a side.
Just when I lost hope though, something surprising happens! Near the end! But then it was a roller coaster ride for the rest of the book. Too bad that roller coaster ride sometimes resulted in disappointment. And now someone's bound to smack me upside the head for waiting that long.
Falls the Shadow is a novel with a heroine who acts strong but doesn't feel the same way and has a unique concept, however predictable it may be. Oh, and the clones? They're creepy. It's worse than cameras watching your every move, because it actually is. Only it's a chip.
---------------------
Advanced review copy provided by Simon & Schuster for review
Original Rating: 2.5 out of 5
Original Review posted at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/09/arc-review-falls-the-shadow-by-stefanie-gaither.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cG5gfBqJVzk/VA5BIojjZ9I/AAAAAAAAD1g/7srLUfpAGEU/s1600/banner.png"; /></a>
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated The Fall in Books
Jan 23, 2020
*puts on best announcer voice* Ahem.
I'd like to present to you the <b>most confusing book of the year</b>, <i>The Fall</i> by Bethany Griffin. It's a <b>very odd and peculiar book </b>based on Edgar Allen Poe's short story, <i>The Fall of the House of Usher</i>. In Griffin's retelling, Madeline Usher believes that she can break the curse on the Ushers, but then she wakes up in a fabulously claustrophobic box called a coffin.
In all seriousness, <i>The Fall</i> is actually <b>a retelling on one of Poe's stories </b>that I didn't actually read, but watched instead (so bad, it was good). From reading the synopsis of Griffin's retelling, <b>it sounded like Madeline Usher had spent most of her life trying to break free from the curse.</b>
I ended up with something different. At least, that's what I would probably end up with if I actually made it to the end of the book, which I chose not to. I totally admit I peeked at the last few pages just to see what would happen, and it was nothing special.
<b>Griffin starts us out right when Madeline wakes up in a coffin. The rest of the book, however, is all flashback from Madeline's childhood, starting from when she was nine. It's a little out of order, but has a pattern to it in a way</b> – one chapter is nine, the next is fifteen, and occasionally there's a diary/journal entry from Lisbeth Usher. I'm no fan of chapters being even remotely out of order (they can get confusing when you're busy and come back to the story a few days later), but <b>at least Griffin had a pattern.</b>
At least, until about page 150. <b>WHERE IS THIRTEEN AND WHY ARE YOU SKIPPED.</b>
Of course, we go back to thirteen in the next chapter and continue the pattern. In my little game of peek-ahead, I found out <b>there <i>is</i> no particular pattern. My hypothesis to all this is Griffin portraying Madeline's madness increasing as her age increases. As Madeline grows older, she becomes madder. </b>How's that for implementing science?
Anyways, about 50 pages later, I'm pretty much going, "Your point is..?" in a very uninterested mental voice that may or may not include a mental eye roll or two in the process. Here's all that I've found out from what I read:
<ol>
<li>Madeline wakes up in a coffin – Go figure.</li>
<li>She and her brother Roderick is cursed – Knew that.</li>
<li>The House of Usher is, well, alive – Knew that.</li>
<li>The House of Usher is malicious – Knew that, but this was ten times creepier from the cheesy short film.</li>
<li>Madeline has a desire to break the curse on her family – It's very subtle.</li>
</ol>
In the long run, <b><i>The Fall</i> is written in a scattered format (see my hypothesis!) to emphasize the fact that the House of Usher is alive, malicious, and will do <i>anything</i> to keep an Usher within its walls for all eternity. It's nothing remotely impressive if you read or watched the original.</b>
And this is when the book club kills me.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/dnf-review-the-fall-by-bethany-griffin/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
I'd like to present to you the <b>most confusing book of the year</b>, <i>The Fall</i> by Bethany Griffin. It's a <b>very odd and peculiar book </b>based on Edgar Allen Poe's short story, <i>The Fall of the House of Usher</i>. In Griffin's retelling, Madeline Usher believes that she can break the curse on the Ushers, but then she wakes up in a fabulously claustrophobic box called a coffin.
In all seriousness, <i>The Fall</i> is actually <b>a retelling on one of Poe's stories </b>that I didn't actually read, but watched instead (so bad, it was good). From reading the synopsis of Griffin's retelling, <b>it sounded like Madeline Usher had spent most of her life trying to break free from the curse.</b>
I ended up with something different. At least, that's what I would probably end up with if I actually made it to the end of the book, which I chose not to. I totally admit I peeked at the last few pages just to see what would happen, and it was nothing special.
<b>Griffin starts us out right when Madeline wakes up in a coffin. The rest of the book, however, is all flashback from Madeline's childhood, starting from when she was nine. It's a little out of order, but has a pattern to it in a way</b> – one chapter is nine, the next is fifteen, and occasionally there's a diary/journal entry from Lisbeth Usher. I'm no fan of chapters being even remotely out of order (they can get confusing when you're busy and come back to the story a few days later), but <b>at least Griffin had a pattern.</b>
At least, until about page 150. <b>WHERE IS THIRTEEN AND WHY ARE YOU SKIPPED.</b>
Of course, we go back to thirteen in the next chapter and continue the pattern. In my little game of peek-ahead, I found out <b>there <i>is</i> no particular pattern. My hypothesis to all this is Griffin portraying Madeline's madness increasing as her age increases. As Madeline grows older, she becomes madder. </b>How's that for implementing science?
Anyways, about 50 pages later, I'm pretty much going, "Your point is..?" in a very uninterested mental voice that may or may not include a mental eye roll or two in the process. Here's all that I've found out from what I read:
<ol>
<li>Madeline wakes up in a coffin – Go figure.</li>
<li>She and her brother Roderick is cursed – Knew that.</li>
<li>The House of Usher is, well, alive – Knew that.</li>
<li>The House of Usher is malicious – Knew that, but this was ten times creepier from the cheesy short film.</li>
<li>Madeline has a desire to break the curse on her family – It's very subtle.</li>
</ol>
In the long run, <b><i>The Fall</i> is written in a scattered format (see my hypothesis!) to emphasize the fact that the House of Usher is alive, malicious, and will do <i>anything</i> to keep an Usher within its walls for all eternity. It's nothing remotely impressive if you read or watched the original.</b>
And this is when the book club kills me.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/dnf-review-the-fall-by-bethany-griffin/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>