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Rachel (48 KP) rated Forsaken (Shadow Cove Saga #1) in Books
May 27, 2017
Absolutely loved it
I absolutely adored this novel, it felt like it was written just for me!
This is the first J.D. Barker I have read but it certainly won't be the last. I will be adding any sequels to my wish list immediately.
Forsaken This novel starts with a reference that any horror lover will recognise immediately. I was slightly confused by this - the dates do not work - but don't worry, all is explained by the end of the book.
The story started slowly and gradually built momentum, like all good stories should. It starts innocently enough with a bad dream of Rachael's, who is married to an author called Thad and nearing the end of her pregnancy of their second child. Eight year old Ashley and Buster the dog complete the family.
I very quickly found myself liking the character's. They are well rounded and believable. All of the conversation between them is natural and background information about them is presented at just the right pace.
I read just under 70% of the book in one sitting. I would have finished it in a day if annoying illness hadn't of made holding my Kindle impossible! It really is that kind of book, you need to keep reading because you need to know what is going to happen next. It managed to surprise me a number of times without resorting to wild twists.
Some of the novel is told through the eyes of a scribe in the 1600's and this adds to the excitement of reading - I both wanted to hear more from him whilst being desperate to get back to the main storyline. His sections are not written in olde English which is a good thing. It's rare for that to work and not become an annoyance.
It is a fast paced story without feeling rushed. I never felt confused about what was going on. Well, actually, that did happen once but was due to it being 5am and me not reading a characters name correctly!
The ending is a cliffhanger of sorts but, as this is #1 of a series, that really is to be expected. I am genuinely excited about reading the next book and I am going to look it up as soon as I finish this review.
I love horror/supernatural books and am constantly searching for 'the perfect' story. I'm not sure if many books could be described as such but this came close.
This is the first J.D. Barker I have read but it certainly won't be the last. I will be adding any sequels to my wish list immediately.
Forsaken This novel starts with a reference that any horror lover will recognise immediately. I was slightly confused by this - the dates do not work - but don't worry, all is explained by the end of the book.
The story started slowly and gradually built momentum, like all good stories should. It starts innocently enough with a bad dream of Rachael's, who is married to an author called Thad and nearing the end of her pregnancy of their second child. Eight year old Ashley and Buster the dog complete the family.
I very quickly found myself liking the character's. They are well rounded and believable. All of the conversation between them is natural and background information about them is presented at just the right pace.
I read just under 70% of the book in one sitting. I would have finished it in a day if annoying illness hadn't of made holding my Kindle impossible! It really is that kind of book, you need to keep reading because you need to know what is going to happen next. It managed to surprise me a number of times without resorting to wild twists.
Some of the novel is told through the eyes of a scribe in the 1600's and this adds to the excitement of reading - I both wanted to hear more from him whilst being desperate to get back to the main storyline. His sections are not written in olde English which is a good thing. It's rare for that to work and not become an annoyance.
It is a fast paced story without feeling rushed. I never felt confused about what was going on. Well, actually, that did happen once but was due to it being 5am and me not reading a characters name correctly!
The ending is a cliffhanger of sorts but, as this is #1 of a series, that really is to be expected. I am genuinely excited about reading the next book and I am going to look it up as soon as I finish this review.
I love horror/supernatural books and am constantly searching for 'the perfect' story. I'm not sure if many books could be described as such but this came close.
Kyera (8 KP) rated I'm Not Your Manic Pixie Dream Girl in Books
Feb 1, 2018
I'm Not Your Manic Pixie Dream Girl follows Beas attempts to translate her status in high school into a scholarship winning mathematical formula. Simple right? Beatrice, Spencer, and Gabe are not the most popular kids at school to be honest theyre practically invisible. Most people call Bea Math Girl and she wants that to change. She convinces her friends to embrace and exploit a personality trait that fills a void in their school so that they can become popular.
Gabe agrees because he is a writer for the school paper and hopes to be chosen for an internship as a result. He becomes the schools flamboyant, gay best friend and almost immediately is absorbed into the popular inner-circle. Through his acceptance, Spencer and Bea, now known as Trixie, become known around the school. She must embrace her new personality but doesnt always make the right decisions.
I personally did not relate to her, despite her love of math and didnt create a connection. I completely agreed with the opinions of her friends about her behavior. I didnt find myself being sympathetic to her plight and was frustrated more than anything by her repeated mistakes. She meddles in other peoples business, doesnt take the high road and even though she accepts her mistakes at the end it doesnt feel, to me at least, that she has grown over the course of the novel.
Despite the book being formulaic, it was an enjoyable read I just wish it wasnt so predictable. It doesnt take long to figure out who is going to be the romantic endgame, what friendships will be formed and enemy status established. At the end of it all, you wonder will they realize that it is more important to be true to themselves than to be popular? I think you know what the answer will be.
The book has a fair amount of diversity and representation in it, which is good. I wish each of those various representations was given more detail and thought than being an intermittent descriptive word. It felt more like adding the token LGBTQ+ or ethnically diverse character. We dont often enough see diversity in books, so it was a little disappointing to me that it so little was done with it.
Overall, I think that it was a quick, contemporary read that young adult/teen readers will enjoy. It is cute, if predictable but the unique aspect of the story of using math to solve lifes problems was quirky and endearing.
Gabe agrees because he is a writer for the school paper and hopes to be chosen for an internship as a result. He becomes the schools flamboyant, gay best friend and almost immediately is absorbed into the popular inner-circle. Through his acceptance, Spencer and Bea, now known as Trixie, become known around the school. She must embrace her new personality but doesnt always make the right decisions.
I personally did not relate to her, despite her love of math and didnt create a connection. I completely agreed with the opinions of her friends about her behavior. I didnt find myself being sympathetic to her plight and was frustrated more than anything by her repeated mistakes. She meddles in other peoples business, doesnt take the high road and even though she accepts her mistakes at the end it doesnt feel, to me at least, that she has grown over the course of the novel.
Despite the book being formulaic, it was an enjoyable read I just wish it wasnt so predictable. It doesnt take long to figure out who is going to be the romantic endgame, what friendships will be formed and enemy status established. At the end of it all, you wonder will they realize that it is more important to be true to themselves than to be popular? I think you know what the answer will be.
The book has a fair amount of diversity and representation in it, which is good. I wish each of those various representations was given more detail and thought than being an intermittent descriptive word. It felt more like adding the token LGBTQ+ or ethnically diverse character. We dont often enough see diversity in books, so it was a little disappointing to me that it so little was done with it.
Overall, I think that it was a quick, contemporary read that young adult/teen readers will enjoy. It is cute, if predictable but the unique aspect of the story of using math to solve lifes problems was quirky and endearing.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated The Dirty Girls Social Club (Dirty Girls, #1) in Books
Jun 8, 2018
So in trying to read more inclusively, I had been looking at some prominent minority writers like Junot Diaz or Sherman Alexie (I actually had one of Alexie's books out from the library when I realized where I'd heard his name). When the news broke about Junot Diaz, and I remembered that Sherman Alexie also had sexual harassment accusations against him, I decided instead of reading their books, I'd look up the books of the women calling them out! The Dirty Girls Social Club is the first book of what I'm calling my "Wronged Women" list. Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez wrote an article titled "I tried to warn you about Junot Diaz" about her experience with him. Others on the list include Erika Wurth, Elissa Washuta, Zinzi Clemmons, Carmen Maria Machado, and Monica Byrne. I've built a shelf on Goodreads for my list, and I'm sure more names will wind up on it. (Unfortunately.)
The Dirty Girls Social Club is the story of six college friends who decide to meet every six months for the rest of their lives, no matter what. The book covers one six month period, from one meeting to the next. It took me a few chapters to sort out who was who, and throughout the book I occasionally had to flip back to the first chapter, where Lauren gives a rundown of names and professions. All six are Hispanic of some flavor, whether that's Dominican, Puerto Rican, Colombian, Spanish, or Southwestern Native American. That's why they banded together in college. Each one has her own storyline - dealing with an abusive marriage, leaving a loveless marriage, being forcibly outed as a lesbian and learning to adjust to her new visibility, or becoming a rock star. I enjoyed how each of the six had a very individual story; they have interesting jobs and complicated love lives and unique problems.
Each of the women reflects on her Hispanic heritage in some form, whether that's taking lessons in how to love from their parents, or fighting for recognition for their minority, or writing columns about their lives for the local newspaper. The book both shows and tells us about the differences in various Hispanic cultures.
I especially enjoyed Amber/Cuicatl (the rock star) and Elizabeth (the lesbian). The rest of the book was a little slow going at times, but I think that's largely because I'm not a fan of contemporary fiction. I did enjoy it, though, and I'll probably check out more of the author's books.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
The Dirty Girls Social Club is the story of six college friends who decide to meet every six months for the rest of their lives, no matter what. The book covers one six month period, from one meeting to the next. It took me a few chapters to sort out who was who, and throughout the book I occasionally had to flip back to the first chapter, where Lauren gives a rundown of names and professions. All six are Hispanic of some flavor, whether that's Dominican, Puerto Rican, Colombian, Spanish, or Southwestern Native American. That's why they banded together in college. Each one has her own storyline - dealing with an abusive marriage, leaving a loveless marriage, being forcibly outed as a lesbian and learning to adjust to her new visibility, or becoming a rock star. I enjoyed how each of the six had a very individual story; they have interesting jobs and complicated love lives and unique problems.
Each of the women reflects on her Hispanic heritage in some form, whether that's taking lessons in how to love from their parents, or fighting for recognition for their minority, or writing columns about their lives for the local newspaper. The book both shows and tells us about the differences in various Hispanic cultures.
I especially enjoyed Amber/Cuicatl (the rock star) and Elizabeth (the lesbian). The rest of the book was a little slow going at times, but I think that's largely because I'm not a fan of contemporary fiction. I did enjoy it, though, and I'll probably check out more of the author's books.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated Mile 22 (2018) in Movies
Sep 20, 2018 (Updated Sep 20, 2018)
The Movie Equivelant of a Shrug
I saw Mile 22 last night and when I got in my dad asked me how it was. I replied with a simple shrug and that is honestly the best way to sum up this movie. It's not bad and it's not great. The worst thing about that is that Peter Berg and Mark Wahlberg have worked together 3 times prior to this movie and all 3 times have resulted in fantastic movies, not mediocre ones like this. I was looking forward to this going in knowing that it was Berg and Wahlberg working together again and I have really liked everything else they have made together, (especially Patriot's Day,) but this is unfortunately the worst film that they have made together so far, but it's still not awful.
The best thing about this film is definitely Iko Uwais. Whenever we get to see him doing his thing on screen, it is electrifying. The issue here though is the way that Jacques Jouffret decided to shoot these sequences is choppy and incoherent at times. Why would you cast one of the best fight choreographers in the world in your movie and then every time he get to fight onscreen, you decided to shake the camera about and make 10+ jump-cuts in the space of a few minutes?
Rhonda Rousey is in the movie too and surprisingly I didn't cringe every time she spoke and instead felt that she did a pretty decent job with what she was given. Lauren Cohen was fine too, we all know that she can do a pretty solid American accent at this point because of her work on The Walking Dead. Wahlberg is perfectly serviceable here too, he has been better in other things, but he also been far worse. It is hard to waste an actor like John Malkovich in a film and yet they manage it here, literally any actor could have played his role.
The end is also pretty rubbish. There is a flimsy twist followed by a sequel tease and then the credits abruptly appear. They are clearly aiming for a sequel, but it would have been nice if they could have tied this movie up a bit better first.
Overall, this is an okay action flick with some cool stunts that doesn't live up to what it could have been and ends too abruptly. There are some cool stunts and satisfying kills in the film, but they could have been shot a lot better.
The best thing about this film is definitely Iko Uwais. Whenever we get to see him doing his thing on screen, it is electrifying. The issue here though is the way that Jacques Jouffret decided to shoot these sequences is choppy and incoherent at times. Why would you cast one of the best fight choreographers in the world in your movie and then every time he get to fight onscreen, you decided to shake the camera about and make 10+ jump-cuts in the space of a few minutes?
Rhonda Rousey is in the movie too and surprisingly I didn't cringe every time she spoke and instead felt that she did a pretty decent job with what she was given. Lauren Cohen was fine too, we all know that she can do a pretty solid American accent at this point because of her work on The Walking Dead. Wahlberg is perfectly serviceable here too, he has been better in other things, but he also been far worse. It is hard to waste an actor like John Malkovich in a film and yet they manage it here, literally any actor could have played his role.
The end is also pretty rubbish. There is a flimsy twist followed by a sequel tease and then the credits abruptly appear. They are clearly aiming for a sequel, but it would have been nice if they could have tied this movie up a bit better first.
Overall, this is an okay action flick with some cool stunts that doesn't live up to what it could have been and ends too abruptly. There are some cool stunts and satisfying kills in the film, but they could have been shot a lot better.
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated The Favourite (2018) in Movies
Jan 24, 2019
Quirky and original with strong performances and direction
Greek Director Yorgos Lanthimos is the director of such quirky, bizarre comedy/dramas as DOGTOOTH, THE LOBSTER and KILLING OF A SACRED DEER and his latest, THE FAVOURITE is no different, so when it was nominated for 10 Oscars, I thought I'd better go see what all the fuss was all about.
And I'm glad I did for THE FAVOURITE is a biting, funny, sarcastic, bizarre, intense and interesting Royal Court drama about the inner workings, back channel dealings and backstabbing social climbing in Queen Anne's court in England in the early 18th Century as seen through Lanthimos' camera lens - a lens that is different indeed.
Starring Oscar winners Rachel Weisz (THE CONSTANT GARDNER) and Emma Stone (LA LA LAND) in their Oscar nominated turns as cousins who vie for the attentions of Queen Anne (Olivia Colman, also Oscar nominated), it is the rare film that features 3 strong women who play off each other well and where each one is a full character in and of themselves - all 3 with strengths and weaknesses that make them real and compelling and performed by 3 strong actresses. Needless to say that each Oscar nod is well deserved.
But the real star of this film is the sensibilities and camera work of Lanthimos. He uses unusual camera angles, unusual angles and bizarre imagery to show the unreality of the court in relation to the real world around them and is a commentary on these people as much as it shows the action on the screen. This film is an artist with a true, unique vision and is one that, while not for everyone, is one that worked for me.
Lanthimos layers on a rich tapestry of story (by Oscar nominated Screenplay writers Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara) locations (by Oscar nominated Production Designers Fijona Crombie and Alice Felton), Costumes (by Oscar nominated costumer Sandy Powell) , editing (by Oscar nominated Yorgos Mavropsaridis), Cinematography (by Oscar nominated Robbie Ryan) and performances, direction and film.
I think you get the point - this film has become (rightfully so) a darling of the Awards season and is well worth checking out - while this film is not entirely successful in what it attempts to do, it is fun to watch the attempt and the strong performances, characters, direction, costumes, cinematography, etc...which more than makes up for any shortcomings in the story (especially the final act of the film).
Letter Grade: B+
7 1/2 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(OfMarquis)
And I'm glad I did for THE FAVOURITE is a biting, funny, sarcastic, bizarre, intense and interesting Royal Court drama about the inner workings, back channel dealings and backstabbing social climbing in Queen Anne's court in England in the early 18th Century as seen through Lanthimos' camera lens - a lens that is different indeed.
Starring Oscar winners Rachel Weisz (THE CONSTANT GARDNER) and Emma Stone (LA LA LAND) in their Oscar nominated turns as cousins who vie for the attentions of Queen Anne (Olivia Colman, also Oscar nominated), it is the rare film that features 3 strong women who play off each other well and where each one is a full character in and of themselves - all 3 with strengths and weaknesses that make them real and compelling and performed by 3 strong actresses. Needless to say that each Oscar nod is well deserved.
But the real star of this film is the sensibilities and camera work of Lanthimos. He uses unusual camera angles, unusual angles and bizarre imagery to show the unreality of the court in relation to the real world around them and is a commentary on these people as much as it shows the action on the screen. This film is an artist with a true, unique vision and is one that, while not for everyone, is one that worked for me.
Lanthimos layers on a rich tapestry of story (by Oscar nominated Screenplay writers Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara) locations (by Oscar nominated Production Designers Fijona Crombie and Alice Felton), Costumes (by Oscar nominated costumer Sandy Powell) , editing (by Oscar nominated Yorgos Mavropsaridis), Cinematography (by Oscar nominated Robbie Ryan) and performances, direction and film.
I think you get the point - this film has become (rightfully so) a darling of the Awards season and is well worth checking out - while this film is not entirely successful in what it attempts to do, it is fun to watch the attempt and the strong performances, characters, direction, costumes, cinematography, etc...which more than makes up for any shortcomings in the story (especially the final act of the film).
Letter Grade: B+
7 1/2 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(OfMarquis)
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Eternal Soul in Books
Feb 3, 2020
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2720127654">Eternal Soul</a> - ★★★
#2 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2720128155">Eternal Love</a> - Not Read Yet
<img src="https://i0.wp.com/diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Book-Review-Banner-4.png?ssl=1&w=510"/>;
Eternal Soul by Karimah Colden was a mysterious and adventurous read for me. The author contacted me and the book seemed to have an interesting plot, so I said - yes, I would love to read it.
Reign is a very private person and keeps everything close to her heart. She is a descendant of powerful hoodoo magick and her family has some dark secrets.
One day, her father appears in her life, which happens very rarely. She can feel trouble and danger, and before she knows it, her world is full of magick and discovering herself again. The one thing that she always denied - her powers - will now be something she will have to embrace and live with.
I really liked Reign and how she was portrayed. There was great character development, which was something I really admired. I loved how she slowly was finding herself throughout the book and did what felt was the best decision for her at each time. I am not sure about the romance and the relationships she formed with both men. It all happened too fast, too unrealistic and too predictable. The book also had a lot of repetitiveness as well, especially in the many scenes when it came to fashion choices and Reign was standing in from of her closet. It felt like deja-vu every time I read about it.
<b>But I still enjoyed Eternal Soul a lot.</b>
Despite the deja-vu's, despite the grammar errors. It is a cute short-ish read and I loved finding out what happens next. I also have the second book of the series as well, and will definitely be reading it soon.
If you like something young-adult, with a bit of magic and self-discovery, and something new and different, go for it, and you might be surprised! Definitely worth giving it a chance!
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2720127654">Eternal Soul</a> - ★★★
#2 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2720128155">Eternal Love</a> - Not Read Yet
<img src="https://i0.wp.com/diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Book-Review-Banner-4.png?ssl=1&w=510"/>;
Eternal Soul by Karimah Colden was a mysterious and adventurous read for me. The author contacted me and the book seemed to have an interesting plot, so I said - yes, I would love to read it.
Reign is a very private person and keeps everything close to her heart. She is a descendant of powerful hoodoo magick and her family has some dark secrets.
One day, her father appears in her life, which happens very rarely. She can feel trouble and danger, and before she knows it, her world is full of magick and discovering herself again. The one thing that she always denied - her powers - will now be something she will have to embrace and live with.
I really liked Reign and how she was portrayed. There was great character development, which was something I really admired. I loved how she slowly was finding herself throughout the book and did what felt was the best decision for her at each time. I am not sure about the romance and the relationships she formed with both men. It all happened too fast, too unrealistic and too predictable. The book also had a lot of repetitiveness as well, especially in the many scenes when it came to fashion choices and Reign was standing in from of her closet. It felt like deja-vu every time I read about it.
<b>But I still enjoyed Eternal Soul a lot.</b>
Despite the deja-vu's, despite the grammar errors. It is a cute short-ish read and I loved finding out what happens next. I also have the second book of the series as well, and will definitely be reading it soon.
If you like something young-adult, with a bit of magic and self-discovery, and something new and different, go for it, and you might be surprised! Definitely worth giving it a chance!
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
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Debbiereadsbook (1554 KP) rated Drake (Twilight Falls #5) in Books
Apr 26, 2021
bloody loved this one!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 5 in the Twilight Falls series, but can be read as a standalone. I would, however, personally recommend you DO read them. It will give you a better feel for this group of men, and they ain’t too shabby either! I’ve not read book 4, Wyatt, though.
Drake meets Roman at Carter (book2) and Elijah’s wedding. There is instant and powerful chemistry. Roman is only in town for the night though. When Drake finds out that Roman bought the house he has been after for years, and then hires Drake to do the renovations, they embark on a mutual arrangement to satisfy their needs. But deep down, Drake knows he can’t be really happy, not ever. And Roman isn’t the happy ever after kind, right?
Oh
My
Days!
I loved this instalment from Twilight Falls, I really did! Drake and Roman have powerful and incendiary chemistry, and it burns right through the book. But very quickly, that changes, gets deeper between them, but neither is willing to say the words they feel.
Roman’s past comes back to haunt him, and I think at THIS point, Drake realises that he’s in too deep. But it takes Roman leaving, for Drake to admit to himself, that just because his PAST was bad, doesn’t mean that HE will carry that forward. He needs Roman and he gets what he wants.
I loved that all the guys from the previous books pop up here, and I loved the band mates of Roman’s and how well everyone gets along, eventually. The manager isn’t too happy with Drake in the beginning, but he sees, he really SEES that Drake is good for Roman.
I have just one comment, and it IS just a comment, rather than anything else!
Does Miles get talked about before, the seventh member of this little group of childhood friends? Indeed, was the name of the group mentioned? I don’t recall, so maybe I missed it, but I’ve been to sleep since I read book 3, so maybe it’s just me not recalling correctly.
Given what occurs here, with Tristan and James, or more what’s IMPLIED here with those two, I assume their book is next. And then? Miles? Since he will be the only one left, and I look forward to reading his book the most now!
5 full and shiny stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is book 5 in the Twilight Falls series, but can be read as a standalone. I would, however, personally recommend you DO read them. It will give you a better feel for this group of men, and they ain’t too shabby either! I’ve not read book 4, Wyatt, though.
Drake meets Roman at Carter (book2) and Elijah’s wedding. There is instant and powerful chemistry. Roman is only in town for the night though. When Drake finds out that Roman bought the house he has been after for years, and then hires Drake to do the renovations, they embark on a mutual arrangement to satisfy their needs. But deep down, Drake knows he can’t be really happy, not ever. And Roman isn’t the happy ever after kind, right?
Oh
My
Days!
I loved this instalment from Twilight Falls, I really did! Drake and Roman have powerful and incendiary chemistry, and it burns right through the book. But very quickly, that changes, gets deeper between them, but neither is willing to say the words they feel.
Roman’s past comes back to haunt him, and I think at THIS point, Drake realises that he’s in too deep. But it takes Roman leaving, for Drake to admit to himself, that just because his PAST was bad, doesn’t mean that HE will carry that forward. He needs Roman and he gets what he wants.
I loved that all the guys from the previous books pop up here, and I loved the band mates of Roman’s and how well everyone gets along, eventually. The manager isn’t too happy with Drake in the beginning, but he sees, he really SEES that Drake is good for Roman.
I have just one comment, and it IS just a comment, rather than anything else!
Does Miles get talked about before, the seventh member of this little group of childhood friends? Indeed, was the name of the group mentioned? I don’t recall, so maybe I missed it, but I’ve been to sleep since I read book 3, so maybe it’s just me not recalling correctly.
Given what occurs here, with Tristan and James, or more what’s IMPLIED here with those two, I assume their book is next. And then? Miles? Since he will be the only one left, and I look forward to reading his book the most now!
5 full and shiny stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
BookInspector (124 KP) rated My Sister in Books
Sep 24, 2020
This book drew me in from the first chapter. It was extremely mysterious and I could feel the suspense building up already. It was very hard to put this novel down.
The main character in this novel is Irini (love, love the name), a successful doctor with hip problems, which left her slightly limping. All her life she was running from her sister – Elle. Why? Because Elle is dangerous and unpredictable. I really loved the characters which were chosen for this book. I think they were very original, charismatic and supported each other very nicely. I really liked Irini and her life story, but it is very hard not to admire Elle, in some sort of weird way. Her character has charm, her personality is very strong, her actions, masterful manipulations because she is a psychopath. It was very interesting to read about this connection which Irini and Elle shared, they can’t be together but they need each other. You know it will destroy your life, but you still need it… All this was told while sharing Irini’s experiences from the past, which I found absolutely amusing and very intriguing to read.
The narrative of this novel is very gripping. Page after page, the author brought in a twist or unexpected turn, leaving me more and more interested in what will happen next. The whole plot was told from Irini’s perspective, and even though it was enough to make it an interesting read, I would have loved to read Elle’s perspective as well. I think it would have made this book even more interesting and would’ve answered more questions, and at least for me, it is always interesting to read what psychopaths think. Sometimes I got tired of this constant “Why did they give me away?” question. For me, in some places, it was quite repetitive and not always necessary.
The writing style of this novel is very creative and smartly thought through, leaving some cliffhangers, which are still bothering me a little. The chapters are a very decent length and it didn’t drag for me because the plot has sucked me in. I do not recommend it for young readers, as it contains some mild violence, drugs and alcohol. I am not fully satisfied with the ending of this book, even though it answered the main questions of this novel, it still has unresolved mysteries, which were left with hypothetical explanations.
So, to conclude, I would strongly recommend this dark and gripping thriller, filled with strange sisterly love, very strong and charismatic characters and very well thought through and intriguing plot, uncovering new secrets with every chapter. Enjoy
The main character in this novel is Irini (love, love the name), a successful doctor with hip problems, which left her slightly limping. All her life she was running from her sister – Elle. Why? Because Elle is dangerous and unpredictable. I really loved the characters which were chosen for this book. I think they were very original, charismatic and supported each other very nicely. I really liked Irini and her life story, but it is very hard not to admire Elle, in some sort of weird way. Her character has charm, her personality is very strong, her actions, masterful manipulations because she is a psychopath. It was very interesting to read about this connection which Irini and Elle shared, they can’t be together but they need each other. You know it will destroy your life, but you still need it… All this was told while sharing Irini’s experiences from the past, which I found absolutely amusing and very intriguing to read.
The narrative of this novel is very gripping. Page after page, the author brought in a twist or unexpected turn, leaving me more and more interested in what will happen next. The whole plot was told from Irini’s perspective, and even though it was enough to make it an interesting read, I would have loved to read Elle’s perspective as well. I think it would have made this book even more interesting and would’ve answered more questions, and at least for me, it is always interesting to read what psychopaths think. Sometimes I got tired of this constant “Why did they give me away?” question. For me, in some places, it was quite repetitive and not always necessary.
The writing style of this novel is very creative and smartly thought through, leaving some cliffhangers, which are still bothering me a little. The chapters are a very decent length and it didn’t drag for me because the plot has sucked me in. I do not recommend it for young readers, as it contains some mild violence, drugs and alcohol. I am not fully satisfied with the ending of this book, even though it answered the main questions of this novel, it still has unresolved mysteries, which were left with hypothetical explanations.
So, to conclude, I would strongly recommend this dark and gripping thriller, filled with strange sisterly love, very strong and charismatic characters and very well thought through and intriguing plot, uncovering new secrets with every chapter. Enjoy
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated From Blood and Ash (Blood and Ash #1) in Books
Jan 25, 2022
Surprisingly Good *Not The Teen Novel It Is Made Out To Be....Adult Content*
To start out with potential readers need to be aware that this book and in fact the entire series is apparently considered to be teen novels. In fact, I pulled it from the front shelf in the teen section of my local library. While as a teen reading explicit materials was not a problem for me and my parents were ok with it as well I do recognize the fact that there are many parents who would not appreciate their teens reading the kind of content this book contains. The fact that nowhere on the book's cover or on its GoodReads or Amazon profile does it state that this should be for mature readers only is concerning. When I say that this book is explicit I mean that there are quite a few "adult situations" that are described in detail in which that detail is not necessary to carry the plotline along even if the occurrence of the situation does. You have been warned...
Moving on
So the only reason why I read this book is that the third book in the series "The Crown of Guilded Bones" was ranked very high on GoodReads. In fact, I believe it actually ranked in the 2021 books of the year. Anyway, the third book sounded great so I went back and started the series from the beginning.
This book follows the life of Poppy AKA The Maden. Being named the Maiden is supposed to be a huge honor but it comes with a lot of strict rules that make it feel more like a punishment than anything else. Unsurprisingly Poppy comes to find that the world she lives in is not at all what she thinks it to be and must face hard truths as she races to the capital of her land to be protected from the Atlantians but is that really what is happening?
This book offers a surprisingly unique look at some classic fantasy themes, characters, and creatures. There is very little that is as it seems and there are so many twists that it will make the reader pause to process the new direction the story moves in every few chapters. While it isn't exactly a short book this is almost guaranteed to be a quick read because you are not going to want to put it down.
Moving on
So the only reason why I read this book is that the third book in the series "The Crown of Guilded Bones" was ranked very high on GoodReads. In fact, I believe it actually ranked in the 2021 books of the year. Anyway, the third book sounded great so I went back and started the series from the beginning.
This book follows the life of Poppy AKA The Maden. Being named the Maiden is supposed to be a huge honor but it comes with a lot of strict rules that make it feel more like a punishment than anything else. Unsurprisingly Poppy comes to find that the world she lives in is not at all what she thinks it to be and must face hard truths as she races to the capital of her land to be protected from the Atlantians but is that really what is happening?
This book offers a surprisingly unique look at some classic fantasy themes, characters, and creatures. There is very little that is as it seems and there are so many twists that it will make the reader pause to process the new direction the story moves in every few chapters. While it isn't exactly a short book this is almost guaranteed to be a quick read because you are not going to want to put it down.