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Merissa (13690 KP) rated Splintered (Reflections, #3) in Books
Apr 4, 2023 (Updated Apr 10, 2023)
Okay, so Broken was written from Adri's point of view and Torn was from Alec's perspective. Splintered is from both of them and revolves less around their relationship than the pack relationship as a whole. This series is so hard to put down! I love that in these books there actually is a pack hierarchy. It isn't just all friends together. There is a reason for each member and a dominant needs to have submissives around. Splintered leads you deeper into the world of the pack and just what is involved in leading one and also just being a member of one.
The characters continue to grow and change. Old characters strengthen - Adri is really starting to find out who she is. It isn't all plain sailing though, far from it. And there is an argument in the book between her and her mum that is long overdue in my opinion. I can't wait to see where it goes from here.
As Adri finds her strength, Alec finds his vulnerabilities. He has decisions to make and things to do that affect the whole pack and the humans associated with them. Is this easy? No. But he does it anyway because it is the lesser of two evils. I won't say more than that and ruin it for anyone else. I will say though that Adri and Alec are fast becoming my favourite, most well-balanced couple!
We have new characters pop up in this book too but, like with any of these books, things aren't always as they seem. I need to know more about Oblivion but once again, I won't won't say more than that. *wicked LOL*
There is a twist at the end of the book that some reviewers have been disappointed in. I wasn't, in any way, shape or form. This is part of a series, not stand-alone books, and as such I expect the story to carry on unfolding in the books that follow this one. I love that Dean Murray has done it this way and it is yet another way in which this book differs from the majority.
Once again, definitely recommended for all fans of paranormal, urban, fantasy, YA.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
August 28, 2016
The characters continue to grow and change. Old characters strengthen - Adri is really starting to find out who she is. It isn't all plain sailing though, far from it. And there is an argument in the book between her and her mum that is long overdue in my opinion. I can't wait to see where it goes from here.
As Adri finds her strength, Alec finds his vulnerabilities. He has decisions to make and things to do that affect the whole pack and the humans associated with them. Is this easy? No. But he does it anyway because it is the lesser of two evils. I won't say more than that and ruin it for anyone else. I will say though that Adri and Alec are fast becoming my favourite, most well-balanced couple!
We have new characters pop up in this book too but, like with any of these books, things aren't always as they seem. I need to know more about Oblivion but once again, I won't won't say more than that. *wicked LOL*
There is a twist at the end of the book that some reviewers have been disappointed in. I wasn't, in any way, shape or form. This is part of a series, not stand-alone books, and as such I expect the story to carry on unfolding in the books that follow this one. I love that Dean Murray has done it this way and it is yet another way in which this book differs from the majority.
Once again, definitely recommended for all fans of paranormal, urban, fantasy, YA.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
August 28, 2016
Laura Doe (1350 KP) rated On the Way to the Wedding (Bridgertons, #8) in Books
Jan 11, 2022
Another brilliantly written Bridgerton book. This one has all the elements of a thriller. Blackmail, treason, someone showing up to stop a wedding by proposing to the bride, what more could you want in a book?
This book follows Gregory and his pursuit of love, which he firmly believes in, thanks to all seven of his siblings being married and blissfully happy and in love with their chosen spouses. We start the book as he runs into a wedding and proposes to the bride and the chapter ends before we find out both who it is and what she says. It takes about half the book to find out who the bride is, and then another few chapters to find out her answer. The suspense kept me reading as I needed to find out what happened.
This book, although obviously similar to the rest of the series, was a lot faster paced and reminded me more of a thriller (without the darkness of a thriller) with the situations that the characters found themselves in.
I think that Gregory’s story may have moved up to one of my favourite Bridgerton books, although this seems to change with every book I read from the series. But this definitely seemed more like the type of book I usually read and I loved every minute of it.
As I started reading, I realised that the previous seven books didn’t really tell us a lot about Gregory, and I would put him in the same category as Francesca was when I started reading When He Was Wicked. But it was good to read about him and learn about his character so late on in the series as it meant that you didn’t really have any preconceptions about his character and how you believe he should behave in the pursuit of love which happened with all of his other siblings (again with exception of Francesca).
I really will be sad to say goodbye to this family when I read the final book in the Bridgerton series, but I hope that the Netflix adaption stays true to the tones of the books and that we get an adaptation of each book as I believe they will work very well on screen as well as in print.
This book follows Gregory and his pursuit of love, which he firmly believes in, thanks to all seven of his siblings being married and blissfully happy and in love with their chosen spouses. We start the book as he runs into a wedding and proposes to the bride and the chapter ends before we find out both who it is and what she says. It takes about half the book to find out who the bride is, and then another few chapters to find out her answer. The suspense kept me reading as I needed to find out what happened.
This book, although obviously similar to the rest of the series, was a lot faster paced and reminded me more of a thriller (without the darkness of a thriller) with the situations that the characters found themselves in.
I think that Gregory’s story may have moved up to one of my favourite Bridgerton books, although this seems to change with every book I read from the series. But this definitely seemed more like the type of book I usually read and I loved every minute of it.
As I started reading, I realised that the previous seven books didn’t really tell us a lot about Gregory, and I would put him in the same category as Francesca was when I started reading When He Was Wicked. But it was good to read about him and learn about his character so late on in the series as it meant that you didn’t really have any preconceptions about his character and how you believe he should behave in the pursuit of love which happened with all of his other siblings (again with exception of Francesca).
I really will be sad to say goodbye to this family when I read the final book in the Bridgerton series, but I hope that the Netflix adaption stays true to the tones of the books and that we get an adaptation of each book as I believe they will work very well on screen as well as in print.
postapocalypticplayground (27 KP) rated Cinder in Books
Jan 9, 2018
Cinder is a cyborg, looked down on by society and that's by the one's who can even bring themselves to look at her. A gifted mechanic, she spends her days as a ward of her widowed stepmother in a market booth, mending communications systems and other devices - ipads of the future. The Lunar Chronicles are set in a future where the world has come out of it's 4th world war, the planet is battle scared and it's people are battling Letumosis; a plague with no cure. On an otherwise seemingly normal day, 2 things happen in Cinder's life that will start her down a dangerous path. Firstly a visit from a disguised Prince Kai, searching her out to fix his broken droid and secondly another market worker being struck with the plague. Rather than sit out the quarantine, Cinder makes off from the market with the prince's android in tow, a decision which has far reaching consequences for those that Cinder then comes into contact with. A series of events then start unravelling everything that Cinder has ever known about herself and what she thought her future held, can she make it to the ball on time and get to the charming prince?
The Lunar Chronicles is a series that I have had my eye on for ages, so on a whim I picked it up from the bookshop and I am so glad I did. Far from a traditional reimagining of the Cinderella tale, this does have a few nods to the source material, some glaring and others more subtle, but is very much it's own unique story. I could not put it down, it was an light and easy read for me, a ton of content but non of it weighty or overly complicated, which many parts of the story could have been. It's a world full of strong characters and in this instance I felt a pang of sympathy for the "wicked" stepmother, although it's clear that the big bad in this incarnation is the Lunar Queen Levana rather than Cinders adopted family.
I was hoping that Cinders story would be wrapped up in this episode but it becomes clear that hers will be an overarching story in how these books play out, so I'm off to get Scarlett (book 2) as soon as i'm able. This is a perfectly paced story with lots of twists and foundations being laid for future books in the series, characters that you will love and hate and heart stopping moments that will keep you turning page after page.
The Lunar Chronicles is a series that I have had my eye on for ages, so on a whim I picked it up from the bookshop and I am so glad I did. Far from a traditional reimagining of the Cinderella tale, this does have a few nods to the source material, some glaring and others more subtle, but is very much it's own unique story. I could not put it down, it was an light and easy read for me, a ton of content but non of it weighty or overly complicated, which many parts of the story could have been. It's a world full of strong characters and in this instance I felt a pang of sympathy for the "wicked" stepmother, although it's clear that the big bad in this incarnation is the Lunar Queen Levana rather than Cinders adopted family.
I was hoping that Cinders story would be wrapped up in this episode but it becomes clear that hers will be an overarching story in how these books play out, so I'm off to get Scarlett (book 2) as soon as i'm able. This is a perfectly paced story with lots of twists and foundations being laid for future books in the series, characters that you will love and hate and heart stopping moments that will keep you turning page after page.
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Fragile Eternity (Wicked Lovely, #3) in Books
Feb 11, 2019
At first I was really excited that this book was picking up on Seth and Aislinn from where the first book left off. Sorcha's court is very interesting and uniquely different from the other three courts, and I think that it is the court I would most likely fit into. I like how Marr fashions each court by a different set of rules, so that something that one court has the power to accomplish another court cannot necessarily duplicate. This makes the plot less predictable and allows the monarchs of each court to become more memorable and unique to the reader.
Keenan is just as much of an arse as he is in the other books - I see the least character growth with him, despite how much he is not getting what he wants. Aislinn is obviously still relatively naive about him. Despite how hard she works to be a good queen, she still appears to be an amateur, based on how easily everyone keeps secrets from her. I really like how hard Seth works to be a good boyfriend, but I love how the reader gets to see him in his weaker moments. This makes him more humane and believeable. His courage and determination are quite commendable, but I can hardly believe that he missed that very important detail about Faerie when he makes his bargain with Sorcha. As much reading as he has supposedly done on the subject, it isn't very likely that he would not read about the time differences. I was so disappointed when I realized that Seth had essentially become a "momma's boy" when Sorcha makes him her Faerie son. While this seems to benefit Sorcha, I really don't see how this will benefit Seth - and every other fairy, except for Bananach, seems to agree with this.
As for Bananach, while what she sees is focused on her goals of War, by the end of this book, I don't see how there could be any other outcome. Each of the monarchs are too focused on protecting and strengthening his or her own courts to care about the fate of the fairy world as a whole, which the real world has proven can only have one outcome. While the romantic in me just wants to see each of the monarchs find mates and a happily ever after, I like how Marr deviates from this typical theme and produces books that thrive on unpredictability. I look forward to getting my hands on the next book, Radiant Shadows (Wicked Lovely).
Keenan is just as much of an arse as he is in the other books - I see the least character growth with him, despite how much he is not getting what he wants. Aislinn is obviously still relatively naive about him. Despite how hard she works to be a good queen, she still appears to be an amateur, based on how easily everyone keeps secrets from her. I really like how hard Seth works to be a good boyfriend, but I love how the reader gets to see him in his weaker moments. This makes him more humane and believeable. His courage and determination are quite commendable, but I can hardly believe that he missed that very important detail about Faerie when he makes his bargain with Sorcha. As much reading as he has supposedly done on the subject, it isn't very likely that he would not read about the time differences. I was so disappointed when I realized that Seth had essentially become a "momma's boy" when Sorcha makes him her Faerie son. While this seems to benefit Sorcha, I really don't see how this will benefit Seth - and every other fairy, except for Bananach, seems to agree with this.
As for Bananach, while what she sees is focused on her goals of War, by the end of this book, I don't see how there could be any other outcome. Each of the monarchs are too focused on protecting and strengthening his or her own courts to care about the fate of the fairy world as a whole, which the real world has proven can only have one outcome. While the romantic in me just wants to see each of the monarchs find mates and a happily ever after, I like how Marr deviates from this typical theme and produces books that thrive on unpredictability. I look forward to getting my hands on the next book, Radiant Shadows (Wicked Lovely).
Meg (47 KP) rated The Cruel Prince in Books
Sep 11, 2018 (Updated Sep 11, 2018)
Characters (2 more)
Tropes
Romance
Good but not amazing
Contains spoilers, click to show
3.5/5 stars
So I ended up liking this more than I thought I would. It took a while to pick up and get properly into the plot line, the first 40% took me ages to get through but I ended up finishing the last 45% or so in one sitting. The book was fast paced and well written, however I found the language to be very basic in places, I would have liked a little more sophistication or development in the writing. For me it felt more like a children’s book than a young adult in terms of the writing style and vocabulary.
The plot was good, predictable in places which I expected considering I’ve read so many YA fantasy, many of the tropes and plot twists are similar. There was still an element of surprise when it was most important and I still found myself enjoying the book even when I knew what was coming.
I found some of the characters to be quite two dimensional and in all honesty I wasn’t fond of many of them and didn’t have the same attachment to the characters that I usually would in other books. I found it predictable that Cardan would not be a true villain and that Dain was not as he seems, the characterisation of Cardan is typical to that of YA fantasy; misunderstood, mysterious and handsome boy that is cruel but somehow every reader seems to love him. I couldn’t understand how Black could make the reader hate him to such a strong capacity and then completely turn it around within a few chapters. It seems unrealistic to me that Jude, who is such a strong minded and brutal character herself, would instantly forget all the pain and anger than Cardan put her through, as soon as she gets an indication that the only reason he did it is because he likes her. To me, that incredibly weakens her character and undermines her whole character development; I dislike when authors weaken their female protagonists with an unnecessary romance.
I would have liked a little more character development for Vivi and Oriana, both of whom I really liked by the end of the book.
All in all, I think I would continue with the rest of the series, but I hope that The Wicked King is a bit better written and we get more from the other characters.
So I ended up liking this more than I thought I would. It took a while to pick up and get properly into the plot line, the first 40% took me ages to get through but I ended up finishing the last 45% or so in one sitting. The book was fast paced and well written, however I found the language to be very basic in places, I would have liked a little more sophistication or development in the writing. For me it felt more like a children’s book than a young adult in terms of the writing style and vocabulary.
The plot was good, predictable in places which I expected considering I’ve read so many YA fantasy, many of the tropes and plot twists are similar. There was still an element of surprise when it was most important and I still found myself enjoying the book even when I knew what was coming.
I found some of the characters to be quite two dimensional and in all honesty I wasn’t fond of many of them and didn’t have the same attachment to the characters that I usually would in other books. I found it predictable that Cardan would not be a true villain and that Dain was not as he seems, the characterisation of Cardan is typical to that of YA fantasy; misunderstood, mysterious and handsome boy that is cruel but somehow every reader seems to love him. I couldn’t understand how Black could make the reader hate him to such a strong capacity and then completely turn it around within a few chapters. It seems unrealistic to me that Jude, who is such a strong minded and brutal character herself, would instantly forget all the pain and anger than Cardan put her through, as soon as she gets an indication that the only reason he did it is because he likes her. To me, that incredibly weakens her character and undermines her whole character development; I dislike when authors weaken their female protagonists with an unnecessary romance.
I would have liked a little more character development for Vivi and Oriana, both of whom I really liked by the end of the book.
All in all, I think I would continue with the rest of the series, but I hope that The Wicked King is a bit better written and we get more from the other characters.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Maleficent (2014) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
I was quite apprehensive headed into the new Disney movie ‘Maleficent’
(Starring Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, Sharlto Copley, and Sam Riley), because all the ‘official’ reviews said it wasn’t any good.
I thoroughly disagree.
Maleficent made me laugh, it made me cry and it had me holding my breath in anticipation in some parts.
It takes a ‘Wicked’ type look at the age old story of Sleeping Beauty.
While the narration is from the point of view of a much older Aurora, the story focuses on the point of view of Maleficent.
The young Maleficent (played by Isobelle Molloy) meets a young orphaned peasant boy with aspirations to live in the neighboring kingdoms castle.
Through the years they bond and grow close and share what is supposed to be ‘true loves kiss’.
Time moves on. The king in the adjoining kingdom is greedy and wants the lands that are ruled over by Maleficent. There is a battle, he is soundly defeated, and the King is injured mortally in battle. He pronounces that he will make whoever avenges him and kills Maleficent the next ruler.
Stefan, still being ambitious, finds Maleficent, and while pretending to still be her friend, drugs her. He can’t bring himself to actually kill her and steals her wings instead, to present to the king as proof of her demise.
Stefan is crowned king. Time passes.
Maleficent’s pain and anger and betrayal do not dissipate. They grow and coalesce to the point that at the celebration to celebrate the birth of King Stefan’s daughter Aurora, she curses the child, sealing her fate that naught but ‘true loves kiss’ will break the curse.
The story follows the child’s growth, with Maleficent watching her every move, and getting closer and closer to her with every passing year.
Maleficent dubs Aurora ‘Beastie’, and Aurora calls Maleficent ‘Godmother’.
As Aurora’s 16th birthday draws near, Maleficent grows desperate to break the very curse that she had cast many years before.
It does not work.
I won’t ruin it by telling the ending, but it was action packed, and heart wrenching, and (at least to me) marginally unpredictable…. (I thought one person would break it, but another did…. I did figure it out before it happened, but mostly because I’ve been watching Once Upon A Time).
I really enjoyed the film, I loved the 3D of it, and I would most assuredly see it again. I wouldn’t recommend it for very young children, and I don’t feel like I can bring my almost 6 year old to it, but I would consider letting him see it by age 8 or 9.
(Starring Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, Sharlto Copley, and Sam Riley), because all the ‘official’ reviews said it wasn’t any good.
I thoroughly disagree.
Maleficent made me laugh, it made me cry and it had me holding my breath in anticipation in some parts.
It takes a ‘Wicked’ type look at the age old story of Sleeping Beauty.
While the narration is from the point of view of a much older Aurora, the story focuses on the point of view of Maleficent.
The young Maleficent (played by Isobelle Molloy) meets a young orphaned peasant boy with aspirations to live in the neighboring kingdoms castle.
Through the years they bond and grow close and share what is supposed to be ‘true loves kiss’.
Time moves on. The king in the adjoining kingdom is greedy and wants the lands that are ruled over by Maleficent. There is a battle, he is soundly defeated, and the King is injured mortally in battle. He pronounces that he will make whoever avenges him and kills Maleficent the next ruler.
Stefan, still being ambitious, finds Maleficent, and while pretending to still be her friend, drugs her. He can’t bring himself to actually kill her and steals her wings instead, to present to the king as proof of her demise.
Stefan is crowned king. Time passes.
Maleficent’s pain and anger and betrayal do not dissipate. They grow and coalesce to the point that at the celebration to celebrate the birth of King Stefan’s daughter Aurora, she curses the child, sealing her fate that naught but ‘true loves kiss’ will break the curse.
The story follows the child’s growth, with Maleficent watching her every move, and getting closer and closer to her with every passing year.
Maleficent dubs Aurora ‘Beastie’, and Aurora calls Maleficent ‘Godmother’.
As Aurora’s 16th birthday draws near, Maleficent grows desperate to break the very curse that she had cast many years before.
It does not work.
I won’t ruin it by telling the ending, but it was action packed, and heart wrenching, and (at least to me) marginally unpredictable…. (I thought one person would break it, but another did…. I did figure it out before it happened, but mostly because I’ve been watching Once Upon A Time).
I really enjoyed the film, I loved the 3D of it, and I would most assuredly see it again. I wouldn’t recommend it for very young children, and I don’t feel like I can bring my almost 6 year old to it, but I would consider letting him see it by age 8 or 9.
Grimms' Fairy Tales by Jacob & Wilhelm Grimm
4.5
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Talking animals, wicked stepmothers, valiant tailors, cruel witches! Sixty-two stories that feature...
Choose Me (Banger Trilogy #1)
10.0
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Book
She wants a sexy summer fling. He wants more. And he won’t stop until he gets it. NOTE: This...
Moses Boyd recommended Grounantion by Count Ossie & The Mystic Revelation of Rastafari in Music (curated)
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister in Books
Feb 11, 2019
I have been meaning to read this book for some time, simply because I loved Gregory Maguire's Wicked so much. This book I read considerably slower than I expected, though I still found the plot compelling. In this retelling of Cinderella, the reader follows the viewpoint of Iris, one of the "stepsisters" of the original tale. Iris is smart and artistic, but plain-looking -- a fact her mother never fails to point out endlessly. Iris's older sister, Ruth, is dumb and mute, which makes life at times both interesting and difficult for Iris and their mother, Margarethe.
The trio flee England for Margarethe's homeland of Holland -- the reasons for which remaining a mystery for most of the book -- and are forced to beg for shelter and work before falling under the mercy of a local painter. This is where Clara, the blonde changeling girl standing in the place of "Cinderella," is introduced. Her beauty is so ethereal that she lives a reclusive, sheltered existence under the extreme protection of her mother. Strangely, Clara and Iris seem to make up two sides of the same coin -- where one lacks the other excels in. Where Clara hides from strangers, Iris is adept at social interaction. Iris's vivid imagination makes up for Clara's lack of intelligence.
Margarethe's machinations first get her and her daughters into the same household under Clara's parents, as their servants. Then when Clara's mother dies through mysterious circumstances, Margarethe maneuvers them to become Clara's step-family, effectively pushing Clara's father almost completely out of the picture. Ironically, a picture is what serves as the glue for almost the entire plot, motivating all of the main characters to a particular behavior.
Clara is almost the complete opposite of what one would expect from the image of "Cinderella." She is spoiled, rich, obstinate, paranoid, reclusive, delusional, confrontational, and quite childish even in adulthood. Margarethe is a villain that is relate-able, as her choices throughout the book stem from an obsessive need to both survive and thrive. Though at times I intensely dislike the things that she spouts, I cannot hate her due to the suffering she endures from a certain ironic malady that befalls her.
The ending that is so familiar to the original tale seems to happen almost by accident -- and how easily Iris could have taken Clara's place makes me a bit sad for Iris. The ending to the book is also a nice surprise, causing me to rethink many of the scenes and the thoughts that could have been occurring to one of the central characters. Indeed, the ending makes the book almost worth a re-read.
The trio flee England for Margarethe's homeland of Holland -- the reasons for which remaining a mystery for most of the book -- and are forced to beg for shelter and work before falling under the mercy of a local painter. This is where Clara, the blonde changeling girl standing in the place of "Cinderella," is introduced. Her beauty is so ethereal that she lives a reclusive, sheltered existence under the extreme protection of her mother. Strangely, Clara and Iris seem to make up two sides of the same coin -- where one lacks the other excels in. Where Clara hides from strangers, Iris is adept at social interaction. Iris's vivid imagination makes up for Clara's lack of intelligence.
Margarethe's machinations first get her and her daughters into the same household under Clara's parents, as their servants. Then when Clara's mother dies through mysterious circumstances, Margarethe maneuvers them to become Clara's step-family, effectively pushing Clara's father almost completely out of the picture. Ironically, a picture is what serves as the glue for almost the entire plot, motivating all of the main characters to a particular behavior.
Clara is almost the complete opposite of what one would expect from the image of "Cinderella." She is spoiled, rich, obstinate, paranoid, reclusive, delusional, confrontational, and quite childish even in adulthood. Margarethe is a villain that is relate-able, as her choices throughout the book stem from an obsessive need to both survive and thrive. Though at times I intensely dislike the things that she spouts, I cannot hate her due to the suffering she endures from a certain ironic malady that befalls her.
The ending that is so familiar to the original tale seems to happen almost by accident -- and how easily Iris could have taken Clara's place makes me a bit sad for Iris. The ending to the book is also a nice surprise, causing me to rethink many of the scenes and the thoughts that could have been occurring to one of the central characters. Indeed, the ending makes the book almost worth a re-read.