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Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Oath of Servitude (The Punishment Sequence, #1) 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>
First off, I would like to thank the author for giving me a copy of the book! (That doesn't bias my review by all means.) I really enjoyed it. I also loved the cover. Hopefully, she appears in future covers. :)
I've always admired authors who are able to bounce from one character's POV to another one. I find that hard to do myself and I guess I myself fail at that in a way when I was on MissLiterati writing Supernaturals and other stories of randomisimo, which I now stopped writing about. :p
I wonder what my life would be like if I were only a foot tall (or less). Tiny notebooks and tiny pens... tiny everything! Actually, that reminds me of a crafting book I was so immersed in when I was in elementary school. The tiny cupcakes were adorable. Too bad I fail to be a cook (I broke the stove and was never trusted to cook again. Major oops). It was also disappointing that I never had enough materials to make them. It was fun reading/browsing through that crafting book. Connection being made (Old habits haunt later apparently), I'm going back to the right trail (kinda).
The book reminds me of a series I enjoy reading: The Iron Fey. Cailin reminds me of a certain ice dude of which I shall keep anonymous that is distant and doesn't give off much info until later. Or is that a bit of Teague as well? Anyhoo, Teague reminds me of a certain prankster and summer chick with personalities mixed together. Minus being blind and an alcoholic (and possibly MANY others). It also reminded me of The Iron Fey because of the unnatural relationship between 2 different types of fey species, or in this case, a pixi and a human. (Curiosity spikes up the question: What will happen if the Portune finds out about their relationship?)
I especially loved Cailin's and Teague's wits when they're around each other. Their conversations had a mix of humor and seriousness rolled with awesomous. I also enjoyed the drama within the pixi clans outside of Cailin's bubble of punishment. The Portune reminds me of another book with a faction, in this case clan, that are "greedy" for power, although I would like them better if you compare the two. Though they're a bit greedy for power and have a zillion threats if you break a rule, all they want is to keep the pixi's in line and not expose their existence to humans. It's all about safety for the pixi's. ^_^ It does makes sense though. I wouldn't want to be exposed to giant-like beings if I were them.
What really kept me from giving it full a perfect score were the grammatical and spelling errors, but there were none that really distracted me from the smooth and steady flow of the words throughout the story. I also felt there was a bit of a rush in the romance between Teague and Cailin. :/ Though not your typical YA Paranormal Romance story, I recommend the book to those who enjoy reading about faeries and looking for something that's not typical.
And as I may sometimes say about the endings of stories....
Ohhhh, the AGONY of the Cliff-Hanger(s)!
(I'm not kidding. I wonder how cliffs I'm really hanging on to now in total of all books. No doubt: MANY)
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-oath-of-servitude-by-ce-wilson/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
First off, I would like to thank the author for giving me a copy of the book! (That doesn't bias my review by all means.) I really enjoyed it. I also loved the cover. Hopefully, she appears in future covers. :)
I've always admired authors who are able to bounce from one character's POV to another one. I find that hard to do myself and I guess I myself fail at that in a way when I was on MissLiterati writing Supernaturals and other stories of randomisimo, which I now stopped writing about. :p
I wonder what my life would be like if I were only a foot tall (or less). Tiny notebooks and tiny pens... tiny everything! Actually, that reminds me of a crafting book I was so immersed in when I was in elementary school. The tiny cupcakes were adorable. Too bad I fail to be a cook (I broke the stove and was never trusted to cook again. Major oops). It was also disappointing that I never had enough materials to make them. It was fun reading/browsing through that crafting book. Connection being made (Old habits haunt later apparently), I'm going back to the right trail (kinda).
The book reminds me of a series I enjoy reading: The Iron Fey. Cailin reminds me of a certain ice dude of which I shall keep anonymous that is distant and doesn't give off much info until later. Or is that a bit of Teague as well? Anyhoo, Teague reminds me of a certain prankster and summer chick with personalities mixed together. Minus being blind and an alcoholic (and possibly MANY others). It also reminded me of The Iron Fey because of the unnatural relationship between 2 different types of fey species, or in this case, a pixi and a human. (Curiosity spikes up the question: What will happen if the Portune finds out about their relationship?)
I especially loved Cailin's and Teague's wits when they're around each other. Their conversations had a mix of humor and seriousness rolled with awesomous. I also enjoyed the drama within the pixi clans outside of Cailin's bubble of punishment. The Portune reminds me of another book with a faction, in this case clan, that are "greedy" for power, although I would like them better if you compare the two. Though they're a bit greedy for power and have a zillion threats if you break a rule, all they want is to keep the pixi's in line and not expose their existence to humans. It's all about safety for the pixi's. ^_^ It does makes sense though. I wouldn't want to be exposed to giant-like beings if I were them.
What really kept me from giving it full a perfect score were the grammatical and spelling errors, but there were none that really distracted me from the smooth and steady flow of the words throughout the story. I also felt there was a bit of a rush in the romance between Teague and Cailin. :/ Though not your typical YA Paranormal Romance story, I recommend the book to those who enjoy reading about faeries and looking for something that's not typical.
And as I may sometimes say about the endings of stories....
Ohhhh, the AGONY of the Cliff-Hanger(s)!
(I'm not kidding. I wonder how cliffs I'm really hanging on to now in total of all books. No doubt: MANY)
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-oath-of-servitude-by-ce-wilson/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated The Figment Wars: Through the Portals in Books
Jan 9, 2020
The Figment Wars: Through The Portals by David R. Lord is a book that I hope to see a sequel to in the coming years. In fact, the ending of the book suggests at least a sequel if not an entire series. I just wonder how such stories can continue without becoming too far fetched or simplified by the childrens stabilizes in this book, but without giving too much away I have to stop there.
Thomas and his little brother Isaac are visiting their cousin Emily at her house and they are not exactly having a good time. At Emilys house, the boys dont even have a TV to watch and they are extremely bored. Then one afternoon when Thomas goes to the woods behind the house to get Emily for lunch something amazing happens. The trees themselves bend and move, forming a portal that all three children fall into. The portal transports the children into the Realm of Imagination, a place where all the things humans imagine come to life.
https://nightreaderreviews.blogspot.com/2019/07/review-figment-wars-through-portals-by.html
https://www.austinmacauley.com/book/figment-wars-through-portals
Almost as soon as the children arrive they are attacked by Monsters but luckily they are saved by Heroes and are taken to the Library in the Impossible City. It is here that they meet Belactacus who believes that the children are Real and not just confused imaginary friends. Sadly the Council who is in charge of the portals that allow beings in the Realm of Imagination to go to the Realm of Reality is corrupted and the children are denied a portal back home. Shortly after this decision Monsters attack the Impossible City and even overwhelm the Heroes. Now the children must find a way to stop the corrupted council member from bringing all the Monsters from human imagination to life in the Realm of Reality, home of the humans.
What I liked best might not seem like much but for a story such as this one, it makes a big difference. I liked how not only was the idea of the Realm of Imagination a great concept but the creation of the Realm was well explained. Also, some of the main people in the Realm were explained to be the result of collective consciousness in humans such as the standard idea of a mother figure which was a very nice touch. What I didnt like was the budding relationship between Thomas and Emilys old imaginary friend. I actually thought it was a little creepy. At times I found myself hoping that she would be able to become real and then I thought that it would be way too much like Thomas having a relationship with his cousin.
This book falls solidly into the YA or young adult group of readers. I know this is a broad group ranging from middle school and older, but this book is actually really good and I saw nothing that would make in inappropriate for young readers. The only thing to be careful about is if an advanced reader in elementary school wanted to read this book. I dont know how well they would take to the idea that monsters such as the Boogeyman are real and just living in a different dimension so to speak. With all that being said I rate this book a 3 out of 4. Everything is extremely well thought out in this book. The idea of the Library and the collective consciousness of humans was amazing. The only reason why this book did not get a perfect rating is that I still felt like it was missing something that gave it that wonderful ability to really stand out, but few books have that.
Thomas and his little brother Isaac are visiting their cousin Emily at her house and they are not exactly having a good time. At Emilys house, the boys dont even have a TV to watch and they are extremely bored. Then one afternoon when Thomas goes to the woods behind the house to get Emily for lunch something amazing happens. The trees themselves bend and move, forming a portal that all three children fall into. The portal transports the children into the Realm of Imagination, a place where all the things humans imagine come to life.
https://nightreaderreviews.blogspot.com/2019/07/review-figment-wars-through-portals-by.html
https://www.austinmacauley.com/book/figment-wars-through-portals
Almost as soon as the children arrive they are attacked by Monsters but luckily they are saved by Heroes and are taken to the Library in the Impossible City. It is here that they meet Belactacus who believes that the children are Real and not just confused imaginary friends. Sadly the Council who is in charge of the portals that allow beings in the Realm of Imagination to go to the Realm of Reality is corrupted and the children are denied a portal back home. Shortly after this decision Monsters attack the Impossible City and even overwhelm the Heroes. Now the children must find a way to stop the corrupted council member from bringing all the Monsters from human imagination to life in the Realm of Reality, home of the humans.
What I liked best might not seem like much but for a story such as this one, it makes a big difference. I liked how not only was the idea of the Realm of Imagination a great concept but the creation of the Realm was well explained. Also, some of the main people in the Realm were explained to be the result of collective consciousness in humans such as the standard idea of a mother figure which was a very nice touch. What I didnt like was the budding relationship between Thomas and Emilys old imaginary friend. I actually thought it was a little creepy. At times I found myself hoping that she would be able to become real and then I thought that it would be way too much like Thomas having a relationship with his cousin.
This book falls solidly into the YA or young adult group of readers. I know this is a broad group ranging from middle school and older, but this book is actually really good and I saw nothing that would make in inappropriate for young readers. The only thing to be careful about is if an advanced reader in elementary school wanted to read this book. I dont know how well they would take to the idea that monsters such as the Boogeyman are real and just living in a different dimension so to speak. With all that being said I rate this book a 3 out of 4. Everything is extremely well thought out in this book. The idea of the Library and the collective consciousness of humans was amazing. The only reason why this book did not get a perfect rating is that I still felt like it was missing something that gave it that wonderful ability to really stand out, but few books have that.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Cool for the Summer in Books
May 13, 2021
A simply wonderful book about finding yourself and love
Larissa "Lara" Bogdan has had a crush on one person for her entirety of high school: Chase Harding, the handsome, beloved football quarterback. But it's not until she comes back from a summer at the Outer Banks that he seems to take real notice of Lara. Like, flirting, asking her out notice. Now, she suddenly has everything she's ever wanted. But Lara can't seem to shake her memories of that Outer Banks summer and the girl she spent it with: Jasmine. Those memories come back in full force when Jasmine unexpectedly shows up at Lara's school on the first day and sees Chase flirting with Lara. Lara finally has Chase now. So why can't she stop thinking about Jasmine?
"How do you tell people who've listened to you babble about your crush on a guy for a thousand years that whoops, you spent the summer fooling around with a girl?"
Oh goodness, this was a great book. I'm so jealous there are so many wonderful YA LGTBQIA books out there now, which I would have devoured as a teen, yet incredibly happy too. I absolutely loved Lara as a character. She's sweet and bookish (addicted to romances) and in that stage where she's finding herself and coming out. It's hard not to relate to that. Adler's characters pop onto the pages--Lara, her mother, Jasmine, and Lara's cast of funny, overbearing, and loving friends. And even Chase, who is truly a good guy. (I appreciated that it wasn't "bad guy" versus "good girl" but two good kids, with their own personalities and flaws, whom Lara had to choose from.)
The book is told in a then and now format, starting out with Lara in high school and then flashing back to her summer in the Outer Banks with Jasmine. As someone who has spent some time in the Outer Banks, I loved the beachy setting, and the book just felt fun, summery, and exciting. You could feel the thrill of Lara and Jasmine falling for each other. It's so rare that we get this in our literature, and it brought back memories of my own first love and that fun, scared, happy feeling, along with all that uncertainly of realizing you were feeling these things for another girl. Adler captures it all so perfectly.
"If I somehow got Jasmine back--if I even wanted her back--what would it mean losing when everyone else found out the truth?"
The premise for this book is fascinating and lovely. Lara suddenly has everything she wants: she has pined after Chase for THREE YEARS. She comes back from vacation with a tan, a new haircut, and a newfound confidence (which no one knows the source of) and he suddenly takes notice of her. She should be in heaven--her friends certainly think so. Faced with having to make all these monumental life decisions, to realize whom she loves, and what she is--it's a lot. The book does such an excellent job of portraying bisexuality and the journey of figuring out who who you are. It's very well done, but also funny and witty. All the characters seem real and, for the most part, true to their age.
Overall, I loved this one. It portrays the queer community very well and does an excellent job capturing teens. The story is fun, sweet, and captivating. I feel like it would speak well to teens and adults who remember that spark of falling in love. I have to go read everything else by Adler now... 4.5 stars.
"How do you tell people who've listened to you babble about your crush on a guy for a thousand years that whoops, you spent the summer fooling around with a girl?"
Oh goodness, this was a great book. I'm so jealous there are so many wonderful YA LGTBQIA books out there now, which I would have devoured as a teen, yet incredibly happy too. I absolutely loved Lara as a character. She's sweet and bookish (addicted to romances) and in that stage where she's finding herself and coming out. It's hard not to relate to that. Adler's characters pop onto the pages--Lara, her mother, Jasmine, and Lara's cast of funny, overbearing, and loving friends. And even Chase, who is truly a good guy. (I appreciated that it wasn't "bad guy" versus "good girl" but two good kids, with their own personalities and flaws, whom Lara had to choose from.)
The book is told in a then and now format, starting out with Lara in high school and then flashing back to her summer in the Outer Banks with Jasmine. As someone who has spent some time in the Outer Banks, I loved the beachy setting, and the book just felt fun, summery, and exciting. You could feel the thrill of Lara and Jasmine falling for each other. It's so rare that we get this in our literature, and it brought back memories of my own first love and that fun, scared, happy feeling, along with all that uncertainly of realizing you were feeling these things for another girl. Adler captures it all so perfectly.
"If I somehow got Jasmine back--if I even wanted her back--what would it mean losing when everyone else found out the truth?"
The premise for this book is fascinating and lovely. Lara suddenly has everything she wants: she has pined after Chase for THREE YEARS. She comes back from vacation with a tan, a new haircut, and a newfound confidence (which no one knows the source of) and he suddenly takes notice of her. She should be in heaven--her friends certainly think so. Faced with having to make all these monumental life decisions, to realize whom she loves, and what she is--it's a lot. The book does such an excellent job of portraying bisexuality and the journey of figuring out who who you are. It's very well done, but also funny and witty. All the characters seem real and, for the most part, true to their age.
Overall, I loved this one. It portrays the queer community very well and does an excellent job capturing teens. The story is fun, sweet, and captivating. I feel like it would speak well to teens and adults who remember that spark of falling in love. I have to go read everything else by Adler now... 4.5 stars.
Lottie disney bookworm (1056 KP) rated The Mermaid, the Witch and the Sea in Books
Sep 20, 2020
Thank you to Netgalley and Walker books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I chose this book simply based on the synopsis and the gorgeous cover art. I expected it to be a standard YA read, perhaps edging on middle grade but wow was I wrong! This novel contains all the gritty bits of a Pirate’s life and is as far from Neverland pirates and mermaids as you can get.
The Mermaid, the Witch and the Sea centres around the relationship between a high-born, queer, Japanese-inspired noblewoman, Evelyn and a pirate named Florian who is secretly a girl named Flora, disguising themself in order to gain the respect of their crew mates.
Evelyn and Florian instantly capture the heart of the reader. They are such an unlikely match and from completely different worlds but the way that Maggie Tokuda-Hall throws these two characters together and alternates chapters between their perspectives is so compelling. The secret attraction and the pining between Evelyn and Florian can literally be felt through the pages. These two are guaranteed to stay with you long after the book is finished.
In fact, the majority of Tokuda-Hall’s cast of characters are so well developed: we have Rake, the first mate who is a very closed character and keeps his own intentions close to his chest for most of the novel. We have a gender-fluid Pirate Supreme, an imperialist noblewoman who can kick ass and Flora’s brother Alfie, a tortured soul whose traumatic past is alluded to often.
The portrayal of mermaids in the novel is nothing short of inspired: hunted and captured for the properties their blood possesses, mermaids are quite ugly when imprisoned by pirates. These mythical creatures that are renowned for their beauty are only conventionally beautiful in the presence of their loving mother: The Sea. The Sea in turn will do whatever she can to protect her children, and will always reward those who help.
The other pirates are, as you would expect, a group of shady characters but they do not fade into the background at all. Tokuda-Hall reveals right from the beginning the true intentions of this crew and it creates an underlying tension throughout the whole voyage upon The Dove. The twists, secrets and revelations onboard that ship are captivating and create a page-turning first half of the book.
I will say that during the middle of the book, mainly during “The Witch” section, the pace slowed dramatically and it just didn’t flow as much.
I almost wanted more treachery and more suspense from the witch, more struggle by Evelyn and, dare I say, more pining from Evelyn and Florian. Their relationship up to this point had been so intense and slow burning that it almost seemed to cool a little.
I also feel that not quite enough was made of Evelyn’s discovery about the real reason behind her voyage. It was almost a convenient way for that side of her story to be resolved. Similarly, with Florian/Flora; their evolution from Pirate to Witch seemed quite acceptable and tame.
These factors, in my opinion, affected the ending of the novel where everything seemed quite rushed in its efforts to tie up all loose ends. Please don’t misunderstand, I LOVED the ending and how Evelyn and Flora/Florian finished their journey. I even shed a few tears. However, it was the lead up to this that just seemed too convenient and too quick.
Overall this is a wonderfully dark pirate novel that instantly creates a world full of magic and wonder whilst tackling the issues of identity, colonialism, homophobia, poverty and rape. A world where gender-fluid and queer characters fight against injustice alongside endangered mermaids and the Sea is to be respected almost as a deity.
I cannot believe that this is merely Maggie Tokuda-Hall’s debut novel! I cannot wait to see where she takes us next!
I chose this book simply based on the synopsis and the gorgeous cover art. I expected it to be a standard YA read, perhaps edging on middle grade but wow was I wrong! This novel contains all the gritty bits of a Pirate’s life and is as far from Neverland pirates and mermaids as you can get.
The Mermaid, the Witch and the Sea centres around the relationship between a high-born, queer, Japanese-inspired noblewoman, Evelyn and a pirate named Florian who is secretly a girl named Flora, disguising themself in order to gain the respect of their crew mates.
Evelyn and Florian instantly capture the heart of the reader. They are such an unlikely match and from completely different worlds but the way that Maggie Tokuda-Hall throws these two characters together and alternates chapters between their perspectives is so compelling. The secret attraction and the pining between Evelyn and Florian can literally be felt through the pages. These two are guaranteed to stay with you long after the book is finished.
In fact, the majority of Tokuda-Hall’s cast of characters are so well developed: we have Rake, the first mate who is a very closed character and keeps his own intentions close to his chest for most of the novel. We have a gender-fluid Pirate Supreme, an imperialist noblewoman who can kick ass and Flora’s brother Alfie, a tortured soul whose traumatic past is alluded to often.
The portrayal of mermaids in the novel is nothing short of inspired: hunted and captured for the properties their blood possesses, mermaids are quite ugly when imprisoned by pirates. These mythical creatures that are renowned for their beauty are only conventionally beautiful in the presence of their loving mother: The Sea. The Sea in turn will do whatever she can to protect her children, and will always reward those who help.
The other pirates are, as you would expect, a group of shady characters but they do not fade into the background at all. Tokuda-Hall reveals right from the beginning the true intentions of this crew and it creates an underlying tension throughout the whole voyage upon The Dove. The twists, secrets and revelations onboard that ship are captivating and create a page-turning first half of the book.
I will say that during the middle of the book, mainly during “The Witch” section, the pace slowed dramatically and it just didn’t flow as much.
I almost wanted more treachery and more suspense from the witch, more struggle by Evelyn and, dare I say, more pining from Evelyn and Florian. Their relationship up to this point had been so intense and slow burning that it almost seemed to cool a little.
I also feel that not quite enough was made of Evelyn’s discovery about the real reason behind her voyage. It was almost a convenient way for that side of her story to be resolved. Similarly, with Florian/Flora; their evolution from Pirate to Witch seemed quite acceptable and tame.
These factors, in my opinion, affected the ending of the novel where everything seemed quite rushed in its efforts to tie up all loose ends. Please don’t misunderstand, I LOVED the ending and how Evelyn and Flora/Florian finished their journey. I even shed a few tears. However, it was the lead up to this that just seemed too convenient and too quick.
Overall this is a wonderfully dark pirate novel that instantly creates a world full of magic and wonder whilst tackling the issues of identity, colonialism, homophobia, poverty and rape. A world where gender-fluid and queer characters fight against injustice alongside endangered mermaids and the Sea is to be respected almost as a deity.
I cannot believe that this is merely Maggie Tokuda-Hall’s debut novel! I cannot wait to see where she takes us next!
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Trust Me, I'm a Superhero in Tabletop Games
Oct 8, 2020
You know when you’re fortunate enough to be given superpowers but they are super lame? Yeah me neither, but I still think it would be awesome to have even the lamest superpower. Well, if you’re like me, you will relish the opportunity to play Trust Me, I’m a Superhero where you can try out different superhero combinations and aid the citizens of our fair city!
Trust Me, I’m a Superhero is a negotiation-style party card game in the vein of Apples to Apples. In it players are bogus superheros answering the Call for Help and attempting to convince the Director to send them out as the city’s hero.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a prototype copy of this game for the purposes of this review. These are preview copy components, and I know for sure that the final components will be different from these shown. I usually include a messy photo as my last of the review, but in this case I captured the art style that will be used in the final version. You are invited to back the game through the Kickstarter campaign launching October 27, 2020, or purchase through any retailers stocking it after fulfillment. -T
To setup, shuffle the Super deck and Power deck separately. Deal each player five cards from each deck and the game may begin!
Playing Trust Me, I’m a Superhero is incredibly simple. From the hand of 10 cards dealt players will choose one Super card and one Power card to mash together creating a lame superhero. Players will display their superhero face-up in front of them. The player who is the current Director will flip over the top Call for Help card, read it aloud, and then players will initiate discussion with the Director to convince them that their hero should be sent to answer the call. The Director then chooses the best superhero by awarding the Call for Help card to the winning player. The next player in clock-wise order is the next Director. Play continues in this fashion until a player has won three Call for Help cards or some other determined time limit.
Components. Well, I cannot really comment on the components too much as again, I am using a prototype copy with prototype non-final artwork. From the photo below of the art style the final game will be using I can see that the art is whimsical and cartoony, which is perfect for this game. I am also sure that components will probably be upgraded as a result of a successful Kickstarter campaign with crushed stretch goals.
I have also played and reviewed Trust Me, I’m a Doctor and I said that I liked it, and I do. But if I like Trust Me, I’m a Doctor then I love Trust Me, I’m a Superhero. Just the added little twist of choosing your Super and Power cards BEFORE you see what the Call for Help will be is excellent. This game would be so different if you saw the Help card prior to assembling your Super Power. It would be too easy and not at all hilarious. I am so glad this twist exists and helps to elevate this from a good game to a great little A2A spin-off that CAN get NSFW with the right (or wrong?) people, and will feature some fun art. If you are interested in this little title, please consider backing it on Kickstarter on October 27, 2020! Tell them Purple Phoenix Games sent ya or I’ll send over Solar-Powered Punch or Seductive Corpse to rough you up a bit.
Trust Me, I’m a Superhero is a negotiation-style party card game in the vein of Apples to Apples. In it players are bogus superheros answering the Call for Help and attempting to convince the Director to send them out as the city’s hero.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a prototype copy of this game for the purposes of this review. These are preview copy components, and I know for sure that the final components will be different from these shown. I usually include a messy photo as my last of the review, but in this case I captured the art style that will be used in the final version. You are invited to back the game through the Kickstarter campaign launching October 27, 2020, or purchase through any retailers stocking it after fulfillment. -T
To setup, shuffle the Super deck and Power deck separately. Deal each player five cards from each deck and the game may begin!
Playing Trust Me, I’m a Superhero is incredibly simple. From the hand of 10 cards dealt players will choose one Super card and one Power card to mash together creating a lame superhero. Players will display their superhero face-up in front of them. The player who is the current Director will flip over the top Call for Help card, read it aloud, and then players will initiate discussion with the Director to convince them that their hero should be sent to answer the call. The Director then chooses the best superhero by awarding the Call for Help card to the winning player. The next player in clock-wise order is the next Director. Play continues in this fashion until a player has won three Call for Help cards or some other determined time limit.
Components. Well, I cannot really comment on the components too much as again, I am using a prototype copy with prototype non-final artwork. From the photo below of the art style the final game will be using I can see that the art is whimsical and cartoony, which is perfect for this game. I am also sure that components will probably be upgraded as a result of a successful Kickstarter campaign with crushed stretch goals.
I have also played and reviewed Trust Me, I’m a Doctor and I said that I liked it, and I do. But if I like Trust Me, I’m a Doctor then I love Trust Me, I’m a Superhero. Just the added little twist of choosing your Super and Power cards BEFORE you see what the Call for Help will be is excellent. This game would be so different if you saw the Help card prior to assembling your Super Power. It would be too easy and not at all hilarious. I am so glad this twist exists and helps to elevate this from a good game to a great little A2A spin-off that CAN get NSFW with the right (or wrong?) people, and will feature some fun art. If you are interested in this little title, please consider backing it on Kickstarter on October 27, 2020! Tell them Purple Phoenix Games sent ya or I’ll send over Solar-Powered Punch or Seductive Corpse to rough you up a bit.
Becs (244 KP) rated Ember Burning in Books
Oct 2, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
I received Ember Burning for an honest review and am just now getting around to do it. My bad…
Okay, so I was honestly really looking forward to reading this novel when I first received it in the mail that I’m kicking myself in the rear end for not picking it up sooner. I was shocked that it was exactly everything I was looking for in a young adult fantasy novel.
It’s got some witchiness to it. It’s got an adventure in it. And it’s got the best thing known to man, love. Fast-paced with well-rounded characters that make you either hate them or love them with a hint of history underlain throughout the novel. What more can I say about this wonderful book?
Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy, Young Adult
Reading Level: High School and up
Interests: Witch’s, Egyptian hieroglyphics, darkness
Style: Not so light but also not a heavy read. Very fast-paced – which I loved.
Difficulty Reading: NO, I could not put this book down. Oh my goodness, Jennifer Alsever has such a unique way of writing. At first, I was a little annoyed that there were so many sentences that could be switched to, ya know, longer sentences which leads to a way easier read. But they grew on me and as I started to get further into the book, I understood why it was written in such a way. Because that is the personality of the main character Ember. It definitely helped understand her more as an individual, rather than just another character in a book.
Promise: A mystery meets fantasy – it delivers.
Insights: Honestly, none. I wouldn’t change anything in Ember Burning even if it meant saving the planet. (Okay, maybe I might change stuff to save the planet. But that’s our home for crying out loud.) Ember Burning is such a well-written novel that leaves you wanting to continue on her journey with her in Oshun Rising and Venus Shining. (Which by the way, is the rest of the series.)
Ah-Ha Moment: WHEN EMBER AND TRE KISS. (Yes, that needed all caps.) Awh man, I love me a good romance. Especially one so sweet and simple like Ember and Tre’s. **SPOILERS AHEAD** I mean it’s such goals to be laying out talking about life and then turning to each other, kissing, and then both admitting that you wanted to do that for a while now. Like OH MY GOD, I’m seriously dying over here. **SPOILERS END** I ship Ember and Tre so hard and Lilly, Zoe or this redhead b**ch better not get in the way of their love. I’ll come after them. (‘I kill you!‘)
Favorite Quote: “Of course I know this is ridiculous. What I’m doing. Going to Trinity Forest. Alone. Like the freak show I am. The girl who goes off the tracks. Who obsesses about missing people, about what happens in Trinity. But the mystery of Trinity calls to me. If I disappear, so be it.” – Girl, you ain’t no freak show. You are so perfectly normal. And if you’re a freak show well, I guess I’m a freak show too.
What will you gain: A love for Ember and her determination to get out of the black vortex known as Trinity Forest. A hate for Zoe’s sweet yet bossy attitude of not giving a shit about anything. A love-hate for Lilly and her psychotic yet charming sides. A love for Tre, my favorite character in the entire novel.
Aesthetics: The cover. The way Tre smiles. The entire book. The way Tre looks. The way Jennifer Alsever describes Synesthesia within Ember’s mind. Have I mentioned Tre and how much I really dig him?
“Would you sacrifice your future to forget your past.”
Okay, so I was honestly really looking forward to reading this novel when I first received it in the mail that I’m kicking myself in the rear end for not picking it up sooner. I was shocked that it was exactly everything I was looking for in a young adult fantasy novel.
It’s got some witchiness to it. It’s got an adventure in it. And it’s got the best thing known to man, love. Fast-paced with well-rounded characters that make you either hate them or love them with a hint of history underlain throughout the novel. What more can I say about this wonderful book?
Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy, Young Adult
Reading Level: High School and up
Interests: Witch’s, Egyptian hieroglyphics, darkness
Style: Not so light but also not a heavy read. Very fast-paced – which I loved.
Difficulty Reading: NO, I could not put this book down. Oh my goodness, Jennifer Alsever has such a unique way of writing. At first, I was a little annoyed that there were so many sentences that could be switched to, ya know, longer sentences which leads to a way easier read. But they grew on me and as I started to get further into the book, I understood why it was written in such a way. Because that is the personality of the main character Ember. It definitely helped understand her more as an individual, rather than just another character in a book.
Promise: A mystery meets fantasy – it delivers.
Insights: Honestly, none. I wouldn’t change anything in Ember Burning even if it meant saving the planet. (Okay, maybe I might change stuff to save the planet. But that’s our home for crying out loud.) Ember Burning is such a well-written novel that leaves you wanting to continue on her journey with her in Oshun Rising and Venus Shining. (Which by the way, is the rest of the series.)
Ah-Ha Moment: WHEN EMBER AND TRE KISS. (Yes, that needed all caps.) Awh man, I love me a good romance. Especially one so sweet and simple like Ember and Tre’s. **SPOILERS AHEAD** I mean it’s such goals to be laying out talking about life and then turning to each other, kissing, and then both admitting that you wanted to do that for a while now. Like OH MY GOD, I’m seriously dying over here. **SPOILERS END** I ship Ember and Tre so hard and Lilly, Zoe or this redhead b**ch better not get in the way of their love. I’ll come after them. (‘I kill you!‘)
Favorite Quote: “Of course I know this is ridiculous. What I’m doing. Going to Trinity Forest. Alone. Like the freak show I am. The girl who goes off the tracks. Who obsesses about missing people, about what happens in Trinity. But the mystery of Trinity calls to me. If I disappear, so be it.” – Girl, you ain’t no freak show. You are so perfectly normal. And if you’re a freak show well, I guess I’m a freak show too.
What will you gain: A love for Ember and her determination to get out of the black vortex known as Trinity Forest. A hate for Zoe’s sweet yet bossy attitude of not giving a shit about anything. A love-hate for Lilly and her psychotic yet charming sides. A love for Tre, my favorite character in the entire novel.
Aesthetics: The cover. The way Tre smiles. The entire book. The way Tre looks. The way Jennifer Alsever describes Synesthesia within Ember’s mind. Have I mentioned Tre and how much I really dig him?
“Would you sacrifice your future to forget your past.”
mostlyinpyjamas (13 KP) rated It Only Happens in the Movies in Books
Nov 25, 2017
Another cracker by Holly Bourne
The blurb; Audrey is over romance. Since her parents relationship imploded her mother’s been catatonic, so she takes a cinema job to get out of the house. But there she meets wannabe film-maker Harry.
Nobody expects Audrey and Harry to fall in love as hard and fast as they do. But that doesn’t mean things are easy.
Because real love isn’t like the movies…The greatest love story ever told doesn’t feature kissing in the snow, or racing to airports. It features pain and confusion and hope and wonder, and a ban on cheesy clichés. Oh, and Zombies.
~
I’m a huge fan of Holly Bourne, and with It only happens in the movies she has written another cracker!
It only happens in the movies challenges all those cliches from romantic movies, and the message they give about what love and relationships are like.
Audrey is instantly likeable, positive feminist characters are exactly what’s needed and Holly Bourne writes them so well. Audrey is getting over being dumped after having sex for the first time, trying to cope with her mum having a breakdown, and she’s been distant from her friends since her break up, her life is messy – and then she meets Harry.
Harry, with a reputation for being a player! He doesn’t always understand Audrey’s point of view, and he says the wrong things …
‘You’re not like other girls, are you?
but I like Harry. He tries!
In chapter 25, Audrey and her friend Alice talk about first time sex in a refreshingly honest way and this is, in my opinion, such an important thing to see in young adult books. Some girls, for whatever reason, don’t have someone they can talk about these things with, and I feel that it’s such a good thing that authors such as Holly Bourne are putting it out there.
I’ve read a number of feminist YA books this week, and I’m so pleased that they are being written. Conversations about consent, sexism, misogyny and rape culture are so important and these books help to get the message out there.
Excerpt from the book ; Men in films regularly kiss women who don’t want to be kissed. And those are supposed to be the good kisses. Either the woman is taken by surprise, or storming off in a mood, or having a huge go at them, or is engaged to somebody else, or claims she’s just plain Not Interested. And,how do men in movies respond to this clear instruction of “no”? They grab the woman’s face, and kiss her anyway. Roughly. Using their masculine force. And rather than being slapped or even arrested, these movie men are rewarded for their… well… sexual violence. The women “give into” the kiss after a brief moment of fighting it. You see, according to Hollywood, these women wanted to be kissed all along. It was just the male lead’s job to break through the barriers. Barriers like WILFUL CONSENT. Outside Hollywood movies, there is a term for being kissed against your will. This term isn’t “spontaneous” or “romantic” or “passionate”. No, it’s called sexual assault. It’s a crime punishable in the UK by up to ten years in prison.
~
Holly Bourne writes about feminist issues without being patronising and without telling her readers that we should hate all men.
If I’ve made it sound at all like It only happens in the movies is all feminist messages and no story then I must add that it’s entirely not that at all.
I enjoyed the story so much that I read it over a weekend, staying up far too late because I just couldn’t put it down. There’s plenty of drama, humour, and some lovely, touching moments! The ending – although it was perfect – exactly the way this story was meant to end – broke me. I cried actual tears.
Love isn’t just a feeling. Love is a choice too. And you may not be able to help your feelings, but you are responsible for the choices you make about what to do with them. (From It only happens in the movies).
Nobody expects Audrey and Harry to fall in love as hard and fast as they do. But that doesn’t mean things are easy.
Because real love isn’t like the movies…The greatest love story ever told doesn’t feature kissing in the snow, or racing to airports. It features pain and confusion and hope and wonder, and a ban on cheesy clichés. Oh, and Zombies.
~
I’m a huge fan of Holly Bourne, and with It only happens in the movies she has written another cracker!
It only happens in the movies challenges all those cliches from romantic movies, and the message they give about what love and relationships are like.
Audrey is instantly likeable, positive feminist characters are exactly what’s needed and Holly Bourne writes them so well. Audrey is getting over being dumped after having sex for the first time, trying to cope with her mum having a breakdown, and she’s been distant from her friends since her break up, her life is messy – and then she meets Harry.
Harry, with a reputation for being a player! He doesn’t always understand Audrey’s point of view, and he says the wrong things …
‘You’re not like other girls, are you?
but I like Harry. He tries!
In chapter 25, Audrey and her friend Alice talk about first time sex in a refreshingly honest way and this is, in my opinion, such an important thing to see in young adult books. Some girls, for whatever reason, don’t have someone they can talk about these things with, and I feel that it’s such a good thing that authors such as Holly Bourne are putting it out there.
I’ve read a number of feminist YA books this week, and I’m so pleased that they are being written. Conversations about consent, sexism, misogyny and rape culture are so important and these books help to get the message out there.
Excerpt from the book ; Men in films regularly kiss women who don’t want to be kissed. And those are supposed to be the good kisses. Either the woman is taken by surprise, or storming off in a mood, or having a huge go at them, or is engaged to somebody else, or claims she’s just plain Not Interested. And,how do men in movies respond to this clear instruction of “no”? They grab the woman’s face, and kiss her anyway. Roughly. Using their masculine force. And rather than being slapped or even arrested, these movie men are rewarded for their… well… sexual violence. The women “give into” the kiss after a brief moment of fighting it. You see, according to Hollywood, these women wanted to be kissed all along. It was just the male lead’s job to break through the barriers. Barriers like WILFUL CONSENT. Outside Hollywood movies, there is a term for being kissed against your will. This term isn’t “spontaneous” or “romantic” or “passionate”. No, it’s called sexual assault. It’s a crime punishable in the UK by up to ten years in prison.
~
Holly Bourne writes about feminist issues without being patronising and without telling her readers that we should hate all men.
If I’ve made it sound at all like It only happens in the movies is all feminist messages and no story then I must add that it’s entirely not that at all.
I enjoyed the story so much that I read it over a weekend, staying up far too late because I just couldn’t put it down. There’s plenty of drama, humour, and some lovely, touching moments! The ending – although it was perfect – exactly the way this story was meant to end – broke me. I cried actual tears.
Love isn’t just a feeling. Love is a choice too. And you may not be able to help your feelings, but you are responsible for the choices you make about what to do with them. (From It only happens in the movies).
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Bleeding Violet in Books
Apr 27, 2018
Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves
Genre: YA, Romance, Paranormal
Rating: 4/5
My Summary: Hanna is a freak. Diagnosed with Anxiety, Depression, Insomnia, Hyperactivity, Insanity, and nearly shut away as a maniac-depressive, she runs away from home in search of the mother she never knew. On arriving in her mother’s strange town called Portero, she makes a deal with her mom—if she can fit in with the people in this town within two weeks, she can stay. Her mother scoffs at the idea of Hanna being able to fit into the town—but Hanna soon learns that this has nothing to do with her, and everything to do with the town. Portero is like nothing she’s ever seen or heard of or imagined before. Strange creatures, invisible doors, a police-like force with a strange sense of right and wrong, a boy who she’s not sure if she likes or hates (but knows for sure that he’s hot), and a mayor who thinks she’s a god, Hanna starts her two-week challenge trying to fit in—and ends it trying to save the lives of everyone she loves.
Review:
Bleeding Violet was freakishly amazing, morbidly exciting, and realistically romantic.
I love it when the romance between the characters is real—not two perfect people who never fight who get along perfect. No, the romance between Hanna and Wyatt was not perfect, but it was there and it was special, and it was funny.
This whole book was funny. Though parts of it were strange and morbid, a lot of it was moderately confusing in an understandable way (Does that make any sense? probably not. Remember that Hanna is insane. She hallucinates… and makes some pretty interesting things happen near the end. It is confusing because it’s impossible, but understandable because she’s crazy.). I laughed almost the whole way through. It’s light and heavy, witty and serious, all mixed with the color purple.
The characters were my favorite. All the characters were very distinct and different. Sometimes when reading a story, some of the minor characters kind of blend together and seem similar, not defined enough, because they don’t really matter. But in Bleeding Violet, all the characters are distinct. I’m not sure if telling everyone that I identify with Hanna would be a wise idea because it might scare you… but to a certain extent, I did (and do) relate to her. Not just because of my own insanity (mwa-ha-ha!) but because her character was written in a very clear personal way. The story is told from first person inside Hanna’s head, so I knew exactly what Hanna was thinking all the time. Wyatt wasn’t perfect either. He had his flaws and that made him a real person. The change in Rosalie (the mother) was… both interesting and wonderful to see (Trying to keep this spoiler-free… but those of you who’ve read it already know what I mean by “change”).
The plot was engaging and fast paced, but not rushed. The details enhanced the story, rather than slowing it down just for the sake of telling you what something looked or felt like.
Bleeding Violet has a good mix of reality and paranormal. It’s mixed well enough that you can relate to it and it feels like our present day, age, and atmosphere, but the paranormal aspects are still strong and don’t feel out of place.
The low points of the book were the writing, and the ending. The writing was nothing special, but for the most part it was acceptable. The ending wasn’t a let down, but it could have been better. It was cute and sweet, but it didn’t fix all the problems, didn’t answer all the questions, and didn’t have quite enough closure for me.
Content: There was some sex, but no explicit details. There were some sexual references, moderate language, and some morbid details. Not for the easily offended or the weak of stomach.
Recommendation: Ages 16+ to anyone who doesn’t mind being a little freaked out or surprised by crazy people.
Will I buy this book and read it again? Yes, probably. (I read the e-book copy for review.) It will (hopefully soon) have a permanent spot on my bookshelf.
~Haleyknitz
Genre: YA, Romance, Paranormal
Rating: 4/5
My Summary: Hanna is a freak. Diagnosed with Anxiety, Depression, Insomnia, Hyperactivity, Insanity, and nearly shut away as a maniac-depressive, she runs away from home in search of the mother she never knew. On arriving in her mother’s strange town called Portero, she makes a deal with her mom—if she can fit in with the people in this town within two weeks, she can stay. Her mother scoffs at the idea of Hanna being able to fit into the town—but Hanna soon learns that this has nothing to do with her, and everything to do with the town. Portero is like nothing she’s ever seen or heard of or imagined before. Strange creatures, invisible doors, a police-like force with a strange sense of right and wrong, a boy who she’s not sure if she likes or hates (but knows for sure that he’s hot), and a mayor who thinks she’s a god, Hanna starts her two-week challenge trying to fit in—and ends it trying to save the lives of everyone she loves.
Review:
Bleeding Violet was freakishly amazing, morbidly exciting, and realistically romantic.
I love it when the romance between the characters is real—not two perfect people who never fight who get along perfect. No, the romance between Hanna and Wyatt was not perfect, but it was there and it was special, and it was funny.
This whole book was funny. Though parts of it were strange and morbid, a lot of it was moderately confusing in an understandable way (Does that make any sense? probably not. Remember that Hanna is insane. She hallucinates… and makes some pretty interesting things happen near the end. It is confusing because it’s impossible, but understandable because she’s crazy.). I laughed almost the whole way through. It’s light and heavy, witty and serious, all mixed with the color purple.
The characters were my favorite. All the characters were very distinct and different. Sometimes when reading a story, some of the minor characters kind of blend together and seem similar, not defined enough, because they don’t really matter. But in Bleeding Violet, all the characters are distinct. I’m not sure if telling everyone that I identify with Hanna would be a wise idea because it might scare you… but to a certain extent, I did (and do) relate to her. Not just because of my own insanity (mwa-ha-ha!) but because her character was written in a very clear personal way. The story is told from first person inside Hanna’s head, so I knew exactly what Hanna was thinking all the time. Wyatt wasn’t perfect either. He had his flaws and that made him a real person. The change in Rosalie (the mother) was… both interesting and wonderful to see (Trying to keep this spoiler-free… but those of you who’ve read it already know what I mean by “change”).
The plot was engaging and fast paced, but not rushed. The details enhanced the story, rather than slowing it down just for the sake of telling you what something looked or felt like.
Bleeding Violet has a good mix of reality and paranormal. It’s mixed well enough that you can relate to it and it feels like our present day, age, and atmosphere, but the paranormal aspects are still strong and don’t feel out of place.
The low points of the book were the writing, and the ending. The writing was nothing special, but for the most part it was acceptable. The ending wasn’t a let down, but it could have been better. It was cute and sweet, but it didn’t fix all the problems, didn’t answer all the questions, and didn’t have quite enough closure for me.
Content: There was some sex, but no explicit details. There were some sexual references, moderate language, and some morbid details. Not for the easily offended or the weak of stomach.
Recommendation: Ages 16+ to anyone who doesn’t mind being a little freaked out or surprised by crazy people.
Will I buy this book and read it again? Yes, probably. (I read the e-book copy for review.) It will (hopefully soon) have a permanent spot on my bookshelf.
~Haleyknitz
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Running on the Cracks in Books
Apr 27, 2018
Rating: 3-ish/5
<b> My Summary: </b> Leo is scared. She’s not quite sure what to think of her kooky uncle anymore, and she doesn’t want to take chances. What if he does something to her… Leo runs away. She goes in search of her grandparents, her only living relatives. She accidently gets her photo in the newspaper, and had to hide. She meets a boy named Finlay, who seems to be the one who’s going to put an end to her new freedom… at first anyway. But then Finlay becomes a friend to Leo, and he becomes her key to staying away from her uncle. Leo will do anything to keep from being found and being sent back there. She ends up staying with a crazy lady who is hospitable enough, but refuses to take her medication and whose friends aren’t much better. Then she realizes that her Uncle is on her tail. How will she stay away?
<b> What I thought: </b> Running on the Cracks was an enjoyable read. When I first saw the cover, I imagined an action filled YA novel with a lot of suspense. Although there was suspense, it wasn’t anything that got your blood racing. I thoroughly enjoyed this book when I sat down to read it, but I had to be in the right mood to do it.
<b> The Writing: </b> The format of writing was different than I’d read before, but it was very engaging. It switched viewpoints, had pieces of the story in written-story form (meaning a whole chapter was just a letter or a newspaper article or an e-mail), had whole sections where it was just dialogue (those were my favorite sections—mostly it was when characters were on the phone, and they were all very funny) and even had a few chapters from the “crazy” person’s perspective (it’s always interesting being inside the head of a madman…). Also, the writer has written the book in an accent, meaning that some of the words are spelled wrong so that you can hear it pronounced with an accent in your head—quite engaging and welcoming. The writing was good, but as it was foreign it was a little odd (i.e. “lead” instead of “leash” etc), but not in a bad way.
<b> The Characters: </b> The characters were pretty relatable. I felt scared for Leo when she was running from her Uncle, and sorry for Finlay when we was stressed about lying to his mom. The characters were really cool, well developed, and some of them were kooky. I really liked Leo and Finlay. They had such cool names! I loved the “President”, but the “Godfather” was my favorite. He was just so… weirdly cool… (I don’t know, maybe that’s because I’m a little insane myself). Not too much, I rather enjoyed it actually. It’s always fun to read something a little different.
<b> The Plot: </b> The plot was pretty believable, and I know that (sadly) there are true stories like this all the time. I don’t know how the police are over in Scotland but I doubt very seriously that Leo would have gotten away with hiding from the American police for as long as she did from the Scottish police (but that’s my opinion as a police and spy novel writer). Although there was suggestion of the Uncle trying to sexually abuse women in the book, it never actually happened, and it was very age appropriate.
<b> My Recommendation: </b> I would recommend it to a friend ages 11-15, maybe even a little younger, but not older than that. Again, I enjoyed it when I sat down to read it, but it wasn’t quite my personal attention level (I’m 18). All in all, I enjoyed this book a lot.
<i> Thank you to Henry Holt In Group for supplying my review copy of this book! </i>
For more reviews and giveaways,, please visit haleymathiot.blogspot.com
~Haleyknitz
<a href="http://haleymathiot.blogspot.com/2009/09/win-lockdown.html">PS- don’t forget—enter my giveaway for LOCKDOWN before October 20!
</a>
<b> My Summary: </b> Leo is scared. She’s not quite sure what to think of her kooky uncle anymore, and she doesn’t want to take chances. What if he does something to her… Leo runs away. She goes in search of her grandparents, her only living relatives. She accidently gets her photo in the newspaper, and had to hide. She meets a boy named Finlay, who seems to be the one who’s going to put an end to her new freedom… at first anyway. But then Finlay becomes a friend to Leo, and he becomes her key to staying away from her uncle. Leo will do anything to keep from being found and being sent back there. She ends up staying with a crazy lady who is hospitable enough, but refuses to take her medication and whose friends aren’t much better. Then she realizes that her Uncle is on her tail. How will she stay away?
<b> What I thought: </b> Running on the Cracks was an enjoyable read. When I first saw the cover, I imagined an action filled YA novel with a lot of suspense. Although there was suspense, it wasn’t anything that got your blood racing. I thoroughly enjoyed this book when I sat down to read it, but I had to be in the right mood to do it.
<b> The Writing: </b> The format of writing was different than I’d read before, but it was very engaging. It switched viewpoints, had pieces of the story in written-story form (meaning a whole chapter was just a letter or a newspaper article or an e-mail), had whole sections where it was just dialogue (those were my favorite sections—mostly it was when characters were on the phone, and they were all very funny) and even had a few chapters from the “crazy” person’s perspective (it’s always interesting being inside the head of a madman…). Also, the writer has written the book in an accent, meaning that some of the words are spelled wrong so that you can hear it pronounced with an accent in your head—quite engaging and welcoming. The writing was good, but as it was foreign it was a little odd (i.e. “lead” instead of “leash” etc), but not in a bad way.
<b> The Characters: </b> The characters were pretty relatable. I felt scared for Leo when she was running from her Uncle, and sorry for Finlay when we was stressed about lying to his mom. The characters were really cool, well developed, and some of them were kooky. I really liked Leo and Finlay. They had such cool names! I loved the “President”, but the “Godfather” was my favorite. He was just so… weirdly cool… (I don’t know, maybe that’s because I’m a little insane myself). Not too much, I rather enjoyed it actually. It’s always fun to read something a little different.
<b> The Plot: </b> The plot was pretty believable, and I know that (sadly) there are true stories like this all the time. I don’t know how the police are over in Scotland but I doubt very seriously that Leo would have gotten away with hiding from the American police for as long as she did from the Scottish police (but that’s my opinion as a police and spy novel writer). Although there was suggestion of the Uncle trying to sexually abuse women in the book, it never actually happened, and it was very age appropriate.
<b> My Recommendation: </b> I would recommend it to a friend ages 11-15, maybe even a little younger, but not older than that. Again, I enjoyed it when I sat down to read it, but it wasn’t quite my personal attention level (I’m 18). All in all, I enjoyed this book a lot.
<i> Thank you to Henry Holt In Group for supplying my review copy of this book! </i>
For more reviews and giveaways,, please visit haleymathiot.blogspot.com
~Haleyknitz
<a href="http://haleymathiot.blogspot.com/2009/09/win-lockdown.html">PS- don’t forget—enter my giveaway for LOCKDOWN before October 20!
</a>
Becs (244 KP) rated The Bone Roses in Books
Apr 5, 2019
the writing (4 more)
the protaganists
the antagonists
the plot and background
the development of the story and characters
Fast-paced, page-turner that will leave you wanting more!
You can read more of this review on my blog: bookingwayreads.wordpress.com and Goodreads!
I received a copy to read and review for my honest opinion from The Parliament Press.
TRIGGER WARNINGS: Violence, Gore, Oppression, Discrimination
I don't generally like Western stories but this is also considered Young Adult/ Fantasy so I figured I would give it a try, especially after reading the very intriguing synopsis. But be warned, this story is geared more towards a mature audience as there are a lot of scenes that are more NA then YA. This is book one(1) of the Snow Spark Saga.
Set in a post-apocalyptic West, thirty years into the future after Yellowstone erupts, the United States is reformed. A cruel king named Hyperion has taken control of the entire region and has cut multiple of small settlements off from the trade routes due to those settlements not bowing to him. All because they believe in God and Hyperion wants everyone to worship him. The main settlement that takes place within The Bone Roses is Rondo. In order to survive, the settlements have to have outlaws that are known as rustlers. These outlaws risk their own lives to steal from the capital city, Adonis. If caught, the punishment is torture and death. The main character, Rags, is a rustler with an extremely large bounty on her head.
But Rags runs into a problem when on a raid, the Kingdom Corps (K.C. for short) start chasing her. She manages to slip away with her adopted father Tracker and what neither of them realizes, is that they are being followed. This leads to a whole bunch of other problems down the road.
This fast-paced, page-turner will leave you on your toes until the very end.
Characters:
Rags - the protagonist of the story. Rondo's rustler, she is feared and the best at her role. But she does have a realistic sense to her that allows the reader to really get a feel on her.
Tracker - Rags' mentor and "adopted" father. Very mysterious and seems to have a hidden past.
Matthew - Rags' best friend, the preacher's son. I thought he was going to be a love interest, but he was only seen as a brother/friend to Rags.
Jericho - the preacher. He's seen as Rondo's town leader.
Sadie - a mother figure to Rags and soon-to-be-mother. No major role in the story but does seem to be hiding a past.
Frank - husband of Sadie and soon-to-be-father. No major role in the story.
Hyperion - the wicked king that thinks he's the almighty God.
Henny - Hyperion's second in command, he's to seek out all the rustlers and take care of them. One thing I really love about his character is that you hate but like him. Like he's the antagonist that does things that make you question why you ever put him into the antagonist category and then turns around and does the things that make him a bad guy. (if that makes any sense at all lol)
Hunter Lawrence - the sheriff of Rondo and discriminates against Rags because she isn't a true citizen of Rondo.
Colton - a luresman (someone who's good at negotiating with settlements), but he's an overall mysterious guy that leaves you wondering the same thing as Henny. Is he really bad? Is he really good? Can you trust him? Possible love interest to Rags??
Reasons why I rated it 5 stars:
1. Very intriguing from the beginning - the plot was amazing!
2. No grammatical or spelling errors - the writing was phenomenal!
3. There was not only character development but also story development! The only character that lacked any background was Rags, but she doesn't remember much of anything from before her arrival into Rondo.
4. With the development and plot, the overall story came together rather nicely and it left me wanting more.
5. This is a series that I can't wait to read more of!
"Deny all knowledge - but leave no one behind. Never"
I received a copy to read and review for my honest opinion from The Parliament Press.
TRIGGER WARNINGS: Violence, Gore, Oppression, Discrimination
I don't generally like Western stories but this is also considered Young Adult/ Fantasy so I figured I would give it a try, especially after reading the very intriguing synopsis. But be warned, this story is geared more towards a mature audience as there are a lot of scenes that are more NA then YA. This is book one(1) of the Snow Spark Saga.
Set in a post-apocalyptic West, thirty years into the future after Yellowstone erupts, the United States is reformed. A cruel king named Hyperion has taken control of the entire region and has cut multiple of small settlements off from the trade routes due to those settlements not bowing to him. All because they believe in God and Hyperion wants everyone to worship him. The main settlement that takes place within The Bone Roses is Rondo. In order to survive, the settlements have to have outlaws that are known as rustlers. These outlaws risk their own lives to steal from the capital city, Adonis. If caught, the punishment is torture and death. The main character, Rags, is a rustler with an extremely large bounty on her head.
But Rags runs into a problem when on a raid, the Kingdom Corps (K.C. for short) start chasing her. She manages to slip away with her adopted father Tracker and what neither of them realizes, is that they are being followed. This leads to a whole bunch of other problems down the road.
This fast-paced, page-turner will leave you on your toes until the very end.
Characters:
Rags - the protagonist of the story. Rondo's rustler, she is feared and the best at her role. But she does have a realistic sense to her that allows the reader to really get a feel on her.
Tracker - Rags' mentor and "adopted" father. Very mysterious and seems to have a hidden past.
Matthew - Rags' best friend, the preacher's son. I thought he was going to be a love interest, but he was only seen as a brother/friend to Rags.
Jericho - the preacher. He's seen as Rondo's town leader.
Sadie - a mother figure to Rags and soon-to-be-mother. No major role in the story but does seem to be hiding a past.
Frank - husband of Sadie and soon-to-be-father. No major role in the story.
Hyperion - the wicked king that thinks he's the almighty God.
Henny - Hyperion's second in command, he's to seek out all the rustlers and take care of them. One thing I really love about his character is that you hate but like him. Like he's the antagonist that does things that make you question why you ever put him into the antagonist category and then turns around and does the things that make him a bad guy. (if that makes any sense at all lol)
Hunter Lawrence - the sheriff of Rondo and discriminates against Rags because she isn't a true citizen of Rondo.
Colton - a luresman (someone who's good at negotiating with settlements), but he's an overall mysterious guy that leaves you wondering the same thing as Henny. Is he really bad? Is he really good? Can you trust him? Possible love interest to Rags??
Reasons why I rated it 5 stars:
1. Very intriguing from the beginning - the plot was amazing!
2. No grammatical or spelling errors - the writing was phenomenal!
3. There was not only character development but also story development! The only character that lacked any background was Rags, but she doesn't remember much of anything from before her arrival into Rondo.
4. With the development and plot, the overall story came together rather nicely and it left me wanting more.
5. This is a series that I can't wait to read more of!
"Deny all knowledge - but leave no one behind. Never"