Alice (12 KP) rated Cruel Crown: Two Red Queen Short Stories in Books
Jul 3, 2018
I went into Cruel Crown with an open mind - I haven't read Red Queen yet so I hoped that reading the prequel novellas to the best-seller would reveal quite a bit on the inner workings of Red's and Silver's.
In respect of Queen Song it was a pretty dark novella - a lot darker than I expected for a YA prequel. Coriane begins as a impoverished Silver with a hatred of the mundane and a love of the inner workings of machines.
Queen Song follows Coriane's rise from impoverished Silver to Queen of the Kingdom via her diary entries. The entries start off pretty mundane and childlike in their layout but over the course of her growth as a character they become much darker and they reveal that even royalty has flaws.
She comes across - as a teenager - as a bit of a spoiled brat even though she doesn't actually appear to be spoiled. She gives me the vibe of spoiled and irritating child for most of the beginning but after meeting Elara I'll give Coriane her due she's way more laid back.
As previously mentioned I haven't read Red Queen and hoped that the prequels would shed some light on certain things - what a Silver and a Red is, what a singer and a whisper is etc. I found that it didn't, without reading Red Queen first the prequel doesn't really make a whole lot of sense but it does shed light on what happens with royalty etc.
A couple of the characters (Elara I'm looking at you) were a hell of a lot more evil than I expected. Particularly at the end.
But there is a difference between a single candle in darkness, and a sunrise.
That is, without doubt, the best line in the novella. It's strikingly beautiful in contrast to the darkness of the novella.
Steel Scars on the other hand is a nice change of pace from Queen Song. Steel Scars follows a Red soldier - a member of The Scarlet Guard -as she aquires assets for the SG. It contains far more action and drama than Queen Song and it provides a better basis for certain aspects of the Red and Silver world.
It also sets up the introduction to Mare quite nicely as well.
As prequels go, they're good if a little bare of some details. The writing style flowed pretty well and most of the characters were not overly annoying or filler.
What an ending though. The Queenstrial sets Red Queen up incredibly well.
Reality Check: How Science Deniers Threaten Our Future
Donald R. Prothero, Michael Shermer and Pat Linse
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The battles over evolution, climate change, childhood vaccinations, and the causes of AIDS,...
The Stolen Twins
9.0
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Auschwitz, 1944: “You can’t leave me,” I whisper, my hand trembling as I reach for her cheek....
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated A Prisoner of Versailles (Darkness to Light, #2) in Books
Feb 15, 2019
I don't generally read Christian fiction and would not have gotten this had I known ahead of time that it was an Inspirational novel (and the second in a series besides). Since that is partly my fault, I still decided to give it a fair chance and see if the basic plot could overcome my worries. Sadly, it didn't, but not necessarily because of the religious usages, which could be over-the-top at times, but mainly due to a plot that's rather unoriginal and uninspiring.
I did find myself enjoying the first half of the book, but then my interest started dwindling as the story lost my attention. Unfortunately, the main character, Madeleine, still isn't fleshed out enough for me to care what happens to her, but unlike the first book, there were a few characters who were better drawn out: Pierre, Philippe, and Robert. However, since Madeleine is supposed to be someone who readers should care and root for, this is a big downfall for the story.
All in all, the book is better written, the story flows better, and the characters have improved since the last novel, but I seriously doubt I'll look for the conclusion to the series. 2.5 stars
![Lost Graves (Boyle & Keneally #2) [Audiobook]](/uploads/profile_image/317/9e668096-6135-4694-b257-30976a5be317.jpg?m=1644157499)
Lost Graves (Boyle & Keneally #2) [Audiobook]
8.0
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The only sound in the forest was the wind through the branches; the only light came from the...
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Beautiful Creatures (Caster Chronicles, #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
I will probably admit, that although I read the entire series, I didn't really like the first 2 books in the series. Except for the ending and the summaries. Which was why I continued reading the series. :) Or maybe there was just something special about Ethan, Lena, Riley, Link, etc that I just can't place a tab on? Or was there a little cliffhanger (which I totally love) that just urged me to read on and give the series another try?
I will also admit that I liked Beautiful Chaos overall. The character haven't changed... although they have. In a way. Ethan is still plain Wayward, just like from Day One. Besides getting "chased around" by his other self, of course. Lena is back to herself again, although she is now a light and dark caster due to the Seventeenth Moon. I didn't really enjoy Lena's distance and major meltdown from Beautiful Darkness, so it's nice to know that we get her back again.
Link has changed majorly in a way, at least in physical and how do you say this? erm, he's developed "Vampire-like" senses after being bit by John Breed from Beautiful Darkness, so he's now one-quarters Incubus. He's still on and off with Once Upon A Siren, Riley, but she's still same old, same old Riley. In Mortal form, yet continues about life Siren Style with no powers.
Overall, Beautiful Chaos is my favorite book out of the series so far. It's more action-packed than the books before it, even if it has quite the sad ending. I will most likely read the fourth and final book in the series, Beautiful Redemption (released already) because I just have to know what happens next to Ethan, Lena and the other characters.
Speaking of which, and I know I'm a bit off-topic, but who's excited for the Beautiful Creatures movie? I know am! The trailer looked awesome...
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-beautiful-chaos-by-kami-garcia-and-margaret-stohl/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Missing You
8.0
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t’s a profile, like all the others on the online dating site. But as NYPD Detective Kat Donovan...
Diwali DP Maker
Photo & Video and Lifestyle
7.0
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Diwali DP Maker 2017 - Diwali 2017 Photo Frame Wish you a very happy Diwali 2017 to all, Diwali...
The Dead and the Dark
10.0
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Imagine Riverdale crossing streams with Stephen King's The Outsider and you'll get a sense of this...
Mrs Guppy Takes a Flight: A Scandal of Victorian Spiritualism
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Many moons ago, in the high Victorian era, Mrs. Guppy, the famous medium, was enjoying a sparkling...