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Shadow and Bone - Season 1
Shadow and Bone - Season 1
2021 | Fantasy
Shadow and Bone is based upon the popular Young Adult series, The Grisha Trilogy, which takes place in a steampunk-ish, Russian fantasy world at war. The story’s main character is Alina Starkov (Jessie Mei Li), an orphan who discovers she has some magical powers when she journeys into something called the Fold with her childhood friend Malyen, “Mal” (Archie Renaux), for short. The witches in this fantasy world are called Grisha and are trained to help with military operations for some king. The General of this witch army is Kirigan, played by Ben Barnes. There are also two other storylines, this group of kidnappers, and a Grisha that’s enslaved.
This series wasn’t really made for a general audience, it was made for the fans of the book trilogy. The series starts, and the watcher is immediately thrust into this fantasy world that doesn’t really make much sense with no prior knowledge. If you couldn’t tell from the series description, I wasn’t really into it. It took me two months to watch all eight of the episodes. I almost didn’t keep watching after the first two episodes, but my boss encouraged me to keep going.
The storyline is your standard YA novel, a girl who didn’t know her powers, some lame love triangle, and for some reason, the girl is the only one that can save the world. Nothing new to see here. My interest was only piqued by Barnes’ character Kirigan, and Barnes was the main reason I actually kept watching the show. The seventh episode, which features Kirigan’s backstory, was the most interesting.
The whole kidnapping crew storyline wasn’t really all that interesting. The leader, Kaz (Freddy Carter) is a kingpin-type character with an unexplained limp, or I missed the explanation. The crew also had an assassin-type character, Inej (Amita Suman), who might not really have been an assassin, again, missed that explanation. The best member of this crew was Jesper (Kit Young), who was the charmer, expert trick shooter, and the second most interesting character in the series.
The subplot with the whole kidnapping Alina thing was neither here nor there, I don’t even remember the characters’ names that were involved in this subplot. Maybe it meant something to the readers of the novels, or it’ll make sense in the next season, but it certainly didn’t mean anything to me. I think I fast-forwarded through those portions in the last episode.
I think I started liking it after the seventh episode, but two interesting episodes does not make an interesting series. It’s been about a week since I finished it, and I honestly had to look up all the characters’ names. I probably seem flippant about explaining the different plots, but it’s legitimately all I remember. This series also didn’t leave me with a hankering to read the book series, nor would I care to watch any further seasons. I’m sure if you’re a fan of the book series, you’d probably love this, but it was not for me.
  
R(
Resilience ( Rise of Iliri book 6)
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Contains spoilers, click to show
4 of 235
Kindle
Resilience ( Rise of Iliri book 6)
By Auryn Hadley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Auryn Hadley's sixth action-adventure in The Rise of the Iliri fantasy series asks how far mankind will go to protect their pride. Because it seems they'll guard it at the expense of all else. Reminiscent of a futuristic Lord of the Rings, this epic fantasy romance traces not only the personal journey of its heroine and her family - a reverse harem made up of nine indomitable warriors who comprise an elite military force called the Black Blades - but also the liberation of a people and a new way of thinking for the whole world. For the source of iliri power is not domination, but connection. They seek it, cultivate it, and use it to defeat their enemies.

It's the iliri - now a rising, formidable race of underdogs - who must decide whether to risk their lives for the ungracious human race. Unbeknownst to humans, their fate lies in the capable hands of the iliri leader, the powerful Salryc Luxx. And she's no longer willing to be yanked around at any price.

Sal and the Black Blades have been summoned to a meeting with Parliament representatives of the Conglomerate of Free Citizens. But this time, she's not serving as their slave. Nor is she about to be captured and brought to trial again. Now the ruler of all iliri in her adopted country of Anglia - and de facto queen - she knows she has the upper hand.

The enemy Terrans have besieged Eastward, engaging in brutal guerrilla tactics throughout the country - hitting without mercy and killing all in their path. The world of humans is desperate.

"Tell me why I should send my brothers and sisters to die for humans that care so little for us?" Sal asks. The answer she's searching for comes from a frail iliri servant, whose telltale snow-colored skin is almost as light as Sal's: If she leaves the humans to die by the Terrans, war and enslavement will continue. History will repeat itself. But if it's the iliri and their allies who manage to defeat evil, perhaps humans can learn to respect them.

She knows she isn't finished fighting. Iliri warriors haven't yet "done enough." Not while so many of their brothers are still enslaved.

Alongside her faithful friends and leaders--and the tireless Black Blades - Sal must choose whether to surrender to her role as their leader and contend with The Emperor's murderous army - as well as the treacherous pride of the human race.




!!! Has a spoiler for book 5!!!



Every time I pick one of these books up I say it’s the best one yet and yes I’m saying it again! After the tears at the end of Book 5 we catch up with Sal and the blades dealing with the aftermath of losing Blaec and finding her feet with her new role and new male. This is non stop from the first word to the last. Brilliantly written it has to be one of my favourite series. Highly recommended for the fantasy readers!
  
With Every Letter
With Every Letter
Sarah Sundin | 2012 | Fiction & Poetry
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Sarah Sundin's masterful skills have done it again! Another amazing home run, out-of-the-ball-park hitter for this amazingly talented author. From the start, I was instantly in the heart of the story, following Philomela Blake, Tom MacGilliver, Rose and Georgie and all the other complex and amazing characters. This is most definitely the start of a fantastic new series and I can't wait for more!

Philomela "Mellie" Blake, aka Annie, is a wonderful character. She was chiseled perfectly and I loved following her story. She was a young woman, desperate to be a flight nurse and make a difference. Never fitting into America because of her Asian descent, and never fitting into the Asian world because of her American heritage, she's just wanting to fit in to something, make a difference and make friends. Joining a team of flight nurses, though, doesn't look to be much help as every thinks she's just a bit odd. When an opportunity arises, she takes a chance on mailing out a letter to one of the Armed Forces members. Just one is all she'll write. But, then, one turns into and then three...what can it hurt though, as anonymity seems to be the top priority and he'll never know what she looks like, or who she is. Right? Until a chance meeting during a flight evac pick up brings her face-to-face with her letter writing hero.

Thomas "Tom" MacGilliver, Jr. aka "Earnest". I fell in love with him instantly! He's a wonderful character who always hides behind a smile. He's had rough past, always getting looked down upon because of his father and a terrible happenstance from the past. But, this letter writing with his "Annie" is helping him become a better person. She's helping him realize that with God, all things are possible, and people will overlook the past of crimes with mercy and forgiveness. He loves what she makes him feel just through her words. Can this anonymity turn to more than just a friendship? And what of the beautiful Mellie Blake he meets? He doesn't want to betray his sweet Annie, but the attraction to Mellie is undeniable. Will God help him through this and show him which woman is for him? Or will his dreams of Annie and Mellie being one and the same come true?

These two were amazing and I didn't want to say goodbye! A powerful message of self forgiveness, mercy and friendship were woven in among the pages, and really spoke volumes to both myself and the characters! Not only were these two characters the heart of the story, Ms. Sundin used her secondary characters as the heart as well. I loved all of the amazing people of this book and know that Ms. Sundin has so much more history and fun to weave for us with the other characters!

Definitely an amazing 5 Book worthy, richly detailed with historical elements and war time efforts, and I highly recommend it to all! Ms. Sundin will quickly become a favorite if you've never read her previous works. If you have, well, then, this will be a wonderful addition to your Sarah Sundin collection! Forever on my bookshelf, I can't wait to see more of these amazing flight nurses and their WWII military men that capture the heart! Amazing job, Ms. Sundin!