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Merissa (12055 KP) rated Defiance (Rebellion #2) in Books

Jun 25, 2021 (Updated Jul 18, 2023)  
Defiance (Rebellion #2)
Defiance (Rebellion #2)
Annabelle Jacobs | 2021 | LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
DEFIANCE is the second book in the Rebellion series, and I really hope it's not the last! This world is fascinating, with twists that took me completely by surprise and definitely left me wanting more.

So, we start where Escape finished, with Cole and Logan returning to the Pack and their lives being made incredibly difficult. Cole and Logan have it as easy as they thought they would, with no time to be together without risking everything.

The intrigue, Pack politics, you name it, in this book are simply outstanding! I was gripped by every new development and new questions of just who I could trust. The action is different to the first book but no less intense.

I have no idea how many books Ms Jacobs has planned for this series, but I hope for many! An enthralling read that absolutely kept my attention. A great addition to the series that left me wanting more. Highly recommended by me.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* 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!
Jun 25, 2021
  
37 of 220
Book
The Lords of the North ( The Last Kingdom 3)
By Bernard Cornwell
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The year is 878 and the Vikings have been thrown out of Wessex. Uhtred, fresh from fighting for Alfred in the battle to free Wessex, travels north to seek revenge for his father's death, killed in a bloody raid by Uhtred's old enemy, renegade Danish lord, Kjartan. While Kjartan lurks in his formidable stronghold of Dunholm, the north is overrun by chaos, rebellion and fear. Together with a small band of warriors, Uhtred plans his attack on his enemy, revenge fuelling his anger, resolute on bloody retribution. But, he finds himself betrayed and ends up on a desperate slave voyage to Iceland. Rescued by a remarkable alliance of old friends and enemies, he and his allies, together with Alfred the Great, are free to fight once more in a battle for power, glory and honour.

Another really good book in this series I think this is my favourite so far. Uthred is a sold as a slave and we follow his journey. So glad there is a directory at the start of the book these places get a little confusing.
  
Love, Hate, and Other Filters
Love, Hate, and Other Filters
Samira Ahmed | 2017 | Romance, Young Adult (YA)
9
8.3 (8 Ratings)
Book Rating
This book made a big splash when it came out in January, and rightly so, as I've finally discovered for myself! Written by an Indian-American, Love, Hate, and Other Filters follows Maya Aziz, a seventeen-year-old born in America to Indian immigrant parents. She's the only Muslim girl at her school, and while she feels like she sticks out, she doesn't feel discriminated against until a terrorist attack happens in her state. She had -just- gotten most of her issues worked out before the attack, but in the aftermath of the attack, and the community's response to it, her parents clamp down on her freedom, and she struggles to get her life back.

I really loved Maya in this book; I can understand her parents' fears, but also her rebellion when they take away the freedom she values. I think my favorite character, though, was the side character Kareem. I kind of hope Ahmed writes another book and tells us his story. He was just so NICE.

I loved the writing and the characters overall, but there were a few sentences that made me pause and repeat them in my head because they were just outstanding.

"The vows are simple, the same kind of pledges I've heard at weddings of every faith. Except at the end, there is no kiss. I close in for the money shot anyway, hoping for a moment of rebellion from Ayesha and Saleem. But no. No public kissing allowed. Full stop. The no kissing is anticlimactic, but some taboos cross oceans, packed tightly into the corners of immigrant baggage, tucked away with packets of masala and memories of home."

And also, about arranged marriages and being a good Indian daughter:

"And the Muslim? The Indian? That girl, she doesn't even get the dream of the football captain. She gets a lifetime of being stopped by the FAA for random bag searches every time she flies. She gets the nice boy, the sensible boy, the one her parents approve of and who she will grow to love over years and children and necessity."

Maya is a whip-smart young girl who wants to be a film maker, and she spends most of her time behind a camera, observing. Her observations are really what make this book shine, and her snark had me laughing throughout the book.

I really loved this book, if you couldn't tell! I love minority-driven YA, and this one reminds me quite a lot of Saints and Misfits. Given how much I loved both of these, I really need to read When Dimple Met Rishi!

You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
  
Star Wars: Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel
Star Wars: Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel
James Luceno | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry
6
7.8 (5 Ratings)
Book Rating
In much the same way that 'Rogue One: A Star Wars story' acts as a prequel to the original Star Wars movie (since subtilted 'A New Hope') by detailing the mission to steal the plans for the Death Star, so this is a direct prequel to Rogue One itself.

That movie starts, remember (minus the traditional opening crawl) with the Erso's hiding out on a planet before they are found by Director Krennic, with Galen Erso then forced to finish his work on the weapon that the Death Star was built to house before jumping forward about a decade or so to his daughter in a prison transport: Jynn then becoming the main focus of the rest of the film.

This novel details hiow they came to be hiding out on that planet in the first place, focusing nearly exclusivley on Jynn's parent Galen and Lyra Erso: the former a genius involved in the study of Kyber crystals (those that power the Jedi's lightsabre's) believing - at least initially - that he was involved in exploring new methods of renewable energy; the latter his wife and assistant.

Te novel takes place over a span of years: as it starts, the Clone Wars are still raging across the galaxy, with Order 66 yet to be implemented by the soon-to-be Emperor Palpatine: a character who, though mentioned, has no direct impact on the events in this at all. Indeed, the conclusion of the Clone Wars, the fall of the Jedi and the appearance of Vader are all really only background noise, 'fluff' (if you will) to the story told in this, with the novel split into three segemens: the first showing the friendship(?) between Erso and Krennic (or, at least, the latter manipulating events so that the former would believe this is the case), the middle segment Erso's work on the Kyber crystals leading up the first test-firing of the super-weapon (with Krennic keeping this secret from Erso) and the final section with Galen and Lyras growing doubts and disillusionment about the work they are involved in - doubts and disillusionments shared by the secondary character of Has Obitt who finds himself going from working for Krennic to being instrumental in providing the Empire for excuses to take over worlds to joining the (pre)Rebellion rebellion against the Empire before being captured and employed by Tarkin to spy on Krennic - yes, Tarkin also plays a role in these proceedings, albeit not to the exten he does in Rogue One, via his rivalry with Krennic.

Solid if not spectacular entry in the 'new' Star Wars canon - be prepared to find out more than you could possibly want to know, though, about crystals!
  
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Rose-Marie3071 (67 KP) created a poll

Feb 26, 2019 (Updated Feb 26, 2019)  
Poll
 Closed
What is your top favourites out of the listed Gundam Series? Up to five if you would like.

Mobile Suit Gundam

0 votes

Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam

0 votes

Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ

0 votes

Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack

0 votes

Gundam 0080: A War in the Pocket

0 votes

Mobile Suit Gundam F91

0 votes

Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory

0 votes

Mobile Suit Victory Gundam

0 votes

Mobile Fighter G-Gundam

0 votes

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing

0 votes

Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th M.S. Team

0 votes

After War Gundam X

0 votes

Gundam W: Endless Waltz

0 votes

Turn-A Gundam

0 votes

G-Saviour

0 votes

Gundam Evolve

0 votes

Mobile Suit Gundam Seed

0 votes

Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny

0 votes

Mobile Suit Gundam SEED C.E. 73: Stargazer

0 votes

Mobile Suit Gundam 00

0 votes

Mobile Suit Gundam 00 The Movie: A Wakening Of The Trailblazer

0 votes

Kido Senshi Gandamu Eiji

0 votes

Gundam Build Fighters

0 votes

Gundam G No Reconguista

0 votes

Gundam Build Fighters Try

0 votes

Mobile Suit SD Gundam

0 votes

Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO

0 votes

Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn

0 votes

Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt

0 votes

Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans

0 votes

Model Suit Gunpla Builders Beginning G

0 votes

Superior Defender Gundam Force

0 votes

Mobile Suit Gundam-san

0 votes

SD Gundam Sangokuden Brave Battle Warriors

0 votes

Mobile Suit Crossbone Gundam

0 votes

Gundam Sentinel

0 votes

Mobile Suit Gundam - Blue Destiny

0 votes

Mobile Suit Gundam 0083 Rebellion

0 votes

New Mobile Report Gundam Wing Endless Waltz: The Glory of Losers...

0 votes

After War Gundam X: Under the Moonlight

0 votes

Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam Define

0 votes

Mobile Suit Gundam SEED ASTRAY

0 votes

Any others that I have not added choose here.

0 votes