Search
Search results
ArecRain (8 KP) rated Heartwishes (Edilean, #5) in Books
Jan 18, 2018
This has to be one the blandest, most boring books I have ever read in my life. Conflict? The little it has makes absolutely no sense.
First, let me start by saying that everything in this book fell into place a little too easily. Everyone loved Gemma and she was just so perfect in every way. Everyone immediately got along with including the few people who don't get along with others. The only people Gemma didn't get along with were the people who were the bad guys. It was actually sickening to read how peachy keen everything seemed.
And pardon me, but isn't this story called Heartwishes? We really get to read anything about Gemma's research or the stone unless it's in quick spurts or the letter she reads at the very end. Kind of a cop-out if you ask me. I was more curious about the stone than Gemma and Colin's relationship.
This brings me to another point. The only romance novels I hate reading more than the ones where the couple fights every second they are not having sex is the ones where there is absolutely no conflict between the two. The only fight the two had, I thought Gemma had lost her mind. It seriously made no sense to me. Gemma doesn't like Colin's "jealousy" and says she can't handle it when Colin gets upset about her spending time with Tris alone, but Colin never acted on his jealousy. In fact, he had to tell her he was even jealous at all. But it's okay for Gemma to get hysterically agree and storm off when Colin says his ex-girlfriend is connected to a case he is working on. Gemma, who is carrying Colin's child, comes up with all these plans of living her life and raising the child without Colin after he tells her this. Completely ridiculous if you ask me, especially since Gemma goes around kissing everyone the entire novel. Not even kidding. It seemed like every other page, Gemma was kissing people for absolutely no reason. The first time she ever meets Colin's sister, Ariel, and Ariel tells Gemma she is getting married, Gemma turns and kisses Ariel's fiancé in congratulations. Not only had she just met the guy, I don't think they even talked to each other. A simple congratulation could have worked.
Overall, this novel bored me to death when it wasn't annoying me with its nonsensical behaviors. Had I known how it was going to be, I would have never wasted a penny on it. And I am a huge Deveraux fan.
First, let me start by saying that everything in this book fell into place a little too easily. Everyone loved Gemma and she was just so perfect in every way. Everyone immediately got along with including the few people who don't get along with others. The only people Gemma didn't get along with were the people who were the bad guys. It was actually sickening to read how peachy keen everything seemed.
And pardon me, but isn't this story called Heartwishes? We really get to read anything about Gemma's research or the stone unless it's in quick spurts or the letter she reads at the very end. Kind of a cop-out if you ask me. I was more curious about the stone than Gemma and Colin's relationship.
This brings me to another point. The only romance novels I hate reading more than the ones where the couple fights every second they are not having sex is the ones where there is absolutely no conflict between the two. The only fight the two had, I thought Gemma had lost her mind. It seriously made no sense to me. Gemma doesn't like Colin's "jealousy" and says she can't handle it when Colin gets upset about her spending time with Tris alone, but Colin never acted on his jealousy. In fact, he had to tell her he was even jealous at all. But it's okay for Gemma to get hysterically agree and storm off when Colin says his ex-girlfriend is connected to a case he is working on. Gemma, who is carrying Colin's child, comes up with all these plans of living her life and raising the child without Colin after he tells her this. Completely ridiculous if you ask me, especially since Gemma goes around kissing everyone the entire novel. Not even kidding. It seemed like every other page, Gemma was kissing people for absolutely no reason. The first time she ever meets Colin's sister, Ariel, and Ariel tells Gemma she is getting married, Gemma turns and kisses Ariel's fiancé in congratulations. Not only had she just met the guy, I don't think they even talked to each other. A simple congratulation could have worked.
Overall, this novel bored me to death when it wasn't annoying me with its nonsensical behaviors. Had I known how it was going to be, I would have never wasted a penny on it. And I am a huge Deveraux fan.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated But Then I Came Back in Books
Dec 14, 2018
<i>This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>
Estelle Laure’s second Young Adult novel is due for publication with promises of a unique storyline. <i>But Then I Came Back</i> is about life after a near death experience, and the ways it alters your view of the world. Eden was lucky to wake up from a month long coma after being involved in a terrible accident. However, life cannot immediately go back to the way things were. With a mountain of therapy sessions ahead of her to relearn how to swallow and walk, Eden feels her ballet career is over before it even had a chance to start. And, graduating from high school does not seem likely either.
In the hospital, there is another girl in a coma who has not been as lucky as Eden. Not knowing whether she will ever wake up, Eden becomes obsessed with Jasmine, especially as she is certain she saw her in a dream-like state whilst she was unconscious. Eden also becomes fascinated with Jasmine’s only visitor, Joe, and for his sake is desperate to help wake Jasmine up.
Bordering on paranormal, Eden and Joe experiment with ways of reaching Jasmine, wherever she may be. As their relationship blossoms, Jasmine deteriorates, and soon Joe must make a decision: let Jasmine go, or keep trying, knowing she will not be the same person if she wakes.
Eden’s personality will resonate with book lovers as she is forever quoting from literature. On the other hand, her behaviour is initially antagonistic, which makes it hard for the reader to give her any sympathy. As a result, it takes some time to get into the story.
When Eden wakes up, she is obviously confused and unwell, which affects the way she behaves. I did not like her as a person, and therefore was not that interested in the book. It was also difficult to pin point the key theme of the novel. Was the paranormal theme the main concept, or Eden’s recovery and relationship with Joe? Neither of these was explored deeply. There was scope for so much more, especially the prospect of an in between – a limbo between life and death.
<i>But Then I Came Back</i> is a little disappointing; the blurb promises something special, but all we are given is a teen romance, and not a very interesting one. Estelle Laure is a good writer; nevertheless her storyline was underdeveloped.
Estelle Laure’s second Young Adult novel is due for publication with promises of a unique storyline. <i>But Then I Came Back</i> is about life after a near death experience, and the ways it alters your view of the world. Eden was lucky to wake up from a month long coma after being involved in a terrible accident. However, life cannot immediately go back to the way things were. With a mountain of therapy sessions ahead of her to relearn how to swallow and walk, Eden feels her ballet career is over before it even had a chance to start. And, graduating from high school does not seem likely either.
In the hospital, there is another girl in a coma who has not been as lucky as Eden. Not knowing whether she will ever wake up, Eden becomes obsessed with Jasmine, especially as she is certain she saw her in a dream-like state whilst she was unconscious. Eden also becomes fascinated with Jasmine’s only visitor, Joe, and for his sake is desperate to help wake Jasmine up.
Bordering on paranormal, Eden and Joe experiment with ways of reaching Jasmine, wherever she may be. As their relationship blossoms, Jasmine deteriorates, and soon Joe must make a decision: let Jasmine go, or keep trying, knowing she will not be the same person if she wakes.
Eden’s personality will resonate with book lovers as she is forever quoting from literature. On the other hand, her behaviour is initially antagonistic, which makes it hard for the reader to give her any sympathy. As a result, it takes some time to get into the story.
When Eden wakes up, she is obviously confused and unwell, which affects the way she behaves. I did not like her as a person, and therefore was not that interested in the book. It was also difficult to pin point the key theme of the novel. Was the paranormal theme the main concept, or Eden’s recovery and relationship with Joe? Neither of these was explored deeply. There was scope for so much more, especially the prospect of an in between – a limbo between life and death.
<i>But Then I Came Back</i> is a little disappointing; the blurb promises something special, but all we are given is a teen romance, and not a very interesting one. Estelle Laure is a good writer; nevertheless her storyline was underdeveloped.
Message in a Bottle
7.8
Rate It
Book
Shimmering with suspense and emotional intensity - takes readers on a hunt for the truth about a man...
b.Young (97 KP) rated The Hypnotist's Love Story in Books
May 26, 2018
Quick read (2 more)
The ending
Great writing
Contains spoilers, click to show
I read this book because it was picked by my Book Club for our June discussion. I typically do not read books in the romance genre and have never read a book by this author, Liane Moriarty.
The Hypnotist's Love Story was well written and the character development was excellent.
The book is told in two view-points, Ellen's in third person and Saskia's in first person. Suspense and mystery are woven throughout, albiet mildly, and it gives the book a less than romantic feel at some points
The story begins with Ellen, who is a rather sucessful hypnotherapis. She is in her late thrities and single. Although she is quite happy with her life, she longs to have a family of her own. Her past three long-term relationships were less than satisfying so she resorts to using a dating site on the internet to meet someone new.
Enter Patrick. A handsome land surveyor who owns his company and has an 8-year-old son, Jack. His past is much more complicated. He is a widower with an ex-girlfriend that has been stalking him for 3 years!
When Patrick tells Ellen about Saskia, his stalker, she is somewhat intrigued instead of frightened.
Even though Elln seems to be okay with the baggage of a dead wife and a stalker, Patrick and Ellen have a difficult time being a new couple falling in love and their relationship is strained from the get-go.
As Ellen and Patrick are mid-flight to a weekend getaway, Ellen realizes that she has allowed herself to divulge their location to Saskia unknowingly due to the fact that Saskia has been a client of Ellen's while using a false name.
When Ellen decides to reveal big news to Patrick, he does something completely unexpected and Saskia puts herself in the middle of it all.
As the stalking incidents escalate (they are never violent), Patrick's demeanor deteriorates and Ellen is put on edge.
Throughout the book, we learn the reasoning behind Saskia's stalking and by the end of the story, I felt almost sorry for her. Almost. Because through it all, she chose to do the things she did and threw out all other options to persue her failed relationship.
I am relieved to say that it does eventually end with a HEA. I only say that because although I was reading a romance novel and expected an HEA, the suspensful undertones of the book led me to think differently at times.
The Hypnotist's Love Story was well written and the character development was excellent.
The book is told in two view-points, Ellen's in third person and Saskia's in first person. Suspense and mystery are woven throughout, albiet mildly, and it gives the book a less than romantic feel at some points
The story begins with Ellen, who is a rather sucessful hypnotherapis. She is in her late thrities and single. Although she is quite happy with her life, she longs to have a family of her own. Her past three long-term relationships were less than satisfying so she resorts to using a dating site on the internet to meet someone new.
Enter Patrick. A handsome land surveyor who owns his company and has an 8-year-old son, Jack. His past is much more complicated. He is a widower with an ex-girlfriend that has been stalking him for 3 years!
When Patrick tells Ellen about Saskia, his stalker, she is somewhat intrigued instead of frightened.
Even though Elln seems to be okay with the baggage of a dead wife and a stalker, Patrick and Ellen have a difficult time being a new couple falling in love and their relationship is strained from the get-go.
As Ellen and Patrick are mid-flight to a weekend getaway, Ellen realizes that she has allowed herself to divulge their location to Saskia unknowingly due to the fact that Saskia has been a client of Ellen's while using a false name.
When Ellen decides to reveal big news to Patrick, he does something completely unexpected and Saskia puts herself in the middle of it all.
As the stalking incidents escalate (they are never violent), Patrick's demeanor deteriorates and Ellen is put on edge.
Throughout the book, we learn the reasoning behind Saskia's stalking and by the end of the story, I felt almost sorry for her. Almost. Because through it all, she chose to do the things she did and threw out all other options to persue her failed relationship.
I am relieved to say that it does eventually end with a HEA. I only say that because although I was reading a romance novel and expected an HEA, the suspensful undertones of the book led me to think differently at times.
Darkness Falls
8.7
Rate It
Book
If the lights go out forever, can love survive? When four women from different walks of life are...
Dystopian CME Event Lesbian Romance
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated On the Corner of Love and Hate in Books
Sep 2, 2019
Emma Peroni works in the Community Development Office (CDO) in the small town of Hope Lake. She works with her childhood friend Cooper Campbell-Endicott, who is now running for office as mayor of Hope Lake. Cooper has a political pedigree; his mother is governor. He's the beloved golden boy of Hope Lake. But he also has a playboy reputation, and his opponent, Kirby, is capitalizing on it. If Cooper loses, Kirby will set back all the progress of the CDO in Hope Lake. So the current mayor--who just happens to be Emma's father--devises a plan. Emma will manage Cooper's campaign, and he will pretend to settle down with a former girlfriend. Emma and Cooper haven't gotten along since college, but the more time they spend together now, the more feelings get stirred up: anger, resentment, and... lust.
So I think it does a disservice to bill this book as a Christina Lauren-type romance, as I went in expecting a certain type of story and it just didn't deliver. I believe if I just read it as a romance, I might have enjoyed it more. And, please note, that a 3-star review isn't bad (!), I just didn't 4-star love love it.
The book is set up with the "love/hate" premise. We have hard-working Emma, who is scared of commitment and letting down her guard. Meanwhile, Cooper needs to buckle down and get serious about everything in his life. Emma holds a long-standing grudge against Cooper, but, of course, oh there are feelings, right? The problem is that things get repetitive: so much fighting about his bad behavior and then her thinking over and over about her feelings. (Of course she doesn't have feelings for Cooper, she hates him, etc.). We all know they are going to show some spark together, but good grief, it takes forever.
"He might have been the single most irritating person in the world to me, but still, I could appreciate his appearance."
Also, while I liked that there were political things woven into this novel, my goodness, I've never seen such drama over a mayoral race in my life. Is this a small town thing, or something? I have lived in small towns. The attention and drama focused on this race felt like a senatorial campaign and there was little explanation why Cooper's opponent was so bad, except that he was, indeed, really bad and would ruin the whole town, so this portion felt very two-dimensional. (Oh and if Emma called her father "Mayor Dad" one more time, I was going to scream.)
Still, this is a cute read. There are some really fun scenes with Emma's friends--she, Nick, Henry, and Cooper have been pals since they were kids. There is wit and humor throughout the book. I could certainly identify with Emma, being a closed off workaholic myself! The small town vibe in this book is really adorable--Hope Lake practically flies off the page, and it's a very atmospheric setting.
And, let's be honest: a love/hate dynamic is enjoyable. We pick up a romance knowing exactly what we are getting into. Cooper was a bit irritating at times, but it still boils down that I'm a total sucker for a sappy love story and the chosen two getting together. I was rooting for these two, and I liked the end of the book. This was a sweet, funny read overall. 3 stars.
So I think it does a disservice to bill this book as a Christina Lauren-type romance, as I went in expecting a certain type of story and it just didn't deliver. I believe if I just read it as a romance, I might have enjoyed it more. And, please note, that a 3-star review isn't bad (!), I just didn't 4-star love love it.
The book is set up with the "love/hate" premise. We have hard-working Emma, who is scared of commitment and letting down her guard. Meanwhile, Cooper needs to buckle down and get serious about everything in his life. Emma holds a long-standing grudge against Cooper, but, of course, oh there are feelings, right? The problem is that things get repetitive: so much fighting about his bad behavior and then her thinking over and over about her feelings. (Of course she doesn't have feelings for Cooper, she hates him, etc.). We all know they are going to show some spark together, but good grief, it takes forever.
"He might have been the single most irritating person in the world to me, but still, I could appreciate his appearance."
Also, while I liked that there were political things woven into this novel, my goodness, I've never seen such drama over a mayoral race in my life. Is this a small town thing, or something? I have lived in small towns. The attention and drama focused on this race felt like a senatorial campaign and there was little explanation why Cooper's opponent was so bad, except that he was, indeed, really bad and would ruin the whole town, so this portion felt very two-dimensional. (Oh and if Emma called her father "Mayor Dad" one more time, I was going to scream.)
Still, this is a cute read. There are some really fun scenes with Emma's friends--she, Nick, Henry, and Cooper have been pals since they were kids. There is wit and humor throughout the book. I could certainly identify with Emma, being a closed off workaholic myself! The small town vibe in this book is really adorable--Hope Lake practically flies off the page, and it's a very atmospheric setting.
And, let's be honest: a love/hate dynamic is enjoyable. We pick up a romance knowing exactly what we are getting into. Cooper was a bit irritating at times, but it still boils down that I'm a total sucker for a sappy love story and the chosen two getting together. I was rooting for these two, and I liked the end of the book. This was a sweet, funny read overall. 3 stars.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated A Courtesan's Scandal (The Scandalous Series, #3) in Books
Apr 27, 2018
A Courtesan’s Scandal by Julia London
Rating: 3/5
Genre: Historical Fiction
My Summary: Kate is a courtesan who only lives the way she does to keep herself from being tossed into the streets. She is “sold” to the Prince of Whales, but as the price is married, he cannot afford a scandal. While the prince divorces his wife, he instructs the Duke of Darlington to be seen in public with Kate so that nobody suspects him. But Kate and Grayson, the Duke, aren’t expecting to fall in love.
Thoughts: I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, it was pretty entertaining at times, but on the other it was hard to sit down and read more than a few chapters at a time. I found the story rather trivial, really it was all silly politics and unfaithfulness in marriage.
I couldn’t finish this book. I got to the part where they fall in love (a little more than halfway) and just didn’t have the patience to finish it. There wasn’t much of a story line besides, again, politics and reputation and sex.
Characters: The characters were the strong point in this book. They were very real and well developed immediately, and I enjoyed their dialogue.
Writing: The writing was also very good. It’s very refreshing to read a novel that uses good sentence structure and a wide range of vocabulary. The prose flowed nicely.
Content: There was no language, but some sex in the book. The scenes were pretty outlined and there were a few pages I skipped. Occasionally a man is drunk and says something a bit odd, but other than that there are no major alcohol references.
Recommendation: Ages 16+ (18+ if you’re picky about content) to lovers of historical fiction and romance, and quick easy reads.
Rating: 3/5
Genre: Historical Fiction
My Summary: Kate is a courtesan who only lives the way she does to keep herself from being tossed into the streets. She is “sold” to the Prince of Whales, but as the price is married, he cannot afford a scandal. While the prince divorces his wife, he instructs the Duke of Darlington to be seen in public with Kate so that nobody suspects him. But Kate and Grayson, the Duke, aren’t expecting to fall in love.
Thoughts: I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, it was pretty entertaining at times, but on the other it was hard to sit down and read more than a few chapters at a time. I found the story rather trivial, really it was all silly politics and unfaithfulness in marriage.
I couldn’t finish this book. I got to the part where they fall in love (a little more than halfway) and just didn’t have the patience to finish it. There wasn’t much of a story line besides, again, politics and reputation and sex.
Characters: The characters were the strong point in this book. They were very real and well developed immediately, and I enjoyed their dialogue.
Writing: The writing was also very good. It’s very refreshing to read a novel that uses good sentence structure and a wide range of vocabulary. The prose flowed nicely.
Content: There was no language, but some sex in the book. The scenes were pretty outlined and there were a few pages I skipped. Occasionally a man is drunk and says something a bit odd, but other than that there are no major alcohol references.
Recommendation: Ages 16+ (18+ if you’re picky about content) to lovers of historical fiction and romance, and quick easy reads.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Labor Day in Books
May 10, 2018
It's Labor Day weekend and Henry needs new clothes for school. His mother, Adele, rarely leaves the house anymore, since the divorce from Henry's father. They go to the local store and pick out a few things. There they meet Frank, a recently escaped convict. Frank has them take him to their home and stays with them through the long weekend until he can move on.
Henry and Adele aren't really sure what to do, but they do their best not to be too afraid so they can make it through. When Frank turns out to be more than they bargained for, they are in for a lot of surprises. This is a story about love. Love lost, love shared and new love. What happens when love is lost or gone forever.
Joyce Maynard has put together quite a great book. Filled with different kinds of love without being a romance novel. This book teaches you that you can never judge a book by its cover and that the world is full of surprises.
Henry is your typical teenage boy going through all of the strange changes that happens to a boy at 13. His mother has been so shut off from the world since losing her father and a baby, that Henry often has to play the role of husband as well as son. When Frank enters their lives, it's an interesting change for them both. Adele seems to have come out of her depression and Henry has a relationship with a man, that he has been unable to get with his own father.
Together these three bake, dance, and try not to get caught during the long holiday weekend. This is a must read for anyone who is in love with love.
Henry and Adele aren't really sure what to do, but they do their best not to be too afraid so they can make it through. When Frank turns out to be more than they bargained for, they are in for a lot of surprises. This is a story about love. Love lost, love shared and new love. What happens when love is lost or gone forever.
Joyce Maynard has put together quite a great book. Filled with different kinds of love without being a romance novel. This book teaches you that you can never judge a book by its cover and that the world is full of surprises.
Henry is your typical teenage boy going through all of the strange changes that happens to a boy at 13. His mother has been so shut off from the world since losing her father and a baby, that Henry often has to play the role of husband as well as son. When Frank enters their lives, it's an interesting change for them both. Adele seems to have come out of her depression and Henry has a relationship with a man, that he has been unable to get with his own father.
Together these three bake, dance, and try not to get caught during the long holiday weekend. This is a must read for anyone who is in love with love.
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Winter Moon (Walker Papers, #1.5) in Books
Feb 11, 2019
The first story by Mercedes Lackey is meant to take place in her world of the Five Hundred Kingdoms, minus the power of The Tradition to force things a certain way. The only clue the I found that could indicate that this story would fit in the Five Hundred Kingdoms is the presence of the Fool. Other than that, it simply read as a good fantasy plotline, with equal parts romance, intrigue, and adventure. The story wrapped up nicely, with no loose ends, but I would love to read a full novel about the Grey Ladies - not much information is given on this group of women and they certainly have much potential for a good full-length story.
The second story is by Tanith Lee, whom I have never read before now. I rather enjoyed the world development, despite the length she had to work in, and the imagery was both mysterious and beautiful. After I read the story, I went looking online to see if this world fit into any other novels, but I could not find any information on this. Still, I plan to check out more of her work now.
The third story by C. E. Murphy takes place in her Walker Papers series, specifically between the first and second book. Since I have only read the first two books in the series, I thoroughly appreciated how this story filled in a few blanks for me about what is happening in the series. In this story, Joanne learns about her deceased mother, who turns out to be quite a fascinating character. I think I may even prefer her to Joanne. It can't be easy for the author to translate a thick Scottish accent onto paper, either. Now I am anxious to read more of the Walker Papers series.
The second story is by Tanith Lee, whom I have never read before now. I rather enjoyed the world development, despite the length she had to work in, and the imagery was both mysterious and beautiful. After I read the story, I went looking online to see if this world fit into any other novels, but I could not find any information on this. Still, I plan to check out more of her work now.
The third story by C. E. Murphy takes place in her Walker Papers series, specifically between the first and second book. Since I have only read the first two books in the series, I thoroughly appreciated how this story filled in a few blanks for me about what is happening in the series. In this story, Joanne learns about her deceased mother, who turns out to be quite a fascinating character. I think I may even prefer her to Joanne. It can't be easy for the author to translate a thick Scottish accent onto paper, either. Now I am anxious to read more of the Walker Papers series.
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Overbite (Insatiable, #2) in Books
Feb 11, 2019
As a sequel to Insatiable, there were certain things I expected from this book - one of which was Lucien's dark appeal, which seemed to be missing for a large chunk of the book. He brooded and moped and generally felt sorry for himself for his lack of "evilness" while mooning over losing Meena to the Palatine Guard. I also thought that Meena's joining of the Palatine Guard to be an awkward fit, but I understand her motivation - who wouldn't want to get at the secret archives of the Vatican?
Alaric's character grew on me gradually, even though I did not care for him much in the first book. His attraction to Meena is obvious to all but himself, and poor Meena is just confused as she battles with her own feelings between two very different men. I actually found it kind of satisfying that Alaric and Lucien are forced to work together towards the end of the novel.
The significance of the book pictured on the cover is what interested me the most, and I was often frustrated that I could not simply read that little book myself and solve the grand mystery of its power. Always a dramatist, Lucien's reaction to the final revelation is believable, though I found what happened to him to be bit of a cop-out so that Meena would not have to make any difficult decisions.
Some of the most humorous parts were Alaric's interactions with the couple, Mary Lou and Emil, as their very human behavior made it rather difficult for him to treat them as the species he made a living from despising. I also would have liked more development in the romance between Jon and Yelena. Overall, I still enjoyed the book, even though it seemed a bit short, and I hope there is another book to follow.
Alaric's character grew on me gradually, even though I did not care for him much in the first book. His attraction to Meena is obvious to all but himself, and poor Meena is just confused as she battles with her own feelings between two very different men. I actually found it kind of satisfying that Alaric and Lucien are forced to work together towards the end of the novel.
The significance of the book pictured on the cover is what interested me the most, and I was often frustrated that I could not simply read that little book myself and solve the grand mystery of its power. Always a dramatist, Lucien's reaction to the final revelation is believable, though I found what happened to him to be bit of a cop-out so that Meena would not have to make any difficult decisions.
Some of the most humorous parts were Alaric's interactions with the couple, Mary Lou and Emil, as their very human behavior made it rather difficult for him to treat them as the species he made a living from despising. I also would have liked more development in the romance between Jon and Yelena. Overall, I still enjoyed the book, even though it seemed a bit short, and I hope there is another book to follow.