Search
Search results
Merissa (13628 KP) rated Warriors (The Reverians #3) in Books
Jun 8, 2023
Right then, I'm doing to try my hardest not to give out any spoilers, but there are some things that have happened in previous books, so I really hope you've read them!!!
First of all, this book brings to a close The Reverians series, and it does it in style! This is a thrilling and action-packed finale, full of emotion.
This series is the first thing that I have read by Sarah Noffke, but it certainly won't be the last. She has captivated me with her writing style. She writes believable characters complete with flaws that you can identify with and you will solidly get behind them, encouraging them in whatever it is they are doing. Of course, she will also rip out your heart, tear it to shreds and then stomp on it, just for fun! And then, once she's done that, she will give you hope until you feel your heart start beating again.
After the ending of book 2, I was devastated. It's as simple as that. I spent the last how long of the book f'ugly crying! Trust me, that was a situation I did not want to repeat! However, she wasn't going to let me off easily. There is more than one situation in Warriors that had me crying. There is a storyline that runs through the books with Rogue, Em, and Zack, that finally runs its course. The best bit is I can't imagine it any other way. It was at once completely obvious and at the same time, left you hanging with would it/wouldn't it be happening.
I started this series simply because the synopsis intrigued me. By taking a chance on an unknown author (to me), I've found a superb series that I have thoroughly enjoyed. I have no hesitation in highly recommending this book and this series. Go on, take a chance on a new author yourself!!!
* 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 9, 2016
First of all, this book brings to a close The Reverians series, and it does it in style! This is a thrilling and action-packed finale, full of emotion.
This series is the first thing that I have read by Sarah Noffke, but it certainly won't be the last. She has captivated me with her writing style. She writes believable characters complete with flaws that you can identify with and you will solidly get behind them, encouraging them in whatever it is they are doing. Of course, she will also rip out your heart, tear it to shreds and then stomp on it, just for fun! And then, once she's done that, she will give you hope until you feel your heart start beating again.
After the ending of book 2, I was devastated. It's as simple as that. I spent the last how long of the book f'ugly crying! Trust me, that was a situation I did not want to repeat! However, she wasn't going to let me off easily. There is more than one situation in Warriors that had me crying. There is a storyline that runs through the books with Rogue, Em, and Zack, that finally runs its course. The best bit is I can't imagine it any other way. It was at once completely obvious and at the same time, left you hanging with would it/wouldn't it be happening.
I started this series simply because the synopsis intrigued me. By taking a chance on an unknown author (to me), I've found a superb series that I have thoroughly enjoyed. I have no hesitation in highly recommending this book and this series. Go on, take a chance on a new author yourself!!!
* 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 9, 2016
Ross (3284 KP) rated Nightblade's Vengeance in Books
Oct 10, 2017
*** I received a free advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ***
This summer I read the first Nightblade trilogy: I loved the first one (the world-building, the three different stories running in parallel and occasionally crossing over), enjoyed the second one (character development was the focus plus setting up the conflict in the conclusion) and tolerated the final book (largely a repeat of the same plot as the first two plus a number of loose ends left un-tied).
Given how I fell out of love with the series as it went on, I was a little tentative about reading this, the first in a new trilogy following on from the events of the first. I have to say it was very poor.
Pretty much nothing happens throughout the book, the sole focus is on political manoeuvring and the nightblades have become a shadow of what they were to be at the end of the first series.
The king is dying and has no heir, so one of three lords looks likely to be chosen to take the throne (or decide to take it). There is some unrest within the populace of the Kingdom towards nightblades (ninja-like warriors with a spidey-sense warning them of danger and allowing them to sense each other) - rumours are spreading that nightblades are demanding unreasonable payment for protection and are harming those they are supposed to be serving. And a particularly weak nightblade, the daughter of a dayblade (whose powers are used to heal rather than in combat) killed in service, by a mysterious warrior who subsequently vanished, is looking for vengeance (hence the title).
And that is pretty much it. The plot is very basic, the narrative takes an absolute age to cover what few events are happening and the vocabulary is pretty limited (I think at one point within three paragraphs about 6 things were said to have happened "in a moment" or "for a moment").
Twice in the book the phrase "to cut a long, boring story short" was used and I can't help but think Kirk was referring to what he himself should do.
I wasn't sure after ending the nightblade trilogy whether I would return to the world of the nightblades. Now I am certain I won't.
This summer I read the first Nightblade trilogy: I loved the first one (the world-building, the three different stories running in parallel and occasionally crossing over), enjoyed the second one (character development was the focus plus setting up the conflict in the conclusion) and tolerated the final book (largely a repeat of the same plot as the first two plus a number of loose ends left un-tied).
Given how I fell out of love with the series as it went on, I was a little tentative about reading this, the first in a new trilogy following on from the events of the first. I have to say it was very poor.
Pretty much nothing happens throughout the book, the sole focus is on political manoeuvring and the nightblades have become a shadow of what they were to be at the end of the first series.
The king is dying and has no heir, so one of three lords looks likely to be chosen to take the throne (or decide to take it). There is some unrest within the populace of the Kingdom towards nightblades (ninja-like warriors with a spidey-sense warning them of danger and allowing them to sense each other) - rumours are spreading that nightblades are demanding unreasonable payment for protection and are harming those they are supposed to be serving. And a particularly weak nightblade, the daughter of a dayblade (whose powers are used to heal rather than in combat) killed in service, by a mysterious warrior who subsequently vanished, is looking for vengeance (hence the title).
And that is pretty much it. The plot is very basic, the narrative takes an absolute age to cover what few events are happening and the vocabulary is pretty limited (I think at one point within three paragraphs about 6 things were said to have happened "in a moment" or "for a moment").
Twice in the book the phrase "to cut a long, boring story short" was used and I can't help but think Kirk was referring to what he himself should do.
I wasn't sure after ending the nightblade trilogy whether I would return to the world of the nightblades. Now I am certain I won't.
Amy Christmas (171 KP) rated Half the World in Books
Dec 20, 2017 (Updated Dec 22, 2017)
Amazing character development (2 more)
Fast paced scenes along with slow scenes
Writing style is easy to follow
Starting is slow to get in to (1 more)
Spelling and grammatical mistakes
An unexpectedly good middle book
In the second book following from Half a King we follow two new characters, Thorn and Brand. Thorn is a girl in a man's world fighting in the ring with the desire to become a gettland warrior, while Brand is a man who despite fighting in the ring hesitates and only wants to do 'good'.
In the first few chapters we learn that Thorn is disliked for her desire to fight and Master Hunnan, their trainer, sets 3 men on her at once for her warriors test. Thorn is beaten down by the men until she accidentally kills one of them. Named a murderer and shamed she's taken to the king and sentenced to death.
Meanwhile Brand while disliking Thorn doesn't want her to be punished due to the unfairness of the situation. Then we get our first look at Yarvi as Brand confesses the true situation and asks him to save Thorn.
At first Yarvi comes off as a cold closed and cunning man but we soon learn that he is the same old Yarvi just with a few more tricks.
Following these events Thorn and Brand find themselves on Yarvi's ship as he sails out to find allies against The High King who angers at Gettland not bending their knee to him. Skifr a warrior trains Thorn in battle until Thorn is as deadly as a knives edge.
We meet king Fynn of Throvenland and sail up the divine and denied and carry a ship over the fall hauls to arrive at the first city. Here we meet the new empress of the South and find that they too have political disturbances leading to death and chaos.
Through this journey we find Brand is a good but uncertain man and Thorn is bold, and deadly yet broken and Yarvi doesn't keep to all of his oaths.
This is a fantastic follow on from the first book as the new characters are well developed as well as the world itself. As the stake rise and allies are found I can't wait to read the third book to finish this story off.
In the first few chapters we learn that Thorn is disliked for her desire to fight and Master Hunnan, their trainer, sets 3 men on her at once for her warriors test. Thorn is beaten down by the men until she accidentally kills one of them. Named a murderer and shamed she's taken to the king and sentenced to death.
Meanwhile Brand while disliking Thorn doesn't want her to be punished due to the unfairness of the situation. Then we get our first look at Yarvi as Brand confesses the true situation and asks him to save Thorn.
At first Yarvi comes off as a cold closed and cunning man but we soon learn that he is the same old Yarvi just with a few more tricks.
Following these events Thorn and Brand find themselves on Yarvi's ship as he sails out to find allies against The High King who angers at Gettland not bending their knee to him. Skifr a warrior trains Thorn in battle until Thorn is as deadly as a knives edge.
We meet king Fynn of Throvenland and sail up the divine and denied and carry a ship over the fall hauls to arrive at the first city. Here we meet the new empress of the South and find that they too have political disturbances leading to death and chaos.
Through this journey we find Brand is a good but uncertain man and Thorn is bold, and deadly yet broken and Yarvi doesn't keep to all of his oaths.
This is a fantastic follow on from the first book as the new characters are well developed as well as the world itself. As the stake rise and allies are found I can't wait to read the third book to finish this story off.
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated Captive Trail (Texas Trails, #2) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
An escaped Comanche captive looking for her true family. An Ursaline mission run by the Sisters who nurse and protect Taabe Waipu. A stagecoach driver who will stop at nothing to reunite Taabe with her family. And a band of Comanche warriors who want their prisoner back.
The second book in the Morgan Family Series takes place about 12 years after the first book Lone Star Trail, and it does stand alone if you choose not to read the first book. Beginning in 1857, we follow the story Taabe Waipu in her journey to discovering her true identity. She has been with the Comanche for so long that she has forgotten almost everything, even English, except for the fact that she does not belong with the Comanche. She finds a safe haven with the Nuns at the mission and a friend in Ned Bright, the stagecoach driver. As her affections for Ned grow, so does her doubt. Will he accept her once he knows the secrets of her past? As time progresses, Taabe relearns English and can communicate more about who she is and inquires are sent from families in Texas that have lost children to the Indians. Will she ever find her family? Will she be protected from her captors, or will they find her and force her return?
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Captive Trail. The “Old West” is one of my favorite time periods to read. I was skeptical at first because each book in this series is written by a different author. But because it stands alone, there were no real comparisons to make regarding changes in characters. Susan Page Davis (www.susanpagedavis.com) does an excellent job of continuing the story of the Morgan family. This book was a pretty laid back easy read. The first 18 chapters (there are 24 chapter in all) were mostly building to the climax, that I knew was coming, but wasn’t sure how it would all come about. But it wasn’t boring. We learn a lot about Taabe’s character and learn more about her life with the Comanche and the heartache and sorrow she had to endure as their captive. I highly recommend this book for a quick read if you enjoy learning about the perils and danger of life in the time of Cowboys and Indians.
I received a free copy of Captive Trail from Moody Publishers in exchange for my honest review.
The second book in the Morgan Family Series takes place about 12 years after the first book Lone Star Trail, and it does stand alone if you choose not to read the first book. Beginning in 1857, we follow the story Taabe Waipu in her journey to discovering her true identity. She has been with the Comanche for so long that she has forgotten almost everything, even English, except for the fact that she does not belong with the Comanche. She finds a safe haven with the Nuns at the mission and a friend in Ned Bright, the stagecoach driver. As her affections for Ned grow, so does her doubt. Will he accept her once he knows the secrets of her past? As time progresses, Taabe relearns English and can communicate more about who she is and inquires are sent from families in Texas that have lost children to the Indians. Will she ever find her family? Will she be protected from her captors, or will they find her and force her return?
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Captive Trail. The “Old West” is one of my favorite time periods to read. I was skeptical at first because each book in this series is written by a different author. But because it stands alone, there were no real comparisons to make regarding changes in characters. Susan Page Davis (www.susanpagedavis.com) does an excellent job of continuing the story of the Morgan family. This book was a pretty laid back easy read. The first 18 chapters (there are 24 chapter in all) were mostly building to the climax, that I knew was coming, but wasn’t sure how it would all come about. But it wasn’t boring. We learn a lot about Taabe’s character and learn more about her life with the Comanche and the heartache and sorrow she had to endure as their captive. I highly recommend this book for a quick read if you enjoy learning about the perils and danger of life in the time of Cowboys and Indians.
I received a free copy of Captive Trail from Moody Publishers in exchange for my honest review.
Golden Axe Classic
Games, Entertainment and Stickers
App
Cast earth-shattering spells and smash Death Adder’s armies in SEGA’s fantasy classic – Golden...
The Duellists: Pepe, Jose and the Birth of Football's Greatest Rivalry
Book
In April 2011, Barcelona and Real Madrid faced each other four times in just 18 days: twice in the...
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Baki in TV
Jul 7, 2020
Ridiculously Crazy Yet Insanely Hardcore
Baki is the third season of an anime series based on manga series titled Grappled Baki or Baki The Grappled. It is directed by Toshiki Hirano, written by Tatsuhiko Urahata and produced by Kei Watahiki, Yuki Yokoi, and Executive Producer Tetsu Kohima. Baki is made by TMS Entertainment and licensed by Netflix.
Baki is anything but a normal teenage high school student. After becoming one of the greatest martial artists in the world by winning a legendary underground fighting tournament, Baki continues to train with intense focus to become strong enough to surpass his father, Yujiro Hanma, the strongest fighter in the world. He is warned by Mitsunari Tokugawa, ruler of the underground fight arena, that five of the world's most dangerous, violent and brutal death row inmates have escaped and they are all converging on Tokyo. Their unmatched skill and strength have made them bored and their objective is to taste defeat. Tokugawa warns Baki that they are seeking him in hopes of being overwhelmed and utterly crushed. Other underground martial art warriors gather to fight by Baki's side after being summoned by Tokugawa.
This anime is pretty freaking crazy. Whether it's the ridiculous amount of muscles the characters have or the amount of damage they can handle, this anime is over the top. From the beginning they hype up these individuals with the stories of why they're in prison and the impossible ways that they escape. But when they start fighting it really picks up. This series was a guilty pleasure of mine for a bit, I totally binge watched the first season and eagerly awaited the second. That being said it is far from perfect. There is a lot of talking sometimes (a bit too much exposition) and waiting for action but when it happens it rarely disappoints. I mean the fight scenes are really graphic with blood, broken bones, teeth breaking, eye stabbing etc. I really hate that it has CGI at all but it's far and in between. At first I didn't like the art style at all but it kinda grew on me. Also to me the second season didn't live up to the hype of the first one but that's just my opinion. If you're looking for straight up action then this is the anime you're looking for. I give it a 7/10.
Baki is anything but a normal teenage high school student. After becoming one of the greatest martial artists in the world by winning a legendary underground fighting tournament, Baki continues to train with intense focus to become strong enough to surpass his father, Yujiro Hanma, the strongest fighter in the world. He is warned by Mitsunari Tokugawa, ruler of the underground fight arena, that five of the world's most dangerous, violent and brutal death row inmates have escaped and they are all converging on Tokyo. Their unmatched skill and strength have made them bored and their objective is to taste defeat. Tokugawa warns Baki that they are seeking him in hopes of being overwhelmed and utterly crushed. Other underground martial art warriors gather to fight by Baki's side after being summoned by Tokugawa.
This anime is pretty freaking crazy. Whether it's the ridiculous amount of muscles the characters have or the amount of damage they can handle, this anime is over the top. From the beginning they hype up these individuals with the stories of why they're in prison and the impossible ways that they escape. But when they start fighting it really picks up. This series was a guilty pleasure of mine for a bit, I totally binge watched the first season and eagerly awaited the second. That being said it is far from perfect. There is a lot of talking sometimes (a bit too much exposition) and waiting for action but when it happens it rarely disappoints. I mean the fight scenes are really graphic with blood, broken bones, teeth breaking, eye stabbing etc. I really hate that it has CGI at all but it's far and in between. At first I didn't like the art style at all but it kinda grew on me. Also to me the second season didn't live up to the hype of the first one but that's just my opinion. If you're looking for straight up action then this is the anime you're looking for. I give it a 7/10.
Ecclesiastical Knights: The Military Orders in Castile, 1150-1330
Book
"Warrior monks"-the misnomer for the Iberian military orders that emerged on the frontiers of Europe...
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated The Darkest Torment (Lords of the Underworld #12) in Books
Jan 6, 2021
I wasn't expecting Baden's story to be next. I assumed it would be William, the Ever Randy, or Cameo with Lazarus since both of their stories have been progressing in the background of previous books. So I'll admit my interest wasn't all that captured by his story. I started this some time in June and picked it back up after a lengthy break in September.
If I remember correctly this starts with Baden in a bad mood, not knowing how to cope with the new beats inside him and needing a way to relax so William hires some female company for the night. Only they are assassins sent to kill him and he finds himself in the middle of a war between Lucifer and Hades. As one of Hades' assassins, thanks to the wreaths, he now finds himself - along with Pandora - on missions to earn points to see which of them will be given their life back. One mission takes him back to Budapest and straight into the middle of a wedding ceremony between his target and Katarina, who is being forced into the marriage to save her loved ones.
As mentioned above, I wasn't really craving this book when I realised it was Baden's story and not one of the others but after the month break reading other things, I have to say that I quickly got sucked back into the story. I grew to like Baden a lot. He got good at dealing with all the crap that Hades threw at and asked of him. Katarina was a little harder for me to like. She did kind of treat him like she would her dogs but I do get that the beast that occasionally took over Baden was rather animal like.
I loved seeing this group of friends and warriors again. They're an eclectic bunch but will protect each other to their deaths.
This one has set us up for Gilly and Puck's story - a way out of left field decision from the author after making us want Gilly and William for the past ten books or so. And also Cameo and Lazarus which has been brewing since the previous book - and coincidentally the next in the series.
P.S. I loved the reference to Immortals After Dark by Kresley Cole. Keeley, I love that series, too!
If I remember correctly this starts with Baden in a bad mood, not knowing how to cope with the new beats inside him and needing a way to relax so William hires some female company for the night. Only they are assassins sent to kill him and he finds himself in the middle of a war between Lucifer and Hades. As one of Hades' assassins, thanks to the wreaths, he now finds himself - along with Pandora - on missions to earn points to see which of them will be given their life back. One mission takes him back to Budapest and straight into the middle of a wedding ceremony between his target and Katarina, who is being forced into the marriage to save her loved ones.
As mentioned above, I wasn't really craving this book when I realised it was Baden's story and not one of the others but after the month break reading other things, I have to say that I quickly got sucked back into the story. I grew to like Baden a lot. He got good at dealing with all the crap that Hades threw at and asked of him. Katarina was a little harder for me to like. She did kind of treat him like she would her dogs but I do get that the beast that occasionally took over Baden was rather animal like.
I loved seeing this group of friends and warriors again. They're an eclectic bunch but will protect each other to their deaths.
This one has set us up for Gilly and Puck's story - a way out of left field decision from the author after making us want Gilly and William for the past ten books or so. And also Cameo and Lazarus which has been brewing since the previous book - and coincidentally the next in the series.
P.S. I loved the reference to Immortals After Dark by Kresley Cole. Keeley, I love that series, too!
Sword of Shadows
Games
App
In the latest version of Sword of Shadows, Siege Warfare, players can participate in the most...