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ambeesbookishpages
The full review can be found at The Book Bratz
I first read Asylum long before my blogging days and I really did love it. At the time I never read anything like it. I had found it scary, and thrilling and I devoured it in a few hours. It was everything I loved in a book. Since 2013 my tastes in books has changed. I did enjoy Asylum, but I didn't love it like I had originally. I did like the characters, Dan was awkward and geeky, Abby was the pretty social butterfly and Jordan was the whiny friend. They were interesting on the aspects of their connections to Brookline (The old Asylum) For Abby's sake, I wish they would have gone into more detail about Lucy's story. I was interested a lot in that. There were things left on answered on that end. Dan learns he is related to Daniel Crawford, the warden to the asylum who did sick experiments on the patients. We were given more information about the warden and who he was. But there are so many things left unanswered. It was main;y the unanswered questions that bought my rating down as much as it did.
I first read Asylum long before my blogging days and I really did love it. At the time I never read anything like it. I had found it scary, and thrilling and I devoured it in a few hours. It was everything I loved in a book. Since 2013 my tastes in books has changed. I did enjoy Asylum, but I didn't love it like I had originally. I did like the characters, Dan was awkward and geeky, Abby was the pretty social butterfly and Jordan was the whiny friend. They were interesting on the aspects of their connections to Brookline (The old Asylum) For Abby's sake, I wish they would have gone into more detail about Lucy's story. I was interested a lot in that. There were things left on answered on that end. Dan learns he is related to Daniel Crawford, the warden to the asylum who did sick experiments on the patients. We were given more information about the warden and who he was. But there are so many things left unanswered. It was main;y the unanswered questions that bought my rating down as much as it did.
The full review can be found at The Book Bratz
I liked Sanctum a whole lot more then I did Asylum. Dan is craving answers to what happened last summer, and when they start receiving weird pictures in the mail and then a message from Felix they decide it is time to go back to Brookline and figure this all out once and for all. My biggest problem with Sanctum? Sometimes the pictures had NOTHING to do with what was going on in the story, they were cool to look at an all both they made no difference to the plot at all. Most of the unanswered questions I was left with in Asylum are answered in Sanctum and they weren't what I was expecting at all. Madeleine did an awesome job of executing The Scarlets and their mission. I did figure out early on that their leader was involved but not to this extent. One last thing: The romance is frustrating. It is there but it isn't. It is almost like the author wanted Dan and Abby to be together but didn't know how. So frustrating.
I liked Sanctum a whole lot more then I did Asylum. Dan is craving answers to what happened last summer, and when they start receiving weird pictures in the mail and then a message from Felix they decide it is time to go back to Brookline and figure this all out once and for all. My biggest problem with Sanctum? Sometimes the pictures had NOTHING to do with what was going on in the story, they were cool to look at an all both they made no difference to the plot at all. Most of the unanswered questions I was left with in Asylum are answered in Sanctum and they weren't what I was expecting at all. Madeleine did an awesome job of executing The Scarlets and their mission. I did figure out early on that their leader was involved but not to this extent. One last thing: The romance is frustrating. It is there but it isn't. It is almost like the author wanted Dan and Abby to be together but didn't know how. So frustrating.
FULL REVIEW COMING CLOSER TO RELEASE DATE!
This series should have really been a duology. Catacomb was not needed. It could probably end up being read as a standalone in my opinion. Catacomb had and awesome idea, but it was dull and didn't keep me interested at all. The other book sin this series I read in a few hours and this one I kept taking breaks to do other things. It lagged A LOT. The only thing I liked is we learned more about Dan's parents and their relation to the things that went on at Brookline. The romance STILL wasn't clarified in this book. I am beginning to think that Dan has no social skills at all. As the same with Sanctum, half the times the book and the pictures didn't match up. They were nice to look at but had no purpose.
This series should have really been a duology. Catacomb was not needed. It could probably end up being read as a standalone in my opinion. Catacomb had and awesome idea, but it was dull and didn't keep me interested at all. The other book sin this series I read in a few hours and this one I kept taking breaks to do other things. It lagged A LOT. The only thing I liked is we learned more about Dan's parents and their relation to the things that went on at Brookline. The romance STILL wasn't clarified in this book. I am beginning to think that Dan has no social skills at all. As the same with Sanctum, half the times the book and the pictures didn't match up. They were nice to look at but had no purpose.
The full review can be found at The Book Bratz
I am not quite sure were to start with this review. Abbi Glines has been one of my go-to authors for a while now and she never fails to disappoint. Abbi's latest YA series is filled with heartbreak, love and family set in the West.
Two years ago Maggie witnessed the unbelievable. She watched her mother be murdered by her father. Shortly after she stopped talking. Maggie doesn't want to relive the pain of telling her story over and over, and if she doesn't talk no one would ask her. West's father is dying of cancer, he is barley holding it together and he is angry. Both Maggie and West who are harboring painful secrets find their way too each other, and both know how wrong their attraction is but know that they need each other. For West Maggie is someone to trust, who listens to him and doesn't judge. For Maggie it gives her hope.
Until Friday Night is told in alternating point of views, both equally enjoyable. Maggie is quiet and observant, a quality that enables her to see beneath people's exterior to how they really feel. She easily saw through West, something that not even his football buddies was able to see through. Maggie's silence doesn't discount her kindness towards people, even people who treat her horribly. West? He is literally the opposite of Maggie. He is loud, obnoxious, vulgar, and especially crude towards girls. West used girls as a distraction of pain. Even while he was becoming closer to Maggie, he had a girl he was using by his side. Obviously he was a character I typically wouldn't have liked, but there was just something about him that I had hope for. I loved seeing how he went from a complete asshole, to someone Maggie could rely on.
I enjoyed the romance, though I wish it wasn't the "Wow, I will never be good enough for her." or "He doesn't want a girl like me." Kind of thing. It also made things complicated when West was fooling around with other girls. Though eventually we get to watch them fall in love, giving something to the other that they need to make it through the days.
Overall, I really loved Until Friday Night. The only problem is that I am use to Abbi's New Adult novels and expected this one to be steamy. So I was slightly disappointed in that aspect, though it didn't take away from the enjoyment of the story for me. I am really looking forward to the next book in The Field Party series.
I am not quite sure were to start with this review. Abbi Glines has been one of my go-to authors for a while now and she never fails to disappoint. Abbi's latest YA series is filled with heartbreak, love and family set in the West.
Two years ago Maggie witnessed the unbelievable. She watched her mother be murdered by her father. Shortly after she stopped talking. Maggie doesn't want to relive the pain of telling her story over and over, and if she doesn't talk no one would ask her. West's father is dying of cancer, he is barley holding it together and he is angry. Both Maggie and West who are harboring painful secrets find their way too each other, and both know how wrong their attraction is but know that they need each other. For West Maggie is someone to trust, who listens to him and doesn't judge. For Maggie it gives her hope.
Until Friday Night is told in alternating point of views, both equally enjoyable. Maggie is quiet and observant, a quality that enables her to see beneath people's exterior to how they really feel. She easily saw through West, something that not even his football buddies was able to see through. Maggie's silence doesn't discount her kindness towards people, even people who treat her horribly. West? He is literally the opposite of Maggie. He is loud, obnoxious, vulgar, and especially crude towards girls. West used girls as a distraction of pain. Even while he was becoming closer to Maggie, he had a girl he was using by his side. Obviously he was a character I typically wouldn't have liked, but there was just something about him that I had hope for. I loved seeing how he went from a complete asshole, to someone Maggie could rely on.
I enjoyed the romance, though I wish it wasn't the "Wow, I will never be good enough for her." or "He doesn't want a girl like me." Kind of thing. It also made things complicated when West was fooling around with other girls. Though eventually we get to watch them fall in love, giving something to the other that they need to make it through the days.
Overall, I really loved Until Friday Night. The only problem is that I am use to Abbi's New Adult novels and expected this one to be steamy. So I was slightly disappointed in that aspect, though it didn't take away from the enjoyment of the story for me. I am really looking forward to the next book in The Field Party series.
I made it further then I thought I would. I have several big issues with this one.
DNF @ 22%
DNF @ 22%
The full review can be found at The Book Bratz
Steampunk Frankenstein. That was it for me to be like "Huh, this is something that seems good." This book was absolutely amazing. The story is set in 1818 Geneva, men can now live with clockwork parts and the people who help build them are called Shadow Boys. That's what Alasdair and his brother Oliver are. Two years ago after Oliver's death, Alasdair wracked with grief bought Oliver back from the dead using clockwork parts and Dr. Geisler's journals. Now, Oliver looks like a "monster" enough that Alsdair can no longer look him in the eye. After the publication of Frankenstein the city is in hysterics, the police are tightening control and Alasdair is forced the flee from his home and into the refuge of Geisler, who will do anything to get his hands on the miracle that he calls Oliver.
Alasdair: I really did like his character. His is the main protagonist and bought Oliver back from the dead. He is a talented Shadow boy and worked beneath his father for years. As the story goes on we learn more about Alasdair, and his grief, desperation, and horror of what his brother has now become.
Oliver: When the people start a revolt Oliver becomes Frankenstein to them. He is the clockwork man. He is no longer the boy that you see in Alaasdair's flashbacks, you can see that when he came back that something didn't fall into place properly.
Mary: Long story short? She is literally the cause of most of the problems. Frankenstein is written anonymously, but as the reader it is easy to figure out that Mary was the one to write it. No matter how she defended herself she betrayed Alasdair and Oliver both. The little bit in the end where she tried to redeem herself made me laugh. She is a coward.
Clemence: She is my favorite character, also a Clockwork man (or woman I should say) who was saved by Geisler and now practically his slave in order to work the price of him saving her life, saves and then befriends Alasdair. I wanted to know so much more about her! She reveals to Alasdair when they are talking about their first kiss that her first kiss wasn't with a boy but another girl. I wish that Mackenzi had touched upon that more. But all in all, she is by far my favorite character!
The plot and the world building in This Monstrous Thing was beautiful. It was easy to picture the time period and everything that was going on. I wish in the ending that we go a little more closure about certain things but for the most part it all wrapped up nicely and left me content enough to know that good things would probably be coming for some people and bad things for others.
Steampunk Frankenstein. That was it for me to be like "Huh, this is something that seems good." This book was absolutely amazing. The story is set in 1818 Geneva, men can now live with clockwork parts and the people who help build them are called Shadow Boys. That's what Alasdair and his brother Oliver are. Two years ago after Oliver's death, Alasdair wracked with grief bought Oliver back from the dead using clockwork parts and Dr. Geisler's journals. Now, Oliver looks like a "monster" enough that Alsdair can no longer look him in the eye. After the publication of Frankenstein the city is in hysterics, the police are tightening control and Alasdair is forced the flee from his home and into the refuge of Geisler, who will do anything to get his hands on the miracle that he calls Oliver.
Alasdair: I really did like his character. His is the main protagonist and bought Oliver back from the dead. He is a talented Shadow boy and worked beneath his father for years. As the story goes on we learn more about Alasdair, and his grief, desperation, and horror of what his brother has now become.
Oliver: When the people start a revolt Oliver becomes Frankenstein to them. He is the clockwork man. He is no longer the boy that you see in Alaasdair's flashbacks, you can see that when he came back that something didn't fall into place properly.
Mary: Long story short? She is literally the cause of most of the problems. Frankenstein is written anonymously, but as the reader it is easy to figure out that Mary was the one to write it. No matter how she defended herself she betrayed Alasdair and Oliver both. The little bit in the end where she tried to redeem herself made me laugh. She is a coward.
Clemence: She is my favorite character, also a Clockwork man (or woman I should say) who was saved by Geisler and now practically his slave in order to work the price of him saving her life, saves and then befriends Alasdair. I wanted to know so much more about her! She reveals to Alasdair when they are talking about their first kiss that her first kiss wasn't with a boy but another girl. I wish that Mackenzi had touched upon that more. But all in all, she is by far my favorite character!
The plot and the world building in This Monstrous Thing was beautiful. It was easy to picture the time period and everything that was going on. I wish in the ending that we go a little more closure about certain things but for the most part it all wrapped up nicely and left me content enough to know that good things would probably be coming for some people and bad things for others.
The full review can be found at The Book Bratz
NOTE: This review contains spoilers
I just want to note that reading this book with the knowledge that an actor helped write it affects my views on it at all. Though I do like Peter Facinelli. This book was good, it wasn't amazing and it isn't something I will rave about, it was good.
Hundreds of years ago something called the Red Rain whipped out 50 million people on earth. Now, earth is in ruins. Animals are extinct, there is virtually no plant life and food is made synthetically in a lab. One day while scavenging Deedra spots a beautiful boy across the river, and when he tires half way across she helps him. They soon go their separate ways. Deedra works for the Magistrate under a strict set of rules and never questions them. But when an incident with the Magistrate's son occurs and then he wounds up dead Deedra questions many things, including her friendship with Rose. The boy she helped across the lake.
I don't know where to begin. Do I talk about Rose, and him being a plant? Do I talk about the fact that Deedra falls in love with a plant? I LOVE what the authors were going with. The planet is dying, humans destroyed it. So now their hope is in a boy that is part plant. It is actually a cool idea. I wish that the book focused more on Rose, how he came to be, and exactly what he was, then how it focused on Deedra getting him out of prison for the murder of the Magistrate's son. I see that the questions are left off for another book, but in all honesty, I wasn't impressed with this one and I am not all that eager to read book two when it comes out.
This book wasn't a total bust though. There is a reason I rated it two stars. The idea is original and interesting and the romance was awkward at moments but it wasn't instant, it developed faster then I prefer but it was no where near instalove. This one just wasn't for me. I get frustrated when I think about this book for the fact that not much is answered, a great plot and romance only gets a book so far. Maybe I will be on the look out for book two when it comes out. We'll see.
NOTE: This review contains spoilers
I just want to note that reading this book with the knowledge that an actor helped write it affects my views on it at all. Though I do like Peter Facinelli. This book was good, it wasn't amazing and it isn't something I will rave about, it was good.
Hundreds of years ago something called the Red Rain whipped out 50 million people on earth. Now, earth is in ruins. Animals are extinct, there is virtually no plant life and food is made synthetically in a lab. One day while scavenging Deedra spots a beautiful boy across the river, and when he tires half way across she helps him. They soon go their separate ways. Deedra works for the Magistrate under a strict set of rules and never questions them. But when an incident with the Magistrate's son occurs and then he wounds up dead Deedra questions many things, including her friendship with Rose. The boy she helped across the lake.
I don't know where to begin. Do I talk about Rose, and him being a plant? Do I talk about the fact that Deedra falls in love with a plant? I LOVE what the authors were going with. The planet is dying, humans destroyed it. So now their hope is in a boy that is part plant. It is actually a cool idea. I wish that the book focused more on Rose, how he came to be, and exactly what he was, then how it focused on Deedra getting him out of prison for the murder of the Magistrate's son. I see that the questions are left off for another book, but in all honesty, I wasn't impressed with this one and I am not all that eager to read book two when it comes out.
This book wasn't a total bust though. There is a reason I rated it two stars. The idea is original and interesting and the romance was awkward at moments but it wasn't instant, it developed faster then I prefer but it was no where near instalove. This one just wasn't for me. I get frustrated when I think about this book for the fact that not much is answered, a great plot and romance only gets a book so far. Maybe I will be on the look out for book two when it comes out. We'll see.