brittmariasbooks's Reviews (1.45k)

I found the characters a bit blank and that they didn't have personalities. This took a lot away from the story for me since I didn't care about the characters that much.

I got over my dislike for the art, however, I just think that the story was okay. I mean I liked it and because I re-read the first volume I saw some nice, but obvious, foreshadowing for the final showdown

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the Androids which just look like our heroes

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But the story felt rushed. There was this plot line with Wolf/Ze'ev where he joined the rogue pack. I just wish that it went a bit deeper since he is very insecure about how he looks. And when he said on page 189 of the hardback that his name is not Wolf but Ze'ev Kesley I was happy because I felt like he might be fed up with the nickname and that that nickname might take back some of his humanity he is so desperate to keep. But afterwards, they just keep calling him Wolf. So that disappointed me a little.

Also, in the final showdown Cinder stabs and kills Steele but the story just glosses over it a bit. They wrap him in a tapestry and then the story ends with a group hug. I am just a little disappointed since I loved the well-thought-out book series of the Lunar Chronicles.

However, I liked to see how Liam Kinney gradually came to understand Iko. It raised some questions which the book tried to answer. Ultimately, the book did not give an answer with "this is right and this is wrong" but I like that. It makes the readers think for themselves.

Reread 2018 3.5 stars
I decided to decrease my rating a little since I was really distracted by the artwork while rereading this. While I liked the landscapes and the colours most of the time, most of the characters looked very similar (example, Cress and Thorne's mother) which just throws me off a bit.
The story is a very nice start of a duology, however. I think it sets up the second book pretty nicely.
Furthermore, the characters are so nicely done. Since I am already familiar with them from the Lunar Chronicles it is just so nice to see them do their daily adventures from cutting tomatoes to fighting bioengineered soldiers from the moon.

***

Final review 4.5 stars
I am just so glad to return to this world. The Rampion crew feels like family. I love Cinder as the Lunar Queen. I love how Scarlet and Wolf (though I wish we would start calling him Ze'ev) are still adorable. Same with Cress and Thorne. And Kai...
Since Iko is the main protagonist I do like some of the scepticism whether an android can and should have 'feelings' or whether it is just programming. Maybe it is just not as black and white as it seems, like most issues we see today.
I really want to see how Iko and Kinney's travels will be. Though right now I would say that Iko deserves better than Liam Kinney but... I am a sucker for romantic tension sooo I will manage.

***

July 23rd, 2016
Just read the sampler and it made me really excited! Not sure if I love the artwork, though. But I'm really curious what Iko is going to do in this duology :)

I really enjoyed it. The love triangle was enjoyable

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although I did not really believe all the love declarations. Pasha's yes, Nikolai's no.

I loved Vika's relationship with her father. I really liked the setting in 19th century Russia.
I wonder how the sequel will be.

In short, I liked the world and the set up. In my opinion, Sophia was a very great main character. The romance was good.

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The stitches scene and the linen room scene <3 The whole ordeal with Spear being jealous I found unnecessary. I liked Sophia's drive to safe her brother. I liked that I really doubted whether or not I could trust Rene.

3.5 stars

I received an e-galley through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Nothing But Sky is a story about Grace Lafferty who is a wing walker aka she literally stands on the wing of a biplane to perform tricks. The book follows her and her team towards the World Expo in 1922 where they want to win the grand prize: a Hollywood contract. With the help of their new mechanic, Henry, The Soaring Eagles begin their journey to Chicago and the World Expo.

This book has some great character development, especially regarding Grace. When we meet her, she is very stubborn and even a bit selfish. However, at the end of the book,

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she recognises her growth and takes into account her team's wishes.

I always love to see some good character development since I want the characters I read about to grow into a better self.

Furthermore, this book has a great family element. The Soaring Eagles are Grace's family and she loves them.

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I loved Grace's relationship with her Uncle Warren. It was flawed but it felt natural since they were kind of forced upon each other.

Furthermore, it is really nice to see male/female friendships in this book. Nathan and Daniel really took up some brotherly roles regarding Grace.

Moreover, this book has some great sexual tension. I personally love that so that was a huge plus for me when reading this book. The foundations for the romance are carefully laid down so there is no insta-love. The romance itself was very nice

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however, from the ending of the book, I gathered that it is only the beginning of Grace and Henry's relationship.

Since this book takes place just a few years after World War I, Amy Trueblood really did well, in my opinion, by portraying what the trenches did to the minds and bodies of the young men who fought in World War I. Henry, Nathan and Daniel all fought in WWI and all still carried those scars after they came home.

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Henry has a few PTSD episodes, and I was glad that the author went there. It is an ugly side of the war but it is what happened.

Overall, the author - as she said in her author's note - really took her time to research the era. This includes the clothing, the language, the mechanics of the planes, the aftermath of WWI, and of course she researched wing walkers and barnstorming. I really appreciate her effort and the time she took to do this. I think it paid off well in her story.

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Finally, I want to talk about the betrayal. Trueblood really did a good job by making Henry the Red Herring. I doubted him many times although I thought he would have his excuses. Since he was new to the team, both the audience and Grace think he is the most likely suspect. Moreover, since Nathan and Grace go way back, both the audience and Grace do not doubt his loyalties. Therefore, the shock is all the higher when the truth comes out. I did not see it coming at all so that makes it, in my opinion, a well-done plot twist.

Fun fact: The narrator is Ward from Agent of SHIELD, Brett Dalton

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I really liked to see Simon's journey. I am sad because of George Lovelace. I like that Simon took over his name but I had rather seen them both share the name as brothers.

5/5 stars relative to the other short stories of Tales of Shadowhunter Academy.

One of the big advantages of having an overarching world Clare keeps coming back to is that you get to tell these kind of short stories which will mean so much more after having invested a lot of time to get to know these characters.

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I love the baby omg. and all the Lightwoods wanting to hold him. Malec is such a lovely couple