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* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
3.5 stars
This sequel to The Vine Witch could nearly have worked as a standalone and was quite different in feel from its predecessor. While Smith still writes scenery well and I was transported to historical Paris, it wasn't as vibrant as it had been in the original. Instead, there appeared to have been a trade to character focus. This worked well to give better rounding in a few of the characters and pulled the story together.
The magic usage, development, and history were perhaps the best pieces and I loved reading bits of spell usage and past magical events. I also really adored the addition of the black cat and found Alexandre's character charming. These were great side characters that really helped to add a little extra wonderful depth to the narrative and just made things feel a bit more cozy.
The Elena storyline seemed to be more of a tell vs. show approach due to the lack of a Jean-Paul storyline. Most of the things for Elena's character and plot were either done in the background or very quickly addressed. However, Yvette's story was told cleverly and well. There was good establishment of a history for her and pieces of the mystery were slowly unfolded in a way that let the reader determine the truth prior to Yvette's discovery.
The pacing was a bit irregular, but the good writing pulled it though and the ending was very well done. There was a good climax, great explanation and wrap up that left the book without a horrible cliffhanger, but still maintained enough mystery to explore in the next book to this series. A good read and I look forward to reading the next book when it is released.
3.5 stars
This sequel to The Vine Witch could nearly have worked as a standalone and was quite different in feel from its predecessor. While Smith still writes scenery well and I was transported to historical Paris, it wasn't as vibrant as it had been in the original. Instead, there appeared to have been a trade to character focus. This worked well to give better rounding in a few of the characters and pulled the story together.
The magic usage, development, and history were perhaps the best pieces and I loved reading bits of spell usage and past magical events. I also really adored the addition of the black cat and found Alexandre's character charming. These were great side characters that really helped to add a little extra wonderful depth to the narrative and just made things feel a bit more cozy.
The Elena storyline seemed to be more of a tell vs. show approach due to the lack of a Jean-Paul storyline. Most of the things for Elena's character and plot were either done in the background or very quickly addressed. However, Yvette's story was told cleverly and well. There was good establishment of a history for her and pieces of the mystery were slowly unfolded in a way that let the reader determine the truth prior to Yvette's discovery.
The pacing was a bit irregular, but the good writing pulled it though and the ending was very well done. There was a good climax, great explanation and wrap up that left the book without a horrible cliffhanger, but still maintained enough mystery to explore in the next book to this series. A good read and I look forward to reading the next book when it is released.
3 1/2 stars.
The Whisper Man was a comfortable and easy read with a bit of creep factor and a little bit of a Silence of the Lambs vibe. I enjoyed the writing style in this book and found the plot to be interesting, but it just didn't have a wow factor for me. I don't know how to explain that. I enjoyed my read and appreciated the detail to the narrative. I did figure out the twist a bit early and it wasn't really groundbreaking, but I mostly enjoyed the journey there.
I think my biggest issue was with the character composition of Jake. I was bothered occasionally by the fact that Jake was described in ways that didn't fit his age. There were actions and thoughts attributed to him that wouldn't be appropriate for a 6-year-old...they were more along the lines of something you would see in a 10-year-old. This would have been fine if he had shown advanced tendencies across the board, but in most situations he still seemed to be age appropriate.
The book did seem to move a bit slowly, but at the same time didn't seem to be that long. I would consider it worth reading, just don't expect to be blown away.
The Whisper Man was a comfortable and easy read with a bit of creep factor and a little bit of a Silence of the Lambs vibe. I enjoyed the writing style in this book and found the plot to be interesting, but it just didn't have a wow factor for me. I don't know how to explain that. I enjoyed my read and appreciated the detail to the narrative. I did figure out the twist a bit early and it wasn't really groundbreaking, but I mostly enjoyed the journey there.
I think my biggest issue was with the character composition of Jake. I was bothered occasionally by the fact that Jake was described in ways that didn't fit his age. There were actions and thoughts attributed to him that wouldn't be appropriate for a 6-year-old...they were more along the lines of something you would see in a 10-year-old. This would have been fine if he had shown advanced tendencies across the board, but in most situations he still seemed to be age appropriate.
The book did seem to move a bit slowly, but at the same time didn't seem to be that long. I would consider it worth reading, just don't expect to be blown away.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
The Court of Miracles is a fantastically dark historical reimagining of Les Miserables. I had a lot of fun with this book and really enjoyed my read. There is fantastic world-building and I loved how this alternate dark Paris came to life. Because of the complicated nature of the world, the characters did get quite numerous and the structure of the court felt overwhelming in some places when the narrative turned to feel like info dumping. However, the writing was excellent and the complexity was something I could appreciate, though it took me a bit longer to understand and there are some places where my comprehension is a bit fuzzy. A reread may be needed at a later date.
The pacing of the book was just near perfect and I loved the action and tension built into the plot. I thought that the character of Nina was well-constructed, though there were bits where her actions didn't quite make sense. Typically, these worked themselves out as the narrative continued. There were also some rough transitions in the time jumps that were mildly disorienting and did require me to stop and realign myself with the story.
A good, quickly paced read that left me definitely wanting to explore this world more. I look forward to being able to read the remaining books in the trilogy.
The Court of Miracles is a fantastically dark historical reimagining of Les Miserables. I had a lot of fun with this book and really enjoyed my read. There is fantastic world-building and I loved how this alternate dark Paris came to life. Because of the complicated nature of the world, the characters did get quite numerous and the structure of the court felt overwhelming in some places when the narrative turned to feel like info dumping. However, the writing was excellent and the complexity was something I could appreciate, though it took me a bit longer to understand and there are some places where my comprehension is a bit fuzzy. A reread may be needed at a later date.
The pacing of the book was just near perfect and I loved the action and tension built into the plot. I thought that the character of Nina was well-constructed, though there were bits where her actions didn't quite make sense. Typically, these worked themselves out as the narrative continued. There were also some rough transitions in the time jumps that were mildly disorienting and did require me to stop and realign myself with the story.
A good, quickly paced read that left me definitely wanting to explore this world more. I look forward to being able to read the remaining books in the trilogy.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
His and Hers is a twisted and super creepy thriller filled with twists and turns and little details that continue to spin the story into a masterful whodunit. Alice Feeney is VERY good at misdirection and kept me guessing until the very end as suspicion kept making the rounds on the characters.
The writing is fantastic, with a change in tone that matched each POV change. The use of voice modulation for the narration of the killer's chapters was a fantastic touch.
I was very quickly sucked into this book and didn't want to put it down. It is quite dark, twisted, and violent, but I still enjoyed the plot and the execution of the story. The intricacies of the narrative were just magnificent.
His and Hers is a twisted and super creepy thriller filled with twists and turns and little details that continue to spin the story into a masterful whodunit. Alice Feeney is VERY good at misdirection and kept me guessing until the very end as suspicion kept making the rounds on the characters.
The writing is fantastic, with a change in tone that matched each POV change. The use of voice modulation for the narration of the killer's chapters was a fantastic touch.
I was very quickly sucked into this book and didn't want to put it down. It is quite dark, twisted, and violent, but I still enjoyed the plot and the execution of the story. The intricacies of the narrative were just magnificent.
3.5 stars.
This is a highly intelligent and witty retelling of the Odyssey from Penelope's point of view. She is an intelligent, quippy, and highly sarcastic woman telling her tale from the underworld following her death. She recounts the tale of her life from a feminine point of view, describing the state of the world through the eyes of a woman. There are dark and brutal examples of the highly mysogynistic patriarchy that Greek women faced during this time. Though Penelope is telling her tale, we are also given an undercurrent of falsehood, as her story does not match that of the twelve maids who were killed by Telemachus following Odysseus's return. It's clear that the story is different depending on who is telling it and that the narrator will always make the story lean in their favor, leaving it difficult to know who to believe. Atwood's manipulation of this tale is fantastic and I adore her writing. She is able to spin such a fantastic tale.
This is a highly intelligent and witty retelling of the Odyssey from Penelope's point of view. She is an intelligent, quippy, and highly sarcastic woman telling her tale from the underworld following her death. She recounts the tale of her life from a feminine point of view, describing the state of the world through the eyes of a woman. There are dark and brutal examples of the highly mysogynistic patriarchy that Greek women faced during this time. Though Penelope is telling her tale, we are also given an undercurrent of falsehood, as her story does not match that of the twelve maids who were killed by Telemachus following Odysseus's return. It's clear that the story is different depending on who is telling it and that the narrator will always make the story lean in their favor, leaving it difficult to know who to believe. Atwood's manipulation of this tale is fantastic and I adore her writing. She is able to spin such a fantastic tale.
This book takes a little while to get going, with a very slowly paced first third. Maddie, Ellis & Hank are all pretty unlikable characters in the beginning, giving off a bit of a Gatsby feel to their lazy and frivolous lifestyle. But...if you stick through this, things start to really get rolling and the story starts to really grow some legs and depth. Maddie does escape her distinction as a spoiled high society socialite and demonstrates some fantastic character growth.
The setting (both time & place) is well-constructed. Sara Gruen's writing is beautiful and flowery without being overly sappy. The time period is captured very well through events, attitudes, and actions throughout.
The final third of the book moves quite briskly and ends with a bang. There are some ambiguities in the plot that build mystery and leave things even more interesting. It's well turned out and though it had some problems, it was well worth the investment to read.
The setting (both time & place) is well-constructed. Sara Gruen's writing is beautiful and flowery without being overly sappy. The time period is captured very well through events, attitudes, and actions throughout.
The final third of the book moves quite briskly and ends with a bang. There are some ambiguities in the plot that build mystery and leave things even more interesting. It's well turned out and though it had some problems, it was well worth the investment to read.
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3.5 Stars.
This was not nearly as endearing as the first in the series. I will still continue to read on, but this installment was definitely lackluster. The plot was slow and fairly uneventful until the last 1/3, save for a couple of Anne antics. The writing itself seemed to have a little less charm and Anne was not as brightly emergent.
This was not nearly as endearing as the first in the series. I will still continue to read on, but this installment was definitely lackluster. The plot was slow and fairly uneventful until the last 1/3, save for a couple of Anne antics. The writing itself seemed to have a little less charm and Anne was not as brightly emergent.
Meh. I struggled with this book. I wanted to like it but it was just boring, jumbled and confusing. It had potential, but there were too many things that went wrong. The first chapter had nothing at all to do with the remainder of the book and could've just been left out entirely. There were sections where it felt like the author went through and replaced every other word using a thesaurus. The wording wasn't easy or smooth, it just felt like someone was working too hard. I was glad when I was done reading it.
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I got this book as a free copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. And I'm always honest about books...
Blackbird was somewhat of a hodgepodge of the YA fantasy genre. I saw a little bit of the Fallen series in here, a bit of The Mortal Instruments & Infernal Devices series. Basically, it was right up my alley.
The plot was fantastic and I really liked the main character. The whole thing is so secretive, you learn as you go. I kind of liked that, but I will admit that it frustrated me a little bit...in a good way. It pushed me to really want to keep reading. The pace was super fast, which I liked, but which was probably what kept me from rating at the full five stars. The pace kind of lent itself to a little bit of confusion. I found that there were a few times when I forgot which secondary character was which.
I really liked this book. But...unfortunately, it's the first in a series, so I managed to shoot myself in the foot again. Now I'm stuck waiting for book two. Drat!
See the full review at Erratic Project Junkie
Blackbird was somewhat of a hodgepodge of the YA fantasy genre. I saw a little bit of the Fallen series in here, a bit of The Mortal Instruments & Infernal Devices series. Basically, it was right up my alley.
The plot was fantastic and I really liked the main character. The whole thing is so secretive, you learn as you go. I kind of liked that, but I will admit that it frustrated me a little bit...in a good way. It pushed me to really want to keep reading. The pace was super fast, which I liked, but which was probably what kept me from rating at the full five stars. The pace kind of lent itself to a little bit of confusion. I found that there were a few times when I forgot which secondary character was which.
I really liked this book. But...unfortunately, it's the first in a series, so I managed to shoot myself in the foot again. Now I'm stuck waiting for book two. Drat!
See the full review at Erratic Project Junkie
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. And I never lie about books...
This book was slightly out of my comfort zone to begin with. I don't read a lot of non-fiction, memoirs are something I just started getting interested in last year. But something drew me to this one. Right off the bat, you can tell that she's an academic. There are a lot of ten dollar words and the narrative comes off somewhat stiff. This also appears to affect the emotional draw (or lack thereof) of the narrative. She seems somewhat disconnected. This made it hard for me to become attached to the book. Though there are bright spots where you can tell that she loves her daughter, overall the book just becomes a list of mundane details with no cohesive movement. I hung in there because of the bright spots. And then...it ended. Just like that. It dropped off. No real conclusion, no big epiphany. No description of her immediate feelings at the loss of her child. In fact, the actual loss of her child is really somewhat avoided. She briefly mentions what happened in the beginning of the book and then touches lightly on it again near the end. That's it. And it just ended. No resolution whatsoever. It was like a slap in the face. No reward whatsoever for persevering. Ugh.
This book was slightly out of my comfort zone to begin with. I don't read a lot of non-fiction, memoirs are something I just started getting interested in last year. But something drew me to this one. Right off the bat, you can tell that she's an academic. There are a lot of ten dollar words and the narrative comes off somewhat stiff. This also appears to affect the emotional draw (or lack thereof) of the narrative. She seems somewhat disconnected. This made it hard for me to become attached to the book. Though there are bright spots where you can tell that she loves her daughter, overall the book just becomes a list of mundane details with no cohesive movement. I hung in there because of the bright spots. And then...it ended. Just like that. It dropped off. No real conclusion, no big epiphany. No description of her immediate feelings at the loss of her child. In fact, the actual loss of her child is really somewhat avoided. She briefly mentions what happened in the beginning of the book and then touches lightly on it again near the end. That's it. And it just ended. No resolution whatsoever. It was like a slap in the face. No reward whatsoever for persevering. Ugh.