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ericarobyn
This was another miss for me...
Around page 100, I thought about adding it to my DNF list. I should have. This is another book that I pushed through because of all the raving reviews, just to be annoyed that I've pushed through a book I didn't care about yet again.
I could go more in depth about all my issues with this book, but I will leave it at this for a short summary: A slow and boring start. I was never "hooked" into the story at all. I felt that the plot was predictable (seriously myself and my book buddy both called it early on). Following along to the storyline itself was confusing at times because of the organization. I only cared about one of the characters. The ending made me say out loud "are you kidding me?" and not in a good way. I don't feel like I'll remember anything from this book after today, except that I'm angry I forced myself to finish it.
I wouldn't recommend this book.
Around page 100, I thought about adding it to my DNF list. I should have. This is another book that I pushed through because of all the raving reviews, just to be annoyed that I've pushed through a book I didn't care about yet again.
I could go more in depth about all my issues with this book, but I will leave it at this for a short summary: A slow and boring start. I was never "hooked" into the story at all. I felt that the plot was predictable (seriously myself and my book buddy both called it early on). Following along to the storyline itself was confusing at times because of the organization. I only cared about one of the characters. The ending made me say out loud "are you kidding me?" and not in a good way. I don't feel like I'll remember anything from this book after today, except that I'm angry I forced myself to finish it.
I wouldn't recommend this book.
The first thing out of my mouth when I finished this book was, "Thank God..." To which my boyfriend asked, "You finally finish that book?" Add this to my list of "SHOULD HAVE ADDED TO MY DNF STACK..."
Another miss for me. I got so bored with it that stopped and read another book just to prevent this one from putting me in a reading slump.
There were two storylines in this book, which merged at the end in a very predictable way. I'm not sure if the "twist" was really that predictable, or I'm just getting really good at guessing book endings.
I found one storyline (the one based in the past- so violent, so terrifying!) was a lot more captivating that the other (in present time). In the last 100 pages or so, I thought the storyline in the present was great! It was just a major bummer that it took so long to get there.
I didn't care for any of the characters at all, and I know I will have completely forgotten about them a day from now. Even in the story, when the main character (Grey) in the present was in serious danger, I didn't care one bit. Which is upsetting... But perhaps why I didn't think this book was so scary? If I had really liked the character or felt a connection to her in the slightest bit, I may have found it to be more terrifying like many reviewers did.
I'm struggling with my review for this book because on one hand, I thought this book was creepy, but on the other I thought it was very drawn out and just plain boring. I'm not sure I would recommend it.
Favorite lines/passages:
Sometimes you have to go a long way to prove things. Even if it turns out that you’re only proving things to yourself.
Remember that life is short. Always turn your face to the sun when you have the chance.
Sometimes you get to a point in your life when you just have to hold your breath and jump.
You can be as brave and confident as you like, you can convince yourself that you're invulnerable, that you know what you're dealing with. You think that it won't ever really get too serious - that there'll be some kind of a warning before it goes that far, danger music, maybe, playing offstage, the way you get in films. But it seems to me that disasters aren't like that. Disasters are life's great ambushers: they have a way of jumping on you when your eyes are fixed on something else.
Another miss for me. I got so bored with it that stopped and read another book just to prevent this one from putting me in a reading slump.
There were two storylines in this book, which merged at the end in a very predictable way. I'm not sure if the "twist" was really that predictable, or I'm just getting really good at guessing book endings.
I found one storyline (the one based in the past- so violent, so terrifying!) was a lot more captivating that the other (in present time). In the last 100 pages or so, I thought the storyline in the present was great! It was just a major bummer that it took so long to get there.
I didn't care for any of the characters at all, and I know I will have completely forgotten about them a day from now. Even in the story, when the main character (Grey) in the present was in serious danger, I didn't care one bit. Which is upsetting... But perhaps why I didn't think this book was so scary? If I had really liked the character or felt a connection to her in the slightest bit, I may have found it to be more terrifying like many reviewers did.
I'm struggling with my review for this book because on one hand, I thought this book was creepy, but on the other I thought it was very drawn out and just plain boring. I'm not sure I would recommend it.
Favorite lines/passages:
Sometimes you have to go a long way to prove things. Even if it turns out that you’re only proving things to yourself.
Remember that life is short. Always turn your face to the sun when you have the chance.
Sometimes you get to a point in your life when you just have to hold your breath and jump.
You can be as brave and confident as you like, you can convince yourself that you're invulnerable, that you know what you're dealing with. You think that it won't ever really get too serious - that there'll be some kind of a warning before it goes that far, danger music, maybe, playing offstage, the way you get in films. But it seems to me that disasters aren't like that. Disasters are life's great ambushers: they have a way of jumping on you when your eyes are fixed on something else.
This was by far the fastest add to my DNF list. I got through the introduction and then 16 pages into the story itself, but this book is just all over the place... I don't understand the organization and all the footnotes that aren't accurate.
Maybe I will pick it up and try again in the future...but for now I don't want to risk getting into a reading slump.
I did really love this line:
I still get nightmares. In fact I get them so often I should be used to them by now. I'm not. No one ever gets used to nightmares.
Maybe I will pick it up and try again in the future...but for now I don't want to risk getting into a reading slump.
I did really love this line:
I still get nightmares. In fact I get them so often I should be used to them by now. I'm not. No one ever gets used to nightmares.
Reading everyones review of this book, I thought I was going to LOVE it. But it happened... I finally STOPPED reading a book that I really disliked. This is the first book I've ever started that I didn't push through to finish. I'm not sure if it's because how many sad and negative news stories there are this week, but I just couldn't handle this book...Just reading the very first page, I thought, "This isn't going to be a book I like." But I kept reading to see if it grew on me. I got to page 83 and then had to bail.
Why I had to stop reading:
1) The main character of this story was too much of a creep. He was obsessed with someone that he had talked to for less than 2 minutes....and he stalked her. The story is written as if he is talking to her.
2) SO MUCH SWEARING & VULGARITY. I thought this was borderline erotica. Not my thing.
3) The style. Such. Short. Sentences.
Why I had to stop reading:
1) The main character of this story was too much of a creep. He was obsessed with someone that he had talked to for less than 2 minutes....and he stalked her. The story is written as if he is talking to her.
2) SO MUCH SWEARING & VULGARITY. I thought this was borderline erotica. Not my thing.
3) The style. Such. Short. Sentences.
DNF.
I thought the idea behind the book sounded really clever. I was on the waitlist at the library for months before I could finally get my hands on it. But once I started reading, I found that I just couldn't get into this book.
From page one, I this book just couldn't keep my attention. I think that was mainly due to the organization of the storyline which seemed very odd and jumpy. One moment we are following the main plot, but then it suddenly shifts to a backstory, then jumps back again, and so on.
I didn't care about any of the characters at all. Not a single one.
And I was really bummed that we didn't get more of an explanation about the railroad...
I read through page 130 and had to call it. I highly doubt that I will pick this up and try to read it again in the future.
There were a few passages that I liked:
George sawed with his fiddle, the notes swirling up into the night like sparks gusted from a fire.
Then it comes, always- the overseer's cry, the call to work, the shadow of the master, the reminder that she is only a human being for a tiny moment across the eternity of her servitude.
This was the farthest she had ever been from home. Even if she were dragged away at this moment and put in chains, she would still have these miles.
Every mile between her and the plantation was a victory. She would add to her collection.
I thought the idea behind the book sounded really clever. I was on the waitlist at the library for months before I could finally get my hands on it. But once I started reading, I found that I just couldn't get into this book.
From page one, I this book just couldn't keep my attention. I think that was mainly due to the organization of the storyline which seemed very odd and jumpy. One moment we are following the main plot, but then it suddenly shifts to a backstory, then jumps back again, and so on.
I didn't care about any of the characters at all. Not a single one.
And I was really bummed that we didn't get more of an explanation about the railroad...
I read through page 130 and had to call it. I highly doubt that I will pick this up and try to read it again in the future.
There were a few passages that I liked:
George sawed with his fiddle, the notes swirling up into the night like sparks gusted from a fire.
Then it comes, always- the overseer's cry, the call to work, the shadow of the master, the reminder that she is only a human being for a tiny moment across the eternity of her servitude.
This was the farthest she had ever been from home. Even if she were dragged away at this moment and put in chains, she would still have these miles.
Every mile between her and the plantation was a victory. She would add to her collection.
(Another re-read) This one is not one my favorites of the series, but still a very fun read. I LOVE the character that was introduced in this book. I also love that we're slowly getting the answers that we have been wondering from book one!
Favorite passages:
It is often said that if you have a room with a view, you will feel peaceful and relaxed, but if the room is a caravan hurtling down a steep and twisted road, and the view is an eerie mountain range racing backward away from you, while chilly mountain winds sting your face and toss dust into your eyes, then you will not feel one bit of peace or relaxation.
Taking one's chances is like taking a bath, because sometimes you end up feeling comfortable and warm, and sometimes there is something terrible lurking around that you cannot see until it is too late and you can do nothing else but scream and cling to a plastic duck.
It is one of the peculiar truths of life that people often say things that they know full well are ridiculous. If someone asks you how you are, for example, you might automatically say “Fine, thank you,” when in fact you have just failed an examination or been trampled by an ox.
Favorite passages:
It is often said that if you have a room with a view, you will feel peaceful and relaxed, but if the room is a caravan hurtling down a steep and twisted road, and the view is an eerie mountain range racing backward away from you, while chilly mountain winds sting your face and toss dust into your eyes, then you will not feel one bit of peace or relaxation.
Taking one's chances is like taking a bath, because sometimes you end up feeling comfortable and warm, and sometimes there is something terrible lurking around that you cannot see until it is too late and you can do nothing else but scream and cling to a plastic duck.
It is one of the peculiar truths of life that people often say things that they know full well are ridiculous. If someone asks you how you are, for example, you might automatically say “Fine, thank you,” when in fact you have just failed an examination or been trampled by an ox.
Just like my review for volume one: If you're looking for a stereotypical teenage angsty comic, this is it. It wasn't horrible, it was just a miss for me. I think if I had read this when I was a teenager rather than a 26 year old, I would have liked it a lot more. Though I liked volume one just a bit more than volume two... I am still a bit interested to see how things turn out, so I will read volume 3 and then decide if I want to continue with the series or not.
Eh. After this one I think I need to stop with the series. Just a miss for me.
Another exciting book in the SOUE series that is filled with twists!
Got this kindle bundle for free and only read the first one... Definitely not my kind of reading. The storyline was semi-cute, though very insta-love and I didn't care for a lot of things that happened. I didn't care for the two main characters, especially when Levi thought/talked about money and his (what I interpreted as) control issues. Then of course there were the sex scenes, which honestly made me nauseous.