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librarianlayla's Reviews (954)
I received an eARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
**Trigger warning for those affected by attempted animal cruelty.**
The Intergalactic Interloper is a comedic sci-fi short story centred on a young mans search for his lost cat. It is told from multiple perspectives throughout, but predominantly is about a young man called Ollie and his lost cat, Pirate.
I was hoping this would be a lot more about the alien visitors, and have a lot more laugh out loud moments. However mostly I just felt concern/sadness throughout, there are themes of heartbreak, rejection, job loss, catnapping and animal abuse throughout.
I think perhaps my sense of humour isn't geared towards the writer's style and therefore I might have missed some funny moments. But overall I'd dub this more of a contemporary that has slight sci-fi tendencies.
I did enjoy the few chapters that were from the aliens point of view and found them to be the most humorous aspect of the story.
**Trigger warning for those affected by attempted animal cruelty.**
The Intergalactic Interloper is a comedic sci-fi short story centred on a young mans search for his lost cat. It is told from multiple perspectives throughout, but predominantly is about a young man called Ollie and his lost cat, Pirate.
I was hoping this would be a lot more about the alien visitors, and have a lot more laugh out loud moments. However mostly I just felt concern/sadness throughout, there are themes of heartbreak, rejection, job loss, catnapping and animal abuse throughout.
I think perhaps my sense of humour isn't geared towards the writer's style and therefore I might have missed some funny moments. But overall I'd dub this more of a contemporary that has slight sci-fi tendencies.
I did enjoy the few chapters that were from the aliens point of view and found them to be the most humorous aspect of the story.
3/3.5 stars.
Ruse follows on a few months from the events of Want, and picks up with the team and how they're coping.
It started with a really great, fast paced mystery, but unfortunately petered out to be a little one note. I felt like something was missing from this one and it felt less high stakes than the first book.
Ruse follows on a few months from the events of Want, and picks up with the team and how they're coping.
It started with a really great, fast paced mystery, but unfortunately petered out to be a little one note. I felt like something was missing from this one and it felt less high stakes than the first book.
I received an eARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely adored this graphic novel take on the descendants of Mary Shelley. Her granddaughter, named after her, is struggling with her self identity and what/who she wants to be in the future. Something that I can really relate to. I loved the story line, the characters and the dark moody feel to the entire novel.
Classic horror fans, fans of The Umbrella Academy, A Series of Unfortunate Events and Sabrina may well enjoy this new series. I certainly am looking for more adventures with Mary!
I absolutely adored this graphic novel take on the descendants of Mary Shelley. Her granddaughter, named after her, is struggling with her self identity and what/who she wants to be in the future. Something that I can really relate to. I loved the story line, the characters and the dark moody feel to the entire novel.
Classic horror fans, fans of The Umbrella Academy, A Series of Unfortunate Events and Sabrina may well enjoy this new series. I certainly am looking for more adventures with Mary!
I received an eARC of this through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
3.5/4 stars.
Dr Who meets Eragon with a dash of Oliver Twist.
A whimsical, heart felt and fast paced adventure. I adore dragons, and stories that centre on them, I feel that this could have had even more dragon action in it, at times there were area's that felt a little rushed and I would have loved to get to know some of the characters a little better.
I did enjoy the character development and the concept of portal hopping through time, I also enjoyed the fact that there were different races working together.
3.5/4 stars.
Dr Who meets Eragon with a dash of Oliver Twist.
A whimsical, heart felt and fast paced adventure. I adore dragons, and stories that centre on them, I feel that this could have had even more dragon action in it, at times there were area's that felt a little rushed and I would have loved to get to know some of the characters a little better.
I did enjoy the character development and the concept of portal hopping through time, I also enjoyed the fact that there were different races working together.
Mist, Metal and Ash swiftly follows on from the events of Ink, Iron and Glass with little preamble. I very much enjoyed returning to the world of scriptologists and madness.
Fast paced and action packed this story leaves the reader turning page after page, twisting and turning through portals and deception.
Fast paced and action packed this story leaves the reader turning page after page, twisting and turning through portals and deception.
3.5/4 stars.
The final part in this trilogy wasn't quite as good as I'd expected. The book was a lot shorter than it's predecessors and I felt that so much more could have been done in this final run up to 'The End'.
The characters, who have come such long ways in books one and two, seemed to have lost their shine a little. I feel that there was so much more that could have been done with them during this final installment. As each of them had such bold and differing personalities, their bond and growth during books one and two were so uplifting.
It still held the beautiful Japanese lore that I have loved throughout, with the action packed fight scenes that I've grown to anticipate. But it felt like it's essence, its soul, was missing a little.
I loved this series from the start, and I enjoyed how the story unfolded in the first two books. This was still an enjoyable read, I just yearned for a more completed end to this fantastical, perilous journey.
(If you have enjoyed either the anime or manga of 'Inuyasha' you are sure to see similarities to it in this series and this may appeal to you, as it did to me.)
The final part in this trilogy wasn't quite as good as I'd expected. The book was a lot shorter than it's predecessors and I felt that so much more could have been done in this final run up to 'The End'.
The characters, who have come such long ways in books one and two, seemed to have lost their shine a little. I feel that there was so much more that could have been done with them during this final installment. As each of them had such bold and differing personalities, their bond and growth during books one and two were so uplifting.
It still held the beautiful Japanese lore that I have loved throughout, with the action packed fight scenes that I've grown to anticipate. But it felt like it's essence, its soul, was missing a little.
I loved this series from the start, and I enjoyed how the story unfolded in the first two books. This was still an enjoyable read, I just yearned for a more completed end to this fantastical, perilous journey.
(If you have enjoyed either the anime or manga of 'Inuyasha' you are sure to see similarities to it in this series and this may appeal to you, as it did to me.)
Hard hitting, pure and emotional.
I adored the magic system in this and the vivid world that has been created. I loved the diverse characters, really wish we'd been able to learn a little more about some of them. That being said, I cannot wait for further installments of this.
I adored the magic system in this and the vivid world that has been created. I loved the diverse characters, really wish we'd been able to learn a little more about some of them. That being said, I cannot wait for further installments of this.
I received an eARC of this through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars.
This book strongly flickered between 3 and 4 stars for me due to the writing style. The blurb for this book is really what drew me in and I was thrilled by it's gothic star crossed lovers promise, but at times the writing style let the plot down and seemed a little juvenile.
I wanted more out of the world, so many interesting races were introduced briefly, but weren't expanded on and neither was the world itself. I wanted more details about the school, classes, students and teachers. I needed more world building and a little more depth to characters. They had so much potential. It does end abruptly promising a sequel in December of this year. So there are questions left unanswered by the end, and I'm on the fence if I will continue with the series. It really does have a lot of great story promise, I just needed more details with both world building and character development.
Admittedly these are all issues that could be rectified in the final version of this, as it had so much potential.
Fans of Twilight and the early years of Buffy (think when she was age 16/17 and a bit of a lovestruck brat) might enjoy this book.
3.5 stars.
This book strongly flickered between 3 and 4 stars for me due to the writing style. The blurb for this book is really what drew me in and I was thrilled by it's gothic star crossed lovers promise, but at times the writing style let the plot down and seemed a little juvenile.
I wanted more out of the world, so many interesting races were introduced briefly, but weren't expanded on and neither was the world itself. I wanted more details about the school, classes, students and teachers. I needed more world building and a little more depth to characters. They had so much potential. It does end abruptly promising a sequel in December of this year. So there are questions left unanswered by the end, and I'm on the fence if I will continue with the series. It really does have a lot of great story promise, I just needed more details with both world building and character development.
Admittedly these are all issues that could be rectified in the final version of this, as it had so much potential.
Fans of Twilight and the early years of Buffy (think when she was age 16/17 and a bit of a lovestruck brat) might enjoy this book.
I received an eARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
3/3.5 stars.
This has some really beautiful world building moments in it, culturally rich with fantastical creatures thrown in.
However, the plot was a little all over the place. The best way I can try to put this into perspective is - you're watching one of your favourite shows, it's gearing up to something interesting, and then the adverts come on, so you run out of the room for a snack/toilet break ect but you were a minute or two too long taking that break and when you come back you've missed a section of what's happened and you have no idea how you've got to where you're at in the episode. That's what reading this book was like throughout. Now I'm not sure if this is just something that is due to it being an eARC and perhaps it will be tweaked and tightened for the final product but at times it caused the story flow to be very confusing.
The beginning felt quite rushed and then all of a sudden we had jumped into another world and things just kept speed jumping.
I really enjoyed the mythical creatures and the magic and I feel this story has so much potential but it got a little frustrating to read.
3/3.5 stars.
This has some really beautiful world building moments in it, culturally rich with fantastical creatures thrown in.
However, the plot was a little all over the place. The best way I can try to put this into perspective is - you're watching one of your favourite shows, it's gearing up to something interesting, and then the adverts come on, so you run out of the room for a snack/toilet break ect but you were a minute or two too long taking that break and when you come back you've missed a section of what's happened and you have no idea how you've got to where you're at in the episode. That's what reading this book was like throughout. Now I'm not sure if this is just something that is due to it being an eARC and perhaps it will be tweaked and tightened for the final product but at times it caused the story flow to be very confusing.
The beginning felt quite rushed and then all of a sudden we had jumped into another world and things just kept speed jumping.
I really enjoyed the mythical creatures and the magic and I feel this story has so much potential but it got a little frustrating to read.
Nimona is a gorgeously illustrated fast paced adventure that takes the reader on a journey of laughs and tears.
I instantly related to the characters, their stories and developments. Nimona will steal your heart and her personal story hit me deep into my feelings.
If you love anti heroes, knights and shape-shifting wonder - then this graphic novel is for you.
I instantly related to the characters, their stories and developments. Nimona will steal your heart and her personal story hit me deep into my feelings.
If you love anti heroes, knights and shape-shifting wonder - then this graphic novel is for you.