Take a photo of a barcode or cover
1.24k reviews by:
sassenachthebookwizard
Hmmm okay I liked this more than I thought I would. It ended up morphing from a contemporary mystery to a bit of a paranormal mystery thriller by the end. I was a bit bored at the beginning but I really got into it at the halfway mark. I do wish there would have been more screentime given to Iris because her background and psychic abilities were definitely a highlight! The debate of nature vs nurture debate was great to have in here!
So I absolutely liked this book note than Graceling. Fire is an especially enjoyable main character and voice that I always rooted for and wanted to know where her path was going. I also live that the main characters in Graceling and Fire both go against the assumptions/roles we put on female characters when it comes to sex, virginity and children. I'm insanely curious to see how they weave back in Bitterblue in the last book.
*walks into ocean with arms open crying*
IM NOT OKAY!
I KNEW IT WAS GONNA HAPPEN BUT I'M NOT OKAY
😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
Sidenote: one of my favourites of the year and most recent "sleep is for the weAk, just keep reading" books.
Oh dat romance and dat magic and OHHHH those pirates and Ugh that romance but ow my heart *clenches chest and dies until the sequel comes out*
IM NOT OKAY!
I KNEW IT WAS GONNA HAPPEN BUT I'M NOT OKAY
😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
Sidenote: one of my favourites of the year and most recent "sleep is for the weAk, just keep reading" books.
Oh dat romance and dat magic and OHHHH those pirates and Ugh that romance but ow my heart *clenches chest and dies until the sequel comes out*
Okay in all honesty, I went into this book salty. I've been immensley frustrated with the delays of the Bone Season so I didn't think I was going to particularly like it for that reason alone...but now I'm salty because I liked it bahaha.
Now this is definitely not a book that I think everyone will like. It's pretty slow paced, not much adventuring and even the big scenes are very suspenseful with tons of action. If you're a fan of immense world building, character development and a lot of focus on politics then THIS is a book for you. The politics and conflicts just DREW me in and sustained me as all the characters were constructed.
Despite it's massive as hell size, this book didn't drag for me! I was pretty floored by that. the pace was pretty consistent and every scene and character was there to develop something! There was a purpose! Also hella here for that f/f romance.
Now this is definitely not a book that I think everyone will like. It's pretty slow paced, not much adventuring and even the big scenes are very suspenseful with tons of action. If you're a fan of immense world building, character development and a lot of focus on politics then THIS is a book for you. The politics and conflicts just DREW me in and sustained me as all the characters were constructed.
Despite it's massive as hell size, this book didn't drag for me! I was pretty floored by that. the pace was pretty consistent and every scene and character was there to develop something! There was a purpose! Also hella here for that f/f romance.
3.75/5 **Come on GR! How do you not have at least half star ratings!!!**
Okay thankfully my education in Russian history didn't wreck this for me. I think some of that is because Anastasia has been sort of this mystical...played with...being for my entire life. I GREW up on Anastasia (the Fox now Disney princess). Also, could Disney get its crap together and remake the animated film in live adaptation--but like Aladdin level! None of this shit they're pulling with the Mulan movie (fight me but there's no music and apparently no Mushu now sooooooooo)
I like how this book took the ill fated Romanov's and gave Anastasia a character. A personality. Sure, the plot and history and politics seemed VERY romanticized and one sided but Brandes actually included quite a few historical facts and events into the plot pretty seemlessly. I liked especially getting to see the Romanov's act as a family while in exile before their murders. I do really really REALLY wish there would've been more Rasputin (but that's a total personal taste and interest thing).
Just like Fawkes, I do really find this book frustrating though with how little the magic system is developed. I hope this is something the author works on for future publications.
The pros and cons together, I still plan on re-reading this when I'm interested in something Russian. It's a pretty light and quick read without making myself start rereading Leigh Bardugo's Shadow and Bone series (which I love but it's massive lol).
Okay thankfully my education in Russian history didn't wreck this for me. I think some of that is because Anastasia has been sort of this mystical...played with...being for my entire life. I GREW up on Anastasia (the Fox now Disney princess). Also, could Disney get its crap together and remake the animated film in live adaptation--but like Aladdin level! None of this shit they're pulling with the Mulan movie (fight me but there's no music and apparently no Mushu now sooooooooo)
I like how this book took the ill fated Romanov's and gave Anastasia a character. A personality. Sure, the plot and history and politics seemed VERY romanticized and one sided but Brandes actually included quite a few historical facts and events into the plot pretty seemlessly. I liked especially getting to see the Romanov's act as a family while in exile before their murders. I do really really REALLY wish there would've been more Rasputin (but that's a total personal taste and interest thing).
Just like Fawkes, I do really find this book frustrating though with how little the magic system is developed. I hope this is something the author works on for future publications.
The pros and cons together, I still plan on re-reading this when I'm interested in something Russian. It's a pretty light and quick read without making myself start rereading Leigh Bardugo's Shadow and Bone series (which I love but it's massive lol).
ehhhhh okay so this was one of my most anticipated of the year and based on the star rating I'm sure you can see it didn't live up to everything I hoped for.
1. I love this cover
2. Love the title and series name
3. Loved the setting
4. I actually did enjoy most of the characters and the overall plot
My issues really sit with it being pitched as a "fantasy romance" but having read it, I wouldn't really classify it as that. It seemed more of a paranormal contemporary which isn't really my cup of tea.
My issue really sat with the romance. It seemed random. It wasn't developed. I didn't even really pick up that it was a romance until someone was actually asked out. I didn't find any tension or flirting or anything. It was just a "oh...uh okay I guess this is the romance?" which was quite underwhelming with it literally being labelled as "ROMANCE." My other big beef (and it actually could've influenced why I didn't feel or sense any romance): the audiobook. I am a big fan of listening to audiobooks while reading along. Especially books set in foreign countries to mine or fantasy worlds where I want to know how to say names, countries, foods, etc. I...cannot stress this enough...DEAR LORD STOP CASTING NARRATORS WHO TALK BREATHLESS AND IN GASPS AS IF THEY'RE A FAINTING GOVERNESS FOR THE WHOLE BOOK! It doesn't matter if they're being murdered or pouring milk in a damn cereal bowl! I should hear a difference in your voice when those two VERY different events happen! It takes away from places where it is actually dramatic or where maybe the characters were flirting. I also just freaking generally hate when people's voices sound dramatic about everything. It takes away from the audiobook and story itself.
1. I love this cover
2. Love the title and series name
3. Loved the setting
4. I actually did enjoy most of the characters and the overall plot
My issues really sit with it being pitched as a "fantasy romance" but having read it, I wouldn't really classify it as that. It seemed more of a paranormal contemporary which isn't really my cup of tea.
My issue really sat with the romance. It seemed random. It wasn't developed. I didn't even really pick up that it was a romance until someone was actually asked out. I didn't find any tension or flirting or anything. It was just a "oh...uh okay I guess this is the romance?" which was quite underwhelming with it literally being labelled as "ROMANCE." My other big beef (and it actually could've influenced why I didn't feel or sense any romance): the audiobook. I am a big fan of listening to audiobooks while reading along. Especially books set in foreign countries to mine or fantasy worlds where I want to know how to say names, countries, foods, etc. I...cannot stress this enough...DEAR LORD STOP CASTING NARRATORS WHO TALK BREATHLESS AND IN GASPS AS IF THEY'RE A FAINTING GOVERNESS FOR THE WHOLE BOOK! It doesn't matter if they're being murdered or pouring milk in a damn cereal bowl! I should hear a difference in your voice when those two VERY different events happen! It takes away from places where it is actually dramatic or where maybe the characters were flirting. I also just freaking generally hate when people's voices sound dramatic about everything. It takes away from the audiobook and story itself.
As someone who is...shall we say wary of organized religion, this was one of the most interesting books I've read in quite a while. There's no adventuring but it is very analytical of who and what makes us think as a society. In this world, these communities literally give up their daughters and pray religiously in this weird mixture of...pagan actions while praying to a Christian God because they've been told to do things a certain way and they just do so kind of blindly.
I can definitely see why it wouldn't appeal to some with it's pacing alone. Even the traveling by the characters is done at a slow pace but it's steady and the book is under 300 pages. The characters, the curse and the weird creepy ominous social atmosphere were just incredibly interesting. Also, I'm kinda terrified of snakes but I found them more interesting and...mythical in this book. I never once scratched by head when it spoke about snakes like...being in her hair. This is a quick really interesting read for me that has me pleasantly surprised!
I can definitely see why it wouldn't appeal to some with it's pacing alone. Even the traveling by the characters is done at a slow pace but it's steady and the book is under 300 pages. The characters, the curse and the weird creepy ominous social atmosphere were just incredibly interesting. Also, I'm kinda terrified of snakes but I found them more interesting and...mythical in this book. I never once scratched by head when it spoke about snakes like...being in her hair. This is a quick really interesting read for me that has me pleasantly surprised!
ugh the Harry Potter-esque feels.
This was hella cute! The boarding school + some Malfoy-esque characters + a McGonagall-like teacher + quidditch being football instead + a secret society are all elements that make for a book I am going to like. I feel deprived that I never got to go to a boarding school as a kid. Weird shit always happens at them! See examples: Harry Potter, Truly Devious, this book.
This was hella cute! The boarding school + some Malfoy-esque characters + a McGonagall-like teacher + quidditch being football instead + a secret society are all elements that make for a book I am going to like. I feel deprived that I never got to go to a boarding school as a kid. Weird shit always happens at them! See examples: Harry Potter, Truly Devious, this book.