thebacklistbook's Reviews (304)

While there were a few moments that had me unable to put it down, the bulk of this felt like a lot of exposition that unfortunately hid important contextual clues needed to enjoy the story. Ultimately it was a bit of a snooze fest and took me far too long to read.

The pacing was off for me. This is likely due to the aforementioned exposition. Also, there were certain plot details that really shouldn't have been included, or should've been more in focus.

I also had a very hard time buying that the great Casanova was even rough acquaintances with Mozart. Never mind that the poet who is the star was constantly being upstaged by these name dropped friends of his.

Ivy Gamble has a big blind-spot when it comes to sister Tabitha. Especially when it involves magic. This who-dunnit with a side order of intrigue, mayhem, and theoretical magic was just what I needed to get over my Elementary hangover.

The world building was slow, and, just detailed enough to seem plausible. It made me cringe in all the right places. It made me frustrated too. Every time she got close just to have the answer snatched away. This book is perfect as is.

I think I will go back to reading these books in the physical form. This one fell way flat for me in the voice acting department. The plot was a little off as well. I just wasn't here for this DID as possession angle.

Missed this one. will have to do an audio reread.

This book was solid. I enjoyed it, though, not as much as the first one. Boy, the Daeva sure live up to their reputation. The last half of the book was definitely more my speed than the first part. I was intrigued by the idea that people could be exposed to aerosolized drugs and mistake their symptoms for illness, rather than toxin/addictive substance exposure.

it made me think of how people are always calling certain drugs gateways into harder drugs. Not strictly true, but it gives bad people ideas. I also wondered about the scientific efficacy of such a substance as well as their truth serum.

This was a cute anthology. Some good and some neutral. I have a lot of trouble buying the Holmes as a father thing. Especially if the mother is Irene Adler. Ultimately, I have determined I have outgrown these books. It just did not hold my attention nearly as well as I thought it would.

This was an odd ride. Anne Hathaway reads it which was nice but also really added to the confusion. Please for the love of pete and patricia, read these books at your own risk. What I mean by that is that they are rife with content that is definitely not disney approved.

I won't share any spoilers here. Suffice it to say that I was shocked by some of the content. I made it through two seasons of game of thrones, people! Anyway, all around solid audiobook material. This is not your childhood princess diaries.

This book was a weird ride. Jaya totally stole my heart. The main character kalinda was a little flat. Perhaps more development will be had for her in the next installment. The world building was strong, largely because it drew from old realities. 

I will have to see where the rest of this ride takes me.

This one was totally filler. It held side development of the most superficial type for Lily and a random cousin. On to the next one.

The continued world building in this book was spot on. Though I did have slight difficulty picturing certain aspects of Kartasha. Mare and Denna really grow through this journey. 

They both learn the value of themselves as unique entities, and the value, and strength they have together. Mare learns she is an excellent strategist when given the chance. Denna discovers her lineage and gains much needed control. 

The new characters were well fleshed-out, and full of personality. The twists and turns will feel familiar and surprising in equal measure. Mz. Coulthurst has definitely out done herself. Though I strongly recommend reading ink Mistress before this book for some much needed background.