I think we've figured out SJM's formula when it comes to writing finales
HoFaS was by no means a perfect book, but it was still a good book, with plentI think we've figured out SJM's formula when it comes to writing finales
HoFaS was by no means a perfect book, but it was still a good book, with plenty of great highlights in each major part of the book. The ties and callbacks to her other series were great, and I think the way she executed how much "crossover" to include was good, because at the end of the day, it still felt like a Crescent City novel. That being said, the weakest points of the book were its predictabilities, specifically with regard to: (a) character deaths, and (b) plot points in the "finale". There were many times I was rolling my eyes at this. And for the first time, I was rolling my eyes at the some of the sex scenes. I didn't enjoy Hunt's machinations and Baxian's Flynn/Dec's roles, and felt more positively for Hypaxia, Tharion and Ruhn.
But the best characters and character arcs were those of Jesiba, Bryce, Lidia, and Ithan. HANDS DOWN. I loved their stories, but wonder how SJM can draw us back with the potential Book 4 (very likely to be called House of Many Waters). I look forward to being back in this world in the near future....more
the beautiful story of a beautifully disastrous girl got me confused... **Another one to read for my English class**
I'll admit, I liked the premise of the beautiful story of a beautifully disastrous girl got me confused... **Another one to read for my English class**
I'll admit, I liked the premise of the story that there's this one "chosen one" girl who is the only hope to save the world blah blah blah. The art and colour is phenomenal, BUT there's a big BUT.
I felt like the more I read on, the less I understood about the magic system and Maika's internal conflicts. I was also confused on some of the characters opposing her. Then again, that's a characteristic of comics, where you don't get that much needed description paragraph when a new character is introduced. That new person just comes in , the visuals are already done for you, and you just have to deal with it.
But in case someone is confused and needs direction, here's what I've understood: (view spoiler)[ Maika has the slumbering soul of a monster living inside her and each time it is called up unknowingly, it takes a part of her, physically, and mentally (her memories). There's this mask that help wake the monster inside her, I think, and there are these people that are after it for power? To win some war? (hide spoiler)]
Final Verdict (7/10): The art is beautiful and deserves an A+, but Maiko's motivations were so confusing to me. If the further issues solve these problems, let me know. I don't know if I should pick up future issues
Merged review:
the beautiful story of a beautifully disastrous girl got me confused... **Another one to read for my English class**
I'll admit, I liked the premise of the story that there's this one "chosen one" girl who is the only hope to save the world blah blah blah. The art and colour is phenomenal, BUT there's a big BUT.
I felt like the more I read on, the less I understood about the magic system and Maika's internal conflicts. I was also confused on some of the characters opposing her. Then again, that's a characteristic of comics, where you don't get that much needed description paragraph when a new character is introduced. That new person just comes in , the visuals are already done for you, and you just have to deal with it.
But in case someone is confused and needs direction, here's what I've understood: (view spoiler)[ Maika has the slumbering soul of a monster living inside her and each time it is called up unknowingly, it takes a part of her, physically, and mentally (her memories). There's this mask that help wake the monster inside her, I think, and there are these people that are after it for power? To win some war? (hide spoiler)]
Final Verdict (7/10): The art is beautiful and deserves an A+, but Maiko's motivations were so confusing to me. If the further issues solve these problems, let me know. I don't know if I should pick up future issues...more
I liked the concept of the plot. It was a new "problem" to solve for August and Kate, and it was intriguiThere is action, but there is also chaos.
I liked the concept of the plot. It was a new "problem" to solve for August and Kate, and it was intriguing. I just didn't think it needed ~500 pages for it. I wish some characters were even a little more fleshed out (I'm looking at you, Alice), and that there were higher stakes.
I didn't mind the "departure" of certain characters at the end, but I didn't like how the very last chapter ended things. It felt too stiff and kind of like an out-of-character experience.
I would still recommend this duology for spooky season, but beware, because the profound and intriguing discussions from Book 1 did not translate at all in this book . The finale just didn't feel like anything special, but it was okay....more
Alana goes through it all in this volume...as do Hazel and Marko.
The artwork, as always, beautiful. Seriously. The artist deserves thLetter Grade: A-
Alana goes through it all in this volume...as do Hazel and Marko.
The artwork, as always, beautiful. Seriously. The artist deserves the book version of an Academy Award for all the feels.
There were a few surprises in this one, especiallyESPECIALLY the part with **(view spoiler)[ Prince Robot and Petrichor making out after the sheer frustration of yelling at each other nonsensically lol (hide spoiler)]. I'll admit, it was kinda cute, as it seems both those characters came a freaking long way for that.
The ending was probably the happiest I'd felt for Hazel for the last little bit of this series...I truly hope Hazel and **(view spoiler)[ Squire (hide spoiler)] are going to change the world, in more ways than one!...more
The ending is explosive enough (pun intended) to warrant a prayer circle mani I love a good comeback
Once again, Hazel's narration doesn't disappoint!
The ending is explosive enough (pun intended) to warrant a prayer circle manifesting the quick release of Volume 11. I need to see Hazel coming to terms with the trauma of her loss and hopefully the end of the the goddamn war....more
A satisfying, but somewhat predictable ending & enjoyable nonetheless. This is a must-read series for every fantasy reader out there!
The whole first tA satisfying, but somewhat predictable ending & enjoyable nonetheless. This is a must-read series for every fantasy reader out there!
The whole first third of the book was just bam!bam!bam! action and intrigue and the setup of the plot. A fantastic 5 out of 5. But the second third of the book was very different. If you enjoy books where a big part of it takes place in a world-within-a-world, this will be amazing content for you. But if you, like me, find endless dream sequences and portal-crashing a little repetitive, then you'll understand why I was reading as fast as I could to get to the juicy end action. I got way too attached to these characters and just wanted to know what would become of them desperately.
I've now read two different series set entirely in Scotland and I must say - The Falconer series is by far the most imaginative and beautiful way I've seen someone describe Edinburgh (especially for someone like me who's never been there, I felt like I could be there). I can't wait to see what else Elizabeth May puts forth in the future....more
I was surprised to take on Tolkien this year, but I'm glad I did!
Definitely not as epic a plot as I'm sure LoTR is, but this is a fun little adventureI was surprised to take on Tolkien this year, but I'm glad I did!
Definitely not as epic a plot as I'm sure LoTR is, but this is a fun little adventure, full of beautiful imagery and an exquisite writing style. Bilbo Baggins is a fun protagonist and goes head to head with others such as Thorin, Gollum, and Smaug. Probably the best part of the book was reading the little easter egg with Gollum and the Ring and how Bilbo really does become a Thief even though he's so against the idea in the beginning.
From the audiobook point of view, if anyone other than Andy Serkiss narrates a Tolkien book, I'll protest!...more
This is what dark academia is supposed to be about!
A great story and atmosphere from start to finish. Leigh Bardugo has outdone herself with the fri This is what dark academia is supposed to be about!
A great story and atmosphere from start to finish. Leigh Bardugo has outdone herself with the frighteningly realistic world she's created. The depths of Hell were certainly well explored, but there was some stuff left open for enough intrigue for Alex's next foray into trouble.
As always, any mention of Darlington sends me into a frenzy, so...please MORE of him and any mentions of him!...more
This was a good insight into both Luka and Adele's heads. I almost wished there was a Felix POV too, just to gGood novella, but nothing extraordinary.
This was a good insight into both Luka and Adele's heads. I almost wished there was a Felix POV too, just to get his sense of things while Adele was competing.
A couple of steamy parts in here reminds me of how good Ryan Graudin is at writing tense situations....more
A fresh, adult take on literature's favourite Greek myth
Practically 4.5stars
Oh, this book is charming. It has all the right elements for a semi-mode A fresh, adult take on literature's favourite Greek myth
Practically 4.5stars
Oh, this book is charming. It has all the right elements for a semi-modern retelling. There's a nice plot twist toward the end that I didn't really see coming. The only negative thing I have to say about this book is that when we start with sexual tension and get to the act, only to have random bouts of fOrNiCaTiOn every other page, the romance/smutty aspect gets lost on me....more
I struggled through the utter nonsenses in this book. Truly, it is 2.5 stars for the sprinkles of surprise I had when reading (think: Ashur, and what I struggled through the utter nonsenses in this book. Truly, it is 2.5 stars for the sprinkles of surprise I had when reading (think: Ashur, and what happened in that pit in Basilia at the end). But it is tedious when not much happens to advance the book, and when pages upon pages are filled with conversations that don't really go anywhere.
The best character in the book was probably Jonas, perhaps followed by Lucia. The Cleo and Magnus bits made me want to gag. I think all the characters have a perverted sense of what love and power is and it just made everything less believable. I will probably read the sixth book sometime...but only after I recover from this....more
I'll admit I bought this book/textbook because: (1) I am a linguist and am generally interested in this topic, and (2) I have been binge-watching CrimI'll admit I bought this book/textbook because: (1) I am a linguist and am generally interested in this topic, and (2) I have been binge-watching Criminal Minds and other true crime shows on a repeated loop and this book would have been feeding into my current obsession.
I will give Olsson's book this - the variety in the cases he presents is astounding, and I learnt a great deal. But because of the dryness of the content I found it difficult to follow at times, especially because I felt he was going on the assumption that readers were all experts in the theory behind his arguments. So, I almost wish the book was longer and slightly dumbed down, but I appreciate how hard the author worked to get his message across....more
The Power of Bad had been on my TBR for close to 3 years, and as is always the case, this is the book I needed 2-3 years ago, when my mental wellness The Power of Bad had been on my TBR for close to 3 years, and as is always the case, this is the book I needed 2-3 years ago, when my mental wellness was at its worse.
By no means is this revolutionary or perfect book - if offers great anecdotes and advice, but contradicts itself at the end and lack the science-y bits that I was expecting (that is, I would have much preferred having footnotes of the references than them all collected at the end).
It is a quick read and offers insights on cool things, so if you're looking for a non-fiction or psychology book to read, this might be one for you!...more
Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, the Colombo TV series, and the Murdoch Mysteries TV series
I’ve had this book on my shelf since early 2020 when I Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, the Colombo TV series, and the Murdoch Mysteries TV series
I’ve had this book on my shelf since early 2020 when I saw it in a used book sale in my university. The Ghost Riders of Ordebec is one of the sequels in this long series, but each book is so self-contained, so you don’t need to have read the others. But man oh man, Fred Vargas is so good at story-telling that you’d want to pick up the entirety of the series.
As always, the twist � the culprit � was such a surprise, and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. Like, this is on the level of best plot twists I’ve read.
If you’re looking for a translated work, a good plot-twist book, or even for a book that takes place in modern day rural France, this is one you need to read!...more
As an indigenous Armenian, I can say that this book tried to do too much. I almost DNF'd it and I don't know how to feel. At times it feels like an ArAs an indigenous Armenian, I can say that this book tried to do too much. I almost DNF'd it and I don't know how to feel. At times it feels like an Armenian history from ancient to modern times, while other times it tries to rationalize and explain all the parties involved in the actual Operation Nemesis.
It's an excellent deep dive into Armenian and Ottoman history, but as someone who seldom reads non-fiction, I found it all to be too long-winded, especially when the climax (or main point of the book) was summarized in a two-page prologue. But maybe I'm also biased, because I don't believe in a lot of the modern ARF's ideals (except their incredible gifts at being able to organize massive protests fighting for genocide recognition globally year after year after year), many of which include ideologies surrounding "Armenian purity" and what an Armenian should look like, be like, and aspire to be. From personal experience, there are a lot of things that the modern ARF does wrong and has no conscience to believe that what they are doing is sometimes morally wrong.
For those unawares of the history, there are a lot of names to remember, and perhaps having a map handy might help localize where everything was occurring. The early history of the Ottoman empire was the best part for me, as it explained a lot of the reason why the Armenian Genocide took place. Though the massacres were detailed throughout the book, it often felt as someone writing a non-fiction book would write it (sometimes devoid of that extra emotion). I also felt that Soghomon was dehumanized for a lot of the book and massive, never-ending paragraphs made the story more long-winded rather than an intriguing page-turner, as it should have been.
I really do think Soghomon Tehlirian's story would better be served as a film, in all its intensity. I would rather focus on the man's emotions, rather than solely as using him as the means to the end, so to speak. I encourage everyone to at least try to read this book, and perhaps watch a dubbed version of the French film Mayrig, the beginning of which is dedicated to Tehlirian's trial and acquittal. ...more
It was a good book with a satisfying ending, but a few remaining questions, like the true fate of o If you enjoy philosophy, this is the book for you
It was a good book with a satisfying ending, but a few remaining questions, like the true fate of our antagonists and protagonists. It was almost like there were two plots, and one plot was let go toward the end of the book in favour of the other without as much explanation as I would have liked.
Still an incredible sci-fi series that is a must-read for everyone!...more
the art: chef's kiss Persephone: Michelin star Hades: the shining light in the darkness
The best part about Lore Olympus Volume 1 is that there are storithe art: chef's kiss Persephone: Michelin star Hades: the shining light in the darkness
The best part about Lore Olympus Volume 1 is that there are stories within stories, all re-imagined for the modern world, with certain themes on the page, in full colour, for all to see. Both Persephone and Hades' journeys pulled heartstrings, but Eros and Hera surprised me as well.
So much, yet not enough, all going on at the same time
My biggest thumbs up for the book is that I felt like the stakes were high enough to cause pan So much, yet not enough, all going on at the same time
My biggest thumbs up for the book is that I felt like the stakes were high enough to cause panic and page-turning action - that is, everything to do with a certain demon's possession and another character being the paladin of a demon. All the friendships also deserve centre stage, although I felt the Lucie-Cordelia friendship was left wanting.
I think my biggest confusion was still how much I relied on that stupid family tree from Clockwork Princess. I think, in this sense, Cassie didn't do as good a job of managing expectations, if that makes sense? I hope that current printings of Clockwork Princess all have that family tree disclaimer now. Because there's still soooo many remaining questions.
Plot-wise, I felt like we could predict what Cassie would do - I was hoping for a little more drama, even resolving some more Matthew Fairchild issues. I think Lucie and Jesse's development arc were handled best.
All in all, another solid addition to the Shadowhunter saga, but not Cassie's best work....more
This was 4 stars until the last chapter before the epilogue. That one 7-letter word sent the potential for this story skyrocketing So maybe House of This was 4 stars until the last chapter before the epilogue. That one 7-letter word sent the potential for this story skyrocketing So maybe House of Sky and Breath is really an objective 4.25 stars for me
I found some of the twists to be more predictable this time around, but appreciated Maas' work into trying to deceive us all the same. The addition of Ithan into the folds of the main protagonist group worked well, and I'm glad he has his own arc lined up. As for what in Hel will happen to the other surviving characters...all I can say is it's either going to end with people waltzing into the sunset or watching a sunset-like explosion exterminate them all. But knowing Sarah's track record thus far in all her major books, I'm leaning more toward the happy ending, even though we might all be soulless by the end of it.
Even if HoSaB suffered a little from second-book-syndrome, it checked off all the boxes I had wanted: more Tharion, a slightly toned-down sexy Bryce x Hunt scene, and delving into the real overarching plot. I'm not sure if this series will end up being a trilogy or quartet or more - but if it's a trilogy, Book 3 will end me. Because of that 7-letter word at the end of the book.
My prediction for the Title of Book 3? House of Flame and Shadow...it's the only thing that makes sense....more
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