I don't think I've ever listened to a bad story in this series, even these little vignette shorts are heart warming and touching.I don't think I've ever listened to a bad story in this series, even these little vignette shorts are heart warming and touching....more
This is a cute book with very likable characters. To enjoy it, though, you must take it for what it is - a monster romance that's essentially just a3+
This is a cute book with very likable characters. To enjoy it, though, you must take it for what it is - a monster romance that's essentially just a one-handed read.
Perhaps 90% or more of this book is thinking about sex, performing sex, wanting sex, daydreaming about sex, and the FMC playing "I wonder if he likes me" head games with herself.
The main premise, that minotaur semen is an integral ingredient in erectile dysfunction medication and must be "milked" from the minotaurs in a clinical setting was funny. In fact some of it was downright hilarious. It wasn't really enough non-relationship content to carry the book, though.
If you're looking for an amusing one-handed read with likable characters that isn't cut from the same romance cloth then this is it!...more
Strongly character driven, as is everything of Reid's that I've read so far. Unfortunately I just didn't connect with these characters to the same degStrongly character driven, as is everything of Reid's that I've read so far. Unfortunately I just didn't connect with these characters to the same degree that I did with other offerings by this author.
An interesting and even entertaining trek through one woman's existential crisis.An interesting and even entertaining trek through one woman's existential crisis....more
I have to start by stating that contemporary romance isn't really my bailiwick. While I enjoy stories with romance, even quite graphic romance, and 3+
I have to start by stating that contemporary romance isn't really my bailiwick. While I enjoy stories with romance, even quite graphic romance, and for the relationship to have some significant amount of the story, I do not enjoy most stories that are pretty much exclusively about the relationship and the story becomes nothing more than a framework on which to hang the relationship. Among my reasons is because it takes a lot of repetitive obsessing to fill a book with "wow, he's so hot" and that repetition bores the hell out of me.
This book is a romance, make no mistake. It's also very much the sort of romance with which I usually get frustrated and abandon. So why did I finish it anyway? Because it was hilarious. The MC's idiosyncrasies made her an enjoyable character to read, and I found myself impressed with the way Penny Reid turns a phrase. Yes, this is my first Penny Reid.
I'm not really intending to jump right into the next. I've had enough repetitive "he's so hot" for now, but the next time I find myself in the mood for something light and a bit different from my norm I may return to this series.
Let me start out by saying that Robin Miles' narration is off the chain on this book! From start to finish, absolute perfection.
I hate to do it, but ILet me start out by saying that Robin Miles' narration is off the chain on this book! From start to finish, absolute perfection.
I hate to do it, but I am going to have to hang a "literary" tag on this book. No, wait! Don't let your eyes glaze over and keep scrolling! Let me explain.
On its surface this is a not-your-run-of-the-mill urban fantasy story. Well, it's fantasy, and some scifi, and it's definitely in an urban setting given that the entire book is about the human avatars of cities but that's as close to any urban fantasy tropes as it'll get you. There are no vampire, no weres, no fae, none of that. There are multiple dimensions and cities manifesting into avatars, though.
Jemisin takes all the stereotypes one might expect to hear about various portions of New York City and turns them into multi-layered characters that transcend their stereotypes and make you see nuanced similarities and differences, make you see them as individuals in their own right, and make you root for them, and revile them.
I suspect I'm going to be thinking about the use of stereotypes as a means of creating empathy for a long time. And thinking about multiple dimensions and how one may effect another, if at all. About how even people can create an alchemy such that they are more together than the sum of their individual parts.
"The City We Became" is an enthralling story in which there is as much going on between the lines as there is on the line itself. So if the definition of "literary" is a story that makes you think differently, see things differently, or consider differently then this book is the most enjoyable literary story I've ever read, hands down.
ETA: I would sure like to hear what readers from Staten Island have to say about this book! :D...more
It's not for me. The hero is a narcissistic asshole. I don't understand why anyone finds him charming. The heroine is hard to respect because in spiteIt's not for me. The hero is a narcissistic asshole. I don't understand why anyone finds him charming. The heroine is hard to respect because in spite of her supposedly being brilliant with daddy issues she also finds the hero attractive, which to my mind calls her brilliance into question.
There isn't much else to this story. At 39% it's all dysfunctional drama, adolescent-like obsession, and bad choices....more
This was a fun and cute fake romance to real romance trope that was light and engaging. I have a tendency to see a lot of what makes romance as melo3+
This was a fun and cute fake romance to real romance trope that was light and engaging. I have a tendency to see a lot of what makes romance as melodrama and there is a bit of that here, too, but overall it was a good story well executed.
The power dynamic of the sex scenes, tease & denial, isn't a particular favorite of mine, but it was competently done. The characters were quite likeable, even when they were being stupid or dysfunctional, and the exes were clearly the bad guys so no worries with nebulous morality....more
I can't say that I "liked" this book. It was competently written but the tropes were the opposite of my favorite thing.
The first half of the 2.5 stars
I can't say that I "liked" this book. It was competently written but the tropes were the opposite of my favorite thing.
The first half of the book was a girl obsessing over a guy. Yes, it gave us a chance to get to know the MCs but it was the sort of thing that I roll my eyes over when I see it in RL. It's certainly not the sort of thing I find entertaining. Dysfunction junction, through and through, is this book.
Yes, you do eventually get to see the characters grow a considerable amount, but it takes until the end of the book. Also, I have a lot of experience with the topic, the bits that made the story difficult. While I could believe that a young, sheltered girl may not have recognized the signs, I do not buy that dude could ever go into rehab and not get a real diagnosis. I knew what it was by the 17% mark. Maybe sooner.
If you are the sort who loves angsty, love conquers all and washes away all abuses stories then this is for you. If you are the sort who thinks that boundaries are an essential part of healthy relationships then this one is probably not for you. If you are the sort that needs some kind of story other than the romance then skip this all together.
I enjoyed this very much, but I'm not sure what the long arc is going to be about. There was very little conflict in this book so it's left me4+ stars
I enjoyed this very much, but I'm not sure what the long arc is going to be about. There was very little conflict in this book so it's left me thinking that perhaps the problems will be about Matthew & Diana's children even though the bulk of this book was about Marcus' history and Phoebe's contemporary change to vampire.
What we did get of the story was slowly unfolded for us in much the same way the first book in the original series slowly unfolded. We are getting to see a lot more about the process of becoming vampire now, though. Harkness has an ability to create a slowly enveloping world that draws you in so comfortably that you don't realize you're completely wrapped up in it until it's a done deal.
It felt like a slice of life story, though. I'm not sure where or if there will be a conflict yet....more
I can't say that I enjoyed this book very much. I think once a person gets stalked the macabre fascination a person might have with it tends to melt aI can't say that I enjoyed this book very much. I think once a person gets stalked the macabre fascination a person might have with it tends to melt away and it just leaves an unsettling sense of disquiet. That's pretty much what this story was to me. Don't get me wrong, I was completely sucked into the story and had no trouble with suspension of disbelief at all. It was completely believable, but it wasn't enjoyable.
However, the narration was a cut above. It was exceptional and I have upgraded at least a star for the it....more
It took me a long time to read this, and I ended up listening to other books and found myself easily diverted to doing otherWell that was interesting.
It took me a long time to read this, and I ended up listening to other books and found myself easily diverted to doing other things. This book never really called to me until towards the end.
Yeah, it's a vampire story but it's nothing like you'll find in current urban fantasy offerings. It leans more to horror and there's no feel-good to be had in it. In fact it's a slightly uncomfortable read, at least it was for me. I never connected with the primary protagonist nor empathized with him, and the style of writing was of a narrator telling a story so it was all telling instead of showing by default. I find that sort of thing difficult to be immersed in.
Then consider that the narrator was pubescent and there were a lot of "children" in the story and my natural aversion to the very young made it even more uncomfortable. The entire time I was reading it I remember thinking that it wasn't bad, but I couldn't imagine giving it more than 3 or so stars.
The end, however, was delightfully unexpected. Enough so that I am rating up a full star for the ending....more
It was ok. There were things I enjoyed about it. The characters were mostly likeable and I enjoyed that the drama was resolved in an adult-like mannerIt was ok. There were things I enjoyed about it. The characters were mostly likeable and I enjoyed that the drama was resolved in an adult-like manner.
In truth, however, I found all the relationship angst and the triangle (not the triangle you expect from the description) onerous. It's not my idea of escapist entertainment.
It was well written, easy to follow, and the framework for the story was intelligently drawn. I just find youngster relationship drama as a primary focus for a story to generally be pedestrian.
** Recommended by a couple of friends. This is not usually my genre but the words "really good" and "light and easy" were used. That's what I need while I screw myself up for some epic fantasy ala Brandon Sanderson....more
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