I'm a bit more on the fence on this one. It's probably a 4.5 for me. I still love KD and Curran and everyone else and the ending of this one turned meI'm a bit more on the fence on this one. It's probably a 4.5 for me. I still love KD and Curran and everyone else and the ending of this one turned me into a bit of an emotional wreck.
But that relationship drama... ><
It never felt super real to me. Even if KD and Curran believed it, I didn't and it just felt like a waste of time to be reading about it.
My problem with the first Andrea short story is that she felt like a mini-KD. I still got a little of that in this one, but I thought it was Loved it.
My problem with the first Andrea short story is that she felt like a mini-KD. I still got a little of that in this one, but I thought it was handled a lot better. She might be an asskicker just like KD but this book added a different flavor to her asskickery. I like that her investigation is a bit more organized and focused than KD uses since she has a stronger Order background. The relationship drama was maybe a tad too much/overused in places but I like Andrea and Raphael together.
Also Roman. Where is the Roman book?! And Ascanio. Great side characters....more
So I know I just said on another short story review that I tend to be harsh against the format. This one really worked for me, but I think it's becausSo I know I just said on another short story review that I tend to be harsh against the format. This one really worked for me, but I think it's because so much about Kate and Curran is already developed. This was just a really fun look into the two actually getting to spend some time together and kick ass together. Too many times in the books it feels like they're pulled in separate directions. I really love the banter between them and I loved reading about them working together....more
I really liked this story but I think I'm just harder on short stories than books. It's really hard to give me all the background and character depth I really liked this story but I think I'm just harder on short stories than books. It's really hard to give me all the background and character depth that I really want especially when I love the characters. I try not to hold that against the format - it's not the story's fault it's so short after all. Mostly I wish Dali's magic was explored more. I really like her and I wish she appeared more in the KD books as a bit of a different flavor to all the asskicking....more
Sooo I read a bunch of KD books and novellas over Christmas holidays. Basically my review for them is going to be: I love Kate Daniels. Kate Daniels iSooo I read a bunch of KD books and novellas over Christmas holidays. Basically my review for them is going to be: I love Kate Daniels. Kate Daniels is the best. Do yourself a favor and read this series....more
Love love love. I doubt I'm going to end up reviewing this series with any clarity anymore. They're a perfect distraction while I'm sick af so I'm proLove love love. I doubt I'm going to end up reviewing this series with any clarity anymore. They're a perfect distraction while I'm sick af so I'm probably going to keep going through them as long as my headache is mild enough to tolerate my ereader.
I will say I wasn't a huge fan of the drama in the beginning between Curran and Kate. It seemed a little unbelievable that neither one would just talk to the other, and then as soon as they do, everything is forgiven. Maybe it just felt too... normal for drama between them and their relationship has been such a slow burn that I wasn't prepared for modern drama of boy stands up girl, mixed communications, boy and girl won't talk. But c'est la vie.
The villain though! I'm really digging all the different mythologies thrown into these books to provide the background for each villain. This was probably one of my favorites so far although I'm a tad surprised that this big bad was dealt with in just one book but I guess that just might be the formula of each book so I can dig that.
I'm sure I'll reread these books and maybe write up a more coherent review. Would I recommend it? Honey, I've already started the next one....more
I thought a new POV was refreshing. I like Andrea's character. She has a heartbreaking backstory and I love how Ah novellas. I both love and hate you.
I thought a new POV was refreshing. I like Andrea's character. She has a heartbreaking backstory and I love how she feels about guns. Just... I wish she felt less like a mini-Kate. I get she's a Knight so of course she's going to be a badass and to be fair she doesn't know as much about mythology as Kate, but I don't know. Maybe it's hard to go from reading a bunch of Kate Daniels to popping into someone else's head. I feel like from Kate's view, Andrea has seemed like a different character, but once in Andrea's head, I didn't see the difference enough.
I loved Raphael in this though. He's a more bubbly male character than I think any of the other men in this world are. His speech to Andrea was perfect and heart-melty. I was more on her side before that happened. Now they're obviously lobsters.
The story was interesting and well-paced for a novella. I just always want more than the page-limits give. I'm looking forward to seeing how/if it plays out in the KD world....more
I've gotten interested in the Titanic again after visiting Belfast this summer and going to the spectacular new Titanic museum. It really is worth theI've gotten interested in the Titanic again after visiting Belfast this summer and going to the spectacular new Titanic museum. It really is worth the trip and you can easily spend the whole day there and not get bored. But this is about the book not the museum!
Very very concise recalling of what happened the night the Titanic sank, but I ended up loving that part of this book the most. It's not James Cameron fluff even if I love that movie for different reasons. This book is pretty strictly the "facts" from the survivors as they remember that night and it's interesting to see the strange details people remember about things like the carpet or the way people stepped up to handle such a tragedy such as the Countess of Rothes who stepped up to help steer a lifeboat and years later had a flashback only to remember the band was playing the last after-dinner song she heard on the Titanic. I really liked how the different levels of passengers and crew members were all put together to get a feel for everything happening across the boat. It's astonishing the faith everyone had in the Titanic being "unsinkable" even after something had obviously gone wrong and it's crazy how that whole night was just a culmination of terrible moments.
"If the Titanic had heeded any of the six ice messages on Sunday....if ice conditions had been normal...if the night had been rough or moonlit...if she had seen the berg 15 seconds sooner--or later...if she had hit the ice any other way...if her watertight bulkheads had been one deck higher...if she had carried enough boats...if the Californian had only come. Had any one of these "ifs" turned out right, every life might have been saved. But they all went against her--a classic Greek tragedy."
This is probably 3.5 stars for me. At times it does get a little confusing/disjointed jumping from name to name and this deck to that deck but recommended if you're curious about the Titanic at all and its a pretty short read. ...more
Bit of an odd book. I'd probably give it 2.5 stars if I could. I got it on an ebook sale and decided a historical romance seemed fun. It started off vBit of an odd book. I'd probably give it 2.5 stars if I could. I got it on an ebook sale and decided a historical romance seemed fun. It started off very slow - lots of building up the past which was slightly unnecessary to me. I guess it was supposed to add tension but I didn't feel it.
I alternated between hating the characters and tolerating them. They do a lot of stupid ridiculous things beyond even most historical romances. =) There are definitely some questionable moments where I couldn't believe they were actually doing what they were doing. No one can be that stupid right? Wrong. =) The hero is mad a lot and a huge asshole. The heroine is childish and ridiculous. Yet there's something that makes them love each other... But all in all, once I got into the story, it was well-paced and kept me mostly entertained.
It's a historical romance so the plot is what it is. I did think the premise of the story was intriguing and a lot more could have been done with it if they weren't so busy being mad and ridiculous and locking people away. There's a curse on the Trevallyan bloodline, and because they're English usurpers in Ireland, they are destined to marry low-born Irish women. There's a ring that's supposed to bring them together but the curse is only lifted (until the next Trevallyan comes along) if the woman falls in love with the man. It really ends up having a lot less to do with the story than I could have hoped for and I probably picked this book up since I was just in Ireland this summer so the setting/history aspect appealed to me. Too bad it wasn't used more.
Overall, it's not a bad book just a bit of an eyeroller. There are some good romance moments but I was just never that enthused about the chemistry between the two....more
I desperately needed a fun easy read to escape from real life for a bit so I turned back to the Kate Daniels series. This book was everything I was loI desperately needed a fun easy read to escape from real life for a bit so I turned back to the Kate Daniels series. This book was everything I was looking for so I'm making it 5 stars. It's not perfect but I did like it more than Book 1 and I think it improved on the issues I had with the first one.
Kate is still a solid lead character. She's snarky and strong yet not without imperfection. She gets hit, takes wounds, and keeps going until she drops. She's powerful yet still learning, and even though the mystery of her background feels about as subtle as an elephant, I appreciate the attempt to add depth to the character. And who knows. Maybe elephants are super sneaky? Or maybe her background will reveal in a way I don't expect.
The mystery in this one was still a tad wham-bam at the end, but I did like that there was a better build-up to the finale. I was a little miffed that the ending had the same formula as book one. That is, you think you're at the end and it seems like the final show-down but then they pull the rug out from under you and oh wait there's another finale coming. It feels like a gotcha! moment rather than the natural progression of the book.
I definitely loved that the world-building felt smoother in this book. I didn't feel so hit over the head by a bunch of repetitive info-dumps and the magic/tech waves actually felt more integral to the plot. I like the different zones which have developed in Atlanta and I only wish I was more familiar with the area.
I will say that the side-characters felt a bit more hit or miss in this one to me. Derek seemed to have backslide a bit to just be a mini-Curran. I get that it is development for the character but since it happened between the books I just would have actually liked to see it or moments where he slides back a bit into teenager Derek mode. I had high hopes for Andrea but she fell a little flat for me. Julie was a great addition and for some reason I really like Ghastek. Also I definitely could have used more Curran in this book. =) That epilogue was money though. So I'm having high hopes for future books. Don't get me wrong, I'm loving the slow burn between them. I'm just antsy to have it turn into more, which funnily enough, is probably the mark of a slow burn done right.
All in all, I can easily see why this is a favorite series for so many people and I can feel it sinking its claws into me. It's just a perfect blend of great banter, a memorable heroine, action, an interesting world, and solid fun writing. I spent the whole night reading it and not only am I not sorry, but I'm starting to itch for the next one. The obvious signs of a 5 star read to me....more
Ho boy this series is addicting. Each one just keeps getting better than the last. I'm slowly becoming too much of a fangirl to really be able to writHo boy this series is addicting. Each one just keeps getting better than the last. I'm slowly becoming too much of a fangirl to really be able to write a coherent review. I just want to jump up and down and scream that I loved it.
This book just really built on the foundations laid in the first two. For example, Kate's backstory and how's its shaped her relationships. I said it my last review her background was as obvious as an elephant and that hasn't changed. There's no eye-opening twist to her story so far, but what I appreciate is how IA takes her backstory and really thinks about what it would have done to Kate's personality. People do things for reasons and I think that plays out nicely here between Kate and Andrea, Kate and Derek, and Kate and Curran.
Oh and now I've gone and brought up Curran already. His character is so much better in this book. I actually felt like he had a real personality to him that's been walled off so much by the Beast Lord status of he first two books. Here, he's involved, he's chasing after Kate, there's tension. OMG THE TENSION. Some really great moments between the two.
Ah now I've gone all fangirly again. So screw it.
This is a great book. Read it. Read the series. If you don't like it, you're wrong....more
I felt like a lot happened in the volume, and at the same time, nothing happened. There were a lot of storylines, and while they are handled well, I mI felt like a lot happened in the volume, and at the same time, nothing happened. There were a lot of storylines, and while they are handled well, I might need another reread to really get the connection between everything. I mean there are the obvious connections but Gaiman is a master and I'm wonder if I missed a few things that would have upped my enjoyment. I'm not the biggest fan of graphic novels and sometimes I miss things in the art because I just want to read the story. =) Speaking of, the writing remains excellent, but the climax felt a little lackluster. It just lacked the punch I think some of the other volumes had.
Don't get me wrong though. Sandman is excellent overall and I definitely recommend picking up the series if you haven't. I did hate the switch in artists for this one, however, which also might be affecting what I thought and the impact of the story....more
Not as big of a fan of this one as the first one. I don't think it necessarily suffered from second book-itis as it felt more like a different style. Not as big of a fan of this one as the first one. I don't think it necessarily suffered from second book-itis as it felt more like a different style. The pacing was a bit off and the teen angst dialed up to 11. Actually more like 111.
I couldn't get over how much happened in the opening 1/4 of the book. It was so much of a whirlwind that it hardly felt meaningful which is too bad since the amplifiers are a key part of the story line. Then AFTER SO MUCH HAPPENS the book definitely hits a lull which I just couldn't understand because there are still SO MANY QUESTIONS! But rather than turn this into a mystery and a race against the Darkling to figure things out, Alina just sits in a library and goes to meetings.
New characters definitely appear to carry this book. Sturmhond is a complete delight. Tamar and Toyla are a close second for favorite new characters. Really without them, this might have been a DNF.
But really, omg the teen drama. I get it. I'm reading YA. I expect dramatics. It's not even that I don't like the drama. (I do watch the CW after all.) But all of a sudden there's a love triangle (love square?) and the Grisha court antics feel straight outta high school. Mal's suddenly a bad boy with the drinking and the fighting but you're supposed to still love him because he's hurting. Alina just drove me crazy. Girl needs to put her foot down for herself just once and TALK to this boy she's supposed to love so much, again, just ONCE. I mean obviously more than once but it couldn't even happen once?! I kept expecting the teenage sneak out, but it was very lackluster when it came and for an entirely separate plot point.
So enough griping. I actually didn't hate this book. I flew through it because work was slow. I definitely thought the new characters stole the show, and even if I hate love triangles, Sturmhond was so so great. I think it set everything up nicely for the conclusion. The foreshadowing is there even if it's blunt, and probably the reason the paced slowed down. I just wish the drama had been toned down and the story heightened because I think there was a lot more that could have been done to create character tension without resorting to NEVER talking and other love dramatics....more
I'm not going to say this book is without flaws, and if I think about it much maybe it should be just a 4 star read. But damn that was an eFull marks.
I'm not going to say this book is without flaws, and if I think about it much maybe it should be just a 4 star read. But damn that was an entertaining, can't-put-down read, and for that, I'm going to give it 5 stars.
The story is pretty generic YA. Girl finds out she's special, girl is in love with boy, there are some mean girls, yadda yadda, but it's got enough flavor to make it memorable. Like yes maybe I'm just eating another cheeseburger but damn this is an amazing cheeseburger. Only instead of onions, good cheese, and bacon, it's Russian-esque and science-y magic.
I thought the Darkling was my favorite character. Mysterious and charismatic. The others are well-written though. Alina is plucky, insecure, and compassionate. Easy to identify and side with. Mal has less time spent on the page but I liked him from the beginning. I appreciated the best friends since forever angle. I don't know that I've read that or at least not lately so it felt fresh. There's some romance-y drama but it's not a full-blown angsty love triangle. Another definite plus for me.
The story is fun. I blew through it in a night - helped by the fact that this is not a long book. There are a few things I think could have been teased a bit more so I didn't feel so blind-sided by the reveal, but I'm not super hung up on them. Only one of them really knocked me out of the book enough to roll my eyes and sigh. The story was well-written and the pacing was great. The time spent reading definitely flew by.
Quite a bit of world-building is given without giant info-drops which I was impressed with. While Ravka is obviously Russian-inspired, I liked the Grisha and their different abilities. I easily could have spent more time in the Little Palace with Alina's learning montage, but alas, there are bigger issues than schooling. The Shadow Fold is an interesting problem, and I think enough hints were dropped that the later books should hopefully have quite a few intriguing things coming.
In conclusion, I could probably be quite nitpicky about a few things, but I don't want to be. I didn't want to put this book down and that's enough to give it 5 stars for me. Definite recommend if you're looking for a fast, easy to read YA fantasy....more
I wasn't as big of a fan of this one. I really liked the previous two volumes but I struggled to get into the stories of this one. The ending sure pacI wasn't as big of a fan of this one. I really liked the previous two volumes but I struggled to get into the stories of this one. The ending sure packs a whallop, but overall this volume is just a 3 for me....more
“I like the stars. It's the illusion of permanence, I think. I mean, they're always flaring up and cavingRoadtrip with Dream and Delirium. It's great.
“I like the stars. It's the illusion of permanence, I think. I mean, they're always flaring up and caving in and going out. But from here, I can pretend...I can pretend that things last. I can pretend that lives last longer than moments. Gods come, and gods go. Mortals flicker and flash and fade. Worlds don't last; and stars and galaxies are transient, fleeting things that twinkle like fireflies and vanish into cold and dust. But I can pretend...�
“DESTRUCTION: Our sister [Death] defines life, just as Despair defines hope, or Desire defines hatred, or as Destiny defines freedom.
MORPHEUS: And what do I define, by this theory of yours.
DESTRUCTION: Reality, perhaps.�
“Delirium: Um. What’s the name of the word for things not being the same always. You know. I’m sure there is one. Isn’t there? There must be a word for it� the thing that lets you know time is happening. Is there a word? Dream: Change. Delirium: …I was afraid of that.� ...more
I think this book was a recovery from the second so that's a plus, but I don't think it achieved the levels of the first book. It's Oh where to begin.
I think this book was a recovery from the second so that's a plus, but I don't think it achieved the levels of the first book. It's a conclusion that I'm satisfied with (if I don't think about it too hard), but from the first book, I thought this series had potential to be lights out and I'm just sad that I don't feel that way at the end.
The beginning, however, was 2 stars and it's definitely dragging down my rating for the rest of the book. I'll never understand the Apparat plot. He turns into such a total non-factor even after being the one to give her the book to start the whole Firebird search off. It's not like I'm sad because I liked him. These books are just short and he feels like wasted space.
Happily though, everything picks up after the dreadful beginning. I liked Mal more in this one. I think he finally got some good characterization and became a part of the plot (before the whole twist part). I've always liked Mal because I liked the best friends since forever angle, but I never could say that he was the strongest character. I'm happy he found something to stand for beyond just being the love interest.
I wasn't a huge fan of the Nikolai arc. It felt like a need to get him out of the way for a bit which is fine but he's such a great character that I think it was a hit to the story to have him gone. Plus it was another just random addition to the Darkling's abilities that was never fully explored.
I was a fan of the Darkling backstory twist. I saw some of it coming but not all of it which was a much more masterful stroke than the heavy handed plot twists in the first book. It really added so much more to him that I am sad he wasn't a more prominent villain. He kinda just showed up enough so you don't forget about him. I would have loved more visits between him and Alina just because I think he was a better seducer/talking villain than a rip-out-their-throats villain. Even if I didn't want her to end up with him, I think they had great chemistry together.
Oh Genya and Zoya and Tamara and Tolya. I'm glad all the side characters got some solid resolutions. I mean I even came around to liking Zoya in this one. She's unapologetic about who she is but still fighting for good. Her moments added some great comedic relief when Nikolai wasn't around.
Long story short, I think the characters really help this story along, and in the end, are what makes this series. The plot is there, and it was treated much better in this book than the last one, but it definitely has its holes. I think that's sort of necessary given the shortness of the books and how nothing was really accomplished in the last book. It's just too bad. The world felt so discover able with lots of room for invention, and at the end, it feels like we only scratched the surface.
And the ending. So much build-up and then it was just so safe. It felt like a cop-out which is what bugs me most. I don't even really hate it and I get why it happened that way. It just feels... so safe. I did appreciate that a little explanation was put into it. I think I would actually be angry at the ending if it was just glossed over how that was even a possibility.
Anyway, I would recommend this series if you're looking for a light YA read with some good characters, a little bit of adventure, and don't mind the YA tropes. It's a quick read and it really is entertaining even if my last two reviews have been more harsh. I'm excited to move onto Bardugo's next series....more
“Sometimes you wake up. Sometimes the fall kills you. And sometimes, when you fall, you fly.�
I really liked the historical retellings in this volume.“Sometimes you wake up. Sometimes the fall kills you. And sometimes, when you fall, you fly.�
I really liked the historical retellings in this volume. As a history nut, it's kinda like a double bonus. This is probably one of my favorite volumes so far. The stories were just spot-on.
“It is sometimes a mistake to climb; it is always a mistake never even to make the attempt. If you do not climb, you will not fall. This is true. But is it that bad to fail, that hard to fall?�
“I must confess, I have always wondered what lay beyond life, my dear. Yeah, everybody wonders. And sooner or later everybody gets to find out.�
I thought this book was fairly compelling and I'm close to giving it 4 stars. There's a few issues keepWon a copy on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ. So that's exciting. :D
I thought this book was fairly compelling and I'm close to giving it 4 stars. There's a few issues keeping me from giving it a higher rating.
Mostly, the heroine. Camille. A rich fashionista who's supposed to come across all independent, down to earth, and not the rich girl stereotype. Yet as soon as she's told there's a threat to her life and her father hires a bodyguard, SHE ACTS EXACTLY LIKE A RICH SPOILED PRINCESS. She tries to ditch Jake because she doesn't want a bodyguard and he's hot. Seriously I could never really figure out why she hated the idea so much. I would be totally happy to have some hot guy follow me around if there was a threat to my life...and even if there wasnt! Then she keeps up the rich snob act by dragging him shopping and to a girl's night just to try and make him miserable. Felt like more than a little forced tension between the two.
The worst part is that I really like Camille when she's not acting the spoiled princess part. She has moments when she's the down to earth woman shes supposed to be. It's just too bad that her character is really inconsistent.
I liked Jake though. 2/2 on romance characters named Jake. He's sweet but not over the top, ex-military, and has a good anguish backstory. I would have liked more on him because he felt like a really layered character. Unfortunately it's kinda just thrown in at the end and makes the story feel too formulaic. I liked the twist and wanted to eye roll at the same time. But c'est la vie. For most of the book, he's the best part of it.
The story tries to be suspenseful but I didn't really feel it. I appreciated the attempt though since I understand there's only so many pages and there has to be plenty of room for the relationship drama and the sex. Like I've said on other reviews, I'm not reading these for a complex, rich plot. That would just be a plus. I did wonder a little about who the bad guy was but I just never felt like they were in real danger.
It did become formulaic at the end as well, like the author remembered certain romance check points needed to be checked off before it was over. Beyond making it redundant, it also dragged the last 1/4 of the book out without real purpose. Definitely soured the ending for me and could be another reason keeping it from 4 stars.
Overall though I thought the book was well-written and the pacing was good. Jake is definitely the best character which helps to keep my interest going and I did like Camille when she wasn't being a spoiled brat. I thought the two had pretty good chemistry during those moments as well. I might not be running to the rooftops to tell everyone to read this book but if you're looking for a solid romance for the night then I think it can easily fit that bill....more
I love love love Terry Pratchett, but I had never picked up his YA series. After he passed, I had a chance to grab the very last one as a special editI love love love Terry Pratchett, but I had never picked up his YA series. After he passed, I had a chance to grab the very last one as a special edition which was an easy decision since it was the last Discworld book I'll ever buy; new, anyway. Whew I still don't like typing those words. =(
As always, Terry Pratchett wrote amazing characters. Tiffany is great. She's clever and confident; basically everything I wish young girls wanted to be rather than worrying about makeup and boys much too early. I wish I had this book growing up but at least I can gift a copy to my nieces when they're older. The Nac Mac Feegles are also excellent. Their beginning scenes especially had me cracking up. It's amazing how Pratchett can craft a personality as a group and yet there are personalities within the group to create individuals. The man was a master with characters you're able to connect with and layering deep meaning into their experiences.
I didn't especially latch onto the story when it became the showdown with the Queen. It wasn't terrible, but felt a little drawn out and watered down. I'm not sure really what I was expecting, and after lauding Pratchett's characters, I might have to say the Queen felt a tad weak. I just wasn't really sure of her place in the story except the need to have a villain.
A lovely quick read, however, and it kept me entertained on the airplane which is most important since I hate flying. I'll be adding the rest of this series to my TBR pile and dreading the day I finish the last Discworld....more
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