A Darker Shade Of Magic ★★★★ A Gathering of Shadows ★★� A Conjuring of Light ★★★★� The Fragile Thread
“Caring could drown you, if you let it.�
A Darker Shade Of Magic ★★★★ A Gathering of Shadows ★★� A Conjuring of Light ★★★★� The Fragile Threads of Power ★★★★�
I’m a huge fan of Schwab’s work and have read all her adult books, giving a few a rare 5-star rating. If you know me, you know I’m picky with those stars, so that says a lot about how much I appreciate her writing. This latest book is a follow-up to the "Shades of Magic" series, and I often feel nervous about sequels ruining what I already love.
Still, I trust Schwab completely. I was fortunate enough to snag a signed hardcover edition, and after finishing it, I can confidently say my trust was well placed—she exceeded my expectations!
“If you only think of the wrong hands magic can fall into, you forget that now and then there are right ones.�
Schwab's writing style is very unique and if I can choose one author to learn from, it would probably be her. The way she weaves multiple threads -see what I did there- while keeping them interesting is just amazing. The prose flows beautifully, and the short chapters make it hard to put the book down.
The book introduces new characters but also follow characters we already know and love. Furthermore, I loved the way the first series had been ended but I always acknowledged that it wasn't perfect. With this book, some of those loose threads were mended and changed to threads of power -I did it again- and that makes me really appreciate Schwab even more.
“A head gets lost, but a heart knows home.�
Yes, the book is lengthy, but Schwab has a knack for captivating me without drowning me in unnecessary details. By the end, I felt exhilarated and satisfied, and I’m already eager for the next installment. I’m just so grateful that Schwab didn’t disappoint! ...more
Lore Olympus: Volume One ★★� 1/2 Lore Olympus: Volume Two ★★★★ Lore Olympus: Volume Three ★★★★ 1/4 Lore Olympus: Volume Four ★★★★ Lore Olympus: Volume FivLore Olympus: Volume One ★★� 1/2 Lore Olympus: Volume Two ★★★★ Lore Olympus: Volume Three ★★★★ 1/4 Lore Olympus: Volume Four ★★★★ Lore Olympus: Volume Five ★★★★ Lore Olympus: Volume Six ★★★★ 1/4
Although I enjoyed all of the volumes, I think this one is my favorite so far. I thought the last two volumes were very good, but the story wasn't progressing very much. In this one, it was the opposite as a ton of important things take place and there's a lot of discussion about trauma and Persephone keeps growing and growing (Maybe a bit literally with this one)....more
“The possibility of you is better than the reality of anyone else.�
Twisted Love ★★� Twisted Games ★★� 1/2 Twisted Hate ★★★★
I like that this
“The possibility of you is better than the reality of anyone else.�
Twisted Love ★★� Twisted Games ★★� 1/2 Twisted Hate ★★★★
I like that this series is getting better with each book. Twisted Hate is my favorite in the series so far because on the technical level, it was better too.
Jules and Josh make for an interesting couple and although the romance in this series always work in the same way and even the more intimate scenes seem to be all variation of the same alpha male crap, it is still enjoyable.
But this entry made this feel like a series because the characters from the previous book are better integrated. Alex and Ava are a solid part of the story and that makes sense given that Ava and Josh are siblings but at least in this book Ice and chill were not mentioned every time that Alex was on page.
The story had some depth into it too and it was more than just a cheesy romance story. The books are getting bigger with each entry, but they are still fast reads. I am really interested in the last book and seeing how the series will be wrapped up....more
The Bone Shard Daughter ★★★★ The Bone Shard Emperor ★★★★ The Bone Shard War ★★★★
Once again, I did the mistake of not reviewing a book immediately and alThe Bone Shard Daughter ★★★★ The Bone Shard Emperor ★★★★ The Bone Shard War ★★★★
Once again, I did the mistake of not reviewing a book immediately and almost forgot what I wanted to say but here we go. I read this entry soon as I finished the middle book, so things were still fresh in my mind, but I was still taken aback when I started it due to a time jump. It was a bit unexpected, and it took me some time to get oriented and get into the story again.
The book is large, larger than it should be, I think it could have been shorter, faster and more concise, there were moments where things were going in circle, and they did not add much to the story. I think a little bit more of editing and cutting could have made this even better.
That being said, it was intriguing, I like the magic system from the previous books and liked it even more with this entry. The characters kept improving specially towards the ending. The pacing went crazy, and the ending was great. I think an ending could make or break a series and this one here redeemed the stagging part in the middle.
Overall, it was a good series, and I am keeping an eye on Stewart's next series!...more
I like Alfageeh's art, so I was really excited for this one and it took me ages to get a copy. I wasn't very impressed by the story though as I felt II like Alfageeh's art, so I was really excited for this one and it took me ages to get a copy. I wasn't very impressed by the story though as I felt I have read similar stories dozens of times before. It just lacked creativity for me despite me understanding the messages. It also was too YA for me, I think younger me would have enjoyed this more. ...more
“You never get to be ready. You just have to move forward anyway.�
This was the fourth and final secret project, and in terms of enjoyment,
“You never get to be ready. You just have to move forward anyway.�
This was the fourth and final secret project, and in terms of enjoyment, it’s my second favorite after Tress! When it first came out, I saw some mixed reviews that raised concerns. However, I believe this one is crucial to the cosmere universe since it ties into the other stories, making it feel "more canonical," in a sense. I agree with others that this book requires a solid grasp of the cosmere to fully appreciate, but as someone who hasn’t yet read Rhythm of War, I still found it thoroughly enjoyable.
Sanderson’s writing remains as captivating as ever, showcasing his talent for world-building and crafting intricate characters. This time, the pacing felt notably different; the narrative is packed with rapid-fire action scenes, which I enjoyed, though some readers might prefer a bit more breathing room between them. Typically, Sanderson’s books start slowly and build up to the renowned Sanderlanche, and this one followed that pattern, but put it on steroids!
The book features imaginative world-building set in the future, with a magic system centered around sunlight, which ties into the story’s title. It takes place after the events of the fifth Stormlight book—still unreleased at the time—so there are a few spoilers for earlier books, and some events are mentioned vaguely, which might be frustrating. However, it also piques my interest to revisit this book after finishing the Stormlight series to catch any details I might have missed.
At its heart, it’s a story of vengeance, yet it carries Sanderson’s unique touch. The narrative unfolds with a sense of mystery—some elements of which I didn’t fully grasp—and is packed with action. The illustrations are stunning, and I wish Sanderson would consider hiring illustrators permanently for his future works. This marks his 50th book, dedicated to his readers, which I find sweet and touching!...more
This is a classic dystopian/ sci-fi novel and those are three of the genres that rarely work for me, that's why I stayed away from it despite hearing This is a classic dystopian/ sci-fi novel and those are three of the genres that rarely work for me, that's why I stayed away from it despite hearing good things about it. I then read somewhere that Huxley and Orwell had mutual respect for each other, and that Huxley taught Orwell. Add more rave reviews and I was convinced that I had to read this. I had a feeling that I would end up really liking or really hating it, believe me I wanted it to be the first option so bad but unfortunately it was the latter option.
I stopped reading at 50% of the book and I know I could push through till the end, but the book sparked not a single emotion out of me, I was as detached as the earth is from the sun and that if I got any closer, I may end up being burned out. The writing was not my cup of tea, there was just endless talking about the world with many numbers and statistics and scientific stuff that I did understand as someone who works in the field. I may sound like a dick saying this, but I bet most people had no clue what they were reading specially when it was released in the 1930s. The other option which is more logical is that I did not understand it because only 2% of readers gave it a 1 star and I don't think we're the special enlightened ones. It's just comparing to Orwell's masterpieces there was no comparison for me. And by the way, If I heard the word Soma one more time, I would have gone crazy.
I don't know if I can say much about the characters, I felt there were no characters. I ended up reading a summary and I know the story shifts the focus to a few specific characters but come on, you don't need like 50% of the book to actually begin the story.
The plot itself in my opinion is the reason the book is so successful as we're living it. We're living in that world already. I just think the way it was delivered did not work for me. And I am not really impressed with how it ends as far as I understand.
So, in short, I really wanted to like this book and had high expectations for it, but I was disappointed. I think the idea is good, but the execution was too dull and cold for my own tastes. I would recommend Orwell's books if you wanted to read a masterpiece. I think the student outdid the teacher in this case. ...more
I was driving and listening to an audiobook as usual on my way to work and then suddenly I remembered Sacks other book that I read which is The Man WhI was driving and listening to an audiobook as usual on my way to work and then suddenly I remembered Sacks other book that I read which is The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat. I remember enjoying that one and at that moment I decided to listen to the audiobook of Hallucinations.
I checked my review for the first book after finishing this one and I think I forgot that I had a problem with the book which is its heavy medical jargon and that it reads like a textbook more than a non-fiction book to have some fun with. Again, Hallucinations was an interesting read with many weird kinds of hallucinations whether they relate to vision, hearing, smell, drugs, doppelgangers and out of body experiences.
The book however doesn't provide much that I did not know from my neurology and psychiatry courses. In fact, it felt like listening to those lectures again which is not the most interesting thing when you are driving to work. So, partially I am to blame for choosing the not perfect formula for consuming this book, but I think it still defeats the purpose as I usually listen to non-fiction books with no problems. ...more
“It's very dangerous to believe people, I haven't for years.�
This is the last novel by Miss Marple, and I am so not ready to say goodbye.
“It's very dangerous to believe people, I haven't for years.�
This is the last novel by Miss Marple, and I am so not ready to say goodbye. I wasn't planning to read the short stories collection but since I believe I haven't got a closure; I will be doing so.
I initially did not like Miss Marple stories very much but after a few ones, I got the hype and I also fell for her. With this entry specifically, I liked the digging around and the investigation which as always kept me guessing till the end. Miss Marple was a secondary character in this book, and I prefer the book in which she's in the spotlight more but still she still got to shine.
Personally, I think Nemesis should have been the last entry in the series since it does give a more fitting closure to the character, but I guess I won't complain about getting more of Marple. I won't say goodbye yet but more like till we meet again. ...more
Good concept but the execution was just meh. When I saw medical drama meets superheroes, I was so excited but there were like 2 heroes only and there Good concept but the execution was just meh. When I saw medical drama meets superheroes, I was so excited but there were like 2 heroes only and there were medical inaccuracies and it dealt more with addiction. We did not get much about the antagonist and his motives and the ending was abrupt and not satisfying. For a comic that is not very long, I had higher expectations ¯\_(�)_/¯...more
Sins of Empire ★★★★ Wrath of Empire ★★� 1/2 Blood of Empire DNF ~20%
I really wanted to finish this series and love it as I did with the first series. I Sins of Empire ★★★★ Wrath of Empire ★★� 1/2 Blood of Empire DNF ~20%
I really wanted to finish this series and love it as I did with the first series. I was getting less enthusiastic after struggling through book two. This book gave me the same experience I had with book two. I just couldn't get into the story, and it felt like a chore every time I picked it up. I read a bit over 100 pages over two days and I was already looking forward to finishing it and picking up the next book and I thought to myself, why should I push through something I am not very excited about just to finish a series I will probably forget soon. So, I took the decision to DNF the book and thus the series and I am feeling no regrets right now. I picked a different book and read almost 100 pages in one sitting so I know it is not a reading slump to blame.
From other reviews I have seen, this is even slower than the previous books and the action happens toward the end, and I currently have no energy for that. I know from experience that it will end up being a 3 stars rating if I ever finish it but because I did not make it to 50% of the book, I am not gonna shelf it as read and not gonna give it a rating. I think that's my way of being fair to the author. ...more
I am just gonna say that I hope all politicians and war criminals that don't care about human lives will go to hell!!!I am just gonna say that I hope all politicians and war criminals that don't care about human lives will go to hell!!!...more
I am a fan of Boyne's writing as he always seems to write complex characters and tackle complex issues while keeping the novel engaging and not overwhI am a fan of Boyne's writing as he always seems to write complex characters and tackle complex issues while keeping the novel engaging and not overwhelming and this was the case here.
This is not exactly a novel, it is a novella falling just under 180 pages, but Boyne proves that a good writer can still deliver a great story in this number of pages. I think Boyne could easily have stretched this into a full novel but what we got was still satisfactory.
From my small experience with Boyne's other books, you can tell that there are some subjects that he likes to talk about, and he does so elegantly. These include LGBT communities, sexism, religion and the church and how communities work in general.
Also, I have to say that the writing was smart because it gives the readers space to draw conclusions through threads that are presented without spoon-feeding them. This explains how such an impactful story was contained in a novella form. I was also pleasantly surprised by the fact that this is an elemental series with the next entry being called "Earth" featuring a character we were already introduced to in Water. I will be definitely keeping an eye on the rest of those novellas. ...more
“But someone once told me we always end up where we're meant to be, and this is where I'm meant to be. With you.�
Twisted Love ★★� Twisted G
“But someone once told me we always end up where we're meant to be, and this is where I'm meant to be. With you.�
Twisted Love ★★� Twisted Games ★★� 1/2
Obviously, I became a fan of trashy romance novels too, someone send help please. This series does not have much literary weight, but it is addicting.
Somehow, this was similar to book one, but it was better written. The writing is a little bit better hence the improvement in the rating but the way the male characters act in this series is always the same.
The book focuses on Bridget and Rhys and not much on her friends from book one. Alex does make appearances and it is funny how we need to be reminded of his icy, chilly demeanor every time he was mentioned which is so Wattpad-like writing.
Overall, I enjoyed it despite the sometimes-amateurish writing, the time skips and the similar plot.
The Way of Kings ★★★★ 1/2 Words of Radiance ★★★★� Edgedancer ★★� 1/2 Oathbringer ★★★★�
Book #100 for 2023!! [image]
Despite this being one of the biggest boThe Way of Kings ★★★★ 1/2 Words of Radiance ★★★★� Edgedancer ★★� 1/2 Oathbringer ★★★★�
Book #100 for 2023!! [image]
Despite this being one of the biggest books I have ever read, I am keeping this review short because many better reviewers already did the job and because most of the fans have already read. I still think that this is an amazing series, the fact that you can make me go through more than 1200 pages alone is worth 5 stars. I do think books 1 and 2 were a bit better. Book two was perfection so if this is less good it doesn't mean it is a bad book because it is still excellent.
The writing is good, the pacing is a bit tricky, and I guess the book could have been shorter, but Sanderson manages to make it work. I love those characters, and I am even surprised I can keep up with all of them. My only complaint is that I wanted more Jasnah, more over when she is literally depicted on the cover!
I will certainly be continuing this series specially that book 5 is coming out very soon!...more
This is my first time reading a Liu story and I enjoyed it. I think that authors use a different voice telling short stories,Actual Rating: 3.75 Stars
This is my first time reading a Liu story and I enjoyed it. I think that authors use a different voice telling short stories, so I am intrigued to see what his full novels look like.
This story talks about art and how we react to it. It shows the effects of social media on artists and the art itself and how in this modern world, everyone seems to have an opinion, and many think they're the only right opinion out there.
The writing was a bit weird for me at first. Liu tends to use big and complex words for some reasons which is cool but can be a bit overwhelming too. I don't know if that's how he writes in general or if it was just this book, but I am eager to find out. As to the idea itself, it was fun to read but I have seen it better executed, most recently in An Echo Chamber by John Boyne but the length difference definitely plays a role. I believe this short story still delivered a good idea in a very few pages and I appreciate the endeavor. ...more
Sins of Empire ★★★★ Wrath of Empire ★★� 1/2
Unfortunately, I enjoyed this book less than the first entry. I see that in this series, this entry has the Sins of Empire ★★★★ Wrath of Empire ★★� 1/2
Unfortunately, I enjoyed this book less than the first entry. I see that in this series, this entry has the highest rating, but I can't agree very much with that notion.
There was something weird about this book; the writing and pacing are similar to the first book, but I found myself impatient with the slow pacing and I kept getting in and out of the story. I considered DNFing the book at one point, but I decided to push through, and the last part was kind of satisfying.
The characters are interesting but while in book one I found myself enjoying them all equally, this time there was a difference and I enjoyed Ben's POV more than the other two characters. Vlora is not bad but for some reason Michel was kind of boring and he kept getting tortured and then falling into unconsciousness which felt repetitive and even the character mentions that at one point.
So, I don't have much to say here, I enjoyed book one more. This entry focused more on the war schemes, and it was less exciting overall with a slower pacing. The characters did not provoke the emotions they did in the first book, and it took me double the time to finish it compared to Sins of Empire. ...more
“Because I’m headed down the hill, and you’re headed up it. I’m just glad we chanced to meet on the way.�
Baldree did a great job in rejuve
“Because I’m headed down the hill, and you’re headed up it. I’m just glad we chanced to meet on the way.�
Baldree did a great job in rejuvenating the cozy fantasy genre with his first book. The genre was there but as in all genres there are certain trends, ebbs and flows and it wasn't very popular until the release and huge success of Legends and Lattes. Readers loved that book -myself included- and authors wanted to ride that wave, so we started seeing more books in this genre.
This book was not originally planned, but fans asked for more and Baldree delivered. He went for a prequel though and not a sequel and that is an interesting choice because the stakes may be lower this way as we already know what happens in the future. But once again, this is cozy fantasy, the plot is not the focus of the story here. Put in a cheesier way, it is about the journey not the destination.
While I find Legends and Lattes a bit more enchanting, this book is still a delightful read. It’s a story about stories, which always has its own charm. Viv’s journey and her experiences with reading stirred up a wave of nostalgia and deepened my appreciation for the joy of reading.
“I don't know if I can explain it, but watching you read what I give you, putting a book in your hands and seeing what happens to you once you put it back down... I can't make you understand how that gives me something I didn't know I had to have.�
In conclusion, this novel is a cozy fantasy gem. It meets all the genre’s expectations with its excellent writing, well-crafted characters, and engaging plot. I look forward to more works from Baldree, as he currently reigns supreme in the genre!
Thanks for the publisher for providing me with an E-ARC of the book in exchange of an honest review. ...more
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