How awesome are those read it now for the first 500 member things from Netgalley! Especially when it's something I've been extremely excited for and actually got it!!
Original post: sunsetxcocktail.booklikes.com/post/1333587/reading-progress-update-i-ve-read-1-out-of-100-pages
Review:
After being somewhat disappointed with the first book in the series, I found myself liking the second one much more. Particularly towards the end of the novel.
Spoilers for the first book.
Picking up shortly after the first one left off, Meira is now Queen of Winter, and the Winterians are trying to pull themselves back together, but overshadowed by the huge debt they owe to Cordell and jackass King Noam who has a specific request - to find the chasm where Magic was sealed. Meira's not so convinced this is such a good idea. Theron has an idea for diplomatic peace between nations. Meira is struggling with the switch from orphan soldier girl to queen, having to put Winter and its people above her own needs. Also dealing with politics and the fact Mather is not there anymore and is now just a regular Lord and not the Prince. Mather is struggling with this change as well.
There's a great deal of character development in this instalment, particularly with Meira and Mather. While I don't really care much about the romance angle, I found it quite interesting to see the shift in power and how they were coping with their new roles. Meira's character grew tremendously throughout the book. There was some more world building as well.
A good deal of the plot involves Meira searching for specific items revolving around the magic chasm plot in all the different Rhythms and Kingdoms outside of Winter. It's really quite interesting seeing how each different one operates. Though the worst is clearly Summer, who deal in pleasure and hedonism, and not much thought for much else. The worst bit is Summer buy and sell people as slaves and make deals with other nations for this and steal slaves if they don't get their own way. Though my favourite new character, Princess Ceridwen of Summer, a spunky snarky spitfire of a princess was pretty damn awesome. She's intelligent and opposed greatly to the way her brother the King runs Summer. She has some secrets of her own.
Other kingdoms operate in different ways, as Meira searches for what she needs, she has to cope as well with the knowledge of how the world outside Winter works. Makes for some interesting reading. And also makes me say thank fuck for maps in fantasy novels. The map in front helped a great deal of getting some perspective on where everything in this fantasy world was and helped for a great sense of place. Though I did the middle of the novel very very slow indeed. It was getting to the point of thinking - a nearly 500 page book and NOTHING is happening. As interesting as the character development and the political side of things were - it needed something else.
Then at the end there's a few terrible plot twists and a big rush of action. In spite of a slow middle, I definitely liked this second book a lot, especially Meira. While not my favourite fantasy series, it's improving with each book and I'm definitely looking forward to seeing how it concludes.
Original post: sunsetxcocktail.booklikes.com/post/1332164/review-ice-like-fire
Review:
There comes a point when I have to just accept that a popular author is just not for me. Truthwitch has been one of the most hyped up books on my book feeds, particularly my twitter feeds since BEA last year. I love the author, I think she's a wonderful person, and I really do admire her social media presence and the time and dedication she has to her fans. She seems like a really lovely person. However, it would appear I just don't get on with her books. This is the second book by the same author that I have found only okay and mediocre at best. Which really sucks when I really want to support the author.
I entered every give away I saw for this title, I've had it on pre order since May 2015. I even considered applying to join the street team on this one. The enthusiasm and hype surrounding Truthwitch has been amazing. Now at the point where I have muted everything Truthwitch related from my twitter feed.
On finally getting to read it, it would appear I am a black sheep. I did not love this book. I didn't like it much at all really. I will certainly say it's very creative in its characters and world-building. However, the world building I found to be lacking in description and confusing as hell. I didn't get much of a sense of place or any sort of background or history. You're pretty much thrown into the setting and away we go. It's certainly vivid and colourful and definitely original. But, I just didn't connect to any of it.
Partly I think because I just could not stand the main character. For most of the novel Safiya drove me up the wall. Didn't like her much. I didn't get invested in the barely there romance much at all. Stepped up quite a bit at the end, but still didn't really work for me much at all. Starting this novel I was under the impression that Safiya's power - she can tell a truth from a lie in anyone - was pretty much the most sort out and desired type of witchery in the novel.
However, her power isn't as awesome as it seems. Very early on she looses all her and her friend's money in a card game. Which had eyebrows arching immediately - if your power is to discern who's telling the truth and not surely you should be able to know who's cheating in a card game? Apparently there are ways Safiya's powers can be fooled. (This point does actually come up at some point towards the end of the novel).
Certainly fast paced and full of action. I liked most of the supporting cast. Particularly the best friend Iseult. Who was pretty awesome. One thing I really did like was the two female protagonists, Iseult was not just regulated to a BFF side character. She had a huge roll to play in the story and the friendship between her and Safiya is one of the best things about the book. The rest of it... still just okay.
The second half of the novel was a lot easier to follow once they were out of the city and onto a ship. The plot picked up quite a bit and started to make a lot more sense. Some fairly interesting character interaction. But once you get past the ship and onto the next destination, there's another plot twist thrown in involving some sort ancient prophecy and the role Safiya and Iseult are supposed to play. But again - there's no background or anything to explain this! It's tell and nothing to even give much history on this prophecy or anything. It's pretty much from those who know about it we've known about this forever and this is it, it's happening now. Very confusing. I'm assuming this is something to be explored in further books.
Not entirely convinced it's a series I want to continue, really.
Original post: sunsetxcocktail.booklikes.com/post/1332161/review-truthwitch
Another case of the movie was better than the book. I took a bit of a gamble sticking this one on my Christmas book list. This book became the Johnny Depp movie 'The Ninth Gate' another favourite of mine. A dark atmospheric and somewhat chilling psychological thriller involving the occult and rare books.
I managed barely 60 pages or so of the book. Most likely not my taste, a lot of info-dumping of historical details regarding a missing chapter from a famous Dumas book before getting to anything recognisable from the Ninth Gate movie, but the style of writing I found to be very dry and couldn't connect to any of the characters. Don't think I'm the right audience for this book, but I wanted to give it a shot. Not for me.
Original post: sunsetxcocktail.booklikes.com/post/1331665/dnf-the-club-dumas
DNFed at page 143.
Hardback purchased, an eye catching cover and interesting plot. Not a fairytale I know at all, so sounded interesting (and I did look up the original). While the novel was certainly very creative in its sci-fi atmosphere, it was very confusing, and I felt no connection to any of the characters. There seemed to be a lot going on and a lot of new things and characters and rules and laws popping up and I found myself growing very bored very fast. I do have another book by the same author I will give read at some point, but this particular book was not for me.
Original post: sunsetxcocktail.booklikes.com/post/1331661/dnf-spinning-starlight
Review:
The Devil's Advocate is one of my favourite movies. I must have seen ten times plus. I can probably quote most of it word for word. I had no idea it was based on a book until last Saturday when watching the DVD again, I let the end credits roll longer than I usually do and noticed. So I immediately went and bought it.
This is a case, for me at least, the movie is ten times better than the book. The movie is brilliant. The book is bloody awful. I can see the basics of where the movie screenplay came from. The bare bones of plot and a fairly good idea is there. After winning a controversial case a young attorney is swept off his feet and brought into a prestigious top New York firm, the cream of the crop of lawyers and beautiful secretaries, all over seen by the charming and charismatic John Milton. Of course, as the story develops there's much more to it and nothing is as simple as it seems. There's a twisting darkness underneath it all.
The movie takes these ideas and builds a story that evokes a sense of fascination and dread with complex characters, rich although disturbing mythology, beautiful scenery and brilliant acting making for a great movie.
The book does none of this. The writing felt very poor and simple, characters were flat and one dimensional, the dialogue felt clichéd and lame. It was very much tell and not show. I didn't find there was any depth to anything. The only thing that kept me going was I wanted to see how the plot worked in the book compared to the movie.
Final conclusion, thankful I saw the movie first.
Original post: sunsetxcocktail.booklikes.com/post/1327495/review-the-devil-s-advocate
Review:
I snagged a copy of this book from Netgalley when it was available as a 'Read It Now' title. The blurb sounded good, even though the cover is one of the worst I have ever seen. It looks like a twelve year old girl mooning over her favourite boy band.
It tells the story of 16 year old Allison who has a dream of being a world famous singer. She's actually really good at singing, so she secretly auditions for pop star TV reality show Center Stage!. She's not really old enough but figures what the hell, I'll take a chance. The grand prize is a recording contract and a chance to open for super popular boy band All or Nothing (of which Allison is a huge fan) It's not all about focusing on the big star boy band. The novel focuses on Allison as she goes through the audition stages, dealing with the backstabbing nature of other contestants and the harsh reality of "reality" TV.
It's well written, Allison is a sensible, likeable teen. She does some stupid things, true, she's very naive and trusting, something that her terrible coach, country singing superstar Nelly, and unscrupulous producers take full advantage of. She finds herself involved a lot with one of the boys competing on the show, Elliot. But are his feelings for her genuine, or is there something more underhanded about it?
Allison shows tremendous character growth as the novel progresses and she learns how reality TV really works. She's got some of the most promising talent, but her own coach seems to want her off the show, she's got others in her own group - in particular a horrible (but beautiful) girl named Robin who seems to just be out to sabotage everyone else's chances instead of playing fair. Allison has a wonderful support network thanks to her friends, and her parents. Parental involvement! From her mum and her dad. Believable parental involvement without being sickly sweet or overwhelming. There's plenty of drama, and quite a few funny bits towards the end when Allison realises she's being used and decides to get her own back and stand up to the snotty producers; All Or Nothing make an appearance a few times, but there's a twist.
It's a fast read, plot doesn't require much picking apart or thinking about. It's well written with both likeable and unlikeable characters, believable and a very enjoyable, entertaining read. Certainly an author I would read again.
Original post: sunsetxcocktail.booklikes.com/post/1326818/review-center-stage
I received a copy from Netgalley.
I wasn't impressed much with the first book, but the plot had piqued my interest enough to want to read the next one to see where the story was going. A few times now, I've not liked a first book in a series but on reading the second, I've really liked the second book. Not the case with this series.
I read 30% of it, and have come to conclusion I just don't care. I don't like it. The plot feels way too 'Mockingjay' like. I don't like the characters. Mare is annoying as hell, and I'm already sick of her, especially hearing her going on and on about how she is the most powerful ally the Scarlet Guard has, and how dare they throw Cal into jail instead of trusting that he's really the good prince. And she's still struggling with her feels for Maven and whining over how she trusted him. On the one hand, understandable given the circumstances, but on the other - don't care. I have no interest whatsoever. I guess after all, I just do not like this series.
Thank you to Netgalley and Orion Publishing Group for approving my request to view the title.
Original post: sunsetxcocktail.booklikes.com/post/1326810/dnf-glass-sword-red-queen-2
Original post: sunsetxcocktail.booklikes.com/post/1325544/post
Review:
I received a copy from Netgalley.
I really don't quite know how to review this book. I have somewhat mixed feelings about. For the most part, the main character, Lucille, irritated the hell out of me. She was incredibly immature, but at other times, she had some deep thoughts that were incredibly moving, and a minute later she would be back to being a babbling idiot. Then the end of the book there was a big traumatic event and the emotional impact with everything else going on stepped up hugely and made me cry.
The novel tells the story of how Lucille's mother went on vacation for a break leaving Lucille in charge of her nine year old sister Wren for a week or two, but Mom never came back from her "break". To make things worse her father has recently had a complete break down and left the family and has wound up in an institution due to some unexpected and sudden very aggressive behaviour. Lucille also has a huge crush on her best friend Eden's twin brother Digby, which takes up most of her thoughts when she's not worrying about her sister or her mom and dad.
To give credit where credit is due, even though Lucille's babbling over crushing on Digby and her blathering over how wonderful he is and how unfair it is he has a girlfriend (who was actually really nice when she came into the story, but that's not what Lucille wants to hear) it's actually quite realistic for a teen to want most of her thoughts to be on school and boys and stuff like that. No teen should have to think about hiding the fact that their mother has more or less disappeared and can't be reached for contact.
Lucille is afraid of authorities becoming involved and her sister being taken away. Her sister is trying her best (even though Wren is very clingy) to cope, but the stress of parental absence is starting to affect her school work and personality and her teachers are starting to notice, even at one point one of Wren's teacher wants a meeting with the mom, but Lucille manages to fake permission from her mom so she can talk to the teacher on her behalf. There's the added problem of bills mounting up as well.
Its problems like these that make Lucille worried and its quite understandable. She manages to get herself a job and persuade best friend Eden to help watch her sister in the evenings. But there's problems with Eden's personal life and constantly covering for Lucille is affecting her in a negative way. When she tells Lucille, Lucille bitches and blows up.
Wanting to see how Lucille handles everything was really what kept me reading this book. The tone takes some getting used to. It's first person from Lucille's view point but I found she waffled a lot. It got very annoying very quickly. She's got so much on her shoulders, and on top of that the boy she likes may possibly like her (even though he's got a girlfriend he's had for a few years) she doesn't know if his feelings are genuine or if he's just being nice because of her tough situation. He helps out a lot with watching the younger sister.
The novel is set in a tiny town where everyone knows everyone else and no one needs to lock their doors. Throughout the novel, Lucille and Wren find that kind things appear to have been done when they are struggling - baskets of food are left, someone cleans their yard, someone else does the housework, someone leaves fresh baked pies. Aside from Eden and Digby, they have a lot of help from anonymous neighbours which was very sweet (this is what made me cry at the end when it's revealed who has been helping and why).
No word from mom but at one point Lucille finds her father has gone into a half way house and goes to see him. He's trying to get himself together but all he seems to do is whine about how house rules won't let him drink beer. Lucille is (rightly) pissed at this. Not much help there from him. Though toward the end of the novel, there's a big plot twist involving the BFF, Eden. It's a huge change of tone in the novel and this is where the struggle for Lucille with no adult help gets worse, its getting tougher to find help watching Wren, and now there's this big plot twist to deal with on top of it.
Some good and a form of hope comes through for Lucille when she and Wren find out who has been leaving food and helping them out. It's nice to know there are still people who are willing to help the girls out during their time of need. It's also very open ended which again, had quite a realistic feel to it.
While I wasn't blown away by the characters, I certainly liked the writing at points throughout the novel. So definitely an author I would read something else from.
Original post: sunsetxcocktail.booklikes.com/post/1323052/review-this-raging-light
Review:
I received a copy in Netgalley.
I haven't read a VC Andrews book in years. Initially I discovered them whilst volunteering in a charity shop one summer when I was home from university and kept seeing the books donated. And I devoured them. But eventually stopped when I got to the DeBeers series as I realised the plots all seem to follow the same formula.
I've noticed some newer ones floating around the last couple of years, but when I saw this one pop up on Netgalley, I figured, what the hell - I would give it a shot. I would either love it or hate it. I most certainly did not love it - I really don't quite know what to make of it. This review will be ranty and spoilery. Spoilers will be hidden.
(Trigger Warnings - book contains sexual abuse and incest)
We're introduced to Sage who guides us through her early childhood to her teen years. Starting off with some info dumpy information on how she has some sort of clairvoyance/sixth sense. She just seems to know things - she has vivid dreams that seem like memories and hears voices - whispers in the dark. She knows things that a small child shouldn’t know. Something else she also goes on and on and on about is the fact that she’s adopted and this makes her different from everyone else because she has no connection to her birth parents or any idea of her family history or why she sees things. She can see people’s futures as well. She knows when they’ve done something bad.
Granted, she has a few fair points in regards to adoption, and not knowing anything about where she came from other than what her adopted parents tell her. She has some sensible and lots of reasonably logical points. All about her connection to her parents and some of her feelings regarding whether they really wanted her after all. They are ridiculously strict with her, not quite cruel, but makes for uncomfortable reading. The problem is she goes on about it so much and in such a dramatic way it’s really hard to care. The whole tone of her voice is weird, it’s either so formal it’s boring or it’s so purple prosey it’s laughable. She’s such a goody two shoes, but of course, she’s so much more special and pretty than she could possibly realise.
As a child Sage would always talk about her strange vivid dreams and her visions, much to her parent’s horror. Particularly the very strict mother, who controls everything Sage does. She’s questioned constantly about what she does, who she talks to, where she goes. Her mother even chooses her outfits up to when she’s 15. The formality of the tone makes it hard to determine the setting off the novel. Is it sometime in the past or more modern day? Because of her sixth sense and the font of knowledge and strange dreams she has Sage appears much more mature and older than her 15 years. The setting is supposed to be modern day. Though the formality and strangeness of Sage’s tone and attitude makes it hard to grasp at certain times it is a modern day setting.
[spoiler]
At one point a boy in her school is trying to get her to go out with him (she’s about 14 at this this point) but she flat out refuses because she knows what he did to another girl – he gave her alcohol when he knew the girl had some sort of bad reaction to booze and was planning to take advantage of her. She tells him so bluntly she doesn’t want anything do with him. Then when the girl’s friends overhear and find out it gets back to the girl and she’s furious with Sage and accuses her of spreading rumours, calls her a “nit” and says something along the lines of “I should pull your hair out!” What modern day 14 year old talks like this when they’re pissed off something (even though it’s true) has come out in public? It’s eye rolling stupid.
[/spoiler]
Somehow, this gets back to Sage’s parents who transfer her to a private school. Sage doesn’t see that she’s done anything wrong. And really, she hasn’t. She’s just not sure where this knowledge comes from and doesn’t quite know what to do with it. She’s of course, not like all the other girls. She doesn’t have any friends, she’s not allowed to go to parties or movies or to the mall. While parental interaction in YA is usually non-existent, in this book it’s the other extreme. Sage is so controlled, particularly on her mother’s side (don’t ask questions, don’t do this, don’t do that, do what I tell you, you’re old enough to know better etc) it’s obsessive boarding on creepy. Her mother has some seemingly odd superstitions. Putting a wreath of garlic on the front door, gives her some sort of stone with holes in to hang by her bed to keep the vivid dreams away. She sends Sage to a child psychiatrist at some point when she keeps talking about her visions and just won’t listen to anything she says. Though the general consensus from everyone else seems to be ‘she’ll grow out of it’. Eventually she does stop talking to everyone about what she sees. Any time Sage shows the slightest sign of rebellion or voicing an opinion she’s cut down immediately and harshly.
She’s now 15 and in her freshman year of high school, she’s a bright student, never been in trouble, liked by teachers, empathetic and musically gifted at singing (of course). On transferring to a new school she does finally make some friends and gets a small amount of freedom when she finally manages to convince her mother that it’s okay for her to go to a party or to the mall. She has of course to be dropped off and picked up by her dad, but at least she’s got a little bit of freedom. The girls she hangs out with talk about boys and parties and sexual experiences.
[spoiler]
Sage’s sixth sense comes into play again and she tells them small things that would get certain boys to like them, and which boys she just knows are morons. Then at a party one of these popular girls throws, their forced to invite a mousey girl Cassie, no one likes. So Sage decides she will be nice to Cassie. And thanks to her knowledge and visions, she makes a horrific discovery.
Cassie is being sexually abused by her own father. It’s vile and disturbing to read as Sage tries to figure out how to use her powers to help Cassie without being found out and without her parents finding out. At one time her powers have developed so she actually experiences what Cassie is experiencing. She finally figures out a way to help Cassie without getting herself involved. This is probably the only thing Sage does that makes her even somewhat likeable. She’s so above everyone else (although she’s trying to fit in) she just comes off as so wooden and snobby. This helps her redeem herself a little. She can use her gifts to help someone in danger.
[/spoiler]
Then that all goes to hell when good looking new boy Summer Dante arrives. He’s the sexiest thing since sliced bread and every girl wants him. But unsurprisingly, its only Sage he’s got eyes for and Sage can’t understand why and doesn’t seem to get why the other girls are very very jealous. As she gets to know Dante better and finds herself falling for him, even though she’s telling herself, there’s something not quite right about Dante. He’s got unusual talents like she does. He knows things he shouldn’t too. Sage even starts to have sexual thoughts mostly relating to him. Now it should be a good thing that she’s starting experience a sexual awakening, however, but it’s so terribly written it’s like it’s trying to be sensual and romantic and really it’s just terrible! And doesn’t sound at all like a teenager’s thoughts. But of course, Sage has always been much older than she appears to be and talked different. Again, it’s all eye-rollingly stupid.
There’s one rather funny bit where Sage’s friends convince her to go to another party and tell her to tell her parents she’s going to the mall and the movies with her friends. The movie is ‘Ruby’ one of them will lend her the book. This of course all goes pear shaped, but on route back to the mall to meet her dad in time for pickup she discusses the movie with Summer who tells her the plot – a girl who’s got a secret twin in new Orleans part of a really rich family and Ruby goes to live with her. The more the story was described the more it was like – why is this so familiar? Any VC Andrews fan can tell you – it’s the first book in the Landry family saga! Usually it annoys the hell out me when authors use their books in novels for whatever reason. I saw it in a scifi novel I read a while back where the author used her novel earlier dystopian novels in a futuristic English as an example of a really bad government – this one made me completely disgusted and I have never read that author since. In this case it was quite funny when it twigged. Who knows, maybe we’ll eventually get a Lifetime Landry saga movie.
And here’s where it gets disturbing. This is going to be a major spoiler but I need to rant about it because it’s just beyond weird.
[spoiler]
Summer Dante is romantic with Sage, when her jealous friends invite her to a party with the sole purpose of spiking her drink and getting her harmed and in trouble with her parents, Summer gets them to take drugs and leaves them to it, after making them strip their most of their clothes off, and escorts Sage away on a romantic date. He takes her to meet his dad, a charming author who writes romance novels. He has a huge picture of her in his room. He took it sneakily. It’s just plain creepy. But he sweet talks his way out of it.
Later in the plot, he asks Sage on an official date and goes to her house to pick her up. Her parents have put up some sort of pentagram symbol and explained to Sage it’s part of their religion (this hasn’t been touched on before but more later) and Summer freaks out when he enters the house and sees it. He runs off, abandoning Sage. Later appearing in Sage’s bedroom and seducing her. They start getting down to business but Sage can’t handle it and freaks, Summer finally leaves after convincing her to meet him tomorrow. Later on Sage wakes to find her parents, an aunt and an uncle who decide to tell her the truth about where she came from and who they all are. They are powerful wiccans, Sage’s father was part of the coven but her mother was not. That’s her parents were so protective because that had happened before and it didn’t work out well. The icky bit to the plot twist is Sage’s real father was banished from the coven for falling into dark magic. And it turns out he’s Summer’s father and Summer is her half brother. Who has been seducing her.
For a VC Andrews novel this type of incest isn’t exactly unusual. It’s just bizarre when from the second Summer Dante arrives about half way through, the novel has the tone of a paranormal romance. And this is supposed to be marketed to teenagers?!?
[spoiler]
The good guy coven of Sage’s adoptive family want her powers for them. They can help her learn more about her magic and sixth sense and stuff. There’s a reason for the vivid dreams she’s been having since childhood after all. Summer and his dad want her powers for the bad guy coven. He goes away after Sage confronts him with the truth but not without a warning he’ll keep trying to get her for the bad guys. Sage goes home to be inducted into the good guy coven. At least she’s smart enough to know how wrong her feelings for him are and wants nothing to do with him.
[/spoiler]
That all being said, in spite of how utterly absurd the plot was and how ridiculous the characters were, I couldn’t put down. I did find myself skimming through some parts I found dull and wordy, mostly of Sage making the same point in different ways. But it was still like regardless of how much it made me giggle with the overall idiocy of it all, after reading the first 5% or so one day, I finished the rest in a day. It was terribly addictive. And will still be looking for the next instalment.
Thank you to Netgalley and Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books for approving my request to view the title.
Original post: sunsetxcocktail.booklikes.com/post/1318209/review-sage-s-eyes
New year and a new round of Story Sprites from Great Imaginations
This looks like a pretty easy board to cover - though the Scandinavian born character one will require some digging. My plans so far:-
One Word Title - Fairest - Marissa Meyer
Book with a Rebellion - Winter by Marissa Meyer
Book with a Map - Ice Like Fire by Sara Raasch
Prince or Princess - A Wicked Thing - Rhiannon Thomas
YA Sci-Fi - Spinning Starlight - RC Lewis
Character Code Names - Touch of Twlight by Vikci Pettersson
Start a Series - Finnikin of the Rock - Melinda Marchetta
Dragons - Seraphina by Rachel Hartmen
Winter Falls by Nicole Maggi - either Enchanted Forrest or Supernatural Feud
Clairvoyance - Don't Even Think about it - by Sarah Mlynowski
Strong Female Friendship - Truthwitch by Susan Dennard (my pre order was shipped the other day)
Purple Themed Cover - Persuasion by Martina Boone
Stand Alone Fantasy - Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White
Original post: sunsetxcocktail.booklikes.com/post/1316517/story-sprites-round-3
