Samia
You know...I shouldn't have read this after reading ACOTAR and CC because I can tell her writing is sooo different.
Honestly I don't know what to feel. I think the main theme of the book is interesting and I hope it gets more clear what Cealana wants.
The love triangle happening is also weird because I don't think she ever really talks about her feelings. It's like the prince is conveniently there for some sort of entertainment. I think this could use more work I know SJM knows how to write romance.
Looking forward to the rest of the books and hoping they get better cuz this one was good but it wasn't so good that I had to read it all in one night.
AMAZING. The darkness and depth of feeling and mystery in this novel is amazing. The author takes us through a dark magical mystery and sprinkles in the seeds of a romance that catches your breath when you think it will be torn away. I really loved her use of imagery and I felt like I was in the mist and mystery with the main character. Spice level isn't too high but it's so satisfying in the love department. I love that it's not the main story of the book - the dark magical thriller vibes of it all really vibed with me reading it in Spooktober.
Can't wait for the new book!
10/10 if I could I would rate it this way. This book is so underrated but it's AMAZING. READ IT.
Dianna is a character after my heart; the way she protects her sister is a exactly how I would feel. She's a complex character that encases herself in a villain identity to survive and she's done it for a millennium already.
Throw in a broody PTSD god who learned the consequences of his actions in the worst way possible and you've got such a dynamic pair.
He's a cinnamon roll and she's a fire cracker and together they really step out of the romantic ideals you expect when dealing with gods and monsters and give us a realistic idea of the weight of responsibility on the shoulders of the powerful. How it messes you up, and how you don't always come back from it haply and cheerful. The connection between the two starts as enemies to friends to almost lovers but not because crazy shit happens.
And I love that cuz it's pretty realistic.
I ate up this book, even tho the spice level is low, my heart is obsessed with the story. Highly recommend if you like SJM, especially Throne of Glass.
Oh my goodness the second novel of this series really left me thirsting for more. It's much longer than the first one and with good reason. A lot of politics in this one, mixed in with secrecy, spying, and so many unanswered questions. I romance if the novel really steps up but we still don't know everything about the characters and it makes me soooo curious about what the hell is master rebellion plan! Already diving into book 3 now!!
Wow. This book is quite stunning in the world that it builds and the characters it has. Gone is the simple story of mortal/half mortal joining the ranks of power. There's a reality in the book that is refreshing and a lot of complicated layers of trust, love, duty, rebellion, and mystery. Our main character (as insufferable as she can be when it comes to not being in denial) barely knows who she is and gets thrown into situation after situation in which she fails. I like this a lot because she is forced to confront her own ego and ideals of life which she really didn't know about because she was sheltered. Not much spiciness in this book but the slow burn love is definitely keeping me coming back for more. 100% must read!
Okay so let me start by saying there was too much repeated crap in this novel which is why I felt immensely annoyed through 50% of it.
What I am happy about is that they finally accept their love for each other and apparently our girl has some major powers.
I'm looking forward to reading the next one but I swear I'll scream if there's more repeated lines like they've been copied straight out of the last book.
It's still great tho so ok bye.
This book is raunchy and intriguing. Frustrating and thrilling. Step into an interesting alternative storytelling of vamps and wolves and so much more. I kind of hate the main character because she's irritating but I'm really hoping she'll be having some serious character development. The main male character is the epitome of toxic hot bad boy that I can never resist. If you're a fan of Sarah J Mass and Iris Lake, you'll love this. Onto the second book!
This book is spectacular and devastating- as the author likes to put it. Our story drops right into the middle of action, about a girl who is more goddess than mortal. But this isn't a cute romance, this isn't an epic quest, this book is dark. Dark and toxic and wicked in the best sense possible. There's more questions than answers that arise by the end of it and Iris Lake has done an excellent job of pulling in a reader, not with a love story, but with cruelness and wrath and revenge. I feel like the characters fell into my heartstrings and twisted them up. I don't even like the main character and yet I'm obsessed with her. I'm excited for the second book coming out at the end of the year! I highly recommend this book for SJM fans and those that love a little darkness in their life.
Can we just talk about how SJM really left us with a CLIFFHANGER OF DOOM???
My body is not going to be able to handle waiting until JANUARY for the next book.
Like what????
I have to re read everything now and questions EVERYTHING!!!!
I love Bryce she's a really interesting character once we get to know her. Initially I really did think she was stupid as hell and didn't like her but that's the magic of SJM you really get involved with all the characters. They all literally don't have any side character energy it's just main characters all around.
I have so many questions about this SJM multiverse that has now begun and I can't wait.
I'm still wary of the Hind, and how she's been a “rebel” for so long. The politics of this series are so interesting and at the end when Bryce discovers that the Asteri are really just leeches I felt the distinct shift of this fantasy book into some next level scifi going on. It's like an episode of Doctor who and you're like “whaaaaa???”
I could go on and on but once again I am FLOORED by the intricate storyline of this series and the world that's been built by SJM.
This book was extraordinary!! SJM really upped her creativity and complexity in this fantasy world. I'm amazing at how many different creature and politics, culture, and the mix of magic and technology in this novel, making it honestly of the best modern fantasy books I've read. I also loved that she trolled her town ACOTAR series with the mating and manly Fae men
I don't even know where to begin but this was my favorite book yet. Asides from the extremely SPICY romancé going on in here I found that watching Nesta go through being a character I have to the character I now love and champion was amazing. She really showed that the worst of us, the most traumatized and scared, can rise up and past whatever is thrown our way. She's such a badass and Cassian and her, their love is amazing in a way that is different from Rhys and Feyre. I think we got to see a mating bond that wasn't declared outright but slowly twined together as they both grew and learned from each other.
Politically, Nesta has set up the books to now have powerful assets, powerful women on their side. The Valkyrie. I have a feeling we are going to see them shine in the book.
There is finally a heir to the throne. Lowkey I wish Feyre had a girl so there would be a High Lady ruler after Rhys but who knows maybe there's going to be more babies
Listen I'm obsessed with this series so much. This book really made the characters grow up. I found myself surprised at the interest I had about Cassian and Nestas love- are they mates ??? And I wonder how Elaine will fit into this story because being a Seer is so pivotal. How will Lucien court her? Is he gunna find out who his real dad is ?
When Rhys died my heart literally shattered and then I remembered there's still a few chapters left.
I'm about just dive into the next one because I'm so curious.
I love that Feyre is a powerful character still.
I'll say one thing though - the author needs to stop calling everyone males and females she says males so many times I wanna GAG. Like we get it they're “MANLY MALES” but it's the third book. Good thing the story is really good and I'm invested in the characters cuz that drives me so crazy.
Anyways see you all for the next review bye !!!
I remember now why I stopped reading smutty fantasy novels.
BECAUSE IM OBSESSED WITH THEM.
This book is surprisingly well written, with some repetitive writing in the beginning that transformed into a more eloquent narrative. I'm really excited to dive into the next one as we see our main character reconcile her past, present, and future.
If you love the Fae and politics of magical beings, romance, and a strong female protagonist- read it.
Yes I did finish this book in one night Becuase I couldn't put it down!!! I'm a sucker for action and romance mixed in with a powerful underdog female badass and this book hit the mark. The writing is witty and doesn't drag on, each page is filled with information that creates the most amazing story by the end of the book and I'm just itching for the second one to come out!! There are sexy scenes so be warned for children- this is an ADULT fantasy novel. The relationships between dragons and their humans is also unique in the sense that the humans are lording over the dragons controlling them, the dragons truly have the powerhere. 100% an amazing read if you like fantasy with action and sprinkled in good romance.
Whew this took so long for me to read. I will start with saying that this book drops you into random parts of the action, so it can be a little disorienting first especially with the flowery language. But it's quite well done, by the end of the book there has been a crescendo of change and it feels like more intense action will be following. Asimov really captures the space and the final frontier kind of vibes. I would like more information on the empire so it'll be nice to read the prequel to round out my understanding of the Asimov world.
“The Passage” encompasses the horrifying story of science gone wrong, with vampires roaming the night in the most non-romantic way possible. The story is tied together through flashes of the past and future, where we follow the story of a girl named Amy, whose deadbeat mother abandons her at a convent. Amy is special, but we don't fully understand how. Brad Wolgast, an FBI agent, is tasked with finding her for a secret government project. However, he gains a conscience and tries to save her, but it's too late, and she is exposed to the virus.
The main plot involves a team of scientists exploring the traits of a special species of bat for NOAH, a government project meant to use these traits to create super soldiers. As you can imagine, it doesn't go very well. The virus escapes, leading to the catastrophic collapse of civilization. Millions of people are turned into creatures (vampires) under the control of the original test subjects. Nearly a century later, survivors in a walled-off colony in California encounter Amy, who has not aged due to the virus. Her presence sets off a chain of events leading a group to embark on a dangerous journey across a devastated America, uncovering secrets about the virus and Amy's importance in the potential salvation of humanity.
My Thoughts on the Book
I found Justin Cronin's writing enthralling. He has a wonderful way of adding details that weave into the large thread of the plot. I was hooked from the first page. I felt creeped out and excited and really involved in the characters and their lives. His way of developing the characters so they feel relatable while keeping the reality of the situation (they're living in a vampire world, so people are going to die) really at the forefront of the book is impressive.
There are a lot of mysteries to unravel with The Twelve (the vampires that were created and spread the virus), and the reader travels through time, wondering if humanity will survive. This book fills you with a lot of hope, and by the end of it, you're dying to read the second one to know how it will all unravel.
Amy is a fascinating character to me due to her special abilities, but I am curious to see how her immortality will play out in the next book.
So this starts out a little bit boring but the author really picks up a storyline that almost sounds fictional- until you realize the horror of the murders of the Osage Tribe and the even now continuous exploration of them. I think the title is a little misleading regarding the north of the FBI- while this case was one of the more major ones that supposed Hoovers ideal FBI format- I don't think there was enough information provided about the relationship of the two. It's an excellent read however and I can't wait until we see Leo Decaprio in the movie.
I really blew through this book I loved the concept of speaking to the dead. It's a coming of age type novel with some interesting twists but definitely not that scary or horror like to me, unlike the main character of the book. I think Stephen King should definitely write a sequel to this novel to show where our hero is going. Very nice and witty easy read!
I honestly enjoyed the book a lot. The mystery within a mystery within the question of what we consider a life is fascinating. The choices we make to escape the real work, and why? I think this novel really encapsulates the desire humans have for escape from the hustle and bustle of the world moving- a peaceful life but with the harsh reality that in order to close off from the modern world- we have to sacrifice and shed a lot of things that we've come to depend on. Overall though this was a pretty crazy mystery/thriller.
READ. THIS. NOW.
Have you ever heard of a chain gang? I hadn't until I picked up “Chain Gang All Stars” and looked up its title. This ignorance speaks volumes about the gaps in American history education.
This novel is a powerful narrative grounded in the harsh realities of the for-profit prison system in America. It delves into the dichotomy of good and evil, questions of human autonomy, and the judgment of actions. Moreover, it sheds light on the stark racial biases prevalent in our incarceration system, effectively portraying it as a modern form of slavery.
Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah crafts a biting satire that encapsulates these systemic flaws and the bleak future we face if we fail to address social determinants of health, poverty, and the punitive nature of our justice system. The treatment of the LGBTQIA community and women, especially Black women, is depicted as a constant state of terror. The rising brutality within prisons underscores a disturbing societal acceptance of dehumanizing anyone incarcerated. This begs the question: Where does our humanity and compassion stand?
This book is a mirror reflecting the disturbing reality of our current system, forcing us to confront uncomfortable truths. It's a compelling call to action, urging readers to reconsider their perspectives on social justice and human rights.
Adjei-Brenyah doesn't just tell a story; he opens a dialogue about the future we are hurtling towards if these issues remain unaddressed. The narrative is infused with a raw intensity that grips you from the first page to the last, making it impossible to look away from the injustices it portrays.
In the end, words can only do so much to convey the profound impact of this book. It's a must-read that challenges and provokes, demanding reflection and discussion. So, dive into “Chain Gang All Stars,” and let's talk about the changes we need to make for a more just and humane world.
So to start, Octavia Butler is a brilliant writer considering how weirded out, surprised, confused, and slightly aroused this book made me feel.
This is an interesting take on the aliens take over earth sort of sci-fi which incorporates genetics and themes such as identity, autonomy, consent, and the human nature all while dealing with aliens that I felt were like groomers of young children. These aliens are super old and they manipulate humans with drugs and...consensual or non consensual sex/drugs? In the simplest form that's what it looked like to me as I feel that the intentions of the aliens isn't as wholesome as they make it out to be.
This is quite a brilliant start to the trilogy and I'm looking forward to seeing how everything unfolds in the next two books once I've recovered from all the feelings this book made me feel.