Dana
I don't think I ever finished the series before! What a solid series ender. While I definitely would have loved more of an epilogue, I'm happy with what we got. I also would have loved a redemption arc for Grandma Bone but hey maybe that happened down the line.
I know there's a few other books in the overall Children of the Red King series, particularly one featuring Gabriel, that I'd like to someday read as well. But for now, I'm happy I finally finished the Charlie Bone series and I would highly recommend it to middle schoolers looking for a series similar to Harry Potter but not as dark.
Me reading the book before the last 10 or so pages: eh maybe this is a 3 star read.
Me after the last 10 pages: 4.5 stars for sure.
That was the most INSANE, UNHINGED, BRUTAL endings to a book I've read in a looong time. I was repeating “oh my god? Oh my god???? What the fuck???” Over and over.
But it took a long time to get there.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one! Zetian is a great main character even though I didn't even really like her through a fair amount of the book. She felt a little... preachy and singleminded at times. I did love, LOVE the romance. Even though it took a while to establish the triangle (a real love triangle! Poly!), I really liked seeing them learn to trust and fall for one another.
The feminist message of the novel at times felt forced down your throat like ‘yes we get it, let's get on with the changing of it' but it really set up how difficult it was going to be to change this deep set misogynistic mindset. And the little twist in the freakin epilogue??? I'm looking forward to book 2.
Thank goodness for the list of endowed children and the family trees at the start of the books because there are so many characters! Somehow I never get them confused but it's still a lot to keep track of. I'm glad to see Asa free and I hope he can come back and join Charlie's side. Dagbert is a creepy kid. The series is getting even more serious with more life and death situations and these kids are still only 11-12 years old!
We are introduced to even more characters that just feel alive on the page. We FINALLY discover what's happened to Charlie's father and while it's not exactly a cliffhanger, the ending always sends me scrambling for the next book. I hope we get a redemption to Grandma Bone as well as Asa!! Onto the next!
Okay, I loved it. I would highly, highly recommend reading the first two first. However, you can certainly start with this one and backtrack (that's what I did/am doing) because it did make me super invested in this world and the previous story.
I really loved Sade. She's such a great character and I loved how she had to work through her difficult feelings and situations with a pragmatic look at herself and her world. I just really enjoyed being with her through this story.
I actually really liked this bizarre 2nd person POV, especially when we discover WHO she's telling this story to!! Such a neat twist.
I really enjoyed this plot and social commentary as well. I feel like it was handled in a well done and respectful way and even showed both sides of the issue; both classes. And speaking of things done well, I liked seeing Sade's struggles with her disabilities and that they were handled respectfully and she had sensitivity readers.
Overall, a great book that could be a standalone, but it probably even better if you had the past context to go with it.
Uprooted is one of my all time favorite books so I have hopes for this anthology!
‘Araminta, or, the Wreck of the Amphidrake‘
4 stars
Very fun. I liked that we are not told what the amulet does, but are forced to figure it out. I really enjoyed Araminta and I would be curious to know what happens to her. I'm also curious about this world!
‘After Hours'
3 stars
This one really depends on your knowledge of the Scholomance series. I've read book 1 (A Deadly Education) but haven't finished the series. This contains mild spoilers for that (I think). But it's well written in such a way to keep you on the edge of your seat and anxious for this little heist.
‘Vici'
4 stars
Super fun. You did not need to know much of the dragon series Naomi Novik writes so there wasn't any context that was lacking really. I thought it was funny even though I really know next to nothing about Marc Antony. It does make me want to read the Temeraire series though!
‘Buried Deep'
3 stars
Admittedly, I only vaguely know Ariadne's story. I think that made my enjoyment of this much less. But I did like this take! What I didn't like was that I didn't really understand the ending. I'm not sure if it was implied that Ariadne “saves” her brother and escapes with him and Theseus or if she just set the myth on the path to being fulfilled as written. Either way, the writing was very well done, I'm just awful at reading subtext.
‘Spinning Silver'
5 stars
I tried reading the novel version of this story because I had hoped she'd fall in love with the Staryk in my hopeless romantic sort of way. She doesn't. And so I DNF-ed the book.
This makes me want to take it back up. I love that she did it for herself and herself alone. Pulled her family out of ruin and made something of herself. She was challenged and overcame and was free.
‘Commonplaces'
2 stars
I have nothing against Irene Adler, I just don't care for cheating.
‘Seven'
5 stars
Super original and super interesting! I loved learning the background of this world and would have loved to see this delved into a full novel. I'd be interested in seeing how it all ends up as well.
‘Blessings'
5 stars
Of course the story I enjoyed the most is the shortest. I truly hope this one becomes expanded into a full novel! I love fairy godmother blessings gone wrong.
‘Lord Dunsany's Teapot'
2 stars?
I genuinely have no idea what is going on.
‘Seven Years From Home'
4 stars
Honestly, I barely know what's going on in all of these stories. This one took a little while to find my groove with, but I think I made sense of it in the end. This was a foray into sci-fi which was neat, but sometimes Novik has an overly complicated way of writing and it was just sometimes really hard to read. But I liked the message and the story so I can't complain too much.
‘Dragons & Decorum'
5 stars
By far my favorite of this collection. I loved how it really took the story of Pride & Prejudice and added a little bit of dragons. It kept the bones of the story but made it much more fun! I would love a whole mini series or movie with this premise, thank you!
‘Castle Coeurlieu'
2 stars
Creepy gothic haunted castle vibes but with a child bride who's only friend is her new ‘son' who's a year older than her? Kinda weird but I know that's on track for that time period. The creepy parts felt lessened by the oddly comedic parts? Just not my vibe on the whole.
‘The Long Way Round'
3 stars
This one is apparently a look into Naomi Novik's new world and I'm certainly curious about it. However my attention was not captured in this story. It was interesting, sure, but I wasn't invested at all enough to really care.
All in all, I'm actually pretty disappointed in this collection. It's not bad but it wasn't what I was expecting nor what I had wanted at this time.
47/65 stars comes out to 72% or roughly 3.5/5 stars which I agree with.
I can't believe I haven't reviewed Charlie Bone yet! Growing up, I loved Charlie Bone ever so slightly more than Harry Potter. There are so many characters to fall in love with and it's such a fantastic story. I hunted down all 8 volumes and while they're all different editions, they no longer print them so it's what I have to make do with.
If you have a kid slightly too young for Harry Potter (the later books are rather dark and violent), then this is always the first series I recommend.
Edit 10/9/2024:
I still absolutely love this series! I love the writing, the atmosphere, the plots! So happy to be rereading!
I was really enjoying this until about the halfway point. Then Hazel started making some dumb decisions that I couldn't root for her on. And then be the end, I was just kinda over it. The climax and ending seemed to take all of maybe 1 chapter in this massive almost 500 page story. It was sad!
I did really enjoy Hazel for the most part. She was so human and flawed and I loved Merrick too! I was disappointed his role was severely cut back the further into the book we got. I felt like the romance with Leo was predictable and bordered on insta-love. I really enjoyed Hazel's relationship with the princesses, but I wish we got to SEE more of it!
All in all, this book had me all kinds of yo-yoing. I liked somethings, then did, then loved somethings, then they turned out just meh. I still really like Erin A. Craig's writing, but this one was a miss for the most part for me.
Also like... we never find out what the First God's role in this whole mess was?? She was the only one we didn't see and it was sorta frustrating.
I was surprised that there were two typo/errors in this book. One, it slipped from the 3rd person narrative to 1st at one point. And the second being that Keely is spelled ‘Keeley' in book 1. Bizarre.
I will say while I enjoyed this one a lot, I loved book 1 more. Book 1 was full of humor and slice of life scenes and the plot twists were so well done! Book 2 was a kind of break neck speed ‘gotta fulfill the prophecy' and it made the humor suffer as well as the characters. It didn't feel like they were having fun. This one was heavier and more challenging for them but I'm on the edge of my seat to see what happens in book 3.
Also, I know it's slow burn but I'm ready for them to fuck please.
Hands down one of my top 10 favorite books now.
And to think I kept putting it off because I hated the cover. (Still do tbh- it just isn't visually pleasing and the typewriter keys don't look like typewriter keys... and I collect typewriters!)
Divine Rivals follows Iris Winnow, an 18 year old girl who is a journalist fighting for a columnist position against Roman Kitt, a wealthy 19 boy who is Iris's sworn nemesis. All the while a war is breaking out between two gods who were thought to be dead. And when they say ‘war' they mean WAR. Like trenches, bullets, bombs and an unflinching look at the devastation.
And yet, somehow, there's such a strong tone of hope, survival, and love.
Not to mention that this was quite possibly the most swoon-worthy book I've ever read. Roman Kitt is the absolute BLUEPRINT of ‘when he falls first' and ‘if he wanted to, he would'. HE FOLLOWED HER TO THE FRONT LINES!!!!!! And she still didn't realize he loved her or that she loved him!!!!!!!!
I will absolutely be devouring book 2 tomorrow. Don't even try to stop me.
Wow I'm having a hard time compiling my thoughts but I did definitely cry through the last 10% or so of the book.
Picking up neatly where Divine Rivals left off, we follow Iris and Roman, now torn apart and fighting on opposite sides of this war. And what a brutal war it's turning out to be. I wasn't sure about introducing Dacre and somewhat humanizing him but he was so clearly an antagonistic character that I really rarely felt sympathy for him. Maybe at the start when his tale felt like a Hades and Persephone myth but he was irredeemable by the end. I found Enva's “reason” for remaining hidden, even during the city assault, weak. I didn't care for her either. I was team ‘no gods' at the end.
Ah Roman and Iris. They have a love that spans time, space, and divinity. Oh how I love following them. And yeah, we don't follow them quite as close as book 1 but I didn't think it was a detriment; I enjoyed seeing more from the side characters we've come to love. I liked that Attie got her own little romance too! I found the ending so tragic and somewhat unnecessary (felt a little like how the end of Hunger Games made me feel) for two side characters but I won't spoil it.
All in all, a solid sequel and series ended but book 1 was better. I burned for these characters and they will eternally have a place in my heart. And I bought special editions for my collection so I may reread them when I need a swoon worthy romance.
DNF@ 20%
Look, it's mostly a me problem. Its been too long since I read book 1 and the charm of the series was lost on me. Add into that the absolute horrid treatment of children and it was difficult to stomach the scenes with Rosalind and her ladies in waiting.
I skimmed the rest of the book and while I understand that the treatment is needed to progress the plot, the vile words were hurtful and cruel and, in case I need to remind you, Rosalind is a CHILD!
I still very much enjoy Stephanie Burgis's writing, but this series just wasn't for me.
This is my guilty pleasure series! Are all the books basically the same? Yeah. But am I going to read all of them? Absolutely. I like that Calan was a bit more sensitive and thoughtful than the other male leads. I liked that Allissaid was clever and brave. I love that the two complimented each other so well. It's a well done Mass Market Paperback series. I'm looking forward to Alick and Inghinn's book!
Never thought I'd LOVE this book the way I did. Especially with how creepy, unsettling, and somewhat gory it was. But I also don't think those words are even the best words to summarize this book.
We follow two main characters; the daughter of an evil sorceress and the sister of the man the sorceress has set her sights on. Cordelia was a small, traumatized, frightened girl who by being brave, learned how to truly be herself. I rooted for her the entire time and I'm so proud of who she was at the end of the book. Hester was probably my favorite though. She reminded me so much of Sophie from Howl's Moving Castle (more of the book version, but the movie Sophie was also a delightful old lady) where she would pretend to be senile (she was only in her 50s) and silly but was smart as a whip and clever and keep all her wits about her. She was spunky, stubborn, and so lovable.
The plot is supposed to be inspired by The Goose Girl but only very, very loosely. I liked that we were kept guessing and a few of the twists made me dramatically gasp aloud. It was very fun! I was not anticipating the end and while I was thoroughly spooked and unsettled, it was fantastic writing.
I really enjoy T. Kingfisher books as I don't think I've rated any of them less than 5 stars yet. I am willing to try What Moves the Dead now! All in all, a fantastically fun but unsettling novel!
I really enjoyed this one! The beginning was a little slow/rough as a lot happened at once and then momentum really came to a halt at the island. However, thats when the charm was really turned on. I loved the characters and their interactions so much. It was so cozy and sweet and I liked the plot even if it felt a little forced at times... But I liked the very end and its message of choosing kindness.
I really loved the characters. Every one felt individual and distinct. The only one I did not understand was the antagonistic townsman because he was a dick for seemingly no reason. I wanted him to have more of a reason. I adored Caz and Kiela and their relationship. I also really enjoyed the lowkey slowburn romance. I love stories where he falls first, but I especially loved that he didn't pressure Kiela and really let her fall for him. He's that kind of strong, solid, reassuring kind of love and its so cozy.
All in all, a great cozy, cottage-core read with some really fun fantasy elements!
I really enjoyed this series! It definitely is her first published books, but knowing how well her writing develops from here, its still immensely enjoyable.
This really is the perfect series for those who want to read about a fierce lady pirate and her formidable crew of women. It was a little frustrating that the men of her crew sometimes felt more developed than the other girls, but I understand it. I am so excited for the last book in the (now) trilogy about Sorinda because she seems like a silent badass and I can't wait to get inside her head. That and I love enemies-to-lovers... and speaking of; Riden falling first was so wonderful because he's so supportive and sweet while also sticking up for himself and his past trauma. I felt he really played well with Alosa and they were a great couple. Yeah, I totally wish we got more actual romance from them, but they had a lot going on. I had just hoped for more from the ‘epilogue'. Maybe book 3 will have some easter eggs about them thrown in!
All in all, a solid follow up to book 1 and for being Tricia Levenseller's first published series, its fantastic!!
While I did enjoy the story and the two girl's hijinks, it was somewhat of a slog to get through.
There are just SO MANY characters that are referred to by their first or last name so you are attempting to memorize around 20+ character's full names just to try to keep everything straight! Between the two locations, the two girls keep full of company and it gets confusing quickly.
In addition, each author wrote as one of the girls but their voices were nearly identical. It was VERY difficult keeping straight which girl was writing and which was where and which had magical powers or not!
The girl in London who does not have magic is engaged to a Marquis who does have magic and writes to her cousin in the country who does have magic and engages with a gentleman who does not have magic but is good friends with the Marquis. It's a lot to keep track of!
Besides that, the plot was interesting if not overly complicated. Because its England in the 1800's, the writing is of the style that uses a lot of words to really say nothing much at all... besides the fact that both male leads keep belittling their women counterparts simply because they're women and thus must be too simple to understand. It was very aggravating.
All in all, it was fun for sure but not one I will return to. I will also not be reading on as I've heard they get worse and worse.
