Lili V
This is one of those that would be five stars if the genre that I was in love with was YA Contemporary. So for those of you who are in love with that genre and can't get enough then I HIGHLY recommend not just Emmy & Oliver but all of Robin Benway's works.
I am happy I picked this book up–I'm even more glad that the ebook was on sale. I haven't read a really good YA Contemporary in a long time and I'm sad to say I don't go looking for them as much as I used to anymore because I feel like if you've read as much as I have of the genre, you recognize the formula and don't want to keep reading it.
The author's writing restored some of my love for the genre. It reminded me that there are authors out there that know just how to manipulate your emotions. The characters were pretty fantastic and I adored their sense of humor. Their banter was perfect and the teary-eyed moments completely enthralling. The main character was my favorite because while there were major events and life-altering decisions happening around her, she knew just where she stood and how her life wasn't defined by others actions but by her own. That is also why I loved the main guy character in this book. There were so many things happening to him because of other people's actions and he had to learn that he had to find out who he was in order to get the life he wanted.
The characters seemed a bit too mature for their age sometimes but I'm kind of glad they were. They also had moments where they were teenagers in need of their parents which I'm also glad about because it portrayed a vulnerability that would seem impossible to capture in writing but wasn't.
The ending was spot on and somewhat predictable and I'm happy about it.
Really great fantasy read. I didn't expect the world to be as expansive as it was nor did I expect all the awesome action. The characters were a nice surprise as well with their bad ass attitudes and comical exchanges.
A short but filling read to devour in a couple sittings, just what the doctor ordered.
Awesome thriller about teens with innate natural abilities that are utilized to solve serial murders. The mystery was very well executed and the plot kept my rapt attention till the wee hours of the night. The characters were captivating and nicely developed. I did not predict any of the twists but I wish there were more cold cases that the group of Naturals solved and that I could have seen them more in action. The romance was a bit quick to develop but not unbelievable. I actually like the two love interests even if one of them falls into the brooding you-shouldn't-be-with-me role. The romance didn't overpower the book and for that I'm grateful because the plot was thrilling enough to keep me on my toes.
Overall I am a fan of Barnes' writing style and have been for a while. I would recommend if you like mystery thrillers and messed up teens with crime-solving powers.
A nice, solid Sherlock-inspired story. I loved the addition of the supernatural to the story line because it didn't detract from the core mystery-solving romp. I love all Sherlock adaptations and now I can add a new one to the list. Jackaby lives up to the Sherlock arrogance with the secret heart underneath it all. And Abigail Rook was nicely developed and had a backstory that I would like to explore even further because she's an intriguing character.
The plot of this installment was exciting to read and I can't wait to start the sequel.
This book shares a lot of similarities with other YA dystopian books but it was different and creative enough to pull off original characters with some really entertaining and thrilling writing.
The characters, especially the main characters, are what pushes the plot along and I highly enjoyed reading about their antics. The main character, especially, was quirky and had a great sense of humor even in the middle of the race. The only thing that bugged me about her in the beginning was that when she met another young teenage girl in the race who was blond and blue-eyed, she thought she would have to kill her. Obviously, she was joking but I'm getting sick of reading about girls hating other girls because they perceive them as more beautiful than themselves. Why does the reaction always have to be anger or hatred or any combination thereof? Anyway, besides that, I really did enjoy the MC's personality and courageousness even when she didn't know what the heck was going on.
I would call this a Hunger Games set in the modern world. There are a lot of similarities between this book and The Hunger Games but I'm happy to say that I would highly recommend the former even if you've already read the latter. (Maybe just not immediately after you've read The Hunger Games though, otherwise it will probably cause too many analogous comparisons in your head.)
This was a pretty good sequel to the first book. The plot was entertaining and the characters decent but I wish more had happened because this felt like a book for the sake of a book. The character that developed the most throughout the story was Zephele but she wasn't one the characters that I was interested in. Overall this was just a decent read and I would recommend the series if you like adventure, fantasy, and a smart independent heroine lead.
This is definitely one of the more boring books in the series and not at all memorable. I hope the next book is better and we get to see more development in the relationships Sang has with the guys. And I hope the plot develops a bit more as well because it seems that Sang's initiation into the Academy has stagnated.
Stil want to continue this series because I will always enjoy the reverse harem aspect but by this point I need a lot more than that to fully immerse myself into the story.
This installment was SO good! OMG, that ending was intense and completely unexpected.
We start off in the convent because everyone thinks they are under attack by Lucifer's hellhounds. We get to see Cookie's wedding to Ubie, and then we are thrown into another murder mystery case but oh man, things go batshit after that.
I'm really happy to see that Beep's family has grown and expanded to include everybody essential in Charley's life. It was fun to read how they all got involved in her life.
It is the internal story line that is the most interesting. The plot that continues the overarching story line of the whole series has taken a serious turn in this installment. So much so, in fact, that I have no idea how the rest of the series is going to pan out, but I am undoubtedly excited because (not to spoil anything) this changes everything.
This is like those times where people warn you that they're about to spoil something then right after they warn you, they joke and say that the MC dies or the MC is god or whatever. Well, let's just say that in this instance they wouldn't would be completely off the mark.
So in this installment Kitty and Martini are still going strong and Kitty is now head of Centaurion's Airborne Alpha Team.
The things that I enjoyed about this installment are continuous from the first book. Kitty's ability to figure things out was still on point, but more so Alpha Team in general was amazing to read about in action. The murder mystery plot situation was by far the best story line this book had to offer. I say this because I had some issues with the overarching romance plot that will be discussed down below.
For now, I want to talk about the writing and characters. The writing was brilliantly suited to the action-packed pacing of the thrilling plot lines. There was the dueling plots of jealous whacko wannabe girlfriend of an ex-boyfriend, and the evidence that humans are way more evil than A-Cs give them credit for. Both were unbelievably titillating and the use of certain large swamp reptiles was a nice touch.
But how can I not mention the biggest evolution in the book when Kitty finally gets to meet Martini's family. Oh boy was that fun to read. I can only tease because you have to read it for yourself to truly grasp the enormity. All I can really say is that the authors writing doesn't fail in drawing you in with the high-level emotions. (My professional way of saying “All the feels!”)
Some of the things that I didn't enjoy had to do mainly with the ending. There were some parts that didn't seem like they could be happening because their explanations hadn't been revealed yet and the plot twists seemed too extreme to be plausible. However, it wasn't the appearance of the plot twists that I had a problem with–because once they were explained, they made more sense–but Kitty's reaction as well as the events that happened after. They just seemed like a convenient way to introduce a character that had been teased about since the first book.
The second thing that I didn't like about the ending was the immediate cutoff after the resolution. Kitty and Martini weren't given a chance to communicate about their issues which I would have really liked to see because I'm finding it to be a pretty scarce occurrence.
However, overall, in no way is that ending going to stop me from continuing this series until the end. I've officially committed to the characters and their individual stories. I need to see what other shenanigans they get caught up in and how they work their way out. And I'm holding out hope that one day Kitty and Martini will sit down and talk. (Hell, I don't even care if it's in the middle of sexing, I just need some clarity about their relationship, is that too much to ask? ;)
This was a good start to a crossworld fantasy series full of people who spend more time on ships because the land to water ration is vastly in the latter's territory. This book suffers a bit of first-book-syndrome because while it throws the main character into a whole new world, it doesn't take the time to explain the world and its history. The author only gives enough information about the Sophie's surroundings and her connection to the world to satisfy the plot narrative of the story. I really wish she'd gone more in depth because I would have loved to have known Stormwrack's history and its people.
It was thrilling to read the political narrative because it embroiled the story with Stormwrack's less-than-adequate methods of policing their laws. I found the many loopholes in their faith in others' words to be particularly fun to watch unravel.
The characters–and what little of the world-building there was–were the highlight of the story because their relationships were well-established, and fun to follow and see develop. Sophie was an able main character because with her background of routinely taking risks in her field as “marine videographer”, she knew how to handle herself in a world that was mostly ocean. She thrived in it. Her relationship with the other characters was sometimes filtered through the lens of her insecurities which were very human and humbling. As a reader, I wanted to see her grow more confident and in a way her brother was able to help draw her out.
The cast of characters in Stormwrack that make an appearance in this book were pretty fantastic to read about because they all have their individual mysterious backgrounds that is further shrouded by their world's history. Therefore, while I liked reading about these characters, there were many times where the missing world history couldn't fill in the gaps of the characters' personalities.
The ending, though, was spectacular and left me wanting more of the series and its characters.
Finally done with the latest installment in the series. This is definitely that one installment that all the other installments were building towards. So many of the events in the first couple books were mentioned as they pertained to the plot of this book. I really like how everything was interconnected.
Most of all, I liked how Jane's relationship to the people around her developed. There seemed to be more of a solid foundation between Jane and Bruiser, Eli, Alex, Molly, and even Leo.
I also enjoyed the part with Jane's soul home because it inspires so many philosophical questions about time–The Gray Between–and death. What Jane is and who she wants to be. And all the metaphysics in between.
I look forward to continuing this series next year with Shadow Rites and it's own shenanigans.
This is a really awesome m/m read because it dealt with a lot of mental health and psychological issues in a really healthy and informative way. The last few chapters really taught me a lot about mental health issues, especially anxiety which I would like to learn more about. Obviously this book was about Adam and Denver's relationship but it was mostly about how they dealt with each other's dirty laundry and that's what kept me reading.
Really really enjoyed this one. It was the perfect Victorian, Jane Austen-esque read with touches of magic. I did not expect the drama to play out so brilliantly but it added the moment of climax the whole book was building up to. This is definitely one of those books that can drag you back into the habit of reading if you've been in a slump recently. The romance was expected but sweet nonetheless. The only bit I did not enjoy was the predictability about some bits, but that's to be expected if you've read Pride and Prejudice before.
Overall, a thoroughly addicting read.
2nd re-read July 11 2023
4 stars. Still amazing. Might have to make this a thing every 4 years now.
Re-read Nov 2019
Read Aug 10 2015
Definitely 4.5 stars. This book was amazing in so many ways. There's so much crafted into it that it makes me wonder how the author's brain functions so brilliantly.
Maia's background growing up in Edonomee–away from court life–leaves him ill-prepared to become emperor after his father and brother's die. It is from there that his rule in the Untheileneise Court begins. I really enjoyed reading about Maia's character because it was so well thought-out and humbly brilliant. I do wish there more perspectives because Maia had a lot preconceptions about the people around him at court that I'm sure would have pleasantly surprised him to know were not completely warranted. However, that would have been a cherry on top of an unbelievably delicious cake.
Of course, the real craftsmanship was in the writing of the political processions. If you do not enjoy political fantasy and court intrigue then I'm not sure I would recommend this book to you because that is basically what it's all about. However, I also confess to enjoying the moments where Maia's vulnerabilities are most apparent to others and they surprise him with their understanding. (I reread those moments many times.)
Another one of my favorite aspects of the book was the underlying plot of women's freedoms and expansion of their “duties” in the court or outside of it. I'm finding that in more and more of the books I read, women's rights and feminism in general is an unwavering advantage to my appreciation of the book.
I started this book with somewhat high expectations after reading a review here on Goodreads and they were immensely surpassed. I know that I will come back to this book in the future and reread my favorite parts many times more.
Very enjoyable read. Liked the MC a lot because she shares a trait that a lot of my favorite protagonists have: being a know-it-all and not ashamed to let the whole world know. But she's not cocky about it which makes her all the more likable. I went into this book not knowing what it was about expect for the obvious of course: aliens. For some reason, I had the preconceived notion that it was going to take place in space. Color me surprised when I discover Kitty kicking (superbeing/parasite) ass after just getting out of jury duty in the first few pages.
I kind of want to give a heads up to those who want to know what the book is about before they pick it up. For those who don't, look away–however, what I'm about to write is NOT a spoiler but may spoil some of the read-it-for-yourself fun. This book does a lot of telling and not much showing in terms of learning who the aliens are and explaining the background of how they got to earth and why they are there. Personally, I didn't mind all the exposition and dialogue. While the writing was a lot of dialogue it definitely let the personality of the characters shine through. All of the main gang of characters were allowed enough “air-time” for me to get a solid feel for who they were as individuals.
Only main issue I had was the romance. In the beginning I was a little shocked by how fast it developed but eventually got used to the matchup. I don't think the love triangle was necessary because the other guy's interest was oddly portrayed. (Just seemed like a failed plot device for the main couple to grow closer. However, I wouldn't mind seeing the other guy become more prominent in the plot of future books.) What bugged me was that the main couple was developing their relationship at hyperspeed. I could understand the main guy's motives because they were explained to a certain extent but Kitty went from lust to love at a convenient time. While it was entertaining to read it really wasn't that believable. I will explain more with the spoiler below.
The sex scene in the elevator made me a little uncomfortable because while it was consensual, I didn't like how Martini just assumed it would be. Yes, we are in Kitty's head and know that she wants it but the way it was written didn't make that fact immediately apparent. And after what happened with Chris in the elevator I didn't think it was necessary for Martini to instigate that just to make Kitty less uncomfortable with him in the elevator. I wish they could have communicated better without having to default to sex every time they are near each other.
Re-read 6/13/19
Still phenomenal. This has the make-up of a slower set-up book but there's so many sub-plots going on in the background that I couldn't help but truly admire the author's ability to interweave the complexities of each one to work into the narrative. The reader isn't able to see the complete picture but discovers small revelations here and there that eventually lead to an unveiling of one character's motives and see how Breq is able to predict to a certain extent their intent or future actions.
Read 8/3/15
This series is absolutely fantastic! Breq is an amazing MC and I love reading about how calculating and caring she is. The one big difference I noticed going into this installment is how the writing was more fluid and I was able to picture the settings more easily. I think if I went back to reread the first one I would be able to understand the terms better. But overall, I think the writing in this one was much better in terms of settings. I love the new characters that were introduced (and weren't the ones that were completely insane), like Mercy of Kalr's crew, Tisarwat, Basnaaid, etc. I could tell that they are going to be more prominent as the series continues as is the Athoek station itself.
*Spoilers ahead*I loved Tisarwat and Breq's teasing tone with her. I hope that Tisarwat can make peace with herself and become more integral to the story. And that ending with Basnaaid was phenomenal. It was exactly what I wanted to happen because I could tell how Athoek and Mercy of Kalr were going to be the current resting place for Breq and crew. So it was fundamental that Breq explains her history.
Read Aug 7, 2022
Nope, this is definitely 5 stars. It's purrrfect. :) This is a feel-good series for me now, and I can finally continue on with the rest of the series.
Read July 27, 2015
I would give this installment a 4.5 because while I thought some moments in the story were absolute perfection and the writing was phenomenal, there was a bit of a rushed ending with the dual plot lines.
This series is brilliantly crafted. I honestly could not begin to comprehend how the author plots out her stories. I enjoyed being challenged in my feminist knowledge as well as expanding my historical view into powerful overlooked women.
I cannot wait to read the next tale of Mary Russell because she definitely dominated in this installment.
Definitely the best installment that has come along since LKH's earlier books. I was shocked but pleasantly surprised at how little sex there was in this one. I liked learning about how Anita's current relationship dynamics are working right now and I'm not mad that we didn't get the big wedding in this one. I'm excited to see how things go with the new people that might be added to her domestic circle as well as the growth in the necromancy powers. That's something that I really enjoyed getting to know more about.
Anita's Marshal duties were kind of horrific to read about and I'm learning that that part of the books could really classify this series under the horror genre. I think a lot of books in this could be classified as such but they've all been put under the umbrella of urban fantasy. I'm not mad about it but it's definitely something to think about.
I can't wait for the next installment and to learn how all the characters are doing.
Really great development in all of the characters of this book. The sepat was definitely an experience that was hard to read at times but was ultimately necessary in learning more about the panther world. The events leading up to the sepat–the beginning of the book–were very devastating but handled beautifully as I am finding that is the author's trademark. She is able to make shocking twists and turns in her books but they turn out to be the best decisions for her characters to confront themselves and grow from their actions and decisions.
I can't wait to read about the next steps that Jin and Logan's relationship and family take, but reading the summary for the next book, I think I'm going to take a break from the series for a while. Not that I don't love Domin and his new MATE! but since I marathoned the first 3 books in this series, I want to let Jin's story soak in.