E.C.

This is the TNT/Roku channel budget book of Angels and Demons.

Here’s what I hated about it:

The story is wildly farfetched. Like the historical research and the treasure and the lore of St. Germain is kind of cool but like the big chase that everyone is after them for different reasons is kind of “meh” and rushed.

The characters are actually set-up so each of their specialties make sense and seem like they will contribute to the story, but then the execution of the character’s specialties in relation to the plot development is super vain and superficial. Spoilers from here on down:

• I.E.- Archie literally just becomes not that funny comic relief, a reminder that most of them are very, VERY English and is there only because someone forgot to bring their smartphone with Google translate and Wikipedia.
• Sharyn’s background doesn’t make any sense to me. Her drunk, kind of violent but also kind of loves her Dad made her learn self-defense so she just so happens to be able to take out special forces trained assassins - wait, what?
• Duncan’s just-so-happened to be interested in Sharyn at the right time so he’s sucked into the story and OH BY THE WAY his grandparents are somehow involved in the history of the treasure chase is EYEROLL.
• The most believable part of the characters/the thing I liked most is Naomi’s WitchTok account, but that was so wildly underutilized in the story and felt like a real missed opportunity for something cool to happen there.
• Tag felt like he was added in so the author could talk about how rad medical marijuana is.

The story can best be described as this:

What’s this? A Book?

RUN

Oh Hi, I just met you! Thanks for helping us. *DEAD*

RUN

RUN, but in France now so I guess COURIR

RUN, but now also we’re cold because we’re in the Alps

Let’s make this WWII bunker relevant again

Snipers that take out helicopters, as they do.

TNT that blows up mountains but for some reason doesn’t cave them in.

The list goes on.

I’m annoyed because I felt like this book had great bones and the concepts behind alchemy/ye olde magic that is just science was cool but literally every single other part of this book was torture to get through.

To be fair, I felt kind of the same way about The Da Vinci Code and Dan Brown so maybe this genre just isn’t for me.

Except for National Treasure because Nicholas Cage IS a National Treasure.

I really liked the two longer stories - they were super enjoyable and I could see them as full stand alone episodes within the TV series. The two short stories felt awkwardly thrown in without really having enough to stand themselves up on their own.

Either way, a fun read if you're a fan of the series!

I have my MA in Irish Studies and wrote my dissertation on myth and memory in Northern Ireland so I had VERY HIGH expectations going into this book and man, did Patrick Radden Keefe deliver. His writing reminds me of someone like Erik Larson - his ability to tell real stories of real people and yet somehow make the story gripping and entertaining is incredible. Highly recommend this book!

I wanted to like this book more than think I actually did. Fans of ali hazelwood's Mate will like this one - the romance is cute but the plot and paranormal lore left something to be desired.

this is one of the best books I've ever read. I'm new to portal fantasy but it is perfect. we have the perfect mix of modern inner monologue humor without it going overboard - it provided just enough levity to break up the very serious high stakes of this fantasy world.

I love that Maggie is shrewd and knows this world so well so she takes every advantage of her knowledge of events yet to pass, but she also proves to be a skilled tactician. the one thing I will say that could have been stronger is that her modern life seems to have not prepared her to be this good this fast so that felt a bit like a stretch but it's such an enjoyable story that I got over it.

people keep calling this like a finalist for the book of the year but I'm thinking it's more like the book of the decade. like 0 notes, nailed it.

You know that gif of the little crab running across the ocean floor going "nope nope nope nope"?

That's how I feel about this book.

The first 20% of this book has a plot. Is it messed up? Yup, but at least it's a story.

The next approximately 75% of this book is just straight up porn. Not even erotica - porn. Then in the last 5% of the book, it's like the author went "oh right, the plot!" So we have about 14 pages of a "wrap up" that has got to be one of the laziest endings to a book and sore excuse of a "cliffhanger" I've maybe ever seen.

Also not to yuck anyone's yum in what they like in sexy stories but there was lot of stuff in the spicy scenes that were very much not for me.

I think the author tried to make this quest to stop the wedding as noble as they could out of concern for Puck's friend but like it just didn't land that way. it all seemed really superficial rather than a genuine "I'm concerned for you".

for how forward thinking this book is, it certainly has major sensitivity blindness. inviting someone who is supposedly your best friend who is in recovery on a party bus where you suggest everyone play a drinking game is ultimate cringe.

that being said there are some really insightful parts to Puck's character and I liked the overall menace and Fool figure adaption from BillyShakes.