Let me say, I wanted to love, love, love this book. The premise and summary sounded great and it has some wonderful reviews. I bought it and started reading the moment I laid eyes on it, and that rarely happens with me. With that is mind I'll start with all the good stuff about this book. The fae, their history, their gifts and conflict, it was all brilliant and put together in a way I felt had a very original spin. The descriptions of any fight scenes were well thought out and exciting. I felt as if I was there watching, particularly the encounter in the beginning of the book. It started off with the wow factor and gripped me immediately. So overall I would say this is a book for anyone who enjoys well put together fae mythology and I can see myself picking up the next book in the series.I'm taking a star away for the Irish characters and references outside of the mythology, they weren't believable for me, probably because I am Irish. I found myself pulled from the story often because of it. Most notable because they all talked like Americans, there was no local terms or slang. It felt off. There were three(I think) references to Liam's - one of the MCs - coloring as being highly unusual. It isn't unusual here at all to have black hair with blue eyes. They may seem like small things but when sprinkled through the entire book it prevented me from getting immersed as I would have liked to.
Again, overall it was very enjoyable and anyone from outside Ireland probably wouldn't pick up on the things I did. So I would recommend this as a worthwhile read.
 - Megan Curd)
I enjoyed every single page and read it over two days. I turned eighteen at the end of '91 so I didn't get to live out the 80's the way the characters in this book did, but I do remember it fondly and what I can remember as a teen, this took me right back to. I really didn't know who was meant to be the hero.I knew guys like all three of the Dave's in my youth. I honestly couldn't say who I wanted to Jen to end up with, if she was to end up with any of them. Nicki Elson does a fantastic job of making everyone more than a character, she makes them feel human, warts and all. I couldn't dislike any of the guys. They were very normal and real.
Despite the fact I considered myself a good girl as a teen, I think the main character of Three Daves wouldn't have been impressed with my behavior. Jen is no angel. Regardless, she is quite critical of her friends' morals and actions but I was glad to see she was able to turn that microscope on herself by the end.
This really is a coming of age story. The reader travels along with Jen as she explores the type of girl she is and the woman she wants to be. Filled to the brim with nostalgia, temptation, passion and sometimes heartbreak, I loved my short trip back to 80's.
Although this story was typical enough with the new girl trying not to fall for the hot supernatural guy, the delivery of the story was very original. I finished this a few days ago and wanted to think about what to say. I enjoyed reading and will certainly keep reading the chronicles. The characters were all well developed with good reasons for their behavior. One of my favorite characters was, the still very childlike, Derry. I hope to see more of him in the next part of the story. Why did I take a star away? Well, it's more to do with my issues with the story rather than the book itself. If you are looking for happily ever after, this is not the book for you. What stated out for me as a YA angst story with supernatural elements quickly turned very dark. Corp sort of blindsided me. The reader is prepared for part of the ending all through the story with one of the characters warning as much. Toward the end I certainly saw hints on who the villain was and why. It is obviously the eternal optimist in me that hoped for a slightly different ending.
So, although I didn't get the resolution I wanted, I would still highly recommend this excellent book and will be keeping my eyes open for more from Carey Corp.
I normally don't comment on anything containing my writing, in the case of this anthology I think it would be a shame to miss out on the opportunity to share my enjoyment of the other stories. I'm not much of a short story reader. I don't know why since I've read some really wonderful stories in the past. Having said that I thoroughly enjoyed Summer Breeze. In some cases it was my first experience of reading the authors and I will certainly be trying more of their writing. To top it off, proceeds from sales go to Save the Ta-tas, so what better excuse to pick up this great summer read.
I finished reading Everblue today. I was lucky enough to get a sneak peek and I loved it. Without giving anything away, so much happens in this book. The plot is well thought out, the world building is wonderful and the characters are varied and interesting. Brenda Pandos does a fantastic job of guiding the reader, allowing them to absorb the history and social structure of the Mers within the universe of Everblue without it being overwhelming and distracting from the story.
I found myself smiling at some points and at other times holding my breath to get through a scene. At the end of each chapter I couldn't wait to start the next right away. As a result I finished this book much too soon. Everblue is an absolute must read for anyone who enjoys something a little different in YA.
I'm not sure how I feel about this book. I liked it, I didn't love it. Seeing the different lives was interesting but I didn't connect with the journey. I still want to know how this series ends. Lauren Kate is a talented writer and her descriptions were vivid bringing me into each scene. The wait continues for the next book.
I am so mad at Debra Anastasia. I did not want this book to end. I could have gone on reading forever and was hopelessly disappointed to see the percentage I had finished grow. I found myself zooming through the early pages as I discovered this book was not what I was expecting and then slowing to a crawl because I wanted to stay in the world the author has created a little longer. Crushed Seraphim is breathtaking. The imagery is vivid, the story has more twists than a corkscrew perm and the characters are deep and varied. A fantastic read and highly recommended.
I'm giving this book five stars because, when I absolutely had to stop reading I found it very hard to drag myself away. First of all this book is long, very long with plenty of reading in it. I loved the complexities of all the major characters individually and the interactions between them. They felt very real to me. Normally I can guess the ending of a book from a few pages in. Something that struck me with this book was that I didn't even try. I found myself involved with each page and chapter to the extent I was happy to sit back and let the tale unfurl naturally. Jennifer Lane certainly took me on a wild ride. I cried and laughed out loud at a few different points in the story. All in all, With Good Behavior was a thoroughly enjoyable read.
The reviews are disappointing for what I imagine is an excellent premise, reminiscent of Westword, one of my favorite Saturday night movies from years ago. I'm looking forward to finding out for myself.
I couldn't wait to get my hands on Ashfall and I wasn't disappointed. This book is fantastic from the first page to the last. Mike Mullin created a dark and scary world, the scariest part being the possibility it could happen. Every page was an exciting adventure, sometimes distressing and difficult to read. The MC is forced into situations because of a terrible, world altering disaster, learning about himself right along with the reader. He grows from being a typical teen to a mature young adult over the course of the pages. Ending with the book on a hopeful note with a promise of more hardship and struggle to come.
On a deeper level the book shows the light and dark sides of human nature. Mike Mullin tackles disturbing subject matter in a realistic way that is both thought provoking and stomach churning. Cannibalism, prison camps, starvation and murder are among the pages. The reader is forced to confront the question of how far would you go to survive?
Highly recommended.
I loved it. This sucked me right in from the first few pages. Sometimes it was a difficult read, the story deals with serious issues and are worked through with realism and patience from the author. I'm very glad it wasn't rushed toward a resolution. The well thought out ending was well worth the emotional journey of reading.
Again, I'm not sure what it is about this story that has me liking it but feeling it's lacking in something to make me fall in love with it the way so many others have. I think in a lot of ways it's the main character. I don't find Katniss appealing. She spends so much of the book bouncing around the story in reaction to other characters rather than being centered. The book is certainly gritty and full of horrors with enough excitement to keep the reader going for the next book, that probably comes down to once again a feeling of a sudden end with no real resolution.
