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mels_reading_rook's review against another edition
4.0
Continuing from where the previous novel left off, tensions between humans and Others are at an all-time high now, and the conflict threatens to come to a head as the Humans First and Last movement becomes increasingly aggressive. In the meantime, Meg the Trailblazer and her female pack are still doing all they can to help the blood prophets find other ways to tell prophecies as they've realized through Hope Wolfsong that it is possible.
This was another great read from Anne Bishop. I was engaged with the story the whole time, enjoyed following the highs and lows the characters experienced. As each book adds to the story, you can see how the actions of a few continue to spread and encompass the continent, and with the way things are heating up, it makes me wonder how much of the humans will be left at the end of the next book. And yet, once again, we can see how Meg Corbyn is able to influence and change the Others she interacts with, leading to wider ripples that give me hope for their future.
I still love all the characters and following them as they race to preserve what is theirs against the ticking bomb that is the Humans First and Last group. I love watching them interact with one another as they deepen their bonds and make mistakes together. I was disheartened for them as lines were drawn in the sand, causing some of them to lose people important to them as a result. And I was sad with them as they experienced a tragedy unlike any they've experienced previously.
For me, this book was weaker than the others. As much as I enjoyed the lead-up to the climax of the story, some of it seemed to draw out a bit more than I would've liked. To the author's credit, I believe that most of it was necessary for character development and to convey to the readers all the events happening across the country, and there was a lot that happened for everyone.
Aside from that minor qualm, I really enjoyed this installment, and I can't wait to read the conclusion of the series. The fate of humans and Others in Thaisia will most likely be impacted by the decisions of the remaining residents of the Lakeside Courtyard, especially Meg Corbyn. We shall see where the conclusion leads, and what will be left once the terra indigene's war against humans is over.
This was another great read from Anne Bishop. I was engaged with the story the whole time, enjoyed following the highs and lows the characters experienced. As each book adds to the story, you can see how the actions of a few continue to spread and encompass the continent, and with the way things are heating up, it makes me wonder how much of the humans will be left at the end of the next book. And yet, once again, we can see how Meg Corbyn is able to influence and change the Others she interacts with, leading to wider ripples that give me hope for their future.
I still love all the characters and following them as they race to preserve what is theirs against the ticking bomb that is the Humans First and Last group. I love watching them interact with one another as they deepen their bonds and make mistakes together. I was disheartened for them as lines were drawn in the sand, causing some of them to lose people important to them as a result. And I was sad with them as they experienced a tragedy unlike any they've experienced previously.
For me, this book was weaker than the others. As much as I enjoyed the lead-up to the climax of the story, some of it seemed to draw out a bit more than I would've liked. To the author's credit, I believe that most of it was necessary for character development and to convey to the readers all the events happening across the country, and there was a lot that happened for everyone.
Aside from that minor qualm, I really enjoyed this installment, and I can't wait to read the conclusion of the series. The fate of humans and Others in Thaisia will most likely be impacted by the decisions of the remaining residents of the Lakeside Courtyard, especially Meg Corbyn. We shall see where the conclusion leads, and what will be left once the terra indigene's war against humans is over.
nalian's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
nanlikesbooks14's review against another edition
4.0
Why is this series so addicting?! It's like a bag of tortilla chips. Or like a giant plate of nachos. Or fries. Or a bag of Cadbury Mini Eggs. Or whatever junk food you're into. The point is, I consumed the whole thing without even realizing it.
9j5d0g9's review against another edition
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
brendalovesbooks's review against another edition
3.0
I'm still enjoying this series, but I feel like it's really gone downhill with each book. I think the problem is everything has gotten too big. What started off as a story about Meg and the Lakeside Courtyard has expanded to so, so many characters and a bunch of places that I just don't care about. The stuff that I loved so much about the first book is all but gone, and if this had been the first book I read by this author, it would also be the last. The only reason I'm still liking the series enough to keep going is the few glimpses of the characters I do care about, although they seem to be getting fewer and fewer as Anne Bishop tries to expand her world.
afoolsingenuity's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
5.0
I knew this book was going to be darker than the previous books (and the others weren’t exactly sunshine and rainbows) but I don’t think I realised how heavy I would find it. Meg struggling to handle her desire to cut to see prophecy and the whole courtyards struggle to identify how much human they wanted in their life wasn’t easy. I especially struggled when you saw the HFL trying to make the Others seem like the enemy and blaming them for things when it was humans causing problems. I guess this could be to do with the current political climate but it wasn’t always easy to read.
That being said, I enjoyed seeing more of the world of the others and venturing outside of the Courtyard.
That being said, I enjoyed seeing more of the world of the others and venturing outside of the Courtyard.
kzimm2024's review against another edition
5.0
RE-Read Aug 2023, I didn't leave a review in 2018 but I gave it 4 stars. This time I gave it 5 stars since I had a smile on my face for the last few pages.
I had forgotten how fun it was between Simon and Meg even in to book 4. No action here people since Meg had been violated in previous captivity and this is the story of her learning to trust a Wolf with her heart and life. Her body will be next (though spoiler: precious little happens thus the reader is DENIED).
I would explain these stories as part-apocalyptical and part-alternate earth storyline with similarities yet with Others, the teeth and claws of the wild to keep man in check. Really, I enjoy the heart of these stories- the characters rather than the events. Meg, the other blood prophets and the characters now invested in their survival. And survival is right, since they have now faced an extinction of humanity and are looking to the future.
Lots of destruction happens and loss of Wolf lives by stupid humans, but we have a sweet story with Simon and Meg:
Simon, as he struggles. I love the perspective he has:
"Procrastination was a human trait, and in this past week, he’d discovered that it had its own kind of bite."
-------
"Growling, as if that would scare his thoughts into hiding, Simon rolled over, closed his eyes, and pushed his face into his pillow, determined to get a little more sleep.
But the thoughts were excellent hunters and devoured sleep."
Simon with Meg:
"When she didn’t respond, Simon hauled her to her feet and steered her out the bedroom door and down the hallway to the bathroom.
“Are you awake enough to pee and brush your teeth?”
She closed the door in his face."
---------
"While he waited, he made up the bed, more to discourage Meg from falling back into it than because he wanted to tidy the room.
Besides, running his hands over the sheets and breathing in her scent made him happy."
and Meg is constantly watched by the terra indigene, poor girl has to protect her boundaries somehow:
Jake flew over the back wall of Henry’s yard, landed near the stairs, and shifted to human.
“I will get water for our Meg.”
“Don’t eat my lunch while you’re looking for the water,” Meg shouted.
and
Jester returned a minute later and scowled at her.
“I know you’re human, but I would swear you have some Coyote blood. Only one of my kind could cause this much trouble so easily.”
and as they hunker down as the world is torn apart by the Elementals:
“Pony Barn. Meg speaking.”
Hearing her voice delighted him, relieved some unhappiness he hadn’t known he’d felt until it faded.
That’s why he growled, “I am going to bite you so hard.”
“No, you’re not.” Her voice sounded prim. He suspected she was laughing at him. “You’re going to give me a large bonus in my next paycheck (for staying safe)."
I love Vlad and Simons relationship too:
Meg smiled at Simon and Vlad.
“There is something behind that smile,” Vlad said.
“Like the first time you see a striped pretty and don’t learn what it is until you poke it with a paw and it sprays you,” Simon said. She wasn’t smiling now.
“Did you just compare me to a skunk?” Now they smiled.
“To be fair, you don’t smell like one anymore,” Simon said.
“WHAT?”
and finally- sigh- progression with Simon and Meg:
“Meg wants to go skinny-dipping?”
That Vlad sounded as baffled as he felt made Simon feel better. At least he wasn’t the only one who was confused.
“That’s what she said. With me. After dark. With both of us in human form.”
“None of us wear clothes when we play in the water unless we’re giving the clothes a quick rinse without removing them.”
“I know that. But this is important to Meg. I just don’t know why.” Simon growled in frustration.
She’d been upset the last time she saw him as a naked human. Why was this time different?
----------
He gently kissed that scar and felt something changing inside him—just a flutter of change, there and gone, but leaving its mark.
She looked at him, her eyes wide with uncertainty. If he kissed her again, she would flee like a bunny.
So he licked her nose and made her laugh before he lunged for the center of the pool, making as big a splash as he could.
Simon and Meg forever.
I had forgotten how fun it was between Simon and Meg even in to book 4. No action here people since Meg had been violated in previous captivity and this is the story of her learning to trust a Wolf with her heart and life. Her body will be next (though spoiler: precious little happens thus the reader is DENIED).
I would explain these stories as part-apocalyptical and part-alternate earth storyline with similarities yet with Others, the teeth and claws of the wild to keep man in check. Really, I enjoy the heart of these stories- the characters rather than the events. Meg, the other blood prophets and the characters now invested in their survival. And survival is right, since they have now faced an extinction of humanity and are looking to the future.
Lots of destruction happens and loss of Wolf lives by stupid humans, but we have a sweet story with Simon and Meg:
Simon, as he struggles. I love the perspective he has:
"Procrastination was a human trait, and in this past week, he’d discovered that it had its own kind of bite."
-------
"Growling, as if that would scare his thoughts into hiding, Simon rolled over, closed his eyes, and pushed his face into his pillow, determined to get a little more sleep.
But the thoughts were excellent hunters and devoured sleep."
Simon with Meg:
"When she didn’t respond, Simon hauled her to her feet and steered her out the bedroom door and down the hallway to the bathroom.
“Are you awake enough to pee and brush your teeth?”
She closed the door in his face."
---------
"While he waited, he made up the bed, more to discourage Meg from falling back into it than because he wanted to tidy the room.
Besides, running his hands over the sheets and breathing in her scent made him happy."
and Meg is constantly watched by the terra indigene, poor girl has to protect her boundaries somehow:
Jake flew over the back wall of Henry’s yard, landed near the stairs, and shifted to human.
“I will get water for our Meg.”
“Don’t eat my lunch while you’re looking for the water,” Meg shouted.
and
Jester returned a minute later and scowled at her.
“I know you’re human, but I would swear you have some Coyote blood. Only one of my kind could cause this much trouble so easily.”
and as they hunker down as the world is torn apart by the Elementals:
“Pony Barn. Meg speaking.”
Hearing her voice delighted him, relieved some unhappiness he hadn’t known he’d felt until it faded.
That’s why he growled, “I am going to bite you so hard.”
“No, you’re not.” Her voice sounded prim. He suspected she was laughing at him. “You’re going to give me a large bonus in my next paycheck (for staying safe)."
I love Vlad and Simons relationship too:
Meg smiled at Simon and Vlad.
“There is something behind that smile,” Vlad said.
“Like the first time you see a striped pretty and don’t learn what it is until you poke it with a paw and it sprays you,” Simon said. She wasn’t smiling now.
“Did you just compare me to a skunk?” Now they smiled.
“To be fair, you don’t smell like one anymore,” Simon said.
“WHAT?”
and finally- sigh- progression with Simon and Meg:
“Meg wants to go skinny-dipping?”
That Vlad sounded as baffled as he felt made Simon feel better. At least he wasn’t the only one who was confused.
“That’s what she said. With me. After dark. With both of us in human form.”
“None of us wear clothes when we play in the water unless we’re giving the clothes a quick rinse without removing them.”
“I know that. But this is important to Meg. I just don’t know why.” Simon growled in frustration.
She’d been upset the last time she saw him as a naked human. Why was this time different?
----------
He gently kissed that scar and felt something changing inside him—just a flutter of change, there and gone, but leaving its mark.
She looked at him, her eyes wide with uncertainty. If he kissed her again, she would flee like a bunny.
So he licked her nose and made her laugh before he lunged for the center of the pool, making as big a splash as he could.
Simon and Meg forever.
brianne_k's review against another edition
5.0
*5/5*
loved it.
I love this series so much, I put off reading them because I know I won't want it to end, and the wait for the next book is excruciating.
I love the world and characters that Anne Bishop created here.
I can see why people called this installment slow.. a lot of it was preparing and gathering supplies.. but I enjoyed every second.
I love these books so much that I will willingly read about the mundane things just to be in this world a second longer.
Simon and Meg are still slow burn, but there was something at the end that moves them along a little further.
the elders, Namids teeth and claws.. man they can be terrifying. we were introduced to a couple more species and they were just as interesting as the rest.
again.. loved it.
loved it.
I love this series so much, I put off reading them because I know I won't want it to end, and the wait for the next book is excruciating.
I love the world and characters that Anne Bishop created here.
I can see why people called this installment slow.. a lot of it was preparing and gathering supplies.. but I enjoyed every second.
I love these books so much that I will willingly read about the mundane things just to be in this world a second longer.
Simon and Meg are still slow burn, but there was something at the end that moves them along a little further.
the elders, Namids teeth and claws.. man they can be terrifying. we were introduced to a couple more species and they were just as interesting as the rest.
again.. loved it.
tessa_b's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75