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katekat's review against another edition
4.0
The Secret Circle series by L.J. Smith was always my favorite series of hers so when I decided to read it again I was worried that it would be awful and ruin my fond memories. While I did find it to be less good than I remembered I still quite enjoyed the characters and story even if the writing style was not exactly to my liking.
love_booksforlife's review against another edition
4.0
As a series, the Secret Circle books are lacking in some areas. While the books take place over a couple of months it moves slowly and then very fast. The characters, or at least some of them, develop but there are relationships that move very fast, way too fast for some of them (namely Cassie and Adam). The ending of this novel also moved way too fast. I wanted the book to be longer so that there was more of a pay off at the end. I liked how Cassie stepped up at the end but I wanted to see more of a journey to get there. I also wanted Cassie and Adam to have a more natural relationship (some good awkward I'm falling for you moments in stead of love at first sight/we are meant to be together moments.). All in all, I did like the series, although I think that may be more out of loyalty to when I read it in my youth.
simplyadrift's review against another edition
3.0
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This book starts right where the second book left. And boy what a cliff hanger the second book left at!
Cassie and the coven are finding it odd with Faye as the new coven leader. They're trying to do everything they can to defeat Black John and discover who was behind the murderers but with Cassie's grandmother gone and Cassie's mother incapacitated just who are they supposed to turn to for help? Their new principle is making it hard and who is it that Cassie see's has joined their school?
Will the coven finally figure out who murdered the innocent? Will they be able defeat Black John with Faye as their new leader?
*WARNING: This section contains spoilers for the first two books!*
I feel that Cassie was very strong in this book. She was able to stand up for herself and others and she wasn't shy anymore. She took a step up. It was nice to see Cassie change and grow.
I didn't like Faye in this book because I felt like she went against everything that she is. She's a strong character and goes out and gets what she wants, but because of the events in this book she decided to become second and follow someone. That was weird to see with Faye.
Diana is so understanding that I wonder how much pain she is really feeling inside. It's odd not to see her in charge, she's quiet in this book but with understanding not pain even though she's had nearly everything ripped out from under her. For her to be so understanding is rather painful to watch, even though you know she is completely genuine.
Whenever I think about the writing of these books or really the style in which they are written in I get all warm and fuzzy. That's weird to say but what I mean is that I loved these books, they kind of felt like home. They were comfortable and so enjoyable. I was always drawn in whenever I picked up the book to read, I was able to relate to nearly every character in some small way at least.
It wasn't amazing writing, I didn't put down these books thinking of how beautifully and poetically they were written. I put them down feeling sad that I wouldn't get to read more about the world L. J. Smith has created, more about Cassie or the coven, I put them down feeling satisfied and full. I think that's more important. I was able to connect with these books, I was able to leave reality and be completely drawn in to the world, I was able to fall in love with this series. At the end of the day that's what I love about books and the stories they tell.
I loved this series but I do have to say that the whole time I've been waiting for something huge to happen. Something that never quite made it there. I'm not sure what this feeling was and it didn't make me feel annoyed or disappointed in anyway. It was simply just there as I was reading the books.
I also felt like that the romance I was expecting to happen never really happened. I was hanging out the whole time waiting for it and then the last book finished and I felt cheated by the romance. I had wanted so much more!
These little things didn't knock down my opinion though, I was able to forgive these things because I feel so highly about this series.
Overall, I didn't love this book as much as the other two but I did still really like it and I think it was a great ending to the series. Ends were tied up, questions were answered and things were revealed. It was exciting and entertaining and I'm sad that this is the real end of The Secret Circle.
As for the series as a whole, I really, really liked it! It was the most enjoyable series I have read in a while, there were no nasty surprises and there was nothing so outrageous that you couldn't believe it. Everything was believable and likeable.
I loved all the characters in this book. There was something about them that just made you like them, even Faye who was pretty mean. I felt like I was able to relate to them in some small way if not any bigger. I really loved that, I think being able to relate to the characters is huge in books. Because if you're unable to relate to them then you feel disconnected and there is no emotional attachment to them.
The plot was interesting and entertaining, the lead up to the reveals were just the right amount of subtle. The readers hadn't guessed the reveal before Cassie and that was refreshing. I've been reading a lot of books lately where I know what the reveal is way before the main character does and that is beyond annoying.
The writing was good, subtle and entertaining. It was really easy to read, everything flowed and made sense and it was exactly what you would expect which I think is really good for this series.
I recommend giving this series a go if you need a light, fun read!
There are more books that are being written under this series but L. J. Smith is not the writer of these books. It is a ghost writer named Aubrey Clark . I've heard they're quite different to the original books in the way that the writers voice is very different (Obviously since it's a different writer), the characters just don't seem like themselves and the whole book doesn't feel like it relates to the original three at all. This is based off of other reviews I have read.
I really don't think I will be reading those books because I loved this series so much I know I will butcher my feelings for it if I read them and find I don't like hem, and I'm sure I will be biased and will hate them purely because it is not the original writer writing them. That is my opinion.
Miss J
x
----------------------------------------
This book starts right where the second book left. And boy what a cliff hanger the second book left at!
Cassie and the coven are finding it odd with Faye as the new coven leader. They're trying to do everything they can to defeat Black John and discover who was behind the murderers but with Cassie's grandmother gone and Cassie's mother incapacitated just who are they supposed to turn to for help? Their new principle is making it hard and who is it that Cassie see's has joined their school?
Will the coven finally figure out who murdered the innocent? Will they be able defeat Black John with Faye as their new leader?
*WARNING: This section contains spoilers for the first two books!*
I feel that Cassie was very strong in this book. She was able to stand up for herself and others and she wasn't shy anymore. She took a step up. It was nice to see Cassie change and grow.
I didn't like Faye in this book because I felt like she went against everything that she is. She's a strong character and goes out and gets what she wants, but because of the events in this book she decided to become second and follow someone. That was weird to see with Faye.
Diana is so understanding that I wonder how much pain she is really feeling inside. It's odd not to see her in charge, she's quiet in this book but with understanding not pain even though she's had nearly everything ripped out from under her. For her to be so understanding is rather painful to watch, even though you know she is completely genuine.
Whenever I think about the writing of these books or really the style in which they are written in I get all warm and fuzzy. That's weird to say but what I mean is that I loved these books, they kind of felt like home. They were comfortable and so enjoyable. I was always drawn in whenever I picked up the book to read, I was able to relate to nearly every character in some small way at least.
It wasn't amazing writing, I didn't put down these books thinking of how beautifully and poetically they were written. I put them down feeling sad that I wouldn't get to read more about the world L. J. Smith has created, more about Cassie or the coven, I put them down feeling satisfied and full. I think that's more important. I was able to connect with these books, I was able to leave reality and be completely drawn in to the world, I was able to fall in love with this series. At the end of the day that's what I love about books and the stories they tell.
I loved this series but I do have to say that the whole time I've been waiting for something huge to happen. Something that never quite made it there. I'm not sure what this feeling was and it didn't make me feel annoyed or disappointed in anyway. It was simply just there as I was reading the books.
I also felt like that the romance I was expecting to happen never really happened. I was hanging out the whole time waiting for it and then the last book finished and I felt cheated by the romance. I had wanted so much more!
These little things didn't knock down my opinion though, I was able to forgive these things because I feel so highly about this series.
Overall, I didn't love this book as much as the other two but I did still really like it and I think it was a great ending to the series. Ends were tied up, questions were answered and things were revealed. It was exciting and entertaining and I'm sad that this is the real end of The Secret Circle.
As for the series as a whole, I really, really liked it! It was the most enjoyable series I have read in a while, there were no nasty surprises and there was nothing so outrageous that you couldn't believe it. Everything was believable and likeable.
I loved all the characters in this book. There was something about them that just made you like them, even Faye who was pretty mean. I felt like I was able to relate to them in some small way if not any bigger. I really loved that, I think being able to relate to the characters is huge in books. Because if you're unable to relate to them then you feel disconnected and there is no emotional attachment to them.
The plot was interesting and entertaining, the lead up to the reveals were just the right amount of subtle. The readers hadn't guessed the reveal before Cassie and that was refreshing. I've been reading a lot of books lately where I know what the reveal is way before the main character does and that is beyond annoying.
The writing was good, subtle and entertaining. It was really easy to read, everything flowed and made sense and it was exactly what you would expect which I think is really good for this series.
I recommend giving this series a go if you need a light, fun read!
There are more books that are being written under this series but L. J. Smith is not the writer of these books. It is a ghost writer named Aubrey Clark . I've heard they're quite different to the original books in the way that the writers voice is very different (Obviously since it's a different writer), the characters just don't seem like themselves and the whole book doesn't feel like it relates to the original three at all. This is based off of other reviews I have read.
I really don't think I will be reading those books because I loved this series so much I know I will butcher my feelings for it if I read them and find I don't like hem, and I'm sure I will be biased and will hate them purely because it is not the original writer writing them. That is my opinion.
Miss J
x
jennicakes's review against another edition
2.0
The trilogy sort of fizzled out with this one. Oh, well.
eska's review against another edition
3.0
Im Vergleich zu den vorherigen Bänden, war dies definitiv der stärkste, weil endlich mal etwas passiert ist! Die ganze Zeit habe ich auf soetwas gewartet und wurde nun auch ein wenig belohnt. Trotzdem waren die großen Überraschungen für mich eher weniger überraschend, weswegen es (unter anderem) einfach nicht für eine bessere Bewertung reicht. Ebenso das Auftauchen der Hexenjäger war eher unspektakulär und haben die etwas Zähe Einführung aus Band eins nicht gerechtfertigt. Lediglich Faye blieb eine interessante Figur, wenn sie auch etwas in den Hintergrund gerückt ist. Die Entwicklung mit Nick hat mir wirklich gefallen, weil er die einzige interessante und facettenreiche Person war.
Alles in allem fand ich die Trilogie in Ordnung. Es hat spaß gemacht sie zu lesen, doch blieb sie meistens eher oberflächlich und eindimensional. Das ganze hätte man auch in ein Buch packen können, indem man dann noch vielleicht an einigen Stellen etwas kürzt und dafür den Figuren und der Handlung mehr Raum gibt.
Alles in allem fand ich die Trilogie in Ordnung. Es hat spaß gemacht sie zu lesen, doch blieb sie meistens eher oberflächlich und eindimensional. Das ganze hätte man auch in ein Buch packen können, indem man dann noch vielleicht an einigen Stellen etwas kürzt und dafür den Figuren und der Handlung mehr Raum gibt.
v_allery's review against another edition
3.0
Better than the previous one, though the ending seemed a little too easily resolved. The big bad Black John was a threat since the first pages, but somehow they got rid of him in the next to last page of the final book? Really? And the fact that still amazes me is that Cassie is more in love with Diana than Adam. And what was that with all that go kiss her, I know you want to business? A girl just gives up her boyfriend for no reason and wants to see how he kisses his new girl? In what world that could actually happen?! But, you know, all in all, that's an entertaining read, some of it wasn't half bad and some of it ridiculous, but it didn't really leave me opinionless, so that's a plus.
ashykhaira's review against another edition
5.0
loved loved loved the story,cant wait to read further
debrasbookcafe's review against another edition
4.0
for_every_helen's review against another edition
4.0
Still exquisitely tropey, still totally bi, and still making me want 10000 crystals and scented candles.