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tashaseegmiller's review
5.0
I was intrigued with the premise of this book, but that didn't even prepare me for the story that was going to unfold. Dual mythologies are folded together and the characters are beautifully developed, with little nuances that made them (mostly) endearing. I'm so happy I read this book and I'm so excited for the next one.
talya_'s review
I didn't finish this one. Not because it was bad, because it's not. It's just...not for me. I wanted something different. This book deals with a lot of good messages, despite it being a book about demons and Hell. There's the line between good and evil, love and friendship, forgiving and accepting yourself and all that jazz. And that's nice and all, but I wasn't expecting the sob fest. I wasn't expecting the over-the-top friendships with two chicks who bare their souls within one day of knowing each other and suddenly becoming BFFs. I wasn't expecting the insta-love to he quite so insta-lovey. Apparently Desi and Michael were in love? But for some reason, Desi doesn't really Remember, yet she's inexplicably drawn to him? Except for some reason, she's pissed at him and refuses to talk to him even though he shows up in her dreams?? I have no idea. Maybe it's because I didn't finish the book, or maybe it's because almost everything was so damn confusing. There's a lot of description with some things, yet there's an almost vague element to others, like the author wasn't sure how to put her ideas into words so she wrote in a way that conveyed the message without giving full detail. Okay, that's fine. But then there's also the heavy mythology aspect that's extremely confusing to anyone who's not educated on the subject. My only knowledge of any of this paranormal mythology crap comes from Supernatural. A TV show. So I'm not too educated on any of it.
Anyway, the book is very confusing and more often than not, I didn't know what was going on. Some drama happened and then there's some corny realization of love and friendship. Something I'd expect in a contemporary novel, not a paranormal one. I get that the main character didn't want to be part of Hell and struggled with her feelings and that screwed up her sense of who she was, but it didn't fit. It just didn't work out well.
So I decided I was done being confused, done with the insta love. I wasn't confused to the point of aggravation, just to the point where I was like "What? Huh?" But realized I didn't care and read on without really knowing what was going on because I wasn't invested in the story. So I figured why bother reading? And so the book got deleted.
Anyway, the book is very confusing and more often than not, I didn't know what was going on. Some drama happened and then there's some corny realization of love and friendship. Something I'd expect in a contemporary novel, not a paranormal one. I get that the main character didn't want to be part of Hell and struggled with her feelings and that screwed up her sense of who she was, but it didn't fit. It just didn't work out well.
So I decided I was done being confused, done with the insta love. I wasn't confused to the point of aggravation, just to the point where I was like "What? Huh?" But realized I didn't care and read on without really knowing what was going on because I wasn't invested in the story. So I figured why bother reading? And so the book got deleted.
courey_loves_books's review
3.0
Yay for Buffy references! That made my inner nerd girl happy. :)
As for the story, it's pretty interesting and well written. There were a couple of tiny formatting issues, extra spaces and such but it didn't affect readability. I felt like the character development felt a little forced and I didn't really connect to the romance at all. I really enjoyed the playing on Norse mythologies and thought that was executed well. I did like this book but it didn't wow me. I'm not sure if I'm going to be picking up the next one.
As for the story, it's pretty interesting and well written. There were a couple of tiny formatting issues, extra spaces and such but it didn't affect readability. I felt like the character development felt a little forced and I didn't really connect to the romance at all. I really enjoyed the playing on Norse mythologies and thought that was executed well. I did like this book but it didn't wow me. I'm not sure if I'm going to be picking up the next one.
mrose21's review
1.0
I must have missed the good part of this book because I was bored to tears.
I didn't get the storyline like what exactly is it? Is it she must defeat Loki/her father? Is she some reincarnated warrior? If so what the hell happened for her to be reincarnated?
I'm sorry but this book just dragged, I was really just reading it to finish it. The lead character is pretty cool but I must admit I don't feel any care about what she does or what happens to her. Theres always some big drama going on so all action scenes make little sense and therefore I don't really remember them.
I must have been reading a different book to other people though with this getting a average of 3.66. This book is at best a 1.5 for me.
I didn't get the storyline like what exactly is it? Is it she must defeat Loki/her father? Is she some reincarnated warrior? If so what the hell happened for her to be reincarnated?
I'm sorry but this book just dragged, I was really just reading it to finish it. The lead character is pretty cool but I must admit I don't feel any care about what she does or what happens to her. Theres always some big drama going on so all action scenes make little sense and therefore I don't really remember them.
I must have been reading a different book to other people though with this getting a average of 3.66. This book is at best a 1.5 for me.
erikawastaken's review
3.0
Pros:
* Fast-paced
* Action-packed
* Does not feature vampires
Cons:
* Fast-pacing lead to underdeveloped characters with no explanations of 180 degree turns and very little set up.
* The mix of Christianity, Norse Lore and made-up terms was killing me! I know there are a lot of comparisons of Loki to Lucifer out there, but sometimes it just felt jumbled and inconsistent.
Finally, and I say this as a Whedon-ite, can we please stop with all the Buffy references? Short-cutting to "he looked liked Spike," or referencing that a fight scene "looked like Buffy," cuts away from the reading. I get it, we all love all things Joss, but my "fan girl alarm" goes off immediately and I'm pulled out of the story. Not to mention there are people out there who have never seen Buffy.
* Fast-paced
* Action-packed
* Does not feature vampires
Cons:
* Fast-pacing lead to underdeveloped characters with no explanations of 180 degree turns and very little set up.
* The mix of Christianity, Norse Lore and made-up terms was killing me! I know there are a lot of comparisons of Loki to Lucifer out there, but sometimes it just felt jumbled and inconsistent.
Finally, and I say this as a Whedon-ite, can we please stop with all the Buffy references? Short-cutting to "he looked liked Spike," or referencing that a fight scene "looked like Buffy," cuts away from the reading. I get it, we all love all things Joss, but my "fan girl alarm" goes off immediately and I'm pulled out of the story. Not to mention there are people out there who have never seen Buffy.
aly36's review
challenging
dark
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
So I have started reading some books on my TBR list, and I am glad this was one of them. This author is new to me but I loved this book. Desolation is a good character, I enjoy her humor and how she views hell and her father. This book was capturing from the beginning. I think the relationship between Desolation and Michael is a beautiful romance. As I read this book I could see this great movie being created. This one is another great movie idea. I think good vs evil always sells and this is a new take on everything. I enjoyed it and look forward to book 2.
tracythewriter's review
5.0
This book totally impressed me. The writing is beautiful, the story is fast-paced, the main character is strong and conflicted...and the world building and plotting is super intriguing. I LOVED it. Ali just has that touch...she can put you inside her characters and story so you SEE what's happening as you read. I loved that Desi's coming of age was the focus of the story. There's romance, but the central conflicts and obstacles have much more to do with who Desi is and who she chooses to become, as opposed to which guy she likes or what she'll do for him. I found this quite refreshing. I thought Ali did a GREAT job with Desi's voice and emotional landscape. I could understand where Desi was coming from and why she made the choices she did...and I really felt for her and her predicament. This book came out a while ago and the rest of the series has already been released. I can't wait to read the rest of the series. If you like angel books, strong girl paranormals, and/or awesome, fast-paced reads you should totally check out BECOME. But be warned...you may just stay up all night reading...and find yourself rushing for book 2 in the morning.
madetofly's review
4.0
Review:
http://hmweasley-blog.blogspot.com/2012/10/book-review-become-by-ali-cross.html
http://hmweasley-blog.blogspot.com/2012/10/book-review-become-by-ali-cross.html
lenoreo's review
3.0
I was so torn with this book...I found it really original and intriguing, but I also spent a lot of time lost, and at the end of it I was still confused. I don't mind having things left to be explained in a later book, but in addition to that there was just a lot of information about the world that I couldn't quite absorb...maybe if I understood more about Norse mythology...or maybe read similar books? I don't know. It just felt hard to keep up with it all, and so it lost a star or two for me. I think this might just be personal tastes...and I hate to think that I won't read more to find out more, but with all the other books on my queue, this series will probably fall by the wayside. :(