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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
Was not sure what to expect when reading reviews complaining about the fmc and the storyline. The Bobby Ewing storyline was there which annoyed me, but as it was explained later in the story it is worth persevering. You are basically dropped straight into the story/action, but I think that's to cause the reader to have as little information as Sam (fmc). There are a couple of loose threads which are not tied up, but as this is the first in a paranormal series, it's good that there will be an overriding arc. The main characters were nothing new and could have been pulled from innumerable paranormal books out there however I loved the side characters, they were very individual and quite well fleshed out for a first in a series. The small amount of niggles caused the loss of a star.
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-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:
Yes
Could be better
The conversations between characters are dull and simplistic. In fact, many of the characters are dull and simplistic and add no real purpose to the story other than to make our MC look unintelligent and weak. For some reason MC's love interest, Clive, pines after her for no real reason. To make matters worse in their relationship, they barely know each other with the occasional glancing in each other's directions. In fact Clive is extremely protective of her but has only talked to her (for the first time) the day before. The only relationship I know of where two people have barely interacted, the male sends people he knows to follow her around, shows up at her house unexpected and breaks in, and is bossy and demanding is that of a stalker and its victim or Edward Collins and Bella from Twilight.
The world building is unimpressive and the storyline jumps around with no context as to what's going on or where they are going. There is neither character development or a plot. MC has no desirable traits, proves more than once that she's incompetent and throughout has to rely on the skill of others instead of growing as a person and obtaining her own skills. Overall MC is too much of a victim and can't possibly get past it to grow as an individual, stunting the book. In fact the most infuriating part is that MC keeps stating that she'll never be a victim again but then constantly puts herself in situations where she's being taken advantage of/being a victim. It honestly seems like the author was simply writing insert fanfiction and that's fine, but then label your book as such to avoid waisting the time of readers.
The conversations between characters are dull and simplistic. In fact, many of the characters are dull and simplistic and add no real purpose to the story other than to make our MC look unintelligent and weak. For some reason MC's love interest, Clive, pines after her for no real reason. To make matters worse in their relationship, they barely know each other with the occasional glancing in each other's directions. In fact Clive is extremely protective of her but has only talked to her (for the first time) the day before. The only relationship I know of where two people have barely interacted, the male sends people he knows to follow her around, shows up at her house unexpected and breaks in, and is bossy and demanding is that of a stalker and its victim or Edward Collins and Bella from Twilight.
The world building is unimpressive and the storyline jumps around with no context as to what's going on or where they are going. There is neither character development or a plot. MC has no desirable traits, proves more than once that she's incompetent and throughout has to rely on the skill of others instead of growing as a person and obtaining her own skills. Overall MC is too much of a victim and can't possibly get past it to grow as an individual, stunting the book. In fact the most infuriating part is that MC keeps stating that she'll never be a victim again but then constantly puts herself in situations where she's being taken advantage of/being a victim. It honestly seems like the author was simply writing insert fanfiction and that's fine, but then label your book as such to avoid waisting the time of readers.
2.7
This book straddles the line between being okay and being a book I like. Sam is the main character, and she had a lot of wit, despite a lot of trauma in her past. Her past traumas include growing up always on the run, multiple attempts on her life, turning into a werewolf, and rape. She has reacted by hobbitting away in her bookstore/bar. She keeps to herself, to the point that she doesn't realize how many friends she has. She also doesn't realize that the top-dog vampire has a massive crush on her, and has doted on her for years, since she arrived in town. She is a bit dumb and unobservant, but only when it is convenient to the plot. Infuriatingly, she acts like she has spent her solitude trying to read up on the supernatural world, and learn more about her new surroundings, yet she doesn't seem to know a damn thing. She has had attempts on her life in the past, but there is no mention of her doing anything about it. During this storyline, she is determined to go out and find more information about what is going on, and who is after her. She goes out alone and generally acts unobservant, seemingly just so the book can build tension and have Clive be more involved in her life.
The other infuriating aspect of this story was Clive and Sam's relationship/personalities together. Clive has little to no personality for the first part of the story, and then he is all of the sudden cracking jokes at a really weird part of the story, and it just didn't match to the character that I had crafted in my head. Some of that is on me, but some of that is on how the author described the character up until that point. I think the shoddy characterizations of both Clive and Sam also contributed to a lack of chemistry (at least in my mind) between the characters. Their feelings feel quite fierce for characters that seemed to have rarely interacted prior to the events in this book.
Now those issues are all pretty significant and working through them in my head, I am questioning if I should drop the rating to 2-stars. However, there was a real sense of entertaining suspense within this novel. The mystery was interesting and I never really considered setting the book down. I was looking for a nice, easy, escape, and this book sufficed. However, I have no current intentions of continuing on with this series.
This book straddles the line between being okay and being a book I like. Sam is the main character, and she had a lot of wit, despite a lot of trauma in her past. Her past traumas include growing up always on the run, multiple attempts on her life, turning into a werewolf, and rape. She has reacted by hobbitting away in her bookstore/bar. She keeps to herself, to the point that she doesn't realize how many friends she has. She also doesn't realize that the top-dog vampire has a massive crush on her, and has doted on her for years, since she arrived in town. She is a bit dumb and unobservant, but only when it is convenient to the plot. Infuriatingly, she acts like she has spent her solitude trying to read up on the supernatural world, and learn more about her new surroundings, yet she doesn't seem to know a damn thing. She has had attempts on her life in the past, but there is no mention of her doing anything about it. During this storyline, she is determined to go out and find more information about what is going on, and who is after her. She goes out alone and generally acts unobservant, seemingly just so the book can build tension and have Clive be more involved in her life.
The other infuriating aspect of this story was Clive and Sam's relationship/personalities together. Clive has little to no personality for the first part of the story, and then he is all of the sudden cracking jokes at a really weird part of the story, and it just didn't match to the character that I had crafted in my head. Some of that is on me, but some of that is on how the author described the character up until that point. I think the shoddy characterizations of both Clive and Sam also contributed to a lack of chemistry (at least in my mind) between the characters. Their feelings feel quite fierce for characters that seemed to have rarely interacted prior to the events in this book.
Now those issues are all pretty significant and working through them in my head, I am questioning if I should drop the rating to 2-stars. However, there was a real sense of entertaining suspense within this novel. The mystery was interesting and I never really considered setting the book down. I was looking for a nice, easy, escape, and this book sufficed. However, I have no current intentions of continuing on with this series.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I wanted some fast paced urban fantasy, and this is what I got, together with a unique setting of a bookstore that is partly underwater.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-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:
Complicated
no no no no nope
DNF around 10%
This book pulled me right back into my reading slump...
in 10% of the book I've read 3 times that her bones are broken..... 3 *ucking times.
I love when a books starts with action but there is a thing as to much and then there are the memories of horrors she had lived true.It iss all to much.
DNF around 10%
This book pulled me right back into my reading slump...
in 10% of the book I've read 3 times that her bones are broken..... 3 *ucking times.
I love when a books starts with action but there is a thing as to much and then there are the memories of horrors she had lived true.It iss all to much.
I look forward to reading what happens to Sam, Clive and the gang next.