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3.41 AVERAGE
3.41 AVERAGE
Unnecessarily Repetitive and Dramatic
I don’t mind some angst but I’m really not a fan of unnecessary drama for the sake of angst and definitely not when the angst isn’t even good. Jin is over the top, unrealistically dramatic and I found myself wanting to tell him to get over himself more than I sympathized with his trauma and reasons because he was annoying and repetitive with it. Then the angst “resolution” was all very surface level and left me with whiplash. There’s not really a lot of character development and even though on paper it seems like the characters have depth their actions don’t match. The spice wasn’t even all that great because I found myself questioning things that happened in those scenes too. I finished it but I won’t be continuing the series.
I don’t mind some angst but I’m really not a fan of unnecessary drama for the sake of angst and definitely not when the angst isn’t even good. Jin is over the top, unrealistically dramatic and I found myself wanting to tell him to get over himself more than I sympathized with his trauma and reasons because he was annoying and repetitive with it. Then the angst “resolution” was all very surface level and left me with whiplash. There’s not really a lot of character development and even though on paper it seems like the characters have depth their actions don’t match. The spice wasn’t even all that great because I found myself questioning things that happened in those scenes too. I finished it but I won’t be continuing the series.
I'll have to read more shifter books, I guess, because I am really, really not getting the ones I've read so far. And I'm not getting why this one is so popular, in particular.
I recently complained there weren't enough rules in some book I read (http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/207523880). This book has taught me that there is such a thing as too many rules too. A quick and dirty word search shows that there are roughly 50 discussions of laws and rules in here. The reason there is so much talk about the rules of pantherhood is because they drive some major plot developments. Especially the fact that no one seems to know the fucking rules, not even the people leading these tribes. Yet, we live and we die by these rules. That we are not familiar with. So deadly mistakes are made. Imagine that.
In fact, Jin seems to be the only one that knows the rules. And I am starting to suspect he's making them up on the fly as they get more and more complicated. Never mind the fact that half the damn rules don't make any sense in the first place. Why would you even have a 'sons of Horus' rule that pits 5 panthers against 1 to settle a dispute? Who were the founding fathers of this particular Constitution and what were they smoking?
Jin is annoying in his waffling. And does Logan say anything in this book that isn't a variation of: 'You are / He is MINE'? Seriously, the man might as well stick with grunting and pointing at his crotch.
I recently complained there weren't enough rules in some book I read (http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/207523880). This book has taught me that there is such a thing as too many rules too. A quick and dirty word search shows that there are roughly 50 discussions of laws and rules in here. The reason there is so much talk about the rules of pantherhood is because they drive some major plot developments. Especially the fact that no one seems to know the fucking rules, not even the people leading these tribes. Yet, we live and we die by these rules. That we are not familiar with. So deadly mistakes are made. Imagine that.
In fact, Jin seems to be the only one that knows the rules. And I am starting to suspect he's making them up on the fly as they get more and more complicated. Never mind the fact that half the damn rules don't make any sense in the first place. Why would you even have a 'sons of Horus' rule that pits 5 panthers against 1 to settle a dispute? Who were the founding fathers of this particular Constitution and what were they smoking?
Jin is annoying in his waffling. And does Logan say anything in this book that isn't a variation of: 'You are / He is MINE'? Seriously, the man might as well stick with grunting and pointing at his crotch.
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
sad
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
The ultra obsessive, hot sex gets a star of its own. That's really about the only thing that really held my interest in this story.
The characters were lacklustre. They were a pale copy of other Mary Calmes' stock characters. Their actions were perplexing. I couldn't figure out why they suddenly changed their minds or views without any obvious motivating factors or influences.
Jin, especially, is annoying because he's like a leaf blowing in every direction following the wind.
Not one of the better stories.
The characters were lacklustre. They were a pale copy of other Mary Calmes' stock characters. Their actions were perplexing. I couldn't figure out why they suddenly changed their minds or views without any obvious motivating factors or influences.
Jin, especially, is annoying because he's like a leaf blowing in every direction following the wind.
Not one of the better stories.
This was...interesting. I'm not sure how I feel about it, so I am reserving my opinion until I finish the second book in the series. I find Jin, Logan, Crane, and all of the other characters interesting. The world though....it's a bit muddled for me. I still don't have a clear sense of dynamic, power structure, etc.
What is a Reah's true power? Are they really an equal or are they totally submissive? And why wouldn't the Semel not know the laws? That fact really bothered me. How can you be an effective leader if you are unsure of your own laws? Little things like that sort of nag at me.
Anyway...I'm intrigued. Like, I said...I'll reserve judgment until I finish the next book.
What is a Reah's true power? Are they really an equal or are they totally submissive? And why wouldn't the Semel not know the laws? That fact really bothered me. How can you be an effective leader if you are unsure of your own laws? Little things like that sort of nag at me.
Anyway...I'm intrigued. Like, I said...I'll reserve judgment until I finish the next book.
This was an intriguing set-up. Shifters as a secret in modern society, ugly-duckling-becomes-a-swan story, and a nonconformist bucking the system. And for a good portion of the book, it was. Then it devolved into Jin acting like a whiny teenager who annoyed the heck out of me. I have a pet peeve about stories where the primary dramatic conflict could be resolved if the main characters just sat down and talked frankly like responsible adults. If this book had done that it would have been about half the length it was.
The problem I had was that a lot of the pseudo-Egyptian terminology threw me off. Many of the elements of the world building were just missing, leaving the reader to guess at many aspects, but at the same time there were many MANY references to The Rules that every werepanther should know (even if the clan leader doesn't. Um, what?). Add to all of this the usual insta-love/fated mates trope and I'm left disappointed.
The final tally:
+4 for quality of writing
-0.25 for enough baffling Rules to fill a set of encyclopedias
-0.50 for "I have just met you and I love you!" (I mean, I guess it worked for Dug in Up, but still...)
-0.50 for annoying, uncommunicative man-children
Grand total: 2.75
I won't recommend it, but I won't say don't read it either. Maybe your tolerance for some of this foolishness is better than mine.
The problem I had was that a lot of the pseudo-Egyptian terminology threw me off. Many of the elements of the world building were just missing, leaving the reader to guess at many aspects, but at the same time there were many MANY references to The Rules that every werepanther should know (even if the clan leader doesn't. Um, what?). Add to all of this the usual insta-love/fated mates trope and I'm left disappointed.
The final tally:
+4 for quality of writing
-0.25 for enough baffling Rules to fill a set of encyclopedias
-0.50 for "I have just met you and I love you!" (I mean, I guess it worked for Dug in Up, but still...)
-0.50 for annoying, uncommunicative man-children
Grand total: 2.75
I won't recommend it, but I won't say don't read it either. Maybe your tolerance for some of this foolishness is better than mine.
I’m SO SICK of “possession” being the only things authors think is sexy anymore.
That being said, this was steamy and weird and I sort of liked it.
That being said, this was steamy and weird and I sort of liked it.
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
I can’t believe I never wrote a review when I originally read this book. Even more horrifying is the fact that I just reread it after a SEVEN YEAR ABSENCE! Holy sh*t!
Jin and Logan have always been favorites of mine and this series is one of my top 5 all-time faves. Hands down it’s one of the best books I’ve ever read. The romance is smoking, the sex is sizzling, the world building is phenomenal, and the secondary characters (LOVE CRANE!) are amazing.
Jin and Logan have always been favorites of mine and this series is one of my top 5 all-time faves. Hands down it’s one of the best books I’ve ever read. The romance is smoking, the sex is sizzling, the world building is phenomenal, and the secondary characters (LOVE CRANE!) are amazing.
It started better than it ended.
I loved the schemings at first, the different terms and Jin’s different situation but then it got generic. Yes it was cute and all but still I thought I was reading something better than how it processed.
I loved the schemings at first, the different terms and Jin’s different situation but then it got generic. Yes it was cute and all but still I thought I was reading something better than how it processed.