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106 reviews for:
Liaisons d'enfer au paradis
Maud Desurvire, Cassandra Clare, Libba Bray, Sarah Mlynowski, Claudia Gray, Maureen Johnson
3.33 AVERAGE
106 reviews for:
Liaisons d'enfer au paradis
Maud Desurvire, Cassandra Clare, Libba Bray, Sarah Mlynowski, Claudia Gray, Maureen Johnson
3.33 AVERAGE
I will preface this by saying that I generally dislike short stories. You don't have enough time in so few words to latch onto the characters, the plot, AND the prose. Generally at least one of the three will suffer.
I'm happy to say, however, that this is not ALWAYS the case. There are a few incredibly gifted authors that manage to pull it off!
My favorite in this collection (not surprisingly) was the story penned by Cassandra Clare: The Mirror House.
This story is told in first person present tense, and that worked unbelievably well! (My list titled "Authors who Successfully Use Present Tense" is now a whopping TWO names long!!!) I'm not going to go too much into the plot of these stories, but I will say that if you liked Jace/Clary...this story has a little something in it for you. ;) The story itself was haunting and I LOVED the ending, but it is always so hard for me to decide if I enjoy the story or the prose better in works by Cassie. I love them both so much it's impossible to tell. The way she manipulates the English language, and the vivid, constant use of descriptive simile makes me green with author envy. This short story alone was well worth the price of the book!
"I try to read, but the words dance on the page like the sunlight dances over the pool water. This kind of weather makes everything dance."
Seriously. There are no words to describe my love.
Also really enjoyable was the story by Libba Bray (who, in case you were wondering, is the other author on that list titled "Authors who Successfully Use Present Tense")
This quote alone should make you want to read this story. "Dude," Baz whispered in my hear, his white-boy dreads tickling the side of my face. "Did the creepy old lady just say 'bump asses with evil?'"
It was really fun to read something so DIFFERENT from Libba. I'm in love with her Gemma Doyle trilogy, but it's nice to see that she can pull off something completely different as well! Such a talented lady!
I also loved Maureen Johnson's story. If you aren't following Maureen online, you really should be. As funny as her blogs are, this story read much the same way. It was such a refreshing read, and I couldn't put it down!
Claudia Gray and Sarah Mlynowski both wrote fun stories as well. All in all, this entire collection is well worth the read!
I'm happy to say, however, that this is not ALWAYS the case. There are a few incredibly gifted authors that manage to pull it off!
My favorite in this collection (not surprisingly) was the story penned by Cassandra Clare: The Mirror House.
This story is told in first person present tense, and that worked unbelievably well! (My list titled "Authors who Successfully Use Present Tense" is now a whopping TWO names long!!!) I'm not going to go too much into the plot of these stories, but I will say that if you liked Jace/Clary...this story has a little something in it for you. ;) The story itself was haunting and I LOVED the ending, but it is always so hard for me to decide if I enjoy the story or the prose better in works by Cassie. I love them both so much it's impossible to tell. The way she manipulates the English language, and the vivid, constant use of descriptive simile makes me green with author envy. This short story alone was well worth the price of the book!
"I try to read, but the words dance on the page like the sunlight dances over the pool water. This kind of weather makes everything dance."
Seriously. There are no words to describe my love.
Also really enjoyable was the story by Libba Bray (who, in case you were wondering, is the other author on that list titled "Authors who Successfully Use Present Tense")
This quote alone should make you want to read this story. "Dude," Baz whispered in my hear, his white-boy dreads tickling the side of my face. "Did the creepy old lady just say 'bump asses with evil?'"
It was really fun to read something so DIFFERENT from Libba. I'm in love with her Gemma Doyle trilogy, but it's nice to see that she can pull off something completely different as well! Such a talented lady!
I also loved Maureen Johnson's story. If you aren't following Maureen online, you really should be. As funny as her blogs are, this story read much the same way. It was such a refreshing read, and I couldn't put it down!
Claudia Gray and Sarah Mlynowski both wrote fun stories as well. All in all, this entire collection is well worth the read!
Libba Bray was the only reason I picked up this book.
We start off with" Cruisin'" by Sarah Mlynowski. I can't honestly say I liked this one. This was the weakest story for me. I'm not familiar with the author so I don't know what her writing is normally like..but I don't be seeking out any of her books after this. I don't think I'm capable of caring for the main characters in this story...or this story in general. 1/5
"I Don't Like Your Girlfriend" by Claudia Gray was a fun one. I liked the way the magic was set up so quickly, it was very simple and easy to understand. I would read this is if it was a full book. 4/5
"The Law of Suspects" by Maureen Johnson was a weird one. I didn't really understand this one well, but that could just be a me thing. This had potential to be really spooky, but it felt far-fetched to me...1/5
"The Mirror House" by Cassandra Clare this was ok. I felt pretty neutral when I finished this one. 3/5
"Nowhere is Safe" by Libba Bray...well it's a Libba Bray story so it's amazing. Genuinely creepy and spooky...*chef's kiss* She really saved this book for me. 5/5
Overall rating: 3.5 (average of the stories)
We start off with" Cruisin'" by Sarah Mlynowski. I can't honestly say I liked this one. This was the weakest story for me. I'm not familiar with the author so I don't know what her writing is normally like..but I don't be seeking out any of her books after this. I don't think I'm capable of caring for the main characters in this story...or this story in general. 1/5
"I Don't Like Your Girlfriend" by Claudia Gray was a fun one. I liked the way the magic was set up so quickly, it was very simple and easy to understand. I would read this is if it was a full book. 4/5
"The Law of Suspects" by Maureen Johnson was a weird one. I didn't really understand this one well, but that could just be a me thing. This had potential to be really spooky, but it felt far-fetched to me...1/5
"The Mirror House" by Cassandra Clare this was ok. I felt pretty neutral when I finished this one. 3/5
"Nowhere is Safe" by Libba Bray...well it's a Libba Bray story so it's amazing. Genuinely creepy and spooky...*chef's kiss* She really saved this book for me. 5/5
Overall rating: 3.5 (average of the stories)
Some I did see coming, others not. The best thing about short stories is that you can finish one and then wait until you start a new one without forgetting about something vital from previous parts. All of them are different, a book full of books!
My favourite must have been either Cruisin'by Sarah Mlynowski or Nowhere is Safe by Libba Bray. Cruisin' felt like yet another teenager obsessed with popping the cherry and peer pressure all around them. Even I hear friends whisper 'you can always get laid on a cruise, there are no rules' and I felt for her, this major pressure but damn, I did not see this one coming. What is better than a cruise? VAMPIRES ON A CRUISE.
Nowhere is Safe is a major warning for all us naive foreigners looking for a fun travel through Eastern Europe with their 'silly superstitions and culture', well suck on that. They are also majorly creepy and will not hesitate to go medieval on your ass. The same goes for countryside people. We got our pitchforks ready.
The most weird one was definitely the Law of Suspects, all of it really.
My favourite must have been either Cruisin'by Sarah Mlynowski or Nowhere is Safe by Libba Bray. Cruisin' felt like yet another teenager obsessed with popping the cherry and peer pressure all around them. Even I hear friends whisper 'you can always get laid on a cruise, there are no rules' and I felt for her, this major pressure but damn, I did not see this one coming. What is better than a cruise? VAMPIRES ON A CRUISE.
Nowhere is Safe is a major warning for all us naive foreigners looking for a fun travel through Eastern Europe with their 'silly superstitions and culture', well suck on that. They are also majorly creepy and will not hesitate to go medieval on your ass. The same goes for countryside people. We got our pitchforks ready.
The most weird one was definitely the Law of Suspects, all of it really.
Spoiler
HOW THE HELL CAN YOU BE SO CHILL ABOUT MURDER? THERE'S A DEAD BODY ON THE FLOOR, YOU THINK YOUR SISTER IS INSANE AND YOU LOCKED HER UP BECAUSE OF A KILLING CURSE, DO NOT MAKE OUT WITH THE PRETTY FRENCH BOY DAMN IT.
adventurous
dark
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this compilation as much as the others. I think it had to do with the fact that this compilation is more horror than romance. This is not to say that the book is all bad, it's just not my preference.
I think out of all 5 stories, I enjoyed "I Don't Like Your Girlfriend" by Claudia Gray and "The Law of Suspects" by Maureen Johnson best. The other stories were good as well, but like I said before, not my type. I Don't Like Your Girlfriend is about a childhood rivalry between two young witches involving the love of a boyfriend. The Law of Suspects is about two sisters' vacation in France where they meet a creepy guy telling a creepy story on the French Revolution. This one was truly masterful in its writing and so suspenseful! 4.5 stars for this story alone.
And for Rachel, who asked for a review on Cassandra Clare's story, "The Mirror House". The prose was written really nicely and there was this good versus evil, bright versus darkness theme to the whole story. The only gripe I have was the plot. I kinda knew how it would end so it wasn't really surprising for me but still, it's definitely a novella worth reading.
In total, 2.5 stars from me.
I think out of all 5 stories, I enjoyed "I Don't Like Your Girlfriend" by Claudia Gray and "The Law of Suspects" by Maureen Johnson best. The other stories were good as well, but like I said before, not my type. I Don't Like Your Girlfriend is about a childhood rivalry between two young witches involving the love of a boyfriend. The Law of Suspects is about two sisters' vacation in France where they meet a creepy guy telling a creepy story on the French Revolution. This one was truly masterful in its writing and so suspenseful! 4.5 stars for this story alone.
And for Rachel, who asked for a review on Cassandra Clare's story, "The Mirror House". The prose was written really nicely and there was this good versus evil, bright versus darkness theme to the whole story. The only gripe I have was the plot. I kinda knew how it would end so it wasn't really surprising for me but still, it's definitely a novella worth reading.
In total, 2.5 stars from me.
Nota final 3.4, com base nas avaliações que eu dei para cada uma das histórias. Não gostei do livro inteiro, e até a metade eu estava sinceramente arrependida de ter feito tanta questão de comprá-lo. Gostei dos três últimos contos (isto é: Maureen Johnson, Cassandra Clare e Libba Bray), e os dois últimos realmente fizeram a coletânea valer a pena pra mim.
Não sei se recomendaria o livro, mas vou deixar registrado que ao menos duas das histórias são interessantes de serem lidas. :)
Não sei se recomendaria o livro, mas vou deixar registrado que ao menos duas das histórias são interessantes de serem lidas. :)
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
1. Cruisin' by Sarah Mlynowski
Cruisin' is about a girl named Kristin who goes on a cruise with her best friend, Liz. Kristin vows that she will lose her virginity by the end of the three day cruise, and Liz vows to help her out. Kristin finds a guy who may be "the one", but there are also rumors of vampires killing people on cruises...
This was my least favorite story in the anthology. The story was predictable, and the characters were flat. Not much else to say about it, except I'm glad the anthology picks up after this one.
2. I Don't Like Your Girlfriend by Claudia Gray
This story is about Cecily, who shares her mother's abilities as a witch. Her family takes an annual trip to the beach to meet with her mother's coven, which happens to include Cecily's nemesis Kathleen. This year, Kathleen brings a boyfriend, and he's everything Cecily wants in a guy. So what's he doing with the evil Cecily?
This story is split into four parts, and each part begins with a list Cecily has made. It wasn't necessary, but I enjoyed them. I liked every part of this story, and it mixed a little humor with the light story.
3. The Law of Suspects by Maureen Johnson
Charlie and Marylou leave for a vacation in Paris to stay with an estranged cousin in the city. Upon their arrival, he informs them that they'll be staying in a remote village to experience an authentic French way of life. Unfortunately, he has to stay in the city for work, so they are sent by themselves. Everything is quiet, although boring, so Charlie decides to take a walk to see who or what she can see. She stumbles upon a distant neighbor who is a little too fascinated with murder, and everything goes downhill from there.
Ahh. Maureen. It's no secret that I love her, and this is definitely one of the best stories in the anthology. It's full of twists and turns, and injected with the touch of humor that is characteristic of Maureen Johnson. The story is comically far-fetched, and is so awesome that I would be happy if it were the only story in the book.
4. The Mirror House by Cassandra Clare
Violet's mom just married Phillip, who happens to be the father of Evan, Violet's biggest crush. The new family goes for a vacation in Jamaica for the honeymoon and to get to know each other better. While out on the beach, Evan and Violet meet a woman who lives nearby, and she asks Evan to help her fix her car. Evan continues to spend time with her throughout the vacation, and also starts to look sickly. Violet needs to find out what's going on, before it's too late.
The anthology gets darker as it goes, and this one is pretty dark. That's not saying it's bad. No, no, It's VERY good. One of those that stays with you for a while. Honestly, there's enough going on here without the supernatural element. It's so rich that it could be an entire novel. It doesn't feel like a short story.
5. Nowhere is Safe by Libba Bray
Poe has just graduated high school, and decides to go backpacking through Europe with three of his friends. The hit the big cities, but blow through most of their money in the first month. Instead of going home, they decide to forgo Amsterdam and instead visit a small village dubbed "The City of the Damned" for an annual festival that may or may not be celebrating Satan.
I'm torn with this story. While I loved the story and the awesome setting, the characters annoyed me. The way the story is told (by Poe and like he is talking to a youtube video) bugged me, and I didn't like his voice. The very end of the story was rushed and felt kind of sloppy. So while I really enjoyed it, I wouldn't call it a favorite.
I would definitely recommend this book if you like any of the authors, or you just some short stories to break up your reading.
Cruisin' is about a girl named Kristin who goes on a cruise with her best friend, Liz. Kristin vows that she will lose her virginity by the end of the three day cruise, and Liz vows to help her out. Kristin finds a guy who may be "the one", but there are also rumors of vampires killing people on cruises...
This was my least favorite story in the anthology. The story was predictable, and the characters were flat. Not much else to say about it, except I'm glad the anthology picks up after this one.
2. I Don't Like Your Girlfriend by Claudia Gray
This story is about Cecily, who shares her mother's abilities as a witch. Her family takes an annual trip to the beach to meet with her mother's coven, which happens to include Cecily's nemesis Kathleen. This year, Kathleen brings a boyfriend, and he's everything Cecily wants in a guy. So what's he doing with the evil Cecily?
This story is split into four parts, and each part begins with a list Cecily has made. It wasn't necessary, but I enjoyed them. I liked every part of this story, and it mixed a little humor with the light story.
3. The Law of Suspects by Maureen Johnson
Charlie and Marylou leave for a vacation in Paris to stay with an estranged cousin in the city. Upon their arrival, he informs them that they'll be staying in a remote village to experience an authentic French way of life. Unfortunately, he has to stay in the city for work, so they are sent by themselves. Everything is quiet, although boring, so Charlie decides to take a walk to see who or what she can see. She stumbles upon a distant neighbor who is a little too fascinated with murder, and everything goes downhill from there.
Ahh. Maureen. It's no secret that I love her, and this is definitely one of the best stories in the anthology. It's full of twists and turns, and injected with the touch of humor that is characteristic of Maureen Johnson. The story is comically far-fetched, and is so awesome that I would be happy if it were the only story in the book.
4. The Mirror House by Cassandra Clare
Violet's mom just married Phillip, who happens to be the father of Evan, Violet's biggest crush. The new family goes for a vacation in Jamaica for the honeymoon and to get to know each other better. While out on the beach, Evan and Violet meet a woman who lives nearby, and she asks Evan to help her fix her car. Evan continues to spend time with her throughout the vacation, and also starts to look sickly. Violet needs to find out what's going on, before it's too late.
The anthology gets darker as it goes, and this one is pretty dark. That's not saying it's bad. No, no, It's VERY good. One of those that stays with you for a while. Honestly, there's enough going on here without the supernatural element. It's so rich that it could be an entire novel. It doesn't feel like a short story.
5. Nowhere is Safe by Libba Bray
Poe has just graduated high school, and decides to go backpacking through Europe with three of his friends. The hit the big cities, but blow through most of their money in the first month. Instead of going home, they decide to forgo Amsterdam and instead visit a small village dubbed "The City of the Damned" for an annual festival that may or may not be celebrating Satan.
I'm torn with this story. While I loved the story and the awesome setting, the characters annoyed me. The way the story is told (by Poe and like he is talking to a youtube video) bugged me, and I didn't like his voice. The very end of the story was rushed and felt kind of sloppy. So while I really enjoyed it, I wouldn't call it a favorite.
I would definitely recommend this book if you like any of the authors, or you just some short stories to break up your reading.
Some stories were definitely better than others, but honestly I thought this was a great little anthology, and the strength of Maureen Johnson’s and Libba Bray’s stories definitely brought this up!
Individual rating breakdown:
Sarah Mlynowski “Cruisin” - This was very silly and then it became even more silly, cheesy fun. Ending made me laugh for sure. 3.5 stars
Claudia Gray “I Don’t Like Your Girlfriend” - Eh, this was ok. 3 stars
Maureen Johnson “The Law of Suspects” - This scared the heck out of me. 5 stars
Cassandra Clare “The Mirror House” - I liked the ending, but this really had no personality to me and of course she included a “forbidden romance” trope like she seems to include in every short story of hers that I’ve read. 3 stars
Libba Bray “No Where is Safe” - Libba Bray as always is amazing, no surprise there. 5 stars
Individual rating breakdown:
Sarah Mlynowski “Cruisin” - This was very silly and then it became even more silly, cheesy fun. Ending made me laugh for sure. 3.5 stars
Claudia Gray “I Don’t Like Your Girlfriend” - Eh, this was ok. 3 stars
Maureen Johnson “The Law of Suspects” - This scared the heck out of me. 5 stars
Cassandra Clare “The Mirror House” - I liked the ending, but this really had no personality to me and of course she included a “forbidden romance” trope like she seems to include in every short story of hers that I’ve read. 3 stars
Libba Bray “No Where is Safe” - Libba Bray as always is amazing, no surprise there. 5 stars
Maureen Johnson's was brilliant, the vampire and witch stories were great, Cassie Clare is way carried away by atmosphere and Libba Bray's kind of went all over the place but it worked out in the end. Solid but still fun.