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apalershadeofwhite's reviews
252 reviews
The Vampyre; A Tale by John William Polidori
2.0
This is the first instance of the vampire in prose literature, so I was quite excited to read it and find out the origins of a lot of people's favourite mythical creature!
However, it was quite a lacklustre read. It started off very drawn out and quite forgettable, but when it picked up towards the end it was much better. It wasn't what I was expecting though. The vampire in this text wasn't your typical vampire. In fact he seemed more like a regular human; just one who walks around pretending to be inconspicuous but wanting someone to notice and question.
Overall, it was a very bland read and not one I will be rereading or recommending.
However, it was quite a lacklustre read. It started off very drawn out and quite forgettable, but when it picked up towards the end it was much better. It wasn't what I was expecting though. The vampire in this text wasn't your typical vampire. In fact he seemed more like a regular human; just one who walks around pretending to be inconspicuous but wanting someone to notice and question.
Overall, it was a very bland read and not one I will be rereading or recommending.
The Queen by Kiera Cass
4.0
I liked this novella a lot more than 'The Prince'. I always enjoyed Queen Amberley, so it was fascinating to see her in her own Selection. This story not only gave so much more to Queen Amberley's character, but it gave substance to King Clarkson as well. As with most people, I hated the King in The Selection series, so it was nice to not completely hate him for a while. I also really enjoyed the way this story was written. It was concise and short, but held all the information you would need for the characters. It was really enjoyable.
The Prince by Kiera Cass
2.0
Although interesting to see things from Maxon's point of view, this was quite lacklustre. I was expecting a bit more plot and insight into the character, but it was quite a bland short story. I wouldn't recommend this to someone reading this series as it doesn't add much to the narrative anyways.
To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo
3.0
This was a very solid novel; having all the things a story needs to be engaging. I didn't relate to the story (obviously, it's about sirens and royalty), but I found myself connecting with the humanity and humour of the characters.
The writing was something that I loved so much. Christo has a really clear and engaging writing style and she uses linguistic techniques amazingly and effectively. I would definitely recommend this book to people dipping their toes in fantasy. It's a really good starting point because it's not extremely long or confusing to read.
The writing was something that I loved so much. Christo has a really clear and engaging writing style and she uses linguistic techniques amazingly and effectively. I would definitely recommend this book to people dipping their toes in fantasy. It's a really good starting point because it's not extremely long or confusing to read.
The Siren by Kiera Cass
4.0
I'm not a romance or a mythical creature kind of girl when it comes to books, but I adored this novel. I found I enjoyed the writing style of this book much more than Cass' other works. It was much more poetic and meaningful. However, I did feel some of the chapters dragged on a bit.
Overall, this was a really interesting take on the siren as a creature and the Ocean as a being. I really enjoyed the fact that the book didn't focus on the romance, but also held so many profound messages on family, love, adventure, etc. This is definitely a book I would recommend to someone looking for a relaxing read that also gives you some great quotes to bookmark!
Overall, this was a really interesting take on the siren as a creature and the Ocean as a being. I really enjoyed the fact that the book didn't focus on the romance, but also held so many profound messages on family, love, adventure, etc. This is definitely a book I would recommend to someone looking for a relaxing read that also gives you some great quotes to bookmark!
The Guard by Kiera Cass
4.0
This was a lot of fun to read! It had everything that makes a short story engaging: concise but rife with information. I really enjoyed the difference I noticed between the writing of this novella and the others. This actually changed my opinion on Aspen a little and made my favour sway in his direction slightly, which I think is a sign of effective writing! As a poet, I loved the imagery and beautiful evocative language as well. It was much more poetic than The Prince, which I highly rate.
The Crown of Myth by Mira Crest
2.0
I was really disheartened when I started reading because it seemed juvenile and something for younger tastes. The start was so quick; Myth and Vesper kissed in the second chapter and were intimate in the fifth! And the whole 'my-ex-best-friend-is-tormenting-me-at-high-school' storyline... Not my favourite. At all. Its the kind of plot that makes the line "Sophia was like a totally different person" and "there's no way a guy like him could ever love a girl like me" be read in an mocking high-pitched voice.
There were way too many clichés as well. I can't recall one part of this book NOT being a cliché. I had hoped it was getting better towards the end when things got slightly more interesting in the plot, but the whole 'this isn't you! Come back! I love you' speech made my thoughts come back full circle.
The only reason considering reading the next instalment is because I hate leaving something unfinished. But I'm unsure if I actually will follow through with that.
There were way too many clichés as well. I can't recall one part of this book NOT being a cliché. I had hoped it was getting better towards the end when things got slightly more interesting in the plot, but the whole 'this isn't you! Come back! I love you' speech made my thoughts come back full circle.
The only reason considering reading the next instalment is because I hate leaving something unfinished. But I'm unsure if I actually will follow through with that.
Mythos: The Greek Myths Retold by Stephen Fry
5.0
I absolutely devoured this book! It was really difficult for me not to read it all in one day, but I wanted to savour it badly. The writing style of this book is so easy to read and it was so interesting that I couldn't put it down! I would definitely recommend this book to everyone and anyone, it was amazing!
The Gilda Stories by Jewelle Gomez
3.0
I really enjoyed both the beginning and the end of this book, but the middle chapters were very egregiously long. When both starting and finishing this book, I read multiple chapters in a sitting! However during the middle, I found myself procrastinatingy continuation of my reading process of this book and wanting to even stop reading mid-chapter. Finally, I can shelf this book and not worry about plucking up the courage to finish it!
It's a great contextual novel when it comes to the black and lesbian vampire, but it's not one I would willingly pick up again.
It's a great contextual novel when it comes to the black and lesbian vampire, but it's not one I would willingly pick up again.
Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair: Dual-Language Edition by Pablo Neruda
5.0
Pablo Neruda is a gift to poetry. As much as I wanted to speed through this entire collection, I had to stop myself and savour his eloquent way with words. I am astounded by this book/collection.