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tien's reviews
3910 reviews
All Fall Down by Ally Carter
3.75
The first 2 chapters weren't quite what I expected of this book so I went back to GR to check out the reviews to see what I'm missing. This was a good thing as I then adjusted my expectation and as I immersed myself in the story, I couldn't put it down and finished it very quickly.
Grace, our protagonist, is both easily likeable and not and this is because she is struggling with who she is and what she believes. This is hard to describe without spoiling the story too much but the point is while there is an element of mystery and thriller, this book is not really about that but rather about Grace and her growth. It was somewhat heartbreaking but at the end, it didn't really surprise me.
The setting in an imaginary small country and specifically in the area where all the embassies are located was fairly intriguing though I had to struggle reconciling imaginary place in a realistic world of ours. I just felt it was a little discombobulating; probably just the way my brain is wired.
Overall, a very easy read if it fits your expectations but probably super annoying if not.
Grace, our protagonist, is both easily likeable and not and this is because she is struggling with who she is and what she believes. This is hard to describe without spoiling the story too much but the point is while there is an element of mystery and thriller, this book is not really about that but rather about Grace and her growth. It was somewhat heartbreaking but at the end, it didn't really surprise me.
The setting in an imaginary small country and specifically in the area where all the embassies are located was fairly intriguing though I had to struggle reconciling imaginary place in a realistic world of ours. I just felt it was a little discombobulating; probably just the way my brain is wired.
Overall, a very easy read if it fits your expectations but probably super annoying if not.
Beyond the Bounds of Time: The Gemarine Chronicles Book 2 by Jason McDonald
2.5
So I was totally warned that this may not be for me after my comment about 'too much beheading' in book 1. I'm glad the author took that in good grace and even turned that into a joke in this book. This is really the main reason I bought and read the book and I actually did giggle at the joke.
The premise of this universe is actually very interesting and I do love a good found family trope. And while I like a snarky heroine, Juniper was a tad too much, a tad too crass for me. But that's me and I'm sure a lot of other readers actually love just how hard core she is.
As forewarned, I found the book to have more violence and sexual references than I personally prefer, which seemed to be used for dramatic effect. Additionally, the emphasis on emotions felt a bit overdone to me. Overall, this book is probably not my cup of tea but I'm keen to support an independent local author.