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unapologetic_reviews's reviews
245 reviews
Doctor Who: The Taking of Chelsea 426 by David Llewellyn
4.0
This Doctor Who book was not so original in its storyline, but it gets brownie points for still making it exciting. Seriously, I should some day count how many stories have alien possession in them. However, in this case while it was a major part of the story, it wasn't the only thing going on.
The appearance of the Sontarans was a surprise, since I didn't read the synopsis. It added an interesting twist to the story. Some central characters were Sontarans, and they weren't portrayed in a completely negative light, which was nice. The author captured the species well, though the resolution to the conflict between the leader and his subordinate felt odd and a bit out of place. I suppose the author wanted to add something of Sontaran culture into the whole thing.
Our main positive characters were humans again. The family running the local hotel were well-rounded, not one-dimensional. What I did find strange was the computer thing with Vienna. It just didn't seem like something the Doctor wouldn't know. If he did know it, then it wasn't communicated well. The Doctor's companions sometimes do know things better than he does, but in this didn't seem like something that would fit that. He is often socially challenged, but not computer challenged. The boy's thing did fit.
An interesting character was Mr Smalls. I thought that was a reference to Bill O'Riley. Would he do the same thing? Probably. Hopefully, anyway, if he's not just all talk.
Overall, the book is a good, fast read. It did make me wonder how they were going to resolve the crisis, so that's why I gave it 4 stars. It wasn't completely predictable. But seriously. No more human possessions, please!
The appearance of the Sontarans was a surprise, since I didn't read the synopsis. It added an interesting twist to the story. Some central characters were Sontarans, and they weren't portrayed in a completely negative light, which was nice. The author captured the species well, though the resolution to the conflict between the leader and his subordinate felt odd and a bit out of place. I suppose the author wanted to add something of Sontaran culture into the whole thing.
Our main positive characters were humans again. The family running the local hotel were well-rounded, not one-dimensional. What I did find strange was the computer thing with Vienna. It just didn't seem like something the Doctor wouldn't know. If he did know it, then it wasn't communicated well. The Doctor's companions sometimes do know things better than he does, but in this didn't seem like something that would fit that. He is often socially challenged, but not computer challenged. The boy's thing did fit.
An interesting character was Mr Smalls. I thought that was a reference to Bill O'Riley. Would he do the same thing? Probably. Hopefully, anyway, if he's not just all talk.
Overall, the book is a good, fast read. It did make me wonder how they were going to resolve the crisis, so that's why I gave it 4 stars. It wasn't completely predictable. But seriously. No more human possessions, please!
Heat Wave by Richard Castle
3.0
This is a crime novel. It has aspects of romance, but not very pronounced.
There is a mystery behind the novel, which is the identity of the original author. While reading it, I noticed that whoever wrote it, has a good knowledge of close combat, less of guns. Is probably male. He's not very good at writing romance though.
That was one problem I found with the novel. The romance is very forced. In the TV series, the romance comes about slowly, and seems like a natural progression of their relationship. Here it seems sudden, and almost like it's not a part of the whole narrative. The famed sex scene was okay, though I'm not a good measure of its quality nowadays.
The crime part was pretty good. A bit slow going at times, but the mystery was interesting, and while you don't realise the solution on the fifth page, it is solvable. The number of deaths is not ridiculously high as in the case with some crime stories. The depiction of the action is good, and understandable for the person not knowledgeable about combat and arms.
Overall, it's not a bad book. It's enjoyable for a quick read. Won't rock your world, or have you reaching for the next instalment right away, but fun. So I'm giving it 3 stars. If the romance was actually hot, I'd give 4.
There is a mystery behind the novel, which is the identity of the original author. While reading it, I noticed that whoever wrote it, has a good knowledge of close combat, less of guns. Is probably male. He's not very good at writing romance though.
That was one problem I found with the novel. The romance is very forced. In the TV series, the romance comes about slowly, and seems like a natural progression of their relationship. Here it seems sudden, and almost like it's not a part of the whole narrative. The famed sex scene was okay, though I'm not a good measure of its quality nowadays.
The crime part was pretty good. A bit slow going at times, but the mystery was interesting, and while you don't realise the solution on the fifth page, it is solvable. The number of deaths is not ridiculously high as in the case with some crime stories. The depiction of the action is good, and understandable for the person not knowledgeable about combat and arms.
Overall, it's not a bad book. It's enjoyable for a quick read. Won't rock your world, or have you reaching for the next instalment right away, but fun. So I'm giving it 3 stars. If the romance was actually hot, I'd give 4.
The Missionary Position: Mother Teresa in Theory and Practice by Christopher Hitchens
5.0
Hitchens is always brilliant. Even when I don't agree with him, he's still brilliant. It saddens me to think that he's no longer alive, because I always thought that had we meet, I would have had the pleasure of talking to someone who was my intellectual superior. It's so rare for me to meet such a person.
Now on to the book. It's kind of short, but very precise, and to the point. It really doesn't need to be longer. I never knew much about Mother Teresa, though her policy on contraceptives and abortion greatly troubled me. I have also seen some footage before of her mission in Calcutta, and I have wondered why it's not in better condition, if she gets so much money. This books revealed it all to me, and as I am usually weary of religious charities, it just proved my suspicions. I recommend the book for everyone, not just as reading something on one subject, but also as a great example of why we should go after the truth of things ourselves, and not trust everything we see on TV. Or at least apply our critical thinking to it.
Now on to the book. It's kind of short, but very precise, and to the point. It really doesn't need to be longer. I never knew much about Mother Teresa, though her policy on contraceptives and abortion greatly troubled me. I have also seen some footage before of her mission in Calcutta, and I have wondered why it's not in better condition, if she gets so much money. This books revealed it all to me, and as I am usually weary of religious charities, it just proved my suspicions. I recommend the book for everyone, not just as reading something on one subject, but also as a great example of why we should go after the truth of things ourselves, and not trust everything we see on TV. Or at least apply our critical thinking to it.
Glitches by Marissa Meyer
4.0
I started the series unsure of whether I want to read it or not. I love sci-fi, and I'm working on my own story, so I like to read something that can give me inspiration. I turned to this short story hoping to get a taste for the book to follow. It did give me that.
I found the characters interesting even in this piece. They were living in a world that is like and unlike our own. I find it important in a story set in the future to have people still be people. Sometimes in worlds like Star Trek, they seem superhuman. The family in this story was real, with all the hang-ups of real people.
I found Cinder interesting, though a bit out of her element, but that is understandable. She didn't really have a personality at this point, but that can be because of the amnesia.
The twist at the end was good, and made me more interested in this world. I'm sure it'll come up later in the story and it makes me curious as to what will happen.
Overall, as a short story it was interesting, and can be enjoyed as a whole. It also made me want to read more. Therefore, I gave it 4 stars, and hopefully I'll give at least that amount to the actual books as well.
Cross-posted at Unapologetic Reviews
I found the characters interesting even in this piece. They were living in a world that is like and unlike our own. I find it important in a story set in the future to have people still be people. Sometimes in worlds like Star Trek, they seem superhuman. The family in this story was real, with all the hang-ups of real people.
I found Cinder interesting, though a bit out of her element, but that is understandable. She didn't really have a personality at this point, but that can be because of the amnesia.
The twist at the end was good, and made me more interested in this world. I'm sure it'll come up later in the story and it makes me curious as to what will happen.
Overall, as a short story it was interesting, and can be enjoyed as a whole. It also made me want to read more. Therefore, I gave it 4 stars, and hopefully I'll give at least that amount to the actual books as well.
Cross-posted at Unapologetic Reviews
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
4.0
Cinder is a sci-fi retelling of Cinderella. Sort of. What always bothered me about Cinderella's story, and also apparently many of the people who created their own versions of it; was that she doesn't meet him until the ball, doesn't even talk two sentences with him during it, and marries a complete stranger in the end because he's the handsome prince. So this version does correct that as well. It still has the wicked stepmother, and sister. It's also not unheard of that the younger sister is nice to Cinderella. The author also kept some of the elements of the story, like the chores, the sleeping where she works, the leaving of the shoe on the steps. However, this Cinderella doesn't just take it all and hope that her kindness will free her from her sad life. In fact, she doesn't expect it to. She knows that only she can save herself, and she's no pushover. She is her own fairy godmother.
Of course, she still falls in love with the Prince. However, this prince is not the pretty shell we have in the fairy tale. He's a real person with responsibilities and problems. We see the story from both perspectives, and this helps take the story out of just being about a girl in love. Which, by the way, is not a very dominant part of the story. No long, long gazes into each others' eyes page after page, no romantic sappiness. People who have read my reviews before know that I'm not a romantic person, so this was a big plus for me.
Another obvious influence is Sailor Moon. That is incidentally one of my all time favourite anime, so I immediately noticed the parallels between having a kingdom on the Moon, and people with "magic" inhabiting it. Also searching for Princess Serena - sorry, Selena. The story also takes place in New Beiging, so the feel of Asia is everywhere. Evil queens are also very common in the 200 episodes of Sailor Moon.
What is different from both of these stories is the ever-lurking threat of the plague. Without giving too much away, the disease is used well, as something to advance a plot, make a plot, or to just influence people in the background.
The sci-fi elements are not so overwhelming so that only hardcore fans can read it. It's sort of there in the ID chips and hover crafts, Cinder's wiring and limbs, but we don't get long Physics lessons that you need a degree for. It happens in the future, with people who live in the future. Most of them probably know as much about how their android works as we know about our coffee machine.
Overall, it's an interesting and exciting story. I wanted to know what was going to happen to Cinder and the rest of the people in it. I'm also eager to continue. The reason why it gets only 4 stars is because it didn't excite me to the degree that 5 stars would. It wasn't Harry Potter, or something like it. I don't want to read it again, or find fanfiction in the world. However, it was a good story, well written, even though I found one word mistake. The pacing was good, and I am going to read on.
Cross-posted at Unapologetic Reviews
Of course, she still falls in love with the Prince. However, this prince is not the pretty shell we have in the fairy tale. He's a real person with responsibilities and problems. We see the story from both perspectives, and this helps take the story out of just being about a girl in love. Which, by the way, is not a very dominant part of the story. No long, long gazes into each others' eyes page after page, no romantic sappiness. People who have read my reviews before know that I'm not a romantic person, so this was a big plus for me.
Another obvious influence is Sailor Moon. That is incidentally one of my all time favourite anime, so I immediately noticed the parallels between having a kingdom on the Moon, and people with "magic" inhabiting it. Also searching for Princess Serena - sorry, Selena. The story also takes place in New Beiging, so the feel of Asia is everywhere. Evil queens are also very common in the 200 episodes of Sailor Moon.
What is different from both of these stories is the ever-lurking threat of the plague. Without giving too much away, the disease is used well, as something to advance a plot, make a plot, or to just influence people in the background.
The sci-fi elements are not so overwhelming so that only hardcore fans can read it. It's sort of there in the ID chips and hover crafts, Cinder's wiring and limbs, but we don't get long Physics lessons that you need a degree for. It happens in the future, with people who live in the future. Most of them probably know as much about how their android works as we know about our coffee machine.
Overall, it's an interesting and exciting story. I wanted to know what was going to happen to Cinder and the rest of the people in it. I'm also eager to continue. The reason why it gets only 4 stars is because it didn't excite me to the degree that 5 stars would. It wasn't Harry Potter, or something like it. I don't want to read it again, or find fanfiction in the world. However, it was a good story, well written, even though I found one word mistake. The pacing was good, and I am going to read on.
Cross-posted at Unapologetic Reviews
Death Cloud by Andy Lane
4.0
I picked up [b:Death Cloud|7600676|Death Cloud (Young Sherlock Holmes, #1)|Andy Lane|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328040051s/7600676.jpg|10017864] not being sure if I'd like it. I'm a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes, always have been. The recent modern interpretations I also love, especially BBC's Sherlock. Benedict Cumberbatch is just brilliant in it. Brain is definitely the new sexy. However, I also like quality, so I just wasn't sure if I'd like a new book, one that was about a young teen Sherlock. Would it be true to the time, since it's set in Victorian times? I have seen things set in that era that were more steampunk than period. Not that there is anything wrong with steampunk, but it would feel odd. I was also concerned about Sherlock being a young teen. It's been some time since I was a teen myself, if ever, and even then I was the geeky, not-into-teen-lit type. I couldn't work my way through [b:The Adventures of Tom Sawyer|24583|The Adventures of Tom Sawyer|Mark Twain|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1309282714s/24583.jpg|3306392], and that sort of books, I just couldn't interest myself in those sort of things. However, I was curious, and in need of a mystery, so I started the book on my Kindle. I can always read something else.
What I found was that all my fears were placated. This isn't steampunk, not a gadget in sight. The history looks well-researched, I even learned some things about Victorian times that I didn't know about. The attitude towards children is correct as well. The young Sherlock is a young Sherlock, someone who has the beginnings of a great mind, just needs time to get there. What happens to him, the people he meets tie into the adult Sherlock we know. Even the dark shadow of drugs looms ahead as well. This is also not just a young teen boy, having adventures in the countryside. It sort of starts out that way, but things get serious fast.
The story is interesting. It's part adventure, part mystery. You get all the vivid action of youth, the running about, sneaking, stealing bicycles,... However, this is no childish adventure. The mystery is very adult, and the adventure could test a grown man. It is appropriate for young teens, but can be enjoyed by an adult as well. It's about Sherlock leaving his school for boys only to find out that he's not going home, but will be spending the summer with relatives he doesn't know, in a small English town that he's unfamiliar with. He fears he will be bored. After a day of getting there, he knows he won't be.
The host of characters is interesting. There is no Watson, but he's not missed. Matty, the new friend is not a replacement, but a real boy, with real skills and story. Amyus Crowe is not a good choice of name for a Potterhead, because I keep being reminded of Amycus Carrow, since their names are obviously familiar. Though Amyus is not an evil person. He is a good addition, since we can see from the adult Sherlock that he stands out so much from his culture, that he must have had other influences as well. While the adult Sherlock is definitely British, and Victorian, he also has ideas and ways of looking at things that are more free-thinking, we could say, rather American. Victoria Crowe is rather on the side-lines for now, but I get the feeling that her role will be more influential in Sherlock's life to come.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was fast-paced, a page turner. It swept me along on an adventure that was exciting, intriguing, and felt like something a young Sherlock Holmes would engage in. I definitely recommend it to fellow adventure lovers and Sherlock fans.
Cross-posted at Unapologetic Reviews
What I found was that all my fears were placated. This isn't steampunk, not a gadget in sight. The history looks well-researched, I even learned some things about Victorian times that I didn't know about. The attitude towards children is correct as well. The young Sherlock is a young Sherlock, someone who has the beginnings of a great mind, just needs time to get there. What happens to him, the people he meets tie into the adult Sherlock we know. Even the dark shadow of drugs looms ahead as well. This is also not just a young teen boy, having adventures in the countryside. It sort of starts out that way, but things get serious fast.
The story is interesting. It's part adventure, part mystery. You get all the vivid action of youth, the running about, sneaking, stealing bicycles,... However, this is no childish adventure. The mystery is very adult, and the adventure could test a grown man. It is appropriate for young teens, but can be enjoyed by an adult as well. It's about Sherlock leaving his school for boys only to find out that he's not going home, but will be spending the summer with relatives he doesn't know, in a small English town that he's unfamiliar with. He fears he will be bored. After a day of getting there, he knows he won't be.
The host of characters is interesting. There is no Watson, but he's not missed. Matty, the new friend is not a replacement, but a real boy, with real skills and story. Amyus Crowe is not a good choice of name for a Potterhead, because I keep being reminded of Amycus Carrow, since their names are obviously familiar. Though Amyus is not an evil person. He is a good addition, since we can see from the adult Sherlock that he stands out so much from his culture, that he must have had other influences as well. While the adult Sherlock is definitely British, and Victorian, he also has ideas and ways of looking at things that are more free-thinking, we could say, rather American. Victoria Crowe is rather on the side-lines for now, but I get the feeling that her role will be more influential in Sherlock's life to come.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was fast-paced, a page turner. It swept me along on an adventure that was exciting, intriguing, and felt like something a young Sherlock Holmes would engage in. I definitely recommend it to fellow adventure lovers and Sherlock fans.
Cross-posted at Unapologetic Reviews
Blood Price by Tanya Huff
4.0
I've wanted to read the books ever since I saw the TV show. It was a really good series, and I was sad that it got cancelled so prematurely. I'm a huge fan of everything vampire, well, except for [b:Twilight|41865|Twilight (Twilight, #1)|Stephenie Meyer|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1361039443s/41865.jpg|3212258], but I don't really regard that as all that vampish. However, the vampire here is really great, even though he's the good guy. The key is that he's good because he used to be a good person growing up.
The story itself is a supernatural crime mystery. We have the main character, Vicky Nelson, an ex-cop, who is tasked with finding a serial killer. She suspects supernatural origins from the start, and is quickly confirmed. The action is fast-paced. We meet our vampire quite early, and Vicky and him share the perspective of the story by skipping from one person to the other. This is not third person limited, which I felt did take away from the mystery aspect a bit, since we knew who the killer was from almost the start. The suspense is whether he succeeds in his endeavour or not.
Vicky Nelson is of course our main character next to Henry, the vampire. The book came out in 1991, so we could say that she begins the tradition of kick-ass female characters in vampire stories. She's an ex-cop, who left the force because she has a degenerative eye disease, and her sight is very limited. Still, she couldn't get away from fighting crime, and ended up as a private eye. She's tall and confident, but not an iron-lady. It makes her a lot more approachable.
Henry Fitzroy, the vampire, is the bastard son of Henry VIII. This made him interesting to me because the Tudors are some of my favourite people in history. His character is still basically of his time. He is religious, and there are references to the Christian God, which to me as an atheist is a bit disturbing. I try to put that next to the vampire thing. What is good though that Henry fits into the image of a 16th century aristocrat. The things that were ingrained to him in boyhood are still there, as well as some ideas that he had developed in the past 450 years. It also helps the character somewhat that we can keep picturing him as we saw him in the series:
What is sometimes funny about it is that I kept forgetting it was published in 1991. I kept thinking "Why doesn't she call her cell phone?" or "Why not Google it?" The story is modern, but obviously those things didn't exist back then.
Overall, the book is exciting. I could hardly put it down. There is the required sexual tension that a good vampire story should have. The characters are life-like, with flaws. I wished that we didn't see the perspective of the killer, but oh well. It is a good, fun read, and not long. So I'm giving it 4 stars.
Cross-posted at Unapologetic Reviews
The story itself is a supernatural crime mystery. We have the main character, Vicky Nelson, an ex-cop, who is tasked with finding a serial killer. She suspects supernatural origins from the start, and is quickly confirmed. The action is fast-paced. We meet our vampire quite early, and Vicky and him share the perspective of the story by skipping from one person to the other. This is not third person limited, which I felt did take away from the mystery aspect a bit, since we knew who the killer was from almost the start. The suspense is whether he succeeds in his endeavour or not.
Vicky Nelson is of course our main character next to Henry, the vampire. The book came out in 1991, so we could say that she begins the tradition of kick-ass female characters in vampire stories. She's an ex-cop, who left the force because she has a degenerative eye disease, and her sight is very limited. Still, she couldn't get away from fighting crime, and ended up as a private eye. She's tall and confident, but not an iron-lady. It makes her a lot more approachable.
Henry Fitzroy, the vampire, is the bastard son of Henry VIII. This made him interesting to me because the Tudors are some of my favourite people in history. His character is still basically of his time. He is religious, and there are references to the Christian God, which to me as an atheist is a bit disturbing. I try to put that next to the vampire thing. What is good though that Henry fits into the image of a 16th century aristocrat. The things that were ingrained to him in boyhood are still there, as well as some ideas that he had developed in the past 450 years. It also helps the character somewhat that we can keep picturing him as we saw him in the series:
What is sometimes funny about it is that I kept forgetting it was published in 1991. I kept thinking "Why doesn't she call her cell phone?" or "Why not Google it?" The story is modern, but obviously those things didn't exist back then.
Overall, the book is exciting. I could hardly put it down. There is the required sexual tension that a good vampire story should have. The characters are life-like, with flaws. I wished that we didn't see the perspective of the killer, but oh well. It is a good, fun read, and not long. So I'm giving it 4 stars.
Cross-posted at Unapologetic Reviews
Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
4.0
This is the second addition to the series, disregarding the little side stories. When I started reading I was worried that we wouldn't see anything of Cinder, but my fears were quickly silenced. While the majority of the story does focus on Scarlet, Cinder is still a part of it.
This story is different from Cinder. The previous book was a lot slower, and focused on the plague. It also had a lot more of Kai. While the Emperor is still occasionally there, his part is minuscule. However, it's still good.
The story focuses on Scarlet, and just like her original version, Little Red Riding Hood, she's searching for her grandmother. While the wolf is originally the symbol for a sexual predator, Wolf is more of an actual wolf, but sexual attraction still plays a part. The story is very fast-paced. It sweeps you along, making you keep reading. Thinking back, the whole thing takes place in about three days. Cinder is also looking for the grandmother, but she is no longer alone. She got a new friend.
Scarlet is not the scared little girl in the fairy tale. She has guts, and is determined to go after her grandmother, even though people try to deter her. I took an instant liking to her.
Wolf is an interesting character. I suggest reading [b:The Queen's Army|16075962|The Queen's Army (Lunar Chronicles, #1.5)|Marissa Meyer|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1349734763s/16075962.jpg|21871423] first, because it does give a lot of insight into Wolf. He is an interesting character, and his animal nature is fascinating to me. However, I always loved wolves. That part did make me think of [b:A Game of Thrones|13496|A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)|George R.R. Martin|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1369520317s/13496.jpg|1466917]. I do want to see more of him though, because he also makes the air sizzle with his animal instincts.
Cinder is more on the side lines this time. Though I was glad for her response to the revelation at the end of the previous book. In a way that part reminded me of Japanese anime, which the author does like. Usually the characters in those deal with such monumental revelations about themselves this way.
Carswell Thorne is Cinder's new friend, and she needed a man like that. Cinder is a nice person, and she is very disturbed by her abilities, but Thorne gives her the outside perspective that she needs. He is also the sort of rugged rascal we women tend to go for in our weak moments, and he knows it. However, deep down, he's a good person. He is a walking cliche, but he fills a needed hole.
This story also has romance. It is kept to a minimum, maybe a bit too much. The attraction is that sudden YA romance thing, but thankfully the fluff is kept to a minimum. I can deal with it. Though I had to admit, at the end it was getting a bit too sugary cute.
Overall, it's a fun book of action. It is different enough from the previous book to not feel like a copy of that like some bad serieses sometimes do. No surprises really, but it's not the kind of book that you expect to win literary awards. I still recommend it to people who like good action, light sci-fi, and re-interpretations of fairy tales.
Cross-posted at Unapologetic Reviews
This story is different from Cinder. The previous book was a lot slower, and focused on the plague. It also had a lot more of Kai. While the Emperor is still occasionally there, his part is minuscule. However, it's still good.
The story focuses on Scarlet, and just like her original version, Little Red Riding Hood, she's searching for her grandmother. While the wolf is originally the symbol for a sexual predator, Wolf is more of an actual wolf, but sexual attraction still plays a part. The story is very fast-paced. It sweeps you along, making you keep reading. Thinking back, the whole thing takes place in about three days. Cinder is also looking for the grandmother, but she is no longer alone. She got a new friend.
Scarlet is not the scared little girl in the fairy tale. She has guts, and is determined to go after her grandmother, even though people try to deter her. I took an instant liking to her.
Wolf is an interesting character. I suggest reading [b:The Queen's Army|16075962|The Queen's Army (Lunar Chronicles, #1.5)|Marissa Meyer|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1349734763s/16075962.jpg|21871423] first, because it does give a lot of insight into Wolf. He is an interesting character, and his animal nature is fascinating to me. However, I always loved wolves. That part did make me think of [b:A Game of Thrones|13496|A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)|George R.R. Martin|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1369520317s/13496.jpg|1466917]. I do want to see more of him though, because he also makes the air sizzle with his animal instincts.
Cinder is more on the side lines this time. Though I was glad for her response to the revelation at the end of the previous book. In a way that part reminded me of Japanese anime, which the author does like. Usually the characters in those deal with such monumental revelations about themselves this way.
Carswell Thorne is Cinder's new friend, and she needed a man like that. Cinder is a nice person, and she is very disturbed by her abilities, but Thorne gives her the outside perspective that she needs. He is also the sort of rugged rascal we women tend to go for in our weak moments, and he knows it. However, deep down, he's a good person. He is a walking cliche, but he fills a needed hole.
This story also has romance. It is kept to a minimum, maybe a bit too much. The attraction is that sudden YA romance thing, but thankfully the fluff is kept to a minimum. I can deal with it. Though I had to admit, at the end it was getting a bit too sugary cute.
Overall, it's a fun book of action. It is different enough from the previous book to not feel like a copy of that like some bad serieses sometimes do. No surprises really, but it's not the kind of book that you expect to win literary awards. I still recommend it to people who like good action, light sci-fi, and re-interpretations of fairy tales.
Cross-posted at Unapologetic Reviews
Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning
2.0
[b:Darkfever|112750|Darkfever (Fever, #1)|Karen Marie Moning|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1320533920s/112750.jpg|108558] is a novel that is in the very popular supernatural YA category. Mercifully, this first installment of the series skips the trope of the girl falling madly in love at first sight with a mysterious man, though there are signs that it's in her future. Still, not just yet.
I rated it just 2 stars, because it was just okay. I can't say it was terrible, like [b:New Moon|49041|New Moon (Twilight, #2)|Stephenie Meyer|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1361039440s/49041.jpg|3203964], which was 1 star, but I also can't say that I liked it. It was just okay. The reason for it is not in the story itself, or the writing. The story was fine. It kind of blew some of the plot on the first page. The story is told from the perspective of a future Mac, the main character, who doesn't just tell the story, but also comments on it, almost like she has an agenda, like self-reflection. Therefore, foreshadowing is a big thing in the narration.
It's also not very fast-paced, because it does stop often to make room for what we could call "fillers". One kind of filler that drove me crazy and I started skipping it at about 53%, was outfit descriptions. I don't just mean things like "he wore all black". We get descriptions from the maker of shirts to the heel of boots. They don't add to the story and are not even interesting, pretty, or artistic. They really just seem to be there to add word numbers. Things like these stop the flow of the story, and even when there were action scenes, the descriptions, and other motion-stopping fillers just kept coming. Therefore, instead of smooth camera action, you get a serious of stills and slow motion footages. Sometimes it gets so distracting, that you lose track of what is actually happening.
Otherwise, the story itself is not bad. The world that is built is interesting, and has a lot of potential. There are two types of Fae, and I'm not really spoiling here, since that is basically on the first page. They are not just dark and light haired faries, but more diverse.
The writing is not bad either. Sometimes you even get highlights, especially in the way emotions are told. They can be kind of pretty in places. That was a saving grace in the story, and one of the places where I actually almost liked it.
The characters are the main reason why I gave it 2 stars. I just couldn't care about any of them, nor like them.
MacKayla Lane is the main character in the story, and her older version is the narrator. Most of the time her older self sounds more interesting, than the younger one. At the start she is quite shallow. Moning tried to deepen her character by liking books, but she must read only romance novels, because otherwise she doesn't sound all that smart or knowledgeable. She's also pretty bad with technology, which in the 21st century is odd from a young person. For example, there is a part where she's trying to find a street. Does she use Google, or Google maps, or something like that? No. She gets maps from a store. Another thing that bothered me about her characterization was that she was too Southern. Especially in the first half she was all magnolia trees and fried chicken, to the point of exhaustion.
The other main character is Jerricho Barrons. He's the enigmatic love interest, without there being much of an interest in love. He's so enigmatic, I really don't know much about him other than he wears a lot of black. In fact, his secrecy is taken so far, that instead of being sexy and interesting, to me he's totally boring. He hardly ever answers any questions, when he's supposed to be the character that introduces Mac into this other world. He also keeps calling the main character "Ms Lane", which is annoying, especially because he inserts it into every other sentence. It's not needed in the context, and just weird after a while.
There are some minor characters. For example, a strange old woman that pops up in a few convenient places to move along a plot line. Not even in likely places. Which old lady goes to a pub at night, or to the museum in their own city?
Another is V'lane, who is just annoying at this point. He's the only Light Fae that we meet, and doesn't rank high up in the likability scale. I also can't stand his power, which is humiliating, and disgusted me so much, I had to page through his scenes. Mercifully there were only a few.
Overall, the book isn't bad. Some people even love it. However, the author failed to make me care for the characters, and because of that, I couldn't enjoy the story. They could have all died in the end, and I would have been glad. It is worth giving a shot to though, and I'm not saying I'll never read on. However, for now, I want to read about people I actually give a damn about.
Cross-posted at Unapologetic Reviews
I rated it just 2 stars, because it was just okay. I can't say it was terrible, like [b:New Moon|49041|New Moon (Twilight, #2)|Stephenie Meyer|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1361039440s/49041.jpg|3203964], which was 1 star, but I also can't say that I liked it. It was just okay. The reason for it is not in the story itself, or the writing. The story was fine. It kind of blew some of the plot on the first page. The story is told from the perspective of a future Mac, the main character, who doesn't just tell the story, but also comments on it, almost like she has an agenda, like self-reflection. Therefore, foreshadowing is a big thing in the narration.
It's also not very fast-paced, because it does stop often to make room for what we could call "fillers". One kind of filler that drove me crazy and I started skipping it at about 53%, was outfit descriptions. I don't just mean things like "he wore all black". We get descriptions from the maker of shirts to the heel of boots. They don't add to the story and are not even interesting, pretty, or artistic. They really just seem to be there to add word numbers. Things like these stop the flow of the story, and even when there were action scenes, the descriptions, and other motion-stopping fillers just kept coming. Therefore, instead of smooth camera action, you get a serious of stills and slow motion footages. Sometimes it gets so distracting, that you lose track of what is actually happening.
Otherwise, the story itself is not bad. The world that is built is interesting, and has a lot of potential. There are two types of Fae, and I'm not really spoiling here, since that is basically on the first page. They are not just dark and light haired faries, but more diverse.
The writing is not bad either. Sometimes you even get highlights, especially in the way emotions are told. They can be kind of pretty in places. That was a saving grace in the story, and one of the places where I actually almost liked it.
The characters are the main reason why I gave it 2 stars. I just couldn't care about any of them, nor like them.
MacKayla Lane is the main character in the story, and her older version is the narrator. Most of the time her older self sounds more interesting, than the younger one. At the start she is quite shallow. Moning tried to deepen her character by liking books, but she must read only romance novels, because otherwise she doesn't sound all that smart or knowledgeable. She's also pretty bad with technology, which in the 21st century is odd from a young person. For example, there is a part where she's trying to find a street. Does she use Google, or Google maps, or something like that? No. She gets maps from a store. Another thing that bothered me about her characterization was that she was too Southern. Especially in the first half she was all magnolia trees and fried chicken, to the point of exhaustion.
The other main character is Jerricho Barrons. He's the enigmatic love interest, without there being much of an interest in love. He's so enigmatic, I really don't know much about him other than he wears a lot of black. In fact, his secrecy is taken so far, that instead of being sexy and interesting, to me he's totally boring. He hardly ever answers any questions, when he's supposed to be the character that introduces Mac into this other world. He also keeps calling the main character "Ms Lane", which is annoying, especially because he inserts it into every other sentence. It's not needed in the context, and just weird after a while.
There are some minor characters. For example, a strange old woman that pops up in a few convenient places to move along a plot line. Not even in likely places. Which old lady goes to a pub at night, or to the museum in their own city?
Another is V'lane, who is just annoying at this point. He's the only Light Fae that we meet, and doesn't rank high up in the likability scale. I also can't stand his power, which is humiliating, and disgusted me so much, I had to page through his scenes. Mercifully there were only a few.
Overall, the book isn't bad. Some people even love it. However, the author failed to make me care for the characters, and because of that, I couldn't enjoy the story. They could have all died in the end, and I would have been glad. It is worth giving a shot to though, and I'm not saying I'll never read on. However, for now, I want to read about people I actually give a damn about.
Cross-posted at Unapologetic Reviews
Blood Trail by Tanya Huff
4.0
I liked this book better than the previous one. The supporting cast was more present and interesting.
In this story Vicki finds herself heading out from Toronto to rural Canada. Henry is asked to help in uncovering who killed a few of his old friends from a family he has been in contact with since WWII, and he asks Vicki to go with him. Mike gets into the mix too about half-way through, and messes things up a bit.
A fun thing about the story was that it takes place in the high heat of the summer, August. I read it in August, beginning it just as I was waiting for the bus, trying not to faint from the heat.
The detective story was interesting, and the ending reminded me a bit of the kind of stories I saw in Japanese detective dramas. It was slightly bittersweet. Again, about half-way through, we were told who the killer was, and got to see it a bit from their perspective. I'd really prefer it if [a:Tanya Huff|1967|Tanya Huff|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1207242126p2/1967.jpg] hadn't done that, but maybe it was a thing in the 90s. I mostly read historical fiction back then. It did give another perspective though, however briefly.
In the story we do see some progression in Vicki's and Henry's relationship, but not a lot, which is a bit disappointing at times. It's not really the sizzling vampire romance, but I don't mind all that much, since I'm not a fan of romance. In fact, Henry is not present a lot in the story at all, just at some important points. The focus is more on Vicki, and the other family.
As can be expected, it's not an ordinary family. Without trying to spoil it, I'll just say that I enjoyed learning about their way of life, their habits. I also grew to like the whole family, especially the twins. This lead me to care for them, and the situation they were in.
Overall, the story was entertaining, and a quick read. I recommend it to people who like a simple detective story with a supernatural twist. If you like a lot of romance, this is not for you. It can be read in a few days. The only reason it took me so long was that I read another novel at the same time.
Cross-posted at Unapologetic Reviews
In this story Vicki finds herself heading out from Toronto to rural Canada. Henry is asked to help in uncovering who killed a few of his old friends from a family he has been in contact with since WWII, and he asks Vicki to go with him. Mike gets into the mix too about half-way through, and messes things up a bit.
A fun thing about the story was that it takes place in the high heat of the summer, August. I read it in August, beginning it just as I was waiting for the bus, trying not to faint from the heat.
The detective story was interesting, and the ending reminded me a bit of the kind of stories I saw in Japanese detective dramas. It was slightly bittersweet. Again, about half-way through, we were told who the killer was, and got to see it a bit from their perspective. I'd really prefer it if [a:Tanya Huff|1967|Tanya Huff|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1207242126p2/1967.jpg] hadn't done that, but maybe it was a thing in the 90s. I mostly read historical fiction back then. It did give another perspective though, however briefly.
In the story we do see some progression in Vicki's and Henry's relationship, but not a lot, which is a bit disappointing at times. It's not really the sizzling vampire romance, but I don't mind all that much, since I'm not a fan of romance. In fact, Henry is not present a lot in the story at all, just at some important points. The focus is more on Vicki, and the other family.
As can be expected, it's not an ordinary family. Without trying to spoil it, I'll just say that I enjoyed learning about their way of life, their habits. I also grew to like the whole family, especially the twins. This lead me to care for them, and the situation they were in.
Overall, the story was entertaining, and a quick read. I recommend it to people who like a simple detective story with a supernatural twist. If you like a lot of romance, this is not for you. It can be read in a few days. The only reason it took me so long was that I read another novel at the same time.
Cross-posted at Unapologetic Reviews