Elfflame
I do enjoy SM Johnson's writing style, but I still cannot fathom why Jeff is the first-person POV when it's really Roman who is the MC. I would probably enjoy it far more if he were the “I” POV. In the first book, when Jeff randomly showed up, I was confused. In this one, he disappears for half the book, and is unconscious for part of it.
On the other hand, Roman's a fascinating character. I love his grandmother, and that he's strong enough to let go when the people he cares about need it. And that he's there to support Van as much as she needs in whatever way she needs.
I do wonder if these books could have just been one big book. It's a contiguous story. Otherwise, Dare didn't need to be in this book at all, as much as I liked him. Though I do wonder if he'll be back in the third book. Jason feels more like a substitute than anything else. I suppose I'll see at some point, but I doubt it will be any time soon, as I don't feel the itching need to buy it to find out.
The story itself is unfinished, and given the date on the last update, unlikely to be so. Truly, I think the best ending was to rescue him, and leave the rest for a sequel. I think the story suffered from a lack of knowledge of how some things work, and an uncertainty of how to finish the story.
It's worth a read, though be wary that it just stops abruptly. If she ever publishes more, I will definitely pick it up again.
I've wanted to read this book for years, but because I've been such a poor reader for so long, it took me a while to finally buy it and read it. In fact, it was only when the new edition went on sale that I got myself a copy. I wish I'd read it much sooner, and I'm very much looking forward to reading the next book in the series. And I can promise that now that I'm reading regularly again, I won't wait another five years or so before I buy it.
I'm a big fan of fantasy in general, and Tan definitely does an excellent job of pulling you in and keeping you interested. Kyle's journey to figure out who he is in a world of magic that he didn't even know existed draws you along. The details are excellent, and you can tell she knows the Harvard campus and environs very well. You can also tell that she is not only fond of Tarot, but knows how to use them well, as the way Kyle learns them feels real and not cliched at all. As a huge tarot fan, I will say that bit especially pulled me in. I look forward to reading more about the cards in the next book, as I'm sure she has plenty up her sleeves regarding them.
Tan is a huge Harry Potter fan, and says so in her author's note at the end. If you can see JK Rowling's influence in many of her choices in this world, but she also makes it her own, showing us things she is obviously well-versed in and loves. Her characters do not feel take-offs of the Harry Potter characters in the least, nor does Veritas feel like Hogwarts-gone-college.
Her cast of characters are intriguing. Kyle, the affable main character and hero-to-be is sweet and interesting. Alex, his best friend, who seems a lazeabout, but actually gets Kyle through the initial phase of suddenly becoming a college magical student and helps him understand all the new things around him. Jess, his girlfriend, whom I hope to see more of in the next installment, who teaches him a great deal about magic, sex, and sex magic. And no, I'm not going into the others here, but suffice to say, she's got a great cast here, each of which feel like they have their own stories, and all of which I look forward to learning more about as the series continues.
Definitely recommended for Urban Fantasy fans, Harry Potter fans, and even Percy Jackson fans. It does have sexual situations, though, so if that's not for you, be warned. Overall, I loved it, and can't wait to read the next.
I'm so very glad to be finished with this book. It is not horribly written, but nor was it a joy to read. It was based on fairy tales, and sat on my shelf for some twenty-odd years, so I figured I needed to give it a fair shake. I really did want to like it. The writing itself is excellent, but it is incredibly hard to enjoy it much. It's like being hit with a hammer time and time again, the hammer, of course, being Tepper's message. I think I'll stay away from her books from now on.
I can appreciate her message. she's writing about a cause that very much concerns me. The fact that humans overuse, overpopulate, and do not think, or choose to blame anyone but themselves. But the way she goes about telling her message seems to belie her point–that we destroy beauty by our greed and inherent darkness. That we revel in our darkness, and therefore deserve what we get. So she goes on to tell us a horrifically dark story about the death of Beauty. How is that any different from what she is condemning?
Beauty herself is an interesting character, but only vaguely, and it is only the fairy tale parts of her life that truly interested me. I will say that I did enjoy how Tepper manages to set her and her fairy tales into the real historical world in a believable way. The other characters in the story were either blank slates for Beauty to decide how we should feel about them, or so abhorrent as to repel.
Tepper's knowledge is obviously quite good, but she's like the student who stuffs their paper with three times the amount of sources, and repeats their point more times than any teacher would ever think necessary. The imaginary world Beauty finds herself in for a time, for instance. Very much a rationalist construct, but it felt incredibly out of place in this fairy tale-driven story. Though too, so did her time in the present and future. Then there was Tepper's long list of fae and creatures of the fairy realm that she suddenly dumps on us at the very end of the book. Sure, we have met some before that time, but the list seemed to come from nowhere and was entirely unnecessary to the story itself.
The time travel aspect, especially to the dark future that Beauty is dragged to, seems entirely too much. Coming at the point of the story it does, so close to the beginning of her story, it seems only to illustrate her point of “People are bad.” Worse, she then goes on to point out how horrible writers are for writing dark things in their stories, thereby causing us to become immured to these horrors. What, then, is her point? Isn't this what she herself is doing? To me, it feels like a rant drawn out far too long, with no true purpose but to scold everyone who will listen.
Read it for the fairy tales if you must, but otherwise, I just wouldn't recommend it.
This really is a lovely little story, and one that fans of Arthurian lore would probably very much enjoy. The main character is an Arthurian scholar, looking for proof that King Arthur truly existed. His story takes a wild turn, though, when his boyfriend breaks up with him on Christmas Eve, and he finds himself falling into a place that might be entirely fantasized on his part, and might be one part ghost story, and one part legend. Whichever it is, the rest of the tale is very heartfelt and revealing, and the character gets a lovely happy ending.
I'm a sucker for Arthurian legend. Particularly the idea of past/future lives, which this story implies. Even if everything that happens is all in their heads, the Main character and his boyfriend still have a fascinating story to tell, and are woven into a much larger plot that makes me wish this book were ten times its size. I'd love to see more characters in this universe, though to do so might destroy the filmy layer between fantasy and reality that the author has so carefully constructed.
Either way, I'm very glad I bought this story, and highly recommend it for a nice quick read.
After finishing this book, I will say that I definitely need to check out more of Ms March's books, as I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I just spent the last few minutes buying a bunch of her ebooks on Amazon for that very reason.
The plot is very familiar. Guy can't have the guy he wants, so he goes to a male prostitute instead, the prostitute falls for him. Everyone is unhappy. The prostitute leaves, the guy realizes the prostitute is who he wants, happy ending all around.
But the story goes well beyond that simple plot. The characters are real in a way you don't often see in this kind of m/m romance, and thought is given to the timing of the story as well. Though it has a happy ending, both men are quite aware of the realities of pre-Victorian England, and what could happen to them should their preferences be known.
Jasper and Nate themselves are men you can feel empathy for, and want to, despite how stupid they both can be. Jasper even manages to walk away, despite his feelings, because he knows it's for the best. And perhaps it is, because it gives Nate the chance to understand just what Jasper's come to mean to him.
Definitely one for M/M fans, particularly those who like Regency or Victorian romance.
Before I explain my rating, I must admit, I am not the target audience for this book. I would say teen girls would probably enjoy this story just fine, but as a writer, I feel that even if a subject is juvenile, it will last far longer when written well. This, unfortunately, is not. The story itself is not horrible, in fact, if I could give half-stars, this would be 2 1/2, because it has the seed of something interesting, or I would never have been able to finish it. I will not be picking up the Elite, however. One book was more than enough to tell me this is not the world for me.
The main character is somewhat interesting, as is the world, but I fell that a good editor would have helped both (and in doing so, the plot) in being far more interesting to the reader. She's a typical teenager (even though she shouldn't be, given the caste system she supposedly has lived under her whole life) who wants only to be with her (secret) boyfriend, even though she knows why she shouldn't. It's not atypical, and works well enough for the character, but I feel that it would fit far better in a modern-day story, rather than the futuristic dystopia that Cass is trying to shoot for here.
Her family and neighbors are little more than stock characters–mother and father taken almost directly from Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice but for their names. Her siblings are little more than a token to show that she's from a lower-class family. Even their names seem too obvious and not at all thought out, particularly their surname, Singer. Are all families in this world named for what their ancestor was known for? If not, it feels overly pointed, and quite unnecessary. Far more interesting to make their name something more unique or drawn from today's pop artists. Lennon. Shelton. Spears. Something more than Singer. The neighbors are barely mentioned at all, aside from her boyfriend, and his family is only mentioned in connection to him. There's no depth at all to these characters. They don't exist without her notice, and so are nothing to the reader, even though we know she must have known them her whole life.
The Selection itself is like a castrated Hunger Games. The girls all leave wealthy and better-off, if not happy, and one of them will become the next Queen. She tries to give it a bit of bite by adding the love triangle, but really all it does is make you shake your head at the teenageness of it all.
She simply does not act right for someone of her class, and the excuses the author gives for her actions do not ring true. And there are other moments. The maid's fright when it comes to the Rebel attacks on the castle seem far overblown for what she experienced, which granted, ended up being quite bad when she finally explained it, but the way it was initially explained gave far too much background that was unnecessary before we got the truth of why she was so scared. There are secrets being kept all through the novel, and yet much of the time, the author seems unable (or possibly unwilling) to share them in a way that seems to help the story along. Instead, she focuses on the banal love triangle, and never gives us the true impetus to care about these secrets. Perhaps the sequel will do so, but I for one won't find out.
I would not recommend this to anyone over about the age of 20.
Coming home on the bus tonight I finished this book with tears in my eyes. Even knowing that I still have Imriel's saga to read, it makes me sad because this is the end of Phedre's saga, even if her life continues on. I loved this series from beginning to end. It toyed with my emotions in a way I (mostly) love. It's not for the faint of heart, nor those who have difficulty reading long books, though it never truly felt long to me. It is incredibly dense, with a wealth of information about this world that few writers really go into. I admit, even I struggled at the end, because there was so much there left to read, but not for love of the book. It just looked shorter than it read, because there was so much left for Carey to wrap up.
I fell in love with these characters. Phedre, for her depth of love for those around her, her admiration for knowledge, and her strength in submission. Jocelyn, for his strength and determination despite everything they had to face, both together and separately. Imriel for his resilience, and all the best parts of both of his parents, not to mention his love and admiration for Phedre and Jocelyn. There are so many great characters in this book that to list all my favorites would make this a Kushiel-length review. But each and every one was expertly crafted, even the ones who were long gone by the time this book starts, and those who lasted but a few chapters, but still managed to touch Phedre and her companions. Even more, I love that Phedre remembers them all, both living and dead, there at the end. We are the sum of those we know and love.
In a few months, once I've finished a few other books I have sitting around, I look forward to returning to this world. I can't wait to see how Imriel will grow up, and what trials he will face, even though I know, like Phedre, his will not be an easy life. It's fascinating to me, that he really feels Phedre's son almost from the beginning, despite the fact that she never bore him. Almost as though he were the son of she and Melisande, rather than Melisande's husband. I love the fact that he has four parents. Two of blood, and two of mind. Even more, I admit to loving the fact that he's Melisande's son, because despite everything, she is a fascinating character, and her son takes strongly after her.
I also look forward to seeing how things have changed in the intervening years when Imriel's story picks up. I want to find out about how Hyacinth is doing in Alba, and whether Phedre and Jocelyn really did settle down (and maybe had a kid of their own blood?). Even more, I look forward to the emotional roller-coaster that Carey will take me on, because I know she will. And I know I'll love (almost) every minute of it.
Been making my way through M/M stories that seem to have high ratings here on Goodreads, so I picked up this one, and I'm so very glad I did. It feels a little like a softer m/m Kushiel, but it's also it's own world with some pretty great characters. I would have loved to spend the length of a Kushiel novel in this world, because the idea of the Adorned was fascinating, and I would have loved to meet more, and the variety of their lives. I also wanted to know more about the history of the Blooded, though it is made quite clear in the story that they are god-descended people. I did wonder if they were only in that one country, or if they could be found elsewhere in this world, though.
I was very fond of Etan from about the time he met Robaird, and their little family of four were particularly lovely. I loved hearing about the art of the tattoos, and how Etan knew more than a usual Adorned almost from the beginning. I also loved that their love story was such a slow build. That they cared about each other and wanted each other for a good long time before they allowed themselves to come together. Their fate after was wrenching to me, but ultimately satisfying. I was glad they managed to find a calm after the storm.
If you're fond of fantasy, tattoos, or male/male romance, I highly recommend it. Particularly if you always wanted the backstory of Delaunay and Alcuin, as this echoes that in some very nice ways.
Definitely a satisfying read overall, and I will be looking to see what else Mr Tristan has written.
I picked up this series both because a friend recommended it and because most sites recommend it as a great follow-up after the Hunger Games. It did not disappoint. In fact, in many ways, I like it better.
I was far more drawn to Tris than I ever was to Katniss (and I liked Katniss a lot). And I thought her romance with Four was a far more balanced relationship than either of Katniss's relationships with Peeta and Gale. She's a generally stronger character, both on her own, and with Four. She just felt more real to me in many ways that Katniss did not. I wanted to keep following her story.
Before I got the book, I heard that people had gotten their hands on an advanced copy, and were Not Happy, but I refused to let that stop me. I figured it would probably be something that wouldn't bug me as much, because I'm a fan of realism and of alternative stories. I'm glad I didn't let it stop me, but I was wrong that it wouldn't bug me.
I got the book on Monday, and would have finished last night, but then I hit that part–the part where Tris dies. And I thought for sure she had to be saved, they wouldn't just let her die...but I was scared to read on. So I put it off until this morning. I arrived at work a soggy mess.
The ending is terrible and beautiful and real, and I hate that Tobias is alone, but I do have faith that he will help create a world Tris would have been proud of saving. I ache for them both, and want to go back to before I started. Or perhaps just after she forgave him, and live in that moment, and never finish the book. But it would always have felt unfinished to me. I think she gave it the right ending. To have any less sacrifice for their new world would have felt a cheat. And I'm also glad Christina stopped Tobias from forgetting. That would have been just as horrible.
To those of you I have recc'd this series to, I apologize for the heartache you will go through at the ending, but I hope you'll agree with me once you've finished–it was definitely worth the ride.
I can't even begin to say how much I enjoyed this series, but I will try my best. Though at first, I was uncertain, as Lia grew, so did my love for her, and for the world around her. The story has a wonderful slow build through the three books, and by the final book, I was hard-pressed to put it down. I've spent the past day wanting nothing else but to read.
As a long-time fan of Fantasy, this hits on so many of my loves. Magic, intrigue, and romance, all intertwined and subtly crafted. Wheeler keeps you guessing from moment to moment, and makes you love characters without even knowing their names.
Lia's story of love and faith, pulls you along, and you can't help but want her to succeed, whatever that means, and it is truly amazing to watch her succeed despite everything thrown at her. Despite the disparity of odds, the story never seems forced or false in the least. The only slight blot is the obvious secret kept until the last moment of the second book, when her true identity is revealed.
I highly recommend this for anyone looking for a good fantasy book, especially those who have enjoyed Hunger Games or Harry Potter, though the story itself does not take place in our world, but another. For fans of fantasy, this is definitely one of the best.
And thank you to Dorri, who recommended this one to me. Definitely worth the read.
I first heard about this many years ago shortly after it was initially released, and finally picked it up about two years ago to read. I loved it from the start, but life is full of distractions, so I ended up setting it aside only to pick it up again about a week ago. I'm so glad I did. The world is incredibly rich, and heavily based on historical fact, while winding a subtle magic and mythology through the world we know that feels as though it belongs.
Phedre's story is intriguing, and she is everything I love in a character. Smart, strong, and able to stand on her own, despite (or really because of) the people she loves. Too, the story does not shy from non-traditional pairings; two secondary pairings are of the same-sex variety, though Phedre spends most of her time with men. Still, she services both men and women in her trade, and never seems to differentiate between either.
The darker aspects of the story, and particularly Phedre's world, are excellently wrought in the way only someone who truly comprehends the needs of those who enjoy BDSM. Her need for it echos in her path as she finds herself lost in plots not of her own making.
The characters are lovely and memorable. Despite having a two-year gap between readings, I still was able to remember most with ease, and those I did not slotted quickly into place after a bit more description.
Carey is a master of this art, and I very much look forward to reading the sequels. I would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys fantasy, historical, and even darker sexual stories, particularly those interested in BDSM, as this is not a common theme to find in a genre story of this sort, or caliber.
I've been going through a phase the past few weeks where I've been scouring online for any good free fiction to read, and this was one of the ones that I found that I did more than glance at. By the time I'd finished the second chapter, I was hooked. The author's grasp of characters and setting are amazing, and she really makes you care about these characters.
Slyvan and his master are both very unique characters. Finding m/m fiction is difficult enough. Finding m/m fiction with true BDSM elements that aren't rape fantasies are even more difficult. But this story goes even further in creating a real situation with characters whose dilemmas are real and imperfect and she makes you feel for them.
I would say I am amazed that this hasn't been published, but as you can see, this isn't the sort of story that you see a lot of. Whether that be because publishers don't want to take a chance on these subjects, or because the author feels uncomfortable about sharing them and doesn't think she could sell them–whatever the reason, I can see why this one would be a hard sell. But I hope it does, someday, because if anything there needs to be more like this out there.
Definitely the best of the stories I've read, and some have been quite good, so that is saying a lot.
ETA: I have posted another review here, for those wanting a bit more detail.
I stumbled across this book a year or two ago looking for something new to read, and while I'm not the fastest reader, I have to say this one kept my attention. Often I set a book down and don't come back to it for days or even weeks or more, which makes getting back into the story difficult, but this one had no problem pulling me back in each time.
It's one (very small) part science fiction (due to the aspect of time travel), one part mystery, one part historical (covering mostly victorian times, but also the attack on Coventry in World War II), one part farce, and one part romance. That description might lead you to wonder how such a storyline could even work, but somehow, Willis makes it work, and you can't help but enjoy the mystery, as well as the wry humor of the main character, Ned, who is hiding out in the Victorian era to keep away from a madwoman who wants him to find one of the most hideous artifacts of all time.
Even when the characters are comical, they lend so much to the feel of the time Ned is in, and his quest to figure out what happened to the Bishop's Bird Stump gives the story a sense of urgency that might not have worked with any of the other aspects of the story.
If you're a fan of soft science fiction, or romance that features plot (and a central male character over a female one) over passion, I highly recommend this. Even more if you're a fan of science fiction and mystery, because that is exactly what this is. A sci-fi mystery with a twist.
I look forward to reading my way through the rest of her works. If they're all as fun as this one, I know I'll enjoy them.
Unable to finish due to technical difficulties at Chapter 15 scene 2. Will have to pick this up again later.
This and the whole Slave Breakers series are one of my all-time favorite male/male series. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes D/s or slave stories.
My full review is here: http://aslashreadersdiary.blogspot.com/2014/08/review-slavebreakers-by-maculategiraffe.html
I loved this book, and I wish they'd managed more of this series. As there is, there are only a handful of them, but this one was the first I picked up.
The stories all center around the Kennedy brothers: Joseph, John, Bobbie and Teddy, and their father's quest for glory through his sons.
I don't remember the stories specifically, as it's been quite a while since I read it, but I do remember loving the book overall. Some of the stories are definitely better or more interesting than others, but just the thought of a world without a President Kennedy is fascinating enough. As is a world where Joseph was the first President Kennedy, or where the Kennedy line had continued after John.
Even if you don't know much about the Kennedy family, if you are interested, it's well worth reading.
When you read a sentence “let's start again” with someone commanding someone else to use a dildo... I'm sorry. That's not sexy.
Not interested in finishing this one.
I don't know why I even got this far. The writing itself is excellent, the world (universe?) is fascinating, and the characters are interesting. But the violence is so omnipresent, it feels like there's no reason to even get to know the characters, as they will just die in a book or two. After the attack on Mustang in this book, I just had to stop. I shouldn't even have tried to get this far, really. If you don't like violence, this is not the series to read.
