MeowMeow
Outstanding, riveting. Full of fun characters and action. I loved the prequel novella, and this was such a treat to read as it's a proper-sized novel. The characters were great.
I knew I should've known better than to be taken along on certain people's hype train about this book. Uninteresting, shallow, stupid characters, flat villains, and an equally ‘eh' storyline that is just ... boring. The main character pissed me off with how much of a horrific dumbass she was, and all her glares/grumbles/whining/complaining/snarky comments are just cringe-inducing (apparently we're meant to find her funny or endearing or strong, what in the actual EFF). As an Asian person of similar ethnicity to the writer as well as the characters in this book, I sometimes want to have stories that feature those “like me” but I do NOT want them written with such amateur skill. It's fucking embarrassing.
Horrible, amateur writing. Why is every LitRPG book I've tried so low quality?! It boggles the mind. People need to read more books if they're giving this drivel 5 stars.
If you are the sort of reader who enjoys slice-of-life stories and don't need “save the world” quests in your fantasy, do not be afraid by the low stars and angry reviews of others who decry this book as a middle book that middles. This second book is quieter, and I understand why some people may dislike it because of that. However, there are those of us who like – and wish to find more of – stories that are more about the day-to-day lives and adventures of characters we have grown fond of. This story is like the wolfish, gay fantasy equivalent of Becky Chambers' science fiction book [b:The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet 22733729 The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Wayfarers, #1) Becky Chambers https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1405532474l/22733729.SY75.jpg 42270825] – a simple telling of all the happenings that befall the people we've read about in the first book (yes, the first book is more fantastical/heroic once it got going into wars and such). I'm not saying the second book doesn't have exciting moments – it does – but you shouldn't go into it expecting the same world-changing adventures as the first. Isolfr isn't a viewpoint character this time, and you may miss him (as I did at the start), but I find that the more nuanced views of other characters to more than make up for it. I enjoyed reading things from others' perspectives and feelings, and reading about their days, their trips, their ‘quieter' adventures (and misadventures). So, fellow fans of slice-of-life stories, don't be afraid to pick this one up, especially if you enjoyed the secondary characters in the first book.
This should have been a favorite since it features Sieh (he was my favorite character), but I'm sad to say that I was disappointed by the story. :(
The main character did some fantastically stupid things but I was really rooting for her in the end. Too bad there isn't an actual ending – have to get the next books to find out what's going on. Not sure yet if I will.
Re-read of a favorite classic from childhood/young adulthood. Anne's lovely adventures at college with her friends, both old and new.
3.5 stars. Didn't have the magic of the first in the series, but I liked it well enough. A particular character was extremely annoying, but he grew on me. I had hoped for a bit more, but ... well. Still very warm.
Wish there were more slice-of-life SF and Fantasy books like this. I'm pretty tired of saving the world, you know? Heh.
The only thing going for this novel is the nice cover. That's it. You get the beginnings of “just okay” world building which quickly become something like ‘baby's first historical fantasy' level of cringe, characters who are not well-fleshed out and are just plain boring, and a plot that limped along ... ugh. So disappointing and frustrating.
I agree with lots of others who mentioned that this is YA fantasy masquerading as adult fantasy. All the angst, eye-rolling cringe, and even the love triangle is all there. I love me some YA but don't freaking mislead!!
Aieeee..... The first 20% scored about 3 stars for me, but the book rapidly devolved into “Me believer. Me do what god want. Aieeeeeeee...”
It gets really difficult to give a crap about the characters when they are just blindly following whatever they think that their god is telling them to do. I get it, maybe once in a while, whatever, but every single time and every single thing? Aieeee..... Come on. Instead of rich, complex characters who are spiritual or religious, we get one-dimensional nothing characters who try to convince you that they have no will or desires of their own save for what their god wants.
Aieeeeee, such a tragedy.
If you got annoyed by all the “Aieee...” in this review, you're in for an AWESOME treat in this book. There's probably like 5-10 different instances of “Aieeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...” in every chapter – or that's how it seems. If there weren't, then “Tcha!” was there instead.
Darker than I would have expected, but it's great. A bit cliched in parts, but overall an engaging story.
The thing that bothers me most about this book is the sheer idiocy of everyone, most especially Toby. The other thing I realized that bothered me most about book 1 and book 2 is the fact that I just don't have much respect for her.
She spends the entire book running around clueless, talking to people and doing nothing, while saying (over and over and OVER again), “I'm doing my best.” Really, Toby? REALLY?
Why the hell is everyone in her life falling all over themselves to fawn over her? I can't believe Sylvester or the Luidaeg or Tybalt could be THAT stupid. October Daye is an unpleasant, “I think I'm baddass (but actually I'm not)” asshole who does detestable things. Like kissing a married guy, for one. Being dumb, for another. Being absolutely obnoxious (for no reason) and running her mouth – and yes, yes, I know that it's a “feature” of urban fantasy to have a shit-talking “sassy” heroine who doesn't know when to STFU, but it gets extremely annoying. They're never as badass as they try to come off, and not funny either. I suppose I could kind of forgive this series seeing as it's older, but damn.
If it weren't for everyone saying that the series gets “so much better” (my skepticism rises), then I would be done with this one.
Absolutely gorgeous portal fantasy. It walks in on gentle steps and charms you with lovely characters you'd be proud to call friends, and leaves you feeling wistful yet satisfied. You still want more, of course, as you always want more of anything that's delicious, but it was a full meal and a dessert, and you are satisfied with the generous portions you received. But I want a sequel. Until then, I shall dream of portals and hoopoes and wolves, and little birds with bowler hats.
Entertaining book with nice world building. Reminded me a little of the Kushiel series. Great main character, great secondary characters. Halfway through the book I realized that this was the first time in a very, very long time where the main character had yet to annoy me with some questionable decision making.
Lovely story and full of that feel of “found family” ... Only thing I don't like is the whole back-and-forth format of doing Present Day then Past then Present Day again. I've always hated that, though, so it's a personal bias. I feel like the story would've just been fine being linear.
This book is more memoir than training guide. Though, seeing the controversy surrounding Millan and his methods, I suppose that's probably a good thing.