Serenity
This is the worst book in the series so far. It's just so boring, and the pacing is even slower than the previous two. I was dying to finish it just to get it over with, not unlike the author, who wrote it just to get it over with too.
Wrede said: "Calling on Dragons is not merely a book I hadn't intended to write; it is the one book of the four that I actively didn't want to write. It was the last of the four... to be written."
So yeah, even the author wasn't feeling this one and it shows.
Don't let the summary fool you. The story is written from Moren's perspective, not Cimorene's. She comes in later. The story begins with Moren and her 10 cats. They encounter an enchanted rabbit named Killer. Moren discovers that there are Wizards once again in the enchanted forest, so her and Telemain report this to Cimorene and Mendanbar. They discover that the Sword of the Enchanted forest was stolen and then go on a quest to retrieve it. That's it in a nutshell.
However, very little happens. I don't understand why Wrede insists on describing everything in detail. I'll now list the pros and cons of the story:
Cons
1. Telemain bashing: I swear, any time the magician so much as breathed, he was being chastised for speaking too technically. It happens constantly to the point that it feels like they're bullying him for being different. It's not amusing or funny and got old quickly.
2. Slow pacing/Writing Style: Wrede tends to be slow in her pacing in general, and this book was worse than normal. We certainly didn't need so many details or scenes that dragged the story. Like Moren returning to her cottage before leaving with Cimorene and the others. Scenes like that just drag the story. You could have simply have made Moren go to her cottage and then started a new chapter with all of them together. That's it! So much unnecessary filler and fluff! But I guess the author needed to reach a certain word count.
3. One dimensional characters: Dude, we are now on the third book in the series. I wish we could have had moments of... emotion. Cimorene, Telemain, and Moren should be friends by now, but they almost give off a "coworkers" type of vibe. I also felt like Cimorene and Moren were too similar in personality. Instead of the characters growing emotionally, they don't. They're so flat and boring.
4. Cimorene is pregnant: Mendanbar, her husband and the father of that unborn child, was very upset that Cimorene went on this quest, and so was I. In my opinion, it showed that she was an unfit mother, as a mother's priority should always be the well-being of her child. It also showed a lack of respect for her husband. And hey, maybe she HAD to go, but he was so worried about her and the baby, but she didn't care or show any indication that she took his concerns seriously. I know this is a children's book, but that scene where they part rubbed me the wrong way. For me, it demonstrated Cimorene's vanity and pride for going against the status quo. In book one, as you know, she refused to do stereotypical "princess" things, which is fine with me as I'm a tomboy myself and don't conform to gender norms either. But after two adventures she's STILL acting like a rebellious princess rather than a motherly Queen, which, like it or not, she's now a pregnant Queen. Her lack of concern for her unborn child was what appalled me the most. And (spoiler alert) she didn't seem very motherly to me in the epilogue either.
5. No Mendanbar: he has to stay behind because he's magically connected to the forest or whatever and can't leave. I find his character to be a bit boring, but I missed him. He's a good man.
6. Ends in a cliffhanger. A STUPID cliffhanger.
7. Missed Opportunities: Wrede introduces the Fire Witches in this story. Basically, they're witches with red hair that command fire. Does the author use them? Kind of, but off-screen. There is literally a battle, but we don't see it. We're too busy following the snooze trio (Cimorene, Telemain and Moren) to enjoy seeing Kazul, Mendenbar, and the Fire Witches in battle. I wish Wrede would have pulled off a Tolkien thing and bounced between both groups.
8. The whole "The Wizards are the Bad Guys, so let's throw soapy water with lemon juice at them" gig is OLD. Move on!
9. Killer, the rabbit turned blue donkey with wings, served absolutely no purpose. All he did was complain about being hungry ALL the TIME until he finally ate some vines that set Cimorene free from the villain. He looked silly on the cover, and now I know my intuition was correct.
Pros
1. Audiobook has a diverse cast of narrators that make the story enjoyable to listen to for the most part. However, Killer becomes quite annoying after a short while.
2. Kazul: my favorite character in the series. I love my King of the Dragons. She's awesome.
So that's it. If it weren't for the audiobook, I likely would never have finished this story. It's only around 6 hours long, but it felt longer than listening to Dune (which is 21 hours). I don't even know if I want to read the last book.
This is the worst book in the series so far. It's just so boring, and the pacing is even slower than the previous two. I was dying to finish it just to get it over with, not unlike the author, who wrote it just to get it over with too.
Wrede said: "Calling on Dragons is not merely a book I hadn't intended to write; it is the one book of the four that I actively didn't want to write. It was the last of the four... to be written."
So yeah, even the author wasn't feeling this one and it shows.
Don't let the summary fool you. The story is written from Moren's perspective, not Cimorene's. She comes in later. The story begins with Moren and her 10 cats. They encounter an enchanted rabbit named Killer. Moren discovers that there are Wizards once again in the enchanted forest, so her and Telemain report this to Cimorene and Mendanbar. They discover that the Sword of the Enchanted forest was stolen and then go on a quest to retrieve it. That's it in a nutshell.
However, very little happens. I don't understand why Wrede insists on describing everything in detail. I'll now list the pros and cons of the story:
Cons
1. Telemain bashing: I swear, any time the magician so much as breathed, he was being chastised for speaking too technically. It happens constantly to the point that it feels like they're bullying him for being different. It's not amusing or funny and got old quickly.
2. Slow pacing/Writing Style: Wrede tends to be slow in her pacing in general, and this book was worse than normal. We certainly didn't need so many details or scenes that dragged the story. Like Moren returning to her cottage before leaving with Cimorene and the others. Scenes like that just drag the story. You could have simply have made Moren go to her cottage and then started a new chapter with all of them together. That's it! So much unnecessary filler and fluff! But I guess the author needed to reach a certain word count.
3. One dimensional characters: Dude, we are now on the third book in the series. I wish we could have had moments of... emotion. Cimorene, Telemain, and Moren should be friends by now, but they almost give off a "coworkers" type of vibe. I also felt like Cimorene and Moren were too similar in personality. Instead of the characters growing emotionally, they don't. They're so flat and boring.
4. Cimorene is pregnant: Mendanbar, her husband and the father of that unborn child, was very upset that Cimorene went on this quest, and so was I. In my opinion, it showed that she was an unfit mother, as a mother's priority should always be the well-being of her child. It also showed a lack of respect for her husband. And hey, maybe she HAD to go, but he was so worried about her and the baby, but she didn't care or show any indication that she took his concerns seriously. I know this is a children's book, but that scene where they part rubbed me the wrong way. For me, it demonstrated Cimorene's vanity and pride for going against the status quo. In book one, as you know, she refused to do stereotypical "princess" things, which is fine with me as I'm a tomboy myself and don't conform to gender norms either. But after two adventures she's STILL acting like a rebellious princess rather than a motherly Queen, which, like it or not, she's now a pregnant Queen. Her lack of concern for her unborn child was what appalled me the most. And (spoiler alert) she didn't seem very motherly to me in the epilogue either.
5. No Mendanbar: he has to stay behind because he's magically connected to the forest or whatever and can't leave. I find his character to be a bit boring, but I missed him. He's a good man.
6. Ends in a cliffhanger. A STUPID cliffhanger.
7. Missed Opportunities: Wrede introduces the Fire Witches in this story. Basically, they're witches with red hair that command fire. Does the author use them? Kind of, but off-screen. There is literally a battle, but we don't see it. We're too busy following the snooze trio (Cimorene, Telemain and Moren) to enjoy seeing Kazul, Mendenbar, and the Fire Witches in battle. I wish Wrede would have pulled off a Tolkien thing and bounced between both groups.
8. The whole "The Wizards are the Bad Guys, so let's throw soapy water with lemon juice at them" gig is OLD. Move on!
9. Killer, the rabbit turned blue donkey with wings, served absolutely no purpose. All he did was complain about being hungry ALL the TIME until he finally ate some vines that set Cimorene free from the villain. He looked silly on the cover, and now I know my intuition was correct.
Pros
1. Audiobook has a diverse cast of narrators that make the story enjoyable to listen to for the most part. However, Killer becomes quite annoying after a short while.
2. Kazul: my favorite character in the series. I love my King of the Dragons. She's awesome.
So that's it. If it weren't for the audiobook, I likely would never have finished this story. It's only around 6 hours long, but it felt longer than listening to Dune (which is 21 hours). I don't even know if I want to read the last book.
Overall, I liked this book. It is what I would call a cozy mystery, as it's not very suspenseful and it's somewhat predictable.
The story is about Lady Amy, a young woman from a wealthy family who lives in their house in Bath. She is secretly a murder mystery writer who finds herself involved in a real murder mystery. After finding out that her fiance was involved in the illegal opium trade, she decides to use this information to finally end their engagement. She never wanted to marry Mr. Harris. It was her father's idea as he was afraid of her becoming a "spinster". Mr. Harris doesn't take the news well. He goes to her home a few days later (probably to try to change her mind) when he is found murdered in her library.
The police suspect that Lady Amy is the killer at first, so she decides to do her own investigation. Sir William, a gentleman member of her book club, was unfortunate enough to come upon the murder scene as he was there to lend her one of his books, so he's roped into helping her. They have somewhat of a friendship at first, but throughout the novel, they catch feelings for each other.
Honestly, I was more interested in Amy and William's blossoming romance more than the investigation. As it's the Victorian era, everything is very subtle and low-key for the time period. Sir Williams is a gentleman, friendly, and a rock for her to lean on. I totally have a crush on the guy.
Lady Amy herself is a feminists who wishes she didn't have to hide that she wrote such a well-received murder mystery book. She pushes to do things "men can do", such as dressing as a man at night while they were investigating someone's home. However, Sir Williams firmly gave her a hard NO when she insisted on carrying a gun and dressing up to try to sneak into the gentleman's club to do some spying.
I like that the author shows how naive Amy can be. She clearly lacks knowledge on sex, shown in one particular scene, and she's surprised to learn that people of her social status can get hooked on opium (she thought only the poor took drugs). She firmly believes that because she writes mystery novels that she is now perfectly qualified to solve the mystery despite everyone telling her how dangerous it is. She literally calls herself a professional despite having ZERO experience. She finally acknowledges the danger when a gun is literally pointed at her in the end of the story.
My one major gripe is that the murderer doesn't make sense. I briefly suspected the person but changed my mind because, physically speaking, I don't think this person is capable of STABBING someone to death from the FRONT. Especially with such a large knife. But oh well.
So yes, I liked the story. I heard the audiobook, and the narrator did a fine job bringing Amy to life. I'm eager to read the next story as this one ends with Amy and Williams unofficially courting.
Overall, I liked this book. It is what I would call a cozy mystery, as it's not very suspenseful and it's somewhat predictable.
The story is about Lady Amy, a young woman from a wealthy family who lives in their house in Bath. She is secretly a murder mystery writer who finds herself involved in a real murder mystery. After finding out that her fiance was involved in the illegal opium trade, she decides to use this information to finally end their engagement. She never wanted to marry Mr. Harris. It was her father's idea as he was afraid of her becoming a "spinster". Mr. Harris doesn't take the news well. He goes to her home a few days later (probably to try to change her mind) when he is found murdered in her library.
The police suspect that Lady Amy is the killer at first, so she decides to do her own investigation. Sir William, a gentleman member of her book club, was unfortunate enough to come upon the murder scene as he was there to lend her one of his books, so he's roped into helping her. They have somewhat of a friendship at first, but throughout the novel, they catch feelings for each other.
Honestly, I was more interested in Amy and William's blossoming romance more than the investigation. As it's the Victorian era, everything is very subtle and low-key for the time period. Sir Williams is a gentleman, friendly, and a rock for her to lean on. I totally have a crush on the guy.
Lady Amy herself is a feminists who wishes she didn't have to hide that she wrote such a well-received murder mystery book. She pushes to do things "men can do", such as dressing as a man at night while they were investigating someone's home. However, Sir Williams firmly gave her a hard NO when she insisted on carrying a gun and dressing up to try to sneak into the gentleman's club to do some spying.
I like that the author shows how naive Amy can be. She clearly lacks knowledge on sex, shown in one particular scene, and she's surprised to learn that people of her social status can get hooked on opium (she thought only the poor took drugs). She firmly believes that because she writes mystery novels that she is now perfectly qualified to solve the mystery despite everyone telling her how dangerous it is. She literally calls herself a professional despite having ZERO experience. She finally acknowledges the danger when a gun is literally pointed at her in the end of the story.
My one major gripe is that the murderer doesn't make sense. I briefly suspected the person but changed my mind because, physically speaking, I don't think this person is capable of STABBING someone to death from the FRONT. Especially with such a large knife. But oh well.
So yes, I liked the story. I heard the audiobook, and the narrator did a fine job bringing Amy to life. I'm eager to read the next story as this one ends with Amy and Williams unofficially courting.
TW: Sexual content and death (only background characters)
I'm so happy to give this book 5 stars!!! I don't give it to just any book either. I finished this book with a huge smile on my face, and I spent the majority of the story smiling and laughing too.
Cinammon (Cin) is our star gal. The book is written from her perspective in the present tense. She is a spice trader living on her family's farm. She has a fun personality; she's sassy at times and funny too. She envisions living a quiet life in her village after an adventure unfortunately takes her younger sister away from her. Thus, she has no plans of adventuring.... until a demon tries to kill her. Lucky for her, Fallon is actually a good guy under an enchantment from an evil witch that he's trying to kill, and now Cin has to go along with him.
From the beginning, it's obvious that Fallon falls for her, and he falls for Cin HARD. He's so sexy and romantic. Seriously, he's the closest character that I've ever considered to have a CRUSH on. Would I call him my Fictional Book Crush? Totally! The way he smoothly tries to seduce Cin is so romantic. He communicates his feelings to Cin bluntly and doesn't force her to accept him either, although Cin does become frantic at first when she hears that he loves her and wants to marry her. What I love about Fallon is that he's not just attracted to her physically like all of these other romance books out here focusing on lust- it's more than that. It's LOVE at first sight. He wants to MARRY her and make her his WIFE. To mark her and make her HIS. I'm so tired of romance stories with guys or gals that just want sex with no strings attached. No offense if you do- you do you! And I'll do Fallon ;)
The world building is great too. In this world, demons are considered to be dangerous monsters. In some places they're considered to be pets and slaves. The word "demon" also incorporates all sorts of creatures: werewolves, naga, orcs, dragons, centaurs, etc. I learned that as the story progressed. Cin has to go out into the world with Fallon to locate the "Goddess" Myva's chalices to release the captured demons from her spell. They come across diverse, great people in their adventure who join them on their quest. My favorite would have to be Felix, a werewolf, and Ambrose, a naga-like demon.
I would consider this story to be fast-paced, but it lingers in all the right spots. The final chapter is also just *chef's kiss* perfection! There is a moment where Fallon is so overprotective that he reminded me of Edward Cullen *yuck* where he wants to confine Cin on an island so he doesn't lose her. Instead of freaking out and fighting, Cin calmly suggests a compromise where she asks Fallon to make a protection charm for her, and his immediate response is: "I'm a fucking idiot!" CRISIS AVERTED! Cin doesn't get scared. They speak and come to a resolution together. They're such a cute couple, especially when Fallon calls her "my wife" and she thinks of him as "my dragon". I really love their relationship. It progresses beautifully.
The ONE gripe I do have is that the author uses the C-word too much. I actually don't like to see it AT ALL (my brain fritzes when I read it). I can handle one use, but it was more than that. Is it normal to use that word now? It wasn't when I was young.
Regardless, I'm super excited to read the next book <3
TW: Sexual content and death (only background characters)
I'm so happy to give this book 5 stars!!! I don't give it to just any book either. I finished this book with a huge smile on my face, and I spent the majority of the story smiling and laughing too.
Cinammon (Cin) is our star gal. The book is written from her perspective in the present tense. She is a spice trader living on her family's farm. She has a fun personality; she's sassy at times and funny too. She envisions living a quiet life in her village after an adventure unfortunately takes her younger sister away from her. Thus, she has no plans of adventuring.... until a demon tries to kill her. Lucky for her, Fallon is actually a good guy under an enchantment from an evil witch that he's trying to kill, and now Cin has to go along with him.
From the beginning, it's obvious that Fallon falls for her, and he falls for Cin HARD. He's so sexy and romantic. Seriously, he's the closest character that I've ever considered to have a CRUSH on. Would I call him my Fictional Book Crush? Totally! The way he smoothly tries to seduce Cin is so romantic. He communicates his feelings to Cin bluntly and doesn't force her to accept him either, although Cin does become frantic at first when she hears that he loves her and wants to marry her. What I love about Fallon is that he's not just attracted to her physically like all of these other romance books out here focusing on lust- it's more than that. It's LOVE at first sight. He wants to MARRY her and make her his WIFE. To mark her and make her HIS. I'm so tired of romance stories with guys or gals that just want sex with no strings attached. No offense if you do- you do you! And I'll do Fallon ;)
The world building is great too. In this world, demons are considered to be dangerous monsters. In some places they're considered to be pets and slaves. The word "demon" also incorporates all sorts of creatures: werewolves, naga, orcs, dragons, centaurs, etc. I learned that as the story progressed. Cin has to go out into the world with Fallon to locate the "Goddess" Myva's chalices to release the captured demons from her spell. They come across diverse, great people in their adventure who join them on their quest. My favorite would have to be Felix, a werewolf, and Ambrose, a naga-like demon.
I would consider this story to be fast-paced, but it lingers in all the right spots. The final chapter is also just *chef's kiss* perfection! There is a moment where Fallon is so overprotective that he reminded me of Edward Cullen *yuck* where he wants to confine Cin on an island so he doesn't lose her. Instead of freaking out and fighting, Cin calmly suggests a compromise where she asks Fallon to make a protection charm for her, and his immediate response is: "I'm a fucking idiot!" CRISIS AVERTED! Cin doesn't get scared. They speak and come to a resolution together. They're such a cute couple, especially when Fallon calls her "my wife" and she thinks of him as "my dragon". I really love their relationship. It progresses beautifully.
The ONE gripe I do have is that the author uses the C-word too much. I actually don't like to see it AT ALL (my brain fritzes when I read it). I can handle one use, but it was more than that. Is it normal to use that word now? It wasn't when I was young.
Regardless, I'm super excited to read the next book <3
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TW: Sexual content and death (only background characters)
I'm so happy to give this book 5 stars!!! I don't give it to just any book either. I finished this book with a huge smile on my face, and I spent the majority of the story smiling and laughing too.
Cinammon (Cin) is our star gal. The book is written from her perspective in the present tense. She is a spice trader living on her family's farm. She has a fun personality; she's sassy at times and funny too. She envisions living a quiet life in her rural town after an adventure unfortunately takes her younger sister away from her. Thus, she has no plans of adventuring.... until a demon tries to kill her. Lucky for her, Fallon is actually a good guy under an enchantment from an evil witch that he's trying to kill, and now Cin has to go along with him.
From the beginning, it's obvious that Fallon falls for her, and he falls for Cin HARD. He's so sexy and romantic. Seriously, he's the closest character that I've ever considered to have a CRUSH on. Would I call him my Fictional Book Crush? Probably! The way he smoothly tries to seduce Cin is so romantic. He communicates his feelings to Cin bluntly and doesn't force her to accept him either, although Cin does become frantic at first when she hears that he loves her and wants to marry her. What I love about Fallon is that he's not just attracted to her physically like all of these other romance books out here focusing on lust- it's more than that. It's LOVE at first sight. He wants to MARRY her and make her his WIFE. To mark her and make her HIS. I'm so tired of romance stories with guys or gals that just want sex with no strings attached. No offense if you do- you do you! And I'll do Fallon ;)
The world building is great too. In this world, demons are considered to be dangerous monsters. In some places they're considered to be pets and slaves. The word "demon" also incorporates all sorts of creatures: werewolves, naga, orcs, dragons, centaurs, etc. I learned that as the story progressed. Cin has to go out into the world with Fallon to locate the "Goddess" Myva's chalices to release the captured demons from her spell. They come across diverse, great people in their adventure who join them on their quest. My favorite would have to be Felix, a werewolf, and Ambrose, a naga-like demon.
I would consider this story to be fast-paced, but it lingers in all the right spots. The final chapter is also just *chef's kiss* perfection! There is a moment where Fallon is so overprotective that he reminded me of Edward Cullen *shivers in disgust* where he wants to confine Cin on an island so he doesn't lose her. Instead of freaking out and fighting, Cin calmly suggests a compromise where she asks Fallon to make a protection charm for her, and his immediate response is: "I'm a fucking idiot!" CRISIS AVERTED! Cin doesn't get scared. They speak and come to a resolution together. They're such a cute couple, especially when Fallon calls her "my wife" and she thinks of him as "my dragon". I really love their relationship. It progresses beautifully.
I'm so excited to read the next book <3
TW: Sexual content and death (only background characters)
I'm so happy to give this book 5 stars!!! I don't give it to just any book either. I finished this book with a huge smile on my face, and I spent the majority of the story smiling and laughing too.
Cinammon (Cin) is our star gal. The book is written from her perspective in the present tense. She is a spice trader living on her family's farm. She has a fun personality; she's sassy at times and funny too. She envisions living a quiet life in her rural town after an adventure unfortunately takes her younger sister away from her. Thus, she has no plans of adventuring.... until a demon tries to kill her. Lucky for her, Fallon is actually a good guy under an enchantment from an evil witch that he's trying to kill, and now Cin has to go along with him.
From the beginning, it's obvious that Fallon falls for her, and he falls for Cin HARD. He's so sexy and romantic. Seriously, he's the closest character that I've ever considered to have a CRUSH on. Would I call him my Fictional Book Crush? Probably! The way he smoothly tries to seduce Cin is so romantic. He communicates his feelings to Cin bluntly and doesn't force her to accept him either, although Cin does become frantic at first when she hears that he loves her and wants to marry her. What I love about Fallon is that he's not just attracted to her physically like all of these other romance books out here focusing on lust- it's more than that. It's LOVE at first sight. He wants to MARRY her and make her his WIFE. To mark her and make her HIS. I'm so tired of romance stories with guys or gals that just want sex with no strings attached. No offense if you do- you do you! And I'll do Fallon ;)
The world building is great too. In this world, demons are considered to be dangerous monsters. In some places they're considered to be pets and slaves. The word "demon" also incorporates all sorts of creatures: werewolves, naga, orcs, dragons, centaurs, etc. I learned that as the story progressed. Cin has to go out into the world with Fallon to locate the "Goddess" Myva's chalices to release the captured demons from her spell. They come across diverse, great people in their adventure who join them on their quest. My favorite would have to be Felix, a werewolf, and Ambrose, a naga-like demon.
I would consider this story to be fast-paced, but it lingers in all the right spots. The final chapter is also just *chef's kiss* perfection! There is a moment where Fallon is so overprotective that he reminded me of Edward Cullen *shivers in disgust* where he wants to confine Cin on an island so he doesn't lose her. Instead of freaking out and fighting, Cin calmly suggests a compromise where she asks Fallon to make a protection charm for her, and his immediate response is: "I'm a fucking idiot!" CRISIS AVERTED! Cin doesn't get scared. They speak and come to a resolution together. They're such a cute couple, especially when Fallon calls her "my wife" and she thinks of him as "my dragon". I really love their relationship. It progresses beautifully.
I'm so excited to read the next book <3
This is the best book in the series so far. I actually cried when Yellowfang died. Although we haven't seen much of her lately, her final moments with Fireheart were extremely touching. I wish we had seen more “motherly” bonding between her and Fireheart, but I've noticed that these books don't really emphasize familial bonds (minus those of mothers and kits). Maybe it's just a cat thing, or maybe it would just make the books too long, but Fireheart seems to be the most obsessed on familial ties. He's always lamenting about not having kin, but I don't even know who Graystripe's mother is, and whoever she is - she doesn't seem to lament that he left.
As for Graystripe, I do like that we see more of his old self here, meaning book 1 Graystripe. It was nice to see that he misses the clan and wants to go back, but Bluestar is too paranoid to accept him. Maybe when Fireheart is leader we can see the two friends reunited.
As for Bluestar, she seemed to have snapped out of her funk at the end, but it was sooo much worse. She now hates Starclan and has abandoned all her core beliefs due to all the misery that's befallen her Clan and her. She abandoned her kits for this hell? I understand her anger, but she shouldn't only respect Starclan when things are going well.
As for Fireheart, I'm so proud of him for stepping up. He's holding up well as deputy considering being so young and having no experience, even Longtail is respectful! I worry about Darkstripe though. The ending with Tigerstar didn't surprise me. It was only a matter of time until he got what he wanted, and Shadowclan seems to always be the one with the most problems of all four clans. The next book should be very interesting.
This is the best book in the series so far. I actually cried when Yellowfang died. Although we haven't seen much of her lately, her final moments with Fireheart were extremely touching. I wish we had seen more “motherly” bonding between her and Fireheart, but I've noticed that these books don't really emphasize familial bonds (minus those of mothers and kits). Maybe it's just a cat thing, or maybe it would just make the books too long, but Fireheart seems to be the most obsessed on familial ties. He's always lamenting about not having kin, but I don't even know who Graystripe's mother is, and whoever she is - she doesn't seem to lament that he left.
As for Graystripe, I do like that we see more of his old self here, meaning book 1 Graystripe. It was nice to see that he misses the clan and wants to go back, but Bluestar is too paranoid to accept him. Maybe when Fireheart is leader we can see the two friends reunited.
As for Bluestar, she seemed to have snapped out of her funk at the end, but it was sooo much worse. She now hates Starclan and has abandoned all her core beliefs due to all the misery that's befallen her Clan and her. She abandoned her kits for this hell? I understand her anger, but she shouldn't only respect Starclan when things are going well.
As for Fireheart, I'm so proud of him for stepping up. He's holding up well as deputy considering being so young and having no experience, even Longtail is respectful! I worry about Darkstripe though. The ending with Tigerstar didn't surprise me. It was only a matter of time until he got what he wanted, and Shadowclan seems to always be the one with the most problems of all four clans. The next book should be very interesting.
I was very disappointed by this volume because it felt so rushed and uninteresting. Yes, you read that correctly. This highly anticipated volume featuring their WEDDING was boring to me ;.;
Adachi and Kurosawa get married, but I feel like it lacked emotional depth due to it being rushed. Adachi and Kurosawa have kept almost everyone in the dark about their relationship. In this volume they're basically coming out to everyone and then they have the wedding.
I wish the author spent more time fleshing out these side characters, and even our main pair, because all these relationships felt very superficial. A major problem this author has for me is the fact that she sometimes writes things and makes them uninteresting.
The wedding, for example, should not only be interesting, but the highlight! I wish we had seen a moment where they exchange vows, or maybe a moment with Kurosawa's mother being apologetic about her homophobic behavior and officially accepting their marriage. Perhaps Tsuge could have given a best man speech, or we could have seen the couple dancing, etc. There were so many missed opportunities!!
The one part that wasn't superficial was when Adachi and Kurosawa spoke about their names. Other than that, everything felt very flat to me. It's disappointing that I couldn't really connect emotionally with anyone.
On the plus side, the scenes with Tsuge and Minato were better. They are the only side characters I can connect to. The rest of the side characters though, not so much.
With this author and series, it seems like each volume is a hit or miss on an emotional level. Maybe it's just me, but sometimes, a volume is a snoozefest. This one is kind of snoozy, which is crazy since they finally got married! Such a shame!
I was very disappointed by this volume because it felt so rushed and uninteresting. Yes, you read that correctly. This highly anticipated volume featuring their WEDDING was boring to me ;.;
Adachi and Kurosawa get married, but I feel like it lacked emotional depth due to it being rushed. Adachi and Kurosawa have kept almost everyone in the dark about their relationship. In this volume they're basically coming out to everyone and then they have the wedding.
I wish the author spent more time fleshing out these side characters, and even our main pair, because all these relationships felt very superficial. A major problem this author has for me is the fact that she sometimes writes things and makes them uninteresting.
The wedding, for example, should not only be interesting, but the highlight! I wish we had seen a moment where they exchange vows, or maybe a moment with Kurosawa's mother being apologetic about her homophobic behavior and officially accepting their marriage. Perhaps Tsuge could have given a best man speech, or we could have seen the couple dancing, etc. There were so many missed opportunities!!
The one part that wasn't superficial was when Adachi and Kurosawa spoke about their names. Other than that, everything felt very flat to me. It's disappointing that I couldn't really connect emotionally with anyone.
On the plus side, the scenes with Tsuge and Minato were better. They are the only side characters I can connect to. The rest of the side characters though, not so much.
With this author and series, it seems like each volume is a hit or miss on an emotional level. Maybe it's just me, but sometimes, a volume is a snoozefest. This one is kind of snoozy, which is crazy since they finally got married! Such a shame!
Rating this four stars because (1) Kurosawa and Adachi were cute, (2) we get a spicy scene that was great, and (3) Tsuge and Minato were adorable too.
So, most of this book focuses on Kurosawa not being able to rely on others. Adachi tries to help and it's really sweet, especially at the end when we see a spicy romance scene that we usually don't get with Adachi taking the initiative.
Also, Tsuge and Minato don't appear to be very popular with some readers, but I really like them and their story. In this volume, Tsuge actually tells Minato the truth about his mind reading abilities, but Minato doesn't believe him and leaves. It's an awful cliffhanger!! It really shows the stark differences between both couples in this series. Kurosawa believed Adachi, but Tsuge was not so lucky. I think part of the issue is Minato‘s age and lack of maturity. I just hope that it gets resolved in the next volume.
Rating this four stars because (1) Kurosawa and Adachi were cute, (2) we get a spicy scene that was great, and (3) Tsuge and Minato were adorable too.
So, most of this book focuses on Kurosawa not being able to rely on others. Adachi tries to help and it's really sweet, especially at the end when we see a spicy romance scene that we usually don't get with Adachi taking the initiative.
Also, Tsuge and Minato don't appear to be very popular with some readers, but I really like them and their story. In this volume, Tsuge actually tells Minato the truth about his mind reading abilities, but Minato doesn't believe him and leaves. It's an awful cliffhanger!! It really shows the stark differences between both couples in this series. Kurosawa believed Adachi, but Tsuge was not so lucky. I think part of the issue is Minato‘s age and lack of maturity. I just hope that it gets resolved in the next volume.
I sincerely enjoyed this book. I'm a fan of military space operas and it just hit the spot in unexpected ways. The story is written from the first person perspective of John Perry, an old man who made me laugh, smile, and wish for a happy marriage. The story is heartwarming at times and pulled at my heartstrings. It discusses love, friendship, family, life, death, science, oh so many things. By the end of it, I was reminiscing to earlier times before the war started when my favorite characters were still alive. RIP my dear old farts.
I sincerely enjoyed this book. I'm a fan of military space operas and it just hit the spot in unexpected ways. The story is written from the first person perspective of John Perry, an old man who made me laugh, smile, and wish for a happy marriage. The story is heartwarming at times and pulled at my heartstrings. It discusses love, friendship, family, life, death, science, oh so many things. By the end of it, I was reminiscing to earlier times before the war started when my favorite characters were still alive. RIP my dear old farts.
I finished this book super fast. Easily the best book in the series.
This book lacked the anticipated BS from the previous books with surprising twists, thank Starclan!
Fireheart didn't have issues with Bramblepaw as anticipated. Their heart-to-heart near two-leg place was super sweet and I actually re-read it like 3 times before continuing. I anticipate that FH will be his father figure now.
Fireheart faced less opposition this book from his clan compared to the previous installments. Not that he didn't face any hardship, but it was believable and flowed nicely. Darkstripe's betrayal and trying to kill a kitten was disgusting, and his ending at Fireheart's claws was well-deserved.
Tigerstar's ending though? Pure shock. He bit off more than he could chew, that's for sure. But after what I saw him do to Stonefur, I can't say that I will miss him. This book took a surprisingly dark turn during those chapters with Tigerstar leading Tigerclan alongside Riverclan. Mindlessly killing prey and stacking their bones into a pile?... creepy!
Fireheart is an excellent leader. I am so proud of how far he has come! I was heartbroken to see Whitestorm die, but I anticipated that. And Graystripe, who I was pissed off at due to his betrayal of Thunderclan, has become the cat I always expected him to be.
Biggest disappointment in the series.... Leopardstar. I had high expectations for the Riverclan leader, and watching her do nothing as Stonefur was killed.... Disgusting. She should be ashamed of herself. Asking Mistyfoot to be her deputy was bold, but I have a feeling that Mistyfoot will be Mistystar in the future.
All the pieces have come together. Bluestar is redeemed, Graystripe is back with Fireheart, Fireheart has Sandstorm and a new, promising apprentice in Bramblepaw. The future looks bright for all five of the forest clans!
Thank you Starclan!
I finished this book super fast. Easily the best book in the series.
This book lacked the anticipated BS from the previous books with surprising twists, thank Starclan!
Fireheart didn't have issues with Bramblepaw as anticipated. Their heart-to-heart near two-leg place was super sweet and I actually re-read it like 3 times before continuing. I anticipate that FH will be his father figure now.
Fireheart faced less opposition this book from his clan compared to the previous installments. Not that he didn't face any hardship, but it was believable and flowed nicely. Darkstripe's betrayal and trying to kill a kitten was disgusting, and his ending at Fireheart's claws was well-deserved.
Tigerstar's ending though? Pure shock. He bit off more than he could chew, that's for sure. But after what I saw him do to Stonefur, I can't say that I will miss him. This book took a surprisingly dark turn during those chapters with Tigerstar leading Tigerclan alongside Riverclan. Mindlessly killing prey and stacking their bones into a pile?... creepy!
Fireheart is an excellent leader. I am so proud of how far he has come! I was heartbroken to see Whitestorm die, but I anticipated that. And Graystripe, who I was pissed off at due to his betrayal of Thunderclan, has become the cat I always expected him to be.
Biggest disappointment in the series.... Leopardstar. I had high expectations for the Riverclan leader, and watching her do nothing as Stonefur was killed.... Disgusting. She should be ashamed of herself. Asking Mistyfoot to be her deputy was bold, but I have a feeling that Mistyfoot will be Mistystar in the future.
All the pieces have come together. Bluestar is redeemed, Graystripe is back with Fireheart, Fireheart has Sandstorm and a new, promising apprentice in Bramblepaw. The future looks bright for all five of the forest clans!
Thank you Starclan!