DB

Loved the ending. I just wish Kelsey could have made her mind up earlier. Don't know how Houck is going to write the next book, as everything is finalised in this one.

I was drawn in by basically the first chapter and didn't want let go of the book anywhere in my reading of it. I love social media and texting in books and I think it added to the enjoyment of this book even more – specifically because during COVID there was such a large uptick of us being online and communicating with each other – although I just do that anyway.

Ezra and Oliver were so so cute. I liked how they went from “I'm messaging you because I need to” and then moved into the “starting to text for fun” group and then “I'm chatting with you several times a day” and then eventually into the super cute “relationship messaging”. I really enjoyed being able to join them in moving into all those different stages.

I liked how Ezra was more than he seemed at first. That on the surface and probably to a lot of people who knew his surname and family – they would probably think him arrogant and self-absorbed. But he most certainly wasn't. He was kind and tried not to judge people – which is hard to do seeing as he was judged so much by his family.

I loved that Oliver had Rheumatoid Arthritis. Well not that he had it – because it's a difficult disease – but that a character shared a diagnosis with me. I sympathised with him so much about his pain and his frustrations of it all. I don't have my vocal cords flaring up but as someone who (admittedly) talks a lot I can imagine that'll be sore. But I liked that while he was (obviously) very aware of his diagnosis he tries the hardest to remain as positive as possible – which is hard anyway and then you add a pandemic!

It's extremely easy to become negative when you have a chronic illness and I think even more (easier) when the pandemic hit. So I definitely didn't think less of Oliver when he pushed people away or got angry because as I said – it's very easy to get angry/become negative. But through it all he still tried to have moments of happiness and positivity and those small moments are what helps a lot.

When Ezra first called Oliver “Ollie” I awwed so loud I was glad I was in my room

She has an unusual gift: she can communicate with bugs and plants, and then later on, use that gift. Normally, the protagonists would have some mundane power, or their power would be over-exaggerated, Alyssa's power (if she used it properly) is extremely lethal (which is to say: I want her power!).

Jeb annoyed me a bit, as he does treat her like a child sometimes, even though he does it to keep her safe. I wish the ending of the book was different, and that Jeb's ending was different (SPOILER ALERT: Jeb does not die. Just in case you are confused) It would have been nice to have more knowledge of his background, or maybe have a scene where he is painting Alyssa and they share their life's dreams. Something akin to that.

Morpheus is an amazing character. From the first word I read about him, until the last the book sees of him, I was in love with him. Firstly: who can resist a British accent? Secondly: He has blue hair, is that cool or not? Thirdly: He cares about Alyssa, and in my opinion, actually wants her to live her dream. Howard should have elaborated on Morpheus' relationship with her (not Alyssa, another female character mentioned in the book-hint: she resides in Wonderland).

Last words from my side? I wanted more scenes with Jen, or even better, to go tumbling down the rabbit-hole with Jen. And, is anybody wanting to have a sword fight between Jeb and Morpheus?

Splintered is a wonderful read for those who love Alice in Wonderland. It is also for those who love the fantasy element and the odd characters that ought to appear in books.

http://www.katyasmind.blogspot.com/2014/03/14.html

Like I get why Loren was here but also he's the worst.

Darius!! Finally!!

Also I realise why I don't like heath - he reminds me of Matt from the vampire diaries and Matt is 1) human 2) absolutely annoying

I was interested by the synopsis because it genuinely sounded like something I'd want to read but it wasn't enough to keep me going. I really tried to push through and finish the book because it's under 300 pages but when something happened in the book and I was like “Oh I'm supposed to be all shocked” and instead I was just.. skim reading and paging with a blank face. I liked how the author wrote for the most part – the ‘old' sounding narration. Unfortunately then modern dialogue came in and too much of that threw me off and I couldn't get into the book fully.

The characters were the tiniest bit interesting but it also wasn't enough. Gris, especially, was dramatic with his words when it didn't call for it and his figures of speech were unnecessarily dramatic as well. I'd understand and maybe like it if it were part of the character's personality – but it didn't seem like that. I liked Thanatos more than Gris but (once again) not enough to keep me reading.

I wanted to like this so much but it let me down and I was so sad. It had everything that I wanted! But it just didn't execute it well enough. I think it was a mixture of the characters, the writing, and a confusing plot.

I get unlikeable characters, I even like that they're unlikeable sometimes. For me the two sisters just had no personality. I didn't like either of them, they were flat characters. I think I maybe could like Clara; but since most of the story was through Natasha's eyes, all we saw were Clara's negatives. Which, let's be honest here, I don't think Clara really had many negative characteristics. Natasha just wanted to see her sister as an evil person, so she was.

It's not even that “Oh, the curse made her (Natasha) annoying” – I was totally fine with the curse making her dark – it's how that was written that annoyed me. I also didn't like how she viewed relationships – even if this is set in the past – why do we have to have do all of this slut-shaming?

I would've liked it if we got to the other land earlier. I also thought Natasha would travel between the two worlds often instead of spending a tiny bit in the other world. It's just what I thought would've happened and then it didn't. Which made me sad and once again felt a bit let down by the book.

I just wanted more. I think that's what annoyed me most of all. I expected so many things from the great cover and the synopsis and nothing worked out for me. The ending came out of the blue for me. It didn't make sense and I didn't like the sudden time jump we were given.

I'm finding the joy in reading and enjoying books that aren't the best more and more. And you know what? You should too! Not all books have to be well-written in order for you to enjoy them. I found Kingdom of Blood & Salt to be that exactly. There were things I would've changed if I were writing/editing it but as a reader I just allowed myself to enjoy it – and that I did.

I liked that there was a bit of Greek inspiration to be seen in the book. They wore peplos – a type of Greek outfit commonly worn by women. Hades was mentioned – actually I think he was the only one to be mentioned – I'm not bothered by that because he's my favourite. Hoping the second book (which seems to be the last one as well – so just a duology) will have more of that.

I was a bit upset that the entire book was set in the Kingdom. I think from reading the synopsis I had surmised various things would happen and when they didn't I was annoyed. But that's not the book's fault – just mine for assuming things

Entrée to Murder

We're introduced to the characters in this story and I knew whom I would like and wouldn't like. Drew was good from the start – I liked his easy narration and his character grew on me quickly – which I'm happy about as it's hard to read and finish a book where you don't like the main character/their narration.

I sort of liked Mac – Drew's love interest. He's unfortunately a cop – plus there's a thing of his family being in law enforcement. That coupled with it being a small town – there's a big possibility of there being... bias for the cop family. This showed itself in the third story. It did make me dislike Mac and it seemed to me like he just fell into being a cop because there was basically a job waiting for him. Did he not want to become something else? Or did he have to go into law enforcement because “that's what the family wanted/needed”.

I did like Mac's stoic personality – especially when met with Drew's almost chaotic personality. I liked seeing the two mix and that they (their personalities as well as the characters) and I thought they would probably continue to be a good couple. A feature/? of cozy mysteries is that the solver (who's usually in a profession not known for solving crimes) often buts heads with the law enforcement, often creating banter. This did well here as the banter flowed easily into a relationship.

I didn't care for Sam – Drew's business partner. She flits in and out of the stories and I felt I could never get her personality? Either she wasn't fleshed out properly or just not written well in the first place. So every time she was on the page (screen for me) I sort of skimmed over until she left again.

Recipe for Trouble

Michael is terrible (he's Drew's ex that pops up) – is it bad to say I was sort of... rooting for him to end up on the other side of the living experience?

You laugh. You cry. You shove the book at your friends. You imagine if there will be a sequel, but know that it can't happen. The Fault in Our Stars written by John Green is a young adult novel that touches the hearts of millions of fans worldwide.

Let me just clarify something: I do not cry in books. I can count the number of movies I have cried in on one hand, and I have never cried in a book (ok, well, a tear slipped out onto my cheek when I finished Les Mis) and I have just finished reading it for the third time, and I must admit, I started to tear up when Isaac said he would send the doctors away (if you know what I mean, then you rock), but I did not cry. I will, however, bring a tissue packet when I watch the movie.

Hazel is nothing like any other character I've read about before. First off, she has cancer, but this is not a cancer book. She's merely trying to live her life before it expires, by reading the same book a number of times (don't we all!) She's funny and smart, she's in college ahead of the rest of her peers. Maybe what I really love about her is that she isn't model-beautiful and she has flaws like the rest of us. What's brilliant is that she's depressed about things that matter, and not about trivial things that the other characters are normally stressing about.

Augustus ‘Gus' Waters. How can I describe him? If I ever find a boy like the one John Green created, I'll be sure to tie him and never let him go. He's funny, and charming. He knows the right things to say and at the right moments. He nearly made me cry when he sat down next to Hazel and told her something akin to the festive season. I believe that John Green never really meant to make Gus the best book boyfriend in the YA universe, but he (Gus) turned out to be something amazing.

Isaac is a challenging character to analyse, as, when we meet him, he'll soon be blind, and I can understand why he'll be annoyed at the world. I would have liked Green to have added him in more scenes, but I wouldn't like a sequel to be made, otherwise they're will be more funerals in the book.

The Fault In Our Stars is a book meant for all ages. It's the sort of book that makes you want to start reading. Filled with quotes that only John Green can deliver, you'll read this book over and over again.

http://www.katyasmind.blogspot.com/2014/03/monday-1.html

Actually three and a half - mostly because of characters (aka Puck) and I just really want about 900 pages focused solely on the water horses. Is there a petition I can sign asking Goodreads to add half stars? Review to come when I've finished emotionally crying over college life.