Julia
Part Star Trek Next Generation, part Sherlock Holmes, this series is pretty magical. Dina Demille is Captain Picard with an edge. She's strong, she's witty, she's kind, and she knows what she wants - and the troubles and tribulations she gets involved in speak to greater world conflicts in a way that's humorous, poignant, and so very human. It's also an absolute pleasure to read - I don't remember the last time I cared about the characters so much and not experienced a crazy amount of angst. I'm now also an avid follower of Andrews' blog that posts chapters of this series weekly, and the next installment focuses on Maud. Color me intrigued and very occupied during my lunchbreak. 5 shining galactic stars!
4.5 stars for all the twists and turns and sheer unputdownability of this last book in the M+J saga. Glad that references to “Deep South” and ridiculous generalizations about today's generation were kept to a minimum. Not so glad they were replaced with inaccurate and ridiculous references to feeling “schizophrenic” and that that somehow involves multiple personalities. Two VERY DIFFERENT conditions folks! Wish movies and books would stop doing this already. We have the internet - no excuse for ignorance here... But despite these irritations of which there were not a few - Mac and Jericho really brought it home for me. They truly save the series and have such a fun dynamic. World building was also pretty great and I loved some of the creative scenes involving illusions. Fun fun fun! So while it didn't have me fawning over the sheer brilliance in writing - I'm here for it - and will give the next few books in this world a chance too. I'm fairly certain that even with a few eyerolls, I'll have fun. :)
Surprises continue, cringe-worthy references to the “deep south” continue but are thankfully offset by some amazing plot points. More Barrons please - the mystery of who/what he is has me at the edge of my seat and Moning anticipates every step and dispels all our boring conclusions. Just for that, two thumbs up! That ending - holy smokes. Basically on to Book 4 immediately...!
4 stars for the story and the world building! -1 star for jokes and some descriptions that really make me cringe and hope I didn't talk like that when I was 22...there's only so many renditions of “pretty” or dressing like rainbows, and suntanning like a barbie I could take! However, the story is SO interesting, kudos to Moning for making the plot a surprise at every turn. On to book 2!
Truly a worthy conclusion to an incredible tale that starts with a whisper and ends with savage and raw poetry. What I found unique and masterful about this tale is the seamless incorporation of two points of view, with the story alternating mid-moment from one treasured narrator to the other. The beautiful writing, the incredible emotional intelligence of the characters, the ability of the reader to embody the minds of people both flawed and good - these all collide with an epic tale of love and war, guilt and joy, pain and transcendence. A winner all around - 5 gods-touched stars. ✨
3.5 STARS
Quick and engaging read that I finished in 1 day. I started this after reading a series that totally strung me out with angst, and it was a welcome relief. I agree with others that there's definitely more room for relationship development, but there's several more books in store and I'm hoping this is one where marriage is just the beginning of a more complex and organic dynamic between Persephone and Hades. Onto book 2...!
Poignant and satisfying conclusion to the main plot - and I can't wait for more books! There's enough questions about the supporting cast left unanswered that I'm left eagerly awaiting 2018. This one took me by surprise - how much I fell in love, even with some of the more complicated characters. I loved the twist and turns, Maas's fusion of myth and fairytale into a tale all her own, and characters you want to drink, fight, and fly with. 5 magical stars!
“He is wine and bread and deep in my stomach.”
An intoxicating read, with a beautiful mastery of language and character development; the kind of book you find yourself reading aloud to others verbatim because paraphrasing it would not capture the nuance or emotional impact. The story unfolded like a dream and hurled toward an emotional conclusion that left me with thoughts about the nature of culture, our powers of observation, and the influence of temperament both on our relationships as well as the development of others. And the feelings definitely root themselves deep in your stomach.
5/23/17 UPDATE: I cannot believe it's been 3 years since I read this series, but just re-read it again, and man, does it hold up! Again, inhaled all 3 books and both novellas in 3 days. Again, Warner reminded me that no one holds a candle to his level of awesome and I haven't loved anyone as much since. Again, wishing for an epilogue novella. Some things change, but love for these characters stays the same. Sigh. 5 out of 5 golden stars!
The ending caught me by surprise, but otherwise I wouldn't change a thing. LOVED, LOVED, LOVED! I basically just inhaled the whole thing in a matter of hours. Perhaps Novella #3 as part of a little epilogue to give us a glimpse into the future...? Fingers Crossed!
Not for the faint of heart (or stomach), The Shining Girls is less about time travel, and more about the tenacity and fragility of life in the face of violence during all times. Beukes is a master story-teller, and created characters that will stick with me for years to come. However, while the writing is absolutely terrific and paints a haunting picture of a truly terrifying man, the vicious, brutal details of his murders were difficult to get through. For me, it worked both for and against the book - but in the end, I found it worth all the queasy bus rides and deep breaths I had to take. 3 stars for nausea-inducing descriptions. 5 stars for awesome writing, creativity, and characters.
Gotta be honest - I haven't been this invested in a ménage à trois in a loooong time....Team Confused!
Sigh. I wanted this to be something I really liked - but it really struck me as CrossFire series Extra Lite, minus the scorching chemistry, witty dialogue, and gripping narrative. I re-read that series every year and a half or so, because it's impossible to not to get pulled into the dysfunction and then revel in the couple's increasing health and sanity. And did I mention the chemistry?? Sizzle. Here - there's some level of promise, but it all feels like exaggerated emotion and a light sketch of people and narrative. It's a quick read, but not compelling. Too bad.
Dialogue and writing is great - but the content is not my cup of tea. DNF as a result. The perpetuation of abuse in the guise of consensual BDSM is fascinating, in the way a train wreck is fascinating. At the end of the day, you just wish people didn't have to go through all this.
Amazing book that integrates the life of one woman into the lives of millions. Also, I think it should be required reading for all future research and medical professionals - it's definitely better than any HIPAA/ethics training.
Loved this book growing up! I must have checked it out 4 times out of the library, at least. Looking forward to a re-read.
Started the series a couple of months ago, and now on book 17.5....so I guess it's been absolutely terrible, and nothing to recommend here, and really really didn't like it...
I read all three books in under a week during finals week. Enough said. The only reason that it's not 5 stars is because the snob in me recognizes this is not exactly eloquently written fiction, but who the hell is reading it for its literary merits anyway? :)