Sirena
From the recommendations of OverDrive, I put a hold on this book and promptly forgot about it. It didn't really seem my type of story, but I was lacking things to read at the moment, so I thought, “What the heck?”
What the heck indeed! This story is so captivating, the characters so riveting, the romance so endearing... I need to file a complaint with Renee Ahdieh for being the root of my exhaustion from sleepless nights spent reading this fantastic story! Ahdieh subtly weaves you into a world that combines elements of romance, mystery, and magic with such expertise, you don't even realize you're caught in her trap until it's too late–you're caught. All I can tell you is to stop whatever you're doing–even if it's sleeping–and read this book!
A great follow up to the first story! I love how the maturity level really changed, as it did with the characters in the story as you are rejoining them years down the road from the first book. The content is much more somber and the stakes feel very high. Again, the way the lore and the real world are woven together really draw you in and make it feel all the more real. A great end to a wonderful series.
I wish I had enjoyed this book more than I did, but the pacing and storytelling style made it a bit difficult for me to really get into. The beginning of the book was very insteresting as she discussed her harrowing experiences and jumped back and forth in time between the incident and a few years later, describing how it deeply it affected her. This was when the book was at it's best and I feel like how the book was marketed. However, she did not go too deeply into the experience and after several chapters rarely referenced it or the lingering effects. The book then felt more like a description of her climbs and career and relationship troubles. I think that we were supposed to understand that these issues were partly because of the experience, but as someone who is not a climber and not invested in the sport, that intent did not come through and it was fairly boring. Her story is amazing and I did enjoy reading her growth and personal journey, but overall it was not written well enough to have any lasting impact on me.
I read the entire Emily series in about two weeks because of how quickly captivating I found Emily and her life. Anne will always be my favorite, but I loved how tangible and relatable Emily felt throughout the books. I could relate to her in a way I never could with Anne. That is, until this final book. I sincerely cannot remember the last time I was so disappointed by book's ending–it truly soured this whole series for me. It's not that this books is sadder or more morose than the other books, it's that it's sadder and depressing for no reason! This book absolutely TANKED characters and storylines I just can't believe this is how I leave Emily's story. Here are (just a few) of my biggest qualms:
1. Ilse starts the series as this wonderful, wild, temperamental child but who truly has a heart of gold. Despite her rages and Emily's pride, they have a beautiful deep friendship. Then the third book happens and Ilse becomes the biggest B***H EVER. She treats Emily awfully and practically abandons her. Somehow they're so close but she can't see or WON'T see how miserable Emily is or how much she cares for Teddy? And then she leaves Teddy at the altar, ruins a wedding, and NEVER EVEN FEELS BAD. I. CAN'T. STAND. HER.
2. Teddy is possibly worse than Ilse. Obviously set up to be the main love interest from the beginning. He and Emily share this inexplicable, sweet bond that means they understand each other on the deepest of levels. As they mature, a romance blossoms and they are trying to understand these new feelings. Then the third book happens and Teddy becomes such an Ahole and treats Emily like garbage for a DECADE, almost marries her BF, then chalks it all up to several misunderstandings and they finally get together in the last 5 pages of the book. This whole “will they, won't they” feels SO contrived I can't believe LM wrote this. You mean to tell me these two characters who have an unexplainable soul bond, can't tell each other how they really feel? STUPID. I HATE Teddy, Emily deserved better.
3. Perry just falls off the face of the earth in this book. I was so excited to see him show everybody what Stovepipe town can do and instead we learn about him through random offhand mentions every now and then. We don't even get to read about his and Ilse's romance, it just happens and the story moves on. Perry deserves better.
4. Emily?? WTF?? Where did your intuition go? Your second sense? Your brain?? Emily is shown from an early age to be very, almost unnaturally, perceptive, especially with people. Yet, this whole damn book, she thinks Teddy doesn't love her for some reason, can't tell that Dean is a walking red flag, and still thinks Ilse is her friend. Everyone treats Emily so badly and all she does is forgive them all their sins and deal with the fallout alone. What happened to the proud Emily that turned down the opportunity to go to New York because she had a strong sense of who she is and that she will make it, HER way? Also, when her life sucked, why didn't she go to NY later? Pretty sure the offer still stood. Anyway, Emily gets turned into this sad, weepy martyr, who just gets abused and takes it. It doesn't come across as maturity or a sign of personal growth, it comes across as a sad look at life draining away youthful essence and Emily just bearing it as a part of life. Again, I don't mind that Emily had these sad things happen to her–it's part of what makes her compelling. But in previous books, she persevered and came out the other side. Changed, but in a good way. It doesn't feel like her character should be celebrated by the end, just pitied somehow. Emily, you deserved better.This book died in a whimper. It started out really strong, I was captivated watching Emily slowly lose herself because I wanted to see how she'd come out of it and triumph as she always had. But chapter after chapter it got sadder and sadder and contrivance after contrivance popped up to keep it going. I really think that LM wanted this to be a happy ending but it wasn't. It was pitiful.
As a child, my parents had me watch the movie version of this before I ever knew it originated from a book. If you've ever seen the movie, you would know it's a graphic, terrifying visual representation for a young child to see–as good as it was. Having been scarred for life by images of bunnies getting gassed underground, I would never have picked up this book had it not been for all the great reviews.
Reluctant at first, I started reading it and within a few chapters, I was in love! The story was a beautifully told, with simple yet entrancing descriptions and characters. I could read this over and over again and never grow tired of it. I will definitely read this to my own children someday, but probably wait to show them the movie until they're a bit older...
I can't speak on how great the whole book is because I couldn't get past chapter 5. It was not for lack of trying though. I really wanted to be invested into this world! It could have been such an intriguing exciting take on a well-know classic tale, but instead it was so badly predictable that I could guess where the story was going within the few chapters I read, and I was almost 100% percent accurate because I skipped to the end of the book to find out.
It's not always a bad thing that you can guess where a story is going as long as the story is well written, but this was just boring. The characters fell in love way too quickly, I didn't like any of them, the world doesn't feel properly fleshed out, and the pacing was atrocious! In just 5 chapters! I think this story could have been amazing, but instead it was dull. A story about GOLD PEOPLE was dull.
Unfortunately, this series ended in a whimper. It really started out strong, and even though my enjoyment waned a bit over the course of the series, I was still intrigued to see how this 4-book epic ended. I will say, was entertained through most of the book, but even halfway through the book, new characters, plots, and items were being introduced to a plot that has been ballooning and eventually overburdened the story. And then... It ended. It tried to be a tragedy, but the story was so rushed and too much happened that it just felt wrong. Characters who we've known and loved since the beginning of the series didn't even get a line at the end of the book! Odette who? I mean we spent the entire last book getting to know Arjun and Pippa and then Arjun dies in 2 sentences and we leave Pippa crying in despair and then a brief mention in the epilogue. What was the entire point of their relationship??
Other seemingly important plot points or characters that went away:
-the mirror. Hardly used, barely did anything, not destroyed, not mentioned. Is it.. still around? Isn't that dangerous?
-pippa becoming a werewolf. Why did this even happen? It had no bearing on the plot, dropped by the end. She must have just needed a reason for her to disappear for awhile.
-Ali. Introduced as a potential love interest? A man with a mystery? Oh, no he's just here to briefly canoodle and give some exposition and then go away. Cool.
I wish I could say better things but this series ended so abruptly and was so bloated by the end that it retroactively dragged the whole series down as well. Read the first book and stop there.
Wow, this book was SO hard to get into! I had to FORCE myself just to read 10 pages every night and, I can't lie, I finally just gave up and read some spoilers. And I'm pretty happy I did because the ending was altogether disappointing as well.
There were some things I liked about the book, like having it told from Coriolanus' point o fview. When we were first introduced to him, I was generally surprised that he seemed like such a “nice” guy and I was intrigued to see his fall from grace into villainy. However, all of this just seemed to get lost in his generally muddled thoughts and just left me confused. He is presented as this super smart, logical-to-the-point-of-cold guy (as we see him later in the Hunger games series) yet, his thoughts come across as meandering and pointless.
I wish I could have loved this, but I couldn't even finish it.
An easy, fun read that feels very reminiscent of National Treasurer or the Da Vinci Code. If you're looking for a fast, thrilling read, this is a good choice for you.
After reading the “Wrath and the Dawn” and absolutely falling in love with the series, I bought this book as soon as I saw Renee's name on the cover! This was a very enjoyable read. Honestly, this is what the Twilight series should have been! I love the mystery and the setting of this story, but I did feel like the characters could be a bit one-note. They weren't as well developed as the characters from “The Wrath and the Dawn” series, which was disappointing because that was my favorite part. I still enjoyed the read and there is still some mystery to be solved in the next books, so this might be rectified in book 2.
I surprisingly really enjoyed this book! I say surprisingly because I almost never read romance books like this and tend to stick to Sci-Fi and Fantasy.
This was a very easy read with relatable characters and a funny, romantic story. Though the characters could be frustrating at times because of their decisions, if you really step back and look at their actions, though irritating, are very real. Even if you yourself haven't done something like it, you likely know someone who has. It's really a story about learning who you really are, versus the person you “think” you are–accepting all your faults, quirks, and issues and turning them into positives.
Though the book is a romance book, it's not overwhelming the story, and you really get to know the characters and understand who they are and why they do the things they do. I couldn't put it down and highly recommend it!
When I was forced to read this book in a college literature class focusing on heroes in literature, I was super disappointed. Then, when I actually started reading this book, I fell in love with the writing, the characters, and the tragic story of a woman simply looking for happiness but stuck in a lifetime of sorrow. Yet, through it all, the short-lived happiness and true love that she experienced was so perfect, she was able to keep on living. This isn't the most exciting book, but it is an inspiring work of art that will delight many if they take the time to read it.
This book really takes you along for the journey in such a way that you, as the reader, feel that you have grown with the main character Spensa. By the time the book was done, I felt wiser, like I had been through all the same growth that Spensa had except in just the few days it took me to read this book. I loved that I really couldn't quite guess where the book was going. Hints were dropped, but they were so expertly weaved within the story that I really didn't see the twists coming. I can't wait to read the next book!
An entertaining read, but one I will probably never pick up again and forget in short order. I enjoyed the main character and the twists, but not the format of the book. Because it jumps between times and perspectives so frequently, it can be very entertaining but also really boring at times. This format also has it so that the reader learns things long before the main character does, so when the big reveal finally comes, you've known for awhile, so it loses some impact. You also learn some things that the main character never does, making you feel like the book is left unfinished even when the book ends. More drama than mystery, but if you're looking for an easy and quick read, this would be fine.
Finishing this book was so bittersweet. Ever since I started the series, I could barely put the books down, but this book really tied everything up nicely and left me feeling completely satisfied. This book does such a good job of feeling almost real as you hear the story through the narrator many years down the road but is also so riveting and entertaining.
A pretty solid follow-up to the first in the series. I thought the middle part of the book was a bit slow and unengaging and I found myself putting it down a lot because I just was not interested in what was going on. However, it built up to a much more interesting twist and I enjoyed the setup for future books.
I just happened to stumble upon this one while browsing the library catalog–what luck! This book is FANTASTIC! It's been some time since I found a series that kept me so absolutely engrossed. I listened to the audiobook, which was read and performed wonderfully. I love every one of the characters, including the evil ones that I love to hate. Tahir does such a great job developing every one of her characters, whether or not they are the main ones. I highly recommend to everyone!
I finished this book in a day and a half. I just couldn't put it down! The premise was SO cool and I am so sad that it wasn't continued! Maybe not following the same characters but the whole world itself was incredibly intriguing. I wouldn't even mind another book–maybe Mordan shows his face again?
Anyway, this book is like the extended version of the fairy tales read to us as children. A selfish, vain character gets her comeuppance and learns her lessons, finding herself and the value of life in the process. This makes it sound so basic, but it is anything but! I loved the characters and the addition of a little romance totally surprised me. Please, Charlie, please make another one in this series!
I honestly picked this book because I had nothing else to read, everything I wanted was already borrowed, and the system suggested it to me so I thought, “why not?” Wow, probably the biggest surprise of the year so far! The first few chapters were a little slow, mostly because you don't really know what's going on yet and it's a lot of narration, but once the story gets going, wow, it really entrances you! The way the lore and fairy tale is weaved into a real world narrative is truly fantastic and draws you in in ways other fantasy novels can't. I loved how the main character wasn't this perfect beautiful heroine, but instead felt like a real person. This is definitely up there in my favorites now!
I just picked this one randomly out of the suggested reads from Amazon, not really expecting much from it other than an enjoyable read. It was that and much more! I was shocked out how fast we were thrown into the action, and intrigued by the idea of a 20's era England with some Magic elements. I loved the story building and character arcs, though I did feel that the relationship between Ceony and her Mentor felt a tad bit rushed. This was such an intriguing premise and I highly suggest it!
A great continuation of the series! I really enjoyed the format of the book, which opened with a chapter set in the present and then followed with a chapter set several weeks earlier. It followed this format throughout the book to explain the present state of the characters and I thought it was done very well. I will say that sometimes, the reasoning for events either isn't explained very well or comes off a little too Dues Ex Machina for my taste, but all in all I really enjoy these books.
I was hesitant after reading some of the reviews about reading this book–people described it as clunky and messy, but I thoroughly enjoyed it! I will admit the first part of the book was a bit difficult to bear with. In time, it made more sense but it was confusing at first why the characters were doing what they were doing or who they were.
I will completely agree with others that the characters in this are marvelous. They feel like real people whereas in other fantasy books they often feel like too-perfect heroes or whining cowards before they decide to be too-perfect heroes. I truly related with and loved Titus and Iolanthe! I also loved that their motivations were very clear and their personalities totally open to the reader. The action was not the greatest–lacking description and sometimes very short. However, the mystery and character development of this story will have me anxiously waiting to read the next one!
This book entirely surprised me. It sounded really boring and, at first, it felt like a slow read. But it truly picked up and had me crying by the end. A wonderful story and series about a woman pursuing her dreams against all odds and obstacles, and showing others that brilliance and determination are more important than gender, status, and propriety. I was so hooked after this book ended and you will be too! I think I read the whole series in three weeks!