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Author Topic: Moonangel's Book Reviews 2014  (Read 26453 times)

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zena

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Re: Moonangel's Book Reviews 2014
« Reply #15 on: February 24, 2014, 11:48:09 AM »
The Ghost Bride
Yangsze Choo

My Good Reads comment: Wonderful read. Wonderful writing. Exciting. Perfectly paced from beginning to almost the end. The ending happened way too fast though and felt rushed but otherwise, I really enjoyed it.


« Last Edit: October 10, 2014, 03:45:07 PM by moonangel »

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zena

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Re: Moonangel's Book Reviews 2014
« Reply #16 on: February 24, 2014, 11:56:45 AM »
Mila 2.0
Debra Driza

My review on Good Reads:

This story started out slow and extremely annoying. Mila, apparently a teenager (underneath, she is an military android in human form but she doesn't know it until later on), totally acts like a spoiled brat. I guess I can't comprehend her spoiledness because I've never seen a teenager that way. She seemed always irritated and detested her mom for no good reason. She was also infatuated with Hunter (I still don't know much about him...and almost thought he worked for the other bad guys...whom I still don't know if they are really the bad guys), and the childish fight over him between her and her "best friend" was pathetic. It was made way too obvious that Mila didn't like her mom, but then at the end, she couldn't live without her mom. Just so unrealistic. But, there were things about the mom that I didn't like either. I gave myself a few more chapters of just irritating scenes and dialogue before putting the book down for good and not finish, but the book turned around and got interesting, so I finished it. Not a bad storyline. I wished it was more technical with more details about the android. I also wished more information was provided about Dr. Holland. I still have no idea why he was made to be a bad person. I don't see the military as a bad thing so for Dr. Holland to be a bad person and the military not knowing is just not real. I would think that Dr. Holland would have to report to some higher authority...ma ybe that person would be the good guy or maybe he's the bad guy and Dr. Holland's just doing his job. I won't be reading the series.



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zena

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Re: Moonangel's Book Reviews 2014
« Reply #17 on: February 26, 2014, 12:36:15 PM »
The Ocean at the End of the Lane
Neil Gaiman

This story was confusing. Nothing made sense and nothing was explained. I was hoping to read a big reveal at the end, but there wasn't one. I don't understand who these people are who lived at the end of the lane and have magic and powers. Where did they come from? Why do they have their magic? Why are they living in that town? It said the monster lady gave people what they desired and giving people what they desire is an evil thing, yet, the supposedly good magical people at the end of the lane gave the boy what he desired and somehow that was acceptable. Also, where did the monster lady come from? Yes, they (the little magical girl and the boy) tried to defeat her in the forest but why that forest? And, why did the magical girl take him there anyway? He was a wimp all the way through the story. He depended on this magical family to help him yet at the end, he learned nothing and gained nothing. As for the ocean, I thought there was more to it but again, there was nothing. Nothing that would make me understand it's true importance.

The writing itself wasn't bad. The storyline had so much fault.



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zena

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Re: Moonangel's Book Reviews 2014
« Reply #18 on: March 01, 2014, 01:11:45 PM »
The Girl of Fire and Thorns
Rae Carson

Very interesting story. I'm not so fond of some of the characters and a couple of characters appear as though they have similar traits. For example, Alejandro and Homberto. They have a softness, or a weakness, to them that are equally alike. Same for a couple of the girls, Cosme and Arina. A lot of things don't make sense including the Godstone but I'm curious to know how it ends so I'll be finishing the trilogy. The writing is pretty good.



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zena

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Re: Moonangel's Book Reviews 2014
« Reply #19 on: March 07, 2014, 05:10:23 PM »
The Crown of Embers
Rae Carson

I liked this book better than the first. I enjoyed reading about how Elisa's character became strong-headed and physically stronger as well. Character development was much better in this book than the first. Great storyline that kept me interested.

I also enjoyed the blooming relationship between Elisa and Hector, her personal guard, who is also the commander of her Royal Guard.

After Hector was badly injured from protecting Elisa from an arrow and was said he wouldn't survive, Elisa used her Godstone power and healed him.  This was the first time she learned that her Godstone really worked.  She also learned that using her power drains her.  When she used her power on Hector, she didn't know what she was doing.  She just wanted him to live.  She had passed out from healing him so when she woke up and saw that he was alive, she realized this:




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zena

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Re: Moonangel's Book Reviews 2014
« Reply #20 on: March 07, 2014, 05:12:58 PM »
The Bitter Kingdom
Rae Carson

Enjoyed this book as well (liked the complete trilogy). I wasn't too fond of the switch in first person from Elisa to Hector though. I felt it weakened Hector's character. He felt so much stronger and wiser from Elisa's view but from his own eyes, he seemed weak. I had really started to like him until the first person switched to him, then it kind of ruined it for me. Elisa always seemed so strong in first person so having Hector describe how he saw her really didn't make any difference since he also saw her strong as well. She was growing into herself and I enjoyed seeing things from her point of view. I didn't think it made any difference to know his exact whereabouts when Elisa and her "friends" went looking for him. They found him anyway and at that time, he could have just told them what happened during one of their nights in the mountains. Overall, not bad though. I enjoyed the storyline and the writing was easy to read.



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zena

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Re: Moonangel's Book Reviews 2014
« Reply #21 on: March 10, 2014, 02:07:54 PM »
The Third Gate
Lincoln Child

Interesting story and characters. It felt like I had just watched a movie, and made me think of the movie, The Mummy. It's about scientists searching for a King's crowns, trying to make history, and things go awry. The writing was nice but the pacing was a little off. I felt it started out too slow and confusing and then near the end, it went really fast.



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zena

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Re: Moonangel's Book Reviews 2014
« Reply #22 on: March 10, 2014, 02:10:37 PM »
Sam the Sneaky
Y. Yang

Read my review on amazon or at Goodreads, here.



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zena

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Re: Moonangel's Book Reviews 2014
« Reply #23 on: March 12, 2014, 06:22:28 PM »
Legacy
Cayla Kluver

There was too much childishness in the characters and dialogue. Every conversation contained meaningless bickering dialogue. I tried not to let that get to me but there was way too much of it. The childish gossiping, and giggling was overdone. The idea of the story about two different people and the captured Hytanican returning to his home peaked my interest but other than that there was no real story to this book. I finished this book because I wanted to know how it would end, hoping for maybe a spark of excitement, but the ending was very disappointing. I won't be reading this trilogy.



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zena

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Re: Moonangel's Book Reviews 2014
« Reply #24 on: March 12, 2014, 07:40:16 PM »
Poison Study
Maria V. Snyder

The beginning really intrigued me. The characters were strong and caught my attention. Midway through it got a bit boring and slow but I hung on because I enjoyed the relationship between Yelena and Valek and the the others: Margg, Rand, Ari, Janco, the Commander, the mysterious Irys, etc. I was also curious as to the ending and where it would end before the next book started.

What I didn't like was the writing and dialogue. The story seemed to be set in a distant time in a completely different world yet the language seemed modern. I didn't connect with Yelena. I disagreed with a lot of her choices and feelings and I didn't find her to be very smart or wise.



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zena

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Re: Moonangel's Book Reviews 2014
« Reply #25 on: March 12, 2014, 09:04:40 PM »
Magic Study
Maria V. Snyder

I really wanted to like this book since the first one wasn't that great but this one disappointed me even more. The first book made Yelena's homeland intriguing but once she arrived there, it seemed so depressing and dull. I couldn't wait for her to return to Ixia because she didn't seem to like it in Sitia, but that never happened. She kept reflecting back on Ixia and the people she missed there and how she wanted to go back, yet in the first book, she wanted to run away to Sitia. Now that she's in Sitia, she wants to go back to Ixia. She's never sure of herself.

I was expecting Sitian society to have very strict structured rules because of all magicians who were capable of different forms of magic, but there wasn't. There were Sitians whom did not have magic capabilities, yet they were living equally among those who had magic. It was too easy to use magic badly yet these magicians rarely went to extreme, except for just a few but then those few never accomplished anything.

I was not too fond of the author's voice and the language seemed off. It didn't match the time period or the world they lived in. The language was too modern. I didn't like the unspoken thoughts from Yelena and sometimes felt they were unnecessary, like when she called one of the less nicer magicians a b*ch. Why not used a different word? One that's fitting for that world. Another thing that bothered me was that Yelena was 20 years old but she acted like a 16 year old. The way she angered easily about trivial things or held grudges just didn't add up as someone who went through so much torture. Also, Valek was a disappointment in this book. I really liked him in the first book. He was mysterious, strong, brave, smart, hot, handsome, everything. In this book, he's just some guy. He didn't even seem like the same person and I was annoyed with him always calling Yelena, "Love" and "My love."

I finished the book because I was hoping to maybe at least enjoy the ending, but that didn't happen. I won't be reading the 3rd book.

I don't think I can read anymore of her books.  I really wanted to like her style and writing voice but it's too off. I think I'll stick to Brent Weeks (Night Angel and Light Bringer trilogies) and the likes.



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zena

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Re: Moonangel's Book Reviews 2014
« Reply #26 on: March 14, 2014, 12:44:10 PM »
The Bone Season
Samantha Shannon

This was an awesome paranormal fantasy novel. It was fast moving and action packed. I have to admit though, this was my second real paranormal novel so I don't know too much about the rest of them.

I liked the characters, the description of the world they lived in, the dialogues, author's voice, etc. It was a well put together story. I am still grinning from some of the humor...and some were cheesy but it was put together nicely that I found it cute instead of annoying. Warden was pretty cool. I loved everything about him. There was just a few things that wasn't very clear about his situation that I wanted to know more about, like why and how he ended up injured and near death a couple of times. Why him? Did it happen to the others? I know it had something to do with the Emims but maybe I missed something else.

There were a few things about Paige that I didn't like so much, like the negative thoughts she had. She seemed too sarcastic at times and it seemed out of place for her character. I was somewhat disappointed by her lack of heroic-ness near the end. She seemed so strong mentally and physically at the beginning but near the end she slightly became this weakling...not able to use her gift, getting confused, not sure what to do next. She appeared so sure of herself so this was just a bit of a let down.

Overall, it was a great read.


« Last Edit: March 14, 2014, 01:40:46 PM by moonangel »

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zena

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Re: Moonangel's Book Reviews 2014
« Reply #27 on: March 14, 2014, 05:33:01 PM »
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« Last Edit: October 10, 2014, 03:45:52 PM by moonangel »

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zena

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Re: Moonangel's Book Reviews 2014
« Reply #28 on: March 18, 2014, 09:59:15 AM »
Furies of Calderon
Jim Butcher

I really enjoyed the storyline. At first I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into but once I got the hang of the story then it was pretty interesting.

This novel is like a cross between LOTR/Hobbit and Avatar.  It's a very long read...over 500 600 pages.  Great writing with lengthy descriptions and back story.


« Last Edit: March 18, 2014, 10:06:24 AM by moonangel »

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zena

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Re: Moonangel's Book Reviews 2014
« Reply #29 on: March 19, 2014, 10:56:41 AM »
I've started on the next book of of the Codex Alera series by Jim Butcher, Academ's Fury.  When I read the prologue, I was amazed at such great writing.  I've highlighted just what's in the parenthesis because this part alone already says so much, but the rest is pretty good too.  It is things like this that really keep my interest...the great writing.  I hope this book holds up.  I heard that the rest of the serious were better than the first book.




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