Review: Perfectly Preventable Deaths

Perfectly Preventable Deaths by Deirdre Sullivan
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I honestly have no fking clue what the hell just happened.

Alright, look.

I wasn't really sure what this book was about, going into it, and I'm not entirely sure I know much better on the other side of it.

Here's what the blurb says: Sixteen-year-old sisters Maddy and Catlin have just moved to the isolated Irish town of Ballyfrann. Normally close, they find their paths diverging, as Catlin falls in love and Maddy falls ... into powers?

My run down would be similar, but I would expand on Maddy's powers being rather witchy (the fact that every chapter is a plant/herb/flower and its medicinal use is a bit of a hint) and also isolated Ballyfrann being a fkn WEIRD place.

To be perfectly honest, I was pretty bored for the first 200-odd pages, and did a fair bit of skimming. There's a lot of info about how close the sisters (twins, btw) are and how they're having a hard time fitting in, although Maddy is the weird one and Catlin is the popular one. There's a lot of random boring school stuff (which actually doesn't seem to involve any kind of classes), and the older boy that Catlin is interested in hangs out at the school so much that I was trying to figure out if I'd accidentally skipped over the explanation of why this older kid is still a student there (he's not, he's just a creeper who hangs out at the school). There are conversations between the kids that I really didn't care about, and the relationships are so watery and pale and lifeless that I just didn't care anything about them.

As for the characters, I just couldn't really get a read on any of them, except for Lon who was just a creep from the beginning. Did not like him a single bit. Maddy is quirky but she spends so much time focusing on boring things that reading from her POV is super dull. Catlin is the typical 'popular sister' who cares more about boys than her sister even though she professes this to be false. Oona was ehhhh and aside from being French didn't really have much of a personality at all, and Mamo is clearly batsh*t insane and could have been a lot of fun but was basically wasted on Maddy's ramblings. I don't think any of them were really described particularly well, so I never got a feel for who they were or what was driving them. It was a bit disappointing because I feel like there was a lot of potential that was wasted.

So here's me reading this totally boring tween story about fitting in and then there's suddenly random dead animals? Just lying on the side of the road? With no explanation? This is not a spoiler, this happens like on Day 1, and it's just so chill that it's a non-event? That confused me so much.

Here's the deal - most of this book is entirely dull and lifeless but then you get all these random super dark moments and it's like you're reading an entirely different story. I freaking LOVED the dark stuff but it was so jarring and awkward!

There was just so much wasted potential with this story, and the way it ended it felt like it'd just been setting the whole scene for an epic series of witchy adventures but ... it's a standalone? If I'm wrong about that someone please correct me, because the only way this book makes sense is if it's setting up for a series. On it's own its just ... a mess.

Spoiler thoughts:
(view spoiler)[
-Turns out the whole town is full of 'weird' people. Eg. The Collinses are shape-shifters. Why make a town full of strange creatures and then not use any of them?! What a waste!
-Mamo turned out to be kind of a villain at the end? Yet the whole way through, Maddy constantly turns to her for help/advice. The relationship between the two is just super confusing.
-The whole deal with their mum and dad. The whole, secret witchy past. Why not give us the details? This is one of the things that had me mystified about it being a standalone. So many unanswered questions! And what the heck did that ending even mean?!
-What Lon did to Catlin was PROPER PSYCHO. Yet I am confused. We never really find out what he was, why he did what he did, what the deal was with the other girls, and exactly why he was able to get away with everything for so long? YOU HAVE SHAPESHIFTERS IN YOUR TOWN. Surely there should be someone who could hunt this mofo down??
-Catlin's praying and Mary obsession? I am confused. What was the point?
-The entire castle has lots of secret passageways etc but, again, we never get to explore them. What's the point??
-Goddamn when Maddy grabbed that kitten, I was bloody nearly having kittens myself! Finally some super dark, macabre action! But jeezuz that was a dark moment. I did not see it coming at all! That single moment scored the bonus star for this book.
-How long was that ending? It was drawn out for so many extra, pointless chapters. EUGH, the POINTLESSNESS of it all.
(hide spoiler)]

Everything about the way this ended had me convinced it was setting up for a series. I didn't even like this book all that much and I want a sequel. Without a sequel, this whole thing was just pointless.

So in summary it was kinda boring and pointless but it did have some super dark and bizarre moments that kept me entertained, even if I was scratching my head a lot by the end of it. If there's no sequel to this mess, however, it was basically just 352 pages of wasted potential.

If I am wrong, though, and there is a sequel, I WANT IT.

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Review: Station Eleven

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have this habit of not reading blurbs properly, or reading them, buying the book and then promptly forgetting the blurb, so I totally went into this not realising it revolves around a pandemic that wipes out over half the world's population.

Tell ya what though: if you want an immersive reading experience, I highly recommend reading this during a global pandemic. *nervous laughter*

The main reason I picked this one up is because I read The Glass Hotel and loved it so now I want to read everything by this author, and I knew this one was quite popular.

Happily, I loved this one for all the same reasons I loved The Glass Hotel and more. It's one of those stories where it's less about the action and more about where it takes your thoughts. Normally I prefer action but Mandel's writing has a way of drawing me in, getting me invested in the characters while at the same time making me question how I'd react if it was me in these situations (Spoiler alert: I am highly unlikely to survive a pandemic of the magnitude described in this book).

This isn't a story about the apocalypse, or even really about the characters. It's a story of human nature, and learning to appreciate the diversity of life and all it encompasses. It gets you thinking about the things you consider important, and the insignificant things you overlook every day. There is a gentle appreciation for life here, and it's soft and poetic and warm.

They'd all seen the post-apocalyptic movies with the dangerous stragglers fighting it out for the last few scraps. Although actually when she thought about it, Annette said, the post-apocalyptic movies she'd seen had all involved zombies. "I'm just saying," she said, "it could be much worse."

This quote spoke to me, and is so much of why I loved this story. I HATE the 'stragglers fighting over scraps' and I HATE the zombies and the fact that this book had neither was such a blessing. It's not about the hardships. It's about finding unity, and life beyond basic survival.

This is one of those books that's so fancy it has 'Discussion Questions' in the back. That's how you know there's a lot of subtext to absorb. Normally I spurn these sections but I just really enjoyed the places this story took my mind so I genuinely did mull a few of these over. In particular, I loved dwelling on the concept of 'survival is insufficient' and how it relates to this story, to other stories, and to life in general. I love it. I love the way it's used.

There's also the beautiful weaving of the storylines, with fragments drawing everyone together slowly and gracefully. The characters are connected in unique ways that never feel contrived, and it adds such a great layer to the story. Particularly as we also weave through time; learning about the lives of these characters both before and after the pandemic.

I still have a lot of questions, but that's part of the beauty of the story. It leaves you thinking about it long after you've finished, but not in an unsatisfied way. It's just ... enjoyable. It makes me feel rather contemplative, and whimsical.

It was a genuine pleasure to read, and I'd highly recommend it to all book lovers.

However, if you do find yourself a little anxious over the current pandemic running rampant worldwide, maybe save this one for a few months.

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Review: On a Barbarous Coast

On a Barbarous Coast by Craig Cormick
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

*heavy sigh*

Honestly, I hate writing reviews like this for books given to me by publishers, but WOW was this a piece of work.

My biggest problem with it - aside from being incredibly boring - is that it basically feels like an old white dude trying to cram anti-racism down your throat. I'm all for supporting anti-racism, but the delivery was all wrong and I found it so patronising.

There's also just no story to it. It's so dull! I blame Jock Serong's Preservation for giving me unrealistic expectations for this book. I was expecting a fascinating survival story set in the early days of Australia. I was expecting unprepared white fellas confronted by harsh climate, unforgiving scrubland, and the perplexing conundrum of interacting with the local Indigenous population when they're (the white dudes) all racist bastards. I was expecting insight into the fascinating practices, customs and general way of living of older Aboriginal cultures. I was expecting a thoughtful exploration of this early racism in the midst of a great story.

What did I get?

White dudes fighting with white dudes. White dudes complaining about everything. White dudes talking about murdering the locals coz they're black. One white dude reflecting on FRIGGING EVERYTHING instead of ACTUALLY TELLING THE STORY.

Not gonna lie, I skimmed the last 200-odd pages HARD.

This was supposed to be a 'fierce, intriguing and thoughtful retelling' and none of those things are true. The basic history is that the English invaded Australia, murdered a bunch of the locals then spent their lives trying to convert the rest of them to the 'white people' way of living. This book doesn't even come close to turning that on its head. This book is essentially just white people complaining and I had no time for it. Then you've got random chapters here and there finally told from the point of view of a local, and he just wants to throw random words at you and tell you random Aboriginal legends. This book STILL doesn't care about telling his story.

I just found the whole mess so frustrating.

When there are man-eating crocodiles around and I'm still bored, it's a bad sign.

There is definitely a lot of interesting information about the practices of Aboriginal people, but if I was interested in the facts of things delivered as bluntly as this I'd pick up a non-fiction book (I am, in fact, slowly working my way around to Dark Emu, which has been highly recommended for this kind of information). This book purports to be an intriguing re-telling, which automatically suggests everything about the story is false, and then it doesn't even give a story worthy of all the 'what if?'s.

It was utterly disappointing.

There were some moments that were interesting, but they were so scarce it felt like too little, too late. For a book that implies a necessary appreciation for the importance of Indigenous culture, it was told an awful lot from a white guy's point of view, and is predominantly about the discomfort of these white dudes. I HAD NO TIME FOR IT.

I'm just incredibly frustrated by how much this missed the mark. Maybe others more detail-oriented will appreciate it but for me it was too much about the author trying to make his own points rather than any kind of decent story.

If you are interested in a great story from the early days of Australian settlement, I'd highly recommend Preservation, my review of which can be found HERE
I also want to link to a friend's review of Dark Emu because it provides some great insight into the book, as well as other resources to check out. You can read Patty's review HERE

With thanks and apologies to A&U who sent me an ARC to read and review

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Review: Waiting For Doggo

Waiting For Doggo by Mark Mills
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This is a pretty bland excuse for a story. It's dull and pointless and goes so out of its way to use the dog as a symbol that it just ends up trying too hard. It's all over the place and there's a lot of elements that are thrown in seemingly to add layers but fall short of achieving any serious depth. The protagonist is unlikable, and you never actually learn much about him, and his relationship with Doggo changes without evidence of growth. It's simplistic, but tries too hard to pretend that it's not.
The story doesn't count for much - he works in advertising, comes up with a good idea here and there. That's it. There are people he likes at the office, and people he doesn't. This causes minor dramas that last a page or two. Doggo is ugly but everyone likes him anyway. There's a side arc about questionable paternity. It's all very ... meh. Honestly, this was very, very close to my 'utter trash' list. (view spoiler)[I'm also constantly infuriated by books where the unappealing douchebag edges out the confident hot fella to win the knockout younger girl. I just don't get it. (hide spoiler)]
To be perfectly blunt, this book adds nothing to the world of literature. But it does have a dog in it, so I guess there's that.

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Review: Silver Bay

Silver Bay by Jojo Moyes
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

By the time I finished it it had become moderately entertaining but overall it was a little tedious and far from Jojo Moyes' best work. It was fairly predictable, so another book that's more about the journey than the 'shock twists' you see coming a mile away. But despite the simplicity of the story, it took a long time, wandering a lot of side paths on the way but never properly exploring them. I was thankful it didn't pull out too many Aussie stereotypes but a tiny coastal town is just not an entertaining setting for me. The characters have to make up for it and while these were well painted I didn't find myself particularly attached to any of them. The main romance was cliche from start to finish so held little interest for me and its 'save the wildlife' message was a bit too heavy-handed. It was written simply enough so as mentioned I did eventually find myself entertained but overall it was a bit of a disappointment.

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Review: The Six Sacred Stones

The Six Sacred Stones by Matthew Reilly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Re-Read 07/20

Goddammit.

(view spoiler)[I forgot this was a cliffhanger. (hide spoiler)]

The story leads on a little from the first book in the series, with new events loosely related to things that occurred previously, featuring most of the characters we fell in love with in the previous novel. Not all of them, you understand, because this is a Matthew Reilly novel and we all know that not even the good guys are safe in one of those.

Be warned now: this review may contain spoilers for Seven Ancient Wonders in the form of names, or the distinct absence of names.

So this time Jack and co are looking for stones and can I just say, even though there are only six that are specifically sacred, I got a little confused with what all the stones and pillars etc were actually for. Thankfully we get lots of pictures and diagrams again and the characters like to ask each other all the questions I'm thinking myself which is very helpful with staying on track.

We're globe-trotting again and yes, there's a nice tight deadline because of course nothing is ever easy. *Le sigh* There are some new faces along for the ride which is fun - I confess, I have a soft spot for Astro - but of course there are some nice grizzly deaths, too. I'm starting to suspect Reilly gets a particular joy out of feeding people to animals and I am 100% on board with that. Plus more traps! How fun are booby traps!

It's kind of a 'Part One' really, with this novel setting us up for an epic conclusion in the next novel. As such, it's a little long and more info-dense than the previous. There is a lot more history here, and more cultures involved, so the story itself is a bit more drawn out, though the action is still fierce. I never get bored with this series. It just keeps me on edge. It's also written in such a way that you can really see it playing out like a movie - all the tense moments, dramatic pauses, eleventh hour saves ... it's fantastic.

The biggest draw of the series, though, is the characters, and how they work together. I love how they all have their roles, but they're family, too. I love their loyalty to one another and, yes, the relationship between Stretch and Pooh Bear is one of my faves (and can we just take a moment to appreciate that moment in my original review down below where I coin the term 'Legolasian'? Nice, Krystal, nice.) but the dynamics between each of them is really cool to watch. Zoe also gets a thousand times more badass in this book and I am firmly in her corner. Also they're all so humble about doing all these crazy things and it totally melts my heart for them more. Case in point:

'I knew you had a reputation for daring, Captain, but this, this borders on rank impudence. You really are a bold one.'
'Yeah, real bold.' West headed aft in the direction of his quarters. 'Now, if nobody minds, I'm going to boldly take a shower and then I'm going to boldly hit the sack.'

Sass levels are here to stay.

Also, SO AUSTRALIAN. What a hero. You have earned your nap, Sir.

Ok that's about it! Loved it as usual and devoured it nice and fast. And since I seem to have forgotten so much I'll be continuing my re-read with rapt attention.


*Original Review 10/15*

Another immediately thrilling ride, but a much more ambitious and epic story than the first novel in the series. I love the history stuff, the archaeology of it all, the mystery of ancient civilisations and how these are all drawn together into a rollicking adventure story. The characters are a lot of fun in their diversity, and their similarities to other characters from literature make them fun and more appealing rather than tired and cliche. My love of LOTR probably has a lot to do with why I so much enjoy the relationship between the Gimli-esque Pooh Bear and his Legolasian friend, Stretch. Likewise, Harry Potter fans will no doubt enjoy this book's own red-headed troublesome twins. These are only two of a vast array of similarities between this novel and the two aforementioned series, but the references to the series means this is almost a dedication to inspiration. For me, it simply added extra appeal. Subtracting that, this is just another fantastic Matthew Reilly adventure. The action never stops, and the turns keep coming. I'll be making an emergency dash to the bookshop to get the next one in the series ASAP!

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Review: Uprooted

Uprooted by Naomi Novik
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

A Recipe For Disaster

Ingredients:
1 Peasant girl
1 Grumpy mentor
1 Sidekick
1 handful random royalty (Include a daring prince who is actually a jerk for extra zest)
2 buckets of superiority complex
1 sprinkling of monsters
Approx. 6 cartloads of magic and spells
1 Evil Wood (Make sure it's definitely evil. Super dooper evil.)

Method:
1. Don't even worry about it. Just smoosh it all together and see what happens
2. If it seems too bland, add more spells. Then more. Then a little more.And then more to garnish.
3. If it still seems tasteless, mix the monsters and the royalty, add some blood. And more spells.
4. Oh yeah don't forget the sidekick. I don't know what it does, but throw it in anyway
5. Bake it. Freeze it. Mix it. Bake it. Fry it. Refrigerate. Bake it again. JUST KEEP COOKING IT. FOREVER.
6. Don't forget to throw the buckets of superiority over the whole mess

Serving Suggestion:
Don't.



So I guess you could say this book didn't really work for me.

Bonus star for the mantises though.


Full list of complaints:
(view spoiler)[
- The ROMANCE. The Dragon is over 100 years but because 'he looks almost my age, super cute, what are the chances?' she's totally DTF. HE'S OLDER THAN YOUR GRANDPARENTS, KID. It made me want to throw up in my mouth a little.
-The Dragon himself should have been so awesome with a name like that but he's RUDE and a JERK and STUFFY and he totally acts like a crotchety old man so despite him being 'oh so handsome' I kept picturing him like Merlin from Disney's The Sword in the Stone. Only in appearance, though, coz Merlin was actually cool.
- Kasia. WHAT IS THE POINT OF HER. At first I thought it was going to be a lesbian love angle but it just ended up being ... oh she's a badass and so much stronger and braver than Agniz (I'm not even going to attempt to spell her name. I just mentally called her Agniz - it was easier) but OH WAIT LOOK AGNIZ IS A BADASS AFTER ALL, SUCK IT, KASIA! But wait she's my BFF and I will do anything for her ... I mean it was just so frustratingly pointless. I cared nothing for Kasia. I was ready for her to be left in the wood to rot.
- The Wood is so full of evil things, and this world is full of monsters, but we get such a small taste of them. Instead the evil wood just inhabits people and makes them do bad things. The mantises were so cool because finally we got some carnage, we got to see the evil actually being properly evil, and it was such a relief. But otherwise, considering the evil of the wood I just was not impressed.
- The entire story goes on for way too long. Journeys here and there, overnight stays, more journeys, carts, wagons, horses ... DON'T CARE. Don't even get me started on the pointlessness of her going to court and making nice with nobles. It was stretched out so much, and it just seemed to want to cram in as many fantasy references as possible. Honestly, it was a mess.
- The cheesy layering of characters was a bit much. I'm all for grey characters in my stories, but you get the prince to attempt rape on the MC and then turn around and try to tell me how he's just a poor broken soul who wants his mamma and I'm gonna struggle with that. JUST LET ME HATE HIM FFS. It just kept trying to put the 'I am a good person who sees the good in everyone' spin on EVERYTHING and it just ... mellows everything. It takes away the fun.
- Wow how amazing is it that Agniz, this one-woman disaster, suddenly becomes this all-powerful wizard who is more powerful than all of the wizards who have been doing spells for centuries? SO BELIEVABLE.
-EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS BOOK MADE ME MAD. (Except the mantises. You're excused.)
-Basically it's boring, when it shouldn't be, and I hated ALL the characters, and the whole thing hinges on an evil wood that basically just needs a hug.
-I'M DONE.
(hide spoiler)]

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Review: Seven Ancient Wonders

Seven Ancient Wonders by Matthew Reilly
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**Re-read 07/20**

Not gonna lie - Reilly's writing is completely outrageous.

I am 100% here for it.

It's so over-the-top and action-packed and full of miraculous moments and impressive saves and I FKN LOVE EVERY MINUTE OF IT.

This book introduces us to one of my favourite fictional heroes: Jack West Jr. He's basically a badass blend of John McClane, Indiana Jones and Aragorn from LOTR - some of my faves right there - and he's accompanied by a hardcore team of warriors from around the globe as they race to find pieces of an ancient artefact that was long ago divided into seven parts and hidden in the seven ancient wonders of the world. Along for the ride is Lily - a vital piece of the puzzle, despite the fact that, apart from an uncanny gift for languages, she's a pretty normal ten-year-old.

It jumps straight into the action, with the team racing against vicious opposing forces to conquer an ancient system of traps to recover the first segment. The traps are wonderfully creative throughout the entire novel - as are the solutions to overcoming them. This is pretty consistent throughout the series - always interesting puzzles to solve! Naturally, not everyone gets out alive ... and we get some nice graphic depictions of these deaths. I mean, what's the point in having a pit full of crocs if no one is going to fall in, right?!

I love the sheer madness of the adventure and the creativity of the traps and deaths and the puzzles of the ancient wonders. I love the history that is integrated, and how real, factual information has been twisted to fit the story so neatly. I particularly love the pictures and diagrams that allow me to understand the locations and visualise everything so much better.

Jack's team is also full of some really lovable characters. Reilly's writing style means none of them are safe, but that makes the risk-taking that much more exciting, and you really do pick your faves and hope they make it out okay. There are also some beautiful moments seeing these hardcore warriors reveal their softer sides in their dealings with young Lily, who is a very clever kid. There's a bird, too - speaking of clever.

It's not particularly realistic by any means but it is fast, fascinating, and action-packed. There are no boring bits, and there are plenty of heroes and villains and violent deaths. There's a bit of mystery surrounding the puzzles of the pieces and the ancient history adds a depth to all the gung-ho that makes it a more intellectual offering perhaps than Reilly's other popular Scarecrow series.

It's also a complete adventure on its own while still leaving plenty of desire for a sequel. (Lucky for us there are already five more, with the sixth book in the series coming out October this year and a promised 7th to conclude the series.)

Honestly I love this series so it was so much fun to go back and re-read the story where it all began! Highly recommend for the action-lovers, the treasure-hunters and those who enjoy ancient history with a side of modern violence. How can you not want to read it with that plug, am I right?


**Original review 08/15**

Another brilliantly ridiculous, action-packed novel by Matthew Reilly. Firstly, if you enjoy realistic situations, forget it. There is far too much coincidence for anyone looking for realism. On the other hand, if you like fast and hard action with fascinating variety and an element of mystery, this delivers. Great collection of characters doing batsh*t insane things in crazy situations with very little reprieve. I really enjoyed the overall story of the ancient wonders, and I think it's this theme that makes me prefer this introductory novel to Ice Station. Can't wait to read the next one!

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Review: A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing

A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing by Jessie Tu
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I am conflicted.

Essentially, this is a novel about emptiness. Jena is a professional violinist with a gaping hole of loneliness inside her which she fills with meaningless sex. That's pretty much the gist of it.

Fair warning: If you have an aversion to copious, graphic depictions of sexual activity, this one might not be for you.

Yet my own aversion to that wasn't a huge factor here, because it was so emotionless. There's no awkward exploding stars and suns and passion and ecstasy etc to cringe over. It's detached, and pitiful, and quite clearly this girl has some serious issues but getting attached too easily is not one of them.

The stunted writing style did make it a little hard to follow at times, but it worked well to portray Jena as this lost soul who just doesn't seem to feel anything, other than emptiness and the need to be noticed. Jena is not someone I liked, but I truly did pity her and how chronic her loneliness is. She made so many questionable decisions but I felt her pain so well that I forgave her for them. It's easy to see this is a broken girl trying to find a meaningful place in the world.

Still, hating most of the characters didn't make this too fun a read, and Jena's emotional detachment only worked for me I think because I understand her loneliness a little. I think people in healthy, meaningful relationships may find this one a little too hard to swallow, although hopefully Jena's need for approval and meaning is something we can all understand, if not empathise with.

I found the blurb was quite misleading - the story wasn't particularly strong, or compelling, on its own, and this is one where events referred to in the blurb took half the book to happen. This is a novel where the themes are overwhelming, and the plot takes a backseat. This is a story about how unpredictable and uncontrollable life is, and how difficult it can be to find a meaningful place in it. We're confronted repeatedly by Jena's detachment, and the conflict between her emotionlessness and her desperate need to be loved.

There's also a sense that this is a story that has no end in sight - just like life, it just continues on, whether we find our happy ending or not. There's that sense of life running away, and the inability to stretch out a hand and finally grab onto something meaningful before everything passes you by.

I can't say I enjoyed reading it, but I did enjoy the way it made me think, and it's a novel that encourages the reader to take more care in appreciating all the little moments of one's life. I can roll with that.

I will say, though, that I'm very keen to compare the last line of my uncorrected proof copy with the final version, and see if it differs. It left me feeling rather uncomfortable but I suspect that might have been the point.

A thought-provoking read for lonely souls, and people looking for a read that helps enforce the attitude of never taking anything in life for granted. I appreciate its realness, but I strongly suspect not everyone will feel the same.

With thanks to A&U for my uncorrected proof ARC

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Review: Lost Boy

Lost Boy by Christina Henry
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I probably wouldn't call it 'horror' but it's definitely violent and gory and full of darkness, which was fun.

This re-telling had me hating on Peter Pan almost instantly. Kid is a proper narcissist with some seriously disturbing ideas.

We all know the legend of the boy who didn't want to grow up. This story takes everything problematic about this notion and explores its darkness, sacrificing the lives of many of Peter's 'Lost Boys' to make its point.

The story is told by Jamie - who wears a fancy red coat which might hint at what his future has in store for him. But even knowing the legend can't prepare us for the journey towards that famous enmity.

Almost instantly the roles are reversed, and we're supporting Jamie over the selfish Peter. Peter collects boys to play with, whereas Jamie is the one who cares for them all, and protects them where he can. Yet he's still victim to his own rages, which serves as a reminder that, no matter how in control Jamie seems, he's still just a kid.

The story itself was a little slow for me, and perhaps that's because I wasn't particularly taken with any of the characters immediately. While Jamie is easy to like, he's far too serious to be any proper fun. Fog and Nod were far more entertaining, but their part is rather small in comparison to the detailed, complex relationship between Peter and Jamie. While there is still plenty of action, this story is stronger in themes - in particular, it focuses on the lack of responsibility of childhood, and the pros and cons of growing up.

There's definitely an element of fantasy, but there wasn't really enough magic for my liking. It had a strong Lord of the Flies vibe, with all these wild boys running mad on their own island, splitting into factions and perpetrating all manner of unrestrained violence on one another.

I certainly enjoyed the second half of the novel far more, as things really escalated and we began to see everyone's true colours. Yet it did still feel a little washed out to me. There was no real surprise, or dramatic turn of events. It was all pretty predictable, which took away some of the fun.

I was hoping for a dark, twisted spin on the story we all know, but it was more just an exploration of the dark themes the original story never really considered. It's about unhealthy relationships and immaturity and the damage that spawns from the refusal to take responsibility. I guess it made me think more than it allowed me to just sink into a story that entertained.

It was a good read, and I thoroughly enjoyed the ending, and it was certainly hard to put down. But I don't think it diverted enough from the original story to really make its mark with me. It's all about the wildness of the boys, and the magic that makes me such a fan of the original Peter Pan was sadly lacking here.

Maybe it's time I start using half-star ratings, because this wasn't as bad as a 3, but not as good as a 4. So let's consider this my first official 3.5-star.

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Review: A Dance With Fate

A Dance With Fate by Juliet Marillier
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I liked this one a lot better than the first book! 3.5 stars, rounded up.

WARNING: This review may contain spoilers for the first novel in the series, The Harp of Kings.

Without further ado, let me present the plot:
In an awkward fight accident Dau is blinded and as a consequence is sent back to the childhood home that still haunts him. Liobhan, blamed for the accident but also aware of Dau's traumatic past, agrees to accompany him as a bond servant for a year. This is not a fun time for them. Meanwhile, due to events in the last book, Brocc is off with the fairies again.

This one definitely seemed to have a lot more going on but, lord have mercy, this woman tells her stories slower than Treebeard. We're given so many unimportant details, and I can't tell you how much I loathe stories that feel the need to describe what items of clothing everyone is wearing at all times. Plus, this book includes a couple of boondocks law proceedings and these were a bit of a yawn-fest. But aside from all the boring, superfluous details, I really enjoyed the plot of it.

One of my biggest issues with the first book is that we were given this fiery, female lead with so much spirit and panache, but she was forced to conform to the role of a timid, respectable lady and it was just super frustrating. Whereas now her spirit is free and even though she's not in the best circumstances she doesn't have to pretend to be meek. She works hard, she fights for what's right, and she has no problem taking down sexism in all its forms. She's a total weapon, but she's still cheerful and full of light and the relationship between her and Dau is totally sweet. I love how fierce she is, while still amicable and charismatic. She finds loyalty so easily and rewards that loyalty with a fierce protectiveness. Still, there's no coddling, and while she spends a lot of this book caring for Dau she never babies him and she doesn't take his crap. She's a great character. Kinda glad her (literal) whistle-blowing was toned down, though. The music obsession in this book is such a main theme but it just makes me feel awkward for some reason (More on that later).

Dau is not in a good place right now. Poor kid is blinded in an accident in early days and doesn't take it too well. Plus, he's now having to face the reality of returning to the home he ran away from. This is some deep psychological trauma we are dealing with, and it doesn't go away easily. Dau is (rightfully) pretty messed up from being tortured by his siblings, so seeing them again leads to some pretty negative thoughts that layer this novel with a very real darkness. For a fantasy novel it's pretty confronting, and for that reason I think it's probably a little lighter on than it could have been. It deals with the issue quite respectfully, but thankfully isn't too 'doom and gloom' about it. Kind of ... wrong place, wrong time for that, I think. I appreciate that it isn't totally glanced over or repaired instantly, but I'm also glad it isn't dwelt on too heavily. I much prefer Dau when he's sassy and argumentative and giving Liobhan grief.

Brocc doesn't get too much screen time, which worked for me because as much as I love fairyland, I just cannot get on board with all the singing. I get that music and singing is actually kind of the big theme of this entire series but WOW. Allow me to bring up Tolkien again to allude to just how many songs we have to suffer through (If you're an unfortunate soul who has yet to read The Lord of the Rings, my point is that there is a lot of singing). Brocc is such a floaty kinda guy with only one thing on his mind - music. He's so soft-hearted and naiive and I'm really glad he has that open, loving soul, but at the same time his character just seems a bit weak. It's all singing and feeling sorry for everyone. BORING! (Sorry, Brocc.)

I do, however, LOVE the Crow-Folk, and I'm eagerly waiting the book when they get their big feature. This book was all about the monstrousness of Dau's family aka humans, so I'm hanging out to meet some real monsters and experience more animal attacks. I want more mayhem, more full-frontal assault, instead of all the spying and lying. I want savagery, and the crow-folk are my glimpse at that.

Not that this series is particularly savage. It's very PG.

Overall, even with it's slowness I enjoyed this book much more than the first, and devoured it easily. It had a few weaknesses with the plot and the storytelling, but it has some great characters and the promise of epic things to come.

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Review: Crossings

Crossings by Alex Landragin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I am more confused than impressed.

And this is an impressive novel. The scope is massive and the ambition is there, and the stories weave through generations and tell a rather epic tale.

Yet it feels unfinished to me.

The idea: A technique known as Crossing allows a person to transfer their soul into another body. It's an exchange that can either be done with both people aware of it, with neither aware, or with one aware while the other remains unaware. The tale of Crossings is broken into three parts - two shorter stories told by someone who is unaware their soul used to reside in another body, and the third tale, The Albatross, which follows seven lifetimes of incarnations.

The story can either be read in the usual format, or following the 'Baroness Sequence', where chapters are read in a specific order. I read it the classic, front-to-back way, but I think perhaps it would read better in the alternative arrangement. The classic way is three separate stories, whereas I feel that, woven together, they may make more sense and flow a little more cohesively.

I really enjoyed the concept, and inhabiting so many bodies was a lot of fun. I enjoyed the mystery of the first and second books, and trying to unravel what was happening, but when the story of The Albatross came it was rather long and almost tedious. I didn't like the way it was separated.

It's an ambitious device and the story itself is rather fascinating, but it does get a little confusing towards the end and the conclusion is far from satisfactory. It started off as a four star read for me, but by the end I wasn't really sure of the point to it all, and was happy to be done with it.

If you're looking at this one, I would recommend reading the Baroness Sequence, as I suspect that is the stronger version of the story. I'll read it that way myself eventually, but for now I'm quite content to walk away from it.

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Review: Darkside

Darkside by Belinda Bauer
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

WHAT.
THE.
FRICKAFRACK.
DID I JUST READ.

I am ... at a loss for words.

This book was absolutely DULL and FRUSTRATING and COLOURLESS and BLAND and basically a struggle for the first 350-odd pages. I considered DNFing it so many times. It was THAT boring. I hated all the characters and I hated having to learn about every inhabitant of the town and I hated the small-town setting and I hated the absolute ridiculousness of how badly these cops were doing their job.

AND THEN.

It just ... took off. Everything started happening, puzzles came and were solved in a rush, people were suddenly revealing secrets ... everything that was boring about this book vanished and suddenly I couldn't stop. The whole story just unravelled and I had no clue what was going on and now I've finished it and I'm just ... in shock.

I have so many issues with this book, not the least of how it's made me feel on finishing it. I mean... what the heck WAS that.

So let me break it down:
-The pace is terrible
-The characters are all awful
-The plot is almost non-existent
-Dull setting
-Last 100 pages came outta nowhere

So mostly I hated reading it but then it got ... not good, but addictive? and then it ended in such a fked up kinda way. I just ... I don't know how to rate it. Let me spoiler-rant for a bit.

(view spoiler)[WHAT THE FRAGGLE ROCK WAS THAT ENDING. It's so psychotic. I'm so frustrated that it's never really properly explored? Also why did it wait til the last 100 pages to tell us about everyone's secrets? About Jonas's sordid past? Why did we have no clues? I mean it just didn't make a lot of sense to me? I'M SO FRUSTRATED. Why would Lucy stab herself in the throat? That seems like such a weird place to stab yourself. Also, why? How does that help? He's literally a psycho on edge because you tried to kill yourself so how is the answer suicide? And speaking of suicide, are we gonna talk about Danny's confession? Are we gonna clear up that whole stable incident? Jonas lives, but because we now know what the deal is, the story just stops??? If you ask me, this book should have started at 350 and kept going from there. What a waste of all that last minute drama. It just doesn't sit right with me. (hide spoiler)]

Ok I know I'm doing it backwards but basically this book is about a cop in a small town who has to solve a murder, while dealing with fancy cops from the 'big smoke' (out of town, anyway) and also trying to care for his ailing wife, who has MS. But someone starts taunting him by leaving notes about him not doing his job, and he's a bit mystified as well because he knows everyone in the town and how can any of them be capable? So then we get to know all about them for 350 pages. Also he's in his 30s but acts like he's bloody 60 or something.

The book focuses so much on the town and its inhabitants that the plot just feels thin and barely there. It's quite dull unless you dig the small-town vibes, but it picks up in the last 5th of the book and if you're anything like me you'll be left wondering what the heck just happened.

I can't say I enjoyed it, but I'm glad I saw it through to the end.

I've loved the other two Belinda Bauer books I've read and you can appreciate her writing with that last bit, but overall it was mostly just disappointing. I'm happy to wash my hands of it, to be honest.


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Review: Find Your Light

Find Your Light by Belinda Davidson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This wonderful book by Aussie intuitive, Belinda Davidson, is divided into two parts:

Part One: From Dark to Light
This is an account of the author's journey- from a child who saw ghosts on a frighteningly regular basis, to medical intuitive, to international speaker and spiritual mentor. It talks about her gifts, and how she struggled to understand them, and use them for good.

Part Two: Change Your Chakras, Change Your Life
The practical, self-help module of the book explores the chakras, and their influence over all aspects of our lives.

Part One
I loved reading her story. It's really fascinating! It's definitely pretty out there, so sceptics might have a hard time with it, but I was completely absorbed. I love how she had some really frightening experiences with her abilities, and that it wasn't all sunshine, rainbows, and predicting the future. There's real substance to her story and I loved reading it.

Part Two
I'm starting to get pretty familiar with each chakra and what they represent, so some of the info here was a little repetitive for me, but it's a really good breakdown for those who are just starting to understand the energy centres of the body. It gives an overview of what the chakras are and how they work, then explains the seven body chakras in detail, including a self-test for each chakra to help you understand which of your own chakras might need a little love. It also provides case studies that give examples of how blocked energy can manifest in different lives. Finally, it provides a chakra cleansing meditation for you to do regularly to clear your own chakras. It concludes with a Q&A.

I liked the short self-test for each chakra, which was quite revealing, and I liked the list of things that help nourish each chakra. It's pretty easy to digest, and the layout will help people identify their own blocks, and maybe what aspects of their own lives they might want to work on.

Overall it was a really fascinating book, and I'm really keen to try the meditation, too. If I manage to keep up with it on the recommended regular basis, I'll be keeping an eye out for all the wonderful things headed my way. :)

Highly recommend this one for the spiritually inclined, and for those who are keen to a) learn about the life of someone with 'gifts' and b) learn more about how the energy centres of the body influence all aspects of our lives.

With thanks to Macmillan for my ARC

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Review: The City of Brass

The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was everything I wanted it to be and MORE.

It's magical and whimsical, rich with detail and lore and it's just so beautifully written. The details are exquisite but they never overwhelm the story.

Then the story itself is so completely unpredictable. I had so much fun with it! The djinn tribes took a bit for me to wrap my head around but I just loved reading about all of these characters. There was so much to love, and the characters are so complex I couldn't pick a favourite. They all have such depth and fascinating characteristics.

The politics again were a bit to grasp, but it never interfered with my enjoyment of the story. This was a world I found myself fully immersed in, and I loved the whole thing. It certainly kept me on edge!

Dara was an instant hit, but Ali took a little warming up to. I found my feelings mirrored Nahri's a bit when it came to those two! But I love that she's an independent female who won't let anyone take advantage of her or tell her what to do. She's been her own person all this time and she stays true to herself. It warmed my heart.

I don't want to go on about it too much right now because the magic of it is still so fresh to me, but I really loved it. It made all of my Aladdin wishes come true and gave me a depth of feeling I did not expect. My head is still stuck there, which is why this is such a patchy review!

If you're into fantasy and interested in an Arabian twist, you have to read this. It's absolutely exquisite.

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Review: Aurora Burning

Aurora Burning by Amie Kaufman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ahhhh CRAP.

I knew I wasn't gonna like how this ended.

THIS IS SOME HECTIC SPACE SHENANIGANS.

You know that blank, empty sound of space? That is my mind right now trying to put my feelings into words.

I fail.

WARNING: This review will definitely contain untagged spoilers for the first book in the series.

CHARACTERS!

Tyler
I think that if we weren't given chapters from his POV, I'd probably find him unbearable. Because he's such a soldier! But I really enjoy hearing the way he thinks, about strategy, and leadership, but mostly about himself. He's genuine in his altruism which, like Scar says, makes it impossible to hate him. He's a Good Guy. Plus, who wouldn't fall for ovary-exploding dimples, right?

Scarlett
This sass queen is a Boss B*tch. She is completely unapologetic about who she is, and while she's sass and seductiveness on the surface, this is a woman who cares deeply about her friends. I really enjoy reading about the way her relationship with everyone develops - she makes everyone feel comfortable and it allows us to see them a little bit clearer, too. Total QUEEN.

Auri
Poor Auri is such a weapon that she doesn't get much personal time. She's shy and quiet and lost but now she's being asked to step up and be something more. Thankfully we have the blossoming relationship with Kal to show us a little bit of who Auri is, and what drives her, and give us hints at who she might have been 200+ years ago. I find myself feeling really sorry for her, but at the same time admiring her determination to do the right thing.

Kal
Naturally I love Kal because he's the closest thing to a Bad Boy that this squad gets. He's definitely the Strong and Silent type, but his relationship with Auri shows us his loyalty as well. He throws himself wholeheartedly into taking care of her, but he understands she has her own power, too. His presence is a comfort to Auri, and to me, too. It's just nice to know that he's around, ready to go psycho-savage warrior the instant our squad is threatened.

Zila
I really liked getting to know Zila a little better here. Finally we're learning why she's so closed off, and why she thinks the way she does. I loved being let into her heart a little bit, and seeing her soften. Plus she's one heck of a driver, am I right?

Finian
I have a surprising amount of love for this snarky lil dude, who was close to grating in the first book. Again, having his POV allows us past the outer shell to see why he says and does things, and this is a helpful tool in making me love people. He's the comic relief, and it's a job he takes seriously.

Kat
... I CAN'T EVEN.

Saedii
Let's face it. Without the actual murdering of people, this is EXACTLY the kind of don't-take-crap-from-anyone, I-will-murder-you-if-you-touch-me, totally BADASS woman I aspire to be.

THIS IS MY MOTLEY CREW AND I LOVE THEM WITH ALL MY HEART.

They do cool space stuff that involves stealing things (again), being chased, clever plans, daring deeds, heroic moments, alien encounters, training montages, and just a whole lot of having no freaking clue what is going on but struggling along the best they can anyway. This is why I love them.

No complaints from me. Oh except maybe one tiiiiiny spoiler complaint:
(view spoiler)[The way they dogged Kal over one little lie was pretty horrible, and totally hypocritical. They're all misfits who got their second chance with the squad. So why were they so quick to toss him? *cries* (hide spoiler)]

Ok that's it! I think I did better reviewing this one, yes? More sense? More logic? Maybe? :)

***

Review for Aurora Rising HERE

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Review: Aurora Rising

Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Re-Read 06/20

I stand by my original review. Honestly, I can't possibly say it better than I already did.

***

**Original Review**

MOTLEY CREW!! MOTLEY CREW!! MOTLEY CREW!! MOTLEY CREW!! MOTLEY CREW!!

I LOVE ME A GOOD (BAD) MOTLEY CREW.

I am being spoilt for stars this year because here's another book that gets all of them! LOVED IT.

How do I even pick a favourite character when I love them all so much?

And the sass levels, THE SASS LEVELS , HAVE MERCY!

That part where Tyler ... and then with Kal when he's ... but they're not supposed to ... and poor Kat with her ... and in the spaceship when Auri ... but then BAMF!! BAMF!! BAMF!!! *happy sigh*

Of course I don't have proper words for this review. I was expecting good things. I got GREAT things. And mayyyybe some was kinda predictable but who even cares because it's all about the journey and the sass and the mystery and the MOTLEY CREW doing MOTLEY CREW THINGS.

I am happy.

This is a good book.

You should read it.

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Review: Masque of the Red Death

Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Can I get the sequel to this ASAP please?

This is one of those books where I wasn't expecting too much because I bought it so cheap. So it actually surprised me how addictive it was!

I've read Poe's The Masque of the Red Death (and re-read before reading this) and always wanted MORE so finding this book was exactly what I needed. Poe created such a fantastic setting then stiffed us with the characters, so here we finally get to experience it a bit more ourselves.

The plot: COVID-19 A mysterious virus runs rampant across the country, and has already killed half the population. The disease is messy and works fast so people have become accustomed to wearing masks to ensure their safety. Some live underground if they don't have a mask. No one protests wearing them, even though they hate wearing them, because they understand that living is more important than complaining. Anyhoo, so Araby is a big fan of using drugs to forget her problems, but then she meets a guy claiming to want to change the world. There is also a sexy guy with tattoos who I am definitely in love with, even if Araby is less certain.

I'm a sucker for tattoos in real life, so give me a dark haired, tattooed, mysterious man and I'm basically hooked straight away. Whereas Elliott I hated from the start because he's arrogant and bossy and treats Araby like crap. Plus he tears a book and that's pretty unforgivable, in my opinion.

Araby is a heroine I could get behind. Sure, she has some unhealthy coping mechanisms, and an unhealthy need for approval, but she's not a sucker. She can see when she's being played, and when she says no she means it and if you don't hear it it's your own fault, pal. I really loved how she stuck to her guns, but still grows as a character.

The story itself is admittedly a little weak, because the world is chaos and Araby is mostly running around with or for these two handsome fellows. At the start she seems like a spoilt rich kid, but it's never really developed before she's pulled into the worlds of these two men. Elliott has plans up his sleeves, but it's hard to pinpoint exactly what he's going for, and why. Will gets forgotten for a little bit, which made me sad. Then you've got rumours of the prince but it's hard to establish his personality because it's all talk and we don't meet him til later in the book. The disease is running rampant, but it's not clear who is in charge of the city, or what is going on. It seems like it's supposed to be a 'this is how we live now' kinda vibe but there's too much chaos for that to sit right. People are dying all over the place, but 'all over the place' is limited to Araby's world - the places she goes - without much reference to the rest of the city/country/world. It's all very vague.

Poe's story is skimpy on details as well, but it's condensed into the extravagance of the castle, which keeps it tight and intriguing. Knowing how it ends, I was totally waiting for this to end dramatically, but it turns out there's a sequel I can get my hands on so I'll definitely be hunting for that.

Summary: The story itself is a little vague and weakly explored, but the characters made up for it for me. I found it all to be quite unpredictable, and Araby was a great heroine to follow, which combined to make this a really addictive read. It's dark, but it's a lot of fun, too, somehow. I'd recommend for YA lovers looking for something a little different.

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Dymocks 2020 Reading Challenge Halftime Progress Report

Currently reading:
Aurora Burning


Progress: 17/26
Australian Author: Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte (AA) Review Here
Indigenous Author: Catching Teller Crow by Ambelin & Ezekiel Kwaymullina (AA) Review Here
From Top 101: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black Review Here
Kid's Top 51: Withering by Sea by Judith Rossell (AA)
Dymocks 'Book of the Month': House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J Maas (March) Review Here
Re-read favourite book of all time: The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
*Substitution: The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien Review Here, Here and Here.

(I just re-read TTM last year, so I went with my second fave, instead)

Friend's recommendation: Mao's Last Dancer by Cunxin Li (AA) Review Here
Featuring favourite country (France): Josephine's Garden by Stephanie Parkyn (AA) Review Here
From TBR pile: North Star Guide Me Home by Jo Spurrier (AA) Review Here
Award winner: Gemina by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff (AA) Review Here
Mystery/Thriller: One Last Child by Anni Taylor (AA) Review Here
Memoir: A Sceptic's Search for Meaning by Mike Willesee (AA) Review Here
Outside usual genre: Entranced by Nora Roberts Review Here
Short stories: Saga Land by Richard Fidler & Kari Gislason (AA)
Self Help/Motivation: Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
Fairytale/Fable adaptation: Beauty in Thorns by Kate Forsyth (AA)
Book 1 in Fantasy series: Midnight Never Come by Marie Brennan
Teaches something new: The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale
*Substitution: Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall Review Here

(Given the current state of the world, this is something that I really want to educate myself on)

Adapted to film/TV series: You by Caroline Kepnes Review Here
Red cover: Cherry Pie by Leigh Redhead (AA)
Colour in title: Beyond Black by Hilary Mantel
Read in a day: Weapon by Lynette Noni (AA) Review Here
About books: The Girl Who Reads on the Metro by Christine Feret-Fleury Review Here
Makes me laugh: Challenge Accepted by Celeste Barber (AA) Review Here
Published this year: Aurora Burning by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff (AA)
Said I've read but haven't: Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Review: Entranced

Entranced by Nora Roberts
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

DNF @ pg 242 (74%)

In this book's defence, it was an accidental purchase, and not something I'd have picked up if I'd known it was romance. I was unlucky in that the first Nora Roberts book I ever read was light-hearted and fun and so I thought she wrote contemporary, rather than romance. So that's on me.

But JEEZUZ.

Is all romance really this terrible? I mean, I like a good love story but what the heck was this?

I do like that the series stays in the family but follows different people. It's a neat idea. And I like magic and the paranormal. Plus there's a mystery. But all of this stuff is stomped all over so that two people who hate each other can be thrust into one another (see what I did there) and forced to play out a cringe-worthy 'love' affair.

The blurb: 'A missing child. A desperate mother. A private investigator running out of time.'

The actual story: Mel's friend's baby has been kidnapped. Despite her best PI efforts, she hasn't been able to find him so desperate mum turns to a psychic for help. Naturally the psychic is a handsome fellow and he and Mel hate each other instantly, which is apparently super hot(???) and leads to much kinkiness. Sorry, did you say there was a plot somewhere?

I mean, she's cynical and hot-headed, and he's super rich, so naturally they hate each other. Because, ew, a rich man, and ew, a woman who doesn't take shit. So naturally he forces himself on her and they have this super passionate kiss that definitely doesn't mean anything to either of them because, DUH, they hate each other!

I'm not even going to go into how much I hated the blatant sexism in this book. Or the same old, dude-forces-himself-on-girl-but-it's-totally-okay-because-she-kinda-likes-it BS. Not touching it. I will only get more mad and if this is what counts for romance these days I will continue to spurn the genre. Mel might actually have been okay if her tough talk matched her actions.

But the story is just so pathetic. The mystery of the missing child is solved early on, and then it just goes straight into Mel and Seb getting it on and hating on each other while they screw each other into 'melted flesh'. Or something. I'll be honest - I was skimming pretty heavily by this stage.

But of course there is more detective work to be done and the only way they can possibly detect is to pretend they're married. Because who needs his amazing psychic talents when you can just play pretend, right?

What utter rubbish.

Look, I'm not a romance reader so I can't really tell you if this is good romance or not. I can tell you it definitely didn't work for me (and I was totally generous about the last kinky romance I encountered). I can tell you there is an overuse of the word 'sexy' in the first 100 pages or so, and that if a man treated me the way this guy treats Mel initially I'd have kicked him in the balls so hard he'd never have to worry about his kids getting kidnapped, if you follow me.

Honestly, I'm proud of getting through as much of it as I did, and so grateful it was small pages with big text and easy to skim. If there'd been more on the paranormal side of things without it being turned into kinky sh*t maybe I'd have put more effort in, but that male lead was a total d*ck and the world has too many good books for me to waste more valuable reading time on trash like this.

Enjoy, you kinky bastards.

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Review: Bitten

Bitten by Kelley Armstrong
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In describing this book, I would first and foremost like to use the words carnage, mayhem and kinky.

Normally the kinky stuff really grates for me but for some reason the way it was written, and the story overall, made it a non-issue for me here. The whole, 'primal instinct' thing totally worked.

So here we have: Elena, reluctant werewolf, who just wants to live a normal life. Only of course her pack can't let her go and when trouble calls them out she's by their side and doing wolfish things in no time.

I was a little bothered by them calling themselves werewolves when they seemed more to be shapeshifters, but then the carnage started and I was totally okay with it.

So, it's kinda like ... I went into this book a little sceptical, and the slowish start had me fully expecting to be trashing it by the end, but ... here it is ... I kinda fking loved it. *shrugs*

I mean, there were some things that were a bit ehhh, like poor old Phillip who was always going to get the raw end of the deal, but the mayhem totally won me over. Nothing soothes my soul more than blood and guts and absolute chaos. I also took to the characters unexpectedly fast. (view spoiler)[For example, how was I so shattered about Logan when I hadn't even met the guy??! (hide spoiler)] They were such a fun bunch. I thought I would hate the predictable relationship between Elena and Clay but them hating on each other all the time was actually a lot of fun.

I also really loved that Elena was stubborn and did stupid things and thought stupid thoughts but you could kinda see that, even though it was told in first person. There is some sweet sarcasm that was dished out in just the right dose, meaning I actually kinda liked her sass.

Honestly, everything I thought I would hate about this book I ended up loving so I can make no serious complaints. Some of it was predictable but there was plenty I didn't see coming and the carnage and mayhem was exactly what I wanted out of a werewolf novel. I'm so glad it wasn't all about naked frolicking and bestiality.

I'd probably rate it R for the kiddies, though. This is no sweet and tame monster romance, my friends.

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