On the surface, this seems like any other urban fantasy book I've read and loved. But really, it's one of the most unique books I've ever read.
And let me just say, I loved it.
Honestly, it was refreshing to read a book in this genre written by a man with a male main character. That almost never happens! At least, not in the circles I tend to stay in.
Atticus is a fun dude. I love to listen to him talk. He's very formal in his narration (no contractions, even) but he knows how important speech is to fitting into the community (so that his 2000+ years don't arouse suspicion ) and is able to converse in the vernacular. I love it.
Even though Atticus is the main character, he is not my favorite character. My favorite character in the series is his dog Oberon. Yes, you read that right, his dog. As a druid, Atticus has the ability to bind himself to his pet and teach him to talk in his mind. The two converse telepathically. And Oberon is just awesome.
He may actually be my all time favorite character ever.
Even if you don't think you'll like reading about the last remaining druid in a world where all of the gods of all of the pantheons are (or were) real (not to mention werewolves, vampires, and witches)... read it anyway (well truly, I recommend the audiobook). Oberon makes it worth it.(less)
WARNING! IF YOU HAVEN’T READ FEED, YOU MAY NOT WANT TO READ THIS REVIEW.
But really – WHY haven’t you read Feed? Go do it now!
There’s no middle book blues in this book. Deadline is just as good as Feed.
I’ve been trying to find the words to review this without repeating the same gushing from my review of Feed - but I haven’t had much luck.
I love that Georgia’s absence was never felt because of Shaun’s constant internal dialogue with her. I love that his staff never thought less of him because of that dialogue.
The ending – somewhat predictable, but it still left me speechless. BUT WHY DO YOU HATE US MIRA GRANT? Why WHY must you always leave us with these terrible cliffhangers?
This is one of the most spoilery reviews I've ever written. If you have not read this book, PROCEED WITH CAUTION.
What is this I don't even.
Yeah, so that was pretty much reaction last night when I finished. I was left completely speechless by the turn of events. It was one of those books that had me grinning like a goof and then at the end I was making all of these incoherent sounds that were very positive- I swear. Not that anyone who heard me last night would believe me.
Let me first say- I still hate Sabine. A lot. And that makes me happy. And isn't completely shocking, considering how much I hated her in the last one.
But in what is a shocking turn of events, I am now 100% irrevocably Team Tod. And I never thought that would happen. Ever.
In a million years.
But it did. I still don't completely understand it. I can't pinpoint a moment the moment it happened.
Oh wait- yes I can.
"There's a good kind of crazy, Kaylee," he insisted softly, reaching out to wrap his warm hand around mind. "It's the kind that makes you think about things that make your head hurt, because not thinking about them is the coward's way out. The kind that makes you touch people who bruise your soul, just because they need to be touched. This is the kind of crazy that lets you stare out into the darkness and rage at eternity, while it stares back at you, ready to swallow you whole."
...
"I've seen you fight, Kaylee. I've seen you step into that darkness for someone else, then claw your way out, bruised but still standing. You're that kind of crazy, and I live in that darkness. Together, we'd take crazy to a whole new level."
Seriously, where the hell did that come from?
It doesn't matter. I loved it. And quite frankly, the ending was one of my favorite endings ever.
This is, hands down, the best book in the series so far.(less)
This is without a doubt one of my favorite books so far this year (I know, I know – it’s still only January -but it was incredible!). It took me a bit to get into The Goddess Test when I read it last year, but by the end I adored it.
This book completely blows that one out of the water.
I lamented at a lack of character development in the first one – but this book oozed with so much of it that my heart ached. I physically ached while I was reading this book. My emotions ran the full spectrum while in this story – rage, love, sorrow, joy… it’s all there, written beautifully by Aimee Carter.
Carter has taken a well known world of mythology and re-imagined it in a way that remains true to the spirit of the myths while creating a new world that I personally love to visit.
The scenes between Henry and Kate are my favorite, even if they were the most painful to read sometimes. I see so much of my own personality in Kate – the way she thinks, particularly about love – that it’s impossible for me not to connect with her. I do, however, think Aimee Carter is cruel with the way she ended this book.
HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO ME AIMEE?
Talk about a cliffhanger ending! When I realized that was the final sentence of the book, I very nearly shouted in frustration – in public. I need to know what happens next. Aimee told me on Twitter the next book comes out in December, so I have to wait nearly a year to continue the story… but oh it will be worth every second of the wait.
A snippet that made me giggle:
"I didn’t know how that ranked as far as romantic gestures went, but I was pretty sure it was at least as high as getting me a puppy."(less)
Beth Revis is one hell of a writer. I didn’t feel quite as unsettled reading this one, but I think it’s because Eldest is dead. He was the character that fueled most of my frustration in the first one.
This one has no less frustration, but it’s handled differently. There’s no lying to the masses – Elder is truly trying to do his best and be honest with every one. But, as is to be expected, the masses don’t handle it very well. One of my favorite things about these books is the way Revis writes humanity – she really nails it. Some people are good and some people are bad – and crowds always fuel the fire.
One of the twists – toward the end – should have been predictable. I mean, really it should have been. But Revis wrote her characters so well that it ended up completely surprising me.
I loved it! I absolutely can’t wait to read the next one – I’m betting it will be the best one yet.(less)
When I reviewed Wither, I struggled to give it a rating. There was no such struggle this time around. It's not often that a second book is better than the first, but this is one occasion where it absolutely is. It didn't read like a middle book to me. The writing is amazing and the visual imagery had me believing I was actually breathing ash in the air right alongside them.
This was a painful book to read. At every turn something went wrong for Rhine and Gabriel. It caused a physical ache in my chest just hoping that something good would happen (you'll have to read the book to find out if it did).
This one is definitely much darker than the first, but I think it needs to be. Things always get worse before they get better - and I do have hope that things in this world will get better by the end of the series. It's been alluded to several times, but I can't imagine going through all of this - becoming so emotionally invested - for naught. And honestly, despite the dark and cruel nature of the story, it was always laced with hope. That's what kept me going through the book and what has me dying to read the next installment.
Hope. Sometimes that's all that keeps you going.(less)
I am currently having a love/hate relationship with these books because of the emotional reactions I have to them. The writing is absolutely fabulous,...moreI am currently having a love/hate relationship with these books because of the emotional reactions I have to them. The writing is absolutely fabulous, and the story continues to thrill me.
Christian and Ana are the perfect flawed couple. I adore reading about them and the dynamics of their relationship. What I would absolutely love is seeing inside Christian's head instead of only seeing him from Ana's perspective. But I'll take what I can get, and I look forward to the final installment.(less)
I stayed up til 2 am reading this one. Then I dreamed about it. It still lingers with me this morning. James writes the internal monologue of a sub *v...moreI stayed up til 2 am reading this one. Then I dreamed about it. It still lingers with me this morning. James writes the internal monologue of a sub *very* well.
If you have an interest in kink/BDSM, this one will rock your socks right off. If you don't, it will make you develop an interest in kink/BDSM... and then it will rock your socks right off.(less)
I'm going to be honest: I hated this book when I started listening to it. It grated on my nerves and made me cringe.
Then I figured out it was satire and was supposed to (thanks to some nudging from Amanda).
Once I embraced it for what is was... it was epic y'all.
EPIC!
I couldn't get enough of it. Let's not even talk about the story yet- I'm talking about Libba Bray's narration. It was flawless. It was stupendous. It was freaking amazing. Want a taste? Check this out (watch the whole thing, but the audiobook portion starts at 2:20):
[click through to the review on my website to see the video]
How can you not fall in love with that kind of performance?
Story-wise, I absolutely fell in love with all of the characters by the end. Yes, even Taylor. I must admit, I think my favorite parts were Tiara's one-liners at the end of the chapters. Even though at first they thoroughly creeped me out because of her voice.
I really don't have anything bad to say about this one. I'm not sure my opinion would have been quite as favorable if I had read it instead of listening to it, so I'm definitely glad I listened to it. There are footnotes. And commercials. And it's just... epic. Seriously, there's no other word for it.
And really- they need to make it into a movie. Yes, I really think that.
I haven’t had such a visceral reaction to a book like this in ages. From the beginning, my heart jumped into my throat – and stayed there until the end. Usually I have reactions like that to certain scenes or chapters, but not this time – Beth Revis is one HELL of a writer.
I had to stop and put it down a few times today because certain scenes with Eldest were putting me in a bad mood – you should see some of my tweets from this afternoon!
I think, for me, the best part of the novel is the way it makes you think. I always strive for spoiler-free reviews, so this will be difficult to explain well, but basically Revis asks the questions “Why is this person the way he is, but this other person who has lived in very similar conditions is completely different? and “Are lies necessary for the well-being of the masses?”
It’s a delightfully wonderful moral and ethical dilemma that’s presented in this novel – but I think it’s clear on which side Revis firmly stands. Though it’s possible my opinion there will change once I read the sequel – though I have high hopes for the direction it will go.
I did find myself thinking of the movie Wall-E while reading it, but the only similarities are that the ships in both are full of people who don’t know any other way of life.
Again, I have to say – Beth Revis is one hell of a writer, and I can’t wait to pick up the next in the series.(less)
I knew nothing about this book when I went in- other than the blurb that's up there. Nothing. Based on that description, I assumed it must be some sort of Contemporary YA novel that would be a good read.
It was much, much more.
I don't even know how to describe it. My friend Amanda did a pretty good job:
And honestly, that kind of sums it up.
This is one of those books that sucks you in and gets under your skin right away. It kept me guessing, which I always adore when reading a book that has an air of mystery and intrigue about it. I'm still guessing, truth be told. What's real? What isn't? I suspect this book has only begun to scratch the surface of a much larger story- one that I absolutely cannot wait to read.
Will everything we think we know- what Mara thinks she knows- be turned upside down? Somehow, I suspect it will.
And I can't leave without mentioning Noah. Perfect, lickable, amazing Noah. If that's not enough to intrigue you, nothing will.(less)
This was one of the best books I've read all year. It's a story within a story and I was enthralled by both. By the end of the book, I was sitting on...moreThis was one of the best books I've read all year. It's a story within a story and I was enthralled by both. By the end of the book, I was sitting on the edge of my seat, dying to figure out the mystery. I couldn't wait to find out what happened, but I also didn't want it to end. (less)
While this book was a little slow at the beginning, it didn't take long before I was on the edge of my seat trying to figure out what was happening to...moreWhile this book was a little slow at the beginning, it didn't take long before I was on the edge of my seat trying to figure out what was happening to Diana. Deborah Harkness has created a world within our world full of witches, demons, and vampires using a new (to me, at least) and refreshing mythos.
Diana has spent her life as an alchemical historian, avoiding the use of magic and witchcraft since the death of her parents when she was 7. Unbeknownst to her, Diana is suppressing more power than any witch has seen in a very long time. Life as she knows it begins to unravel when she requests an ancient alchemical manuscript from the library. When it comes, she realizes it's bewitched and that all is not what it seems with Ashmole 782. But because she avoids magic, she sends it back when she is done with her ordinary alchemical research. This sparks a chain of events that changes Diana's life - and possibly the world as she knows it.
I didn't realize until closer to the end that this was the first in a series - and I absolutely cannot wait until the sequel arrives.(less)
This was incredible! I've never read any of the graphic novels, so everything I know about Fabletown comes from this book. I loved the story. It was a...moreThis was incredible! I've never read any of the graphic novels, so everything I know about Fabletown comes from this book. I loved the story. It was an inspired retelling of a classic story.
And the narrative performance by Wil Wheaton in the audio book was superb. I'm not sure I would have enjoyed the book quite as much had I read it in print. (less)
Our story opens where countless stories have ended in the last twenty-six years: with an idiot - in this case, my brother Shaun - deciding it would be a good idea to go out and poke a zombie with a stick to see what happens.
But the thing about it is that it's really not a zombie book. There are few actual zombie attacks. The book is about what life is like as society struggles to rebuild.
At first, I had a hard time staying focused. I wasn't really into the book and thought for sure it would be a 2 or 3 star rating.
But then everything changed.
Politics, conspiracy, murder.
I mean really - zombies as murder? That's brilliant!
And the writing is top notch. There's a lot of information to be had - information about the virus and how it started, how it's treated or tested, how to kill zombies... it just goes on and on. But you never feel like you're reading an information dump. It's so skillfully woven into the story that you never even notice how much information is revealed until you're done.
But what really pulled me in happened before the action started. The first third of the book is fairly political - the trio of main characters - Georgia, Shaun, and Buffy - were selected to follow presidential candidate Senator Peter Ryman on the campaign trail as official reporters/bloggers. And Grant's words about the campaign seem to be oh-so-relevant to our current state of affairs, that I couldn't help but read it as a political commentary on our own society.
Governor Tate is a man who cares so much about freedom that he's willing to give it to you at gunpoint. He's a man who cares so deeply about our schools that he supports shutting down public education in favor of vouchers distributed only to schools with with government safety certifications.
Do your research. Do your homework. Learn what this man would do to our country in the name of preserving a brand of freedom that is as destructive as it is impossible to secure. Know your enemy.
That's what freedom really means.
"You said the only way things could've gotten as bad as they did was if people were willing to take the first easy answer they could find and cling to it, rather than doing anything as complicated as actually thinking."
"And you said that was human nature and I should be thankful we're smarter than they are," Shaun said. "And then you hit me."
Our ancestors dreamed of a world without boundaries, while we dream new boundaries to put around our homes, our children, and ourselves. We limit our potential day after day in the name of a safety that we refuse to ever achieve. We took a world that was huge with possibility, and we made it as small as we could.
But never fear - it's not all political in nature. There's lots of action and conspiracy. There are plot twists - oh yes, there are plot twists. Things happen that you would never in a million years have dreamed of happening.
As I asked on Facebook last night, "Ever read a book where the ending just completely rocks your world? Yeah."
So I leave you with that. This book rocked my world.(less)
Gah! Paige! Why are you SO DAMNED STUBBORN?! Your damned ego just keeps getting in your way.
Erm, hi! So yeah... that's what I was thinking about for the entire first half of this book.
The other half was Yay! It's Paige and Lucas! I lurve Paige and Lucas!
With a few moments of oh em gee Savannah, stop being such a brat! But I was thirteen once, so I get it. Really, I do.
Armstrong writes her characters so damn realistically. I love it! This was the first book I ever read by Kelley Armstrong. I didn't realize it wasn't the first book in the series- how that happened, I have no idea. Apparently I neglected to look inside the book jacket to see the series book order. But she weaves the story in such a way that if you missed the first two books, it's okay. There's enough backstory to fill in the details that are necessary, but for the most part it's a brand new story that stands on its own.
That's what makes this series so awesome. It never gets old or boring because the characters are all old friends but the series isn't one endless story arc.
Now, off to read the next one! (I wish... I'll have to wait til next month)(less)
Mandi Kaye
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