Why are native Russians talking to each other in English (when in the middle of a heated argument) so others can overhear their secrets? so stupid, so...moreWhy are native Russians talking to each other in English (when in the middle of a heated argument) so others can overhear their secrets? so stupid, so illogical. There are a lot of moments in this book where I can't get past how ESLs don't talk like ESLs. It doesn't make sense to say something in Russian only to say it again in English right after. Perfect English even, an ESL who speaks so well would have long ago stoped adding random da's and nyet's in there.
The Russians are pretty stereotypical too - tea, amber, porcelain, matryoshka, mafia, saying da and horasho a lot... Wow, so complex. Also, Rusakova is a female surname, not male. Took me out of the story every friggin time I read it applied to the boys...
I've started this book a year ago and gave up on it around chapter 9, but with time I though maybe it wasn't so bad after all, I should give it another go and actually finish it. It's not going so great second time around either.
The whole 'I like you but my friend likes you too and I'm self sacrificing' plot was stupid and I find it hard to believe the guy would go along with it too. The mystery was not very mysterious - the author couldn't possibly make it anymore plain what Pietr was. The book dragged and not much happened until the last three or so chapters.(less)
I'm not sure I'll finish this. It's a little slow and the relationship between the heroine and her fiance formed so fast I have no handle on his chara...moreI'm not sure I'll finish this. It's a little slow and the relationship between the heroine and her fiance formed so fast I have no handle on his character. There's not much to keep me interested... I liked that it's set up in France at first but I don't really feel it - dissapointing. It doesn't feel like UF or PNR I'm used to, more chick lit.. I don't know. Giving up, at least for now.(less)
It's really more of a 3.5. I read it right after The Goddess Test and its miles miles better. Both are somewhat based on Hades and Persephone myth (an...moreIt's really more of a 3.5. I read it right after The Goddess Test and its miles miles better. Both are somewhat based on Hades and Persephone myth (and I adore mythology so am usually more likely to be forgiving of such books). Not very closely tied to the mythology, though at least in this case its not so insultingly stupid and far off while pretending to be actually about Greek gods.
The characters are more vivid and compeling in this book. While the heroine was a little weird with her detached way of looking at things and naivete, she was far more interesting. The writing is good and makes you want to keep reading. It certainly doesn't drag. Things are not quite resolved at the end, though it can be read as a stand alone.
The thing that I didn't quite like is, realizing at the end that all these incidents and this backstory that we get glimpses of in the beginning as something big, really only took very little time over all. John and our heroine practically don't know each other. I got the impression, that they had spent more time together than they really did. Still, they had a connection and it was better portrayed than in the Goddess Test (and those two had months!). (less)
Hm, quirky old ladies taking clueless young demon slayer under their wing, very chick lit paranormal. It kind of verges between 'early Stepahie Plum'...moreHm, quirky old ladies taking clueless young demon slayer under their wing, very chick lit paranormal. It kind of verges between 'early Stepahie Plum' charming and forced (only One for the Money is not paranormal but the Plum novellas are Visions of Sugar Plums). There's a lot of 'look at those old people, how silly they are' which sometimes seems funny and sometimes just too much. There's the talking dog - can't help but think about another talking dog, Jim, from You Slay Me. Might get old, fast. So far I'm continuing reading. Long lost crazy grandmother has potential but we'll see.(less)
I really couldn't finish this. Read only three chapters and it was rather bad, imho. I wanted to rewrite every other sentence to make it flow better....moreI really couldn't finish this. Read only three chapters and it was rather bad, imho. I wanted to rewrite every other sentence to make it flow better. Ugh. The general idea isn't bad but it requires some serious editing.(less)
2.5 I didn't really like watching the main character being jerked around by everyone so much. Her mother, grandmother, so called best friend, love int...more2.5 I didn't really like watching the main character being jerked around by everyone so much. Her mother, grandmother, so called best friend, love interest (detective) all want things from her but don't trust her or offer real support. She herself lies and makes things only harder for herself. It's not that pleasant to watch. And it doesn't quite get resolved. She didn't really feel very strong for an amazon. She didn't think things through. (view spoiler)[ She doesn't really solve the mystery, kinda stumbles on it. (hide spoiler)] The romance was pretty weak, with a dose of a love triangle, ugh. I liked the Amazon bit at first but as a group I'd have liked to learn a little more about them - they feel like they're pasted on and not really interacting with the world.(less)
It's more of a 3.5. I suppose I expected something more. Maybe had there not been so much hype around this book I would not have felt this dissapointm...moreIt's more of a 3.5. I suppose I expected something more. Maybe had there not been so much hype around this book I would not have felt this dissapointment. It's hard to describe just what feels off, but there's something in this book that makes it hard for me to get lost in it. Maybe it's because Shadow feels so detached emotionally and so I as a reader don't experience through him strong emotions regarding what's happening. Maybe it's because the side stories jarr me out. Or because the climax doesn't feel very exciting. He certainly juggles well a large number of characters and they're rather colorful, but its hard to get attached to them, somehow. The book has a kind of sleepy feel to it. While I don't think I'd have liked this book better had it concentrated more on the big monotheistic religions it is a little odd how little they are mentioned.(less)
For such a short book not much to keep my interest. I'd expect less time spent on the pov character's inner musings and more trying to get me to like...moreFor such a short book not much to keep my interest. I'd expect less time spent on the pov character's inner musings and more trying to get me to like the characters and get the plot going. So I was somewhat dissapointed. Didn't like the characters or really have much of a feel for them, so didn't much care about the romance. (less)
I've started it ages ago and when the main character had all the bad things pilled on him in quick succesion I had to part ways with this book as I wa...moreI've started it ages ago and when the main character had all the bad things pilled on him in quick succesion I had to part ways with this book as I was in no mood to read anything like that. I got back to it just recently and over all its a good book. I think I liked it more than American Gods, so 4.5. A little lighter, shorter, less meandering, with the main character that I could better relate too.(less)
Full 5 stars. I don't think I have anything bad to say about this book. Really. Can't think of anything. Just finished, and loved it. I want more!
The...moreFull 5 stars. I don't think I have anything bad to say about this book. Really. Can't think of anything. Just finished, and loved it. I want more!
The plot comes along nicely. You don't get overwhelmed with details but smooth your way into this new world slowly. Over time we get to meet more and more characters and things get more complicated. It's well written, keeps a nice pace, every character is pretty distinct and every scene feels like it has a purpose. The creepy scenes were suitably creepy and it in general felt 'full', not like a barely there idea stretched too thin and padded with teen angst but like a pretty epic novel with kick ass protagonist that just brings more and more to the table. Interesting family dynamics, relationships, bleek dystopia, survival, fighting, mysteries, evil plots, creepy science and some mythology (or religion depending how you see it). The writing style is great, the author doesn't need to be wordy to pack an emotional punch in a scene.
(view spoiler)[I loved the buildup of the relationship between Penryn and Raffe. And the realisation of who he is exactly. Also, the fact that he is an agnostic archangel! :D (hide spoiler)](less)
The writing style is not the best, kind of choppy, good at some scenes (like the action ones) but some scenes just don't flow well - dialogue feels ar...moreThe writing style is not the best, kind of choppy, good at some scenes (like the action ones) but some scenes just don't flow well - dialogue feels artificial at times (sometimes it's basically infodump) and the book seems unevenly paced. So far (1/4 in) it feels very derivative - Buffy meets Blood+ is what comes to my mind. The main guy is so far a rather typical YA male lead- smirky, knows best, mysteriously apearing and disapearing, overbearing - boring. Although its not just him, all the characters seem somewhat flat.
ETA: Over all it's not bad (rather poor first half, somewhat better ending), though at times I coulnd't stop comparing it to other media that deals with the chosen one and demons or reapers. There were scenes were the overuse of adverbs especially jarred.
I think the heroine was pretty interesting and I liked how the amnesia bits were dealt with, not too frustrating, not too many flashbacks and they were rather well integrated.
One character that didn't quite work for me was Will. He's just not that convincing or consistent. It can't be easy to write someone a couple centuries old but at times it seemed the author was portraying him more as someone who was removed, separate from this day and age, like an alien coming to our world, rather than someone who's been around for a very long time. The romance doesn't quite work for me either. I can't help but think it's just a result of two people being forced to spend a very long time in each others presence, having only each other. Makes me wonder about all those other guradians that Ellie had before Will. It's not the worst base for a relationship I suppose... Though I do find the power imbalance, in Ellie's favor, an interesting twist for a YA paranormal romance.
I did like the finale, the bits about Ellie. The conflict with her father was interesting but perhaps a little heavy handed, exageratad - I certainly had some wild ideas about it, so over all not a bad thing.
I give it a 3 and hopefuly the next book will be better written - pacing, story structure, overuse of adverbs and clunky dialogue, mostly flat secondary characters. I'll check the next one, since the heroine has promise and the worldbuilding is not bad.(less)
So far, I've finished the story by Ilona Andrews. It's orginal, more scifi than urban fantasy. Quite a lot of worldbuilding. Romance elements feel a b...moreSo far, I've finished the story by Ilona Andrews. It's orginal, more scifi than urban fantasy. Quite a lot of worldbuilding. Romance elements feel a bit more mature, just like the protagonist, a widow with a small child. It's not love at first sight and destined lovers but satysfying none the less. 5/5
I'm a little torn. It's between 2.5 and 3, really. There were good moments and bad moments in this book. Started out OK - interesting world, interesti...moreI'm a little torn. It's between 2.5 and 3, really. There were good moments and bad moments in this book. Started out OK - interesting world, interesting main character but the action didn't truly pick up until much later in the book and the main character was behaving as if she could not control her tongue and had no shred of self-control or self preservation instincts. She knows the guy is dangerous and arrogant and can kill her any second and yet she pushes and taunts. That's stupid. I wanted to stop reading at the point of her shooting the guy. Real smart, Elena. Still, the worldbuilding has promise, the characters were much less annoying near the end and there's hope that it'll continue this way in the next book, right? Hopefully. I'll give it a shot.(less)
Started reading it ages ago but somehow got distracted and forgot about it. Couldn't remember the author and title for the longest time. I rather like...moreStarted reading it ages ago but somehow got distracted and forgot about it. Couldn't remember the author and title for the longest time. I rather liked the book at the time, fluff but enjoyable, so perhaps I'll finish it at some point.
ETA: lost interest halfway in. Far too much romance for me. I don't really like how much emphasis and repetition there is about how beautiful the heroine and the hero are. Halfway in I started skimmng, the plot meandered and the dialogue didn't work much for me. Didn't like the hero and his angsty 'woe I'm not the alpha male in this relationship anymore' bit. But that was near the end and I was already cranky, so...
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