Ricky Pine's Blog, page 125
June 24, 2016
Review: Redemption
Redemption by Debra DrizaMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I forgot how long it had been since I read the first two books in this trilogy - in pretty quick succession, too, if I remember correctly. Because of that long gap, it took me a while to get up to speed when starting this third and final book, and as a result, I found it a little hard to keep focused on the first half of the book or so. But then the second half, when Mila and company make their way to an elite boarding school linked to the c...
June 23, 2016
Review: Before the Fall
Before the Fall by Noah HawleyMy rating: 1 of 5 stars
If you went into this book thinking that just because it comes from the creator and head writer of Fargo, it would be something in the same mold...you'd be dead wrong.
That's probably my biggest disappointment, the fact that Before The Fall lacks the larger-than-life, philosophically waxy, creepy delights of the FX anthology series - or the classic 1996 film it's based on. In its place, Hawley instead serves up a platter full of loathsom...
June 22, 2016
Review: The Crystal Bridge
The Crystal Bridge by Charlie PulsipherMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book is two high-stakes adventures in one - the first, a YA fantasy involving a pair of teenagers and their space-time-continuum-breaking egg-shaped device, with which they find their way to an alternate world full of elves who don't call themselves elves, and the second, a techno-thriller where one man works on a computer so powerful it starts to develop a mind of its own.
In other words, it's the logical offspring of Warc...
June 21, 2016
Review: Ruined
Ruined by Amy TinteraMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I thought Tintera did a great job with her sci-fi dystopian debut, the Reboot duology - especially given its always-fascinating use of the undead. This book shifts into fantasy and yet stays a little more grounded in reality, because even though there are characters with powers, they're mostly supporting characters, while the book itself deals largely in inter-kingdom intrigue and one of the main characters disguising herself as the crown prince...
June 20, 2016
Review: End of Watch
End of Watch by Stephen KingMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
The first book in this trilogy, being a straight-up crime thriller, was quite outside of King's comfort zone. In retrospect, it kinda showed in the tangled mess that was that book's storyline.
Finders Keepers had a more streamlined story, and I found that book a massive improvement because I connected so much better with it. Especially with the character of Pete Saubers.
For End of Watch, the paranormal hints at the end of the second book c...
June 18, 2016
Review: Dreams of Gods & Monsters
Dreams of Gods & Monsters by Laini TaylorMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a brick. This was a giant apocalyptic golden brick.
It took me a long time to read it, because I had to be sure to appreciate it all.
Sometimes, I had trouble remembering where everyone was, because so many plot threads were flying at once in the face of the dreaded Arrival.
But hey, more Karou and Akiva? More Zuzana and Mik? And Eliza...oh, Eliza. I always have a bit of a soft spot for people raised in freaky doomsday...
June 15, 2016
Review: Days of Blood & Starlight
Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini TaylorMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I'm so glad I re-read Daughter of Smoke & Bone, because I loved that one enough that I'm now happily blazing through its sequels back to back. One thousand pages and then some. My next review after this one will be for Book 3, but for now, let's focus on Book 2.
First off, maybe it's just me and my liking for the color red, but this has my favorite cover in the trilogy.
Second off, it's great that we get to split the story...
June 12, 2016
Review: Soldier
Soldier by Julie KagawaMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Julie Kagawa is dangerously good at what she does, blending fantasy and sci-fi like few other writers whose name isn't Marissa Meyer. As the Talon Saga reaches its midpoint (third of five planned books), the frenzy of action and intrigue and international conspiracies builds up to new heights. More than ever, we see the evils of both sides in this war, with Talon selling out their kind to the Order of St. George as they, like so many other so-...
June 10, 2016
Review: Dark Energy
Dark Energy by Robison WellsMy rating: 2 of 5 stars
Robison Wells (and Dan Wells too) have always been relatively hit-or-miss for me. This one, I'm sorry to say, is more of a miss. The story spends most of its time moving as slow as molasses - which is exactly what you don't want in a book this short. In other words, it's like a bad episode of The X Files. The use of Native American culture and traditions as part of the whole alien backstory is welcome, though, because it calls up some bet...
Review: Queen of Hearts
Queen of Hearts by Colleen OakesMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Just as I started reading this book, I noticed that its GR average rating looked a little low, so I was worried that as far as Alice in Wonderland retellings go, this would be a little less on the Splintered end of the quality scale, and more on the After Alice or Alice in Zombieland end.
Nope. It's definitely more on the Splintered end - and, dare I say, even better than Splintered, or at least the first two books in that trilogy (I t...
