Ricky Pine's Blog, page 138
January 17, 2016
Review: Cruel Crown
Cruel Crown by Victoria AveyardMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I somehow managed to not realize this was a thing until today. Well, not really. I did see a few hints about Cruel Crown floating around the intarwubs, but I didn't really put two and two together and realize it was a compilation of the two Red Queen e-book novellas (so far), with a few bonus features included for good measure.
The two stories couldn't be any more different just because of their protagonists. One is Silver, one is Red....
Review: The Red and the Black
The Red and the Black by StendhalMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
A Wattpad friend introduced me to this old classic of French literature. It's from roughly the time of Les Mis, but is far less expansive in scope as it follows one principal character. It's lined with satire on the sociopolitical climate of the time, particularly where the Church is concerned, and it runs on the assumption that men of the cloth are, by default, hypocritical characters only concerned with looking important and knowle...
January 15, 2016
Review: The Searcher
The Searcher by Simon ToyneMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I went into this one and found it pretty slow to start, not at all like Sanctus. So, for a little while, I thought this one would be a less worthy addition to the Simon Toyne canon. But after all, this is the author of one of the most underrated, "why isn't this a bloody movie yet?" books of the last five years, so I forged ahead. Eventually, the pacing and action did pick up, enough to overcome the book's relatively weak start, so it now...
January 11, 2016
Review: Welcome to Night Vale
Welcome to Night Vale by Joseph FinkMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I've heard tell of the podcast on which this novel is based, often in the same sentence as such cult-classic weird TV shows as Twin Peaks and Gravity Falls. So I knew what to expect when I cracked open this book after finally finding a spare copy at the library. As far as Weird Small Town Paranormal Dramedies go, Gravity Falls is still my favorite, but this book helps make Night Vale a close second on the list of Weirdest Fictiona...
January 9, 2016
Review: Cross Justice
Cross Justice by James PattersonMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Another excellent, un-put-down-able, high-stakes Alex Cross story for the list. While not as harrowing as the Cross My Heart-Hope To Die duology, this story is still just as personal for Cross, because of the involvement of his family and his old hometown in North Carolina. And let's not forget the unexpected revelations regarding his family's history. They're deeply woven into the book, even within the seemingly unrelated side plot i...
January 8, 2016
Review: Soundless
Soundless by Richelle MeadMy rating: 1 of 5 stars
I enjoyed the Vampire Academy 'verse. I was okay with Gameboard of the Gods. I could not, however, get into this book at all. Right away, it's very slow and boring and not at all engaging. It takes a long time for the expected twist - Fei miraculously becoming the only one in her village who can hear - to come, and when it does, it's easy to miss. You would think that that's the sort of thing that would provoke a cliffhanger ending to the c...
Review: The Brothers Cabal
The Brothers Cabal by Jonathan L. HowardMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
And now for something a little different to treat us happy members of the Cabal Cabal - a story largely narrated not by the great necromancer Johannes, but by his slimy, disgustingly vampiric brother, Horst. Most of the time, we get to hear Horst's tale, with Johannes (on his sickbed) interjecting with interludes and footnotes along the way. We're getting a little more Fforde-like with this book, which expertly blends elements...
January 7, 2016
Review: The Wishsong of Shannara
The Wishsong of Shannara by Terry BrooksMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Mr. Brooks' challenge: write a worthy follow-up to The Elfstones of Shannara.
Challenge: met.
The next generation of Ohmsfords produces their best fighter yet - the tough-as-nails Brin, who follows in her father's footsteps and goes on another epic quest to save the world. This time, though, the forces of evil will come this close (picture my thumb and forefinger a millimeter apart) to corrupting her beyond repair, should they h...
January 4, 2016
Review: A Red-Rose Chain
A Red-Rose Chain by Seanan McGuireMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
More Toby Daye tales are always just what the doctor ordered. Her wickedly dry sense of humor is the biggest plus of all, as always. She and Tybalt have excellent chemistry together, chemistry that just begs to be depicted on screen (I'd love to see Emma Stone for Toby and Sebastian Stan for Tybalt.) The side characters are as colorful and fun as ever (just look at the way the Luidaeg can't help but be rude on the phone all the time...
January 2, 2016
Review: Trollhunters
Trollhunters by Daniel KrausMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Given my disappointment with Rotters, I was a little leery upon seeing the name of Daniel Kraus attached to this book. But with the other name attached - that of Guillermo Del Toro - I knew that this book would be much more enjoyable.
Trollhunters was far better than Rotters, that's for sure. It reminded me a lot of the Goosebumps movie, with a bit of Goonies and Super 8 mixed in. It felt simultaneously retro and modern, and filled with al...
