Amanda > Recent Status Updates

This doesn't feel like a YA book, which I'm glad of. The main characters are straight-up vicious to each other. Our heroine is morally a very dark gray so far.

Sigh, it's not spooky anymore. It must've just been that one scene with our heroine creeping around in the crumbling Sicilian catacombs with some malevolent, murderous thing lurking in the dark.

Wow, this is actually kind of spooky. I got creeped out while listening to it at night. That hasn't happened in forever. I literally read The Shining for a second time because I legit feel like it's a cozy winter read. So, well played, Maniscalco. Well played.

Ugh, the MMC recently made a weird and inexplicable decision, and it is now coming to light that it was pivotal and solely for the plot. I'm disappointed at the laziness because, overall, I've been really enjoying the series.

Wait. Is this a mafia book, not a dark academia fantasy? Shit.

I thought the male narrator was doing a French or Belgian accent, and now I am literally laughing out loud because I just realized it is actually the worst fake Scottish accent. And dude is going to use it for the remaining 96% of the book. Maybe I'll play chicken with myself to see how long I can hold off dnf'ing on the justifiable grounds of Insufferable Fake Accents.

The thing that keeps confusing me is that this is based off ancient Rome. The only indications of that so far are: an emperor, slavery, and one mention of our heroine wearing sandals. Maybe it's more loosely inspired?

Girl, I do not trust this Orin dude. Danger, Will Robinson. Danger.

I made the mistake of being on the library waitlist for months, only to realize I needed to refresh my memory of the first book! I ended up quick buying the audiobook version of The Jasad Heir, which adds variety since I read the paperback the first time around. Now I'm listening at an extra clipped speed so that I can finish both it and The Jasad Crown before the due date!

I am a-struggling with this one. It's a bit boring, and the main character (much like Scarlett, the Caraval character she's clearly based on) is an annoying goody-goody. Also, the "twist" has been painfully apparent from nearly the beginning, so I'll be surprised if there IS a surprise. It's hard to DNF it because I bought the audiobook...on sale, but still.

I just started reading Caraval, and I'm now realizing that Phantasma is just a goth Caraval.

So far, so meh.

I cannot express how disappointing this book is. I love Holly Black, but this is a trainwreck. The conflicts are so manufactured to serve the plot that it's exasperating and stupid. I can't imagine this book redeeming itself, but I'll finish it anyway just to see.

I am so disappointed at what a slog this book has been for me. (Honestly, The Stolen Heir wasn't much better.) After reading and becoming obsessed with The Cruel Prince/Folk of the Air trilogy, I'd desperately hoped this duology would at least be in the same league, but alas.

Strongly considering DNF'ing. It's gotten so repetitive.

The lead characters are like linoleum.

This book is worlds more enjoyable than I found Throne of Glass and A Court of Thorns & Roses, which weren't my favorite. This one feels grittier and the characters are more complex and interesting.

Ugh, our heroine is officially a moron.

Oh no. I've been flying through this book, but it just took the absolute stupidest turn. So much so that if it doesn't work it out, I might not bother with the sequel, esp since there's no telling when the series will be finished.

Having some trouble staying with it. It's not that I dislike the book, per se. It's just that I realized there were 4 instead of 3 books in the series, and I lost some steam. I don't know if I trust this storyline to be robust enough to carry me through another 2.5 books.

This currently feels like a bit of a slog. I'm not sure if it's me having trouble sitting still to read a digital book (vs listening to an audiobook while doing other things) OR if the book is actually in a dull spot.

I reallllly hate the way the narrator renders Raina's sign language voice. It's halting and stilted, as if she's recently learned to sign. But her signing should be expressive, smooth, and natural since it's been her primary form of communication for pretty much her whole life.

I literally just said aloud to our heroine, "You're such an idiot."

Our heroine, Elle, is no Elizabeth Bennet, that's for sure. She's annoying me significantly.

It's early days, but I'm a-struggling with the audiobook narrator.

A fantasy retelling of Pride and Prejudice where Darcy is an evil faerie? Count. Me. In.

WHY are there so many character POVs???

"The storyteller is a liar, but the story he tells is true."

The number of 1 and 2 star reviews is scaring me, but I got this book for a few bucks at the used library bookstore, lured by the gorgeous cover. I suppose we shall see how the content lives up to the cover and all the hater reviews...

The narrator's inexplicable accent choices are driving me up a wall. Has he ever in his life heard a French accent???