Took me a while to finish this, but boy, was this wild ride!
So, what to say without spoilers? The ending was everything I wished for. The final confroTook me a while to finish this, but boy, was this wild ride!
So, what to say without spoilers? The ending was everything I wished for. The final confrontation with Myrin was epic. The happy ending (that's not a spoiler, anyone who thought this was gonna end badly hadn't been reading the same series as I) was epic. Gave me all the happy, wonderful feels, all the stars for that! And Justin will get a spin-off! Fuck yeah!
Now, as to why my rating is so low... I still think this series only needed like 3 books. This last one up until the very end felt like SO MUCH REPETITION, the same jokes, the same phrases, the same things that already happened and were said before. And some of the characters (not naming names, but GARY) were just too much here. That's why it took me a while to finish this, because I was *shock* bored at times. I'm sorry! I didn't hate it, I just wanted to get to the good stuff sooner.
I did love everything with Sam and Ryan, Sam and Randall, and Justin (who was really underused in this one... but again, SPIN-OFF!). It just took a while for things to really get moving. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for all the other crazy shit? I don't know. So yeah, my star rating is more like 2.5 stars, because I skimmed stuff in the middle too much for it to be anything more. In the sea of 5 star reviews my own will be insignificant, but I wanted to leave an honest review, so that's what this is I guess.
Again, I'll always love this series, its characters and its story. It made me laugh more times than I can count and I fell completely in love with this twink wizard and his hot knight. The first book will always be my favorite, though, it was just the perfect mix of serious and hilarious.
Fingers crossed for Justin's story!
Merged review:
Took me a while to finish this, but boy, was this wild ride!
So, what to say without spoilers? The ending was everything I wished for. The final confrontation with Myrin was epic. The happy ending (that's not a spoiler, anyone who thought this was gonna end badly hadn't been reading the same series as I) was epic. Gave me all the happy, wonderful feels, all the stars for that! And Justin will get a spin-off! Fuck yeah!
Now, as to why my rating is so low... I still think this series only needed like 3 books. This last one up until the very end felt like SO MUCH REPETITION, the same jokes, the same phrases, the same things that already happened and were said before. And some of the characters (not naming names, but GARY) were just too much here. That's why it took me a while to finish this, because I was *shock* bored at times. I'm sorry! I didn't hate it, I just wanted to get to the good stuff sooner.
I did love everything with Sam and Ryan, Sam and Randall, and Justin (who was really underused in this one... but again, SPIN-OFF!). It just took a while for things to really get moving. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for all the other crazy shit? I don't know. So yeah, my star rating is more like 2.5 stars, because I skimmed stuff in the middle too much for it to be anything more. In the sea of 5 star reviews my own will be insignificant, but I wanted to leave an honest review, so that's what this is I guess.
Again, I'll always love this series, its characters and its story. It made me laugh more times than I can count and I fell completely in love with this twink wizard and his hot knight. The first book will always be my favorite, though, it was just the perfect mix of serious and hilarious.
I've been hesitating between 3.5 and 4 stars for this one, but I enjoyed it too much overall, to give it a lower rating.
I really liked the MCs, both oI've been hesitating between 3.5 and 4 stars for this one, but I enjoyed it too much overall, to give it a lower rating.
I really liked the MCs, both of them had very distinct personalities and I liked seeing them grow closer and closer to each other. There was the obvious physical attraction, but they also started to respect each other as time went on, which is always nice to see.
The sex was super hot. Yeah.
Moving on :)
I enjoyed the worldbuilding, but I fear there was less time put into that aspect of the story than it really should have been. There were a lot of questions that made me scratch my head and I was hoping for more information (Ergh's supposed isolation from the rest of the world, the politics between kingdoms, the religion, the disease etc.). But since this was fundamentally a romance novel, I guess I shouldn't look too much into it.
Now, my hesitation on my rating was because of one thing: there was sooooooo much inner monologue, thinking and overthinking things said and done, that I sometimes found my eyes crossing. There were important thoughts there, but I didn't need to know every single thing that went through the MC's head. It dragged down the pace of the book sometimes and made me forget the thing that was actually happening between thoughts.
I am extremely happy that the sequel is in my hands right now, because this one ends on a massive not-happy ending. Me not likey :(...more
I really enjoyed this installment. The banter and humor are still the best things ever, but that's a given with this author.
I actually loved4.5 stars!
I really enjoyed this installment. The banter and humor are still the best things ever, but that's a given with this author.
I actually loved the mystery parts, I was never lost like I usually am with mysteries the first time around. Loved how everything connected in the end. And let's throw in Kane's character as well, who was just so despicable and horrible, I can't wait to see more of him in the future.
The relationship between Rain and Danny definitely reached a new stage and I adored everything about them. And that ending, all of it... heart in my throat, seriously.
Can't wait for the next book in the series! ...more
(Okay, but let's talk about how that surprise chapter at the end was just pure EVIL???)
Despite my lower rating, I quite enjoyed this book. There was a(Okay, but let's talk about how that surprise chapter at the end was just pure EVIL???)
Despite my lower rating, I quite enjoyed this book. There was all the Klune-ness I expect from the author, all the emotional highs and lows, the hilarious lines and quirky characters. I liked all the characters, but Seth has to be my favorite; he is just so adorable, I can't even deal with him (It also helps that I pictured him as Blaine from Glee, with his bow-ties and loafers and crazy hair:)
Why the lower rating, though? Firstly, this book suffered from the same problem I often have with this author: it got repetitive and super drawn-out for no reason. I like a good a-ha! moment just as much as the next person, but every revelation, every tiny detail was discussed to death by all the characters, complete conversations repeated over and over again...
Pair that with how totally clueless Nick was for 75% of the book - like, really, really clueless, about everything, to the point that it simply got unbelievable and decidedly not adorable as the characters made it seem - and it kinda made me want to tear my hair out, ngl.
So I'm torn. I would have loved to give this one a perfect score, because I genuinely loved parts of it, but I can't lie and say that I enjoyed every single moment about it or that I haven't been skimming some parts near the end, just to get to the conclusion a bit faster.
I have tentative hopes for the sequels, I'll definitely give them a try and hope for the best....more
I was very much looking forward to Gordo and Mark’s story and I was not disappointed. Gordo was my favorite character from the first book and I was inI was very much looking forward to Gordo and Mark’s story and I was not disappointed. Gordo was my favorite character from the first book and I was intrigued by his and Mark’s backstory from the moment the idea was introduced in Wolfsong.
It was also great to see Joe, his brothers and Gordo on their three year little mission and we got to know more about Gordo’s past, that’s a big plus. It was also nice to see Carter and Kelly getting a little more screentime, so to say, as individuals and not just as Joe’s interchangeable brothers; it actually got me interested in their stories now.
I loved the magic system, how Gordo got his magic from the earth around him, the importance of his tattoos, his abilities. It was simple, but effective and as someone who is not the biggest of fan of full-blown fantasies, this was a great thing for me. He was ridiculously powerful if you stop and really think about it (the first thing that comes to mind is the stunt he pulled with the old witch and how he just healed people relatively easily), but I loved every second of it, I think it worked really well for this story.
This whole infection thing was intriguing. I was already interested in this Omegas are feral creatures narrative, which I’ve never read about before, and adding this infection spin to the story was a stroke of genius.
The bad guys are… horrible, nothing redeemable about them. That’s not bad, it’s just kind of frustrating for me, that everyone is either a good guy or a despicable piece of shit, there’s no in-between. It makes it easier to root for our characters, sure, but it also means that every time a bad guy appears, I groan out loud at their declarations of evil. Personal problem, I know.
I think the writing got more focused, and was less meandering, which was my main problem with the first novel. So there was a little less repetition (hurray!) but also a little less levity and fun (i don’t know!), everything seemed so dire and depressing at times, it was starting to really affect me… not in a good way. Also, this book was mostly about Gordo, and not as much about Mark. I didn’t feel like I’ve come to know him that much better: they had a wonderfully complex – and long – relationship, but I didn’t feel particularly close to Mark, or at least not as much as to Gordo.
I’m gonna stop rambling. Reading back, it seems like I didn’t enjoy this book, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth: the writing was amazing, the characters were memorable, their interactions were sometimes laugh-out-loud funny, sometimes heartbreakingly serious. The lore is wonderful and I’m really looking forward to the next books. ...more
In spite of my lower rating, I enjoyed this book, very much so. It was emotional, heartfelt, and left me with a great sense of love and belonging. TheIn spite of my lower rating, I enjoyed this book, very much so. It was emotional, heartfelt, and left me with a great sense of love and belonging. There were some absolutely hilarious bits I really didn't expect, while some were incredibly dark or depressing as fuck. Our characters were fleshed out and I'm absolutely here for the next books (especially Mark's and Gordo's! there's so much potential there), because I liked them all so much.
I love T.J. Klune's writing style, but I almost always feel like he needs a stricter editor, because his books tend to get repetitive to the point I actually - unintentionally - start skimming them after a while and have to force myself to stay with the narrative. He wrote some of my favorite books (Tell Me It's Real and The House in the Cerulean Sea) and in those books these elements are also present, but it seems like someone took the time and cleared out some of the unnecessary repetition. Here, well, not so much. It didn't bother me that much, but it definitely made me lower my rating to just "i liked it". There were some incredible scenes and characters and feelings in here, but sometimes they got lost in all that repetition. It got to a point that when Ox and Joe finally got together, I was mostly over them, really. Oh, no, not their bond, or the characters themselves per se, just... you know. Sex scene, yay. Next.
The ratings for this book are sky-high, so it's obvious it's me and not the book, so take my rating and review as you wish. ...more
Took me a while to finish this the second time around, but it definitely wasn't the book's fault; I'm having the worst reading slump ever, and Reread!
Took me a while to finish this the second time around, but it definitely wasn't the book's fault; I'm having the worst reading slump ever, and I'm trying to get out of it by reading my favorites again.
In my opinion, this book is one of the best T.J. Klune has ever written. I love most of his books, don't get me wrong, but I have to admit that he tends to lean towards "too much" at times. It's his style, I guess, but... well, it sometimes gets too much for me as well: too much humor, too many awkward scenes, too many words, to put it simply.
This book has his usual charm, humor and love, but it never overstays its welcome. The writing is beautiful and wordy, but doesn't go off on tangents all the time, doesn't have that much repetition (which is almost always my main problem with the author's other works). The characters are lively and unique, but never feel overwritten and forced. Everything is well thought-out and connects wonderfully together. The love between the children and Arthur, and then between all of them and Linus is just perfect.
And don't even get me started on Arthur and Linus... there's not much romance on page, but their respect and then love for each other shines through every single conversation or simple touch that passes between them.
Can't recommend this enough.
***
This book was a breath of fresh air in these turbulent times, and I'm absolutely in love with it.
I adored all the characters, every last one of them was a treasure. Yes, the kids came off a bit too mature at times, but it was also explained well, given their uniqueness.
There was just the right amount of humor and the serious bits were never blown out of proportion. There was no unnecessary drama; there were secrets, of course, but everything was handled so well, I was never mad at anyone for not being completely honest at all times.
Also Linus' life and thoughts were almost frighteningly similar to mine, and that line in the beginning, that said that sometimes good people never found love, even though they had so much to give themselves... needless to say, I was sold on the story from that moment on.
There was very little romance in this, but what little there was, was precious and honest and made me smile so hard I thought I was going to melt.
God, I needed a book like this. It was just so special, hopeful and heartwarming, I can't recommend it enough....more
First of all, I didn't even know there was a sequel in the works for one of my favorite books! It took me all of five seconds to get my hands on it.
I First of all, I didn't even know there was a sequel in the works for one of my favorite books! It took me all of five seconds to get my hands on it.
I have to say, I didn't love this as much as the first book: there was just so much meandering plotwise, I kind of got a bit bored in places. There were some definite high points: the scene on the bridge and on the roof were fucking amazing and nail-bitingly tense, but other times I felt a little disconnected from the main mystery.
I loved how cozy Rain and Danny had gotten since the end of the last book, there was no unnecessary drama between them, even if they weren't ready at the start to acknowledge where their relationship was heading. I loved Dakota's character, I hope we get something from his POV next, it certainly seemed like the author was open to that!
I felt like there wasn't enough time spent on our MCs, and the mystery was kind of predictable, so I wasn't entirely sold on the story as a whole. I still enjoyed it nonetheless, and I'm glad I've got another chance to be with Rain and Danny!
As with every short story collection, there were some hits and some misses for me, but overall, I liked this book very much. There was a great varietyAs with every short story collection, there were some hits and some misses for me, but overall, I liked this book very much. There was a great variety of styles and themes, horror and paranormal elements. Some stories were disturbing as fuck, while others were sort of funny and weird.
A few hellish weeks at work, an imminent prospect of losing my job through no fault of my own, simply because someone higher up decided that the partiA few hellish weeks at work, an imminent prospect of losing my job through no fault of my own, simply because someone higher up decided that the particular thing I had been doing for the past 5 years was no longer needed… and I was desperately craving something nostalgic. So here I am. *shrugs*
Let me get this straight: I love the Harry Potter series. The OG 7 books of course, none of this screenplay bullshit or the other add-ons by Rowling that have absolutely no basis in the original novels.
So with that done: I loved HP fanfics even more. I loved how people took this world and made it their own, took the characters and put them in new situations, paired them up every which way. And my personal favorites were the ones about the Marauders. I absolutely loved their friendship and, yes, I was the biggest fan of the R/S pairing. I read so many of them, sometimes it was difficult to distinguish between what was canon and what was just a very well thought-out fanfic.
Then I discovered The Shoebox Project and the rest is history. I read it countless times back then, I even printed out the individual chapters and had them bound chapter by chapter, with notes! (lost them along the way somewhere, though, sadly).
I don’t know what made me think about this series now, maybe it was just pure nostalgia, but I felt a strong urge to reread this book and I thankfully found a Kindle version floating around somewhere on the internet.
Maybe I remembered wrong and it’s not as good as I originally thought?
WELP. NOPE, IT’S STILL THE BEST THING EVER.
Ok, yes, there are some minor things I’d probably gripe about if I wasn’t so biased (like the constant POV changes between paragraphs in the very beginning, thankfully absent in later chapters) but the overall story, the carefully crafted characters, the laugh-out-loud funny moments, the heartbreakingly sad ones and the OMGICANTDEALWITHTHEM moments… just everything I ever wanted from my Marauders fanfics.
I remember thinking back then that it was a such a shame that it never got a proper ending, but reading it now, I realize I was stupid. It ended in the perfect place, because we are (sadly) well aware of what happens after chapter 26. Still, I always wanted more, I guess.
As I said, I needed something nostalgic and fun and heartfelt and this story will forever cheer me up and make me smile, even in the darkest times....more
I still loved the writing, the world-building, but this installment was just not working for me.
I don't exaDNF at 60%. I just couldn't do it anymore.
I still loved the writing, the world-building, but this installment was just not working for me.
I don't exactly love MPREG in general, but Leta Blake sold it for me in her previous books. In moderation, it would have been alright here, too. Now, this book was almost entirely about MPREG, in great detail, mind you. I liked some of the themes and ideas in the beginning of the book, don't get me wrong, but I was here for the romance, which was pushed aside in favor of more descriptions of omega pregnancies, failed abortions, hormones and general angst.
What Kerry went through was horrible and I definitely understood why he was cautious with Janus, but his hot and cold treatment went on for so long, that by the time they somewhat got over that, I wasn't buying their connection. Janus (whose complete 180 from his character in Alpha Heat was actually explained nicely, by the way) lost all his carefully built-up character once they finally had sex for the first time.
So it's definitely me and not the book, and if you are a fan of MPREG you'll probably love this....more
The first book was fun and a fast read, although with very little character development, but still enjoyable.
This one was just messy: the author triedThe first book was fun and a fast read, although with very little character development, but still enjoyable.
This one was just messy: the author tried some character development with Edmund, but given the shortness of the novel, it didn't really come through. It introduced some character traits, but they didn't really go anywhere. Edmund was liked by everyone, but for the life of me, I couldn't figure out what was so special about him. Andrew's personality was reduced to his obsession with Edmund, which just wasn't doing it for me. The sex was just meh, and the lack of lubrication made me wince every time.
I don't think I'll be continuing on with this series....more
Well... this was fucked right up. Feels like I'm never going to sleep again.
So, yeah. Loved the beginning, but I felt like the middle dragged too muchWell... this was fucked right up. Feels like I'm never going to sleep again.
So, yeah. Loved the beginning, but I felt like the middle dragged too much, and by the end the story got a bit too much for me. Too much gore, too much fucked-up shit, I felt myself getting more and more anxious; that's what you get for reading horror novels at night, I guess.
But. The story as a whole was amazingly crafted, the writing was engaging and the characters were complex and easy to connect to, even when they weren't particularly likeable.
Christmas is cancelled for a while, that's for sure.
This one started out a bit shaky and messy, and I wasn't entirely sold on the MCs romance at first, mainly because they were still just teenagers whenThis one started out a bit shaky and messy, and I wasn't entirely sold on the MCs romance at first, mainly because they were still just teenagers when the story began.
But there was a (view spoiler)[3 year time jump (hide spoiler)] near the middle and after that it became really enjoyable. Andrei's and Mihail's personalities got more distinct (in the beginning I was not able to differentiate between them without first glancing at the chapter titles), some of the messed-up shit that happened in the beginning made more sense. I liked the twists and turns near the end as well, though the very end was a bit of a clusterfuck, too many things happening all at once.
A solid series, with great writing and world-building, interesting characters, hot-as-balls sex scenes and some really funny lines. If you like shifter stories (without MPREG - which I'm very particular about and not exactly fond of) you should give this one a chance!...more
I didn't love this one as much as the first one, but it was still a great read.
The plot didn't really start until the 40 percent mark and there was juI didn't love this one as much as the first one, but it was still a great read.
The plot didn't really start until the 40 percent mark and there was just way too much internal monologuing before that. The first half dragged and meandered because of it and I found that it couldn't hold my attention at times.
I loved that we got to see the characters from the first book as well, although Nicolae was intensely unlikeable in this one - at least until the very end. The MCs in this one were equally matched here, both of them carrying way too much damage between them. I wasn't entirely sold on their romance at first, which is a shame. By the end I could see the spark, but I would have liked more of a connection between them in the beginning as well. Instead we were told that they were best friends, but they came off more like coworkers at an office. There was just something off about their interactions, but after the main conflict of the book, that changed for the better in my opinion.
So yeah. The writing was still great and I was not disappointed in the slightest in the ending. It might just be that this pairing didn't click with me as much as Nicolae and Jack had in the first book. ...more
I kinda loved this? I really didn't expect to, normally shifter stories have to be a very specific kind to get me interested, but this book hit all thI kinda loved this? I really didn't expect to, normally shifter stories have to be a very specific kind to get me interested, but this book hit all the right notes for me.
I don't even know. There were a few plot-holes and some rushed exposition, but overall I really enjoyed this book. The writing was fantastic, the characters were interesting and there was just the right amount of angst without it turning into melodrama. The sex scenes were scorching hot, so yeah.
I loved Jack's character, his sarcasm and strenght. Nicolae was a tougher cookie to like at first, but by the end of the book I totally believed in their love - and not just their instant attraction to each other - and that ending made me all kinds of happy.
The world the author created is rich and full of sequel potential, and I'm a happy camper!
Finally I found a new author I like, I was dangerously low on new books to read....more
I watched the TV show before I started this, and I was super pumped for this book, let me tell you! In the end I liked both of them for very differentI watched the TV show before I started this, and I was super pumped for this book, let me tell you! In the end I liked both of them for very different reasons. I thought that the TV show relied more heavily on character drama (which I freaking loved, like, how do you deal with that much man-pain?) and while the book definitely had those, it rang more detached at times somehow? I don't know, maybe it's just the difference between mediums. Let's not dwell on that any longer.
Not gonna lie, 1000 pages of a book (any book) is daunting for me, to say the least, especially since I have the weird habit of losing interest in books if I have to stop reading them for a while. And I certainly couldn't have read this one in one sitting. That said, I had no problems getting back into the story again and again, so it must have done something right. The story was a biiiiiiit of a slog at times, yes, and if I didn't have the TV show to rely on for names and faces, I certainly would have been more lost, but a little help from that went a long way here.
I think what sold me on this book was the atmosphere, which was especially bleak and depressing at times, and the author captured that extremely well. You can throw monsters at me all you like, but if you can't create the fear and menace of it, I'm not going to care. Here the monster (or the monster's constant presence) was always in the background making the already terrifying story even more scary. The unfolding character dramas - while not as impactful for me as in the show - were always moving and harrowing. But the most important things: the descriptions of the insane cold, the sickness, and the stubborn survival of the crew against all odds (well, for a while at least) were absolutely the best things about this book.
Now, I would have liked Hickey's character to be a little less... evil incarnate? I don't know. He was just evil for the sake of being evil, with no motivation for it really. I don't think his character, or more precisely his character being evil, was needed amidst the constant terror of things happening around the men. I certainly didn't like the fact that he was an evil, gay man, like a freaking Bond villain. He didn't work for me in the show either, so there's that.
I don't want this review to turn out to be a comparison piece about book and show, so I'm not going to start listing things I liked better here or there (I've already sort of done that, but whatever). Let's just say, that the two things are very different beasts and this book was definitely an experience.
I need something light and fluffy after all that, that's for sure. ...more
It actually pains me, because I HATE not finishing a series, but I just can't deal with all this unnecessNope, I can't do this any longer. DNF at 60%.
It actually pains me, because I HATE not finishing a series, but I just can't deal with all this unnecessary angst and drama that's not going anywhere. Ellis and Jon should be stronger together now more than ever, but instead all they do is fight and doubt and don't communicate and that's really sad because the first book was devoid of all of that nonsense.
I didn't mind the horror elements, I was actually kind of excited to finally see The Big and Terrible, but guess what, that plot point also went to shit when Jon started keeping secrets from Ellis and once Ellis found this out, all hell broke loose again and the melodrama began anew. They can say 'I love you' as many times as they like, if the author can't convince me of that, it's all for nothing.
I'm really disappointed now, feels like I wasted four days reading a series that left me dissatisfied and frustrated- and after it began so well as well! I still think the first book was great, but I wouldn't revisit it now, seeing how quickly things turned for the worse......more
Rynn Yumako
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