Showing posts with label 2 Stars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2 Stars. Show all posts
Friday, January 18, 2013
Pages: 288
Felicia Ward is dead. Trapped in a stark white afterlife limbo, she spends endless days replaying memories, of her family, friends, boyfriend ... and of the guy who broke her heart. The guy who has just broken into Level 2 to find her.
Felicia learns that a rebellion is brewing, and it seems she is the key. Suspended between heaven and earth, she must make a choice. Between two worlds, two lives and two loves.
Subject A: Felicia Ward, dead girl extraordinaire. I honestly don't know where to begin for talking about her. I mean I connected, but not in a strong way. The kind that makes you cry or never ever in the world stop reading for one second. See, she relives lots of her life memories in the book, and that's where her back story comes from. To tell you all the truth, she was much more interesting in those than in the present time of the story. Heck, even though she was so messed up in her past life, I liked her better than! I don't know what it was in the present, but I couldn't feel her. She was kinda like a flat, Milk Dud. Well, okay, more like a Flat Stanley. Just....do you get what I mean? It felt like all this character development was delayed, even in the memories, until closer to the end when you finally learn things. Ah well. Alas and Alack.
Subject B: Romantic Interactions, that boy you love, versus, the boy who messed you up. Now let's see here. Julian vs. Neil. It's quite obvious that Neil is HOT. Even in the memories. Suh-Woon! I really did like him. He made up for lots of things. But Julian, is SO CONFUSING, I can't say why or anything, but it was a kinda weird relationship. Both in the Then, and the Now aspects. For one thing, since you know that she is still in love with Neil, and wants only him, you wonder why he's even there as a potential love interest. Because he is. It's like a triangle, but it's not. Weird and weirder.
Subject C: The Morati, the "good" angels that watch over Level 2. Hmm....They were okay. But what I couldn't get with them, was the fact that we HEAR so much about them, but don't learn THAT MUCH. And we never even see them till the last twenty pages or so. NO! Just NO! There were threats, to be sure, and like one teeny-tiny instance of running into each other, but then that's it till the end again. I don't think they were that great of bad guys, since they're so mysterious. They didn't feel super bad....I dunno. It's all weird in this book. Blame my want to question things.
Subject D: The Art of Storytelling, written in the present tense. Eh. It was okay. I mean I liked it, but some parts were just AWKWARD. I'm not saying it was terrible. It was fine for the most of it, I read it fine, and enjoyed it. Haha. But some of it was found lacking in my book. That's really all I have to say on that matter.
Subject E: The Plot, the who, the why, the where and the what. Okay, one of the problems I did have was that it felt like half the book was them running around! Haha. Nothing HAPPENS till the end, at which point it flashes by faster than you can say Level 2, and the end comes crashing in like a Tidal wave, in like twenty pages, and then BOOOM. It is over.
So yeah, I had some issues with this book. Or maybe I put that too mildly. But I mean, I talk so much about what I didn't like I never highlight the good. Despite the problems with this book, it's one thrilling ride through the afterlife. Something I'm interested to see expounding on in the sequel, Level 3.
Content: Milderate
(Some mild language throughout. A couple takes naps together. A girl is briefly naked in front of a guy. Passionate kisses.)
2 Stars
Saturday, January 5, 2013
by Maureen Lipinski
Releasing: Jan. 8, 2013 by Flux
Pages: 240
Sweet Sixteen = You're a Queen. Despite living with a shaman, a witch, and a muse for sisters, Rhea Spencer feels like a normal teenager-even if she is the reincarnation of Cleopatra. But all that changes on Rhea's sixteenth birthday, when her visions of the Egyptian queen start unraveling a very different version of history, and Declan, a hot representative of the secret Order of Antony, shows up on the doorstep to keep her from being kidnapped. Together, Rhea and Declan travel to Egypt to stop the Octavians, a dark cabal trying to tap into Rhea's growing powers. The cabal seeks to access the magic deep below the desert sands, a potentially devastating force that only Rhea can protect.Inky's Blurbings:
Excuse me in
advance for the mild sarcasm. I had some problems with this book. I
mean when I first got it and looked at the page count, my normal
doubts crept in. It's like 230 pages. I'm not normally very sure
about those because you never know how well it's going to be pulled
off in such a quick amount of time. In all aspects. And sadly, this book didn't exactly prove me
wrong. It was interesting enough to begin with, but then I had all
these question pop up and the book didn't answer them very well.
After a while I just...lost interest. But I shall compile my thoughts
for a decent review.
Honestly? I didn't really dig the characters that much. I couldn't connect to Rhea and her family was all distant! They were just talking about being psychic and having magic as if it was totally normal. And she was all like fine with knowing she was a reincarnation! Just the REACTIONS were so weird. It was very confuzzling. But beyond that, Rhea just wasn't the strong. She was a rash decision make and very contradictory. It was the whole situation of: I KNOW I SHOULD PROTECT MYSELF, BUT I'M TO SELFISH TO DO THAT. GIVE ME SCARY PROOF THAT I SHOULD AND THEN I WILL. No. Just no. That doesn't work! It's cliche and idiotic! I mean it takes her way longer to do what she needed to do and then do it. Shut up already. Out of all the characters, her older sister Morgana was the best. Though I might give Declan some hot points.
I love books that can give me a geeky moment. Doesn't matter what it is, but sometimes there's just something so little it makes me smile or squeal. In this case it was the fact that there was a character named Hannah. BOOOO-YAH. Points to Maureen for that. And the fact that Hannah is Declan's girlfriend...more points! I mean Declan, though not the love interest, is kinda HAWT.
Ah the world. Weirdness and Confusion Incorporated. To be honest I felt like I was thrust into this "Let's See How Many Worlds We Can Have In One Jamboree", I mean what the HECK?! There were the Creaturs. In their own little Dark world, yes still existing on earth. And for the record, what a UNIQUE name. I would never have thought to make my supernatural being a CREATURE. Then there's Rhea, a freaking re-incarnation, and then there is the whole deal with having Psychics, Shamans, Witches and Muses all in one family. Um, what is going on here? This is not some TV show cross-over is it? Then there is the fact that we don't even learn that much about these other realms so it feels even more jumbled and thrown together. There aren't many happy prospects here are there?
Oh and did I mention there's like five kinds of magic to go along with that? Plus like two Orders that we know nearly nothing about. And then there is the fact that she has dreams of herself as Cleopatra. But what are they? RANDOMLY INTERSPERSED. They don't connect to the plot as well as I liked and it felt like they were thrown in just too make up for stuff. Or I dunno. Like when she cut a scene short, ooh time for another cool Cleopatra scene with random rituals. So I will conclude that it felt like we were jumping into this world that was half-done or already established.
And then you know what I realized? This book is a sequel. DUH. It's about the sister of the girl in book one. DUH. No wonder it makes no sense why there are like five bajillion worlds combined. How lame can you get for not realizing that kind of thing? So I would Highly suggest you read the first book before reading this one. It will make SO MUCH more sense.
Honestly? I didn't really dig the characters that much. I couldn't connect to Rhea and her family was all distant! They were just talking about being psychic and having magic as if it was totally normal. And she was all like fine with knowing she was a reincarnation! Just the REACTIONS were so weird. It was very confuzzling. But beyond that, Rhea just wasn't the strong. She was a rash decision make and very contradictory. It was the whole situation of: I KNOW I SHOULD PROTECT MYSELF, BUT I'M TO SELFISH TO DO THAT. GIVE ME SCARY PROOF THAT I SHOULD AND THEN I WILL. No. Just no. That doesn't work! It's cliche and idiotic! I mean it takes her way longer to do what she needed to do and then do it. Shut up already. Out of all the characters, her older sister Morgana was the best. Though I might give Declan some hot points.
I love books that can give me a geeky moment. Doesn't matter what it is, but sometimes there's just something so little it makes me smile or squeal. In this case it was the fact that there was a character named Hannah. BOOOO-YAH. Points to Maureen for that. And the fact that Hannah is Declan's girlfriend...more points! I mean Declan, though not the love interest, is kinda HAWT.
Speaking of girlfriends and boyfriends (which we are now), the romance in this book was weird. They were already GF and BF and there was no real relationship. It was hard to see how she even LIKED him. And there was all this drama that gave a little more insight in, but it felt cheesy, and a bit cliched and hypocritical. And then on the side we have Declan, who, though you KNOW he has a GF already (um, that would be me.), seemed to be a hidden person in a love triangle. I mean it wasn't a love triangle, BUT IT WASN'T! Does that make sense at all? It didn't to me either.
Oh and did I mention there's like five kinds of magic to go along with that? Plus like two Orders that we know nearly nothing about. And then there is the fact that she has dreams of herself as Cleopatra. But what are they? RANDOMLY INTERSPERSED. They don't connect to the plot as well as I liked and it felt like they were thrown in just too make up for stuff. Or I dunno. Like when she cut a scene short, ooh time for another cool Cleopatra scene with random rituals. So I will conclude that it felt like we were jumping into this world that was half-done or already established.
And then you know what I realized? This book is a sequel. DUH. It's about the sister of the girl in book one. DUH. No wonder it makes no sense why there are like five bajillion worlds combined. How lame can you get for not realizing that kind of thing? So I would Highly suggest you read the first book before reading this one. It will make SO MUCH more sense.
Content: Mild
(a few instances of mild language He**, Deity)
So yeah, that was my very sarcastic review with a reason for all the cruel phrases expressed. :D Have you read the first book, Shadows Edge? Do you want to read this one because it won't be so confusing for you? Do you even like Mythology! Talk to me! Have a great Saturday! XX(a few instances of mild language He**, Deity)
2 Bland Stars
Sunday, October 21, 2012
~~~~Review~~~~
TBP: 10.30.12 by Entangled Teen
Pages: 199
Goodreads / Purchase
Don’t. Ever. Peek. Seventeen-year-old Ari Alexander just broke that rule and saw the last person she expected hovering above her bed — arrogant Jackson Locke, the most popular boy in her school. She expects instant execution or some kind of freak alien punishment, but instead, Jackson issues a challenge: help him, or everyone on Earth will die. Ari knows she should report him, but everything about Jackson makes her question what she’s been taught about his kind. And against her instincts, she’s falling for him. But Ari isn’t just any girl, and Jackson wants more than her attention. She’s a military legacy who’s been trained by her father and exposed to war strategies and societal information no one can know — especially an alien spy, like Jackson. Giving Jackson the information he needs will betray her father and her country, but keeping silent will start a war.
Inky's Blurbings
So I"m on the blog tour and I kinda feel that due to that fact,I'm supposed to have a good review. But maybe for the sake of the tour, it'll be good to have another opinion in there. Eh? I'm not impying I didn't like this book. Just that I didn't give me the right first impression and from there....well....here is my review, in impressions
My first impression: Oooh-Space? Intrigue, Romance! YES!
After the first two pages: What the heck is going on here?
Further in: So she didn't hardly notice you but as soon as she disobeys her societies one rule she's attracted to you. JINX,
A few chapters in: Thank you for avoiding the definition of this term. Oh and might I remind you that I'm not good at reading between the lines? Please tell me what this is!
1/4 way through: Interesting plot. I'm grasping at strings. This could get good.... Where is this insta-love coming from?
1/2 way through: Insta-love. Ick. You hardly know each other and then bing-bang-boom it turns into lets make-out. Oh and we have a plot going on what I half understand. But yay for your writing. You're really doing good at this. Minus the description point.
................
Okay enough. It sounds like I didn't like it doesn't it. Darn. It's one of those wierd situations where you feel like it's a good read, but there are all these problems and you don't know how to bring out the good in the book. *sigh* I did enjoy reading this. I did. But......
Honestly, there are lots of great reviews out for this book. So don't believe everything I say. I can be charmingly misleading. Trust your heart. Use the force...whatever. I hope you like this book. I really do.........
Content: Mild
(A couple instance mild language and innuendo)
2 Stars
About Melissa...
Melissa lives in a tiny suburb of Atlanta, GA with her husband and daughter. She pretends to like yoga, actually likes shoes, and could not live without coffee. Her writing heroes include greats like Jane Austen and Madeleine L'Engle. She holds a B.A. in Communication Studies and an M.S. in Graphic Communication, both from Clemson Universtity. Yeah, her blood runs orange.
~~~~~Giveaway!!!~~~~~
So, for all of you awesome peeps who ARE going to read the book-Yay You!- this is a fabulous opportunity to win a SIGNED(double awesome) copy of this book. Go enter, you know you want too!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Soo thanks for coming by the tour here at Book Haven, and surviving my review. ;P I'd love to hear your thoughts. If you're on the tour link me to your post/review. I'd love to read what you liked about the book. Are you Super-Super-Psyched for this book?! Tell me why! I want to hear! Have a fabulous day! XOXO,
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