logo
Wrong email address or username
Wrong email address or username
Incorrect verification code
back to top
Search tags: rhoda-belleza
Load new posts () and activity
Like Reblog Comment
show activity (+)
review 2017-05-13 06:16
Review: Empress of a Thousand Skies (Empress of a Thousand Skies #1) by Rhoda Belleza
Empress of a Thousand Skies - Rhoda Belleza

Quick review for a somewhat quick read (at least as far as audiobooks are concerned). I honestly enjoyed "Empress of a Thousand Skies", though it took me a while to really get started with it. The challenge for this story lies in the fact that it has multiple narrators, has a very extensive set of worldbuilding rules and jargon that may be difficult to adjust to at first, and follows different storylines that eventually converge and reveal themselves in terms of the link between characters. It also starts very sluggish with pacing and development, which to me was probably the narrative's biggest achilles heel through the beginning of the story. However, once I found the flow with the story, I honestly couldn't put the book down and I loved the experience. I honestly can't wait to see where this series ultimately goes, considering the stakes established and the character relationships.

In sum, this story follows two characters. The first is Rhee, a princess who is the last surviving member of her family after a tragedy befell them many years before. But Rhee knows it wasn't just an accident, and is bent on revenge against the person whom she believes is the culprit behind her family's death. It isn't long that she realizes that there are traitors in her inner circles who want her dead, and that her fight to keep her throne will cost more than she realizes. The other character is Aly, a reality star (DroneVision) who often faces conflict because of his racial background and war refugee status. Yet his world is turned upside down when he stands accused of murdering Rhee. The two have very different storylines and encounters, though both have to go into hiding and find themselves manipulated in a sinister plot that involves political and technological manipulation. The way the story is crafted with respect to the technologies and ambitions of the characters is very well done, and I was intrigued and taken in by the respective aims and motivations of the characters here. Sure, they start off as naive and driven by their own motivations, but as events and encounters come to light, they grow in significant ways, utimately facing losses, revelations about their role in events, and determination towards reclaiming their lives on their own terms.

I really enjoyed the audiobook narration by Rebecca Soler - she captured the emotional delivery and investment of the characters down to a tee. The only thing that I would say about the story that didn't strike me as well as most was the pacing and some meandering points in the worldbuilding that could've been tightened better, but the story itself was well done. I can't wait for the next book.

Overall score: 4/5 stars.

Like Reblog Comment
show activity (+)
review 2017-04-25 03:51
Empress of a Thousand Skies - Rhoda Belleza

This is a super fun science fiction story in space. I read a lot of science fiction/fantasy but this felt very different from most of them. It's much more Star Wars then Lunar Chronicles or Illuminae was. I like them all about the same. But I really enjoyed the very little romance in this one. Highly recommend it to science fiction lovers. Can't wait to see where the next one takes us. 

Like Reblog Comment
review 2013-03-20 00:00
Cornered: 14 Stories of Bullying and Defiance
Cornered: 14 Stories of Bullying and Defiance - Rhoda Belleza,Kirsten Miller,Mayra Lazara Dole,Matthue Roth,Sheba Karim,Kate Ellison,Jennifer Brown,Brendan Halpin,Jamie Adoff,Elizabeth Miles,David Yoo,James Lecesne,Josh Berk,Lish McBride,Zetta Elliott This is a great collection of stories. Stories that are raw, dealing with bullying every, single day. And stories where people have had enough and are finally standing up for themselves.Let me begin by saying that I had a love/hate thing with this book. One minutes I'd be angry or sad due to an bullying story and when I got in to the defiance story I was all like," HELL YEAH!" LOL! This is a great book filled with awesome stories to give you that emotional roller coaster. Even though the stories were short, you were able to get each character, watch them stand up and face their bully and of course others, taking it every day.My fave defiance story is Nemsis which is the first story and well its about defiance. I really love the chance at getting revenge for bullying.If you want stories that really make you see things differently, check this book out. It awesome and powerful. Each story different from the next, you are never left bored. Cornered is a great anthology that gets down to the heart of the matter.
More posts
Your Dashboard view:
Need help?