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review 2018-01-17 21:23
The Given & The Taken (Tooth & Claw #1) by L.A. Witt
The Given & The Taken - L.A. Witt

I don't get Levi/Darius, sorry. There was nothing between them bar pure hate for the longest time, and all of the sudden there is an orgy and a half, butterfly kisses and ribbons and kittens and even the L word. Nope. Not working for me.

I also don't get why Levi had to lie about Ian not showing up for the reunion, along with the stupid decision on Ian's behalf not to pick up a phone call to clear up the situation. You can listen, you don't have to meet face to face, that's the benefit of a phone call, right? So, one silly thing after another after yet another... That's the way of the book. Which leaves me with a shrug and 1.75 stars.

Писательское мастерство автора, да в мирных бы целях.....

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review 2018-01-17 01:14
Jefferson Blythe, Esquire by Josh Lanyon
Jefferson Blythe, Esquire - Josh Lanyon

A little weak on mystery, I think. George didn't impress me either. 3.75 stars, all courtesy of Jefferson, whom I liked quite a bit.

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review 2018-01-16 21:40
Battle Stations (Alliances #2) by Chris T. Kat
Battle Stations (Alliances Book 2) - Chris T. Kat

Image result for man eating dinosaur gif

 

Man-eating dinosaurs and handsome soldiers and 7' (2+ meters) aliens and sex and shooting and secret headquarters and spies and sex and poison and alien beehive and explosions and sex and Earth in mortal danger and rumble in the jungle and sex.... and... and....



PS Don't look too close at the plot or it will start ripping at the seams. Otherwise nice action flick:)

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review 2018-01-12 04:22
Sacrati by Kate Sherwood
Sacrati - Kate Sherwood

Book, I am very upset with you. Your meager 407 are the longest 407 pages I've ever read. Ever. Even "1001 Nights" wasn't that long when I read it last. 

If it wasn't for the empty banter between the characters and the small pockets of cute nothingness or dull brooding or any other unnecessary details that can be easily done outside of the book (like little ficlets), the whole reading experience would have been much more pleasant.

Rest in peace now. I am glad I am finally free of you.

PS
It's not a bad story, just the way it's told that didn't agree with me.

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review 2017-01-22 22:09
Mélusine (Doctrine of Labyrinths #1) by Sarah Monette
Melusine - Sarah Monette

I am reviewing a DTB version.

Wow! That was the longest prologue I've ever read!
Now I can go back to page 1 and start enjoying the book.
Many reviews that mention re-reads make sense now.

*****

Few thoughts on the book, the writing, the characters, the shenanigans. No spoilers, just want to keep my outrage contained in the spoiler tags.

 

Tho I like it when authors dump you right in the middle of things and you have to start running the moment you hit the ground, this was not the case. I sure did do some legwork, but it was mostly bouncing up and down on the same spot, trying to get hold on my bearings. What? Who? Where? How? but most often than not WTF? were the questions popping into my head every other paragraph.

 

None of the places, politics, history and even characters, including one of the MCs, are explored enough for readers to fully comprehend the magnitude of events that the author is bestowing upon us until it's almost into the second half.

* Felix doesn't get to shine in the beginning of the book; hell, Felix doesn't get to be or do anything before all hell brakes loose. He doesn't get. to. be. Although SM keeps showering us with "Felix is This" and "Felix is That", all we see is a mad, wounded, bleeding dog instead of a shiny pretty thing, and its running, whimpering, to his abuser after being called "a whore". That one word and an unsubstantiated implication to go along does not justify Felix's violent overreaction. I am sure it's all perfect in MS's head, but she clearly prefers not to share any additional bits with us (and there are more to come).
Where is this person who thinks quick on his legs? SM's shiny version of Felix should handle it in no time flat, instead he is seeking out his uber abusive master he hasn't seen in years and loading on drugs like there is no tomorrow.

.........................................

Felix the magnificent, "whose deadly wit is the terror of the court” my ass. Whiny little pup!

* The book is packed with too many elaborate names that mean nothing, people who never show up and have no impact on the events, places we never go to.

Not sure why French rev. calendar was used. To give an instant historical setting? Sorry, it didn't work. You can't use a calendar and a bunch of French sounding names to instantly set the stage, unless its real France and the time is set roughly during the very end of 18th/beginning of 19th centuries. Same goes for Troia/Greece. These tricks confuse, not clarify events or describe places or historical periods in fantasy fiction.

I jam fond of French history and literature, but even then it took me a few minutes to zoom in on Pluviôse, I simply did not expect it. It was one of my first in the long line of WTF moments. I am sure many of us remember the calendar, but then there are many who do not.

(spoiler show)



To SM:
*Please, translate for the overwhelming majority of your non-russian speaking audience, what the hell Morskaiakrov means. Would it kill you to make a footnote: *Morskayakrov (russian) - Sea Blood. In current setting it implies that the family who operates the boat has sea in their blood. They were born into the trade and sea is their home and their life.
Please, quit making people feel inadequate and leaving them tongue-twisted and cross-eyed.


* Too many side stories. For what purpose? Ah.... of course. Page count. But they slow down the flow of the main story and leave loose ends all over the place.
What was the deal with the hidden attic at St. Crellifer's? Great escape route. Great way in. But was it utilized? I really hope it will come handy later, because as of right now it's an opportunity and reader's time wasted.

*POV switching. Two paragraphs here. Half a page there. Past Tense, Present Tense... I am looking forward (not!) to colons in The Virtu, that's on top of Italics and Mildmay's bad and inconstant speech antics.

*Would it greatly burden you to have a glossary of terms and names in the beginning of the book? If anything it will expand your page count.

*Please, mention your septads in the glossary of your quirks. Two septads and six is an amusing take on 20 questions, but - really? Really? Invent your own question game and leave decimals out.

OK, shutting up now. There is more in my updates if anyone cares.

(spoiler show)



This book made me angry. Felix, too, at the very end, with his lack of gratitude and common sense made me angry. BUT. The story held my interest. I am starting The Virtue today. That counts for something, I guess.

3 stars.

PS Shannon. I feel bad for him. Felix is one ungrateful piece of ...work.

 

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