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bookph1le's review against another edition
2.0
Ehhhh. 2.5 stars. I liked the historical fiction part of it and wish the whole book had been just that. As with a lot of frame narratives, the weaker half (the portions set in the modern day) dragged down the stronger half, which is a shame because I thought the historical aspect of the book was actually quite interesting.
brokenchell's review against another edition
5.0
What an amazing tale. True love at its finest! I was luck to have received this as an ARC. I will most definitely recommend this to everyone. Well written, just enough humor, intrigue, magic and love! I was sad to end this book. But I know Lucy will have many lifetimes of happiness to come. Great book!
storm_knight's review against another edition
4.0
yep thats okay i didnt need my feeling ill just be in this corner crying yep im totally ok but seriously that ending was heart breaking but i dont see how it could have gone any other way its just sad that they lost so much time becuase of one persons greed but it was such a good novel i loved it
ashkitty93's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
Louisiana in the summer, ghosts, and voodoo? Heck yeah sign me up! Why only 3.5 stars? Good question and truthfully, I can't put my finger on it right now. I didn't love it but it wasn't bad. Felt kind of middle-of-the-road after what I've read recently, and especially compared to other books involving reincarnation. Add to that my phobia of death and the mini-existential crisis this gave me when it started delving into past and future lives, and that's probably where this rating comes from. So, book, in all likelihood this is me and not you. I didn't have that problem with Star-Touched Queen because I was so in love with the Persephone/Hades retelling. I didn't have that problem with Daughter of Smoke and Bone because of the heavy fantasy elements and the fact that a) Madrigal had not been human and b) Karou was created, not born. Yes, she was created as a baby, but she was still built. Lucy started entering territory that my brain is seriously uncomfortable with.
I really liked the characters though, particularly Mama Legba and Chloe, and I'm looking forward to eventually finding out more about them in Gathering Deep! The ending was also extremely satisfying; gotta congratulate Lisa Maxwell for not taking the easy route there.
Louisiana in the summer, ghosts, and voodoo? Heck yeah sign me up! Why only 3.5 stars? Good question and truthfully, I can't put my finger on it right now. I didn't love it but it wasn't bad. Felt kind of middle-of-the-road after what I've read recently, and especially compared to other books involving reincarnation. Add to that my phobia of death and the mini-existential crisis this gave me when it started delving into past and future lives, and that's probably where this rating comes from. So, book, in all likelihood this is me and not you. I didn't have that problem with Star-Touched Queen because I was so in love with the Persephone/Hades retelling. I didn't have that problem with Daughter of Smoke and Bone because of the heavy fantasy elements and the fact that a) Madrigal had not been human and b) Karou was created, not born. Yes, she was created as a baby, but she was still built. Lucy started entering territory that my brain is seriously uncomfortable with.
I really liked the characters though, particularly Mama Legba and Chloe, and I'm looking forward to eventually finding out more about them in Gathering Deep! The ending was also extremely satisfying; gotta congratulate Lisa Maxwell for not taking the easy route there.
trisha_thomas's review against another edition
2.0
This was interesting idea but I wasn't a fan of the romance.
erinarkin20's review against another edition
4.0
Sweet Unrest by Lisa Maxwell is a wonderful gothic story that includes magic, a mystery, a bit of romance and a creepy atmosphere that had me wondering what was going to happen.
Lucy’s parents have decided to pick up and move the family to New Orleans to live on a plantation that has a deep history. The history is exactly what has drawn her parents to the plantation and the history is what has made Lucy’s headaches and nightmares come back with a vengeance.
I liked Lucy as a lead character. She was smart and determined to figure things out. She was also protective of her family and cared about the people around her. As she digs into the mysteries surrounding her, she learns quite a bit about herself and what is really going on.
I was immediately drawn into this story due to the way that Maxwell develops not only the characters but the world around Lucy. From day one she is drawn into the Voodoo religion due to her quick friendship with Chloe. Chloe is the outgoing daughter of the woman who invited Lucy’s family to the plantation and as Chloe introduces Lucy to New Orleans, we get to see it through her eyes. As Chloe also introduces Lucy to Mama Legba, a real Voodoo Queen, Lucy is drawn into the magic as she sees it as a way to figure out what the nightmares mean.
Lucy is also drawn toward Alex from her very first day and we slowly find out why. As she finds out more and more about him, she begins to dream about him more often and this leads to her finding out exactly what her nightmares are about. I can’t say much about Alex as I don’t want to give anything away about him and how his story intertwines with Lucy’s.
Maxwell does a great job of developing the secondary characters in this book as well. From Mama Legba to Piers to Thisbe – they all play a critical role in this story and I loved how their stories were tied together.
If you are looking for a story that pulls you in and slowly unravels itself definitely check this one out. I enjoyed the way this one flowed and how the story developed into something I wasn’t expecting.
Thank you to Netgalley and Flux for the review copy.
Lucy’s parents have decided to pick up and move the family to New Orleans to live on a plantation that has a deep history. The history is exactly what has drawn her parents to the plantation and the history is what has made Lucy’s headaches and nightmares come back with a vengeance.
I liked Lucy as a lead character. She was smart and determined to figure things out. She was also protective of her family and cared about the people around her. As she digs into the mysteries surrounding her, she learns quite a bit about herself and what is really going on.
I was immediately drawn into this story due to the way that Maxwell develops not only the characters but the world around Lucy. From day one she is drawn into the Voodoo religion due to her quick friendship with Chloe. Chloe is the outgoing daughter of the woman who invited Lucy’s family to the plantation and as Chloe introduces Lucy to New Orleans, we get to see it through her eyes. As Chloe also introduces Lucy to Mama Legba, a real Voodoo Queen, Lucy is drawn into the magic as she sees it as a way to figure out what the nightmares mean.
Lucy is also drawn toward Alex from her very first day and we slowly find out why. As she finds out more and more about him, she begins to dream about him more often and this leads to her finding out exactly what her nightmares are about. I can’t say much about Alex as I don’t want to give anything away about him and how his story intertwines with Lucy’s.
Maxwell does a great job of developing the secondary characters in this book as well. From Mama Legba to Piers to Thisbe – they all play a critical role in this story and I loved how their stories were tied together.
If you are looking for a story that pulls you in and slowly unravels itself definitely check this one out. I enjoyed the way this one flowed and how the story developed into something I wasn’t expecting.
Thank you to Netgalley and Flux for the review copy.
bravemaeve's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 Stars
The novel was written well, and by the last quarter of the book, things started to get really interesting. But other than that, the book was semi-boring, easily predictable, and as cliche as you could get for a novel set in New Orleans: photographer, ghosts, Voodoo, a ghost trapped, seeking help from a human to free him. I feel like I've read this novel three times already. Like I said, some aspects were very cool near the end: the charms, Voodoo, binding of souls. However, shortly after the climax, the book tries to suddenly transform itself into a romance novel. The romance, which one could easily see coming, was predictable and did not feel genuine. It wasn't insta-love, but the main character falls in love with a ghost after having dreams about his past. They don't actually bond in real life. I was rolling my eyes near the end of the novel as she "struggles" to move on from the ghost, even though he promises they'll meet again. Like I said, I feel like I've read this before. The last thing that bothered me was the easily (and I mean EASILY) predictable plot twists that the author throws in. I wouldn't even call them plot twists, as they were just so predictable. The author makes a big deal of presenting them too: Gasp! He's a ghost! Oh look! She's a reincarnation! I thought the readers were already supposed to assume this from the beginning. I in no way needed a big revelation moment. While a bit exciting towards the end, the book is just too cliche and cheesy for me.
The novel was written well, and by the last quarter of the book, things started to get really interesting. But other than that, the book was semi-boring, easily predictable, and as cliche as you could get for a novel set in New Orleans: photographer, ghosts, Voodoo, a ghost trapped, seeking help from a human to free him. I feel like I've read this novel three times already. Like I said, some aspects were very cool near the end: the charms, Voodoo, binding of souls. However, shortly after the climax, the book tries to suddenly transform itself into a romance novel. The romance, which one could easily see coming, was predictable and did not feel genuine. It wasn't insta-love, but the main character falls in love with a ghost after having dreams about his past. They don't actually bond in real life. I was rolling my eyes near the end of the novel as she "struggles" to move on from the ghost, even though he promises they'll meet again. Like I said, I feel like I've read this before. The last thing that bothered me was the easily (and I mean EASILY) predictable plot twists that the author throws in. I wouldn't even call them plot twists, as they were just so predictable. The author makes a big deal of presenting them too: Gasp! He's a ghost! Oh look! She's a reincarnation! I thought the readers were already supposed to assume this from the beginning. I in no way needed a big revelation moment. While a bit exciting towards the end, the book is just too cliche and cheesy for me.
ellieroth's review against another edition
4.0
Original de: El Extraño Gato del Cuento
Al principio pensé que sería otra de esas novelas donde la protagonista se la pasaría toda la novela lamentándose y llorando porque la llevaron a vivir a otro lugar, maldeciría sus papás y eso. Esos clichés que tienden a malograr una novela paranormal. Lo bueno es que Lucy no es así, es lista. No le gusta su situación actual pero en lugar de quejarse, negocia. Por experiencia sé que si todos creen que eres buena, educada y responsable, cuando haces cosas que no deberías, eres de la última persona que sospechan. Sí, soy un demonio, o al menos lo era. Es que kitten, no podría conquistar el mundo si una gran parte de mí no fuera medio delincuente y estratega.
Mientras leía Sweet Unrest, volvía a sentir eso que sentí cuando leí por primera vez Twilight, esa idea de qué en cualquier momento pasará algo, de qué sí, quizá no sea la historia más desarrollada y demás pero de qué me tuvo sonriendo como idiota y suspirando varias, no hay duda.
Me gustó que pudiéramos ver las dos partes de la magia vudú. No la glorifica así como tampoco la condena, muestra los dos lados, es importante. Las cosas no son siempre blancas o negras.
El romance me gustó un montón, es un poco doloroso por momentos. O sea, ¿un francés de ojos azules con uniforma antiguo? Ya, resístete a eso.
Tenía tiempo sin leer algo de romance paranormal juvenil sin que lo disfrutará tanto como Sweet Unrest.
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Al principio pensé que sería otra de esas novelas donde la protagonista se la pasaría toda la novela lamentándose y llorando porque la llevaron a vivir a otro lugar, maldeciría sus papás y eso. Esos clichés que tienden a malograr una novela paranormal. Lo bueno es que Lucy no es así, es lista. No le gusta su situación actual pero en lugar de quejarse, negocia. Por experiencia sé que si todos creen que eres buena, educada y responsable, cuando haces cosas que no deberías, eres de la última persona que sospechan. Sí, soy un demonio, o al menos lo era. Es que kitten, no podría conquistar el mundo si una gran parte de mí no fuera medio delincuente y estratega.
Mientras leía Sweet Unrest, volvía a sentir eso que sentí cuando leí por primera vez Twilight, esa idea de qué en cualquier momento pasará algo, de qué sí, quizá no sea la historia más desarrollada y demás pero de qué me tuvo sonriendo como idiota y suspirando varias, no hay duda.
Me gustó que pudiéramos ver las dos partes de la magia vudú. No la glorifica así como tampoco la condena, muestra los dos lados, es importante. Las cosas no son siempre blancas o negras.
El romance me gustó un montón, es un poco doloroso por momentos. O sea, ¿un francés de ojos azules con uniforma antiguo? Ya, resístete a eso.
Tenía tiempo sin leer algo de romance paranormal juvenil sin que lo disfrutará tanto como Sweet Unrest.
Twitter || Blog || Pinterest || Tumblr || Instagram || Facebook
bibliofiendlm's review against another edition
3.0
*I received an ARC from Netgalley*
Seventeen year old Lucy moves to New Orleans with her family. She's always had strange dreams but even more puzzling things begin to happen. Over course the good looking guy hanging around the property, Alex, turns out to be a ghost. An interesting mystery/thriller develops as Lucy delves into the world of voodoo and witches in order to free Alex from his ghostly prison, all the while learning he connection to him in a past life.
I enjoyed this. It was a quick read with a good but at times predictable plot. I thought the ending was rushed and events could have been given more detail. However, for the target teen audience, the ending is sufficient.
Seventeen year old Lucy moves to New Orleans with her family. She's always had strange dreams but even more puzzling things begin to happen. Over course the good looking guy hanging around the property, Alex, turns out to be a ghost. An interesting mystery/thriller develops as Lucy delves into the world of voodoo and witches in order to free Alex from his ghostly prison, all the while learning he connection to him in a past life.
I enjoyed this. It was a quick read with a good but at times predictable plot. I thought the ending was rushed and events could have been given more detail. However, for the target teen audience, the ending is sufficient.
urlphantomhive's review against another edition
2.0
READ IN ENGLISH
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you!
I'd recently read some other books from Flux that I quite enjoyed so I was more than willing to give this book a try...
Lucy isn't happy when her parents decide to leave Chicago to move to an old plantation in Louisiana where her father will oversee a living history museum. As soon as she arrives, weird things start happening. Also, her terrifying recurring dream returns. And why doesn't anyone else know Alex?
I was less impressed by this book unfortunately. There's no subtlety in the story. Instead of just hinting in the beginning of some mysticism, let's just go visit a practitioner so no one can mistake anything that happens in this book. All the other 'mysteries' are a bit too much in the open as well, which become annoying if the main character herself doesn't (want to) see it.
I believe the story depended too much on the mystique, which gives the story in the end an ex machina feeling. I'd seen the ending coming for some time, as well as the big twist.
The writing was fast but the characters were given (I believe) southern American accents by adding a lot of 'aint's' and triple/quadruple negatives. It was still a very fast read. This is a book for an afternoon of uncomplicated summer reading.
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you!
I'd recently read some other books from Flux that I quite enjoyed so I was more than willing to give this book a try...
Lucy isn't happy when her parents decide to leave Chicago to move to an old plantation in Louisiana where her father will oversee a living history museum. As soon as she arrives, weird things start happening. Also, her terrifying recurring dream returns. And why doesn't anyone else know Alex?
I was less impressed by this book unfortunately. There's no subtlety in the story. Instead of just hinting in the beginning of some mysticism, let's just go visit a practitioner so no one can mistake anything that happens in this book. All the other 'mysteries' are a bit too much in the open as well, which become annoying if the main character herself doesn't (want to) see it.
I believe the story depended too much on the mystique, which gives the story in the end an ex machina feeling. I'd seen the ending coming for some time, as well as the big twist.
The writing was fast but the characters were given (I believe) southern American accents by adding a lot of 'aint's' and triple/quadruple negatives. It was still a very fast read. This is a book for an afternoon of uncomplicated summer reading.