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patchworkbunny's Reviews (2.12k)
Mae is a praetorian, an elite soldier in service of the RUNA. Attending the funeral of a close friend, she is provoked into attacking another praetorian resulting in punishment. She must travel to Panama to deliver a message. Exiled for reasons he won’t reveal; ex-servitor Justin spends his time gambling, drinking and picking up women at Cristobel’s parties in Panama. Previously tasked with auditing religion, he now has the voices of two ravens in his head; Horatio and Magnus. Is it possible that the supernatural, something servitors stand against, is real?
I came to this book not having any expectations. I haven’t read any of Richelle Mead’s other books and I had the assumption that it was YA. It’s not YA. In fact the story starts rolling with a one-night-stand. I ended up absolutely loving this tale which combines mythology with a science fiction setting. He world-building is excellent for starters and I ended up so involved in Justin and Mae’s lives and pasts.
The RUNA (Republic of United North America), dependant on your viewpoint, is a utopian society rather than an oppressive dystopia. Organised religion has caused so many wars and crimes, so it makes perfect sense to regulate it, allowing small groups to form and worship but disbanding any religions which gain power and influence. The RUNA is a country without belief in the supernatural, instead creating the Church of Humanity to replace the structure previously provided by religions. But really, citizens don’t think much about religion of any kind and get on with their lives in relative peace.
But we are not left wondering why there was a radical change in the world. The Decline followed Cain; a virus which attacked at the genetic level. One way to defeat the virus was widespread dilution of genes. The majority were forced to breed across race creating plebians. Those with money or power, were allowed to keep their genetic heritage in exchange for assisting with the solution. However, outside these two great nations, religion still continues to exist and the borders are under strict control.
I loved how aspects of the story were driven by drunken revelations. That’s something that seems so true to life; oversharing when drunk. It’s also refreshing to see a gay couple in a story without their presence being there to explore issues on sexuality. They’re gay and they’re married and they’re just two other people in the world.
The title gives a clue to one of the themes of the books. In Greek mythology, the world was often seen as the gods’ game board, moving their favourite humans around as if a game of chess. I love the idea that perhaps in a world that has quashed all modern day religions, that perhaps the gods of old can rise from the ashes. Do gods need to be believed in in order to exist? Justin prides himself on his ability to read people and solve problems quickly, yet he doesn’t work out the significance of the ravens. And at the moment of realisation, I too went, why didn’t I make that connection?
Tessa’s presence seems to be solely for the purpose of an outsider’s viewpoint on the RUNA. I’m not sure she’s entirely necessary to the plot but she didn’t halt the pace or get in the way too much. Perhaps she will have a bigger role in future books. One thing that was a slight annoyance was the oversharing of Justin’s “I’m going to pretend I’m a jerk” strategy. It’s third person narrative from both perspectives and I think it could have been a bit more subtle…but there was so much I loved about this world that I didn’t care in the end. I was very sad not to be able to jump straight into book two.
I came to this book not having any expectations. I haven’t read any of Richelle Mead’s other books and I had the assumption that it was YA. It’s not YA. In fact the story starts rolling with a one-night-stand. I ended up absolutely loving this tale which combines mythology with a science fiction setting. He world-building is excellent for starters and I ended up so involved in Justin and Mae’s lives and pasts.
The RUNA (Republic of United North America), dependant on your viewpoint, is a utopian society rather than an oppressive dystopia. Organised religion has caused so many wars and crimes, so it makes perfect sense to regulate it, allowing small groups to form and worship but disbanding any religions which gain power and influence. The RUNA is a country without belief in the supernatural, instead creating the Church of Humanity to replace the structure previously provided by religions. But really, citizens don’t think much about religion of any kind and get on with their lives in relative peace.
But we are not left wondering why there was a radical change in the world. The Decline followed Cain; a virus which attacked at the genetic level. One way to defeat the virus was widespread dilution of genes. The majority were forced to breed across race creating plebians. Those with money or power, were allowed to keep their genetic heritage in exchange for assisting with the solution. However, outside these two great nations, religion still continues to exist and the borders are under strict control.
I loved how aspects of the story were driven by drunken revelations. That’s something that seems so true to life; oversharing when drunk. It’s also refreshing to see a gay couple in a story without their presence being there to explore issues on sexuality. They’re gay and they’re married and they’re just two other people in the world.
The title gives a clue to one of the themes of the books. In Greek mythology, the world was often seen as the gods’ game board, moving their favourite humans around as if a game of chess. I love the idea that perhaps in a world that has quashed all modern day religions, that perhaps the gods of old can rise from the ashes. Do gods need to be believed in in order to exist? Justin prides himself on his ability to read people and solve problems quickly, yet he doesn’t work out the significance of the ravens. And at the moment of realisation, I too went, why didn’t I make that connection?
Tessa’s presence seems to be solely for the purpose of an outsider’s viewpoint on the RUNA. I’m not sure she’s entirely necessary to the plot but she didn’t halt the pace or get in the way too much. Perhaps she will have a bigger role in future books. One thing that was a slight annoyance was the oversharing of Justin’s “I’m going to pretend I’m a jerk” strategy. It’s third person narrative from both perspectives and I think it could have been a bit more subtle…but there was so much I loved about this world that I didn’t care in the end. I was very sad not to be able to jump straight into book two.
Ennor’s father has never been the same since foot and mouth disease took away his prized Simmental cattle. Left with a few Friesians and living in a caravan, he is now sick and struggling to pay the bills. Ennor spends her time looking after him, what is left of their farm and her autistic little brother Trip. When the school informs her that social services are going to put Trip into an institution, she knows the only person that can help is her estranged mother. Leaving Trip with her only friend Butch, she sets off across the snow laden moors in search of her mother.
As the story starts, Ennor’s life could easily be that of any family hit by hard times today. But you slowly start to discover that this is not today’s Britain. The country has fallen apart, due to the bad decisions of the government. Unemployment is rife. The foot and mouth outbreak left farms crippled when otherwise they might have been able to weather the economic crisis. Society is starting to break up. This bleak vision of the not too distant future isn’t at all unrealistic. In fact, some analysts have predicted this will happen if we continue on our current path. The last foot and mouth crisis wiped out so many farms and livelihoods, if it happened again now, many areas would be completely devastated on top of closures and redundancies.
As Ennor sets out across the moors, she struggles against the hostile winter conditions. It is no easy journey and the prose in wonderfully evocative of the emptiness and fierceness of the wilderness. Her greatest enemies are the cold and hunger. Yes, she must be wary of people who must now only think of themselves, but the danger always feels like it is coming from the elements.
Out of the blizzard comes a tale of friendship forged through circumstance. I was wary of Sonny at first, a girl from a gyspy camp who suspiciously befriends Ennor, wanting her to stay on for the winter solstice festivities. It’s hard to remember both these girls are just fourteen, forced to grow up fast in a world which is no longer kind to children. Is there even space left for kindness amongst friends and family?
I won’t say the book is without hope though. The ending left me full of thoughts to ponder and somewhere along the way, I got attached to these odd children and their clipped manner of speech.
As the story starts, Ennor’s life could easily be that of any family hit by hard times today. But you slowly start to discover that this is not today’s Britain. The country has fallen apart, due to the bad decisions of the government. Unemployment is rife. The foot and mouth outbreak left farms crippled when otherwise they might have been able to weather the economic crisis. Society is starting to break up. This bleak vision of the not too distant future isn’t at all unrealistic. In fact, some analysts have predicted this will happen if we continue on our current path. The last foot and mouth crisis wiped out so many farms and livelihoods, if it happened again now, many areas would be completely devastated on top of closures and redundancies.
As Ennor sets out across the moors, she struggles against the hostile winter conditions. It is no easy journey and the prose in wonderfully evocative of the emptiness and fierceness of the wilderness. Her greatest enemies are the cold and hunger. Yes, she must be wary of people who must now only think of themselves, but the danger always feels like it is coming from the elements.
Out of the blizzard comes a tale of friendship forged through circumstance. I was wary of Sonny at first, a girl from a gyspy camp who suspiciously befriends Ennor, wanting her to stay on for the winter solstice festivities. It’s hard to remember both these girls are just fourteen, forced to grow up fast in a world which is no longer kind to children. Is there even space left for kindness amongst friends and family?
I won’t say the book is without hope though. The ending left me full of thoughts to ponder and somewhere along the way, I got attached to these odd children and their clipped manner of speech.
Win a copy on my blog (UK only) ends 20/07/13.
Hannah Wilde is on the run. An evil which has stalked her family across generations now wants her. With her husband bleeding and her daughter asleep in the backseat of the car, they flee to Snowdonia to take refuge amongst the mountains. She can trust no one, not until their identity is verified.
The String Diaries has been likened to The Historian and A Discovery of Witches and for once I would agree; this book definitely falls into the same pot as the thriller of the family. If you like a mix of academia, urban fantasy and historical fiction, it’s well worth a read. I would say it is faster paced and a bit more action packed than the other two, despite jumping back and forth in time.
Although there are multiple timelines, it is essentially the story of one man’s impact on a family, across generations, starting in 19th century Hungary. Hosszú életek literally translates into “long life” and after a bit of googling, I think it is a made up mythology rooted in enough elements of Hungarian folklore to be believable. Jakab’s story shows how evil can be made; I don’t think he was born evil, just that his circumstances and actions snowballed into something else. It’s an interesting take to show his current day damage alongside his evolution.
One grumble is that it started to get a bit repetitive. I know, the whole point is that the same thing happens again and again, which reinforces Hannah’s panic and the impossibility of escape, but every time someone appear saying one thing, my mind instantly went, well that’s got to be Jakob. I was also a bit disappointed in the ending, thought it was a bit of a cop out when it could have been quite powerful.
Hannah Wilde is on the run. An evil which has stalked her family across generations now wants her. With her husband bleeding and her daughter asleep in the backseat of the car, they flee to Snowdonia to take refuge amongst the mountains. She can trust no one, not until their identity is verified.
The String Diaries has been likened to The Historian and A Discovery of Witches and for once I would agree; this book definitely falls into the same pot as the thriller of the family. If you like a mix of academia, urban fantasy and historical fiction, it’s well worth a read. I would say it is faster paced and a bit more action packed than the other two, despite jumping back and forth in time.
Although there are multiple timelines, it is essentially the story of one man’s impact on a family, across generations, starting in 19th century Hungary. Hosszú életek literally translates into “long life” and after a bit of googling, I think it is a made up mythology rooted in enough elements of Hungarian folklore to be believable. Jakab’s story shows how evil can be made; I don’t think he was born evil, just that his circumstances and actions snowballed into something else. It’s an interesting take to show his current day damage alongside his evolution.
One grumble is that it started to get a bit repetitive. I know, the whole point is that the same thing happens again and again, which reinforces Hannah’s panic and the impossibility of escape, but every time someone appear saying one thing, my mind instantly went, well that’s got to be Jakob. I was also a bit disappointed in the ending, thought it was a bit of a cop out when it could have been quite powerful.
Kitty is back in Denver with her tail between her legs after revealing the vampire conspiracy of the Long Game on air. With her producer keeping a close eye on her, she’s on her best behaviour during her radio show, The Midnight Hour all the while worrying about what Dux Bellorum might be up to whilst she’s playing it safe. When a mysterious vampire comes looking for Rick and a new werewolf lopes into town, she can just tell life’s not going to be trouble free.
After feeling the series was back on track with Kitty Steals the Show, this was a bit of a non-event. The ingredients are there; an ancient Catholic vampire who promises Rick the one this he’s been missing in his unlife sounds like it would be packed with potential. But instead, they hide out in a church for the majority of the book. Kitty is trying to get her career back on track, mostly by being a bit normal and boring in her shows. There’s a new werewolf in town and his plotline wasn’t full of surprises either.
I know the Long Game is, well, a long game but it goes from being an imminent threat in one book to a background noise in the next. I want something major to happen. I want some chaos and danger; a taste of which rears its head near the end, but mostly it was just going through the motions. It’s an OK book, I really like Kitty and it’s a quick and easy read but I’m not sure I’ll remember much of it by the time I read the next book. Yes, I’m not giving up on the series just yet, because when there’s a good one, I love it. And I want to see the Long Game play out… even if it takes a long time.
I’m still really disappointed in Cormac. I know he had a personality transplant in jail but he just seems a bit of a weak character now. Perhaps that’s because Amelia is a weak character and yet she’s taken him over. I don’t want to break Kitty and Ben up but I want that spark of the old Cormac back. Even if it has to be with someone else. I think Ben might have been the bets part for once...he's really starting to grow into his alpha status.
After feeling the series was back on track with Kitty Steals the Show, this was a bit of a non-event. The ingredients are there; an ancient Catholic vampire who promises Rick the one this he’s been missing in his unlife sounds like it would be packed with potential. But instead, they hide out in a church for the majority of the book. Kitty is trying to get her career back on track, mostly by being a bit normal and boring in her shows. There’s a new werewolf in town and his plotline wasn’t full of surprises either.
I know the Long Game is, well, a long game but it goes from being an imminent threat in one book to a background noise in the next. I want something major to happen. I want some chaos and danger; a taste of which rears its head near the end, but mostly it was just going through the motions. It’s an OK book, I really like Kitty and it’s a quick and easy read but I’m not sure I’ll remember much of it by the time I read the next book. Yes, I’m not giving up on the series just yet, because when there’s a good one, I love it. And I want to see the Long Game play out… even if it takes a long time.
I’m still really disappointed in Cormac. I know he had a personality transplant in jail but he just seems a bit of a weak character now. Perhaps that’s because Amelia is a weak character and yet she’s taken him over. I don’t want to break Kitty and Ben up but I want that spark of the old Cormac back. Even if it has to be with someone else. I think Ben might have been the bets part for once...he's really starting to grow into his alpha status.
After watching her mother deteriorate and die from Huntington’s disease, Rosie must face up to the fact that she has a 50% chance of inheriting it. She knows that she can’t bear not knowing but then her neighbour drops a bombshell. Rosie isn’t Trudie’s daughter. Armed with this new knowledge, Rosie knows she can’t have Huntington’s but should she try and find her real mother? Rosie’s search for the truth brings with it some tough choices. Does she continue living a lie or risk ruining the lives of others?
It’s apt that one of the characters ends up a soap star in Someone Else’s Life because that’s exactly what the plotting and pacing felt like. There is so much going on and it moves from one revelation to the next. There are secrets and lies, but all of a sudden they’re out in the open and then there’s something else. And drama at every turn. Which is fine, if you like soaps, but I didn’t think it allowed for any real tension to build up and none of the topics were dealt with in much depth. Yet it was still rather compulsive reading and I made it to the end.
The narrative is shared between Rosie and an anonymous teenage girl who is facing an unplanned pregnancy. Rosie’s story leads you to make assumptions about the second narrative that may not be true. One thing that was realistic, even if it meant for less of an enjoyable reading experience, is the self-centredness and selfishness of the teenage girls. The world revolves around them and they can’t seem to put themselves into the shoes of others. I’m not quite sure this gels with Rosie’s role as a caregiver. Often teenagers in that position grow up very fast.
And as for Rosie. She doesn’t take long to get over her mother’s death. I don’t care if she did have a shock at finding out she wasn’t her biological parent, she would still grieve. But no, she goes off on her own adventure, her only thought for her mother that she’s relieved she won’t face the same fate.
There was a whole other story to be told; one where Rosie gives up her education in order to care for her dying mother. I thought there would be more flashbacks but after the background is set, it’s only mentioned in passing. Whilst the book gave a basic impression of Huntington’s disease, it did seem to make it look like a common condition. Both main characters go to a clinic that appears to specialise in it and with waiting rooms full of patients displaying symptoms. I’m pretty sure most people would go to their regular doctor and are unlikely to come into contact with other sufferers without seeking them out through help groups.
It’s apt that one of the characters ends up a soap star in Someone Else’s Life because that’s exactly what the plotting and pacing felt like. There is so much going on and it moves from one revelation to the next. There are secrets and lies, but all of a sudden they’re out in the open and then there’s something else. And drama at every turn. Which is fine, if you like soaps, but I didn’t think it allowed for any real tension to build up and none of the topics were dealt with in much depth. Yet it was still rather compulsive reading and I made it to the end.
The narrative is shared between Rosie and an anonymous teenage girl who is facing an unplanned pregnancy. Rosie’s story leads you to make assumptions about the second narrative that may not be true. One thing that was realistic, even if it meant for less of an enjoyable reading experience, is the self-centredness and selfishness of the teenage girls. The world revolves around them and they can’t seem to put themselves into the shoes of others. I’m not quite sure this gels with Rosie’s role as a caregiver. Often teenagers in that position grow up very fast.
And as for Rosie. She doesn’t take long to get over her mother’s death. I don’t care if she did have a shock at finding out she wasn’t her biological parent, she would still grieve. But no, she goes off on her own adventure, her only thought for her mother that she’s relieved she won’t face the same fate.
There was a whole other story to be told; one where Rosie gives up her education in order to care for her dying mother. I thought there would be more flashbacks but after the background is set, it’s only mentioned in passing. Whilst the book gave a basic impression of Huntington’s disease, it did seem to make it look like a common condition. Both main characters go to a clinic that appears to specialise in it and with waiting rooms full of patients displaying symptoms. I’m pretty sure most people would go to their regular doctor and are unlikely to come into contact with other sufferers without seeking them out through help groups.
Taylor is just trying to get through high school like any other girl her age. But Bethany inherited a curse from her now deceased mother. The dead will hunt her out and mark her. If she can’t pass the mark on, she will be sucked into…well she doesn’t know what but it’s nowhere she wants to go.
First off, The Weight of Souls is a book I enjoyed a lot; in fact it’s one of my favourite offerings from Strange Chemistry so far. However I have been struggling putting together my thoughts into a review. The central relationship is, shall I say, unorthodox. I feel going into details will be a bit spoilery but it’s something a bit different that tiptoes along a thin line of things that might not be OK. But it is all done in such a way that you accept it. Can I be any vaguer?
Central to the story is the topic of peer pressure. Even without Taylor’s supernatural abilities, there’s a strong plot revolving around the stupid, and often dangerous, things teens will do to fit in. The school setting is so believable, right down to the level of meanness from the kids. There’s nothing dramatic, but the actions and words build up into what amounts to bullying in the long term. It shows how easily they can fall from grace, from being normal and accepted, to being at the bottom of the social pecking order.
Taylor’s curse has been passed down over generations from a tomb raiding ancestor. The modern day story is interspersed with passages from a journal that used to belong to her mother. Those of you familiar with the history of Egyptian archaeology will know of the tales of the cursed, and I liked the idea that they are still around, trying to live normal lives.
First off, The Weight of Souls is a book I enjoyed a lot; in fact it’s one of my favourite offerings from Strange Chemistry so far. However I have been struggling putting together my thoughts into a review. The central relationship is, shall I say, unorthodox. I feel going into details will be a bit spoilery but it’s something a bit different that tiptoes along a thin line of things that might not be OK. But it is all done in such a way that you accept it. Can I be any vaguer?
Central to the story is the topic of peer pressure. Even without Taylor’s supernatural abilities, there’s a strong plot revolving around the stupid, and often dangerous, things teens will do to fit in. The school setting is so believable, right down to the level of meanness from the kids. There’s nothing dramatic, but the actions and words build up into what amounts to bullying in the long term. It shows how easily they can fall from grace, from being normal and accepted, to being at the bottom of the social pecking order.
Taylor’s curse has been passed down over generations from a tomb raiding ancestor. The modern day story is interspersed with passages from a journal that used to belong to her mother. Those of you familiar with the history of Egyptian archaeology will know of the tales of the cursed, and I liked the idea that they are still around, trying to live normal lives.
Olivia Taylor Jones is living the perfect life. Engaged to the perfect man, heir to a department store fortune and contemplating going back to college, little does she know all that can change in an instant. When journalists uncover her heritage, Olivia not only learns she is adopted but she is the daughter of notorious serial killers, Todd and Pamela Larsen. Fleeing from the press and desperate to live without hand-outs from her adoptive family, Olivia soon finds herself in the isolated town of Cainsville. A town where outsiders aren’t welcome…but maybe Olivia is.
I know, we’re all a little sad after the end of The Women of the Otherworld series but Kelley Armstrong knows how to make everything better. Omens marks the start of a great new supernatural thriller series and I have to say I loved every minute of it. There’s really only a hint at the otherworldly in this opening instalment, but something’s definitely odd about Cainsville and Olivia’s talent for spotting omens treads along the line of explainable. There are so many bizarre and conflicting superstitions out there, I loved this take on them (also handy for weather forecasting).
It starts off a little like a glossy chick-lit story, until the news breaks and Olivia basically goes on the run from the press. She has nothing to be ashamed of but they are looking for every reason to compare her to her parents. Socialite turned sociopath would be the perfect headline. Olivia starts to doubt herself, pondering nature over nurture and shunning the people from her old life. So she must find out as much as she can about her biological parents; just so she can know the truth. Whether guilty or innocent, she wants to know what her genes are capable of and unlock the dormant memories she always thought were just dreams.
Whilst Gabriel Walsh is nothing like Lucas Cortez, it’s interesting that there’s another lawyer as a main character. A lawyer who is instinctively disliked by Olivia but manages to prove his worth, whatever his motives. I loved that he was described as having weird eyes but that made him creepy. How often in books do the characters swoon over the unique eye colouring of someone that we know would really be unnerving in real life?
It’s a real page turner, with loads of elements that all weave together perfectly. Intrigue, conspiracies, betrayal and curtain twitching neighbours. I am excited to see where this series goes.
I know, we’re all a little sad after the end of The Women of the Otherworld series but Kelley Armstrong knows how to make everything better. Omens marks the start of a great new supernatural thriller series and I have to say I loved every minute of it. There’s really only a hint at the otherworldly in this opening instalment, but something’s definitely odd about Cainsville and Olivia’s talent for spotting omens treads along the line of explainable. There are so many bizarre and conflicting superstitions out there, I loved this take on them (also handy for weather forecasting).
It starts off a little like a glossy chick-lit story, until the news breaks and Olivia basically goes on the run from the press. She has nothing to be ashamed of but they are looking for every reason to compare her to her parents. Socialite turned sociopath would be the perfect headline. Olivia starts to doubt herself, pondering nature over nurture and shunning the people from her old life. So she must find out as much as she can about her biological parents; just so she can know the truth. Whether guilty or innocent, she wants to know what her genes are capable of and unlock the dormant memories she always thought were just dreams.
Whilst Gabriel Walsh is nothing like Lucas Cortez, it’s interesting that there’s another lawyer as a main character. A lawyer who is instinctively disliked by Olivia but manages to prove his worth, whatever his motives. I loved that he was described as having weird eyes but that made him creepy. How often in books do the characters swoon over the unique eye colouring of someone that we know would really be unnerving in real life?
It’s a real page turner, with loads of elements that all weave together perfectly. Intrigue, conspiracies, betrayal and curtain twitching neighbours. I am excited to see where this series goes.
