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| 1935560336
| 9781935560333
| B00RNN2NWK
| 4.36
| 1,422
| Sep 01, 2014
| Oct 07, 2014
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it was amazing
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Now all the politicians, they just squawk their mouths / They say, "we'll build a wall to keep them out" / And all the poets were dying, of a silence
Now all the politicians, they just squawk their mouths / They say, "we'll build a wall to keep them out" / And all the poets were dying, of a silence disease / So it happened quickly and with much ease (Rican Beach – Hurray for the Riff Raff). I have many theories about this series, but my most persistent, ongoing one is that I feel like Ginn Hale did right by us by getting the more “commercially appealing” twink couple in Javier and Kiram out of the way with the first Lord of the White Hell duology, because now that saves room for the "meat" of the whole thing with Champion of the Scarlet Wolf. It’s time for the big buff guys, the burly manly men! Something something YMCA song. Wow! It's like a dream come true, like one of those homoerotic 80’s action films, except there's actual gay sex in this one! Hurray! Okay, time to change directions, because I would never want to come across as twinkphobic, but I just think there's a time and place for all kinds diversity when portraying queer relationships! You know those contemporary “shirtless-man-on-the-cover” books where they always takes place in a college and each character in the friend group gets their own little sequel book dedicated to them? Yeah well, funnily enough The Cadeleonian Series actually follows that same basic template pretty closely, and yet I never clocked it until this book! Isn't that wild? But it's nice here because it never feels like a Marvel movie set-up where a random superhero gets haphazardly introduced "Backdoor Pilot" style with the intent for a six episode event on Disney Plus, because with these books, every character fits into the overarching plot and their relationships with each other are so natural that you wouldn't even realize there was a template to follow. That's all I ever really want whenever I'm complaining about tropes, it's not that I think you should (or could) write a story without them, it's just that I want them to be so hidden beneath the beautiful writing that I don't even think about them! That's not too much to ask, is it? It also works as a nice reassurance showing that Ginn Hale isn’t afraid to feature main characters who don’t fit into the typical image of what’s considered conventionally attractive. Okay look, it's starting to sound suspiciously like I think Elezar is ugly, like I’m throwing shade or whatever, but I really am trying to say that I think it’s an inspired choice to feature a character who’s rugged, mean, and for lack of a better phrase; a big lumbering oaf. “We’re the Titans, we’re the worst!” Sorry, has anybody else seen Hercules and Xena: The Battle for Mount Olympus, or am I literally the only person on the planet who remembers that hidden gem? Hm, maybe I am insulting him. Anyway, if I seem a bit more loopy than usual… it’s because that’s how my mind normally works whenever I’m talking about stuff I like, where it's just a constant stream of whatever thought comes to mind first, but this time it's also because I’m just so~oo elated after completing another wonderful book by Ginn Hale! Sheesh, and to think I was worried that I wouldn’t like this one as much because I didn’t really like Elezar from the first book due to his tendency to act like a dull bully masking his closeted sexuality under a cloak of hyper-masculinity and toxicity! Well, that's all true and then some, but while featuring him as the main character did somewhat put a damper on how quickly I finished the book compared to the others in the series, I actually did turn around on him… eventually… like, by the end of the novel. I think it’s important for me to practice empathy and remember that before this book, Elezar was only described from the perspective of Kiram, who despite being as kind and tolerant as one can be considering the circumstances, did still hold quite a bit of his own personal prejudices. So, any description of Elezar would have been colored by those factors. I mean, Elezar did suck as and was a total dick, but this book proves that he wasn't an irredeemable dick! Seriously, his characterization between Lord of the White Hell and Champion of the Scarlet Wolf was night and day! Because damn, the wild beast we saw back in the first couple of books is nowhere near the self-reflective, quick-minded leader we meet in this book. Isn’t that nice? People growing up and all that. Anyway, maybe I should take a page from Elezar’s book, because I still carried a lot of reservations towards him and for most of the story, every time something bad would happen to him I found great enjoyment and thought it was really funny. He'd get a scratch and I'd be out here like, "yee~ees, suffer! Sufee~eer!" In other words, his pain delighted me. But like all the greats, Ginn Hale switched up the game on me and by using the power of good writing, as the pages went on all of a sudden I noticed that I was starting to understand him. And I feel like this is notable because I hold grudges something awful against fictional characters and I went into this knowing I would probably actively go out of my way to root against him. I mean, I still hate Negan from The Walking Dead and it's been years! So yeah, as I spend more time with the characters, I found that I liked them more and more. Take whenever Elezar would feel immense jealously over another person touching or flirting with Skellan for example, pretty soon my thoughts turned from "that's what he deserves" into “Okay yeah, I get that.” The shift happened slowly and then all at once! Let's not get carried away though, he's still my least favorite of the narrators in the entire series (Narsi will always be number one!), but I can now appreciate the character in a way that I wouldn't have originally thought possible. It helps that we've already seen him at his absolute worst (most people would think the end of Lord of the White Hell book two, but I personally think it was at the end of book one), and he really could only get better from here on out. In my opinion, Elezar as a character was always meant to be somewhat unlikable, but even in the first duology, he never felt like an unnecessary character to the narrative. Ginn Hale understood the assignment in that regard because she never writes him in a way that’s supposed to trick us into liking him by giving him an excuse for acting the way he did and does, but rather by just allowing us to see more context into understanding who he is, we're able to want him want to find redemption. Here’s a bit of a trick when it comes to getting the audience to like the way a character is written; a character can be evil and do bad things, but they can never be annoying. “Elezar drifted, no longer asleep but still unwilling to leave the languid respite of rest.” Alright then, I think it's time to talk about the plot for a little bit, because you know, other than Skellan's chapters, its intrigue was the main thing that carried me through the book when Elezar's narration wasn’t exactly cutting it. Here we go! After almost killing someone he loved dearly in a fit of Achilles-like jealous rage (Or a mad Hercules-like rage), Elezar finds himself adrift and going through life acting only on his base instincts. It’s too bad then that his default form is his talent for starting fights and killing for money, because that’s exactly how he went about making a living for the past five years. Our story starts when he murders a man in an act of loyalty towards his old frat buddy, the messy “Players only love you when they’re playing” Atreau. Unfortunately, showing off his killer instincts and saving Atreau from the jealous spouse lands both of them in hot water of the boiling kind. In an attempt to shield them from bounties and the law, the duke Fedeles, then sends both Elezar on Atreau on a diplomatic mission across the sea to both get them out of dodge and help temper tensions of brewing war between the countries of Cadeleonian and Labara. See, in a "truth to fiction" moment, Cadeleonian has been slowly encroaching on Labara land by trying to “civilize” the country, and as always, with all that mess comes new laws, taxes, and most of all... resentment. So yeah, I think it’s safe to say that we start this book where racial tensions are at their absolute highest between the two countries, and because Fedeles doesn’t have Lin Manuel Miranda at his disposal to write a devastating rap that could solve racism, you could see why Elezar would seem like an attractive alternative. And while he does his job dutifully for a time, racial tensions and the threat of all-out war turns out to be the least of anybody’s worries because some witch dude accidentally opened Pandora's Box, but instead of hope, what he lets loose is a Demon Lord that hellbent on eating all things magic, thus killing any magical being in the process. Now enters Skellan, a man who can turn into a dog, just happens to be one of the most talented spell-casters, and can speak to the stones in the earth. Now, normally this characterization of a wild man who doesn’t wear clothes and is commonly associated with being “one with the land” and all that would have had me raising a questioning eyebrow, but because Skellan seems so ingrained with the fantasy world created by the author and everything about him makes sense within the context of the narrative, he feels like a fully realized and respectful character rather than a thinly veiled Native American stereotype. His confidence, pride, and unwavering belief system make it so he’s not just a lovable rogue, but rather the perfect foil to Elezar’s sour and self-loathing disposition. Besides, if nothing else, I also think it’s funny how Elezar went on this little exodus beyond the sea to avoid looking inward and accepting his attraction to men and it just so happens that his love-interest, his soulmate, ends up being this always nude Tarzan mf who has no compunction about invading his personal space. He truly is in a hell of his own making. Heh, I guess you could say that Skellen’s got that dog in him, and then after they hook up, Elezar’s got that dog in him! Har har. I probably I shouldn’t be too hard on Elezar about the sexuality thing, because it’s really not easy being queer. For example, when "Solar Power" by Lorde came out, I had to constantly pretend that I liked it! I'd be out there saying shit like, "oh yeah, 'I'm like a prettier Jesus' really is a great line!" So good! Really though, Elezar's plight is yet another compliment to the writing in that a lot of fantasy stories rely on shorthand and expect the reader to take what we know about queer history in the real world and apply it to the text, but with The Cadeleonian series, there's a well-detailed, built-in history that's similar to ours, but has its own context to contemplate and analyze. That's the way to do it, in my opinion. Where it isn't so different and inaccessible to where the reader can't empathize even if they wanted to, but rather written in a way that not only enhances the narrative, but also drives it forward. This book showcased a wonderful journey for Elezar because it really does cast light on what it would be like for a person, queer or otherwise, to have to go through being confronted with his own personal demons while also having to work through his own self-loathing and hatred. It's a powerful narrative arc that easily made a character I found so detestable feel a helluva lot more human, even if he still wasn't likable. And even when I wasn't rooting for him, the story carried me through as easily as a summer breeze just by the way the author was able to weave and blend the fantastical elements so perfectly together with the grounded nature to the story. See what I mean about Elezar’s likability being of little importance in the grand scheme of things? Because as much as I love the first duology, I can’t help but acknowledge the fact that this book is a far cry from the rather low key school boy antics of Kiram and Javier, what with its more mature themes surrounding the critics of colonization and "manifest destiny." I can honestly say that in terms of fantasy world-building and an expanse of imaginative writing, Champion of the Scarlet Wolf truly took my breath away in a way that rarely happens with the books that I read. With the way that the author really let loose on fantasy side of thing, the book comes alive. I also loved the imagery of giant stone creatures scattered around the city that people think are statues but are in fact still living petrified trolls that can communicate with Skellen. The “horrors hiding in plain sight” kind of thing never fails to intrigue me as well as send a chill down straight down my spine. It’s like how in Mass Effect, the main villains are these giant Cthulhu type squid monsters called The Reapers that wipe out all organic life every fifty thousand years, and nobody knows about them except for the main characters. But if you go into the game knowing this plot twist, then there are signs of their existence from the very start, like how the map of the main council chambers are actually in the shape of a Reaper. Spoo~ooky! Anyway, this book was imaginative, vast, and challenging in the best kind of way. I really do think that by now Ginn Hale is up there as one of my “must read” authors, and I intend to read through her entire catalogue! And sure, while the Lord of the White Hell duology has all the heart and likable characters, I found that Champion of the Scarlet Wolf struck a finer balance between world-building and a masterfully structured story. Why choose though? If I had to, I'd just read them all! Over and over again. Well, you can take my life / But don't take my home / Baby, it's a solid price / It comes with my bones. ...more |
Notes are private!
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Apr 09, 2025
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Jun 08, 2025
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Apr 09, 2025
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Kindle Edition
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| B0079XA13W
| 4.17
| 4,490
| Sep 15, 2010
| Jan 2019
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it was amazing
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I guess you wonder where I've been, I searched to find a love within / I came back to let you know, I got a thing for you and I can't let go (What You
I guess you wonder where I've been, I searched to find a love within / I came back to let you know, I got a thing for you and I can't let go (What You Won’t Do for Love – Bobby Caldwell). In a turn of events that should surprise nobody… I really loved this book. Woah, that's crazy, right? It's the usual, really, as lovingly empathetic, hilariously witty, and devastatingly emotional as expected; Lord of the White Hell book 2 combines all of the above in a stunning conclusion that has left me sitting here in ache... because my reading posture sucks ass, but also longing ache! Okay well, I’m probably laying it on a bit thick and baring my heart in such an open way embarrasses me, so let me just cut to the chase before I run out of adjectives and say that Ginn Hale has written yet another masterpiece. I will say that throughout this review I’m going to probably come across as a little more negative than I did when I talked about book one, but this is only due to the fact that there were a few characters that pissed me off like Elezar and Javier. Otherwise, I promise that my incessant complaining is only a testament to how great this book is considering I’m still showering it in praises! And while my heart still belongs to the Master of Restless Shadows duology (as you can probably guess considering I never shut up about it), I still think it's fascinating to see how these characters have grown and evolved throughout the years. Besides, it’s always nice when you can tell how much an author cares about the characters as much of we do. As for the story, we still follow Kiram as the only narrator as he’s trying to navigate through all the problems that he left festering from the last book. This all includes Javier being an entitled asshole, his mother waiting with a long list of potential suitors waiting for him back home, and... oh yeah... Fedeles being cursed by an ancient shadow demon? Hold up, one of these things is not like the other. That’s kind of where my one criticism with this book lay, because unlike Master of Restless Shadows, which was able to sneak in a beautiful romantic story line aside all the world-ending plots, this book almost felt a bit disjointed in its inability to properly balance the importance of all sources of conflict presented throughout the story. Like, I always enjoy romance in books, I really do, but I was really hoping that Kiram would have been able to push aside his constant infatuation towards Javier and instead focused on saving Fedeles like he kept claiming he would. I’m just saying, their buddy is literally trapped in The Sunken Place right beside them and we all know this by this point in the story, so it’s kind of wild that they spent so much time dancing and sight-seeing. Nonetheless, I think it's important to understand that while The Cadeleonian Series has since evolved into having a very detailed and lore heavy fantasy setting, these first two books are first and foremost about a forbidden love between a culturally displaced young man yearning for adventure and a lord trapped in a dangerously conservative society trying to unlearn his inborn shame. In fact, I’d probably say that these earlier books reminded me a little of how the Shadow and Bone books were very by-the-numbers Young-Adult fiction at first, and in my opinion, things only really started getting good when the author started experimenting with more complicated and weird narrative turns when she got to the Six of Crows books. That sounds like a backwards compliment, but even though I didn’t finish the Shadow and Bone trilogy and stopped watching the show when they started adapting certain scenes from the book that I found boring (I didn't like Milo or whatever Alina's love-interest name was), I still appreciated that it set up a world where a badass like Inej could exist and thrive. Hm... what was I talking about again? Oh yeah, these Lord of the White Hell books are still fantastic, and even though the romance between Kiram and Javier definitely doesn’t hit the same way Atreau and Narsi's relationship from Master of Restless Shadows did, I was still captivated by their story and couldn't help but want them to run away together as if they existed in a song written by Carly Rae Jepsen. Unfortunately, this is the part where confess that Javier never really grew on me in these books. I wouldn’t say that it ever got so bad that I felt like his wrongdoings towards Kiram were unfairly absolved by the narrative, but there was a disappointing lack of resolution in the hanging story threads nonetheless. Scenes that were given strong emotional weight at the climax of the last book were resolved way too quick with nary an apology in sight! By now I think I've made it clear that I have very strong opinions on “the correct” person in stories being the one to “make things right,” it’s kind of my thing! And look, I believe that Javier is a good character and has a strong arc, I just don't like him much! Besides, I’m clearly not taking it too personally considering the five gold stars up there. I’m even loathe to admit that I can see why this more naturalistic approach to Kiram and Javier making up after their big fight is enticing from a writing perspective seeing as it mirrors real relationships more closely. Yet... I still just kind of wanted to see Javier… in pain? Wait that sounds bad, I’m just saying that my favorite parts in a novel, be it Lord of White Hell or Simon Snow, are when the love-interest is suffering. Huh, that sounds worse. Eh whatever, I might as well admit that I’m a real sicko and I feed off of scenes where the love-interest is going through it, jealous and bitter. That's probably why I like love-triangles, I’m messy and I love drama! Anyway, what I’m getting at is that throughout the entire story I was totally a devil on the shoulder, telling Kiram to leave Javier's flat ass because my boy Vashir is over there looking to give him real riding lessons! On a serious note though, more than anything I was hoping that Kiram would have been more of an active player in the story, as I often felt like he was little more than a spectator to the events happening throughout the book. Sure, maybe it’s purposeful that Kiram plays the Nick Carraway role, looking on in admiration and romanticizing this rich dude, but given all the narrative focus on his prestigious mechanist skills, I was hoping his talent would come up sooner than the third-act. “You keep a secret too long and it gains a kind of power over you, I think. It starts to own you.” I know right now you’re thinking, “Oh, he’s really going to talk about Javier for four paragraphs, huh?” and… I am, sorry. Hey, I said the Lord of the White Hell books were on the romance side of things more than anything else, and if there’s one thing about me, is that I can rant and rave about romantic interests for ages! Besides, if Kiram and Javier can ignore Fedeles being mind-controlled like Wanda Maximoff controlling the citizens of Westview, then so can I. Anyway, I know that Javier’s whole obsessive love thing he has going for Kiram is supposed to be darkly sexy or whatever, but after a while he really was just giving Quasimodo vibes. Not the hunchback bit, the creepy stalker bit. I mean, these books are definitely of the era in which they were written, where the love-interest was always aloof and demanding, but I’m just thankful that this kind of characterization has since been re-examined in the public consciousness. I’m not saying that nobody can be toxic, but a little variety is always nice and I've always liked it the most when the characters seem to like each other. The whole "I own you, my love," Nosferatu, Phantom of the Opera type shit was never my thing and I especially couldn't escape it back in the day! By the time Divergent was doing the "edgy" and "dark" romantic lead bit, I was soo~ooo DONE! Remember the love-interest was named “Four?” Like, come on now. I've exhausted this point, but I've always found it to be a breath of fresh air whenever a love-interest is supportive and shows their love through anything other than an obsessive need to control and own. Yeah, I concede the fact that these characteristics were given to Javier because they’re aspects literally drilled into him by his up-bringing as a Cadeleonian lord, which is a point that’s literally discussed by Kiram at length throughout both books, but I’d argue that because Kiram is always “giving in” and never holding Javier accountable for his bad behavior, I couldn't help but wonder if these two would remain happy together when the dust settles. Hm, maybe I do want to see him in pain. Had Javier been given his own pov chapters it could have helped alleviate some of my issues with his selfishness, but I still have to appreciate the fact that while Javier is Lord of the White Hell, this is still Kiram’s story through and through. It’s through his eyes that we’re able to examine the Cadeleonian culture, and through him that we’re given leave to judge and ponder accordingly. I should move on, because it's starting to sound like I’m in love with Kiram or something... but let the record show that this is not the case, I tell you! I am not in love with Kiram… I’m in love with Narsi. That was a joke, by the way. Maybe. Um, I could go on and on about the reasons why I don’t think Javier and Kiram were a good match for each other, but it's important to know that that fact doesn't mean that I think it's a flaw in the writing. There are plenty of love stories about people that shouldn't be together that I love. And I'll list them here! ...Just kidding, then we'd be here all day and that'd cut into my allocated "complaining about Javier" time. But let's talk about the liberating art of dance and how Kiram’s love for it informs a large part of his characterization. We never get to see him getting down in book one because it's important for us to distinctly feel his alienation and separation from his home. During the school dance, Kiram is noticeably ignored by his classmates (including Javier, by the way) because of his race and it's a gut-punch to read as he's forced to watch from the sidelines and repress his cultural love for dancing. It's sad stuff, really! While in this book, the scene is mirrored as Kiram goes back home to his family and while at the cookout he again relearns his love for dancing, having a grand old time cutting the rug with people who aren’t so socially repressed. These two moments are (in my opinion) purposefully contrasted with each other, and even though Javier is clearly Kiram's one true love (as designated by the narrative), I still couldn't help but picture a stilted and wooden future for him should he stick with the stick-in-the-muds. “I’m never gonna dance again, guilty feet ain’t got no rhythm” and all that. It doesn’t help that the only time Javier was there to “protect” Kiram, it only ever highlighted his obsessive jealously and childishness. A guy flirting with Kiram? Javier is there with his hand on the hilt of his sword, but later in the book when Kiram is getting mugged, all of a sudden he’s nowhere to be seen? Chilling with his horse or whatever? Man, he never really did anything much to combat the noble man-child accusations, did he? All take and no give, this guy was… as Yoda once said. And yeah, I guess he offers shelter when Kiram has an intense falling out with his family, but even then it’s more his friend, Nestor’s hospitality that he has to thank considering it’s his house they’re all bunking at. Now back to good things, despite all my complaining thus far, even if they’re kind of toxic and maybe not good for each other, Ginn Hale’s got the chemistry thing between them down pat. Kiram would say something devastatingly earnest, Javier would say something disarmingly charming, and I’d say ooo~ooh girl, shock me like electric eel! It’s a tried and true method, really. Besides, I think this book was smart in that the narrative gave Javier and Kiram a Romeo and Juliet sense of impending doom where we can’t help but hope that things will work out for them regardless of the risks. And not to brag, but I’m one of those people who never turned on The Titanic and I always enjoyed the love story as well as that bit where they're all hanging off the side of the boat. I've got layers! Really though, show me a tragic love story and I’ll be seated. So yeah, while I didn't like Javier too much, I really did love this book... too much! Besides, there’s no doubt in my mind that Ginn Hale’s writing remains an tired-and-true source for electric entertainment, sensitive representation, and blissful happiness! There, I found a few more adjectives. And though I only want the best, it's true / I can't believe the things I do for you. ...more |
Notes are private!
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Mar 21, 2025
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Apr 07, 2025
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Mar 21, 2025
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Kindle Edition
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| 1935560212
| B006WSQDGY
| 4.02
| 5,625
| Aug 15, 2010
| Jan 2019
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it was amazing
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I thought you thought of me better / Someone you couldn't lose / You said, "We're not together" / So now when we kiss, I have anger issues (Casual – C
I thought you thought of me better / Someone you couldn't lose / You said, "We're not together" / So now when we kiss, I have anger issues (Casual – Chappell Roan). Pshhh hey, who was it that said that my immense love for the Master of Restless Shadows books would make it so I'd be disappointed in this? Stand up, where are you!? Oh yeah, it was me that said it. Well me, who’s laughing now!? Again, it’s me, I’m laughing. Man, I love proving the haters wrong (me). Okay, I'm starting to sound like a cave man, so let's get this show on the road. Because really though, I liked this book a whole lot! So much so that I even caught myself several times trying to rush through the pages just so I could find out what was coming next! "Focus got me feeling distracted, calmly overreacting" and all that. The thing is, I never really gave credence to the “voracious” part of “voracious reader,” but considering the hunger I felt while reading this? I totally get it now. It got so bad that I was seriously contemplating starting book two when I was literally still in the middle of this book! Lord of the White Hell is one of those “blink and you’ll miss it” kind of books in that one moment I blinked and noticed that I was already halfway done with the book! I'm on some “bring on the next one even though I’m not done with this one” type shit. I love how naturalistic Ginn Hale’s writing style is, and while her stories never shy away from large, world-ending plots, their respective narratives always stay within the character’s perspective. Meaning that the plot at large never becomes more important than the core human experience. No matter how fantastical, the The Cadeleonian Series will always be about how the terrible actions of the terribly powerful affect real people on the ground and how those people can and will rise up against oppression. Let’s just say that the dialogue in these stories never feel like they’re written down only so they can be quoted and pasted on a coffee mug you’d find while shopping around on Etsy. Is that too specific? Because that’s basically how I felt about the entirety of Thanos’ dialogue in both of the Avengers movies that he appeared in. Sorry, I had to sneak a MCU dig in here somewhere, I guess I’m still bitter over watching that one Captain American movie, and whenever I read something actually good I’m always like “Oh yeah, this is what a good thing is like.” But I think I lost the plot somewhere along the way… um… I think my point was that I spend too much of my time giving a pass to things that are just okay by claiming that they’re “fun” and a “good enough” because damn, lord (of the White Hell) knows I do that with a lot of the books I read, leaving a string of “3-stars in my wake as I finish my next read that was totally fun and good enough. This is my way of saying that reading this book was like awakening from a deep slumber, Kingdom Hearts 2 style! Like I said, Lord of the White Hell is a great book, and I’d say that it’s especially noteworthy for its wonderful depiction of diversity within its fantasy world because… let’s face it, fantasy is a genre that is rather well known for its lack thereof. Of course, none of this is a new argument, but I think it's important to reiterate regardless. What with Lord of the Rings’ lack of women or Game of Thrones' and its lack of queer characters (and people of color), and don’t get me started on a certain book series about a magical school where the only characters of color have names that are either offensively indicative of their racial background or just down right offensive in and of itself (“Cho Chang”? Come on now) or how the only queer characters are stated as such in tweets! And then it’s funny because whenever fantasy stories do end up trying to “represent” real world cultures, things tend to get a little dicey. I’ve already met my one “Game of Thrones mention quota” and I think it’s gotten to the point where people might think that it's the only fantasy thing I’ve ever watched, so I’ll used a different example. Now they’ll call me “two example man!” Outside of Game of Thrones, we’ve got Skyrim which is a fun and good enough game because it’s cool how the game lets you pick out and play as different races of different cultures. Hey, we’re off to a good start! But then there’s the fact that all of the different races have innate “attributes” instilled within them and it's like... uh, where is this going? For example, there’s the nomad race (who are cat people) that start out as being inherently “better at sneaking ” or there’s the fact that once the races start getting a little bit of melanin in them then they're all of a sudden “better at jumping?” Man, whenever I really think about these things in any kind of depth, all I can say is… yikes! Anyway, let’s hop back on the compliment train, because Lord of the White Hell does not have these problems, and the only reason I’m comparing it so heavily to other books of the like is because I think it’s important for me to remember that sensitive and profound depictions of diversity in these kinds of books is not something to be taken lightly. In fact, I’d say that this book reminded me less of other fantasy fantasy novels and more of contemporary fiction like Darius the Great Is Not Okay or The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian due to its heavy focus on systemic bigotry, queer relationships in an oppressive society, and cultural alienation and racial displacement. Anyway, have I mentioned that I loved this book yet? Well, even if it goes without saying by this point, I think it's worth repeating. I loved this book a whole lot! The story was great, the writing style was great, and most of all… the characters were great! “You’re going to ruin my reputation.” “Oh yes, next thing you know people will be saying that you read books.” “I do read books.” “Not nice books,” I mean, Lord of the White Hell follows a somewhat common story featuring the rich boy falling for a “common” boy, but where it differs from all the rest is that it takes the time to let the characters react the same way that real people would. I know that doesn’t sound like much of a compliment, but you’d be surprised at how many books I’ve read that adhered so strictly to tropes that it refuses to let its characters react to the plot naturally. Things happen in the story because they have to happen and we have to get there. And sure, even though it doesn’t take long before Kiram gets all, “Say it loud and there's music playing, say it soft and it's almost like praying” about Javier, I still enjoyed that he didn’t just come running every time Javier snapped his fingers. Characters with some semblance of pride and self-respect, that’s all I’m ever really asking for! On this point though, I will say that I wished the plot focused more on Kiram’s love and talent for machinery, because most of the book is spent with him becoming more of a “manly man” by embracing the Cadeleonian culture. Not that this is bad per se, but I’m not so sure if the assimilation story line was the most interesting aspect of the story to me. And other than the slight messaging of having Kiram “man up” throughout the narrative, you can definitely tell in other ways that this book was written waa~aay back in the prehistoric ages of 2010 in the way that Javier gave of some serious Edward Cullen vibes with his desperate over-protectiveness and animalistic jealously. His immaturity makes sense to the story because despite having his fair share of troubles like his whole “cursed family line thing” (we all have problems dude), at the end of the day he is still a spoiled rich noble who needs to grow up. My fingers are crossed that he does some serious groveling in book two! Otherwise, I thought it was cool how our main character was also Haldiim like Narsi from the Master of Restless Shadows books because even though this is called The Cadeleonian Series, it’s through the Haldiim narrators that we’re able to examine the world through an analytical eye and in any real depth. Kiram is similar to Narsi in their shared racial disquiet over feelings of unmitigated fear and hatred towards the Cadeleonian royal family, whose legacy is one of genocide and colonization but are now treated as celebrities in the present day. Damn, can you imagine if something like that happened in the real world? But they’re decidedly different in that Narsi has immense chemistry with every character he interacts with (“Ain't no particular sign I'm more compatible with”) while Kiram too is kind and good-hearted, but he really only likes two people throughout the story (#relatable). They’re both well-rounded characters, and their differences only helps to emphasize my earlier point about Ginn Hale caring a great deal about showing diversity through her writing. Otherwise, I was surprised at how quaint this story was in comparison to the Master of Restless Shadows duology. Like, where those books deal with large scale “end of the world” plots, this one's conflict is all about Kiram will fit into the academy. New school, new culture! And we’ve got everything you can imagine; bullies, shitty teachers, and… oh yeah, trying to get an exemption from gym class. Considering that my main hobby is reading, you can probably guess that I used to walk the mile. Anyway, I will say that I’m actually glad that I started this series with the later installments because I’m not so sure if I would have loved these characters the same way I do had I been introduced to them with this book, while everyone’s in their frat boy era and everything. Like damn, these guys kind of suck here! I mean, they’re all younger here and I will admit that there’s something pretty funny in seeing how much of an ass Atreau is in this book, but I’ve personally never found frat boy antics all that entertaining or funny. I really like Conan, but the least funny he’s ever been was when he was doing a “Clueless Gamer” with Zack Efron and Seth Rogan. Gross episode. Off of that, this might come as a surprise to… no one, but I don’t usually like smug, arrogant characters in fiction either. I understand why they’re popular, breaking through to the heart of the heart-breaker is always an enticing fantasy, but it’s never really been my thing. I’m always over there on the other side rooting for them to get cursed or tormented by the amulet or whatever. So yeah, I didn’t love Javier with all his little privileged “charm.” Not even the fact that his family line is cursed could really get me to feel any real kind of sympathy for him (again, we’ve all got problems, my guy). In fact, he’s very similar to Atreau from the later books in terms of swagger and status, but in the Master of Restless Shadows books, we at least understand that it's a front because we get a major glimpse into his head as he’s a pov narrator. He really is a sap deep down. In this book, we only ever see Javier from Kiram’s perspective, so there’s a lack of substance to Javier than there otherwise might have been. To me, Atreau is like Han Solo, because you know how he’s always touted as the coolest man in fiction? Well, in my opinion, he’s only cool because when you actually watch the movies, he’s actually kind of a dork. A flop! It's cool to be uncool, man. Regardless, we’re still only on book one, so we’ve got plenty of time for character development™. Can’t wait! It's probably pretty selfish of me to want Ginn Hale to write more books from this series forever, right? I mean, if Alexander McCall Smith can write a billion of those No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books, then why not The Cadeleonian Series? I want, no, I need more from this world! Dumb love, I love being stupid / Dream of us in a year / Maybe we'd have an apartment / And you'd show me off to your friends at the pier. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Mar 09, 2025
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Mar 21, 2025
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Mar 09, 2025
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Kindle Edition
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| B00486U8JK
| 4.09
| 22,906
| Sep 1996
| Nov 03, 2010
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it was amazing
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I'll look like hell, just to wear it well / I'll believe the stories that I tell, if it weaves a spell (Breathe – Dom Fera). I believe congratulations I'll look like hell, just to wear it well / I'll believe the stories that I tell, if it weaves a spell (Breathe – Dom Fera). I believe congratulations from me to me are in order. Congrats me, you finished an old ass book that was super long and you actually liked it, no bullshit! Nice job, me! I'm in the building and I'm feeling myself. Hey, you know what? Maybe I should go back and finish the Game of Thrones books now that I know I’m capable of diving into classic, overly complicated fantasy without yawning the whole way through. Well, I think I'll stick to the Nightrunner series for now because at least the author finished it. But please allow me to brag about one more thing; I can give you a synopsis without having to look up character names! No glossary, no nothing, I just straight up know things! I know Seregil and Alec are as fun a duo to ever have been put to… page, I know Micum is the first “family man" man character that I’ve actually given a shit about, and I definitely know that I didn’t like Nysander based solely off of vibes alone (I spent this whole book thinking he was secretly a villain). But let me put on my official Synopsis Cap™; Luck in the Shadows is a book set in a sprawling fantasy world full of deep lore and intricate political machinations where we follow a young man named Alec as he goes from helplessly being saved from torture by super spy Seregil to being taken under his wing and tutored in the ways of his exciting life. Things quickly go from complicated to… complicated-er as they soon find themselves embroiled in a plot that could shake the very foundations of their society. “War! The Republic is crumbling under attacks by the ruthless Sith Lord, Count Dooku. There are heroes on both sides. Evil is everywhere.” and all that. Sorry, I know that this is sounding suspiciously like an advertisement, but this book is just a good time all around and it’s hard for me to not to get excited while I’m talking about it. Here’s the thing, I’ve always been a bit of a vintage loving hipster dude, but it’s been especially prevalent with me in the recent months. I’ve been diving into a bunch of old books (hence this review that I’m writing right now), to the point where I’ve been seriously debating whether or not I should read a couple Nancy Drew books, I had a panic moment a while back when I noticed I don’t actually own any of my favorite movies and shows, so I went out and got physical copies of every season of Better Call Saul, and finally, I’ve been playing a bunch of old ass video games because all the new ones are upwards of 70 dollars now. And moving past my run-on sentences, the most recent game I’ve played is this old gem called Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands that's all about the titular prince trying to save his brother from succumbing to a cursed amulet. Sound familiar? Luck in the Shadows is a book that’s also all about Seregil almost dying because he thought that the move was to put on a cursed amulet. My bad for all the "cursed amulet" talk, I just really enjoy whenever they're used as a plot point because, yeah, they're a smart way of showing the reader an "evil" version of the main character, but also because I just think they're really funny. I just know in my heart of hearts that I'd succumb to the evil influence faster than has ever been seen before! So yeah, cursed amulets? They’re making a big comeback! But on a more serious note, one of my favorite things about this book is actually probably a lot of other people’s strongest points of contention, in that… this book is really long and several different plot-lines would constantly gets twisted in knots to the point where it can be really easy to get lost as to where the story is going. Wait, let me try that again, because I don’t think I described that in the most flattering of ways. It's like how I've never wanted to play games like Dark Souls or Elden Ring (call your mom, because her phone seldom rings) because people always describe them as "so challenging that you'll literally want to pull your hair out!" and I'm always thinking, okay, so why would I want to play them, then? So yeah, this book isn't long and the story doesn't get twisted in knots, Luck in the Shadows is simply a detailed and immersive story that respects the reader enough that it doesn't feel the need to hold our hands! Is that better? I really do think that these aspects of the story are what kept me drawn to the book, nonetheless. One of my favorite things to do in these reviews is to tell you what my favorite things are, and I’ve got to say… one of my favorite things out there is this book series called The Extraordinary Adventures of the Athena Club (it also has my favorite iteration of Sherlock Holmes) by Theodora Goss, and the second book in the series, European Travel for the Monstrous Gentlewoman, is similar to Luck in the Shadows in that they’re both really long-winded… like, we’re talking seven hundred pages kind of long-winded. And I get why a lot of people don’t like that, I really do, but because I loved the characters so much, I would have gladly read a million pages just following their adventures! I know that the characterizations of Seregil (whose full title is such a complicated string of letters that I won't dare repeat here lest I accidentally summon the Babadook or something) and Alec are a bit more understated in the personality department than most readers are used to, what with a lot of modern fiction having a larger emphasis on snark and quips, but I still think that they’re given more than enough depth to make them stand out amongst any of my favorite characters any day. In fact, the book threw a couple curve balls at me, because even though I was expecting Alec and Seregil’s dynamic to start out as the classic “mentor and student” type relationship, I was actually relieved to see that they were actually more on even ground than you’d think at first glance. This is shown through Seregil’s character flaws of jealously and immaturity being especially highlighted or in how frequently Alec ends up being the one to save the day despite the fact that he’s the one who’s supposed to be learning from the former. In fact, I even started tallying up the score after a while, because damn, by the halfway point, Seregil save Alec maybe once in the beginning while Alec was saving Seregil’s ass left and right. Five times, but who’s counting? Think of them as more like Obi-Wan with Anakin rather than Obi-Wan with Luke. Bickering like family, but you know they love each other at the end of the day. “I don’t know how many times a day I can stand to watch you almost die.” “Twice is my limit.” Hey, and even though this bad boy is strictly within the confines of the high fantasy, it's always a bit of fun to read books that are a bit more fluid and expansive with its genre, and I really enjoyed the horror elements that were sprinkled here and there. It’s nothing too crazy, and I am a bit of a scaredy-cat, so take whatever I say with a grain of salt, but this book really scratched that specific "light horror" itch. I mean, the things that have always frightened me have been a bit more low-key than fantastical, and even as a kid, things like Chucky or It outside of Pennywise never really got to me all that much. It was always the more existential human stuff like in literally any episode of The Twilight Zone (I still can't watch the show if I want sleep to find me that night). Hell, I specifically remember when I was suuu~uuper young watching 12 Angry Men with my parents and getting freaked out whenever the camera would abruptly switch to close ups of the actors yelling (which is basically the whole movie)! It was just too spooky a concept for me, I guess. Like “ahhh there’s twelve men!! And they’re angry!!” you know how it is. So yeah, even though this was probably the weakest part of the book, I was still really digging it when Seregil was in his cursed amulet era, acting out of character and all that, because it reminded me of that specific kind of character study type horror story. Anyway, I guess I’ve got time for another little story. Well, it’s less a “story” and more confession… but I’ve actually been under the impression that I’ve kind of just hated long-form fantasy for the past year or so because I couldn’t get into Baldur’s Gate 3, the very popular and critically acclaimed video game, Baldur’s Gate 3. And I tried! Oh, I tried to get into it. The beautiful graphics, the gayness! I thought it’d be right up my alley! But nah, it wasn’t my thing and I'm still disappointed. I hated how the camera was always, like, a hundred feet in the air so I couldn’t see my character, I hated having to roll a dice every time the game wanted me to make a decision, I hated how every time I wanted to open a chest for a cool weapon or armor piece I had to backtrack through a million missable steps along the way, and most importantly, I hated the millions of complicated menus that you have to sift through just to do anything! Seriously, my version of hellish purgatory would be spending eternity in the grassy planes of Baldur’s Gate 3’s opening area! I really do like the game’s story though, so I’ll probably just watch a playthrough. By the way, this is why I like reading so much, because I can just sit back and enjoy the story without having to literally do stuff myself. They call me Passive Perry. Anyway, the way Lynn Flewelling manages to weave together so many detailed and intricate story threads while also finding a perfect balance between character development and world-building is nothing short of a miracle. But maybe that’s not fair, because claiming that Luck in the Shadows being perfect blend of fantasy goodness is due to luck might diminish the author’s masterful skill in crafting this book. Continuing off of my endless praise for a minute, and forgive my musings, but man… they just don’t make many stories like this anymore. You know, where the fantasy elements are presented so earnestly to the reader without any need to add “self-aware” Marvel movie quips that undercuts any sense of wonder or awe that could otherwise be had in the story. Luck in the Shadows may be about spies that have to use their wits and skills in deceit to survive and navigate throughout this dangerous world, but there’s absolutely nothing dishonest about the way the story is presented to us. I always think it’s really interesting to read old fantasy like this because at this point it’s not just a way for me to see into another fantasy world, but it’s also become a way of examining the past in comparing and contrasting how differently people interact with the genre “That Was Then and This is Now” style! Because while gay fantasy can be found in abundance today, in terms of books where queer characters are front and center in the story and exist outside of being props, I really do think that Luck in the Shadows was a trendsetter. And it’s funny because I actually think a lot of push-back towards high fantasy, queer or otherwise, has always had an implicit foundation in bigotry. Okay, hang with me for a second, but whenever there’s a large hate campaign against something that’s constantly stated as being “lame” or “uncool,” I think it’s important to look at the origins of that hate and who it benefits. For example, in the 1980’s there was an immense pop-culture push-back against the rise of disco (“Don't try to take me to a disco, you'll never even get me out on the floor”) and the truth is that because disco was created by and for queer people, black people, and queer black people, I’d argue that the hatred towards the music genre was actually rooted in anti-blackness and queerphobia. But if we’re sticking closer to the topic at hand, the fantasy genre, there’s the whole cultural zeitgeist surrounding the Lord of the Rings movies. It's easy to forget because every dude loves them now, but when those movies came out there were a lot of people who would constantly try and harp on the movies for being “gay” in a derogatory sense due to the fact that they’re movies that blatantly wear their heart on a sleeve. There was even a commercial that featured Frodo and Sam with the song “Secret Lovers” playing over the top in a “ ha ha gay people suck” kind of way. Sheesh... tough times. So, what’s my point? Um, I just think that it’s always important to look at these stories within the context in which they were created, and I’m trying to convey exactly why this book touched me the way that it did. Sure, it shows its age, but I still loved Luck in the Shadows because it's a kick ass story that understands that it’s kick ass to be earnest as fuck. I'll lose my mind, 'cause it's nice to find / But I’ll see the sights and take my time, to be sure it’s mine. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Feb 12, 2025
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Apr 2025
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Feb 12, 2025
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Kindle Edition
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| 1941230504
| 9781941230503
| B09V89164D
| 3.92
| 1,276
| Apr 15, 2022
| Apr 15, 2022
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it was amazing
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Gruesome ghost tale or adorable love story? I'm bisexual, so why not both?
Gruesome ghost tale or adorable love story? I'm bisexual, so why not both?
...more
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Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 10, 2022
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Aug 12, 2022
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Sep 28, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 089598962X
| 9780895989628
| 089598962X
| 4.22
| 9,097
| May 06, 1950
| Jan 01, 1989
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it was amazing
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None
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Notes are private!
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1
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Jul 22, 2024
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Jul 22, 2024
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Jul 22, 2024
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Paperback
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| B0CSBDHCJL
| 4.11
| 123
| unknown
| Feb 02, 2024
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it was amazing
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Excuse me but I need your chemistry, don't you wanna be my fantasy? (Let’s Pretend We’re Married – Prince). The only problem with reading books that yo Excuse me but I need your chemistry, don't you wanna be my fantasy? (Let’s Pretend We’re Married – Prince). The only problem with reading books that you love is that the more you read them, the less book there is to read! It’s an issue for the ages, surely. No Joke, I’d constantly find myself torn between wanting to continue this because I was having a great time and taking a break because I didn’t want it to end! And now that I’m over and done with this book, I’ve got to say that I feel a little numb. So... what do I do now? I'm lost! Well, don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone. Anyway, this was good. But not just good good, it’s good in bold. There’s interesting lore to the fantasy world hinted at, yet it doesn’t get in the way of the lovely romance, there’s a naturalistic approach to the “enemies-to-lovers” trope so March’s and Nero’s relationship doesn’t feel cooked up in a lab, and most importantly… there’s telepathic dragons! If I’m being honest, I really couldn’t ask for more in a story. So yeah, when I say it’s good, I'm kind of understating it, because what I'm really saying is that it’s good in the way where it has absolutely consumed my entire life for the past couple of days until the only remnants of my personality are coming up Honey and Starlight. I know I’m always comparing everything I read to songs or movies or shows, but while reading this, I was constantly reminded of this other wonderful book called Sebastian by Sam Argent; a similarly lovely story about a non royal guy whose pretty boy swag was too powerful for a helplessly smitten prince. See? I can do book comparisons too! No need to force a reference to some random ass move in this review. Yay! Okay well, this did remind me a little of The Proposal, but I digress. Um otherwise, I don’t really know how else to say this, but while flipping through this book, I couldn’t help but be reminded a little of fanfiction. Like, the kind of "just-one-more-chapter-and-then-I'll-sleep" kind of fanfiction. It was that addictive! And sure, this comparison came to mind also because I wouldn’t say that this story was perfectly written, as the author would almost always say stuff like, “the raven-haired male” or “The blonde noble” when a simple “him” would suffice nine times out of ten. Seriously, sometimes overwriting can hurt more than the tried-and-true methods! Okay wait, let me reel this back in real quick so I can get this review out of "backward compliment" territory. I am so willing to ignore all of my nitpicks, “there is no war in Ba Sing Se”-style, because other than the frequently repetitive prose, I undeniably enjoyed this style of writing! The love and care that the author put into this work is shown clearly, and I can’t help but feel incredibly fond of this book’s vibe. It's nice because the story could have easily read as an overindulgent mess with self-insert characters, but the fact that it manages to portray a romance sweeter than cotton candy (Majin Boo) is nothing short of a miracle. Basically, I dig it. It’s interesting because this book does the whole “everyone’s perfectly beautiful" thing and it never really bothered me. I know that seems hypocritical because I’m always going on and on about how I’m not a fan and it's boring and blah blah blah, but I kind of liked it here. Maybe it's because March was the prettiest and most the time everyone was only fawning over him (I can only take so much adoration), but I think it's mostly because March's looks helps underline a point about his personality. And the way it actually ended up being a plot point was smart because it makes it so the novel is actually saying something, you know? Through March’s characterization, I'd say that this book actually had a pretty accurate and sensitive representation of anxiety, and how it can affect anybody regardless of their appearance. A lot of the other characters scoff at his insecurities because "he looks like that!," but some people just can't help it. We can never know what's going on in another person's mind. And while I have to admit that I was getting a little tired of March’s constant reticence towards Nero's advances (like, do you like the way he flicks his tongue or nah?) at first, because of how March’s complex backstory is written, we learn why it makes perfect sense as to why he has both an inferiority and superiority complex when it comes to these things. Normally I always find it a little frustrating how the characters only really seem to dislike each other because they need to fit into the trope box, so I was really impressed with the way the author was able to work in popular story conventions with a relationship that feels earned. Besides, the way that March was always in his own head and how easily embarrassed he got over seemingly nothing were incredibly relatable character traits, and I often found myself cringing at his dramatic reactions because... damn, have I been there! As an aside, and as someone who also gets embarrassed rather easily, I’ve found that it helps to just say it plainly. Like, sometimes just saying “Woah, that was embarrassing!” out loud actually turns that “yikes” moment into a simple “yike” (just one) moment. Yeah so, I liked March. It was especially nice to see his relationship with Nero develop throughout the story because the “go-with-the-flow” vibe to their dynamic never felt contrived to fit into an algorithmic writing style. Nero starts off as an overly confident jerk who’s spoiled and headstrong, but then something really special happens... he actually starts to change from how he was from the start of the novel, it’s great! I know this is like, nothing groundbreaking, as characters changing and evolving is basically the anchor of all good stories, but as someone who reads a lot, you’d actually be surprised at how few of these love-interests end up differently from the beginning of the story. I liked The Nobleman's Guide to Scandal and Shipwrecks a lot, but let's be real, forty year-old Monty is hardly any different from his seventeen year-old self! Here, Nero is written in a way where he not only changes, but he also puts in the proper work to earn forgiveness, and I think this book is all the better for it. A simple “sorry” really does go a long way, in the real world and fantasy land. And if nothing else, making it so the charmer has to sit down and be humble is always going to get me in my feelings. Romance stories work best if I like both characters (Captain Obvious, I know), and I found March and Nero's push-and-pull actually enticing in a way that I've often seen advertised but hardly ever realized. Alright, end of essay time! Ahem... in conclusion; Honey and Starlight by L.A. Lambert (#ad) was a lovely and fun story that goes down smooth like honeyed tea. It's really, really good! And you know what good means to me. “Cute,” he decided, once he’d finished reading the letter. “You say that about everything I do.” “I haven’t lied yet.” ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 03, 2024
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Aug 10, 2024
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Jun 27, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 0593378075
| 9780593378076
| B0C5V8LWMH
| 4.20
| 769
| Feb 20, 2024
| Feb 20, 2024
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it was amazing
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“The truth is, Dami never liked endings. It’s why they’ve left so many books unread.” I’m a little embarrassed. Remember a couple weeks ago when I made “The truth is, Dami never liked endings. It’s why they’ve left so many books unread.” I’m a little embarrassed. Remember a couple weeks ago when I made this huge fuss about how I was “totally done with YA forever and ever and ever and nobody can convince me to return no matter what"? Yeah well, I'm here to say that all the hullabaloo was for nothing, because this YA book convinced me to return. It’s good. Really good, even. It kind of feels like me ending up loving this book is the result of some kind of universal karma that went out of its way to make sure I’d be eating my words for making such a grandiose statement. Kind of like a deal with a demon? Hmm. But that's enough shame for one night, because it’s synopsis time! The basic story follows Dami, a demon who is desperately trying to find a way to turn back into a human because they tire of the duplicitous life. To do this, they have go back to all the people they’d originally made deals with and undo all the “curling-of-the-monkey-paw,” “bad-faith-genie”-type wishes they’d granted. It just so happens that the last schmuck on the list is our second main character, Silas, a guy who is also desperately (desperation is a running theme with the both of them) trying to break free from his family curse that marks him and his loved ones for death. Thankfully, the shifty deal that Dami dream-came-trued it for him was that he’d effectively become immortal. Well, maybe not "thankfully," because there's a catch (because there always is one) that he can still technically die… just not permanently. Guess he didn't read the fine print, because he dies only to comes back. Again, and again and again. Just like Jesus! … or Goku. This was great fun, and I don’t think I’ve loved a pure adventure novel like this since I've had the pleasure of reading The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue, all the way back when. This book feels nostalgic to me because it really effortlessly captured that "something special" vibe from the very beginning. Here's the thing, adventure romances are always tricky because no matter what, they all live in the looming shadow cast by Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2003), which manages to perfectly balance the exciting, action-packed journey with its quieter, contemplative moments. The problem is that more often than not a lot of adventure stories sadly just end up being Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010), a lifeless, wooden movie with zero chemistry between the leads and zero dramatic tension. I'm happy to say that The Diablo's Curse beautifully resembles the former. Yay! Otherwise, I will say that like with most stories that deal with the search for a vast treasure, this book does the whole “the-real-treasure-was-the-love-we-found-for-each-other-along-the-way kind of thing, and I can’t lie… I was a little disappointed. Is it too much to ask that they find love and become filthy rich too!? In Fallout: New Vegas, there’s this quest you go on where the main theme is all about “letting go of the past” (yawn), and in order to really drive the message home, at the end you have to choose between escaping an underground bunker before it explodes or staying there and dying with thirty-nine (39!) gold bars that are too heavy to carry out of there on time. Want to know what I did? So, it turns out that there’s a glitch where if you stash the gold on some dead guy’s body near the door, you can actually still take all the money and escape with your life with seconds to spare. I love having cake and then eating it too! I’m probably just greedy, but it literally hurts my heart every time the heroes throw the gold or the jewels or the whatever into the abyss in the climactic ending in a triumphant display of how they’re better than the villain. Yeah well, I’m not! I mean, it's important to know that I'm still salty over Aladdin and the King of Thieves! You could probably tell which character I’d be in these kinds of adventure stories, huh? Best believe I’d be Smeagol, clutching my ring to the last. Though, if I had another complaint (I'm a "two complaint" kind of guy), I’d say that the sacrifices being made are a little too one-sided on Dami’s end. It's Silas' curse they're all trying to break, so why is Dami doing all the heavy lifting!? I know that they’re the “demon” in the relationship and that they’ve technically done the most harm in the past, meaning that most of the character development lies on their shoulders, but the unfortunate result is that it made Silas a little boring in contrast. Dami was doing too much! They’re the one who does all the rowing when they're stuck in the storms, the fighting against the bandits, the "figuring out" when they're faced with trials and tests on the evil killing island, where is Silas?? I know where. Busy sitting there like a log with his judgemental aura. If he didn’t have his own pov chapters, I’d seriously forget he was even there after a while. I don’t think he’s a bad character, and I didn't even dislike him, but I was just hoping for a better apology scene than what we got in the actual story. What can I say? I love some good ole groveling. I’m kind of joking, because none of this actually changed my opinion of the book, but I’d at least like something a little more concrete, a little more substantial than him just looking at the ceiling as he drafts his “I’m so sorry” text. I've noticed a lot of the books I’ve been reading recently are trending towards the more introspective side when it comes to their character development, and that's cool and all, but it is a little sad that it feels like the days of grand gestures in the third-act are over and done with. Oh well. This will be a bit of a spoilery bit (for The Kite Runner, very popular book The Kite Runner), but remember in The Kite Runner when the main character gets the ever loving shit kicked out of him and it's unnerving and visceral and... the only feeling he actually feels is pure euphoria? No pain or sadness, just a calming relief that he’s finally, finally, getting punished for the pain he’s caused. Obviously, this isn’t a perfect comparison because Silas didn’t do anything even remotely close to what Kite Runner guy did, but I’m just saying that they sure don’t write absolution like they used to. Oh, did I say that this book was a great book yet? Because it absolutely is! I don't know, that sentiment might have gotten lost in all my ramblings. Or whatever all that is up there. I’ll try to move on to more positive things from now on. I loved how The Diablo’s Curse has all the imagination and thrills of a typical adventure novel, but with the added benefit of all the main characters simply being queer. No fuss, no overlong discussion about it, they just are. And that's just a nice thing to read about. And it’s nice how we can have fun adventure stories without the narrative being completely centered around queerness and how we fit into the world, into society. And yet, it’s still a theme that’s felt deeply all throughout the story. From the way the narration doesn’t bother with any character being maliciously misgendered or how Dami’s shape-shifting powers are used to explore the beauty of being non-binary rather than the trauma they’d probably have to go through in any “realistic” historical-fiction novel about queer folk. It's all a metaphor, Hazel Grace! Every now and then I like to joke around saying stuff like “love isn’t real” or “love is dead” and blah blah blah, but the truth of the matter is that that sentiment is disproven by the simple fact of this book existing in the world. “How wonderful life is... while you're in the world!” This is a book that sets out to celebrate queer joy over pain, and accomplishes just that. And believe me, I felt the love every time I turned the page. Oh my love, I know I am a cold, cold man / Quite slow to pay you compliments / Or public displayed affections / But baby don't you go overanalyze / No need to theorize / I can put your doubts to rest (Cold Cold Man – Saint Motel). ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jun 05, 2024
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Jul 15, 2024
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Jun 05, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 1975393856
| 9781975393854
| 1975393856
| 4.68
| 2,650
| Dec 15, 2023
| Mar 19, 2024
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it was amazing
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None
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Notes are private!
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1
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May 21, 2024
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May 21, 2024
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May 21, 2024
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Paperback
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| 0385550472
| 9780385550475
| B0D21YZCB1
| 4.31
| 1,218
| unknown
| Feb 04, 2025
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it was amazing
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Said you're gonna shoot me down, put my body in the river / Shoot me down, put my body in the river / While the whole world sings, sing it like a song
Said you're gonna shoot me down, put my body in the river / Shoot me down, put my body in the river / While the whole world sings, sing it like a song / The whole world sings like there's nothing going wrong (The Body Electric – Hurray for the Riff Raff). Phew what a ride! I don't know how popular this opinion is, but now that I’m standing at the end of this thing, I think the only way I can summarize my thoughts on Dead in the Frame is that it's the best Pentecost and Parker mystery, and yet the hardest to read. I'm sure there's something profound I could say here about how only consuming easily digestible media rots the brain after a while. Something something, "it's good to be challenged by art" or something. Hey, I love a light and easy contemporary romance as much as the next person, but after reading a couple in a row, I've found myself having a hard time coming up with stuff to say about this book, even though it did make me think a whole lot. So yeah, I’ve probably said this a million times before, but I usually don’t like it when mysteries do the whole “main character is accused of a murder that they didn’t commit and they have to solve the case themselves to prove their innocence” trope. Which I know is an odd stance to take considering almost all mysteries have this premise. I think it’s because there’s an added level of anxiety and urgency that can feel a bit gimmicky if done too excessively. Besides, books with this premise always makes me skittish in not a good way and makes me want to rush through a book I might otherwise be enjoying. Call me The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry the way I was trying to get my ass out of here! I mean, it’s clearly not a deal breaker for me, because I still read an alarming amount of mysteries regardless, but just know that I didn’t go into this book, the newest installment of my favorite book series, with the same amount of excitement that I have had with the previous books. Anyway, is it okay if I talk about it for a little while? In a move that’s already above how Any Way the Wind Blows by Rainbow Rowell handled Wayward Son's intense cliff-hanger, the cliff-hanger from Murder Crossed Her Mind's final chapter gets answered almost immediately as Lilian Pentecost is arrested for maybe kind of sort of killing somebody and this whole book being about exonerating her. Now, this premise already marks this installment as vastly different than those that came before because this time around it’s up to everyone’s favorite bisexual, Will Parker, to sus out the real killer. All on her lonesome, can you believe it? They grow up so fast! The only problem is that the list of suspects outside of our favorite detective grows to be far more complicated and mind-boggling than she's ever before. Let me check list it; we’ve got the evil art collector who's idea of art falls on the macabre side, a “former” assassin with a gambling problem, a police officer who finishes his chores prematurely and... oh yeah, and Xenia Onatopp from Goldeneye. That’s really just scratching the surface! Who dun it!? I hope Will finds out, because I dunno! Seriously though, despite never trying to "win" at mystery books, sometimes I get lucky because I did end up guessing the right killer by maybe the halfway mark. But again, don't consider me an expert detective just yet, because it's important for you to know that I was still very confused throughout this entire book, but because all the characters kept getting killed off and the mystery got so twisted in knots, I figured I'd take a wild swing say it's most obvious culprit. That it would be a "the solution was right in front of us all along" kind of thing. Guess what? It was! Process of elimination or whatever. Hey, literally anything is better than how The Maid expected us to follow along with a mystery that was flat out making up new characters as the story went on so we literally couldn't include them on the suspect list! And my trepidation aside, I focused on Pentecost and Parker’s track record of absolute bangers in the past, and I owed it to Stephen Spotswood to at least give him the benefit of the doubt that he’d give these characters the kind of electric (boogie woogie, woogie) story that they deserve. You know, get me out my zone, I'm just talkin' comfort, shawty. You know how I always talk about how I forget everything in books the minute I finish them? Well, I don't sat that just to be quirky, because I actually forget a whole bunch, but I really do feel like Dead in the Frame will stay with me for a long while. I mean, ask me again next week. Really though, I’m not exaggerating when I say that Dead in the Frame is nonetheless a singular achievement in not only queer representation and feminism in the mystery genre, but it was also just so darn entertaining! It's just that I've found that a lot of authors think queer stories can either be "important" or "fun." You know, this one is the popcorn flick, and this one is the one that we take seriously. And this might just be because I'm bisexual, but I'm always left wondering... why not both? Well, the answer to that is Pentecost and Parker mysteries. Fun and exhilarating one second, breathtakingly sad the next. And like I said, I had a good time even though this one is a little less "fun focused" than usual. You know, because Ms. Pentecost spends most of it in jail being mistreated by the media and the prison institution alike. It's a hard read, and the book goes to great lengths to show that even if she were guilty, nobody deserves this kind of treatment. Oops, spoilers I think. I mean, I think it’s hardly a spoiler to say that Lillian Pentecost obviously didn’t do it to it to the guy. And that's cool, she's not a killer, but I actually think that’s where a few of my criticisms with the book came up. Dead in the Frame tries for a more “adult” vibe to its story considering it’s more apparent themes of police tampering, inhumane prison conditions, and infidelity and murder. All of which Ms. Pentecost and Will find themselves in the middle of, thus pushing them both much further than they’ve ever been pushed before. "Humbling women seems to me a chief pastime of poets. As if there can be no story unless we crawl and weep." – Circe. And not to get too hung-up on something that ultimately didn't bother me too much, but it would sometimes get to the point where the narrative felt like it was trying to convince us that maybe the heroes could have committed the drastic actions presented throughout the story, even though it didn't have any real interest in portraying Will and Ms. Pentecost as anything less than morally good. It often felt like a cop out because every time the main characters finally gain the nerve to actually do something kind of shady, when they're no longer “playing Mr. Nice Guy,” the narrative will oddly gives them a pass. For example (slight spoilers), as the story goes along and the pressure mounts to an unbearable level, Will, finding herself running out of time and options, decides that the move is to apply some Joel Miller interrogation techniques on a fool. Yes!! I was excited, I can't lie! Ugh, but the hype died pretty quickly as she finds that the guy already dead by the time she gets there? Boo~ooo! I know Will and Ms. Pentecost giving up their morals is not the point of the book (quite the opposite, actually) but I found myself oddly disappointed regardless. Are these still consider Young-Adult books? Because at this point I'm kind of waiting for Will and her boss to go buck-wild on someone! I don't know, they spend so much of this book “taking hits” that it almost felt like the author was just stringing us along after a certain point. It started giving off that condescending vibe of, "What? You expected this to be easy? Oh, you sweet summer child." I won't name names (because I hate this kind of movie with a passion), but there's this specific kind of horror movie that likes to use shock value and violence (usually against women) as some kind of "statement" on the genre as a whole, positing that anybody who watches horror movies and finds enjoyment in... the horror, is somehow also complicit in the actions taken throughout the movie. And because of this angle, these movies will refuse to give the audience any kind of satisfying narrative pay-off simply because they are attempting to question the very notion of finding violence in horror movies entertaining. But I'd argue that because they are using the same violence and shock value in their movies that they apparently loathe in others, are they not doing the same thing? Self-awareness of story tropes doesn't mean you're exempt from them! Especially if you're using them in your story to "make a point!" Hey, I guess if you can't beat 'em... join 'em? Otherwise, I think I just kind of hate any story that's smugly proud of being able to make the audience angry. What, like it's hard or something? Um, I know I said I wouldn't name names, but the truth is that I was actually talking about three different horror movies that annoyed the hell out of me. My top three of "never again's" They're The Vanishing, Speak No Evil (2022), and most importantly, Funny Games. Hate them, I hate them good. Anyway, my point is that while I'll admit that I was a little worried for a moment here, Dead in the Frame is decidedlynot one of those stories, but I found myself frustrated nonetheless because whenever it seemed like they’d finally hit back, the narrative goes out of its way to make sure nobody important to the narrative actually has to get their hands dirty. I include Ms. Pentecost in there because she has a very similar story line where she gets to the point of contemplating murder (for real this time) and her problem is solved in much the same way. Wasn't a fan, sorry. And I know that these books (and this one in particular) have a strong “revenge is bad and killing never actually solves any problem” theme, but I’d like to propose a counter argument; every shitty person presented in this book doesn’t deserve that much thematic consideration. Quincannon dying doesn’t solve anything? Well, considering he’s the classic “enlightened,” self-important, “learned” type of asshole who uses their calm and rational visage to mask the fact that underneath it all they’re really just a raging misogynist, I’d argue that him getting sent to the next dimension solved the very real problem of a disgusting ghoul like him being alive. Besides, if he really wanted to stay among the living, then his ass should have been walking around like Daft Punk! Just know I did the Lady Gaga “Abracadabra” dance when I saw that it was him who got murked. You know, the one where she’s doing the finger-pointing gun thing. Anyway, any criticism on my end are mostly just stray thoughts, as you can probably see by my star-rating that I really liked this! It's as stylish as ever and Will remains one of the best narrative voices in recent memory. I can't get enough of the writing style and whenever I finish one of these books I always start talking like, "'M'yeah, see? M'yeah'" and all that. But anyway, I really do think that the Pentecost and Parker books are the best mysteries out there right now because they forego Josh Lanyon type copoganda often seen nowadays in queer mystery novels and are much more reminiscent of old school Sherlock Holmes, where he used to look out for those ignored by society. That's what makes mystery detectives memorable for me; when they care for the forgotten and downtrodden. “They deserve to pry some small bit of happiness from a world determined to deny it from them.” ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Feb 25, 2025
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Mar 17, 2025
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May 10, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| B0D1PZFMJV
| 4.29
| 48
| unknown
| May 10, 2024
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it was amazing
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You had you some birthdays, could you prove it? / Show me the wisdom in your movement, show me some wisdom in your movement. (Provider – Frank Ocean).
You had you some birthdays, could you prove it? / Show me the wisdom in your movement, show me some wisdom in your movement. (Provider – Frank Ocean). Just thinking out loud here, but even if 카지노싸이트 didn’t have it so the star-rating was the first thing people saw in a review, it'd still be obvious if I loved a book. Oh, there would be signs alright! For one, I’d be out here peppering the words “charming” and “delightful” all over the place like I don't own a thesaurus. And let’s not forget that I could easily be caught describing the pacing of the novel as “naturalistic,” because I know for a fact that that’s definitely a favorite of mine. What else? Oh yeah, then I’d slap a few Frank Ocean lyrics on the whole thing and call it a day! No really… the Frank Ocean lyrics are the most important part. How else would people know? Anyway, this was some kind of wonderful; The Promise Effect never once failed to be just as charming and delightful as Honey and Starlight, and yet, I maintain that it actually has a bit more of an emotional impact due to its heavier subject matter and edgier main character. But even though the tone gets a little Empire Strikes Back-ed, it never strays too far away from what made me fall in love with the first book. It's a little bit like if All the Hidden Paths by Foz Meadows took place in the Shrek universe. That might sound like an insult to some, but I'm one of those who believe with the utmost sincerity that cinema peaked at Shrek and Shrek 2, respectively. Seriously though, even though it seems as such, The Promise Effect is less of a “swept-off-your-feet” romance and is more about the exploration of Laurel’s recovery and self-reflection. It's very introspective in that respect, and I really couldn’t commend the author more for taking the series in a different direction tonally while staying true to the fabric of the first installment. I also enjoyed this author’s naturalistic approach to writing out the story-beats in the way that it never follows a typical romantic genre timeline. You know; “meet-cute, then budding romance, then contrived drama, then break-up chapter, then make-up chapter, then epilogue chapter taking place years later," then we’re done (I hate epilogue chapters). And can’t lie, the author's way of allowing the characters time and space to breathe and exist outside of the conflict brought up fond memories reminiscent of the Ari and Dante books. Which, in other words, is just about the highest praise I can give… anything, really. I think it’s safe to say that L.A. Lambert is quickly becoming one of favorite authors, because as soon as I picked this one up, I swear I heard the sentiment reverberate through the air singing “You’re going to love thii~iis,” like some kind of angel’s choir. Was that too dramatic? Okay well, all I know is that even though it took a little bit longer than usual for me to finish this book, it was more because I didn’t want it to be over so quick. Because otherwise, I could have easily eaten this up between one of those seventeen-minute standing ovations at the Cannes film festival (for real though, why tf do they clap for so long). I know I’m always reading several books at once (because I don't want to be left alone with my thoughts), but there’s something about finishing a special book like The Promise Effect that leaves me feeling that unique kind of hollow. “One in a Million” by Aaliyah, for real. Oh, I forgot to do a summary. Okay, here we go! We follow Laurel from the first book as he’s now on an active journey for recovery as his friends hire a magic therapist type guy named Ash in order to help him out with his magical block. I kind of interpreted as a metaphor for Laurel not being able to get it up all the way when it comes to his magical powers, so you might call that a... semi-hiatus! Badum tssss. Sorry, was that in bad taste? Really though, Laurel actually has a very heartwarming and meaningful character arc about moving past the blockades he puts up for himself. Which, of course, leads to Ash, a “golden retriever” boyfriend (I still don’t know what that means) who can’t help but want to get a taste of Laurel and help to bring sunshine to his gray afternoons. What makes Ash work as a love-interest is that despite his first few appearances giving off the impression that he’s mostly just an overly pushy muscle head, his narration gives much needed perspective in showing how well-rounded he is. For one, we actually get to see first-hand that he's actually rather introspective and thoughtful, and though it would be easier to portray him as a simple “rescue romance”-type character, the author goes out of their way to give him realistic insecurities that match up well with Laurel’s own laundry list of character faults. Like, a big character arc for Ash is him moving past his initial attraction phase and going out of his way to understand and love Laurel as his own person, rather than just a pretty crush to be admired. Besides, if you write a haughty and difficult character like Laurel, it’s always a good idea to try to knock them off their pedestal a little, because they otherwise tend to stay uninteresting the whole way through. It was a lot of fun to read along as Ash has to find out whether or not breaking through the millions of walls that Laurel’s put up is worth it, or if he's just a natural blondie like Goku. His persistence is well worth it, because even though Laurel is constantly acting like a dick, it really was just a phallacy. Har har. This book takes what could have easily been a generic “grumpy-guy-gets-won-over-by-overly-optimistic-guy” kind of story, but because it took the time and care needed for us to get to know the characters, it never felt like it was going down the tropes like a grocery list. But romance aside, every time I go on the 카지노싸이트 app, they like to cycle through quotes from authors and I always seem to get that John Green one that says some bullshit like “what’s the point in living if you don’t try to do something remarkable?” or whatever, and it always annoys me. Like, shut the hell up dude. I know I seem like I’m always mentioning John Green in a derisive manner, but that’s only because I’ve pretty much read every one of his books and come to the conclusion that I do not like them. The point of my side-step into hating is that I enjoyed this book's theme of Laurel being this super gifted so-and-so, yet the message isn’t about how he’s “wasting his life,” by not doing something remarkable with it, but rather that he's totally fine in focusing on being happy with how he is. He doesn’t have to be useful or "earn" his right to live, he just has to be as he is. Uh oh, now onto the not so good stuff. Gasp! Don’t worry, it’s really not that bad, but I am now kind of realizing that I formatted this review like a literal compliment sandwich. Hm, I didn’t do that on purpose, I swear. I like this book! Anyway, I wasn’t really too jazzed at the fact that this is mostly just another story about how great, beautiful, and noble rich people are. I still don’t really know how I feel about it if I’m honest. There was this Tumblr post that said something like, “when people make historical erotica its always about, like knights and princesses and kings. Well what about two peasants fucking in a barn?" …and yeah, I know that this isn’t erotica, but it still pretty much sums up my thoughts on the historical-fiction and fantasy genres. Don’t get me wrong, I love The Promise Effect and Honey and Starlight, but all the descriptions about noble bloodlines being inherently better and their “divine rights” to rule and blah blah started to make me uncomfortable. I only bring it up because I can tell that this discomfort isn’t the point like in a Game of Thrones kind of way. Sorry, but stories about the common folk are always going to be my particular cup of tea. Oh well, I guess that’s just the way it crumbles. Cookie-wise. Otherwise, I was a bit worried that the narration would start to ignore the couple from the first book, so I really enjoyed how this book made the new romance between Laurel and Ash feel natural and present, while also never moving on completely from March and Nero. In fact, it was cool how a lot of the narrative arc was centered their wedding, while also allowing us to see them through Ash and Laurel’s perspective. My favorite love stories are the ones where it feels like they don’t end when you reach the final pages, but rather let the reader know that even when the groove is dead and gone, you know that loo~oove survives. As for the villain in this novel… I won’t spoil anything, but you know how I’m always talking about forgiveness being the worst thing ever? Yeah well, again, I was super worried (I’m a worrier) that this book would repeat that same old tired issue, but it actually unexpectedly took a big swing in another direction. Pretty cool! I guess this is a bit of a spoiler, but damn, I certainly wasn’t expecting Laurel to Black Mirror’s White Bear the bad guy’s ass where the he’d end up like Shutter Island. That was kind of a confusing sentence, sorry. I don't usually talk in pop culture riddles like that, but I'm just saying that the way Laurel handles his tormentor is kind of hardcore, and I kind of dig it. Alrighty then! I hope I’ve adequately explained how much I loved this book, because I think I mostly just compared it to a lot of other stuff I also like, so it might not come across like I thought that this book was wholly and truly original to itself. Because it was! So, when I say that The Promise Effect is lovely and charming and that I heard Frank Ocean lyrics whenever I flipped through the pages, what I’m really trying to say is that I absolutely adored it. You know how it is, “ In other words, I love you.” “There was something inherently comforting about knowing, without a doubt, that the ending would be some sparkling version of happily ever after, no matter how painstaking the journey to that point had been. He wished he could feel so certain about his own future.” ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 16, 2024
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Oct 08, 2024
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Apr 28, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 1035409518
| 9781035409518
| B0BY4P7L42
| 4.20
| 2,178
| Dec 05, 2023
| Dec 07, 2023
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it was amazing
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“I just want it to be over,” I said to myself. Which is one of the nicely consistent things about bad days. If you just wait a while, eventually they
“I just want it to be over,” I said to myself. Which is one of the nicely consistent things about bad days. If you just wait a while, eventually they end. Wow, this was amazing! Sometimes I feel a little left out and have to fight the urge to try fitting in by claiming that I’m “in a reading slump”… because not only is that almost never true for me, but also that’d be especially untrue here. I devoured this book. Yum. I think what I enjoy most about these books is the fact that they manage to capture the spirit of what I think an old-school Sherlock Holmes story should be, only without the baggage of a century's worth of re-writes, reinterpretations, and reinventions. Lillian Pentecost and Willowjean “Will” Parker are here to fight for the helpless and ignored, full stop. Yeah I guess socially inept, quirky, yet genius investigators are all fine and dandy, but when there’s a moral imperative behind the case, then that's when I'm really hooked. It’s always nice when our mystery protagonists are fighting for something other than satisfying their intellectual curiosity, when we know for real that at the end of the day, they really are for the people. I think what works so well is that these books can be quite twisty, but they never go so far as to rely too heavily on big, revelatory twists. I know this is kind of odd to say about the mystery genre, but I’m generally of the mind that they don’t actually need to be all that surprising in order to have a satisfying conclusion. I could read a million book's where it turns out it's the butler, and I’d be cool with it as long as it holds up. If it’s narratively sound, then I'm good. I’ve read my fair share of mysteries, and I can honestly say that a lot of them get so caught up “winning” against the reader, desperately trying to think ten steps ahead, that they end up diminishing their own story to do so. Like, congrats. I never even guessed who the killer was when they were given one paragraph of description or whatever. So clever, so surprising. I mean, I like a good twist as much as the next guy, but unless it's going to be good, good... then I'd rather there be none. I don't know, I just think that when you create stories, it's probably best to not be known as the twist author. Then you have to constantly be thinking up new story conventions, and if you fail, then it comes crashing down that much harder. For example, I liked the original Planet of the Apes, but I probably wouldn’t go out of my way to rewatch because so much of it is carried by the ending scene. There are a bunch of sequels, but how can you beat a guy shaking his fists at the heavens because society destroyed itself. Why do you think the new ones forgo the twist all together? Also... why exactly did he believe he was on an alien planet anyway? He’s surrounded by apes ffs. Where else would you be, dude? Anyway, my point being that expecting a big twist in every mystery story can burn me out on the genre just as fast as if every one of them were of the "by-the-book" and "simplistic" nature. Both styles can get a little same-y after a while. Like, Mama Mia: Here We go Again, I've been here before! In my opinion, the best way to fix this is that if the focus is mostly on writing a captivating story, full of dynamic and interesting characters, then there’s a pretty good chance that I’ll be so lost in the story that the twist will end up surprising me regardless. The real surprise is that that’s what happens every time I find myself reading this Pentecost & Parker series. And if nothing else, I just love when a book series can be four books strong and you can tell that the author is still having a lot of fun writing it. After all this time, the spark hasn't dimmed even the tiniest bit! When I eagerly start another one of these, I just know I'm in good hands. That I'll laugh, cry, get puzzled, and all those other emotions I'd be too embarrassed to admit out loud. What can I say? It's got the special ingredient, the sauce. Um, I also like how Will has a girlfriend now named Holly. Normally, mystery books like to introduce lovely, fun characters in one installment, only for them to be completely forgotten and discarded by the next one. Mission Impossible 2, James Bond-core, and all that. Personally, I like to have a dash of continuity sprinkled in. If an LGBT+ couple existing and being happy in a historical-fiction means that this series will feel a little less episodic and more serialized, then so be it. I mean, I was a little surprised that Holly has, like, two other boyfriends on retainer? I only listened to the last book on audio format (while doing other things), and I definitely don’t have a photographic memory like Vera Bodine, so my memory’s a little hazy on the details. Oh, I’m not judging, maybe she’s just on some Zendaya, Challengers-type shit. If so, then good for her, good for her. Yeah so, I loved this one, I had a great time, I thought it was lovely, and all the other things I'm always saying! Sometimes I like to take notes while I'm reading (they used to call it "talking to the text," I think) for fun and they're usually incomprehensible (like, "I hate the way that you walk, the way that you talk, I hate the way that you dress" kind of stuff), but they were surprisingly clear this time around. Now that's the surprise twist I was waiting for! Words like: "timeless, intriguing, dangerous, stylish, noir, classic, and very, very queer," littered the page like graffiti! It doesn't sound like much, but I count myself so lucky that I found a book that has all of the above! Besides, If I ever find myself in that fated reading-slump, I know for where to fall back on. Never has it failed to reinvigorate my passion for this genre. This is the one! Ahh, I loved this book, and I have a feeling I’m going to love the next one. That’s just a guess, but an educated one. Memories are all I have to cling to / And heartaches are the friends I'm talking to / When I'm not thinking of just how much I love you / Well, I'm thinking 'bout the things we used to do (Things – Bobby Darin) ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Apr 21, 2024
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May 09, 2024
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Apr 21, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 1975335589
| 9781975335588
| 1975335589
| 4.61
| 3,199
| Feb 13, 2021
| Mar 08, 2022
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it was amazing
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None
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Notes are private!
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1
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Feb 05, 2024
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Feb 05, 2024
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Feb 05, 2024
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Paperback
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| 1975399404
| 9781975399405
| 1975399404
| 4.54
| 3,693
| Sep 14, 2019
| Mar 17, 2020
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it was amazing
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None
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Notes are private!
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1
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Feb 04, 2024
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Feb 04, 2024
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Feb 04, 2024
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Paperback
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| 3770480236
| 9783770480234
| 3770480236
| 4.41
| 641
| 2012
| 2013
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it was amazing
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None
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Notes are private!
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1
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Jan 24, 2024
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Jan 24, 2024
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Jan 24, 2024
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Paperback
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| 0316401196
| 9780316401197
| 0316401196
| 4.39
| 1,021
| Jan 14, 2014
| Aug 11, 2015
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it was amazing
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I think it’s no secret that I get emotional easily, just not outwardly. I mean, I'll often get misty eyed but I'm not usually the showy kind... unless
I think it’s no secret that I get emotional easily, just not outwardly. I mean, I'll often get misty eyed but I'm not usually the showy kind... unless it has to do with Kingdom Hearts. Damn, this series is turning me into a mess! And it's almost always the music that gets me. You could probably play a couple seconds of “Traverse Town” from the first Kingdom Hearts right now and I’d tear up pretty much instantly. Great, here come the waterworks! So it’s a little surprising to me that this manga adaption is putting me through it as much as the games usually do. I think I know why; this specific story is a Pinocchio story! Or maybe the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz? It's both, because we follow Roxas, Axel, and Xion, three “Nobodies” (people born without hearts) as they search for ways to become "real people." They quickly grow from being simple coworkers to inseparable friends who’d do anything to stay together. This is shown in the narrative through the days passing (hence the title. Day 1, Day 94, etc.). And we get to see as they literally learn how to love through their relationship with each other! The kicker being that this is an interquel, so if you know the story to Kingdom Hearts 2 (spoilers I guess), you know that all three of them disappear in one way or another, giving this story a melancholic sense of doom from the first page. It's not dissimilar to Song Of Achilles... but I basically say that for anything I really like. Anyway, they do eventually get their happy ending in Kingdom Hearts 3 (I haven’t played it yet), but fans had to wait forever for that one, so these characters existed in a sad limbo for a very long time. The later installments also give a million lore reasons as to how people with (apparently) zero capacity to love can learn to do so, but I really didn’t need all that to believe that people could grow “past their programing.” Just say it’s the power of love or whatever. Always been good enough for me! But then again, I’m a sap.
...more
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Notes are private!
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1
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Jan 19, 2024
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Jan 19, 2024
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Jan 19, 2024
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Paperback
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| 0316401188
| 9780316401180
| 0316401188
| 4.34
| 1,272
| Jan 01, 2011
| May 19, 2015
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it was amazing
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None
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Notes are private!
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1
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Jan 18, 2024
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Jan 18, 2024
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Jan 18, 2024
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Paperback
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| 1421536307
| 9781421536309
| 1421536307
| 4.67
| 10,202
| Jan 01, 2009
| Jul 20, 2010
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it was amazing
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None
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Notes are private!
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1
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Nov 03, 2023
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Nov 03, 2023
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Nov 03, 2023
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Paperback
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| 1421513803
| 9781421513805
| 1421513803
| 4.60
| 9,598
| Nov 22, 2006
| Dec 18, 2007
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it was amazing
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None
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Notes are private!
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1
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Nov 02, 2023
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Nov 02, 2023
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Nov 02, 2023
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Paperback
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| 1421501759
| 9781421501758
| 1421501759
| 4.55
| 17,217
| Jun 23, 2003
| Jan 17, 2006
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it was amazing
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None
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Notes are private!
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1
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Oct 30, 2023
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Oct 30, 2023
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Oct 30, 2023
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Paperback
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my rating |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| 4.36
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it was amazing
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Jun 08, 2025
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Apr 09, 2025
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| 4.17
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it was amazing
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Apr 07, 2025
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Mar 21, 2025
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| 4.02
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it was amazing
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Mar 21, 2025
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Mar 09, 2025
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| 4.09
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it was amazing
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Apr 2025
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Feb 12, 2025
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| 3.92
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it was amazing
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Aug 12, 2022
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Sep 28, 2024
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| 4.22
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it was amazing
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Jul 22, 2024
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Jul 22, 2024
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| 4.11
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it was amazing
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Aug 10, 2024
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Jun 27, 2024
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| 4.20
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it was amazing
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Jul 15, 2024
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Jun 05, 2024
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| 4.68
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it was amazing
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May 21, 2024
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May 21, 2024
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| 4.31
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it was amazing
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Mar 17, 2025
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May 10, 2024
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| 4.29
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it was amazing
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Oct 08, 2024
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Apr 28, 2024
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| 4.20
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it was amazing
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May 09, 2024
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Apr 21, 2024
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| 4.61
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it was amazing
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Feb 05, 2024
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Feb 05, 2024
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| 4.54
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it was amazing
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Feb 04, 2024
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Feb 04, 2024
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| 4.41
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it was amazing
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Jan 24, 2024
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Jan 24, 2024
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| 4.39
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it was amazing
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Jan 19, 2024
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Jan 19, 2024
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| 4.34
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it was amazing
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Jan 18, 2024
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Jan 18, 2024
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| 4.67
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it was amazing
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Nov 03, 2023
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Nov 03, 2023
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| 4.60
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it was amazing
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Nov 02, 2023
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Nov 02, 2023
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| 4.55
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it was amazing
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Oct 30, 2023
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Oct 30, 2023
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