Tag: book review

Review: Unmasked by Cassia Leo & Kaia Stone

Liz MeldonLeave a comment

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3 STARS

Sooo…

Okay.

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Let me first start off by saying I loved how this book was written. I thought it was absolutely beautifully crafted by the author. It was dark and grungy and dangerous. Physical descriptions were wonderful. I fell in love with the writing style from page one, and because of that, I will absolutely be reading more of the author’s work.

But will I continue with this series? I’m not sure if I was just loving this book so much that I missed key details, but where the hell did that ending come from? Up until the syringe appeared, I had literally no idea that the main character was feeling the way she did, and everything just sort of… spiraled from there. I was left sort of feeling thrown and confused and a little annoyed? I don’t know. The book was so exceptional in its storytelling up to that point, and then it was like getting hit with a truck. Everything just happened so fast, so much info to take in at once, and it just… didn’t work for me.

Also “Grimaldi” makes me think of the Princess Diaries. I know it’s a legit family name, but I was half wondering if it was a joke at first.

Also, can we talk about a virgin getting totally pounded during her first time, while still having a knife wound healing? … No. Alex herself was hit and miss for me. I loved her darkness and her danger, but I was kind of sick of “girly girls” being knocked on. Apparently once you have sex, you become a woman and should therefore love shopping for dresses and shoes, and I just… yeah, it frustrated me. Why do we have to crap on other women just to be the strong loner type heroine who can kill a man with her pinky?

So. I’m left with mixed emotions at the end of this one. A+++ writing, but the ending felt like such a punch to the gut, and not necessarily in a good way, that I’ll need time to digest it.

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Book Review: Cruel by Ashley R. Carlson

Liz MeldonLeave a comment

4 STARS

All I can say is: MORE, MORE, MORE! I read this book in just under an hour, and I want more of this rich, interesting world. I loved the characters, the background, and the villains. I loved everything about it. The pace moved right along steadily, with the writing not bogged by down unnecessarily long histories and description of this new world. It was so easy to suspend my disbelief and really immerse myself in the world Carlson created, so kudos to the author! The only reason it isn’t a full 5 stars is because I wish it was longer. More time imprisoned, more subtle fighting with the Big Bad, more everything.

I’d definitely recommend this to anyone who is looking for a fast-paced, tension-filled sci-fi read! Well done. You’ve got a fan in me.

Original Review Date: August 26th, 2014

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Review: Users by Andrea M. Alexander

Liz MeldonLeave a comment

FOUR STARS

I genuinely enjoyed a lot of the elements of Users. I found the beginning to be really exciting and it drew me right in, with great action and superb and different characters. However, the book to me read a little like two distinct books: one half was out in the world, and the other was in the facility. And, honestly, it didn’t really feel like the two had much of a connection to one another. I wanted to see more of the chaos in the outside world, but the majority of the book focused on the lab–or maybe it just felt that way? Either way, I was hoping for a little more The Walking Dead-style apocalypse encroaching on the characters.

There were a lot of moments where Iggy’s character rubbed me the wrong way, but when I took a step back and remembered that this was, in fact, more of a young adult-style piece, things made more sense. Iggy is young, and made younger still by her years of sickness and being an experimental test subject. Her thought processes probably won’t be as mature as Cael’s. and her responses to certain issues and situations may seem melodramatic because she’s young and, frankly, inexperienced with the world outside of a lab. Sure, she can ride a horse and shoot a gun, but there’s more to a person’s development than that.

While I genuinely loved reading about the development of Iggy and Cael’s relationship, which was so sweet and thoughtful and just CUTE, I found the Iggy/Wesley angle to be a little forced. I can understand underlying feelings, especially when they’ve been best friends and confidants for years and years, but the final explosion between the two of them when Iggy catches Wesley with Alex read a little… off to me. I remember thinking… But what about Cael? You love this guy? What is happening?! Again, I think that’s a bit of the immaturity of Iggy’s character rearing her ugly head in the face of situations where she’s not entirely equipped to handle her feelings.

The ending left us off in a really interesting place, and I hope that, going forward, we can see a growth in Iggy’s character as she gets older and learns a little more about the world. All in all,Users was an interesting book set in a world rapidly descending into a dystopia, and I look forward to reading more from Andrea M. Alexander in the future!

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Review: The Erotic Light by Nina Lane

Liz MeldonLeave a comment

THREE STARS

Nina’s Lane’s writing style is beautiful. Just as before with the first book in the series, I loved the style. I was happy to be back a the plantation with Lydia and her dark trio, and I supposed I was hoping for more of the same with this book. There was still lots of smut and lovely scenery, but I found the degradation of Lydia/Jane in this one to be a little much. Not too too much, but there was much more cringe-worthy humiliation for the main character here, rather than willing humiliation at the hand of a good Dom. I was glad to see Preston’s behaviour was set in a negative light in this one: it seemed like no one minded that he was a bit of a sadist in the last book, and that’s not what the a true Dom is supposed to be.

I was thrilled with the outcome of the book, however. The ending was great, and I’d give it a 3.75 if I could. I flew through it just like I did with the last book, and I’d recommend Lane to anyone.

Date Originally Posted: August 26th, 2014

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Review: The Secret Diary of a Checkout Girl by Samantha Ferguson

Liz Meldon2 Comments

FIVE STARS

Hi. Yes, hello. Is it socially acceptable for me to scream from the rooftop about how amazing this book was? Because that’s what I’d like to do. I think, quite honestly, this book is one of my favourite books of 2015. I’m a total sucker for “diary-esque” books, because I find them really witty and engaging. Bridget Jones’s Diary was one of my favourite books growing up (probably the second in the series, since I read that first), and this, in my opinion, was on par with that.

Albeit in a slightly moodier, less whiny sort of way.

Let me be the first to say I’ve worked behind a cash register since I was about nineteen. It’s torture. Slow, painful torture, and I connected with everything Suzie was talking about in an instant. Her life was my life, especially in the last year or so. I too had worked at a not great job for a number of years. I too sometimes dreaded looking elsewhere because that was such an effort, and that job was comfortable and easy and brainless… I get Suzie’s story 100%.

The writing here is snappy and clever. Witty. Samantha Ferguson is a ridiculously witty and hilarious author, inducing LOL moments alongside cringe-worthy ones in equal measure. There were a few over-the-top moments in the book, but hey, who’s to say they couldn’t happen? We’ve all had gross coworkers–and lifers who think there’s nothing better than that job. We’ve had pervy managers, nagging parents, and work commitments getting in the way of important life events. I mean, none of myroomies have ever brought home a prostitute, but it couldhappen.

What I liked most about this book was that Suzie sorted herself out in the end. Some heroic man didn’t waltz in and sweep her off her feet. When I first started reading, I 100% expected there to be some guy who’d show up, they’d fall in love, life wouldn’t seem so terrible, blah blah blah. But no. Things were shit right up until they weren’t. And I loved it. LOVED IT.

There were a few errors throughout the text, though I didn’t care. Yup. Grammar obsessive me was like NOPE MUST KEEP READING DON’T CARE DON’T CARE DON’T CARE. It was a grand ol’ time, and I can’t praise this piece enough. When I initially saw the price ($5 or so), I was like… Do I really want to buy this? But the cover drew me in, followed by the promise of a diary from someone who probably all but lived my life, so I sucked it up and spent the money.

So glad I did. I flew through this book, and I feel a lot of other readers will do the same. It was fantastic. FANTASTIC.

#me

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Review: The Princess Bride by William Goldman

Liz MeldonLeave a comment

THREE STARS

I really enjoyed the humour in this book. I loved Fezzik–all the characters, really. Unfortunately, I can’t help finishing it and feeling disappointed. It just didn’t feel complete to me. I mean, there was no real ending to what I read, so I guess there’s no getting around that. A friend of mine adores this book. It’s her favourite of all time, so I think I went into it expecting so be so blown out of the water that I’d never recover.

It was fun. I enjoyed the anecdotes and little notes in the abridged version, and it was really the silliness combined with the darker elements (torture, death, etc.) that kept me going.

Original Review Date: July 22, 2014

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