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spacklefritz

Spackle-the-Fritz on Books

Because really, who doesn't go on a fritz for books?

Quintana of Charyn - Melina Marchetta Melina Marchetta, you have slain completely and utterly until there’s no breath left in my body.
The Lumatere Chronicles has been a wonderful series, and I mean from the bottom of my boogity shoo (in the words of The Platters and whoever else sang/wrote that song).

We start off Quintana with Froi and the rest searching for Quintana and Quintana hiding in the least likely of places…but not really when you think of it. I’m trying not to give anything away and I’m not quite sure if how much more I can say without giving away anything, even if it’s the slightest, because if you’re planning on reading this series, I wouldn’t want anything to detract from your experience.

The plot was paced, I think, just right for how the story unfolds. And the characters, oh the characters. I know, I said this before in my review of Froi of the Exiles, but Froi has grown so much from the boy-who-wasn’t-really that we met in Finnikin of the Rock. He has really come into his own, and … gah… I don’t know what else to say..this book leaves me speechless.

Quintana the mad queen, the savage queen, Quintana the brave…I love you dearly…you have endeared yourself to me just as you endeared yourself to those you have forged a bond with. What you have endured, why you have endured and what you fear (really do you think you could not love your child?) just wants to make me hug you and wrap you up in a nice lil’ cotton ball.

Isaboe, Finnikin, you’re old friends that I’ve been happy to see. Froi’s family (the Charyn one – really Froi you’re definitely loved, you have two families ^_^). You’re a bit dysfunctional, but the love and loyalty has always and will always be there.

Lucian…you’re a stubborn Mont, but I love you. Phaedra, don’t let anyone tell you that you’re not useless and don’t believe it either. You ought to be called Phaedra the strong.

Really though this book was like coming home, everything tying together and did I mention the relationships between the characters. Because I think that was done beautifully, and while I would love to give you examples…I can’t.

Anyone and Everyone. Read the book. ‘Nuff said.

Granted I’d more recommend this series to those 16/17 and up.

But seriously. Read it. You’re missing out on a lot if you haven't.

Review can also be found at musingsandbooksandmore.blogspot.com

Poison Princess - Kresley Cole Post-Reading

3 stars...

So the premise of Poison Princess was pretty interesting, a group of teens represent the major arcana of the tarot cards, and are basically pitted against each other, every once or so century. dun dun dun. The book itself, is between two settings, A.F. (after flash) and B.F. (Before flash).
The flash was the mega solar flare, that...well if you're planning on reading this book, you'll see.
In any case the Flash turns the world into a post-apocalyptic world..and yea..you're gonna have to fight for your right to survive.

On to the characters, (I'm really just going to focus on Evie and Jack). Evie is basically as the summary of the book says a privileged girl, and so at the beginning of the book, she acts and behaves as a privileged girl would. But she's friendly enough. Oh and then of course, she desperately wants to have a normal life. Why do you ask, well she was in the nuthouse. A lot of this I think, causes her to make some not so good decisions in the beginning [honey you do not need to keep a man that badly..nuff said]. But like I said, I think it's more of -"I want to be normal. Everything's fine and so not falling a part. My boyfriend isn't a jerk. He does care for me. etc."-
But at the same time, she's the person who will try to persevere through it all, because after the flash, although she thought herself useless, she had tried her best to help and she doesn't unnecessarily complain and whine. So that's good. And she did this all while thinking herself half-crazy. kudos to you chica. Once she realised normalcy was never going to happen... well let's just say I'm interested to see what she does after this. It's a pity everything had to "crash and burn".

Jack is a mean-ass, jack-ass. I'm sorry. But yeah, he can say somethings that make me want to smack his head and toss him into the bottomless abyss. But Jack is someone with a huge-ginormous chip on his shoulder, and I think it'll take a while before he gets over that. He can come across as a bi-polar jack-ass. But he does care about Evie..he just has a thoroughly messed up way about going over it. It's like one step forward-two steps back with him. He's harsh on her. But he wants her to survive. He protects her, constantly, even when he could ditch her. He likes her, but he obviously doesn't think he's good enough for her, either that, or the distance between the two of them in terms social class really pisses him off. So he'll expect her to be snobbish towards him, etc. but she's not. And then when he acts jerkish towards her, she slams it right back at him. So it's a tug-of-war really.

And despite my..frustrating feelings of them as characters. I do like the writing. It's flippin' Kresley Cole people. And I like how she created the characters, as in you can see where they're coming from. You know them, and I do believe they're going to grow into their own selves. And after how this book ended, will I read the next book when it comes out? Yes. Plain and simple...I don't know if it comes across as I didn't like this book. But I did, the plot is really interesting, and I want to see where Cole takes it. I want to know what's going to happen with Jack and Evie, because I honestly think they both need a good sit down to just talk. I want to know more about the other Major Arcanas. I want to see Evie flip her stick again and get all thorny on those bad cards. I want to see how the events of the last chapter affected her and everyone else. That said I wouldn't call it a cliffhanger. It's just that things happened that can cause interesting repercussions.

So will I keep an eye out on this series? Yes.

P.S.
anyone who can't tolerate jerkish heroes, or heroines with lapses in their judgement...this book is not meant for you.

This review and more can be found at musingsandbooksandmore.blogspot.com

Pre-Reading

okay so I read the 3 chapter excerpt Kresley Cole has here ->

click me

And while I do think Evie needs some sense knocked in her...I think it's more of she's in her denial phase and just wants to be normal, not sure what to think of Jack as yet...Plot wise however this is definitely something I would like to read, so I'm counting down the days...or months TT_TT

And I should probably note, it's just 3 chapters and it wouldn't be fair to judge the characters because there's room left for them to grow.

So far, it sounds interesting.

Phantom Shadows - Dianne Duvall 3.5 rating
Seraphina (Seraphina #1) - Rachel Hartman Yea, I liked this book..

Suffice to say that I can understand what the hype about this book is, it is pretty darn book. The world building never felt lacking, the characters were great:

Seraphina - the girl living in a world where she has to hide who she is. Growing up in that world where her remaining family wasn't one to hug or cuddle. She didn't suffer from any bouts of -I want to bash my head in the wall so badly because of your characterization- She was pretty strong heroine in her own right. And, I must point out this. It's really great to see a heroine who doesn't have to be particularly tom-boyish or I refuse to wear frills, etc. Often times we see this happening where it's emphasized that heroine of the story portrays this...In Seraphina, Seraphina is just Seraphina. She isn't -ew-dresses- nor does she exhibit any extremely feminine qualities, she is simply the person shaped by her experiences, and that's great because that makes her natural.

The plot, has one of the things I love about fantasy, the political intrigue. And in Seraphina's case we have a fragile truce between the dragons and the humans, and in the midst of all of that we have a murder, a murder of a prince that seems to be of dragon means.

You have the Seraphina, trying to help the princess and the prince, both of whom I think are pretty good characters. Lucian being the truth seeker, but of course people are more than just one facet of their chracter. He's witty and has an occasional self-deprecating humour that work. Glisselda really pulls through as a princess and knows how to stand tall, and for me, she was a very endearing character. Anyhow, Seraphina is with them, or they're with her...trying to figure out the mystery behind it all...and along the way we see Seraphina struggling with what she is, and how to really extricate herself from this web of lies that she -not started but certainly helped [not that she had much of a choice]- But it was all very real.

Orma in particular was very dear to me, because dragons are not meant to feel..yet here he is flawed and though he may not outright show his love, he certainly does express it.

All in all, the plot is solid, the characters are good, the world is great [cuz we have the politics, the different cultures and how the react/interact with each other] so I'd say..if you're looking for fantasy..Seraphina is a pretty solid bet...

this review and ore can be found at musingsandbooksandmore.blogspot.com
Fate's Edge -  Ilona Andrews 4.5 rating - and still not certain what to classify this series as XD

Elemental (Elemental, #0.5)

Elemental (Elemental, #0.5) - Brigid Kemmerer 3 stars...mostly because of the length. But otherwise it looks like a pretty good start to a new series ^_^
Storm - Brigid Kemmerer 3.5 definitely going to be on the look-out with this series.
The Perils of Pleasure - Julie Anne Long 4.5 star rating
Enshadowed - Kelly Creagh 4.5 star rating.

A freakin' hell that just cannot be it!. No Ms. Creagh, you are not doing this to me once again.

Ah Enshadowed what can I say about you that others haven't? I am at a loss for words. Seriously. But what I can tell you, who are reading this review, is that this is a must-not-miss book. You need to get it..seriously. (I've went through two seriously's. that's one you it just got real)

Agh, Isobel, I feel it for you girl (and your family -> I really do like how Ms. Creagh incorporates her family). You really went through so much, and you still are, and with how the book ended...I just don't know what to think..*bangs head* I need more..

Gwen you're the bestest bestie anyone could ever ask for. You try to keep Izzy grounded, and that's wonderful...Your wit and humour is a bright spark in this otherwise serious book.

Pinfeathers...*tears up*

Varen..*bawls* I think you've been in dreamscape so long, it's hard to tell what's real from what's not...and boy *boxes Varen* Thou shalt not belong to the ruin! I command it!...

This also brings me up to the point of the world that Ms. Creagh created. It's confusing, it's rich and and it's beautiful. The confusing is a good thing, in that we, along with Isobel, are not certain which world we're in. Everything has that dreamlike quality to it. And I'm beginning to understand what people mean by when they say, a book was written in beautiful prose, because that is definitely the case in this book.

There is also the question that pops into mind at the end of this...just because it's a dream world, does it mean that it's not real?

All in all, this was a solid not to miss book. Read it, or else...dun dun dun...now I shall go to sleep with the lights on...lol

This review and more can be found at musingsandbooksandmore.blogspot.com
Tempting Danger - Eileen Wilks Solid 4 star rating.

A Lady by Midnight - Tessa Dare 4 star rating
Master of Desire - Kinley MacGregor 3.5 rating
Claiming the Highlander - Kinley MacGregor 3.5 rating
Born in Sin - Kinley MacGregor toss up between a 3.5 and a 4 star rating...can't decide
Open Season - Linda Howard 3.5 rating
Cinder - Marissa Meyer 4 star rating

What kind of ending is that?! Do you mean i have to wait in agony for the next book...this is not funny at all

Suffice to say this book has lived up to all the hype and all the raving reviews. It was a very fun read, and it entrances you without you even realising it.

Cinder is a mechanic and a cyborg, and is considered a second-class citizen in this world that Meyer has created. However, as the plot unfolds, we begin to realise that things aren't as they seem. And then of course there is the political aspect as well as Earth is in a tenuous position with the Lunars.

Cinder is a likable character. She smart and thankfully, I didn't have any moments where I wanted to pull my hair out (:P) But while I think Cinder is great, it was Iko, the Android with an "unfit" personality that stole the show for me. She was just such fun, and her fangirling moments were hilarious. Kai (Prince Kai..*swoons*)was a pretty good character, and not your average YA male hero. He wasn't moody, suffering from a split-personality disorder, stoic etc. He feels. As in with everything that he did, you can see, and his character was like a regular guy you would meet...you know excluding being heir to a kingdom and the weight and responsibility of that kingdom on your shoulders.

And the romance. *swoons* lol, well it may not be swoon worthy to some, as they're still in the budding romance phase, but I liked seeing them getting to know each other, reading their banter. It was cute and sweet and developed/is developing naturally. And I quite like that.

There is a plot twist, but I think it's fairly simple to see that one coming...(I kept thinking of Sailor Moon)...That said, the story weaves magic in that you really don't care. At least I found myself not caring.

The only major thing that I would say detracted from it, was the world-building, it was supposed to be this futuristic place, but I failed to see it as such. Sure there were some nifty stuff, but really, it didn't feel like a different setting.

Still, as I said before the writing is engaging, and I doubt it would bother you, unless of course you're one that's very nitpicky about fantastic world-building...still I think this book is definitely worth reading.

This review can also be found at musingsandbooksandmore.blogspot.com