I can't stand this feeling. Whatsoever. The feeling of stopping partway through a book. Giving up. I managed to read 53% of the book before throwing iI can't stand this feeling. Whatsoever. The feeling of stopping partway through a book. Giving up. I managed to read 53% of the book before throwing in the towel and admitting defeat. I try to give every book the benefit of the doubt and force myself to read at least 1/2 of every book before putting it down. Evidently this book didn't last very long. Unfortunately, it was a hot mess.
Corinthe was a Fate - until she was exiled to earth for a single foolish mistake. As she struggles to adjust to life on earth, she acquires a new role - that of an executioner. She is responsible for fulfilling destinies, influencing the lives of certain individuals by establishing and breaking relationships, causing death and destruction, and altering the course of history. When one of these destinies, however, goes horribly wrong, Corinthe embarks upon the adventure of a lifetime to correct her mistakes and return safely to her homeland.
The book had a very interesting, original premise. The intriguing summary convinced me to request this book on netgalley. I enjoyed the first two or three chapters, which introduced the characters and the setting, but it went downhill from there. I found fault with quite a few aspects of this book, namely the characters, plot, and writing style.
Corinthe came across as cold and emotionless, making her a bit challenging to relate to. She was driven by the hope of returning home, putting her feelings aside and utterly devoting herself to this goal. Her lack of sympathy was evident even during her interactions with Lucas, the love of her life. She spends the majority of the first 53% of the book attempting to kill him, despite her inexplicable attraction to him. After all, everyone expects to have a knife held to their throat on a first date. Their relationship was stereotypical and dull, particularly in the absence of chemistry. I wouldn't exactly consider it romance, either; it came across as more of a summer fling that wouldn't last more than a few months.
To put it simply, the plot was confusing. Bross established an entirely new universe, composed of many intricate details, including fictitious creatures and locations. Many of these details are not immediately revealed, and some are omitted from the text altogether. Nevertheless, the author launches into a complex storyline with many twists and turns, quickly leaving her baffled readers behind. Because I was unable to follow the storyline, I found this book to be a tedious and frustrating read.
Overall, I wasn't a huge fan of this book, as you can probably gather. From the very beginning, I found it to be a rather disappointing read. The bland characters and confusing plot were ultimately deal breakers for me. It had very few redeeming qualities, ultimately convincing me to stop reading halfway through the book. So while I loved the concept behind the book, I didn't enjoy its execution.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review....more
Seventeen-year-old Raine Cooper's life is in tatters: her father is missing, her crush and childhood friend isn't interested in a relationship, and shSeventeen-year-old Raine Cooper's life is in tatters: her father is missing, her crush and childhood friend isn't interested in a relationship, and she is concerned about her mother's in characteristic behavior. Just when she thinks life can't get any worse, she is introduced to her new neighbor, Torin, who she is immediately attracted to. Torin isn't exactly who he seems, however, and she begins to uncover his dark and dangerous past. She quickly becomes tangled up in his nightmarish existence, unable to free herself or the ones she loves. Her attempts to discover the truth reveal an ominous reality which places her life on the line.
This book has an interesting, yet mysterious, premise, proposing the concept of a sinister, nonhuman race that is deeply rooted in Norse mythology. Minimal information about these creatures is supplied during the book, leaving readers in the dark for the majority of the book. Many of these characters' traits and characteristics are left to the reader's imagination. Consequently, the tale is brimming with suspense, mystery, and chilling twists and turns at every page. I was thoroughly absorbed in the story from start to finish, making it an enjoyable and compelling read.
The characters were likable and realistic, with the exception of our protagonist, Raine, in certain scenes throughout the book. She was a typical heroine with her independence, athleticism, and intelligence. I loved her witty retorts, blunt humor, and feisty demeanor but found her indecisiveness rather aggravating. Her fickle behavior was evident on numerous occasions, namely when she resolved to never speak or interact with Torin again, yet decided to knock on his front door on the very next page. This behavior continues throughout the book, making her thought process rather hard to follow at times.
Torin St. James, on the other hand, was swoon worthy with his cocky attitude and bad boy demeanor. His dark and mysterious personality allow him to perfectly fill the stereotypical love interest mold. Unsurprisingly, his aura of mystery make him even more attractive in Raine's eyes, and she attempts to unfold the secrets of his past.
The romance between Raine and Torin is well written and compelled me to continue reading. The tension between them continues to grow as the book progresses, leading to a great deal of chemistry between the two. Both characters are upfront and direct with one another, as evidenced in this quote:
"Stop being rude and condescending for starters," I said. He chuckled, the sound rich and throaty. Sexy. A delicious shiver ran up my spine. "I thought I was being extremely polite." I snorted. "Right." "Do I need to apologize?" [Torin] "Not if you don't mean it." [Raine] "Then I won't." [Torin]
While I loved the relationship Raine and Torin shared, I felt sorry for Raine's childhood friend, Eirik, who has wanted to become more than friends for several years. Raine strings Eirik along, claiming that she loves him while fooling around with Torin behind his back. This was both frustrating and heartbreaking and continued throughout the entire book.
One of my only complaints surrounding this book was the plot. Suspense continually built up throughout the book, leading up to ... a nonexistent climax. I spent the majority of the book waiting for the tension to snap and all hell to break loose but no such luck. Instead, the storyline misleadingly built up to what I expected to be a single, crucial event that would serve as the turning point for the book. As you can imagine, this event never occurred. The author continued building suspense until the book unexpectedly came to a rather abrupt conclusion. The missing climax and numerous loose ends left me wondering if this book had been completed, or if the author had simply chosen to stop writing it. A brief internet search, however, revealed that this is the first book in a series, marginally explaining the lack of a resolution. Additionally, the book shared several similarities with Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices series. This lack of originality was evident early on in the book, negatively impacting my opinion of the book as a whole.
Overall, I enjoyed the writing style and fast-paced action. Urban fantasy is becomes go an increasingly difficult genre to write, so I must applaud Walters for that. While I wasn't the biggest fan of all of the characters, I found them to be realistic and relatable. This book was certainly an interesting read that kept me on my toes the entire time. Hopefully I will have an opportunity to read the second and third books in the series in the near future.
I received this book as a free ebook in exchange for an honest review. ...more
This book started the series off with a bang, turning Greek mythology into something accessible and interesting for younger readers, particularly whenThis book started the series off with a bang, turning Greek mythology into something accessible and interesting for younger readers, particularly when set against a backdrop of exciting action scenes and an endearing cast of characters. It clearly drew on some of its predecessors for inspiration, most notably the Harry Potter series, but it utilized some of the same elements and themes in unique ways that were refreshing.
The plot was fast-paced, action-heavy, and only incorporated essential scenes and events. There were no extraneous fluff scenes or excessive volumes of detail, and I enjoyed more of the barebones, stripped back approach to storytelling. I was hooked from page one, and I was excited to see how the tale was going to unfold until the very last page. Riordan did an excellent job incorporating age-appropriate twists and turns into the story, while simultaneously including a decent number of hints and foreshadowing moments to hint at the surprises that were to come. I enjoyed piecing together the puzzle pieces on my own prior to the big reveals, yet these components didn't feel cheap or dismissive.
The motley crew of characters were a refreshing change from many of the middle grade and young adult series that were published at the time. They were endearing and impossible not to root for, yet they each had flaws that were featured and played integral roles in the plot. I enjoyed the friendships and "found family" aspects of the book, and scenes that featured these elements provided a refreshing change of pace from the rapidly paced, heart-pounding action scenes.
The writing was very well executed, and Riordan had a clear target audience to which he was able to appropriately tailor his narrative, dialogue, plot, and themes. This series was accessible and inviting, even for readers on the younger side of the intended audience, and the books progressed in maturity as the series progressed, allowing readers to grow up alongside some of their favorite characters. Overall, this series was a huge success for me and contained elements to appeal to a wide range of readers....more
