My book reviews have officially moved to my new book blog on Wordpress.
thestarslistensite.wordpress.com
The rest of my non-book reviews will still be in this site, if I ever write any.
Saturday, August 19, 2017
Thursday, August 17, 2017
Book Review: Manga Classics: Great Expectations
Manga Classics: Great Expectations by Stacy King
Publishing Date: May 19, 2015
Publisher: Udon Entertainment
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Great Expectations has it all: romance, mystery, comedy, and unforgettable characters woven through a gripping rags-to-riches tale. Naive Pip, creepy Miss Haversham, beautifully cold Estella, terrifying Abel Magwitch, and the rest of Dicken’s fantastic cast are perfectly envisioned in this new adaptation in this 300-plus page volume featuring artwork by artist Nokman Poon. Manga Classics editions feature classic stories, faithfully adapted and illustrated in manga style, and available in both hardcover and softcover editions. Proudly presented by UDON Entertainment and Morpheus Publishing.
Publisher: Udon Entertainment
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Great Expectations has it all: romance, mystery, comedy, and unforgettable characters woven through a gripping rags-to-riches tale. Naive Pip, creepy Miss Haversham, beautifully cold Estella, terrifying Abel Magwitch, and the rest of Dicken’s fantastic cast are perfectly envisioned in this new adaptation in this 300-plus page volume featuring artwork by artist Nokman Poon. Manga Classics editions feature classic stories, faithfully adapted and illustrated in manga style, and available in both hardcover and softcover editions. Proudly presented by UDON Entertainment and Morpheus Publishing.
SPOILER FREE REVIEW
I rated it 4/5 "really liked it"
I couldn't clearly wrap my head around why the title is the title. I blame it on my lack of comprehension. Classic works just have too deep a meaning most of the time.
I would've ranted with the way the story ended if I hadn't done further research. Turns out the end is just as vague and letting the readers come up with their own conclusion. It broke my heart when Biggy married Joe but they both deserve to be happy. I was also happy when Estella finally became a human person with feelings and no longer a cold, heartless living robot.
Gave it four stars because I wasn't really all over it. Maybe I'm an Austen fan rather than a Charles since I'm a die hard romance fan.
Once again these Manga Classic adaptations are truly helpful.
I would've ranted with the way the story ended if I hadn't done further research. Turns out the end is just as vague and letting the readers come up with their own conclusion. It broke my heart when Biggy married Joe but they both deserve to be happy. I was also happy when Estella finally became a human person with feelings and no longer a cold, heartless living robot.
Gave it four stars because I wasn't really all over it. Maybe I'm an Austen fan rather than a Charles since I'm a die hard romance fan.
Once again these Manga Classic adaptations are truly helpful.
Book Review: Bride Undone
Bride Undone by Kate Deveaux
Publishing Date:May 27, 2017
Publisher: Ellora's Cave
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Torn between the man she is to wed and the man who has stolen her heart —
Days before her wedding an unexpected connection with a stranger has this bride to be reeling into the arms of the man who can give her everything she desires and more. Toe curling erotic romance so hot your toes will curl, this bride breaks all the rules.
Days before her wedding an unexpected connection with a stranger has this bride to be reeling into the arms of the man who can give her everything she desires and more. Toe curling erotic romance so hot your toes will curl, this bride breaks all the rules.
SPOILER FREE REVIEW
I rated it 2/5 "it was okay"
ARC received via NetGalley, thank you Xpresso Book Tours.
If you like yachts, tropical islands, and lots and LOTS of hot lovemaking then this is definitely for you.
I was looking forward to reading this book since I believe in soulmates and being with the person you're meant to be. I didn't really expect that the person Chloe falls for would be HIM. (I'm not saying who to avoid spoilers.) I was very much surprised to find out he has captured her heart.
I gave it two stars because all the book talked about was their time in a "runaway-vacation" sort of thing. They barely talked about their problems, there was barely any conclusion everything was in loose ends. There was no closure with Chloe's 'ex-fiance' though I understand it'd be too early for that but it would've been good to put him back in the picture for a while and learn how he's doing. All the other characters are in the dark regarding to Chloe's activities and it didn't seem like they (Chloe and runaway partner) were planning to tell them. I wanted more to happen. More with the people who surround our runaway partners but in the end they acted like nothing else matters. I kept two stars for the steamy scenes of course, there were a lot of them. Considering Chloe's small problem in bed, she'd want to go all out with the man who's finally for her.
Unless there'd be a sequel, I wouldn't be satisfied with the entirety of the story.
Wednesday, August 16, 2017
Book Review: Servant of the Forest
Servant of the Forest by Shona Husk
Publishing Date: September 1, 2017
Publisher: Self Published
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Publisher: Self Published
Synopsis from Goodreads:
“Remember to be wild,” Orabella’s mother would say.
But her mother is dead and Orabella’s days are taken up with chores for the small estate that barely keeps her stepmother and stepsisters fed.
Then an invitation arrives. The King is throwing a three day party for the Prince, a last attempt to find a cure for the curse that will claim him on his twentieth birthday. The witch who saves Gauthier will get his hand in marriage and will eventually become queen.
Orabella is forbidden from going to the party even though everyone is invited. She wants to see the castle and the Cursed Prince. This time she refuses to obey her stepmother.
As Orabella discovers the secrets of her past and the truth about her mother and the prince’s curse, she learns that no one is to be trusted and not everyone wants the prince to survive.
But her mother is dead and Orabella’s days are taken up with chores for the small estate that barely keeps her stepmother and stepsisters fed.
Then an invitation arrives. The King is throwing a three day party for the Prince, a last attempt to find a cure for the curse that will claim him on his twentieth birthday. The witch who saves Gauthier will get his hand in marriage and will eventually become queen.
Orabella is forbidden from going to the party even though everyone is invited. She wants to see the castle and the Cursed Prince. This time she refuses to obey her stepmother.
As Orabella discovers the secrets of her past and the truth about her mother and the prince’s curse, she learns that no one is to be trusted and not everyone wants the prince to survive.
SPOILER FREE REVIEW
I rated it 4/5 "really liked it"
I would like to thank the author Shona Husk for the ARC I received via email.
I know what I'm about to say is really cliche but I do mean it. This is no ordinary Cinderella retelling. The events are guided by the original fairy tale but this book has its own world. I can even almost favor this over the original. Well written and well thought out, there were no loose ends.
It's got witches, curses, potions and lots of pretty dresses, it's a three day party what do you expect. It has the right amount of thrill, mystery, and romance. I was hooked by this book from the very first chapter. Written in both Orabella and Gauthier's POV I was determined to be beside them both in their journey and see it through the end. By the end of the book it made me appreciate the forest and all living animals and insects around. It not only satisfies our reading needs but it also carries an important message.
I gave it 4 out of 5 stars because it didn't play with my feelings too much like the way I'm used to but it did keep my interest going. I'm always curious, I'm always searching for the solution and the reason.
It's so hard to give a review of this book without spoiling anything. All I can say is, take a chance and visit the world Shona Husk has created. Servant of the Forest comes out September 1st, be sure to grab a copy.
I would like to thank the author Shona Husk for the ARC I received via email.
I know what I'm about to say is really cliche but I do mean it. This is no ordinary Cinderella retelling. The events are guided by the original fairy tale but this book has its own world. I can even almost favor this over the original. Well written and well thought out, there were no loose ends.
It's got witches, curses, potions and lots of pretty dresses, it's a three day party what do you expect. It has the right amount of thrill, mystery, and romance. I was hooked by this book from the very first chapter. Written in both Orabella and Gauthier's POV I was determined to be beside them both in their journey and see it through the end. By the end of the book it made me appreciate the forest and all living animals and insects around. It not only satisfies our reading needs but it also carries an important message.
I gave it 4 out of 5 stars because it didn't play with my feelings too much like the way I'm used to but it did keep my interest going. I'm always curious, I'm always searching for the solution and the reason.
It's so hard to give a review of this book without spoiling anything. All I can say is, take a chance and visit the world Shona Husk has created. Servant of the Forest comes out September 1st, be sure to grab a copy.
Monday, August 14, 2017
Book Review: Rhapsodic (The Bargainer #1)
Rhapsodic (The Bargainer #1) by Laura Thalassa
Publishing Date: November 15, 2016
Publisher: Lavabrook Publishing Group
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Callypso Lillis is a siren with a very big problem, one that stretches up her arm and far into her past. For the last seven years she’s been collecting a bracelet of black beads up her wrist, magical IOUs for favors she’s received. Only death or repayment will fulfill the obligations. Only then will the beads disappear.
Everyone knows that if you need a favor, you go to the Bargainer to make it happen. He’s a man who can get you anything you want... at a price. And everyone knows that sooner or later he always collects.
But for one of his clients, he’s never asked for repayment. Not until now. When Callie finds the fae king of the night in her room, a grin on his lips and a twinkle in his eye, she knows things are about to change. At first it’s just a chaste kiss—a single bead’s worth—and a promise for more.
For the Bargainer, it’s more than just a matter of rekindling an old romance. Something is happening in the Otherworld. Fae warriors are going missing one by one. Only the women are returned, each in a glass casket, a child clutched to their breast. And then there are the whispers among the slaves, whispers of an evil that’s been awoken.
If the Bargainer has any hope to save his people, he’ll need the help of the siren he spurned long ago. Only, his foe has a taste for exotic creatures, and Callie just happens to be one.
Publisher: Lavabrook Publishing Group
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Callypso Lillis is a siren with a very big problem, one that stretches up her arm and far into her past. For the last seven years she’s been collecting a bracelet of black beads up her wrist, magical IOUs for favors she’s received. Only death or repayment will fulfill the obligations. Only then will the beads disappear.
Everyone knows that if you need a favor, you go to the Bargainer to make it happen. He’s a man who can get you anything you want... at a price. And everyone knows that sooner or later he always collects.
But for one of his clients, he’s never asked for repayment. Not until now. When Callie finds the fae king of the night in her room, a grin on his lips and a twinkle in his eye, she knows things are about to change. At first it’s just a chaste kiss—a single bead’s worth—and a promise for more.
For the Bargainer, it’s more than just a matter of rekindling an old romance. Something is happening in the Otherworld. Fae warriors are going missing one by one. Only the women are returned, each in a glass casket, a child clutched to their breast. And then there are the whispers among the slaves, whispers of an evil that’s been awoken.
If the Bargainer has any hope to save his people, he’ll need the help of the siren he spurned long ago. Only, his foe has a taste for exotic creatures, and Callie just happens to be one.
SPOILER FREE REVIEW
I rated it 5/5 "it was amazing"
Desmond Flynn is King of the Night and is a Bargainer for a sideline. A girl owes him 322 bargains and he has come to collect. What does he want in return?
"I'll be back tomorrow night, be prepared for more than just a kiss."
From the very beginning this book got me hooked. I keep comparing Des to Sarah J Maas's Rhys but later I've stopped because they are completely different. Not just the physical description but Des is a different person with a different background (which I'm so excited to read in his Novella 'The Emperor of Evening Stars').
I love stories where two people have this huge history together and the way the book was written, to jump between the past and the present and how they somewhat parallel to their arguments and revelations.
Overall this was a very exciting read, my heart pounds whenever Des and Callie are in the same room. I could feel their electricity jumping out of the pages of the book. This is my first Laura Thalassa book and it certainly wouldn't be the last. I also heard so much about her other series and will check those out soon too. This book deserves more praise because this is truly one of the gems.
Desmond Flynn is King of the Night and is a Bargainer for a sideline. A girl owes him 322 bargains and he has come to collect. What does he want in return?
"I'll be back tomorrow night, be prepared for more than just a kiss."
From the very beginning this book got me hooked. I keep comparing Des to Sarah J Maas's Rhys but later I've stopped because they are completely different. Not just the physical description but Des is a different person with a different background (which I'm so excited to read in his Novella 'The Emperor of Evening Stars').
I love stories where two people have this huge history together and the way the book was written, to jump between the past and the present and how they somewhat parallel to their arguments and revelations.
Overall this was a very exciting read, my heart pounds whenever Des and Callie are in the same room. I could feel their electricity jumping out of the pages of the book. This is my first Laura Thalassa book and it certainly wouldn't be the last. I also heard so much about her other series and will check those out soon too. This book deserves more praise because this is truly one of the gems.
Sunday, August 6, 2017
Monday, July 31, 2017
Book Review: Manga Classics: The Scarlet Letter
Manga Classics: The Scarlet Letter by Stacy King
Publishing Date: March 31, 2015
Publisher: UDON Entertainment
Synopsis from Goodreads:
A powerful tale of forbidden love, shame, and revenge comes to life in Manga Classics: The Scarlet Letter. Faithfully adapted by Crystal Chan from the original novel, this new edition features stunning artwork by SunNeko Lee (Manga Classics: Les Miserables) which will give old and new readers alike a fresh insight into the Nathaniel Hawthorne's tragic saga of Puritan America. Manga Classics editions feature classic stories, faithfully adapted and illustrated in manga style, and available in both hardcover and softcover editions. Proudly presented by UDON Entertainment and Morpheus Publishing.
I didn't fully understand the story, given that I haven't read the original novel so I turned to Google for some insight. It was then that I realized that what I understood with the manga is all there really is. More importantly, it is the type of story where the reader has to give his own meaning to the text.
Reading the 'Metaphors' page in the manga, it helped me understand even more. I thought this was a story without magic but I was wrong. It's about witchcraft and weird powers, especially Pearl who was said to be elf-like, a strange child of some sort.
This book was quick to read, it's more on pictures rather than conversations and narrations. So I can tell that the actual novel had more about descriptions of the surroundings and locations.
Once again, very helpful to students and to me who is too lazy to read the full novel.
Publisher: UDON Entertainment
Synopsis from Goodreads:
A powerful tale of forbidden love, shame, and revenge comes to life in Manga Classics: The Scarlet Letter. Faithfully adapted by Crystal Chan from the original novel, this new edition features stunning artwork by SunNeko Lee (Manga Classics: Les Miserables) which will give old and new readers alike a fresh insight into the Nathaniel Hawthorne's tragic saga of Puritan America. Manga Classics editions feature classic stories, faithfully adapted and illustrated in manga style, and available in both hardcover and softcover editions. Proudly presented by UDON Entertainment and Morpheus Publishing.
SPOILER FREE REVIEW
I rated it 2/5 "it was okay"
I didn't fully understand the story, given that I haven't read the original novel so I turned to Google for some insight. It was then that I realized that what I understood with the manga is all there really is. More importantly, it is the type of story where the reader has to give his own meaning to the text.
Reading the 'Metaphors' page in the manga, it helped me understand even more. I thought this was a story without magic but I was wrong. It's about witchcraft and weird powers, especially Pearl who was said to be elf-like, a strange child of some sort.
This book was quick to read, it's more on pictures rather than conversations and narrations. So I can tell that the actual novel had more about descriptions of the surroundings and locations.
Once again, very helpful to students and to me who is too lazy to read the full novel.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)