I don't normally like VR as an aspect of LitRPG. Splitting the story into two distinct settings and switching between them is a pace killer and I invaI don't normally like VR as an aspect of LitRPG. Splitting the story into two distinct settings and switching between them is a pace killer and I invariably end up liking one more than the other and get impatient when the narration is in the "wrong" place. That didn't happen here. Some of that may be due to Milo being so isolated in his real life. Or that his character in the virtual world is very like him in personality and presentation. Or it could just be a talented author setting things up so that the pace keeps up and the switches seem a natural part of the story.
In any case, I enjoyed this story very much. The setting is at least a hundred years in our future making the "real" world as much a fantasy as the game setting. A good thing. Milo himself is a genetic mutant created by criminals to dominate certain kinds of crime. So he has no official existence and has spent the decade(s) since his escape from that organization working a way into the cracks of his society, taking on the maintenance of his habitat in order to stave off people who might do thins like "inspect" or "investigate" things that might be happening in the shadows.
He liberates one of the new full-immersion VR game machines to use its built-in medical suite to investigate (and maybe fix) issues left over from his non-standard creation. Along the way, he finds himself sucked into the game world where he has even more interesting problems to solve than those of keeping his habitat running on the sly.
Which brings me to the real draw of the story. The plot and pace are fantastic. I was drawn into Milo's plight, sure, but I liked his in-game exploration nearly as much. The author does a great job making this "fake" place have consequence and meaning. And not just through Milo's viewpoint and attachment, but through evocative characters and an evolving plot that had me eager for each new reveal.
So this is an easy five stars and I'm very much interested in the rest of the series and can't wait for the author to release more.
A confession: I came to this on Royal Road when it was still free. Indeed, I kind of crashed through it because I discovered it just as the author announced he was going to publish in a month or so. Which means I did, in fact, buy a book I had already read and read it again just to remind myself of what happened when. I liked it that much.
A note about Chaste: Milo is very isolated. And the manipulation of his genome seems to have stopped him growing pre-puberty. He's nearing thirty, but still presents as a twelve year-old boy. He certainly shows no interest in sex and frankly, people/relationships mystify him more than a little. So this is very chaste....more
Again, the blurb makes this sound way more dire than it actually is. You've read the others, so by nowThis is fifth in a LitRPG series. Read in order.
Again, the blurb makes this sound way more dire than it actually is. You've read the others, so by now, you know what to expect. I think the author has firmly established the tone and expectations at this point, so that's just as well.
And I really liked this story. Cat is shunted to the defense of a nearby small town where she is put in charge of protecting the citizens. She gets to wrangle militia (private and public) and citizen volunteers as well as some newb samurai along with her friend Gomorrah. An interesting new wrinkle for her progression as a protector and all around ace. I enjoyed it and even liked the over-idealized inclusion of Lucy as civilian commander and organizer. Giving Lucy a heretofore unseen excellence in organizing resources, both human and physical, was a surprise, but not a bad one. It was good to see how those two compliment each other, each excellent in their own ways.
Anyway, Still five stars, though largely because I'm into the power fantasy central to the story. And I enjoy the banter and playful tone with a semi-serious background.
A note about Steamy: There are a couple of Interludes but note the spelling. None are steamy. There's enough side-steam with Cat and Lucy to earn the tag, but it's the lowest possible to get there....more
This is fourth in a LitRPG series that builds over time. Read in order.
We're back to fighting aliens! The action is great. We get some interesting newThis is fourth in a LitRPG series that builds over time. Read in order.
We're back to fighting aliens! The action is great. We get some interesting new samurai for Cat to bounce off of. And I was completely engaged throughout.
I don't have a ton more to say about this. I will note that the blurb is a bit overwritten. Cat's found family are never in any danger. The protective forces for her home city are competent and have things in hand enough that Cat can spend some time going proactively destructive. And I like that way better than the desperation tone the blurb implies.
Plus, Grasshopper is low-key awesome. I squeed more than a little when she showed up after the action in (view spoiler)[full on teacher mode. And not only to take the kittens in hand, but to encourage Cat and Lucy as well. This was all the awesome! (hide spoiler)]
Anyway, this is back to the full five stars and is what I'm in this story for.
A note about Steamy: There's some intermittent steam with Cat and Lucy, but there's an actual "Interlewd" with Delilah and Franny putting this on the low end of my steam tolerance. The scene itself was on the tame side and had some oddly distancing emotional byplay. It's entirely skippable, frankly....more
This is third in a LitRPG series that you should read in order.
This is something of a left turn for the story to date. This has Cat following her frieThis is third in a LitRPG series that you should read in order.
This is something of a left turn for the story to date. This has Cat following her friend, the pyro-nun Gomorrah, to figure out a mystery in the undercity of the megalopolis central to the story so far. This means both are more than a little out of their milieu because they aren't fighting alien invaders, they're solving mysteries and chasing leads and the bad guys they're shooting are, nominally, people.
And it doesn't help that there are two distinct phases to the story where they first solve the mystery and then have to deal with the fallout for the wider city. So the stakes are lower and the pace tamer. It leans into character moments and building friendship and a bit of worldbuilding to establish the dark side of corpo-political intrigue. Which simply wasn't as fun.
And it doesn't help that I didn't understand the choices Cat makes once they more-or-less understand the greater picture. I mean, (view spoiler)[once the mayor tells her that he's not going to do anything until the big corporations complain about the infrastructure, I'm all "okay, time to bring some pain to the corpos. Duh. But no, Cat decides to find a political rival to run against the mayor and futzes around with political shindigs and stuff. Which, fun for Lucy to dress up and prance around with Cat at a fancy gala and that was fun. But really? That's your answer? The problems for the megalopolis are systemic. A new politician is going to do jack with a side of squat. And don't get me started on the dumb motivation behind the assassination hogwash Cat gets embroiled in (hide spoiler)].
So this is 3½ stars that I'll round up to four on the strength of the relationships and snark. I'm still interested in the series. But I take the background a lot less seriously now.
A note about Steamy: There are no "Interlewd" chapters, but there's enough low-grade banter plus a bit of sexualish action to make this steamy. In the very lowest possible sense. But enough to trip the tag....more
This is second in a sort-of System Apocalypse almost LitRPG where the series follows tightly along. Read in order.
So you know what to expect. Mostly. This is second in a sort-of System Apocalypse almost LitRPG where the series follows tightly along. Read in order.
So you know what to expect. Mostly. There's a lot of fallout from the first story and the plot has to move on from the immediacy of the invasion that created Cat. So we see her interact more with her orphans (dubbed kittens in the cutest disharmony ever) and her girlfriend. So we have some domestic bits. And a developing friendship with another beginner Samurai we met in the last book. If you liked the interactions in the previous book, you'll probably be great in this one.
So there are definite differences from the first. Not least is the Steam tag below. With Cat's downtime comes alone time with her girlfriend and the author chose to go behind closed doors. I'll discuss that below.
This remains at a strong five stars for me. A lot of that is the humor and that the we find another (smaller) invasion that Cat and her nun friend pretty much take on by themselves (mostly). So we still have the great action along with the continuing snark. And I'm definitely interested in the next in the series.
A note about format: I picked this book up mid stream. I had been reading on Royal Road when I regretted not being able to share all these fantastic highlights. It was enough that I bought the book pretty much just to share the humor. I am told by reliable authorities that these are not the draw I believe them to be so I'm just going to stick with having fun highlighting and sharing even if nobody else gets any benefit from them.
A note about Steamy: There are two explicit sex scenes that are long enough (a chapter each) putting this in the middle of my steam tolerance. They're a bit of a tone shift and completely unnecessary. Gratuitous. That's the word. They're fairly well done, so if you're into it go for it. They're also easily skipped because they're each a single chapter, so if you aren't into that you have the option to simply skip without missing out on anything. There are random cuddles and gropes. But the actual steam is well contained....more
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book*. Cat is a crippled orphan visiting a newly opened museum. An alien apocalypse has been slowly playing out for I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book*. Cat is a crippled orphan visiting a newly opened museum. An alien apocalypse has been slowly playing out for decades (we're thirty plus years in the future) with a hive/horde invading in random places and Earth's forces have to fight back to eliminate them. Only there's also friendly aliens who select certain people from Earth to enhance with an AI and opportunities to open up equipment and modifications to help them fight the invasion. Cat has a moment of extreme heroism and self-sacrifice that ends with her receiving the alien assistance that marks her as one of these select "Samurai".
So there is lots of fighting and a stupidly (in a good way) fast pace with Cat earning "points" and spending them nearly as fast to get the means to blow up the bad guys. Intrinsic to this working so well for me are two elements that worked very well together to make this a great ride.
First, Cat cares in all the right ways. She is protecting the helpless and saving those unable to save themselves. She pushes through extreme adversity, including her pre-existing handicap (having lost an eye and arm to an unspecified tragedy in her past). She is an orphan (from that same tragedy) but focuses on the things she can do rather than those she can't. This is admirable and makes her a great, strong protagonist.
Second, Cat's AI, Myalis, is a snarky hoot acting as part support, part temptress to help Cat embrace her inner need to make things go boom. Their interactions are all sorts of fun and act as a needed leavening for the desperate circumstances they are in. Myalis states outright that her personality (including explicit gender identity) is geared towards matching Cat's personality which makes their banter all the more fun knowing that Cat simply accepts that manipulation as a starting point and permission to snark freely.
So this is an action-packed pseudo system apocalypse with a great protagonist, a ton of humor, and a fast pace. This is an easy five star read and I'm glad I stumbled onto it.
* I didn't actually read the book. I picked this up free on Royal Road. The thorough enjoyment holds, but reading there robbed me of my usual joy in publishing the highlights. This is a true tragedy as the snarky humor is outstanding and I hate that I can't share examples.
A note about Chaste: Cat is separated from her girlfriend throughout. We are told that they are intimate and we see their connection. But they are in public when they aren't in deadly peril so there are no shenanigans in the story. There are some minor intimate touches, but nothing I would call steamy. So this is fairly chaste. The author states that there will be steam in following books. But I can verify that there is none in this one....more
This is second in a System Apocalypse story. Read in order.
So you know what to expect, particularly as the author keeps the pace up in this one througThis is second in a System Apocalypse story. Read in order.
So you know what to expect, particularly as the author keeps the pace up in this one throughout. Which is good. I liked Sean and his interactions with his tag-along crafter, Brett, were outstanding. Sean is creative and determined and the situation he is in challenges him to dig deep. Having a strong ally who helps push his creativity was simply awesome.
And this was coasting along at a solid four stars until a turning point in the last third or so. When (view spoiler)[the author kills off both Brett and Spike (another human in the contest for Earth's last dregs of power) (hide spoiler)] it broke me. Like a lot. I became disconnected from the story and finished largely on inertia.
The story ends with the climax I want. There's more to the series, but I think I'll stop here as I'm satisfied with the parts I cared about. I'm going to give three stars because it was engaging. I just broke on some authorial choices along the way.
A note about Chaste: There are no romantic thread in this. It's very chaste....more
This is the fifth in a LitRPG isekai series that builds over time. You should read in order.
So my standard non-standard disclaimer applies. Melissa anThis is the fifth in a LitRPG isekai series that builds over time. You should read in order.
So my standard non-standard disclaimer applies. Melissa and I live together in India where I have signed a document saying I'm responsible for anything she does. I think they meant legally and in the punitive sense. But I'll be honest, I didn't look too closely when signing. Anyway, while I strive for honesty in all my reviews, including this one, you can take this review with any amount of leeway you like.
This is a bit of a departure for the series in that Aderyn and her party head to Finnion's Gate to compete in the Glory Games. Owen is a sponsored challenger whose success directly determines his sponsor's political position for the following period. Aderyn and the rest are involved in the team competitions that are mostly entertainment. I thought it was fantastic to have a dungeon that is used for arena style entertainments with the kind of competitions that were really popular in the US a decade or so ago. And making them team matches was even better because it made it possible to showcase teamwork and the depth of compatibility in different adventurer configurations. I loved the other teams and seeing their dedication to competition and putting on a great show. Plus seeing the Wildcats (Aderyn's team) upset expectations was all the fun!
The first half of the book is fairly light hearted as the team explores the town and builds relationships. They have an "in" on arrival because Aderyn's brother, Borrus, is the one who recruited them for the games in the first place. So we see her sibling relationship with a bonus of him letting her know that their speed in packing on levels is astonishing. Aderyn and her team had no idea that leveling so fast was at all odd (well, Isold knew because he's smart), so seeing them run into that head on was a great moment.
And then murder happens. And other disruptions. And the team has to figure out if they are going to be targets and what is actually going on. Plus, Owen gets to stretch his March Madness skills to stay ahead of expectations for the double elimination competition. And I won't go into spoiler territory, but the primary bad guy they are chasing through most of that second half is truly chilling. Seriously, Aderyn's worst nightmares are on the line and that had me on the edge of my seat the first time reading this.
Anyway, this is a great story and worth all five stars. What could have been a bit of a slack as the team has to level before the rest of the Fated One quests kick in at level fourteen became an important story for them as a team and their development as adventurers. Plus, I got to root for the Swift to kick apart everybody's expectations for what is possible for a Warmaster.
A note about Chaste: Aderyn and Owen's relationship is an important aspect of the story and their intimacy plays a role in the story's developments. As such, we see more foreplay than usual in these stories. I don't think it's enough to get into steam territory, but it could be on the border for some so I'll note that here....more
This is a Timetravel System Apocalypse with a bit of a twist. Normally, a time travel works as a redo where someone goes back to fix mistakes in the pThis is a Timetravel System Apocalypse with a bit of a twist. Normally, a time travel works as a redo where someone goes back to fix mistakes in the past. In this one, Sean gets stuck in a time stasis in a freak accident a couple decades before the apocalypse happens. By the time he wakes, it's near a century that he has been frozen. And the twist is that this apocalypse is one where the world is literally condemned by the universe at large. For an undisclosed reason. And Sean pops just before the plug is being pulled.
So the human survivors are tired and desperate. There are offworlders who are there to exploit the world's last gasp for gainz and lootz. And nobody trusts anybody. Oh, and the "system" thinks it is funny in a way nobody else really gets because it's cribbing from the pre-apocalypse culture. Example: Sean runs into Lethal Red Riding-hood. A demonic little girl with sharp knives guarded by the woodsman. Who is made of literal wood. Get it? hur hur.
Anyway, the story is okay. The unique bits are interesting, though Sean himself is a bit of a plodder. The course of the story is Sean learning to take risks, but that means over half of the book is him being extremely risk averse even as he trusts way too easily. There were a couple sections where I nearly bored myself out of the story. I stuck it out because there was just enough authorial intrusion to keep the pace up and the plot interesting.
Yeah, the author had to intrude a bit to push Sean into the right kinds of lessons to get him to be interesting. Which isn't entirely a bad thing as it saves the story at points. Better if it hadn't been necessary, though. So let's call it three stars for holding my interest all the way to the end. Also, I'm at least a bit interested in the next book.
A note about Chaste: Sean runs into a cute girl who teaches him some things. There's a bit of forced proximity where she tells him to keep his hands to himself (unsolicited, Sean isn't a risk taker, at least in that way). But that's the extent of anything even remotely racy. So this is very chaste....more
This is second in a System Apocalypse story and picks up right after the first. Read in order.
You know what you are getting. You get it. I loved seeinThis is second in a System Apocalypse story and picks up right after the first. Read in order.
You know what you are getting. You get it. I loved seeing Jill grow as she starts caring about more people. And I enjoyed the details of establishing a settlement inside Bertha. The bad guys were a bit much and the eventual antagonist was a little extra and developments with (view spoiler)[Babu were a bit railroady (i.e. felt like they only worked because the author wanted them to) (hide spoiler)].
That said, it's still five stars as I was engaged throughout and completely along for the ride. Heh.
A note about the series: The author started this on Royal Road and I was looking forward to picking up there. Only, that story hard-stopped three months ago. No activity since. No explanation. There's a very big, very real possibility that this is the end of the road. Heh. We get a decent conclusion to the story contained in this book. But there is obviously much more to go before Jill gets home. So it's a bit of a hanger (without being a cliffhanger).
A note about crude language: You read the first book. It continues in the same vein. Seriously, if you couldn't handle it in the first book, there's no way you're still here. So this is maybe an unnecessary tag.
A note about Chaste: Jill is still far from home and her partner. So there are no shenanigans. So this is pretty chaste. Except for the cursing....more
So if, like me, your life was incomplete without a System Apocalypse story centered on a sole proprietor trucker your prayers are now answered. Jill iSo if, like me, your life was incomplete without a System Apocalypse story centered on a sole proprietor trucker your prayers are now answered. Jill is driving her big rig Bertha when the apocalypse hits. Bertha is getting old, but Jill owns her outright and that is enough for them to take on the world. Or at least enough long haul jobs to make ends meet. Jill ignores the system stuff until she helps save a couple of guys on the road who are fighting for their lives. They explain a bit about what is going on and indicate that you can soul bond with something you care about. Jill cares about Bertha, so obviously she's going to bond with her truck. And the rest follows from there.
Jill wants nothing more than to reunite with her family in Boston so she agrees to take her passengers to their home in the next town (they're in Montana). Along the way, she gains the class "Battle Trucker" and enhances Bertha with things like turrets and habitat modules and things snowball from there. And I was so along for this! I liked Jill. I liked the found family in the apocalypse. And I liked seeing the shenanigans they got up to helping folks along the way.
This is an easy five stars for me as I was engaged with the characters, the pace was excellent and the plot (and worldbuilding) was just whacky enough to work. And I'm definitely moving on to the next book.
A note about crude language: Jill is course. Her swears are vivid and convoluted and strong enough that she multi-classes into Maladict Bard. Essentially, the System grants cursing the power to affect status effects. Good fun. But yeah, that's a lot of cursing. You are warned.
A note about Chaste: Jill has a partner she is working hard to reunite with. There are no shenanigans. Except in the cursing. So this is pretty chaste....more
This was released just before the Cordially Invited series by the author and I really liked the first two books there so I thought I'd see how this onThis was released just before the Cordially Invited series by the author and I really liked the first two books there so I thought I'd see how this one compares as a true stand-alone. And the thing is that it doesn't really, but I'm okay with that. Mostly.
The most notable difference is that this book has a bit of an edge to it. It's not "gritty" or dark or anything like that, but Presley is a musician and fully immersed in music as a lifestyle. So she doesn't blink at drinking and body art and illegal drug use and lots and lots of sex. Don't get me wrong, this is an interesting character and frankly, Cahill nails the characterization so you have not only obscure musical references that make startling sense through unexpected juxtaposition, but music permeates the story in lots of subtle ways, too.
So the storycraft is better than the others of hers I read. Unfortunately, the romance left me frustrated. More unfortunate still, I can't fault her on it because Presley makes the kinds of boneheaded mistakes someone that young and that hurt almost certainly would. She's so caught up in her past pain that she can't see the difference between the egotistical user who dumped her and the loyal, kind, but damaged man she falls in love with. So you have a dark moment that I hated that drags on longer than it probably should have and that has all the consequences it deserved.
Anyway, poor Paul. My heart broke for him. He tries so hard and it's a real shame that his love of music runs head-first into his crippling anxiety (manifest as stage-fright). This is another rock-solid characterization Cahill manages and it felt present and real even though I kind of hated some of the coping mechanisms he has developed. I loved that the one thing Presley got right was helping him understand that he isn't crazy or broken, he's just different and needs certain kinds of help as a result. I like even better that Cahill didn't fall back on the "love fixes things" crutch to get him to a healthier state where he can manage a relationship with someone like Presley. Showing him taking the much harder steps by (view spoiler)[finding professional help (hide spoiler)] was so unexpectedly glorious I nearly cried. Okay, not "nearly".
I wish I could give this more than the three stars I'm ending up with. But romance is my jam and Presley slew me with her pain-driven cluelessness and I found it very hard to get through the parts where she was being such a nutjob that she was making things worse on poor Paul. Also, all the sex was driving me a bit nuts, too...
A note about Steamy: There were at least a half-dozen explicit sex scenes putting this on the high end of my steam tolerance. They only didn't cross it by being mostly pretty short. Still, it felt like a lot. Because it is a lot.
Merged review:
This was released just before the Cordially Invited series by the author and I really liked the first two books there so I thought I'd see how this one compares as a true stand-alone. And the thing is that it doesn't really, but I'm okay with that. Mostly.
The most notable difference is that this book has a bit of an edge to it. It's not "gritty" or dark or anything like that, but Presley is a musician and fully immersed in music as a lifestyle. So she doesn't blink at drinking and body art and illegal drug use and lots and lots of sex. Don't get me wrong, this is an interesting character and frankly, Cahill nails the characterization so you have not only obscure musical references that make startling sense through unexpected juxtaposition, but music permeates the story in lots of subtle ways, too.
So the storycraft is better than the others of hers I read. Unfortunately, the romance left me frustrated. More unfortunate still, I can't fault her on it because Presley makes the kinds of boneheaded mistakes someone that young and that hurt almost certainly would. She's so caught up in her past pain that she can't see the difference between the egotistical user who dumped her and the loyal, kind, but damaged man she falls in love with. So you have a dark moment that I hated that drags on longer than it probably should have and that has all the consequences it deserved.
Anyway, poor Paul. My heart broke for him. He tries so hard and it's a real shame that his love of music runs head-first into his crippling anxiety (manifest as stage-fright). This is another rock-solid characterization Cahill manages and it felt present and real even though I kind of hated some of the coping mechanisms he has developed. I loved that the one thing Presley got right was helping him understand that he isn't crazy or broken, he's just different and needs certain kinds of help as a result. I like even better that Cahill didn't fall back on the "love fixes things" crutch to get him to a healthier state where he can manage a relationship with someone like Presley. Showing him taking the much harder steps by (view spoiler)[finding professional help (hide spoiler)] was so unexpectedly glorious I nearly cried. Okay, not "nearly".
I wish I could give this more than the three stars I'm ending up with. But romance is my jam and Presley slew me with her pain-driven cluelessness and I found it very hard to get through the parts where she was being such a nutjob that she was making things worse on poor Paul. Also, all the sex was driving me a bit nuts, too...
A note about Steamy: There were at least a half-dozen explicit sex scenes putting this on the high end of my steam tolerance. They only didn't cross it by being mostly pretty short. Still, it felt like a lot. Because it is a lot....more
This was such a fun read! It has an alt-China background and an oriental flare for a story that flows like a mountain stream—fresh and quick and joyfuThis was such a fun read! It has an alt-China background and an oriental flare for a story that flows like a mountain stream—fresh and quick and joyful.
The story centers on a family with a deadly secret at the cusp where the children are ready to branch out into their destinies according to their individual desires and talents. Mouse, the youngest, is center stage more than her brothers as she passes as the orderly for her eldest brother during the beginning of his martial career. It's clear that all three are destined for great things, with their unique background built up from supportive, and deeply talented parents who taught them all everything they knew (according to their interests and inclinations). I loved how deeply this family loved and supported each other. And how they did so unselfishly and largely due to the outstanding example of the parents who sacrificed and shared and loved so completely.
I don't know much about the xuanhuan tradition/style that the author is following, beyond that it's a follow-on of the wuxia stories I gobbled up opportunistically in my young adulthood when they entered my life as kung fu fables. I can't judge how successful this is in that tradition, but I loved this description about an artwork one character encounters "Everything about the scene bespoke order, but nothing was symmetrical or grouped into arrogant lines". This story is exactly like that description. Ordered, but nothing symmetrical or grouped into arrogant lines. I loved that.
I highly recommend this fascinating fantasy story. Smith excels at character and setting and I was deeply engaged throughout. This is easily five stars, but that's not a surprise given I'm a huge fan of her other stories as well. It's something of a departure as most of her stories are interrelated and this one is a new world, entirely. It's a great success as an experiment, I have to say and I'm glad the story continues because I love these characters so much.
Merged review:
This was such a fun read! It has an alt-China background and an oriental flare for a story that flows like a mountain stream—fresh and quick and joyful.
The story centers on a family with a deadly secret at the cusp where the children are ready to branch out into their destinies according to their individual desires and talents. Mouse, the youngest, is center stage more than her brothers as she passes as the orderly for her eldest brother during the beginning of his martial career. It's clear that all three are destined for great things, with their unique background built up from supportive, and deeply talented parents who taught them all everything they knew (according to their interests and inclinations). I loved how deeply this family loved and supported each other. And how they did so unselfishly and largely due to the outstanding example of the parents who sacrificed and shared and loved so completely.
I don't know much about the xuanhuan tradition/style that the author is following, beyond that it's a follow-on of the wuxia stories I gobbled up opportunistically in my young adulthood when they entered my life as kung fu fables. I can't judge how successful this is in that tradition, but I loved this description about an artwork one character encounters "Everything about the scene bespoke order, but nothing was symmetrical or grouped into arrogant lines". This story is exactly like that description. Ordered, but nothing symmetrical or grouped into arrogant lines. I loved that.
I highly recommend this fascinating fantasy story. Smith excels at character and setting and I was deeply engaged throughout. This is easily five stars, but that's not a surprise given I'm a huge fan of her other stories as well. It's something of a departure as most of her stories are interrelated and this one is a new world, entirely. It's a great success as an experiment, I have to say and I'm glad the story continues because I love these characters so much....more
I was in a mood yesterday and Chris Cannon's YA romances almost exactly typified that mood. Unfortunately, I had run out of her romances. So I gave thI was in a mood yesterday and Chris Cannon's YA romances almost exactly typified that mood. Unfortunately, I had run out of her romances. So I gave this a shot and it fit the bill well enough I'm glad I did.
Meena and Jake are sweet and I really enjoyed their explorations as the veil is ripped off the supernatural in their small town (for them, personally, that is). They team up early and I really liked their interactions. They felt like the inexperienced teens they were supposed to be as they tried to be both kind and honest and sometimes failed but mostly succeeded. I liked them coming to depend on each other and handle the weird thrown at them.
The premise is a bit weak, though, and the plot a bit haphazard. I mean, how does a small town support a population of supernatural parasites that large? And Bane is a little too over-the-top with actions that are sometimes cruel, sometimes indulgent, but always unpredictable. At least he wasn't a tool of the author or something that made him feel manufactured or fake. But it made it really hard to factor into the plans of our protagonists or what his role was going to be beyond simple marplot. Which means the plot meandered a bit. And that's not helped by having great gusts of exposition wandering around the scenescape at large, either.
So this makes for a wobbly four stars with a lot of my indulgence being that I was in the right mood and this really hit the spot. I like the main characters and their building relationship was great (mostly - (view spoiler)[Jake as vampire was a weird episode and I'm not sure I buy the explanations for his change in attitude as given. There's something hinky going on there and I'm sure that'll come up in future books (hide spoiler)]). So I was entertained and look forward to the next when it comes out.
A note about genre: I'm not sure where to place this. It isn't urban fantasy (though I'll tag it as such) and not just because it's a small town. The supernaturals and powers/competence of individuals wasn't as foreground as a UF would presume. This is probably a candidate for Contemporary Fantasy, but I admit I'm struggling to understand that category.
A note about Chaste: Both Meena and Jake are young and read young, and that includes in romance and intimacy. So we have kissing and even a pretty innocent overnight scene based on circumstances but there's no sex, onscreen or off. So I consider this pretty chaste.
Merged review:
I was in a mood yesterday and Chris Cannon's YA romances almost exactly typified that mood. Unfortunately, I had run out of her romances. So I gave this a shot and it fit the bill well enough I'm glad I did.
Meena and Jake are sweet and I really enjoyed their explorations as the veil is ripped off the supernatural in their small town (for them, personally, that is). They team up early and I really liked their interactions. They felt like the inexperienced teens they were supposed to be as they tried to be both kind and honest and sometimes failed but mostly succeeded. I liked them coming to depend on each other and handle the weird thrown at them.
The premise is a bit weak, though, and the plot a bit haphazard. I mean, how does a small town support a population of supernatural parasites that large? And Bane is a little too over-the-top with actions that are sometimes cruel, sometimes indulgent, but always unpredictable. At least he wasn't a tool of the author or something that made him feel manufactured or fake. But it made it really hard to factor into the plans of our protagonists or what his role was going to be beyond simple marplot. Which means the plot meandered a bit. And that's not helped by having great gusts of exposition wandering around the scenescape at large, either.
So this makes for a wobbly four stars with a lot of my indulgence being that I was in the right mood and this really hit the spot. I like the main characters and their building relationship was great (mostly - (view spoiler)[Jake as vampire was a weird episode and I'm not sure I buy the explanations for his change in attitude as given. There's something hinky going on there and I'm sure that'll come up in future books (hide spoiler)]). So I was entertained and look forward to the next when it comes out.
A note about genre: I'm not sure where to place this. It isn't urban fantasy (though I'll tag it as such) and not just because it's a small town. The supernaturals and powers/competence of individuals wasn't as foreground as a UF would presume. This is probably a candidate for Contemporary Fantasy, but I admit I'm struggling to understand that category.
A note about Chaste: Both Meena and Jake are young and read young, and that includes in romance and intimacy. So we have kissing and even a pretty innocent overnight scene based on circumstances but there's no sex, onscreen or off. So I consider this pretty chaste....more
This was pretty good as a YA romance. I liked the nerd troping and the characters were engaging. I wish I hadn't left this review so long, though. I rThis was pretty good as a YA romance. I liked the nerd troping and the characters were engaging. I wish I hadn't left this review so long, though. I remember having some qualms around romance-landia issues. Like Wes being a giant coward and keeping his identity secret in a way that I don't think would actually work.
And Stella's family seemed a bit like a Saturday Morning Special phone-in from central casting. Only that's a little too harsh because they actually deliver fairly well on heart and the complexity of those personal relationships being both support and challenge.
So I'm going with four stars and a well-told story.
A note about Chaste: Sex doesn't seem to be much of a thing for either of the protagonists. Well, they aren't dating anyone through the course of the story and neither has had time with their academic pursuits. So that's cool.
Merged review:
This was pretty good as a YA romance. I liked the nerd troping and the characters were engaging. I wish I hadn't left this review so long, though. I remember having some qualms around romance-landia issues. Like Wes being a giant coward and keeping his identity secret in a way that I don't think would actually work.
And Stella's family seemed a bit like a Saturday Morning Special phone-in from central casting. Only that's a little too harsh because they actually deliver fairly well on heart and the complexity of those personal relationships being both support and challenge.
So I'm going with four stars and a well-told story.
A note about Chaste: Sex doesn't seem to be much of a thing for either of the protagonists. Well, they aren't dating anyone through the course of the story and neither has had time with their academic pursuits. So that's cool....more
This is third in an ongoing modern magical series so I recommend reading them in order. The series itself is a follow-on from The Last Oracle, so if yThis is third in an ongoing modern magical series so I recommend reading them in order. The series itself is a follow-on from The Last Oracle, so if you want to full backstory, you'll want to read that series first.
My standard non-standard disclaimer applies. I actually made it into the afterword in this one for my help during it's creation. Because I'm awesome. I do my best to be honest in all of my reviews, but have zero defense for anyone who wants to question that for Melissa's books.
The magical world has expanded since they ended the threat of the invaders, including both new enemies and allies, but you know that already having read the other books. The incursion of the elves continues on a slow burn (or is it?) while human forces willing to use anyone or anything for their own selfish purposes are bent on harnessing what they see as untapped power for themselves. And Helena knows that she and her children would be in the crosshairs of those who want to rule the Earth if they become known. Their anonymity is at least partially blown and those forces are circling in this book.
I loved seeing Helena deal with these external threats while trying to help her children with their gifts and the pressures that creates for these young, gifted children. I feel so much for Alister as he tries to understand his need to fight evil and curb his first impulse of direct confrontation. He is such a wonderful blend of his parents with Helena's absolute determination to do right and his father's willingness to put himself on the frontline of the fight.
And I particularly love the reveal regarding Helena's non-standard magical gifts; particularly in the frame of helping Jenny with her own version of that blessing/curse. It's some of my favorite moments of the story as a final piece of that puzzle comes together.
Melissa has a talent with the characters, each child having their own place and distinct personalities. It doesn't hurt that many of the Mom moments resonate with our experiences raising our own non-standard children (is there really such a thing as a standard child?). It makes me grin any time she includes an event or detail that seems like a stretch and know they reflect historic events in our adventures of child wrangling.
So that got more personal than I usually get with these reviews. Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was deeply engaged to the very end.
A note about Chaste: Helena and Malcolm have a healthy marriage that includes sex. None of that is on screen, though there are some awesome intimate moments along with some kisses and cuddles. I find this pretty chaste and feel that most would agree....more
Well crap. I let this go a week or so before reviewing and I know I've lost details. Which is a bit of a shame, but I'll do my best to dig out what I Well crap. I let this go a week or so before reviewing and I know I've lost details. Which is a bit of a shame, but I'll do my best to dig out what I thought.
I liked both protagonists well-enough. There's a lot of wish fulfillment in both backgrounds, though not overwhelmingly so. Still, I'm not sure that any author, even with movie options on the line, is as rich as Whitney. At least, not solely from their writing. Gabriela as a trust-fund kid made more sense, and I love, more than a little, the support she has from her family. And I like how serious she is about her avocation and that she takes it seriously but is still able to be charmed by people she admires and respects.
Actually, Whitney bothered me a bit, though not so much her background as it was the actions excused by it. She's incredibly mean to Brie (Gabriela's most common nickname) on multiple occasions and there was a time or two where I wanted Brie to go find someone else to admire and attach to. And the worst one was after their first time together and it was devastatingly bad. Even if Brie had been the sort of person she suspected, that was way over the top.
Anyway, the plot holds together well-enough. I liked their collaboration on the movie set and I particularly liked how Brie found herself with an updated avocation and a new direction she wanted to explore. It was great seeing her blossom into more than she had let herself be and take on all the doubters, even those who loved and supported her in the past in her family. But then we have a dark moment and I lost the last of my respect for Whitney. And I'm not sure the eventual resolution works, either. I mean, the end rests on assuming that a lot of bad actions came from pure motives and I don't see how they can have.
Anyway, I'm going with 3½ stars that I'll round up on how much I fell for Brie. She's was charming and strong and I loved how she grew into herself in the end.
A note about Steamy: Among the details I lost are how many explicit sex scenes there were. I'm pretty sure it was the middle of my steam tolerance and that they fit the narrative through-line pretty well. Which is one reason that initial betrayal post first-time hurt so bad. As it should have...
Merged review:
Well crap. I let this go a week or so before reviewing and I know I've lost details. Which is a bit of a shame, but I'll do my best to dig out what I thought.
I liked both protagonists well-enough. There's a lot of wish fulfillment in both backgrounds, though not overwhelmingly so. Still, I'm not sure that any author, even with movie options on the line, is as rich as Whitney. At least, not solely from their writing. Gabriela as a trust-fund kid made more sense, and I love, more than a little, the support she has from her family. And I like how serious she is about her avocation and that she takes it seriously but is still able to be charmed by people she admires and respects.
Actually, Whitney bothered me a bit, though not so much her background as it was the actions excused by it. She's incredibly mean to Brie (Gabriela's most common nickname) on multiple occasions and there was a time or two where I wanted Brie to go find someone else to admire and attach to. And the worst one was after their first time together and it was devastatingly bad. Even if Brie had been the sort of person she suspected, that was way over the top.
Anyway, the plot holds together well-enough. I liked their collaboration on the movie set and I particularly liked how Brie found herself with an updated avocation and a new direction she wanted to explore. It was great seeing her blossom into more than she had let herself be and take on all the doubters, even those who loved and supported her in the past in her family. But then we have a dark moment and I lost the last of my respect for Whitney. And I'm not sure the eventual resolution works, either. I mean, the end rests on assuming that a lot of bad actions came from pure motives and I don't see how they can have.
Anyway, I'm going with 3½ stars that I'll round up on how much I fell for Brie. She's was charming and strong and I loved how she grew into herself in the end.
A note about Steamy: Among the details I lost are how many explicit sex scenes there were. I'm pretty sure it was the middle of my steam tolerance and that they fit the narrative through-line pretty well. Which is one reason that initial betrayal post first-time hurt so bad. As it should have......more
This started off very well and has characters that I enjoyed. I was worried that the abolitionist theme would be overwhelming or simplified to evoke eThis started off very well and has characters that I enjoyed. I was worried that the abolitionist theme would be overwhelming or simplified to evoke emotional response. But Baxter handled it exceptionally well and with the care that topic deserved, I think. So I was sad when the later story fell apart so completely.
Isabel is a staunch abolitionist and proponent of Mary Wollstonecraft and is tired of not being allowed to be her own woman. So she's enjoying the self-determination granted widows with generous jointures and is happy with her political hobby and looking after her mom. And yes, that means she has a huge negative motivation* and that worried me from very early on because I could see that it'd be a huge pace killer. And now I wish that had been the biggest problem of the story.
Marcus was okay as the hero. I mean, I love a competent guy with strong convictions and a desire to protect the ones he cares for. And he's all of that but I kind of hated his stoical demeanor and constitutional inability to give kind reassurance or encouragement. Him keeping his feelings so close to his chest was a huge derail in the last bit of the story and I wanted to strangle him when he tossed out a "surely you know I love you" as if he had done anything at all to tell her so. And I wish that had been the biggest problem of the story.
The biggest problem of the story shows up in the last quarter and drags out to the end. Isabel gets a ginormous case of the stupids and time and again does poorly-motivated things that end up being used by the author for extra drama. Seriously, that whole (view spoiler)[kidnapping plot with the young predatory jackhole was tedious and unnecessary (hide spoiler)]. And the winter fair on the Thames seemed cobbled together to show the author's research only with added idiocy so we can have even more drama.
I really hate that the story went to crap in the last quarter or so. It was doing so well. But it did go to crap and it'll eek out three stars that I'm not at all sure it deserves. The early story was solid, fun, and interesting. I liked the two leads coming together in service of others and continuing their interactions along both emotional and intellectual arcs. What a waste to throw that so thoroughly away in the end.
A note about Chaste: These are honorable Regency gentry who aren't married. So there is no sex and only occasional kissing.
* Negative Motivations: I kind of hate that the term "negative motivation" isn't widespread, yet. Since it isn't, I'm going to save off this little jag to append to my reviews that feature the term. Jennifer Crusie blogged about it a bit back and it changed how I understand story. The problem with the term is that if you've never heard it before, you'd assume it meant motivations that are harmful or immoral. Not so. What it refers to is motivations not to do something. The thing is that many of us are motivated to not do things for a lot of different, perfectly valid and reasonable, reasons. The problem is that in a story motivations to not do things are a huge drag on the plot—particularly considering the fact that most negative motivations are overcome by the character simply deciding they don't care any more (or, rather, that they do care and are now motivated to do the thing). So not only do you have a counter to action but you also have a situation where to overcome it, all a character has to do is change their mind. Which means eventually, the reader is rooting for the character to get over him/herself already and do the thing we want them to do. Conflict drives story. Conflict between a reader and a main character drives readers away from story.
Merged review:
This started off very well and has characters that I enjoyed. I was worried that the abolitionist theme would be overwhelming or simplified to evoke emotional response. But Baxter handled it exceptionally well and with the care that topic deserved, I think. So I was sad when the later story fell apart so completely.
Isabel is a staunch abolitionist and proponent of Mary Wollstonecraft and is tired of not being allowed to be her own woman. So she's enjoying the self-determination granted widows with generous jointures and is happy with her political hobby and looking after her mom. And yes, that means she has a huge negative motivation* and that worried me from very early on because I could see that it'd be a huge pace killer. And now I wish that had been the biggest problem of the story.
Marcus was okay as the hero. I mean, I love a competent guy with strong convictions and a desire to protect the ones he cares for. And he's all of that but I kind of hated his stoical demeanor and constitutional inability to give kind reassurance or encouragement. Him keeping his feelings so close to his chest was a huge derail in the last bit of the story and I wanted to strangle him when he tossed out a "surely you know I love you" as if he had done anything at all to tell her so. And I wish that had been the biggest problem of the story.
The biggest problem of the story shows up in the last quarter and drags out to the end. Isabel gets a ginormous case of the stupids and time and again does poorly-motivated things that end up being used by the author for extra drama. Seriously, that whole (view spoiler)[kidnapping plot with the young predatory jackhole was tedious and unnecessary (hide spoiler)]. And the winter fair on the Thames seemed cobbled together to show the author's research only with added idiocy so we can have even more drama.
I really hate that the story went to crap in the last quarter or so. It was doing so well. But it did go to crap and it'll eek out three stars that I'm not at all sure it deserves. The early story was solid, fun, and interesting. I liked the two leads coming together in service of others and continuing their interactions along both emotional and intellectual arcs. What a waste to throw that so thoroughly away in the end.
A note about Chaste: These are honorable Regency gentry who aren't married. So there is no sex and only occasional kissing.
* Negative Motivations: I kind of hate that the term "negative motivation" isn't widespread, yet. Since it isn't, I'm going to save off this little jag to append to my reviews that feature the term. Jennifer Crusie blogged about it a bit back and it changed how I understand story. The problem with the term is that if you've never heard it before, you'd assume it meant motivations that are harmful or immoral. Not so. What it refers to is motivations not to do something. The thing is that many of us are motivated to not do things for a lot of different, perfectly valid and reasonable, reasons. The problem is that in a story motivations to not do things are a huge drag on the plot—particularly considering the fact that most negative motivations are overcome by the character simply deciding they don't care any more (or, rather, that they do care and are now motivated to do the thing). So not only do you have a counter to action but you also have a situation where to overcome it, all a character has to do is change their mind. Which means eventually, the reader is rooting for the character to get over him/herself already and do the thing we want them to do. Conflict drives story. Conflict between a reader and a main character drives readers away from story....more
The first, oh, half of this was beyond painful. I admit I'd have abandoned it if a friend's review hadn't mentioned that it gets way better after a tuThe first, oh, half of this was beyond painful. I admit I'd have abandoned it if a friend's review hadn't mentioned that it gets way better after a turning point. She was absolutely right and I have to agree that it was worth getting past the bad to get to the good (though it would have been better to do without the crap up front).
The problem is that Callie starts out as so very gormless. She lets everyone walk all over her and she acts like she is helpless in the face of life or fate or whatever. Her crush on Mark is just painful and her compulsion to "be nice" to creeps and jerks had me wanting to throw things and/or hit someone—preferably one of the insufferable prats she "dates".
This smooths out once she turns her sights on Ian. And since their relationship is kind of awesome, that's where things really pick up. I loved that Ian was all uncertain and organized and shy against her energy and determination. I loved that they got along so well despite their obvious differences. And I love that they communicate, even at their worst moments (and I'll note that (view spoiler)[the breakdown when Ian catches Mark kissing Callie was not a communication issue. They communicated perfectly well after the event. Ian had to work through his trust issue left over from his ex-wife and that's what needed mitigation, not communication(hide spoiler)]).
Anyway, after the first third (maybe half, I didn't note where, precisely), this settled down into an outstanding romance and I really liked the relationship developments from that point on—including progress with Callie's family dysfunction. This would have been a solid four, possibly five, stars if that beginning hadn't been so wearing.
A note about Politics: While Callie uses Michelle Obama as the voice for her sensible self and takes the occasional pot-shot at Republicans (singly and as a group), this isn't really a terribly political book. Callie herself is such a people-person and so fundamentally kind that I have a hard time seeing her being mean to anyone, regardless of politics. It helps, too, that Ian's mother (a crusader for various progressive causes) is portrayed so negatively for putting her causes above caring for the people in her life, and thus triangulating that, for Callie at least, it's all about personal relationships and caring for others.
A note about Steamy: I debated tagging this as steamy. Higgins pulls the curtain before the happy-times start so you don't get any detail. That said, some of the foreplay gets far enough (under clothes but before removal) I'm going to tag it anyway. I very nearly created a new category to fit between Steamy and Chaste for this novel (probably closed-door or something equally lame). As it stands, this is the lightest of steam in my steam tolerance and only just barely qualifies at all.
Merged review:
The first, oh, half of this was beyond painful. I admit I'd have abandoned it if a friend's review hadn't mentioned that it gets way better after a turning point. She was absolutely right and I have to agree that it was worth getting past the bad to get to the good (though it would have been better to do without the crap up front).
The problem is that Callie starts out as so very gormless. She lets everyone walk all over her and she acts like she is helpless in the face of life or fate or whatever. Her crush on Mark is just painful and her compulsion to "be nice" to creeps and jerks had me wanting to throw things and/or hit someone—preferably one of the insufferable prats she "dates".
This smooths out once she turns her sights on Ian. And since their relationship is kind of awesome, that's where things really pick up. I loved that Ian was all uncertain and organized and shy against her energy and determination. I loved that they got along so well despite their obvious differences. And I love that they communicate, even at their worst moments (and I'll note that (view spoiler)[the breakdown when Ian catches Mark kissing Callie was not a communication issue. They communicated perfectly well after the event. Ian had to work through his trust issue left over from his ex-wife and that's what needed mitigation, not communication(hide spoiler)]).
Anyway, after the first third (maybe half, I didn't note where, precisely), this settled down into an outstanding romance and I really liked the relationship developments from that point on—including progress with Callie's family dysfunction. This would have been a solid four, possibly five, stars if that beginning hadn't been so wearing.
A note about Politics: While Callie uses Michelle Obama as the voice for her sensible self and takes the occasional pot-shot at Republicans (singly and as a group), this isn't really a terribly political book. Callie herself is such a people-person and so fundamentally kind that I have a hard time seeing her being mean to anyone, regardless of politics. It helps, too, that Ian's mother (a crusader for various progressive causes) is portrayed so negatively for putting her causes above caring for the people in her life, and thus triangulating that, for Callie at least, it's all about personal relationships and caring for others.
A note about Steamy: I debated tagging this as steamy. Higgins pulls the curtain before the happy-times start so you don't get any detail. That said, some of the foreplay gets far enough (under clothes but before removal) I'm going to tag it anyway. I very nearly created a new category to fit between Steamy and Chaste for this novel (probably closed-door or something equally lame). As it stands, this is the lightest of steam in my steam tolerance and only just barely qualifies at all....more
This is the third and last of the confusingly-attributed books by three authors telling three stories. You don't have to read them in order, or anythiThis is the third and last of the confusingly-attributed books by three authors telling three stories. You don't have to read them in order, or anything, because they're only barely related at all (though some of the characters from others stories do show up occasionally). If you're only going to read one, read the second book as I think it's the best. I'm going to take it easy on this review and rely on a) it's a lot like the other two and b) read my notes/updates if you want more individual takes.
Suffice to say that in aggregate, I'm calling this three stars. The second and third stories are a declining experience, which makes it feel like the book goes more downhill than it really does. If you don't mind cutting it up and reading only part of the book, you're best off taking in the first story and being content...
Merged review:
This is the third and last of the confusingly-attributed books by three authors telling three stories. You don't have to read them in order, or anything, because they're only barely related at all (though some of the characters from others stories do show up occasionally). If you're only going to read one, read the second book as I think it's the best. I'm going to take it easy on this review and rely on a) it's a lot like the other two and b) read my notes/updates if you want more individual takes.
Suffice to say that in aggregate, I'm calling this three stars. The second and third stories are a declining experience, which makes it feel like the book goes more downhill than it really does. If you don't mind cutting it up and reading only part of the book, you're best off taking in the first story and being content......more