Showing posts with label author: p.c. cast. Show all posts
Showing posts with label author: p.c. cast. Show all posts
August 10, 2017
After Moonrise
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
This is two short stories written by two different authors that focus on characters from two different branches of After Moonrise, an agency of psychics that works for the public, sometimes with authorities, to solve strange cases involving the supernatural (ie dead people).
Possessed by P.C. Cast
Kent talks easy and is obviously determined to do his job, but his relationship with the twins and whole possession bit leave a lot to be desired. If that line of possession hadn't taken over the whole story and turned things so weird, I might have enjoyed it more.
Haunted by Gena Showalter
Levi is sweet under his gruff persona and Harper's no-nonsense approach is a good fit with him. I wondered exactly how the early preview would tie in with Harper's painting. After Possessed, I was thinking more along the lines of dream visions or second lives. This took on another approach to the whole after life thing. We even very briefly see Kent again and hear him reference his "ladies." Lana, while appearing to belong with Harper as a friend, seems the most in limbo with her afterlife. She can't really work with After Moonrise in her previous capacity as a ghost, and apparently she was good if Kent called on her to potentially help "his ladies" in the first segment.
Then there's this preview of Alice in Zombieland that I first thought was part of this book and not a teaser. That alone is rather confusing and disturbing in it's own sense. Can't say it exactly made me want to pick up that book to finish the tale.
View all my reviews
February 2, 2015
House of Night 12: Redeemed
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Wow, I'm really surprised this series lasted as long as it did. It's felt disjointed, redundant, and dragging for awhile now. Of course while Zoey was out of control with the seer stone, she was not in fact responsible for the park deaths. Neferet has proven that she feeds on death and is more than a little blood thirsty as a result. The good part of this is that it clears Zoey and gets the House of Night working with the Tulsa police. The bad is that it certainly still doesn't do anything to stop Neferet.
Of any of the characters, Kalona was the most interesting this time around. As hard as the book was to read, I was glad I had already finished Kalona's Fall before reading this as it made several things add up a lot easier than it would with the holes in the story otherwise. Nice symbolism with his wings turning back to moonlight again at the end there too. I like the idea of him finally learning the ultimate lesson and being allowed to return to Nyx and Erebus. Of the entire book, it's the "afterword" where we get to see the brothers truly be brothers and the Otherworld at peace that I enjoyed most of all.
Still can't help but feel a little bad for Aurox, though it does seem things got better for him in the end - also shown symbolically by the color change in his bull's form horns from white to black. I did always think that was a little backwards as typically "light" is considered white and "dark" is considered black, but here it's the reverse.
Overall I'm just glad the series is over. I can say I finished it and have no linger curiosity no matter how disenchanted I was at the end. I'm glad for that much at least.
View all my reviews
House of Night Novella 4: Kalona's Fall
My rating: 1 of 5 stars
Obviously, this book failed miserably at keeping my attention. So much so that I completely put it aside while I got sucked into re-reading two other series before picking it back up. By that time, it had been so long that I started over from the beginning rather than trying to remember what I had read up to that point.
This book doesn't read like even a novella, but rather a collection of several short stories. The theme is all the same as they follow Nyx through Kalona and Erebus's creation and trials. As with the normal series, the point of view tends to shift often, which makes the story even more disjointed. On top of this, it's already segmented rather drastically within the book itself.
While the content is interesting as it gives an insight to Kalona that would obviously be missing otherwise, it is portrayed in a very poor manner that does not draw in the reader or flow well enough to allow for such a draw to hold if it did exist.
View all my reviews
January 3, 2014
House of Night 11: Revealed
My rating: 1 of 5 stars
Sadly, I can't claim to be really enjoying this series, but I also hate leaving a series unfinished.
A large portion of this book can be summarized in 2 things.
1) Neferet is still reliving her past which readers already know about in full thanks to the novella Neferet's Curse.
2) Zoey is still aggravating, only now she's losing control and doing bad things while ignoring the warnings of her friends.
The ending this time around had me lifting an eyebrow. Glad to Kalona was allowed back into Nyx's temple as that was a long time coming. I can honestly say I prefer his darker and more down to earth persona to Erebus's flaunted over the top showcases.
Zoey caving so quickly to the human police is another curiosity that isn't likely to bode well for the House of Night. I can't help but wonder a) how the humans really died since Zoey did see them move before bolting and b) how the humans knew it was "by magical means" when she essentially just shoved them. Unless it in fact was not Zoey... now that wouldn't surprise me at all given Neferet's first act when she starts moving around again.
Looks like things are getting sticky quick and the House of Night just lost a large part of it's "best defense."
View all my reviews
March 8, 2013
House of Night Novella 3: Neferet's Curse
My rating: 1 of 5 stars
Having read the latest House of Night book first, I was slightly curious what exactly Neferet may have seen in Zoey's mirror that she swore she "would never be again." Got the feeling it had to have been something awful for such a vehement reaction to it. It also makes it incredibly obvious how she could have fallen to darkness so easily - she already essentially was there before she was ever Marked in the first place. Makes it somewhat amazing that she was able to hold out for so long before implementing her plans, but it's rather obvious that she's been warped ever since her mothers death. The rest of what happened to her certainly didn't help matters either. Though her constant declarations in her journal are at least somewhat inaccurate - yes she is mad. Just not in a form that she recognizes even after intentionally and publicly surrendering to the Darkness.
View all my reviews
March 6, 2013
House of Night 10: Hidden
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Sometimes I honestly wonder why I'm still reading this series. It's repetitive and rather stereotypical. At the same time, it's so close to being finished, that it would annoy me not to know how it ends.
Once again, Neferet does something bad (in this case she kidnaps Grandma Redbird). Once again, Zoey and her circle have to join together to stop Neferet and save Grandma. This time however, Kalona and Aurox are both on their side. Neferet has also been publicly shunned in the vampyre world, but is now attempting to wrap humans around her oily fingers instead. The ending is especially disturbing as Neferet's broken body separates into dozens of tiny spiders. As if she wasn't creepy enough just working with Darkness? It might be interesting to see how the dynamics with Aurox change now that everyone knows he's Heath and not just Zoey's imagination. Have to admit I'm liking Kalona better than his supposedly "good" twin, Erebus. It would be somewhat amusing to see their positions reversed by the end of the series the way Kalona is learning and maturing so much faster.
View all my reviews
June 3, 2012
Goddess Summoning 7: Goddess of Legend
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I think I may like the ones where the myths are the background players to the time crosses more oddly enough. This one touches on the story of King Arthur. Kind of would have preferred finding a way for her to stay there and let history play out, but still glad that at least the reincarnation is reunited - even if the shared names and hobbies is a little eerie. As always, the differences in science vs. magic and language barriers is amusing as well. Fish out of water anyone?
View all my reviews
March 5, 2012
House of Night Novellas 2: Lenobia's Vow
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Being a horse lover, I've found Lenobia and her connection to equines especially interesting. This has been even more true with her larger part in the more recent books from the original series, especially this last one where we get a glimpse to her past as she fights off new feelings and distractions for her previously unwanted stable hand. These novellas are intriguing tidbits into character's pasts that would likely get overlooked or ignored otherwise in the series.
View all my reviews
January 20, 2012
Goddess Summoning 6: Warrior Rising
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Though this is part of the Goddess Summoning series, and Athena does find love in this book, that is not the main romance. Rather it's between two mortal girls who are pulled back in time to save Achilles and, as a result, his cousin as well. If you thought the gods of myths were the only ones who liked to meddle and change history, you'd be wrong. This book weaves the story of three very meddlesome goddesses. While the subtext and the mythology is the same in this story, it's sort of refreshing to have the main characters both be mortals rather than one being a god/goddess shocking their new love interest with their unnatural powers. Either way, it's still a romance based on a re-written myth.
View all my reviews
January 18, 2012
Goddess Summoning 5: Goddess of Love
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This story is sort of a two-in-one as both Vulcan and Venus find their matches. It always seems to take the aid of another for the situation to work out satisfactory, but the end result is still a happy love story with a joyful conclusion. Interesting that Vulcan's limp follows him back into the mortal world. On the other hand, his experience due to that limp was what made him Pea's perfect match to begin with.
View all my reviews
January 12, 2012
Goddess Summoning 2: Goddess of Spring
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
It's a nice twist the way Cast weaves old mythology in with a modern day romance. This is definitely set in the modern day as well, with references to cell phones and 9/11. Lina is easy to like with her determination and way with animals. Being an animal lover myself, I found it adorable the way Orion and Cerebus were with her. Hades was rather complex and foolish on multiple occasions, but you also had to know he'd come around given the themes for this series. She's lucky Orion didn't knock her right off her skates towards the end, which is a rather amusing picture on it's own. Overall, a very enjoyable addition to the series.
View all my reviews
January 6, 2012
House of Night 9: Destined
My rating: 1 of 5 stars
I've become rather annoyed by this series, yet I feel like I have to keep reading to finish it now that I'm this far in it. The references to True Blood, Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter all seemed redundant, repetitive, or useless. The reference to My Little Pony just earned an eye roll given I've been on a MLP kick off and on for several days now. The fact that so many outside series have to be brought in to supposedly make the overwhelming narrative and internal dialogue seem interesting is just sad. Aurox's spirit being Heath's is also redundant and obvious long before it's announced in the book. About the only thing interesting is sadly Dragon's revival and Kalona's decision at the end of the book. All I can say regarding Thanatos and forcing the High Council to act is "about time!"
View all my reviews
September 5, 2011
House of Night Novellas 1: Dragon's Oath
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This short novella focuses on Sword Master and Warrior, Dragon. One of the characters never really described in detail in the original series, this first short piece gives a glimpse into his life before becoming a fledgling and leading right up to his final Change. While it still incorporates all the history and magic from the full series, it feels much more tame in comparison rather than shoving it all down your throat, despite how big of a role it plays setting up Dragon and Anastasia in the long run. I'll admit that the chore cast in the main series has been grating on my nerves lately, so in that respect Dragon's story was a breath of fresh air.
View all my reviews
March 26, 2011
Goddess Summoning 4: Goddess of the Rose
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This series just keeps getting better and better. Mikki unwittingly learns she's a priestess, meets a goddess, falls in love with the one being in the realm everyone seems to think it's impossible to love, and unwittingly finds a way to save the realm eternally so not only can her predecessor finally find peace, but she can have the future she wants with her love as the new goddess of the rose. There's more than one way to love a beast.
View all my reviews
March 23, 2011
Goddess Summoning 3: Goddess of Light
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
While I liked the main character better in Goddess of the Sea, overall I enjoyed the characters and storyline of this book much better. Since I only bought the two used copies Powell's had for the series as I wasn't sure how into them I'd be, as well as noting they seemed to be more stand alone stories from the back covers, I forgot to see where in the series this one takes place. As turns out, even with each story focusing on different gods/goddesses, they do reference the previous books. At first it was confusing, but they eventually spell out the story from the one I missed enough that it makes sense. Now I'm hoping that this doesn't spoil trying to read that book for me. Other than that, this one was a much faster and more enjoyable read with good characters and a mostly good time all around. A little bittersweet, but that's just love isn't it.
God of Light, Apollo, feels like something in missing in his life. Little does he know he'll find it in Las Vegas when Bacchus manipulates an invocation to snare the golden twins. Who knew helping his sister break the bonds would find him his soul mate. Now if only Bacchus would stop meddling so he didn't have to literally save her soul to keep her.
View all my reviews
January 21, 2011
House of Night 8: Awakened
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I have a definite love/hate relationship with this series. I love that it's a quick read and the characters are easy to follow. I sometimes hate some of the ways the content is portrayed and the language. Stevie Rae in particular often seems over-the-top with her Southern slang. Did get a laugh out of the "time to Cowboy up" line though. I've heard that often lately down at the stables, so it was kind of funny reading it in a book. The next book is definitely going to be interesting between Nepheret being back in Tulsa, Kalona no longer being bound, and Rephriam joining Zoey outside the House of Night.
View all my reviews
December 23, 2010
Goddess Summoning 1: Goddess of the Sea
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
This book was very difficult to get into. At first I did not like it at all and was wondering if this would be the first book in years that I put down and didn't finish. The story did pick up though and more elements were woven in to the tale that made the mythological factors come to life. If you like Greek mythology, you'll love this little mermaids tale. If you're very much Christian and can't stand anyone looking down on the religion though, you'll probably want to burn it as the monks that give her shelter are not painted in a very positive light. More jailers than saviors, it takes a good long while into the book before anyone warms up to the girl or any positive contrasts are brought to light.
View all my reviews
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)