Book Review – ‘Champion’ (#3 Legend) by Marie Lu

Warring factions, plague, a country in unrest… how will these crazy kids ever get together?

Genre: Y/A, Dystopia, Science Fiction

No. of pages: 369

He is a Legend.

She is a Prodigy.

Who will be Champion?

June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic—and each other—and now their country is on the brink of a new existence. June is back in the good graces of the Republic, working within the government’s elite circles as Princeps-Elect, while Day has been assigned a high-level military position.

But neither could have predicted the circumstances that will reunite them: just when a peace treaty is imminent, a plague outbreak causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic’s border cities. This new strain of plague is deadlier than ever, and June is the only one who knows the key to her country’s defense. But saving the lives of thousands will mean asking the one she loves to give up everything.

This was a lovely ending to the initial trilogy (there is a 4^th book in this collection ‘Rebel,’) though I must admit I was expecting a few more twists and turns, or surprises in the mix given how Lu delivered them in the first two instalments. Again, the pacing felt a little bogged down with too much detail and political machinations that I didn’t get to enjoy my time with the characters.

The protagonists keep getting injured and knocked out. How do they not have traumatic brain injury or something? It happens a lot in YA novels (and television) which has me wondering why it never gets addressed. If you are knocked out cold for longer than 6 hours it can spell likely brain damage. It’s just a thing that has always puzzled me and stuck with me because authors love to use getting conked on the head, or falling asleep as a great chapter transition. How many of our favourite book characters are actually walking around oblivious to permanent brain damage?

I don’t feel like Day got a lot of character development – I would have liked to see something more happen with him – something to do with his connection to the people and love of the community. June had a bit more development as a character and got to come full circle in a number of plot points, but there was something about the conclusion, as hopeful a note as it ended on, that felt like it petered out.

I’m of two minds of the ending – politics and feelings like that don’t just evaporate. There are teething problems. And people views don’t just go away. It was wrapped up a little too neatly. But I must admit I did enjoy it. It left me satisfied. It’s got me curious for ‘Rebel’ the next book in the series following Eden.

The ending was mostly predictable, a teeny tiny plot twist that kind-of-but-not-really threw a spanner in the works, but all in all I pretty much guessed all that went down. Again, I was hoping for a bigger unexpected event to add some spice.

I’d have to say it was an enjoyable read, but didn’t knock me for six.

Overall feeling: Cute but a little undercooked for me.

© Casey Carlisle 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Casey Carlisle with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Book Review – ‘The Unleashed’ (#2 The Haunted) by Danielle Vega

A teen ‘Supernatural’ set in a tiny country town…

Genre: Y/A, horror, paranormal

No. of pages: 272

Hendricks discovers that even though Steele House is gone, the hauntings in Drearfield are far from over — and it’s up to her to stop them.

Following the devastating blaze at Steele House, Hendricks and her friends are trying to return to normal. Prom is coming up and the school is in full preparation mode. Hendricks tries to pitch in, to mimic Portia’s enthusiasm, but the events of the last few months still haunt her. Steele House. Raven. Eddie.

Hendricks believes Eddie is still out there. She just has to find a way to reach him. Together with her friends, she forms a circle of seven and attempts to summon his spirit. Suddenly things start happening again. Flickering lights in the school library. Mysterious girls roaming the halls. The same song playing on a loop wherever she goes.

It all culminates in a violent attack and Hendricks realizes what they summoned may not be Eddie at all. The one thing she does know is that Steele House was only the beginning. And whatever they’ve unleashed is more dangerous than anything they’ve ever seen before.

Danielle Vega has quickly become one of my cherished authors – an auto-buy – with her spooky and suspenseful stories that play out like campy horror flicks in your mind’s eye. I just can’t get enough of them. ‘The Unleashed’ is book two following ‘The Haunted’ where we wonder are ghosts really laid to rest, or is there more to the story…

A few frustrating things that are common sense that didn’t happen in the plot… why weren’t parents or another grown-ups told/involved. If my child was behaving the way the main characters were, I’d be inserting myself into the drama no matter what. The other thing… why didn’t anyone search how to protect yourself from ghosts? A circle of salt, or iron filings? Hendricks felt a little too dumb – then just as I was thinking that, she got herself some protection. But I felt like I’d been arguing with the characters for the last five chapters.

After the halfway mark the pacing ramps up big time. I read this book in two sittings anyway, so it is a quick read, but it was hard to put the book down. Danielle knows how to write a YA horror that feels like you are watching a Netflix movie. It has all the same notes as what is typical for this genre. It’s like a cult favourite read of mine. But in saying that, some readers might find this formulaic. It’s just a matter if you want some campy, scary fun, or an original dark tale that will leave you unsettled for months. Either way, Danielle knows how to craft action, an eerie vibe, and moves the story along without getting side-tracked with indulgent prose. Perfect for this demographic.

It was fun meeting the characters again from ‘The Haunted’ and the aftermath of the events that took place in that debut for the series. But I didn’t get the sense of a lot of character development. It didn’t feel as emotional. We do get some great arcs and practical handling of the surviving teens from ‘The Haunted’ which I appreciated.

Some of the side characters did not rally get the chance to shine in the narrative, which was a shame, I was really getting into the book and wanted to see a variety of reactions to the events that take place. Sometimes their actions were a little too convenient… and others, just plain stupid; which is a trope in this genre.

Danielle has become an auto buy author for me, she has a great writing style that is generally not that predictable and told with a tongue-in-cheek sarcasm I find appealing. Definitely recommend even if it did not feel like the strongest novel in her catalogue.

There were a number of grammatical issues that were overlooked where it appeared like an AI had auto-corrected the spelling of a word, but it was the incorrect one in context, disappointing for me. Razorbill really dropped the ball on this one with Danielle because it was more than just a few instances.

On a side note the Epilogue for ‘The Unleashed’ was totally endearing and well worth the read. I hope there is more of this series to come in the future.

Overall feeling: Spooky-ooky goodness!

© Casey Carlisle 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Casey Carlisle with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Book Review – ‘Prodigy’ (#2 Legend) by Marie Lu

Two teen rebels that have everything that they are tested…

Genre: Y/A, Dystopia, Science Fiction

No. of pages: 371

June and Day arrive in Vegas just as the unthinkable happens: the Elector Primo dies, and his son Anden takes his place. With the Republic edging closer to chaos, the two join a group of Patriot rebels eager to help Day rescue his brother and offer passage to the Colonies. They have only one request—June and Day must assassinate the new Elector. It’s their chance to change the nation, to give voice to a people silenced for too long. 

But as June realizes this Elector is nothing like his father, she’s haunted by the choice ahead. What if Anden is a new beginning? What if revolution must be more than loss and vengeance, anger and blood—what if the Patriots are wrong?

‘Prodigy’ is told in alternating perspectives and tests our protagonists (June and Day) deductive reasoning. With the rebel group becoming more prominent in their lives, and a new leader in government, each has a truth and wants change… but whose change is right for the Republic? Who has the best intentions?

There was a lot of politics involved, but not too much. I liked the plot – we have intelligent protagonists who can make their own decisions. And I really liked their character development. We find not only do circumstances challenge June and Day, but also the psychological landscape where everyone is scheming, manipulating, and manoeuvring.

With a mission to assassinate the new Elector Anden, June researches the facts and challenges what she is told before she takes action. With a plague threatening to overwhelm the population and Day searching for his brother both protagonist are put through the ringer.

The pacing was fairly pumped throughout, but there were some chapters where I felt too much detail slowed it down a touch. I have to admit Marie Lu can craft an action scene – I loved those parts and was glued to the page. She definitely has such an easy-to-read writing style where facts are reported and then the story moves forward. Spending just the right amount of time on world building, setting the scene and then moving on. I enjoyed this instalment more than the debut – there is definitely no middle book slump here!

We get an ending on a double-tap of a cliff hanger and I am really excited to see how the story eventuates in the next sequel ‘Champion.’ I can’t believe how long these book have been sitting on my TBR shelf – they have been definitely worth the wait.

Overall feeling: Girl… girl!

© Casey Carlisle 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Casey Carlisle with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Book Review – ‘Legend’ (#1 Legend) by Marie Lu

The story begins of a caste-based dystopian…and a murder.

Genre: Y/A, Dystopia, Science Fiction

No. of pages: 305

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors.

Born into an elite family in one of the Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic’s highest military circles.

Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June’s brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect.

Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family’s survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias’s death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Told in alternating perspectives between solider June and rebel Day, both who have very high IQ and agility on either side of a war against the controlling faction of the Rebublic. I’m always wary of a militant style of a group in power, it usually signals control and deception. And that is exactly what we get in ‘Legend.’

I wanted to spend more time growing an emotional bond with our two protagonists, but the story structure, and reveals are plotted exceptionally. June seems to be the one with the calculating and inquisitive mind, were Day feels like he’s just getting on with life with no real objective. Apart from his family, and found family as his motivation, I felt like I wanted a stronger drive for Day.

I wasn’t sold on the romance – there was no build, no slow burn, it felt a bit insta-lovey. The plot also felt a bit simple and not quite completed – but this is a trilogy, but still, I felt like I needed more resolution to be completely satisfied with ‘Legend.’

I guessed the gist of the plot very early on, but it took me until halfway through to fill in the details. I enjoyed the storyline, but I would have appreciated a few more surprises.

Lu’s writing is simplistic and lends to a fast pace and easy immersion into the story. But I’m finding there is something about her writing style that doesn’t completely engage me like other novels in this genre. Now that I have a few titles of hers under my belt, I think it has something to do with the world building and fleshing out the emotional profile of her characters… they are interesting but not necessarily engaging for me.

There was something a little off with the way this world is set up – I can’t quite place my finger on it, that there wasn’t the amount of believability with it… maybe because it was such a narrow view snapshot of the world that you don’t get the see the diversity, the machinations, and the nuances through the first-person narrative of June and Day. Maybe that will grow in the next two novels.

We find a lot of clues or plot points planted for the following two books in this series, and really, by the end of ‘Legend’ I felt like the story had only just begun. I did have some high expectations for ‘Legend’ based on how highly my friends recommended this book, but it did not quite reach my lofty anticipation. A great read, but didn’t wow my socks off, but I’d still recommend ‘Legend.’ Looking forward to continuing the story with ‘Prodigy‘ next.

Overall feeling: A pleasant ride.

© Casey Carlisle 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Casey Carlisle with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Book Review – ‘Grave Night’ (#10 Harbinger P.I.) by Adam Wright

A private investigator paranormal fantasy that fell flat for me.

Genre: Fantasy, Mystery

No. of pages: 279

If you can keep your cool when everyone else is losing theirs…maybe you don’t realize how bad the situation is.

Rekhmire the Destroyer wants to annihilate the world (that’s what destroyers do) and he isn’t going to stop until he’s achieved his stretch goal of making everyone a part of his undead army.

Not on my watch. It’s time to send this walking piece of leather back to the tomb he crawled out of. But how am I supposed to do that when he’s immune to all magic and weapons?

A Harbinger’s gotta do what a Harbinger’s gotta do.

I’m a massive fan of this series, but I’m not seeing growth with the writing and character development.

All the side characters are simply props to drive the plot forward. There is no complexity, no personality, no conflict, no consequences. They just run about doing Alec’s bidding as soon as he barks an order. It was so boring.

Magic is used a lot in ‘Grave Night’ again without consequence – bucking the trend of the previous books in the series where there was always a cost for dabbling in the occult.

This book was so flat I was a little angry – I’ve invested a lot in this series, and been hoping to see some improvement in character, writing style, grammar, but there was none to see.

There is so much repetition. Repeated words, phrases, and situations… as a writer it’s so lazy. Think of a different approach to convey the same information – that’s what makes writing interesting and compels a reader to stay engaged. This book read like a first draft… all the ideas were there, the structure, but the soul, tone, and elegance had yet to be added. The worst example of Tell instead of Show I’ve ever read.

Like I’ve always capitulated about the Harbinger series, the ideas and takes on the supernatural are unique and fun. I didn’t feel that so much with ‘Grave Night.’ It lacked the usual zing – which left the other failings apparently obvious.

The characters aren’t re-introduced to the reader. With so much time since the last publication there was no sufficient memory jog for the characters – it’s like Wright picked up in the middle of the conversation and I had to scramble to remember past events and the characters relationships to the relevant scene… and gained no strong emotional bond, no development, all the characters were lifeless and flat like the zombie protagonist.

I also hate to say, but this instalment has the worst dialogue of the series. I’d been expecting the delayed release meant Wright was editing the manuscript, making ‘Grave Night’ better, but all evidence points to another rushed-to-publication effort that is having me lose faith in this series, this author, and self-published books in general.

I’d not recommend this at all except you will need the plot points if you wish to continue with the series. You could read the first chapter, and then the last and you’d pretty much have the book summed up effectively.

Overall feeling: *SMH*

© Casey Carlisle 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Casey Carlisle with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Book Review – ‘Lock Every Door’ by Riley Sager

A modern-day thriller with gothic undertones…

Genre: Y/A, Thriller, Mystery,

No. of pages: 370

They’ve offered you a luxury apartment, rent free. THE CATCH: you may not live long enough to enjoy it…

No visitors. No nights spent away from the apartment. No disturbing the other residents.

These are the only rules for Jules Larson’s new job as apartment sitter for an elusive resident of the Bartholomew, one of Manhattan’s most high-profile private buildings and home to the rich and famous.

Recently heartbroken and practically homeless, Jules readily accepts the terms, ready to leave her past life behind.

Out of place among the extremely wealthy, Jules finds herself pulled toward other apartment sitter Ingrid. But Ingrid confides that the Bartholomew is not what it seems and the dark history hidden beneath its gleaming facade is starting to frighten her. Jules brushes it off as a harmless ghost story – but the next day, her new friend has vanished.

And then Jules discovers that Ingrid is not the first temporary resident to go missing…

Welcome to the Bartholomew…You may never leave.

I’ve really enjoyed Riley Sager’s work in the past and ‘Lock Every Door’ promises to be another chilling tale of a twisty murder mystery for an outwitting final girl. This book did not disappoint.

Our protagonist, Jules as an apartment sitter with a checkered past and sets up this novel nicely – though with the rules and regulations around this job immediately had flashing lights and sirens going off in my head. They were literally screaming ‘Run Girl!’ So the believability was on shaky ground from the get-go. What sort of haunted house ish was this set up? I don’t know if it was tongue-in-cheek, playing on the horror trope intentionally, or just lazy plotting.

The mystery part and tense ambience was written really well. I was making my list of suspects even before there was a murder to think of – and believe me there are plenty of suspects. I will say I had hunched out the mystery of sorts but then second-guessed myself because I thought it was too obvious; though the details of said mystery were way off, so it kept me interested and the pay-off was well worth the journey to get there.

The world building is executed with aplomb. Marrying the New York City and gothic tone of the Bartholomew were just perfection – sprinkle in a little bit of isolation and powerlessness for Jules and it paints the perfect landscape for this thriller. There is a heavy element of trying to impose the supernatural in ‘Lock Every Door’ that I feel wasn’t dealt with properly – it could have been so much more than it was.

I think some of the ridiculousness of the plot, combined with a missed opportunity is what held me back from being fully immersed in the story, but Sager’s writing style really shines.

I’m on the fence about recommending this one – it’s an entertaining read for sure, but there was something about this that just didn’t sell the story for me… so I’ll say a soft recommendation. Maybe for the reader who wants a taste of the mystery/thriller demographic but who doesn’t read a lot in that genre.

Overall feeling: Spooky-oooky

© Casey Carlisle 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Casey Carlisle with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

#bookporn #coverlove

With a third book in this series announced, and yet to read the sequel, I better get to it because this series is fire.

Book Review – ‘Final Girls’ by Riley Sager

Three girls survive separate serial killers – and now they are connected by a new murderous threat.

Genre: Y/A, Thriller, Mystery,

No. of pages: 340

Ten years ago, college student Quincy Carpenter went on vacation with five friends and came back alone, the only survivor of a horror movie–scale massacre. In an instant, she became a member of a club no one wants to belong to—a group of similar survivors known in the press as the Final Girls. Lisa, who lost nine sorority sisters to a college dropout’s knife; Sam, who went up against the Sack Man during her shift at the Nightlight Inn; and now Quincy, who ran bleeding through the woods to escape Pine Cottage and the man she refers to only as Him. The three girls are all attempting to put their nightmares behind them, and, with that, one another. Despite the media’s attempts, they never meet.

Now, Quincy is doing well—maybe even great, thanks to her Xanax prescription. She has a caring almost-fiancé, Jeff; a popular baking blog; a beautiful apartment; and a therapeutic presence in Coop, the police officer who saved her life all those years ago. Her memory won’t even allow her to recall the events of that night; the past is in the past.

That is, until Lisa, the first Final Girl, is found dead in her bathtub, wrists slit, and Sam, the second, appears on Quincy’s doorstep. Blowing through Quincy’s life like a whirlwind, Sam seems intent on making Quincy relive the past, with increasingly dire consequences, all of which makes Quincy question why Sam is really seeking her out. And when new details about Lisa’s death come to light, Quincy’s life becomes a race against time as she tries to unravel Sam’s truths from her lies, evade the police and hungry reporters, and, most crucially, remember what really happened at Pine Cottage, before what was started ten years ago is finished.

This was a thrilling and interesting read. I wasn’t quite sold on ‘Final Girls’ because I had difficulty relating to the protagonist, and she was always doing irrational things – stupid behaviour typical of pulp horror movie classics. In that way, ‘Final Girls’ is an entertaining homage to the genre; but for me, it was simply frustrating. I like my heroines intelligent, aware, and proactive. Quincy came across as volatile, reactive, and whiny.

It was on the cusp of being predictable – maybe because I’d already heard there was a twist, so I was really paying attention to the narrative. I wouldn’t say I predicted the ending, but I definitely pegged the murderer in my top two suspects… though the backstory to how this came about was a complete surprise. So Riley Sager definitely got me a good one. I have to admit his writing skills are right up there with the best. He can craft tension, suspense, and a reveal with expertise.

I already mentioned that Qunicy was not my favourite protagonist. It was like if she had just taken a step back and followed some common sense, most of this book would not have happened – which feels like a flimsy plot device for ‘Final Girls.’ It feels like this did a disservice to Sager’s writing, because he clearly has the chops to construct engaging prose.

Jeff, Quincy’s husband, really felt superfluous to the plot, I even found myself questioning why he was in the book in the first place. He did not feel like her husband, but merely a plot device.

Sam was wrong from the start – again a lot of frustration blossomed because of her character, and on the surface, she did not match the profile of a final girl… and this was dragged through the entirety of the novel. We do get some development of her character through conversations and Quincy’s research, but I feel like we should have gotten a more realised character in the beginning. It would have provided much more impact when sequential reveals happen later.

Coop was a really interesting character and I liked the tension built between him and the other characters.

There was a lot of jumping around the timeline through repressed memories resurfacing and flashbacks in conjunction with the current timeline, I’m not usually a fan of this storytelling device, amnesia is such a tired device, but it framed the plot really well. Though there was a bit too much compartmentalisation going on for me. Quincy intentionally kept her memories, and the people in her life, apart… which was another source of my frustration.

This many-times-mentioned frustration was good and bad. Good, in that is kept me interested and eager to uncover the truths behind my suspicions; and bad in that some plausibility was on flimsy ground.

I loved the concept of ‘Final Girls’ it had me enrapt from the first page and I am keen to read more from Riley Sager, he really knows how to exude atmosphere from the page. There was a reveal in every chapter, so the pacing was set at a cracking pace from start to finish.

Compelling read I recommend to all. On a side not, with Universal Studios having optioned this title for a film. I’m looking forward to how this story translates to the big screen.

Overall feeling: idiocy and jump scares galore…

© Casey Carlisle 2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Casey Carlisle with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Book Review – ‘Night Hunt’ (#9 Harbinger P.I.) by Adam Wright

A faltering, flat instalment for the series.

Genre: Fantasy, Mystery

No. of pages: 201

The night is dark…and full of paranormal killers.

If Jason, Michael, and Freddy were merged into one being and given supernatural powers, the result would be something like Mister Scary. He’s been carrying out his murders from the Shadow Land for way too long now. It’s time to put him down.

It was fun to delve into the Harbinger franchise once again – this is a guilty pleasure read for me. Adam Wright has a great imagination and can weave the familiar and unfamiliar with ease. Thought to be honest, I felt like I was reading one of my high schoolers papers. At the end of Chapter 2 the last three pages were repeated again at the start of Chapter three. There were obvious grammatical errors and missing words that hampered an immersive experience. Additionally, Wrights writing style seemed to have devolved. This manuscript felt rushed into publication. There was a lot of telling and little showing, an awful amount of repetition, and a serendipity of events that seemed to fall together without an obstacle. ‘Night Hunt’ read like a first draft, still needing a bit of development and editing. It was really disappointing as this series has wormed its way under my skin.

The structure of the story is another episodic instalment to the franchise, ending in a cliff-hanger for more novels to come. Again, there is too much introduced in ‘Night Hunt’ that was not resolved to give me complete satisfaction, and the writing felt immature. Don’t introduce too many elements in your story that you intend to resolve in a sequel – it puts readers off. And it makes the author appear amateurish.

I really enjoyed the magical elements and setting of the story. But just about every character had no or little development; and again Alec assembled the ‘Scooby Squad’ magically and without argument – it was all too convenient. I really need to start seeing some character driven stories and not plot driven ones. If he continues to follow his current writing style I fear the sequels are going to be interesting but altogether flat.

The action scenes were crafted well, but too short, and again suffered from serendipity – it means you can sense the hand of the author guiding the story instead of it unfolding organically. You want to keep you reader engaged as much as possible.

There is still a great effort in creating suitable spooky ambiance for certain scenes, but I feel Wright could go a little further so we can attach an emotional connection to really hammer home the following scenes.

I see real potential in Wright as a writer, but hope that ‘Night Hunt’ is just a small falter in the development of his writing career. While entertaining, it did not feel up to his regular standard… and I want to see him, and this series, improve with each instalment.

In all honesty, after reading ‘Night Hunt’ I wouldn’t recommend this to a friend. It pains me to say there was so much going on with grammar, character development, and lack of editing that I didn’t get to really enjoy the story.

Not such a glowing review, but a hopeful one.

Overall feeling: Disappointed, but with a glimmer of hope.

© Casey Carlisle 2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Casey Carlisle with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Book Review – ‘Blood of a Thousand Stars’ (#2 Empress of a Thousand Skies) by Rhoda Belleza

A disappointing sequel.

Genre: Y/A, Science Fiction

No. of pages: 359

Empress

With a revolution brewing, Rhee is faced with a choice: make a deal with her enemy, Nero, or denounce him and risk losing her crown.

Fugitive

Framed assassin Alyosha has one goal in mind: kill Nero. But to get his revenge, Aly may have to travel back to the very place he thought he’d left forever—home.

Princess

Kara knows that a single piece of technology located on the uninhabitable planet Wraeta may be the key to remembering—and erasing—the princess she once was.

Madman

Villainous media star Nero is out for blood, and he’ll go to any means necessary to control the galaxy.

Vicious politics and high-stakes action culminate in an epic showdown that will determine the fate of the universe.

Where ‘Empress of a Thousand Stars’ kicked off the action fairly early, ‘Blood of a Thousand Stars’ took a little time to find it’s legs – which is disappointing because of the cliff-hanger the first book concluded on – and the situation that ‘Blood of a Thousand Stars’ commenced on – there was no need for my interest to wane, but I was continually putting the novel down every 4-5 pages. I think Rhoda Belleza needed to pay closer attention to her character motivation and development, make them more compelling if the action was not in the forefront, because. Frankly, when not faced with certain death, both leads were a little forgettable.

On the surface ‘Blood of a Thousand Stars’ has everything to make this a captivating read: plenty of action and a clipped pace, lots of interesting characters, misinformation and miscommunication, politics and backstabbing, rebellion and drama all in a setting of a distant galaxy and spaceships… not to mention a royal linage. However, this book was laboriously difficult to read. With constantly switching perspectives, frequent telling instead of showing, and SQUIRREL!! I really wanted to like ‘Blood of a Thousand Stars,’ I cut it a lot of breaks, but for some reason this series took a nosedive for me after the debut.

It took me quite a long time of pondering over the above issues to figure out why I wasn’t engaged with ‘Blood of a Thousand Stars.’ Was I just not in a reading mood? Did I have reader’s burn-out? Did my tastes suddenly change mid series? Really, I was surprised. I love science fiction and really enjoyed ‘Empress of a Thousand Skies,’ so why was my reading experience such a polar opposite for this sequel. There is plenty of action to push the pace forward, so why was I putting the book down so frequently after a few pages, or a chapter here and there? The answer – this is a plot centric novel. It didn’t give you enough time to sit with the characters, live in their skin and get a feel for their character and motivation. Instead it was a brief description (telling the reader) the protagonists’ sentiments, and then they were too busy reacting to some drama, explosion, attempted assassination… SQUIRREL! The action is great, but if you are not connecting with the character it doesn’t mean much, just a read bit of emotionless writing.

I can feel the potential in every line of this novel, and I’m uncertain if there were different editors that worked on this sequel as from ‘Empress of a Thousand Stars,’ because the underlying tone was slightly off. Maybe it was rushed to publication by the whole team to capitalize on the success of the series launch? Who knows, but the end result is that I really did not enjoy this as much as ‘Empress of a Thousand Skies.’ It look me over a month to read the book. And a few weeks after that to figure out why I was so distracted.

The plot is pretty great, I honestly felt like I was lost in a Star Wars saga.

We kept getting set up for a murder, or kidnapping, some cliff-hanger at the end of a chapter from a characters perspective, and then switch to another protagonist only to have that cliff-hanger immediately spoiled. I think this was another aspect dulling the experience for me. There was no anticipation, the surprises ruined immediately. There was only a glorious twist at the end that I did not see coming.

On the whole this was pretty meh for me. Though I do want to re-read this at some point in the future and readdress my review just to see if my opinion stands, because I’m really surprised I did not enjoy this more.

On a side note, there were grammatical errors in the last few chapters, like the editor had gotten tired and not seen the task through to the end. I really feel like the editing team let down this concluding novel for the ‘Empress of a Thousand Stars’ duology.

If pressed right now, I’d say skip this series… but will revisit my opinion once I get around to a re-read.

Overall feeling: Disappointing.

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