5
">The Trials of the Airship Brothel is a small continuation of The Sound of Snowfall. Some things I refer to may be from this story.The little continuation presents some interesting perspectives and also a much appreciated snippet into Adrian and Sebastian's life.
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The Sound of Snowfall is a spin-off of [b:Intrigue at the Crowned Jewel|9319252|Intrigue At The Crowned Jewel|IceraMyst|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1345243450s/9319252.jpg|14202427], though not one that requires the reading of the latter. I do, however, thoroughly recommend reading Crowned Jewel because it is also a very lovely story and one that will make the reading experiencing of Snowfall all the more wonderful because you understand and love the characters already.
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The Sound of Snowfall was a gorgeously complex and fascinating story. Jade had already become a character dear to me from Crowned Jewel, so I was very much invested in this story and his Happily Ever After. Honestly, I wasn't quite sold on the romance at the very beginning. Westar seemed incredibly bland and such a peasant (insert sneer; flips hair) whilst Jade was introduced in all of his exotic prostitute, city-boy glory. It seemed so mismatched. But as the story develops, we see this connection, this glorious connection, that seemed so otherworldly and genuine and infinitely complex.
The characters are incredibly tangible. Westar and Jade both consist of so many layers and because of that, their relationship, like any relationship in real life, is a mess. The process of learning each other is a painful and bumpy road, but their dynamics are absolutely delicious. Westar is so fascinating and intricate in his simplicity (and I don't mean stupid) and Jade is surprisingly fragile, you can't help but want to be there watching every step of their relationship. Not only that, I also really enjoyed the minor characters. They were realistic, endearing (and not so endearing at times) and also added nicely to the story and atmosphere.
One of the things I find absolutely amazing is IceraMyst's portrayal of being a prostitute in the Crowned Jewel. Their job really isn't just about physical pleasure, but also the soothing of insecurities, fulfillment of hidden desires, healing of traumas, and the endless things that stem from a physical connection. The reason I mention this is because the complexity of the situation is perfectly and exquisitely captured. Jade --like all others of the Crowned jewel-- loves and is proud of his work, and true love or not, will not stop doing it. I, personally, would not be able to stand the thought of this, and I'm not even sure I understand how their relationship even works, as complicated as it is. But the compromise (especially with Adrian and Sebastian), how difficult that must be... geez, that was incredibly nicely done and just breath-taking to read about. There is so much depth and thought in this.
Anyway, aside from all of my flowery gushing and long sentences, there were a few niggles. For one, though this may seem like a contradiction to all of my previous statements, I did feel like they fell in love rather quickly. Not to say that it felt rushed, but it was because all of these intricate thoughts and feelings were presented that I expected some more time for them to fall in love (though 60k might not allow for that). I didn't really care, it just surprised me. Another thing would be all the usual stuff like a bit of editing needed, and the startling switch of Wes's asexuality to homosexuality (much appreciated though *snort*).
Something else that bugged me was my slight unsureness at the end (end of the continuation, that is). I wasn't really convinced if and how the relationship would work. I'm all for realism but seriously, I love the HEAs so. much. more.
Overall, I enjoy this story so much more than I had thought. It was intriguing and wonderfully fleshed out with some very interesting depth. And so damn lovely.
Rating: 4.25 - 4.5
Note: The original version is finished, however it is undergoing major rewrites which aren't finished. (And personally I like the re-worked version better).
Still fun as ever.
Though: Get your bloody shit together please *eyeroll*. Idiots (fondly).
An immensely lovely and heart warming romance that ambles at a delightfully gentle pace. Other than that, we are introduced to a range of characters, some of which are more skilfully woven than others. I enjoyed reading in the perspective of our dear Justin and watching a gorgeously mellow and enchanting romance bloom. I did enjoy Margo as well, though I would have liked to see more than this sketchy outline of her character (which I still deem to be awesome).
Something I didn't like quite so much would be the very dull portrayal of the antagonist and also the plot. The plot was threadbare and eyeroll-y at times and pretty meh overall. The only reason it was there was to 1) set up the situation for the two to meet and 2) place them in a senario where Justin had to steal Shawn away to an environment much more convenient and conducive to romance development (total coincidence... not). I don't feel that the plot was really there to stimulate character development or at least spice things up. And the conclusion... (this is where the eyeroll was). Whatever.
Anyway, overall it was a case of romance > plot. The romance was delightful and I smiled my way to aching cheeks whilst the plot was simply cheesy and unimaginative.
Rating: 3.75 - 4
Summary: slightly aimless story with little depth, the characters aren't realistic and don't really make sense, stilted and unnatural dialogue. Here is a better review.And to end on a lovely, contradictory note: I adored it.
*snort*
Okay, I won't actually end this review like this, especially since it'll leave my GR friends floundering in confusion and possibly clicking the unfriend button whilst they inch away from me nervously. That mad woman! What is she on about?!?
In an attempt to explain myself:
Despite its numerous flaws and failings, The Sailor's General Superior is still a wonderfully entertaining and at times, heart-warming read. The relationship was a gentle burn (though with numerous unnecessary obstacles placed to prevent its consummation *glare*) and I never stopped rooting for them.
This will never be praised for its epic and uniquely fantastical plot line nor its godly romance, but it is a truly enjoyable read that I will undoubtedly revisit this. Mindless, fun, and full of good angst (aka, the angst you know really won't lead to real strife, but hurts so good).
Recommendation: This is the kind of story that will only float certain people's boats. Tread wisely.
Truly, utterly and deeply romantic; the best thing about this book would have to be their relationship. Such genuine and delightfully real and endearing characters with a romance that charmed me right down to My toes. Tobin was absolutely amazing with his unending devotion, patience and love. One of the most memorable and amazing characters though would have to be Xan. It takes immense courage to overcome your own hatred and prejudices, and to go further than even that is simply amazing. Other than that, the world building was solid, if so-so in creativity, and the plot held my attention nicely, but nothing special. Watching Lyon's growth, however, was particularly heart warming and splendid!
This was a good read, and I especially enjoyed the romantic nature of it, even as the plot, writing and world building did not enthrall me (though they were by no means bad).
Rating: 3.75 - 4
“God you have some big kiwis and kiwi has always been my favorite fruit."I love kiwis too, but I'm not quite sure that was what he meant...
“Come on stud, fuck me like a mechanic."
*blinks slowly*
Other than those very interesting and eye-browing raising quotes (which I wasn't sure whether to laugh or cringe at) this was a quick and easy read that certainly put a smile on my face and a few laughs from my belly. Utterly fantastic humor. Great story.
Rating: 3.5
This is an incredibly worthwhile cause and I urge all of my Goodreads friends (who I know support the LGBT community) to purchase this book or support this cause in your own way.Whether it be LGBT or heterosexual teenagers, this issue is a sensitive one and cuts close to the heart, no matter what age you are and the circumstances you have grown up in. The disgustingly high percentage of homeless teenagers that are LGBT have to be changed.
Rating for the charity: 5 fucking glorious stars
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As for the book itself:
To be blunt, the only reason this book was not a disappointment was because my friend Loederkoningin had already warned me beforehand. Be warned that you will not be buying this book for the stellar, heartbreakingly emotional stories, it's for the charity. Now, I'm not saying that the stories were bad, they simply are not something I'd want to read again nor would I give a very high rating.
Whilst these stories allow the readers to place themselves in the perspective of LGBT teenagers who find themselves in this situation (although it is fictional), they themselves were not executed in a way that truly made the story haunting or evocative. This is a truly horrific position for any teenager to find themselves in, and it isn't unreasonable think that this would also allow for some truly inspirational and powerful stories to be born.
Also, for some reason or another, there were also many ghosts. I don't usually dig the whole ghost situation honestly, but never has it been a pet peeve. However, I find that perhaps a more realistic direction would have been more beneficial and also more impactful to not only emphasise the reality of this issue but also to depict what the possible true** impacts and situations could be when and should this occur. I'm not one to disregard the possibility of spirits or anything, but I think that in this situation, it would have been better to stick for a realistic approach. Or, as Loederkoningin highlighted, perhaps a collection of interviews from those who have suffered from the same issue.
Anyway, I'm losing the plot here with all of these 'what should have been done's, but the stories are still an interesting read and I'm definitely not saying that they should be disregarded. I found some to be very sweet and others to be incredibly emotional.
Story rating: 3 stars
** I don't mean that the situations are unrealistically depicted, but more that most homeless teenagers probably don't have some guardian angel or good-doing ghost haunting them
I reiterate this issue is something that should be given a harsh spotlight and the attention and aid it deserves.
Messy as fuck-- plot and writing.This story definitely needed a strong editor. I'm no grammar guru (the opposite in fact, and I'm sure many of GR friends have noticed) but at times even I knew there was something distinctly funky going on. And there were also some words that weren't meant to be there/didn't sound quite right, and a novel-long confusion where 'latter' should have been used instead of 'later' (I'm not entirely sure I'm right though). And the quality of the writing wasn't the of the highest standards I've seen, but it was still adequate.
As for the plot-- geez Louise were there so many twists. I felt almost as if they were meant to trap me in my confusion, rather than entertain me. It was still rather enjoyable, especially when events and characters from earlier on in the novel ended up being yet another twist. Despite how fun it was having my mind turned inside out, it was, yet again, quite messy. I feel that the story would have benefitted from a more clean and neat execution.
Likewise with the memory loss and memory flashes (not exactly flashbacks); intriguing and unique, however could do with some editing and reworking.
However, in between all of this chaos and befuddlement was a surprisingly addictive and engrossing story that I was extremely emotionally invested in. A distinctive and rather unique world was weaved and some very decent characters and ideas were created (though the it wouldn't have hurt to have the ideas more fleshed out).
Do not be fooled by the Brothel setting-- the sex, though it is present, is not the main purpose of this story nor was it mind blowing. And apart from that, the character development was done quite nicely and I did enjoy watching the characters, especially Sebastian, grow.
Oh, and a quick mention to the length: It was long and somewhat tiresome, but I never felt the need to put it down (which makes for a very very tired Vivian).
All in all, this was a good story with a solid premise and potential, only it lacked sophistication and polish that would've made it much more superior. I will definitely go on to read Jade's spin-off-- god knows this was entertaining enough to want more, and I want to finally see Jade's Happily Ever After.
Warning: My review has as much depth as the book does (i.e. none)After my dear friend wrote a wonderfully brutal review and stole my quotes (yeah girl, still blaming you), I don't really even know what to say. Not the quote part, mind you. There's plenty of hilarious lines from this book to go around (90% of this book fits the bill), but there actually isn't anything to say.
Oh, except...
sex
sex
sex
sex
sex
Note: I just summed this book up.
Ah wait, but this book wouldn't be the same without the deliciously cringe-worthy descriptions and comparisons to nature.
Animalistic aggression Grey usually kept banked deep inside emerged, and he mounted Sirus like a stallion on a mare.
I don't know about you, but I think I would find watching two actual horses fucking more arousing than that sentence. But apparently nature ain't stopping for nobody apparently, because...
... the waterfall-loud sound of ejaculate hitting the floor filled Grey's ears.
(*snort* Are you sure he wasn't urinating?)
And...
Grey burned with wanting all over, and his entrance blossomed like a goddamn flower...
Honestly, some of the descriptions are so brilliantly ridiculous I can't even tell if they were a joke, or if the author was just drunk in a bloody garden or something (with horses, mind you).
But Grey's Awakening was not a bad book. It really wasn't. It just suffered from ridiculous descriptions, too much sex, a stupid PWP premise and a plot that someone on a treadmill could outrun. I'm one reason from convincing myself to give a 2-star instead... [changed, hah]
ANYWAY. The writing wasn't all too bad. Just incredibly cheesy with very interesting description. And when they weren't having sex (maybe... 10% of the time?) I did enjoy reading about them, especially during the climax (of the story, not sex!) and all this lovely angst was flowing out (but then sex managed to intrude again *sigh*).
Overall, this was a rather flat read that was still enjoyable, despite its numerous flaws. It was also amusing, which is a bonus (laughing at book totally counts as brownie points). I wouldn't really recommend this unless what you're looking for is a two-dimensional, shallow read with interestingly written sex and a relationship that wouldn't survive past a day after the book's time frame. Still fun.
Rating: 2.5 STARS
A wonderfully endearing and compelling story that managed to capture my heart and deepen my love for Sterek. It was a very interesting twist and retelling of the original (and early) story-line of Teen Wolf, and a strong and well constructed one. The writing wasn't top notch, and its impact wasn't as great as I would've hoped, however The Boy and the Beast is a very good read, and one worth checking out-- even if you're not a fan of the ship.
Nor Sub Nor Dom is not the best read. Although this is classified as Sci-fi, the world building was unconvincing, thread bare and only served to startle me out of the experience when something somewhat Sci-fi-esque made its appearance. As for the characters, I found it difficult to accept them, understand their motives and even just take them seriously. They were unlikable, unrelatable and the MCs were ineffective. All of the characters simply did not feel 'real' in my head, I couldn't imagine them at all.
The plot was rather silly and I found the writing rather eye-roll inducing at times. And the BDSM.. *sigh* It wasn't well written and served utterly no purpose. It didn't fit right with the characters (or what I could gleam from the 2D depictions) and was utterly uninspiring.
And the scene with Emmanuel... he may be 19 but he certainly didn't have the level of maturity that I expect for someone participating in a kink fair. Reading about him there was utterly uncomfortable and wrong, especially when he was spanking two men (unnecessarily). That short scene was ridiculous and stupid. For god's sake, he still calls Fabian 'god-daddy' (what the fuck?).
Overall, I didn't enjoy this story as much as I hoped. It lacked polish and depth, however it wasn't a terrible read and still had potential.
Rating: 2.5
I have this book now... But I'm not gonna to touch till my HEA is confirmed. If not, I'm afraid I will have to abandon this ship. :(pre-reading review
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Hah, how ignorant I was back then...
I really want to write a fantastical review that can illustrate, communicate and summarise everything I felt about this book, but I suppose I've come across a mental block. Or maybe it's just one of the few books where I can't think of anything to write about except how frustrating it is that I can't think of anything to write about. Here's to trying.
As much as I hate this cliche metaphor, this book was a rollercoaster. One long-ass, emotionally and mentally taxing ride filled to the brim with a disgustingly long list of emotions and feels: boredom, curiosity, interest, excitement, amusement, adoration, lust, adoration, lust, adoration... I'm pretty sure you can spot where Mexico is. *snort* I'm finally one of them. The fangirls who throw the word "Mexico" around with knowing glee. I'm finally in on the secret.
To an outsider (glee), one of perhaps the greatest mysteries is how this book can elicit such strong emotions and bone deep loyalty from readers, even as they throw around words like "repetitive" or phrases like "meaningless detail". Such contradictions isn't really one you can explain. To explain is to just blurt out all of these gruesome feels and frantic, jumbled words that may or may not sound like "Sin"... "Mexico"... "Sin"... "Boyd"... "sinboydsex"..."Boyd"... I'll admit. I loved Boyd and Sin. Together. Together they were literally magic. I just-- *speechless emotionally crying feels*
Anyway. I'll try not to sound like a broken record echoing every other reviewer (and saying it much less eloquently) but this was fucking long. But interestingly enough, once I was actually dragged into the story (more like I was tossed into it head first) I didn't find myself caring about the length all too much. I noted how long it took to progress to the next percent, but I really did enjoy nearly all of it.
The writing isn't the most colourful I've seen, but it was well crafted and very skilfully painted the story inside my head, managing to provoke extremely visceral reactions from me and set my heart alight (among other things). The sex scenes... *fades into black before I embarrass myself*
Another problem I had was the occasional inconsistencies I spotted and also the plausibility of some scenarios. I'm not a stickler for such details and I mostly don't even notice them, but it is always nice to have everything line up together. And though I cannot claim to have lived in a dystopian society and lived the high life of an assassin or anything of that sort, but some things just don't seem right, and I do take note of that, even if it doesn't detract from my enjoyment of the novel.
Overall? Evenfall can be described by a whole range of negative adjectives which have been mentioned by a hundred different reviewers; however, at the end of the day, it can also (and is usually) summed up with only four words: I fucking loved it.
Rating: 4.25 give or take