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| 0425284581
| 9780425284582
| B018CHA3DQ
| 3.74
| 381
| Jun 21, 2016
| Jun 21, 2016
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liked it
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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 on
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. 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 |
Notes are private!
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2
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Jun 23, 2020
not set
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Jun 24, 2020
not set
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Sep 28, 2024
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Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||
| 1635559111
| 9781635559118
| B092G2RDBF
| 3.94
| 491
| May 11, 2021
| May 01, 2021
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really liked it
|
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 |
Notes are private!
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2
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Oct 2021
not set
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Oct 05, 2021
not set
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Sep 24, 2024
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Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 1426864086
| 9781426864087
| B003U89SGG
| 3.97
| 16,160
| Jul 27, 2010
| Jul 27, 2010
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liked it
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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 tu
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. 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 |
Notes are private!
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2
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Dec 27, 2016
not set
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Dec 29, 2016
not set
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Sep 24, 2024
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ebook
| ||||||||||||||
| B00AB9GZKY
| 3.71
| 56
| Aug 1991
| Dec 04, 2012
|
really liked it
|
This book is very much an exploration of couture as atmosphere. With access to accoutrements from her Aunt Izzy that span from the 20s to the 50s, Pai
This book is very much an exploration of couture as atmosphere. With access to accoutrements from her Aunt Izzy that span from the 20s to the 50s, Paisley Vandermeir immerses herself (and by extension the reader) in various epochs of haute couture. This works very well to establish an ethereal mood that I came to enjoy more than I expected that I would. The thing is that Paisley is pretty ethereal herself, though you come to realize how much of that is a defense mechanism for finding herself astride two worlds from such a young age and for such a long time afterwards (though the worlds shifted somewhat over time). This emotional self defense drives much of the conflict in the story as she tries to manipulate her way through what she considers the family curse without lasting damage (to herself, but also to others). Her rather desperate search for love coupled with her certainty of disappointment might have gotten old or tedious in another novel, but this is where Burroughs' adept sense of mood and place became such an asset. I could see Paisley's desperation as expressed through style, but also the hope buried beneath it. And I came to care about her enough (and see Chris's resolve in ways she couldn't) that I was more than willing to ride out her self-defeating fits and starts in order to get to the good stuff that promised to be behind them. And that promise is more than fulfilled. Of course, it doesn't hurt that Chris is such a lovely, steady man. Not that he doesn't have his moments of disequilibrium or his own fits and starts. But you can see that he's made of strong stuff and I never worried that he wouldn't stand buff to all that Paisley's insecurities would throw at him. And that bears out, too. If I have a complaint, it'd actually be that the story is so short. I'm not sure how I'd extend it (if I could), but I reached the end and found myself wanting more. That's not a bad thing, by any means... A note about editions: This book is available from the marvelous Book View Café. If you pick it up there, not only is it a DRM-free ebook, but a huge percentage of the price ends up in the hands of the author—always a bonus, as far as I'm concerned... A note about Steamy: Two (or was it three?) explicit scenes of moderate length put this in the upper-mid range of my steam tolerance. That's mostly because the story is short enough that it felt like a lot... Merged review: This book is very much an exploration of couture as atmosphere. With access to accoutrements from her Aunt Izzy that span from the 20s to the 50s, Paisley Vandermeir immerses herself (and by extension the reader) in various epochs of haute couture. This works very well to establish an ethereal mood that I came to enjoy more than I expected that I would. The thing is that Paisley is pretty ethereal herself, though you come to realize how much of that is a defense mechanism for finding herself astride two worlds from such a young age and for such a long time afterwards (though the worlds shifted somewhat over time). This emotional self defense drives much of the conflict in the story as she tries to manipulate her way through what she considers the family curse without lasting damage (to herself, but also to others). Her rather desperate search for love coupled with her certainty of disappointment might have gotten old or tedious in another novel, but this is where Burroughs' adept sense of mood and place became such an asset. I could see Paisley's desperation as expressed through style, but also the hope buried beneath it. And I came to care about her enough (and see Chris's resolve in ways she couldn't) that I was more than willing to ride out her self-defeating fits and starts in order to get to the good stuff that promised to be behind them. And that promise is more than fulfilled. Of course, it doesn't hurt that Chris is such a lovely, steady man. Not that he doesn't have his moments of disequilibrium or his own fits and starts. But you can see that he's made of strong stuff and I never worried that he wouldn't stand buff to all that Paisley's insecurities would throw at him. And that bears out, too. If I have a complaint, it'd actually be that the story is so short. I'm not sure how I'd extend it (if I could), but I reached the end and found myself wanting more. That's not a bad thing, by any means... A note about editions: This book is available from the marvelous Book View Café. If you pick it up there, not only is it a DRM-free ebook, but a huge percentage of the price ends up in the hands of the author—always a bonus, as far as I'm concerned... A note about Steamy: Two (or was it three?) explicit scenes of moderate length put this in the upper-mid range of my steam tolerance. That's mostly because the story is short enough that it felt like a lot... ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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Dec 28, 2014
not set
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Dec 30, 2014
not set
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Sep 22, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 1943168121
| 9781943168125
| B01N9GEO9O
| 4.00
| 570
| Jan 24, 2017
| Jan 24, 2017
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it was amazing
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None
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Notes are private!
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2
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not set
not set
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Mar 15, 2017
not set
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Sep 16, 2024
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Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||
| 9798227676993
| B0DC5W7GYN
| 4.67
| 6
| unknown
| Jun 25, 2024
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it was amazing
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This is a very interesting take on isekai with full LitRPG trappings. A stalker with a supernatural bloodline curses Julia to go to the abyss. On entr
This is a very interesting take on isekai with full LitRPG trappings. A stalker with a supernatural bloodline curses Julia to go to the abyss. On entry, she gains a bunch of free attributes and titles because of how undeserving of the curse she is. So she awakens in the body of a succubus but with her human memories intact and a profile showing her resulting stats and class options. She goes on from there, dodging capture (and almost certain torture and exploitation). She progresses from that starting point, initially alone, but eventually running into (definitely untrustworthy) companions who "help" in ways that aren't entirely terrible. Julia's situation sucks, yes, but she's a fighter (both literally and metaphorically) so she does her best to carve out independence and self-determination. What really drew me in, though, is how this never sunk into the obvious temptation to go grimdark. It's grim, yes. The setting of the abyss is vividly drawn and those she meets there are definitely not her friends, but she has enough foresight and determination to keep hope reasonable. Anyway, I was completely engaged and more than a little eager for the next by the time I got to the end. I have no idea how long a wait that will be but I'm definitely on board. This is an easy five stars for the evocative character, vivid setting, and the author's deft hand with a reasonable spark of hope in a very dark place. A note about story origins: I actually picked this up first on Royal Road where it started as a serial some three years ago. I was very surprised how quickly the book departed from that online story. It is a complete rewrite with fundamental story elements drawn forward and entire plotlines eliminated with an alternative path through the abyss. It's a much stronger story in this book form. The author did an incredible job taking the bones of that story and emphasizing the best aspects and making it more active at the same time. A note about Steamy: There isn't any actual steam. Julia died a virgin (with accompanying starter bonuses from doing so) and is completely against the kind of sex she'd encounter with the depraved denizens of the abyss. So she fights the whole succubus nature/expectation, including an internal personification that has a discreet personality that occasionally fights her for control. There's enough sexual content that I'm going to tag this as steamy, even though there's no actual sex on page and Julia avoids any personal shenanigans through violent self-determination. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 13, 2024
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Aug 15, 2024
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Aug 16, 2024
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Kindle Edition
| |||||||||||||||
| B0CXK58FJZ
| 4.74
| 1,585
| unknown
| Mar 07, 2024
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it was amazing
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This is fifth in an ongoing series that you should really read in order. You kind of know what you are getting with this, so I'll just say that we get This is fifth in an ongoing series that you should really read in order. You kind of know what you are getting with this, so I'll just say that we get Crimson's backstory and how she got her [Limit Break] power that makes her so powerful and that Ken then goes on to have a similar experience. Making him powerful in a similar, but different way. The rest of the story is about starting their second year at Haylon and everybody stepping up due to the Naga menace discovered at the end of book 3. Plus a reinvention of dwarves in an interesting way as another faction they have to mitigate or overcome. I'm going to go with four stars as some of the relationship stuff enters retread territory along with the action being a little samey. I will admit that Ken's new ability is fascinating, though, and I'm eager to see it develop, along with more story and action. A note about Steamy: There's more explicit content in this one than some of the others, putting it close to the high end of my steam tolerance. Which is to be expected because Ken finally adds Crimson to his harem (she is, after all, the cover). Frankly, their roleplay got old fast. I skimmed at least a chapter for the eye rolls, contributing to the drop to four stars. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 07, 2024
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Aug 08, 2024
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Aug 07, 2024
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Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||||
| B0CMYZNXXX
| 4.66
| 1,701
| unknown
| Nov 07, 2023
|
really liked it
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This is fourth in a LitRPG harem story that builds character and plot over time. Read in order. So you know kind of what you are getting by this time, This is fourth in a LitRPG harem story that builds character and plot over time. Read in order. So you know kind of what you are getting by this time, though the characters are split apart for this whole story. Ken and Fayeth are headed to spend their summer in the elflands for plot reasons and the rest of his party (i.e. harem) remain on earth to train at his family's compound. Oh, and Crimson is sealed off from Ken closing the portal with her still on the other side to save humanity. So this is mostly Ken being a foreigner in elfland and "courting" the elf princess who needs him for plot reasons. Fayeth is playing the middle piece to connect the princess to his "adrel" (elf marriage construct with mystic elements). Since the princess needs Ken for plot reasons, he spends a lot of time skeptical of her motivations. And since he's all about love and trust in his party/harem, that makes him reluctant to just jump right in. That said, this whole book is aimed at getting him connected to the princess "in that way", so it isn't like there's any real tension there. Which is fine because she's kind of awesome and both powerful and vulnerable in all the right ways. I'm giving this four stars for the interesting plot and strong pace despite the limited scope due to Ken's outsider status. It was good, but I found that I missed his other party members and their interactions. I did like the growth the author managed to deliver for Crimson in the few snippets from her PoV. I feel like I understand her attachment to Ken better (and the underlying desperation driven by her class power). A note about Steamy: We only get two (plus small inserts here or there) explicit sex scenes in the book putting this just barely into the middle of my steam tolerance. Sentar excels at choosing the right moments to include for relationship development (as opposed to simple titillation). ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jul 30, 2024
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Aug 2024
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Jul 31, 2024
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Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||||
| 4.28
| 2,453
| unknown
| Jan 2020
|
liked it
|
I really liked a recent story by the author that should shape into a series. So I wanted more while waiting for the next and tried this. It was okay.
I really liked a recent story by the author that should shape into a series. So I wanted more while waiting for the next and tried this. It was okay. Eddie plods along a bit and the pace is slow. It's a bit slice-of-light so I tolerated that slowness. The worldbuilding was interesting with a future semi-dystopia pushing the protagonist into a full-immersion VR system with a long-term in-game commitment so I didn't have to worry about two divergent plotlines with real vs. game. This is good. And the game world had interesting quirks, including semi-autonomous AI playing in-game deities explicitly tasked with dynamic/reactive rules/world extensions. The details of Eddie's exploration were just interesting enough to pull me all the way to the end. And yeah, that's a reluctant admission. This isn't an outstanding story. It has just enough action to break up the pastoral foundation and pull together a three-star rating. A note about Steamy: Eddie finds a girl. It's a little sweet, a little awkward, and a lot, um, jejune. That word has been on the back of my mind for, like, a week and I can finally use it. Maybe it'll go away now. Anyway, they eventually "connect" and there is just barely enough there that I choose to call it steam. It's a close call, though, so it'd be at the very lowest possible setting. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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May 26, 2024
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May 27, 2024
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May 28, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| B0CPWZ79G3
| 4.29
| 451
| Mar 27, 2024
| Mar 27, 2024
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really liked it
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As third in a litRPG series, read in order. Also, you know mostly what to expect and it mostly delivers. This one goes off-world and I didn't like that As third in a litRPG series, read in order. Also, you know mostly what to expect and it mostly delivers. This one goes off-world and I didn't like that much, particularly as it's a genre change (magical sci-fi). And I don't have much more than that to say. It's still four stars, which is a bit of a come-down, but still very engaging. A note about Steamy: We get just barely enough to trigger steam tag on this one. It's not a ton, but enough. So the low end of my steam tolerance. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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May 17, 2024
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May 18, 2024
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May 20, 2024
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Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||||
| B0BWYPVBZN
| 4.45
| 641
| Feb 26, 2023
| Feb 26, 2023
|
liked it
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This is the final* in a LitRPG series. Read in order. You know that Calvin is going to go off the rails with this one. And he does. We get some actual This is the final* in a LitRPG series. Read in order. You know that Calvin is going to go off the rails with this one. And he does. We get some actual kingdom building and trade and stuff along with some genuine laugh-out-loud moments. And then I got tired. At about two-thirds through of this ginormous volume, two things conspired to pull out a dnf. First, like I said, I got tired. Nadia wears on me and the fact that every society in this one (with the possible exception of Calvin's home kingdom of Gadvera) is horrible in one way or another. Or three. Makes it hard to want to immerse myself in the story. In this one we meet the copper dudes who relegate all women to domestic skills (by manipulating the skill acquisition mechanic) and keep them oppressed accordingly. And the men are all dude-bros of one flavor or another. And then the author throws in a psychopath. Or I should say another one because Nadia is still going strong. And the new guy gets some premium PoV and that's always going to throw me out of a story. And when the author cheats for them to make them both stronger, and get away in a clutch moment, I start to hate everything about a story. This happened. And threw me out hard enough I have zero desire to finish. Because I am in charge of myself well enough to know the sunk-cost fallacy is a devil set to rob your most precious assets (I mean time, but take your pick), I'm perfectly capable of walking away despite closing in on the end. I'm going to give this three stars for the laugh-out-loud moments. But I'm hating myself just a little bit for doing so. Seriously psychopaths are never as interesting as authors think they are. At least for me. I was almost reconciled to Nadia, but the new guy tossed me right out of caring about anything any more. I'm sad it turned out that way, but happy to move onto my next read. And if the author comes out with something new, I'll almost certainly check it out. * Not actually the final book. Apparently, the afterword references that there are more (thank you, Alex, for the reply!) A note about Steamy: The same pattern exists in this one as in the others. There's enough to trigger the steam tag. But curtains are pulled frequently so it isn't actually that titillating when all's said. ...more |
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0
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not set
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not set
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Apr 21, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| B0BPD7FDJJ
| 4.57
| 995
| Dec 06, 2022
| Dec 06, 2022
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really liked it
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This is second in a LitRPG series. Read in order. Wow, is that a bad cover! Just ugh. Fortunately, it's second in a series and delivers pretty well on This is second in a LitRPG series. Read in order. Wow, is that a bad cover! Just ugh. Fortunately, it's second in a series and delivers pretty well on the premise established in the first. Calvin has drive, uses his resources to overcome obstacles, and takes setbacks in his stride. The biggest downside to this story, for me, is the folks residing in his head working against him. Nadia is a consistent irritant for me and provides the most cringe in the story. And Elliot isn't much better, though at least he is smart enough to support Calvin's long-term growth. Kala offsets that a little, but she is more sidelined than I'd like. The plot and pace are strong, and I still really like Calvin. So this adds up to a really weak four stars and I'm definitely interested in the final book. A note about Steamy: There's not a lot of steam and the author, Mr. Con, chooses to pull curtains before you get a ton of detail. But there's enough to throw the tag. Barely. ...more |
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1
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Apr 16, 2024
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Apr 18, 2024
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Apr 17, 2024
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| Cebelius
*
| B09PW9GVK6
| 4.56
| 600
| unknown
| Jan 05, 2022
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really liked it
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This is second in a sci-fantasy romance series where each book is a different couple. The couple from the first book are present here, but not strongl
This is second in a sci-fantasy romance series where each book is a different couple. The couple from the first book are present here, but not strongly so. You could read out of order, but it's probably better if you read the other book first—not least to establish a bunch of the worldbuilding. This one was very different from the first, as Tayra has a genetic heritage from her race's creation that gives them something called the "yen" if they find a human they consider the perfect mate. And Tony is a cinnamon roll of the highest order so she fixates on him within the first quarter of the story. So a ton of the middle of this story is them dealing with her open feelings for him and him deciding what to do about it (if anything). And I'll be honest, the thrash on that gets a little frustrating as the author throws one obstacle after another in the way of their consuming the whole "yen" thing. Not to mention that the ultimate bad guy was kind of obvious after about the second exchange of hostilities and that nobody even suspects what is going on by then strained my credulity a bit. Still, I really liked Tayra and Tony and they make such a fantastic team. So I'm not even going to hold the (view spoiler)[humanizing transformation that happens once Tayra and Tony do it, making her much closer to the being depicted on the cover rather than the beaked bird-headed body she had before (hide spoiler)] against it. So let's call it 3½ stars that I'm rounding up because seriously, Tony is exactly my type and Tayra ended up a great match with him. A note about Steamy: There are a couple of explicit sex scenes putting this, barely, in the middle of my steam tolerance. As with the first, it's interesting having a male-focused author writing those intimate moments as I think the tone is distinct. ...more |
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Feb 2024
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Feb 02, 2024
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Feb 04, 2024
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| Cebelius
*
| B09H3Z8LCB
| 4.54
| 959
| Sep 24, 2021
| Sep 24, 2021
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really liked it
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This was a fascinating genre twist. You would expect it, with that sub-title, to be the first in a harem story. But it seems this series is more like
This was a fascinating genre twist. You would expect it, with that sub-title, to be the first in a harem story. But it seems this series is more like you get in romance where each book features a different couple in the same world. So it's more of a romance subgenre than anything else. And it works surprisingly well as such. There's some fun action and a plot that keeps a great pace for the main characters to bounce off each other despite coming from completely different worlds. So seeing them develop respect for each other that blooms into more was exactly what I'd expect for a decent romance with mystery elements. I have a hard time with romantic-suspense so I want to be clear that this doesn't have many of those markers. There's danger to both protagonists, but you don't get the isolating and ramping threat more common to that romance genre. So nobody saves the other from dire peril that we see coming half a book away. And for me, that's a good thing. Anyway, I enjoyed this more than I expected I would and think it's a solid four stars. The romance doesn't quite connect and Velise's arachae physique isn't even a little engaging for me personally. Plus, see below for a note about romance that I found strange. All that said, I'm definitely interested in more along the same lines and can't wait to explore this series. A note about romance expectations: Most of the romances I read are written by women for women and there's a certain flavor to both the romance and the steam as a result. This is obviously written by a man for men and has a correspondingly different flavor in the romance and steam. I don't want to say that it's written for the male gaze, but that's definitely a factor. I'm not sure I can explain it entirely, but I'd be interested in the experiences of others to see what they think. A note about Steamy: There are a couple of explicit sex scenes putting this in the middle of my steam tolerance. Velise is not human though she's more-or-less sexually compatible with humans for background reasons. I'm not sure how to process that into how well the sex worked as part of the story, though I did enjoy how different their perspectives were for the emotional aspects of love and sex and the relationship discussions that happened as a result. ...more |
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1
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Jan 29, 2024
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Jan 30, 2024
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Jan 30, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 4.42
| 5,123
| Feb 28, 2014
| Dec 2010
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did not like it
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This book is the culmination of the "Shares" series where Ishmael goes from a quarter-share newb to the mostest share Owner. Read the others before th
This book is the culmination of the "Shares" series where Ishmael goes from a quarter-share newb to the mostest share Owner. Read the others before this one and then just get out while you're still ahead because this book is a complete mess. You'd think that with all the shiny-boy Ishmael so far in the story that this would be the culmination that gets our boy setup as an indie who can chart his own course (customers willing). And, indeed, three-quarters of the story goes exactly that direction. I mean, there's lots of business hand-wavy nonsense, and I'm not sure the whole heiress thing carries the plot weight it should here, but I was willing to go along to get the the good, good Ishmael winning thing. And he even gets Chief Greta to kick his teeth in a bit about fraternization so that he can be happy wherever he goes! Seriously, some of my favorite bits are her taking him to task for his silly ideas about relationships. And fine, their relationship is shallow and all, but I'm not looking to Lowell for a romantic masterpiece or anything! And then things start picking up and Lowell destroys everything about this story, starting with anything making even a lick of sense. I mean, (view spoiler)[the big bad, the man who kills Ish's hot girlfriend just when they learn they can be happy together, turns out to be the business man who has been helping him all along? Really? How does that make any kind of sense. This is literally the only guy in the Ishiverse who doesn't have to pull any kind of shenanigans to take Ishmael out! All he has to do is remove his backing on Ishmael's board of directors! He could even do it subtly because heaven knows Ish does what he tells him to anyway every step of the story (hide spoiler)]. This is the kind of plot twist two year-olds impress each other with. And don't even get me started on the mole without a motivation and . . . okay, I'm going to stop here. Here are the things we do not have at the end of this book: * Ishmael * Ishmael * Ishmael * Ishmael * Ishmael * Ishmael This is the dumbest one-star mess I can imagine coming out of this series. Now, I notice that there's a follow-on series where Ishmael lone-wolfs things for old friends and this crappity crappit is exactly what you'd need to do to seed a new series. Be betraying the current series and selling it down the drain A note about Steamy: Space sure makes people horny. There's references to sex and the occasional start up and aftermath once Chief Greta shows up. But it's mostly closed-page so it's on the low end of my steam tolerance. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jan 12, 2024
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Jan 14, 2024
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Jan 14, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 9781937475673
| 1937475670
| unknown
| 4.41
| 5,289
| Aug 01, 2013
| unknown
|
really liked it
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This starts years after Ishmael fixes the previous story so I'm not sure you need to worry about those events, like, at all. It's worth skipping that
This starts years after Ishmael fixes the previous story so I'm not sure you need to worry about those events, like, at all. It's worth skipping that one and picking up relatively fresh here if you want to give the stupid nasty bits a pass. So the reward for a job well done is another job. And I was actually happy for Ish to pick up this "challenging" assignment. The Agamemnon is a smaller ship so there are fewer crew to keep track of and thus the relationship fail cascade has limitations. In a good way. And I liked seeing Ishmael win his crew's loyalty by extending his own and giving clear directives and listening when he's being stupid and gets called on it. I particularly liked seeing him dupe his main troublemaker and his cargo chief simultaneously by initiating a cargo selection competition to see who can pick better cargo for the ship's profits. I particularly love that he's up front about his motives because he wins whatever the outcome because now he has two people geared towards the important thing in a merchant vessel—profits. Plus, I like how his compassion plays for the win time and again. I just like Ishmael and this book was finally a grown-up version of him I could enjoy. Except for the whole wife (view spoiler)[cheat, divorce (hide spoiler)] thing. That whole subplot made zero sense and drops my rating down a whole star to four. A note about Steamy: Man, Ishmael and his wife are sure growing apart, don't you know. Except for the phenomenal sex every couple of months. There's steam here, but it's mostly off page so barely worth the tag at all. ...more |
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1
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Jan 11, 2024
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Jan 12, 2024
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Jan 14, 2024
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Audiobook
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| 4.30
| 6,097
| 2008
| 2008
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it was amazing
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This series builds its character and plot over time so read them in order. Ishmael is working towards his full share rating (in all four categories, na This series builds its character and plot over time so read them in order. Ishmael is working towards his full share rating (in all four categories, naturally) and this is his story of getting there. We have all our familiar friends developing with him, the trades are coming together, and in this one there's some fun failure analysis that makes a very fine secondary plotline. Ishmael is very much a golden boy at this point, and a lot of the last half is uncertainty over his current post being lost once their current project (failure analysis) is complete. That anxiety is papered over by his captain (and friends) talking him into going to the officer's academy. Not a lot of surprises, though I do give kudos to making data visualization and analysis play a fascinating role in the plot. That's hard, because it's confusing, but Lowell actually pulled it off. If I were getting tired of the main character at all, it'd start showing here, but I'm not, so we're still in five-star land. A note about Steamy: We culminate this book with Ish and former good friend, now hot lover Bev finally doing it. A lot. And hitting the academy together so maybe they'll even be a thing (don't hold your breath, I'm thinking). It was cute, but again, Lowell pulls out before a ton of steam happens on-page so it's still on the light end of the steam tolerance. ...more |
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1
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Jan 08, 2024
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Jan 09, 2024
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Jan 14, 2024
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Audio
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| 4.16
| 6,948
| 2007
| 2007
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really liked it
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This is second in a series that builds up over time. I recommend reading in order. And you mostly know what you're getting with Ishmael and Pip and the This is second in a series that builds up over time. I recommend reading in order. And you mostly know what you're getting with Ishmael and Pip and their trading co-op. I really like how the officers of the ship seem truly invested in their command, helping their people expand and grow in place as well as they can. We also get some answers on the anti-fraternization rule and its effect on the relationships and emotions of the crew. No relationships allowed (nobody pushes it so I don't know the forfeit) and that makes for some people who are interested, but keep an odd platonic tone to their interactions. I liked this effect even if I suspect it was a little too simple in its consequences. I'm still into this, still like Ishmael and his friends, and will definitely move on to the next book. Four stars and either the dialogue is getting better or I care more about the characters so don't notice it as much. A note about Steam: Crewmembers help crewmembers, and that goes triple when everyone needs to get laid. Ishmael goes on the prowl and makes some impressive pulls. We only get the start, some vague bumps, and some endings but it's explicit enough to count, just at the lower end of my steam tolerance. Frankly, I think this was a mistake by the author because Ishmael connects with people, it's part of what makes him special, and that includes his one-night stand. He pines a bit so skimping on the intimacy doesn't do the story any actual favors. ...more |
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Jan 04, 2024
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Jan 05, 2024
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Jan 11, 2024
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Podiobook
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| B0954DZS2R
| 4.04
| 16,515
| Jan 07, 2021
| Jun 07, 2021
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really liked it
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I was a little skeptical going in because of the meet-cute in a sex party. But I think Hayle managed to pull it off without making it all about the ti
I was a little skeptical going in because of the meet-cute in a sex party. But I think Hayle managed to pull it off without making it all about the titillation. So it turns out to be a pretty good wish-fulfillment fantasy with characters I ended up liking a lot. Freddie was an easy draw for me. She's smart, capable, and taking on tough challenges. She's a top grad from Wharton and I love that Hayle made me believe that. There isn't a ton of businessy stuff in the story as that's not core to any plot elements. But what is there rang true enough for me to go along with. And Freddie having the one stumble before just knocking things out of the park was outstanding. Tristan was a slower draw as he's more reserved. I liked his appreciation for Freddie, though, and not least as his interest becomes truly engaged once he sees her take on a challenge or two—starting with how she handles her first big mistake and taking the right tone in both owning up to it and turning the resulting tasks to showing her capabilities. His interactions with his son were a little stilted and I never did figure out what was up with that. The boy is nine years-old but read emotionally less mature than that. Enough so that I wondered if he was supposed to have some kind of disability or something. Anyway, I liked seeing them come to respect each other beyond the physical attraction. And I really liked that this is one of the few workplace romances where the right weight was given to "we can't do this". Freddie's concern for her reputation as a new employee in her field had the right feel to it and Tristan's support of that showed that he knew she was right and understood the drawbacks she would face. I particularly liked how it became a problem to solve rather than just a bad motivational choice for the plot. So this is four stars with the downgrade mainly due to how poorly the kid fit into the story. Freddie's relationship with him was serviceable, but since I didn't really understand Tristan's interactions that whole plot point never really gelled for me. That and the sex stuff got old. A note about Steamy: There are five or six explicit sex scenes putting this on the high end of my steam tolerance. They were a little intrusive, frankly, and tended to undermine the emotional connection I wanted to see more of. Like, it took me a while to believe Freddie's attachment was more than just physical, which is a weird reversal of the standard stereotypes. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Dec 10, 2023
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Dec 11, 2023
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Dec 11, 2023
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Kindle Edition
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| 1837906653
| 9781837906659
| B0CDC2XZSK
| 4.10
| 37,236
| Nov 01, 2023
| Nov 01, 2023
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it was amazing
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This is a follow-on from Holiday Romance and characters and family from that story are present and important. I recommend reading that one first. Megan This is a follow-on from Holiday Romance and characters and family from that story are present and important. I recommend reading that one first. Megan burned some bridges with how she escaped a toxic relationship on the day of her planned marriage. The story picks up some five years later and she is doing much better now, possibly because she has shunned the Irish village where she grew up and all the burned bridges reside. This year she has compelling reasons to return but could use a friendly buffer. Christian has a much less plausible need for a friendly buffer during Christmas with his family, but he's a problem solver at heart so he proposes they be each others' backup. It's a somewhat silly romance plot to enable the fake relationship trope, but it holds up well-enough. Plus, I really liked both characters and fully wanted them to rock the hometown Christmas. Megan's emotional healing arc was a great plot to explore and seeing Christian the emotional support human was all kinds of engaging. I love a competent hero who takes care of his people through support and kindness and that's Christian all over. And I already knew the author has a way with snarky banter and that was all it should be here as well. So good plot, strong characters, great setting and a holiday backdrop made this full of win. They fall for each other fast, but eventful, emotionally wrought moments are exactly the kind that can forge those kinds of bonds. Add a complete lack of dark moments and this one may be my favorite holiday read this year. Five stars and I'm glad I took the chance on this author. A note about genre: That first book had enough chick lit elements to tag it. This was completely romance, including dual PoV. And neither protagonist needed a growth arc, but rather to consolidate/communicate their growth to those at home. This worked very well, actually, and I'm glad the author fully committed to the romance genre without trying to shoehorn expectations based on how that first book was structured. A note about Steamy: There's some minor playing around and an extended explicit sex scene that isn't so extended that it'd take this out of the low end of my steam tolerance. Frankly, I liked how well it fit the characters and demonstrated their growing trust and emotional attachment. Well done. ...more |
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Dec 10, 2023
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Dec 10, 2023
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| 3.74
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liked it
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Jun 24, 2020
not set
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Sep 28, 2024
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| 3.94
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really liked it
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Oct 05, 2021
not set
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Sep 24, 2024
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| 3.97
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liked it
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Dec 29, 2016
not set
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Sep 24, 2024
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| 3.71
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really liked it
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Dec 30, 2014
not set
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Sep 22, 2024
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| 4.00
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it was amazing
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Mar 15, 2017
not set
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Sep 16, 2024
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| 4.67
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it was amazing
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Aug 15, 2024
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Aug 16, 2024
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| 4.74
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it was amazing
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Aug 08, 2024
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Aug 07, 2024
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| 4.66
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really liked it
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Aug 2024
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Jul 31, 2024
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| 4.28
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liked it
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May 27, 2024
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May 28, 2024
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| 4.29
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really liked it
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May 18, 2024
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May 20, 2024
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| 4.45
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liked it
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not set
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Apr 21, 2024
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| 4.57
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really liked it
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Apr 18, 2024
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Apr 17, 2024
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| Cebelius
*
| 4.56
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really liked it
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Feb 02, 2024
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Feb 04, 2024
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| Cebelius
*
| 4.54
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really liked it
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Jan 30, 2024
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Jan 30, 2024
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| 4.42
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did not like it
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Jan 14, 2024
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Jan 14, 2024
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| 4.41
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really liked it
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Jan 12, 2024
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Jan 14, 2024
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| 4.30
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it was amazing
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Jan 09, 2024
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Jan 14, 2024
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| 4.16
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really liked it
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Jan 05, 2024
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Jan 11, 2024
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| 4.04
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really liked it
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Dec 11, 2023
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Dec 11, 2023
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| 4.10
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it was amazing
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Dec 11, 2023
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Dec 10, 2023
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