Tag: review

Reviews

Foundryside Review

by amyleighreads2 Comments on Foundryside Review

Foundryside RD4 clean flatFoundryside follows a girl named Sancia who has a secret ability that enables her to be the best thief in the city. When she takes on a job to steal an ancient artefact it places her life in danger and sets in motion a chain of events that could change everything.

I really liked Sancia. We don’t learn a lot about her right at the start, we are gradually given insight into her background and everything she has had to overcome throughout the course of the book. She’s not naive and she isn’t afraid to put herself in danger in order to do what needs to be done. I think her past defines her present and her future and this is made prevalent later on in the plot. I don’t think she really develops much in the book but I think she is already so multifaceted that any development was really needed. Her candour and her brash nature was highly entertaining and she’s just a super likeable character.

Gregor on the other hand, I wasn’t so sure about at the start. He just seemed like a spoilt founder who was playing at meting out justice to whoever crosses him. I liked that even though his story seems straight forward he still manages to surprise me and be a lot more interesting than what he seems. He seems genuinely remorseful for what happened to Sancia and how his family might have something to do with it and the fact that he confronts his mother truly displayed that.

I really loved the setting of this book, the atmosphere and the conditions of the city really added a layer of depth to the storyline and set the tone for the book. The dark, grittiness of the commons was heavily described and the almost hopelessness Sancia felt whilst living there really captured my attention.

The fantastic element of the story with the scrivers was really unique and interesting. I love that its based on lore and legends and the fact that there is still so much to be discovered makes me excited for the rest of the series.

⭐️4/5 this was fantastic!!!!!

Reviews

Middlegame Review

by amyleighreads1 Comment on Middlegame Review

35965482._SX318_This was a strange read.

Middlegame is a stand alone fantasy stand alone book which involves alchemy and a pair of twins names Roger and Dodger.

In terms of the character I actually enjoy Rodger and Dodger, especially when they first discovered each other and developed that initial connection. The way that their lives differ and the amount of adversity they both had to overcome during adolescence and teen years was interesting to read and did ultimately keep me engaged in the story. They are quite honest with each other and even though they have such a complex and close connection they still make mistakes and hurt each others feelings yet they never fully give up on each other. 

Reed and Leigh even though they are quite integral to the overall plot I didn’t really develop any kind of emotional connection to them. I wasn’t really interested in their plot line with the other alchemists and what Reed was ultimately trying to prove. I think with Leigh there was potential for me to like her even though she is this very unlikeable character because ultimately she was just being what she was created to be. I just wish we would of learnt more about her and what she was doing in the lab. Maybe witnessing why she was so frightening to anyone who comes across her, rather than just the reaction people have around her.

I will say the pacing was quite fast and the countdown of the timeframe is what initially kept me invested and eager to read on. I just felt like a lot of the alchemy jargon mixed with the all of the talk about the impossible city just went right over my head. Theres a whole lot of complex language and equations and things that didn’t really make sense to me and I felt like the majority of the book I was just treading water trying to keep up with what was going on.

I think overall it was just a little too repetitive for me as well. We see Roger and Dodger come together and forced apart multiple times throughout the course of the storyline and nothing was really revealed until right at the end. By that time I was just kind of reading to finish the book, I wasn’t all that invested in what what going to happen to them.

⭐️2/5 stars just not my kind of book…

Reviews

The Black Prism Review

by amyleighreads2 Comments on The Black Prism Review

*MAJOR SPOILERS BELOW*

515zOsxnpQL__SX329_BO1,204,203,200_The Black Prism is a multi-perspective epic fantasy novel revolving around this holy figure in this world called the Prism. He just found out that he has fathered a child 15 years ago and now must shield him from those who wish to cause him harm.

Gavin is such an interesting, multi-faceted character that just kept surprising me at every turn! He is definitely more of a morally grey character who is striving to atone for what he thinks are the sins of his past. Giving himself the seven great tasks he wants to accomplish before he looses his powers. He isn’t afraid to do what he thinks is right for the greater good of the Chromeria whilst still maintaining a kind of neutrality and level of separation from all of their rules and regulations. That twist of the stolen identities definitely surprised me, I was thinking whilst reading during their interaction, what if Dazen beat Gavin and then two minutes later what do you know. It was a fantastic revelation and set up perfectly for the reader. 

Kip didn’t really capture my attention at all for the first half or so of the book. Of course I knew he was going to be integral to the story and would somehow end up making an impact later on, but it took a little while for him to get there. There is quite an emphasis put on his weight and the fact that he is a bit of a coward, but I’m glad that we see some growth from his character over the course of the plot, having to make some decisions and take action where he would of previously ran and hid. 

This was the perfect amount of world building and introduction of all the characters and their backstories without being overwhelming. Granted at the start as I am with most epic/high fantasy I read I am a little lost, but I established myself pretty quickly into this world and was invested almost instantaneously with the characters. The magic system was unique and interesting and had just enough information to keep me engaged yet eager to know more. 

I loved my experience reading this book and I cannot wait to binge the rest of the series and see how the world progresses and the action intensifies!!

⭐️5/5 stars Why did I wait so long???

Reviews

I Believe in a Thing Called Love Review

by amyleighreads3 Comments on I Believe in a Thing Called Love Review

 *SPOILERS BELOW*

31145133Desi is a senior in high school who has achieved everything she has set her mind to, she is valedictorian of her class, she has many extracurricular activities and has her mind set on Stanford but she’s never had a boyfriend. In fact, she’s a known disaster in romance, a clumsy, stammering humiliation magnet.

I think this was supposed to be a fun, light, fluffy contemporary romance but I just found it to be a little silly and cringey to be honest. Desi, even though she is portrayed as being quite smart and switched on is woefully naïve and immature at times. Choosing to keep her interview a secret from Luca and continuing with her list and her plans even after they are together was almost frustrating to read. 

I think the plot was too predictable as well. Like we knew Luca was going to end up finding the list and would break up with her and still she never really dwelled on her actions and accepted how wrong she was keeping this whole scheme a secret. Even going that step further and trying to manipulate him into getting back with her at the prom really demonstrated how little she had grown over the course of the story line.

I really liked Desi’s friends, I think they really shone in this book. They are both supportive of Desi and call her out when they know she is going too far. We are given a little background into their friendships and how they came to be so close and I appreciated the dynamics between them, it felt realistic.

The overall premise of the book was quite unique and entertaining. I liked that we are given some cultural diversity with the Korean culture. I am quite the fan of K Dramas myself so it was quite fun to get the references to the different shows thrown in there as well! You are kind of on the edge of your seat throughout the book just waiting for that other shoe to drop, and when it does the drama definitely ensues.

⭐️3/5 A tad too immature for me!

Reviews

Stalking Jack the Ripper Review

by amyleighreads1 Comment on Stalking Jack the Ripper Review

40727470._SY475_Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord’s daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life. Against her stern father’s wishes and society’s expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle’s laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine.

I liked Audrey. She was at times I think a little too full of herself, especially when she decided to sneak out onto the streets at night and try to catch the killer herself. Even though it was a way to rebel from her father and his quite stringent rules she did just want to save the women and prevent any more deaths. She is very self-motivated and I liked the way she didn’t conform to society’s expectations and did what she was interested in. She does evolve over the course of the story line and becomes more self-assured, actually standing up to her father and initiating the kiss with Thomas.

Thomas was quite an enigmatic character. He’s very aloof and comes across quite arrogant yet charismatic at the start of the book. I like that we gradually get to see him open up and express his feelings to Audrey in an almost offhand way, making jokes and shamelessly flirting. We learn more about his family and the reason why he is so adamant about learning all he can from Jonathan. I can appreciate the subtle nod to Sherlock Holmes with his character and I really enjoyed the banter between him and Audrey.

I didn’t really think the love triangle was necessary, other than introducing another character for Audrey to suspect. I guess Blackburn was necessary to drive the plot along but I didn’t really see a point to his character. After Audrey declared she no longer trusted him he didn’t really make any more impact on the story, I am hoping we get to see a bit more of him in the rest of the series though because I actually quite liked him. 

The fact that the book didn’t shy away from becoming too gruesome definitely kept me engaged. It goes into pretty grim details about what happened to each of the murdered women and the autopsies they performed. It gave the book a sense of realism in a way and added much needed depth to the plot. The mystery aspect was a little bit predictable but I was entertained and eager to read on and figure out who was Jack in the end. 

⭐️3/5 stars Gruesome, dark yet still quite charming!