the_pale_woman's reviews
444 reviews

Despite my appreciation for the premise and eccentricity of this series, I would not consider this a good book. While it offers a quick and entertaining read, I had higher expectations for the plot. Perhaps the plot itself was not lacking, but rather just distraction from the enjoyable bits of the book.

This was a banger of a sequel. Tons of action, intrigue, and betrayal. I couldn't have picked a more perfect read for myself at the moment. It's exactly what I was looking for. 

I've often heard readers claim that such and such fantasy series has the best fight scenes or the best battles, but I'm thinking Bernard does it best. Here, the battles felt natural to the story, character, and setting. I think the reflective narrative contributed to the success of those scenes. For example, Uhtred, telling his story in a memoir like first-person narrative, likes to point out which moments have faded in recollection and which have stuck with him. It gives the brutality of the scenes more complexity. Plus, the plot and pacing gave variety to each and every fight or battle. It was just well done overall. 

Beyond the fights, I find myself invested in most of the characters and can't wait to see how Uhtred navigates his slice of history.

I did the audiobook narrated by Jonathan Keebler, which I would recommend. However, it doesn't look like the whole series his narrated by him. I'm disappointed. My library has the next book with Tom Sellwood, and then in book 4, it's back to Keebler. After that, it's a new narrator every other book. Hopefully, the changes won't ruin my enjoyment of the series. I'll just have to read and find out. 

I picked this up because I'd heard great things about Bernard, and I've been into historical fiction lately, so it seemed like a good fit. I've never seen the Netflix series, but I used to watch Vikings back in the day, and I really enjoyed reading Vinland Saga. There's also that newish Northman movie with a buff Alexander Skarsgård. I'd say I've liked most of the viking stories I've come across, with the exception of one incredibly boring movie called Valhalla Rising. It's a movie that really shouldn't be mentioned, but I guess it is proof that not every viking story can be a winner. 

Reading The Last Kingdom made me feel like I was reading the source of inspiration for all other viking stories that followed it. This truly felt like a gold standard of viking tales. At first, I thought it would be easy to see where this story was going based on all the other viking stories I've seen or read as many of the characters and settings are familiar. However, the way the narrative is focused on the POV adds a level of complexity and unpredictability that kept me interested and entertained throughout the book. 

This was well written, and the gruff audio narration was the perfect fit for it. The only qualm I'm having is that my library doesn't have Jonathan Keebler's narration available for every book?! I really should have looked at the series availability closer before I decided to do these in audio. 

Reading this series was an interesting experience. I've always been a fan of the movies. Occasionally, I like watching what I would consider to be schlock. It's a guilty pleasure that thrives on its ridiculousness. Predictably, this reading experience felt as ridiculous as the movies. But I couldn't help myself. As a whole, I enjoyed reading it. It just felt like another way of watching the movies.

Now, I'll admit that some aspects of this story become more disturbing with more detail. I don't think there's any need to elaborate on that front. I'm sure we all think imprinting is gross. 

However, what really stood out the most in this final book was the decision to switch to Jacob's perspective in the middle third. Bella makes the decision to keep the baby despite the risk to her life and against her loved ones' wishes. And then you take that autonomy away from her by showing the events through a male character's perspective. Why have the whole series from Bella's perspective only to rip it from her when she is actually doing something of consequence? I understand that it gave us time spent not sitting around and with the wolves, but it also felt like the character was cheated out of a moment.

I'd only recommend this to people who like the movies. Despite its popularity, I dont think most readers would enjoy this fresh. 

I picked this up because I heard it had a similar vibe to Douglas Adams, which it does. It feels just as chaotic as Adams's but more grounded in history and literary references. I was thinking this might involve Jane Eyre by the title, but I was amused with what he ended up doing with the story. It felt unexpected and quite humorous. I personally love Jane Eyre. However, I don't think you have to read or love Jane Eyre to be able to enjoy this book. I might suggest you look up a basic summary of Jane Eyre if you haven't read it, just to understand what he's doing with the plot here. But beyond all the references and subversions, this was just a fun read. I would recommend this to fans of Douglas Adams or Terry Pratchett. If you're also a fan of classic literature, then this is probably perfect for you. 

I knew I wouldn't like this, but I read it anyway. That's on me. 

This well written story did not change my views on our prison system or criminal justice system or the death penalty. But it did make me think about these topics from new and interesting angles. On the surface, this book feels like it's trying to make a statement, but once you get in, the water is murky. It feels full of human complexity and emotion. I would have liked to see more aspects of this story fully explored, but I also find meaning in what has been withheld. Adding yet another layer to think on and dissect. 

This is getting a little silly. 

I was a little surprised by how much I enjoyed reading the first book, Twilight. However, New Moon is more of what I was expecting from this series. The plot is a bit silly, there are a few nonsensical characters, and the level of angst and whining is quite high. Despite its ridiculousness, I do find myself hooked on the story. Excuse me while I keep eating these up. 

I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that was so much like the movie—beat for beat, scene for scene, dialogue. It’s all there, for the most part. The book provides a few extra details here and there, but overall, it felt like I was reading the movie. And this may come as a shocker, but I like the movie, so it was actually surprisingly enjoyable. I didn’t cringe as much as I was anticipating. Plus, the writing here is quite good for the genre. It was super easy to read. I flew through it in two days.

I would recommend this read to fans of YA or even if you’re just a fan of the movie.

I’d also like to add that I’m not really interested in reading about healthy, stable relationships. That sounds like a boring book to me. Why does everyone complain about Edward being such a creep in these reviews? That’s part of the intrigue. It’s like you don’t even understand reading.