whimsicallymeghan's reviews
1386 reviews

Safire is a solider sworn to serve the King of Firgaard. Eris is a pirate known as the Death Dancer; both know their roles in their worlds, but when both of theirs come crashing into one another, the lines begin to blur. Known enemies, the two are both after the same person, the last Namsara, but for completely different reasons. It then becomes a search as their two lives start to interweave with one another. This was another great novel in this trilogy; although calling it a trilogy doesn’t feel right because there could be so many other stories within this world that the author could decide to write in the future, so this was another great novel in this world. The reader loves this world and could read from it forever. This one dealt less with dragons and more with pirates and thieves, which was a lot of fun and a great switch up. The dragons were still present, but they weren’t the main focus. The plot overall was really well thought out and creative; it didn’t quite surprise the reader in ways in which the author might have intended, but it was still a joy to read and put all the pieces together. Ciccarelli’s writing is so good that just reading everything fall into place was satisfying and delightful. This novel also felt like there was a lot of pining going on between the two main characters; it wasn’t overly dramatic so it was bearable to get through, but it was different compared to the last two novels before this. It was an interesting dynamic because they went from enemies to lovers in a roundabout way that the reader felt like they weren’t sure if it was going to get there. There was also the thought that maybe one of them was just plotting and not actually feeling, which this reader was so torn on believing for a bit, so it made it really hard to put down because we had to know the outcome. This also made the pacing super-fast, too, so it was a very well developed arc. Plus, the characters were a lot of fun and they were developed well. It was nice to meet these new characters, but it was also great to see older ones, too and to see how they’ve also changed, too. Like for instance, the reader feels like Dax has gone through a lot of growth since we first saw him in book one. He went from being an unruly side character, to a main character who we still didn’t know if we could trust, but he developed so deeply that now he’s a secondary character we can actually like. The reader really enjoyed reading his journey, and the journeys of our two main characters as they fought through their own feelings and tribulations. In the end, this was such a great read with enjoyable characters and amusing and entertaining plots.

 My next classic and for some reason I had a feeling this could have been a book I read in high school… but it’s really not looking like it. But that’s okay, because I’m enjoying this so far. I’ve read the first part and I’m loving the way this is told; it feels like our main character, Cassandra’s musings of the castle, which is giving the reader the ins and outs of the place and the people who live there. It’s great set up for whatever is to come. We’ve just met two American boys and I’m so curious if they’re going to stay in the story or if it was a brief stopover. Either way it was very entertaining and I can’t wait to read more! 

 

It’s been a little while since my last update and I’m sad to say I’m not as far as I’d like to be, but what can you do? I’m starting to feel like I have a connection with Cassandra. There was one passage she was writing where she’s talking to her journal like it’s a person and I couldn’t help but laugh and think I do the same. 😂 I’m really enjoying this story, not just for its content, but also the way it’s told. Cassandra has this wonder to her, where she just writes things as she thinks them and it’s bold and carefree and I just love it. The whole Cotton family plot has been fun to read; I’m interested to see where it goes and how it all plays out. 

 

I figured I’d do another mini update before I finish this, since I hope to finish it soon (next week, 🤞🏻). This book is so easy to fall into the story so it’s been really fast-paced. The love triangles that are cropping up are truly blowing me away because I didn’t expect this book to be as scandalous as it’s been. I have to admit I love Cassandra and Simon, even though I feel like I shouldn’t, they’re just SO cute together! Rose bores me, but I think part of that is because we never really got to know her, and because it’s what Cassandra is telling us of her, that we haven’t gotten the best picture. I also feel that way about a lot of characters, especially Stephen. Nonetheless though, I’m enjoying this thoroughly because I never know what is going to happen! 

 

Wow, what a novel! What started as a slow paced, quiet tale around the castle really changed quickly with all these twists and turns that I was 100% living for. My gosh, I had no idea how this novel would end, but the ride it took me on was so much fun! The heart ache and heart break, the betrayals and affairs, and the imprisonment, this had it all, yet it didn’t feel overwhelming in the slightest, which I feel like I’m making it sound. Everything had a reason for it and I really liked that this was a coming of age story where our main character, Cassandra really learned a lot about herself, which is what you want in a good story. So many emotions and so much drama, and it was all so good! I also really liked how this was told in diary entry format, it made it more personal and like Cassandra could really be herself, no holding back. This kind of meant that the secondary characters were very one sided, but it worked here. I could see myself reaching for this novel again in the future. 

Following the story of Evan Whitesky once more, in the sequel to Moon of the Crusted Snow; this novel takes place years later as his children have grown older and the community has, too. With this growth comes the depletion of resources and they realize they must venture out and find a new place to call home for their expanding close-knit community. Evan, with the help of his daughter, Nangohns, and a few other volunteers set out to make the journey. It’s one that has them going through Northern Ontario and coming across different communities along the way, some more friendly than others. This was a beautiful, yet heartbreaking and harrowing sequel that had the reader in tears by the end, but it was also so well written. For such a short book, it packed a quick punch, but it also took the time to see the everyday life of Indigenous people. It was nice to see some of the quieter sides because Rice painted this beautiful picture, but he was also able to show the flip side and the harsh realities they face too, so it was a good contrast to the two lifestyles. The pacing was really good because it was never slow or boring; everything had a purpose and it all led up to the sad, yet happy ending. Without Evan and his sacrifices their community wouldn’t have the things they set out to find. It was a touching and poignant story. The characters were well thought out and beautifully crafted. We met the majority of them in the first novel, so to see them again and to watch their journey continue was good to see. We met Nangohns in the first novel, but she was only a child then, so it was nice to see her grown and as a fleshed out character. She had to go through so much so this reader really felt for her because Rice was able to put in as much emotion into his writing and we felt it to our core. All of the characters were written with this great care that left it so moving to read. In the end, this sequel was just as good as the first and gave a conclusion to the story and the characters in a way that felt worthy.

A group of Cree teens find themselves sitting around a campfire telling Cree folklore horror stories; some based on real events, while others are pure myth; all creepy in their own merit. This was such a great graphic novel; the horror and spookiness of it were top notch. Twin, did an amazing job with the art; this story was mostly told through his illustrations and not the words and he captured the essence so well. The reader felt all the emotions conveyed through the art and there were times when they thought things look really creepy and horrific, like it stopped them in their tracks how eerie and disturbing some of it was. The fact that he could communicate all these feelings without the use of many words was really powerful because some stories really packed a punch. All the stories were really well told; they went by so quickly because we were following the images. The only story the reader really didn’t quite get was the last story, it was interesting because it was based off of one of the characters around the campfire and his home life. It was interesting in the subject matter and how it was depicted; it was like reality blended with horrendous and frightening myth. This also felt very nostalgic of the TV show Are You Afraid of the Dark, and this reader really enjoyed that vibe. It made the pacing of this well done; each character got to tell a tale, some more fearful than others, but all of them had a good shock to them. This was an all-around freaky read that this reader enjoyed immensely.   

Evered and Ada have been orphaned as children. Left to their own devices and forced to survive the harsh realities of the world with no one to guide them but each other. They must fight stay alive through cruel winters and bouts of illness. This novel explored the good that can come from life, but also the brutality of it, too. This novel wasn’t for this reader; it started off slow, and the plot didn’t really feel like it was going anywhere. Then around the mid-mark there was an incest plot that we thought would be a one-time deal, which turned into being a thing for the whole rest of the book and this reader was just not into that. It’s understood that the way this ended was kinda like the novel coming full circle on itself, but did it really have to include an incest plot; it was a real turn off and was a tipping point for almost DNFing this. The writing was okay, Crummey did a good job of writing about the mundane life and things that happen in a small coastal town. It’s weird because as slow as things did proceed in this novel, the reader found it to be quite fast-paced once they felt a little invested, the only thing is, it took some time to get invested. The characters weren’t that great for this reader either; they never felt connected to them so they didn’t really care about them. There were moments when they would feel for Ada because she found herself in such a sticky situation. The way her story ended just felt so sad; her brother on the other hand, the reader felt sad for him too, but in a different way. They both lost so much at such a young age, that the reader empathized with them, but the path it led to was unfortunate and depressing. Even the side characters fell a little flat and didn’t really do a lot for the story. In the end, the reader did want to like this, but none of the elements added up for an enjoyable read. 

Vera Wong lives a pretty simple life; every day she gets up, does her routine, then opens up her teashop for her dwindling customers. But one day, she wakes up to find a dead body in her shop. When the police don’t seem to think anything of it, she decides to start an investigation of her own. Was it truly nothing, as the police suspect, or was the man actually murdered? This was such a fun, cozy mystery read. The reader had such a great time reading this novel; they knew going in, that they had to suspend their belief on things, so once that was done, it made it that much more of an enjoyable read. One of the only things the reader didn’t really like was the way this ended; it felt rushed like the author forgot how it was all going to end. The overall story was so intoxicating and thrilling to read because the whole time the reader was questioning if this old lady was correct in thinking a murder happened here, and when we started to meet all the characters involved, we started to question which one could actually do it. That whole lead up was so fun because Vera had an opinion about everything and everyone on why she did or didn’t think things and it was so wholesome and engaging to read. By the end, we’re left not wanting any of the characters to be the murderer and the reader thinks that the author had the same thought; we kinda went on a detour for a bit, forgetting that the whole point was to solve this murder. Only then, did that plot get picked up at the very end, which truly the reader thought wasn’t coming; they thought the author was going to drop the whole thing. We’re glad Sutanto didn’t, but the ending she gave us felt kinda lacklustre and like she was appeasing her audience because it didn’t make all that much sense. This novel was so good up until those final chapters. As for the characters, they were all really charming and interesting to read, especially Vera, but we’ll get there. The side characters were all gripping, to an extent; there were times throughout that they all started to sound the same. The reader was still able to tell who was who, but they’d say the same things and it didn’t feel realistic. And some of the characters felt more like background filler, than actual progressive characters. As for Vera, what wasn’t to love about her? She could be a bit intense and determined in the things she wanted, but the reader always knew it came from a place of love. They couldn’t help but laugh at the things she said and she was just an overall joy to read. The reader didn’t always buy the instant connection between all the characters, but again, that goes into the suspended belief because it really did help move the story along. This reader is now interested in reading other novels this author has written. In the end, if it’s a good, cozy mystery you’re seeking, this delivers really well.

Ria and Rani are just getting used to their new life as princess sisters at the palace when a prophecy threatens to displace them. The Blood Moon will rise in a month’s time, and with that comes Amara’s last chance to destroy everything. Now Ria and Rani must find the Bloodstone to stop Amara and the prophecy from coming true. Faced with new challenges and new places, this quest takes the sisters on a path that has them questioning who their true enemy really is and if they’ll get their mission done in time. Filled with so many ups and downs, this led for quite the conclusion. This had a marvelous resolution to a very fast-paced duology. This novel really did take the reader through the ringer and they enjoyed it. Sure, this novel was a bit on the long side and dragged in parts, but it did a really good job of bringing all the elements together and ensuring they all worked out in the end. This novel was not only a continuation of the first novel, but a revelation of deeper world building and the reader really liked that; it was great to see that we were following the plot, but it was fun to explore and see more from this world. The authors really took their time with all the different magic used, which yes could get a bit much to read at times, but it did feel like it paid off in the end. The magic in this was brilliant because it was clever and really thought out. All of it had a purpose and we got to see how deep rooted it was, really charming to read. The reader had no idea how this was going to end; characters were all over the place, working together, yet doing their own thing, it was chaotic, but in a good way. The twists and turns this took really left the reader on their toes, wanting more, needing to know more. The story could get serious, but for the most part this was a lot of fun to read. The romance plotlines were alright; the reader didn’t quite feel the chemistry between some of the couples, but that’s okay because it didn’t take up the focus of the story; there were times when it felt a little in the way because the authors were trying to use the romance to further the plots but it didn’t always work for this reader. That aside though, the rest of the plots were super engaging and the characters really grew, too. To see how far both our princesses have come since the beginning of the first book was truly amazing. They learned so much about themselves, each other, the people around them and the world they live in. It was so wholesome and wonderful to read. The one antagonist from the first book really turned around in this one. She always had a motive for the things she did, but seeing it all play out, and to see how far she’d go, really opened her character up; it also opened up the characters around her, too. In the end, this was a delightful end to a captivating duology.

I think this is my most daunting classic read yet. I knew going in, it wasn’t going to be easy… but I guess I thought it’d be easier than the time I’m having. I’ve read 3 tales out of the 25 so far. I feel like this book is going to cause me to hate reading. Picking it up is not fun, but I also want to give it a chance since I know it’s something I have to get used to. I’m starting to find a bit of a flow… but I’m still paying too much attention to the individual words and not to the actual story being told so I’m always confused. Like I say, I’m hoping this changes with more exposure, but we shall see. 

I’m now 6 tales in and well, it’s still an uphill battle. I will admit that reading the words has gotten slightly easier, but understanding that there is an actual story being told is still a struggle for me. I’m not ready to give up yet… even though it’s really tempting. I’m going to push through to see if I can actually start to understand it. Like the story I finished reading today, I think it’s about a daughter who is reunited with her father. Okay, after a quick Google search I realized I understood the end of the story, because the daughter of a Christian Emperor does come back after she married a Syrian sultan who’s evil mother has all the Christian’s killed and the daughter managed to survive. I’m proud I got the ending, that’s progress! 

I’m a little behind on my updates on the Canterbury Tales, but I am still reading it. In the last few weeks, I think I’ve finally found a rhythm and it’s easier to read the words… getting the actual stories is still a struggle, but I’m finding I am retaining more than when I first started, so progress. I’m now 10 tales in and still a little shy from the halfway mark, but I have more faith in myself about completing this book now. The tales have been interesting, not exactly my cup of tea (even though I still have to look up what I read - which I find helpful because I’ll read something on Google and go, oh yes this makes sense to what I read, so comprehension is working 😂), but the tales are sorta strange in a very Middle English kinda way I guess you could say.

I’m officially past the halfway mark and that makes me happy! I’m also not hating this as much as I did when I first started. I’m now 17 tales in, I have 7 more to go, which boggles my brain how I got here, but I can say with confidence I’m going to finish this. Like I said in my last update, I’ve definitely found a rhythm to reading this and it’s not as daunting as when I started. I’m starting to be able to really read the stories, my comprehension of them is still iffy, but I think that’s how it’s going to be with this until the end. Some of the stories I like more than others (some I understand more, too), but I’m curious what happens, if anything once the last tale is told. 

This is going to be a brief update this week since I haven’t made much progress.The reason for that is I’ve hit a tale that was told in prose, rather than in the poetry/stanza format the rest of the tales are told in and it was a bit of a doozy - it took me 4 days to read. And even after googling the synopsis I went, I missed a lot. The one thing I did agree on, was that it was a long debate. The debate was apparently on what Melibee and his wife should do after thieves break into their house and beat their daughter to death. It’s rather tragic, but I never read it as such, probably because I didn’t catch that part… too much debating. 😅 I’m now 19 tales in, with 6 more to go, I’m hoping next week will bring further progress.

I’m so close to the end, with one last tale left, I hope to have one more update after this… we shall see as it’s a long tale. But before that, this week I managed to get through 5 tales, that’s pretty impressive (yes I’m proud of myself! 😂) I finally read the Nun’s Priest Tale, one I think is probably the most popular, although I personally don’t get why. I found that one harder to grasp. When I looked up why it’s so popular Google said it was for its literary style and maybe that’s why I struggled with it. The tale I read today, the Manciple’s Tale was very metaphorical, which had me looking up what I read. Like I understood the words, but having to realize the cat and bird symbolized more was hard to grasp in Middle English. Here’s to one last tale!

The day is finally here! I have made it through the entirety of the Canterbury Tales! I will be honest, I didn’t think I’d make it; there were moments I wanted to give up because it was such a struggle, but I’m glad I made it through. That to say though, I don’t think I can rate this higher than a 2 star because as much as my reading comprehension got better, it didn’t get to the point where I understood the stories or the overall arc of their travels to Canterbury. I like that I read it in its original Middle English, but if a modern day retelling existed (or exists) I’d be interested in reading that to fully grasp what I missed here. Because I felt like I was constantly looking things up, it made the content drag and just feel ok to me, especially this last tale that I read The Parson’s Tale. That was a long tale where it just talked about The Seven Deadly Sins in great detail and the dos and donts of living a good life for your soul; it came off preachy, although I will give it the benefit of being written in the 1400s, so it was definitely a lot more accepting and renowned then. I will admit some of it was interesting, but most of it was just kind of whatever to me. In the end, I’m glad I read this, but I don’t see myself ever rereading it again. One experience was good enough. 

Roa and Essie were the closest of sisters, until one day Essie had an accident leaving her soul wandering. Wanting nothing more than to help her sister, Roa has decided to make it her mission to save Essie and seek vengeance on the person whose fault it was for the accident, Dax, the King of Firgaard and her husband. The reader really liked that this could be read as a standalone; it takes place in the same world but you don’t need to have read the first book to understand the events of this one. Sure, there are moments where things from the first book are mentioned, but the author does an amazing job of describing how that benefits this story and this book that the reader never felt lost. Speaking of the writing, Ciccarelli is a master of her craft in writing this poetic, not quite purple prose, way that really gripped the reader and had them so invested in the story and the characters. In this novel, we don’t really see Asha, who was the main character in the first, but this one focused on her brother, Dax. The reader didn’t really care for him when we first met him, and it felt like the author was trying to give him a redemption arc, but it still didn’t really warm us up to him. He had good moments throughout, but they didn’t really redeem him to this reader. Roa was a fun main character, she had a lot of different hats to wear; her sisterly bond was so beautifully written and executed. As much as she wanted to do everything in her power to help save her sister, the lies and deception were strong in this novel, but so good and fun to read, yet in the end she knew what she would have to do; it was heartbreaking, but felt really justified and selfless. As for the plot, it was so fast-paced; as soon as the reader started they were sucked in and they didn’t want to leave. They liked that there were these little intermissions between chapters that gave us exposition into the character’s pasts without completely taking us out of the story; it was really well done. The reader is curious to see where the last novel will go, who the main characters will be and how it all fits into this world. In the end, this was a fun fantasy novel with many twists and turns that had the reader on their toes wanting to know more.

 Sam has just moved to a new school after the events of the worst night of her life have been caught on video for the world to see. Once at her new school, she meets Robot in music class and soon realizes he has a similar story. All he wants is to move on from the mistakes he’s made, but his small town makes it hard to do so. Finding themselves bonded over their love of music, they start to realize they can use that to overcome and heal from the traumas they’ve endured. This was a very heavy novel that dealt with difficult and traumatic topics such as assault, rape, suicide and murder. Despite the severity of the topics talked about in this novel, there was still a lot of beauty in it. The reader liked how amongst all the sorrow, light could be found in the smallest of places; they liked that how hopeful this felt when everything looked and felt hopeless. McKay did a beautiful job of capturing that essence really well; it’s a fine balance of creating a story that is moving, while also not diminishing the awful hard truths and he did it wonderfully. The way this was told, swaying back and forth from past to present, and sometimes past to even further past, left the reader a little dizzy at first. It was hard to fully grasp what was happening, especially at times when McKay only alluded to what was happening instead of telling his readers directly, which this reader understood was to create a sense of curiosity to read more, while also not giving too graphic a description, which we appreciated, but it left the reader a little confused in the beginning. As we got further into the story and got to know the characters better, it got easier. As for the characters, they were good, solid characters, but the reader felt they were missing something; like we didn’t get to know them enough. They were developed well, and their journey was engaging and important, but it felt like all we got to know was them through their trauma and this reader just wanted to get deeper. Maybe it’s because this novel was so short that we didn’t get the time to truly explore all there could have been for topics so big. It just felt like we could have gotten a little more, especially after the main characters started to bond. That being said though, this was still a really good book, it could get emotional and a little overwhelming at times, but it’s still a very poignant and touching story.