Joined in 2023 
82 
63 About this deal
I thought you wanted us to be good guys." He grins a too-wide grin. He's enjoying needling me, and my reacting only makes it worse, but I can't stop. There wasn’t a single massive plot twist at the end, but rather many small revelations throughout the story, which I liked better, as it keeps you entertained all along. The narrator, a pitch-perfect match for the narrative, further embellishes Dan Riley's persona. In a realm where narrator scrutiny often reigns, James Lailey effortlessly breathes life into this tale, ensuring that discerning voices and characters vanish into the ether. Sadly the story didn't live up to its potential. The main character barely seemed to develop except in his knowledge of things long lost. He has an ongoing internal ethical debate ("Am I the bad guy?") that doesn't progress; he merely recirculates the same thoughts ad nauseum. The plot progression has a certain litRPG quality to it, which is fine if that's your bag but it doesn't make for great epic fantasy. Technically it's a progression fantasy, a term some apply to stories featuring significant character power growth, but the character barely uses the knowledge and abilities that level him up from his original state. Overall the story arc felt very flat, with a couple of unsurprising twists near the end in place of a satisfying payoff. I can see potential in the sequels for exciting story, brutality, and mind-blowing magic, but I didn't have a good enough experience to push me forward. Girls like her, my grandfather once warned me, girls like her turn into women with eyes like bullet holes and mouths made of knives. They are always restless. They are always hungry. They are bad news. They will drink you down like a shot of whisky. Falling in love with them is like falling down a flight of stairs.
Paperwhite – A moderator who is in an online relationship with Morehouse but is later revealed to be a fake account of Anomie. That night the Empire fell, and the world sank into a thousand years of darkness."Phenomenal and highly immersive world-building, top notch characterisation, beautiful, poignant and macabre prose while at the same time self reflective due to the POV, and lastly, a solid magic system that fuses elements of speculative science all interwoven in a highly addictive plotline that keeps you wanting more after every single word uttered from my most beloved anti-hero. "Something was wrong with the old man; he wasn’t quite the right shape. His skull, a little too oblong, his limbs a little too long. He looked stretched. Eyes, too large, oddly oval, glowed violet as he studied me. He blinked wrong, liquid, one eye at a time." When a wealthy man is found in the bathtub of a hotel room, Riley is called to the scene. Immediately, he knows that all is not as it seems. There is something in the air, and then, there is the teddy bear. Whatever does it mean? As there’s nobody else to remember what the world used to be like before the wizards’ reign, nobody really doubts whether wizards are those men of high moral standing they claim to be or not. Listening to the audiobook narration, done by Fletcher himself, is the most engrossed I’ve been with an audiobook in months. The gravelly voice Fletcher opens with eventually reveals a stunning array of nuance –remarkable work, and fun to no end. The audiobook opens and closes with two pieces of original music performed by Fletcher and his band, which did a surprisingly good job of setting the mood for those opening chapters.In this quest story we follow the main character, who wakes up buried alive in the middle of nowhere, hungry, cold and has no recollection of what happened prior to his awakening. What he soon finds out, though, is that there are other versions of him wandering around, each having a piece of obsidian in their heart that holds parts of his persona (memories of his past). In a world where magic is illegal, Cassel Sharpe has the most deadly ability of all. With one touch, he can transform any object--including a person--into something else entirely. And that makes him a wanted man. The Feds are willing to forgive all his past crimes if he'll only leave his con artist family behind and go straight. But why does going straight feel so crooked? I absolutely devoured this book in one day! I wasn’t sure what to expect (I’ve stopped reading the blurbs lately) and all I can say is wow! That was really good!
The story is a wee bit gory in parts but I loved that, it’s maybe not for the faint hearted and at some points throughout the book I could feel me toes curling and the images that were created in my head will stay for a while. That’s the sign of a good book though in my opinion. The serial killer character is ruthless, cunning and manipulative but she’s double faced. She’s this evil monster that has no limit or control over her impulses and yet there’s a part that the detective get to see which is empathetic, charming and alluring: Two sides, coexisting I every unstable mind and fighting for control makes her dangerous and unhinged. Excellent book. Recommended for people pleasers, those who feel small or insecure, or have trouble with boundaries. I love the way this book combines spirituality with the practical, survival-based realities of life. I promise it won't turn you into a narcissist. I read it while trying to develop a healthier ego and stronger sense of self; I had issues with boundaries and always felt guilty for not pleasing others. I struggled to feel any genuine empowerment and was so tired of feeling threatened by the mere thought of disappointing someone. Even when I did what others desired, it never seemed like enough. People will naturally demand more of you until you step up for yourself and give them an unwavering "No." How do I even begin with this review? Alright. I have to chill or else my words would not make any sense to you guys. 3,2,1… Go.As I broached the subject of the world-building: the world might seem a bit overwhelming at first, as there are gods, demons (who used to actively interact with people), hence, also parallels worlds, where they dwell, necromancers, elementalists, shamans, sorcerers, wizards, demonologists (also dragons; mountains and lakes can be woken up and driven into fury, Kraken can be summoned,too) Ahora, en cuanto a la novela en sí, me gustaría decir muchas cosas, pero, siento que destriparía parte de la historia y lo que esconde. Así que voy a intentar ser lo más breve posible porque lo dicho siento que cualquier cosa que se diga pueda considerarse como “spoiler” sobre todo para mí, que a la mínima que se me comenté algo sobre el contenido del libro, por muy banal que sea me molesta. Llámenme “rancia” como se diría coloquialmente, pero soy así y es algo que no soporto. Cassel...oooohhh errrr awkward....But wait! His heroic actions were amazing and they made me fall in love with him even more. I'm utterly obsessed with him, the unreliable little shit.
Great Deal 
New Comment