So what with my blogging slump and generally being behind with reviews in general (there are just so many!!), I am very excited to do my June mini reviews. In case you’ve not seen this before, this is just my way of catching up on my ridiculous backlog of unreviewed books. Anyhoo, since I’m currently being buried under the weight of the *insane* number of books I have here, let’s get on with it!
Scorpio Races– first off, this was a very enjoyable and unique- so massive kudos for that! Unfortunately there were gaps in the world building and too many things that went unexplained or didn’t make total sense, which ended up taking me out of the story from time to time. In the end, suspending my disbelief wasn’t as easy as I would have liked and I found it hard to orient myself with regards to the setting. Furthermore, while it was beautifully written, it could be a bit long winded at times. This meant I struggled to relate to the characters as well. I know this may sound like I didn’t like it, but trust me, I did. I just felt that while this was decent, it didn’t blow me away.
Rating: 4/5 bananas
Summer Shadows– so I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this on my blog before, but this is a fun series. That said, like most series that runs on an average concept (psychics with soulmates basically), it can be hit and miss. This particular book started out well. For the last two books, there had been hints (well more like *neon signs*) that Summer, the protagonist here, had a secret. And I have to say that secret didn’t disappoint. What disappointed was the rest of the book- because once said secret was revealed, the story took a total nosedive. The big mission that had been promised for two books was a total shitshow (not in a good way). Add to that a lousy love interest and a main character that ended up being a complete prat and getting on my nerves and you have for a lousy conclusion to a series. Maybe if the premise interests you, read book 1 and leave it at that.
Rating: 2/5 bananas
Dark Places– if you’re familiar with Flynn’s work, you’ll know that she is pretty much incapable of writing a bad book or fumbling her prose. This book was as eloquently written as Gone Girl, if a tad long winded with the flashback sequences. Ultimately, though, I liked the Russian doll effect of telling a story this way. Plus, I have to say you never really know if a thriller’s good till the end and this had a very dramatic ending. I saw parts of the big reveal coming, but not all of it, especially not how it all linked together, so I was ultimately very satisfied with this one.
Rating: 4/5 bananas
Demons– well if you’re familiar with Dostoevsky, you’ll know that a huge proportion of what makes his books special are the characters. So it was really unfortunate that I struggled to connect with the characters in this one. I did really like Nik, was intrigued by Dostoevsky’s- as usual- insightful philosophy and found the book’s examination of god and nihilism fascinating. But I think my experience was ruined by two things: migraines and the old, clunky style it was written in. Neither of which things can be attributed to Dostoevsky- he’s off the hook completely here- but it did mean I struggled to get through it. For the most part, what I don’t blame on my own head, I blame on the translator- who I found out halfway through reading it hadn’t even got the title totally right (he’d translated it as “Possessed” when the verb in Russian is supposed to be more like “Possessor” aka Demons/Devils). So I wasn’t in love with this one, but given this is my 5th Dostoevsky, I can’t be expected to love every single one and loving 4/5 is still a good record.
Rating: 3½/5 bananas
Dune– *deep breath* everyone: I didn’t connect with this one- I just felt like it hasn’t aged well. The writing style felt stale and was really, really not my thing. It was too dry for me to relate to the characters or the plot… so I didn’t enjoy it at all I’m afraid. Also I had to deduct bananas for having one of those sand snake monster things (maybe even inventing them… I subsequently blame this book for the 80s) #sorrynotsorry
Rating: 2/5 bananas
Finding Cinderella– Now I have to say when I downloaded this one I didn’t realise it was a novella and that it was part of a series- I just saw “Colleen Hoover” and “free”- my mistake! That said, judging it on its own, it’s got to be the weirdest starts to a relationship ever… In fact it’s just about one of the weirdest story I’ve ever read. In short, the plot was weird with this one.
Rating: 2/5 bananas
So not as many great books this month (I gave more bananas in my last set of mini reviews and there were fewer books!) but I hope you enjoyed that anyway! Have you read any of these? Did you like them? Let me know in the comments!
Nice review haul!! Aww the life of being buried alive lol… I hope you can come up for air now my friend, before you’re sucked right back under.
I agree with you 100% on Dark Places and Dune.. My thoughts exactly on both! I actually downloaded Finding Cinderella over a month ago and am yet to read it… Based on your thoughts, I don’t feel too bad about bumping it out a little longer lol
Great Minis!!
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Thank you so much!! hahaha I know right- I think I might just get a breath before I’m sucked back under lol 😉
Ahh I’m glad you agree!! I thought I was the only one with Dune especially! And it’s really not an effort to read and it’s by no means terrible, so I wouldn’t rule it out, it just had its flaws 😉 Hope you end up liking it more! Thank you!! 😀
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I hope so too!! Colleen is really an Icon to me, I absolutely adore her and look up to her as a writer. I’m not sure if I can handle a disappointment at this point in my life lol… (then again, I guess no one is perfect, right?)
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Yes totally understand that- I do really like her books- I think it would have been better if I’d known this was just an extra for another series, then I would have been invested in the characters already. As it was, I didn’t know why I was supposed to care about the “side characters” (who it turns out are the main love interests in the actual series) Hope that makes sense!!
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It does! I had no idea that it was an extension either, great to know! Thanks for the insight. I’ll have to look into the other series before I actually read it 🙂
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I didn’t connect with Dune one bit, either — never got past about page 20, and the movie is an experience I shall never repeat with my cat as my witness!
I really enjoyed The Scorpio Races, too — but about halfway through, I began to have the same issue you did — just what the time period/setting was would’ve been nice, rather than an estimate based on the dialect and little hints to what sort of technology was on the island. And I really liked the characters, but there were about 50 pages towards the end (before the big race) that I would’ve liked less angst, more background.
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Ahh I’m so glad I’m not alone in that one!! I really struggled to read it, but I held on hope that it was going to be good, so kept on reading… but I never connected with it! hahaha I think I’ll be avoiding the film for sure then!!
Yes- that was precisely what I felt- so glad you thought that too! I did really like it- but like you said, something to ground the setting in like a time period would have been great!! Nothing huge, just a bit of background and I would have been set with that one.
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The movie of Dune is like a big acid trip — and I don’t do drugs. Avoid like the plague. Sign petitions to stop it ever being shown on TV, and just in case Hollywood gets the bright idea to remake it.
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hahahahaha oh gosh- I get what you mean (not that I do drugs either! 😉 ) hahahaha I will do!! I think the promise of one of those sand worm monsters is probably enough to put me off on its own 😉
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Yeah, the only saving grace to that is that the effects were so bad. 😛 But I kept expecting that country singer who was in “Tremors” to pop out and kick some sand worm butt. 😛
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hahhahaha that’s such a hilarious saving grace lol!!! :p Oh dear!!!! That bad?!?! Wow!!!! Just wow!!
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It may have been partly because I was young and impressionable, and the last sci-fi movie I’d seen before that was “Blade Runner,” which was just exceptional for the time period it was made in. But also the sand worms had always scared me, since I saw “Beetlejuice” at way too young an age. 😛
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hahahaha fair enough!! I don’t know where my fear of sandworms came from, I just get totally repulsed by them!
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Also agree about Dune. Book and movie were just no. I haven’t read anything by Maggie Steifvater but my best friend loves her Raven Cycle series!
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Ahh I’m really glad I’m not the only one with this one, cos it’s such a big deal to a lot of people, I was pretty scared to admit I didn’t like it 😉 Ah well, your friend has taste 😉 I really like that series! I think that’s her best work, because not only is it really well written, the world building is spot on with that one and the characters are perfect! (as you can see, I’m biased 😉 )
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I’ll have to check it out! I can’t deny two great reviews, biased or not 😛
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Awesome!!
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I have Scorpio races waiting to be read on my kindle, it’s a shame about the suspending disbelief thing. Little things like that always jar me. But hopefully I’ll still enjoy it.
I’m another one who has never gotten on with dune. I’ve started to read it twice but never get more than a couple of chapters in.
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Ah yes, I know what you mean- I’m like that too. But it didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the book, and as I said I still really liked it (however much it seemed like I only went over the book’s faults) Ah I totally get that- I only finished it cos so many friends and people recommended it to me, but I still didn’t like it in the end. It just wasn’t for me at all
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OH I’m sorry to hear you didn’t connect to the characters and felt that the world building lacks a little bit in The Scorpio Races. I only read the Raven Boys series by this author but definitely want to read more from her. I will be a bit less expectant whenever I start reading that one 🙂
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Ah don’t worry- it’s still good!! It’s just like I said, it may sound like I didn’t enjoy it, but I really did. It didn’t blow me away and there are flaws with it, but I’d still recommend it for sure.
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You have read a nice mix of books. I have not read Dark places. And I am keen to read that one by Flynn
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Thank you!! Ah well I hope you enjoy it!! 😀
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OOh, so glad to hear that you enjoyed The Scorpio Races! 4/5 Bananas is quite a compliment. I listened to the audiobook and the narration is just…fantabulous. I love it so much! And: the author’s recipe for November is one of my favorite dessert recipes. Year round, not just in November XD Sorry you didn’t enjoy most of these, though. Crossing fingers for a better June!
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Thank you!! Yes it is 😀 Ahh awesome!! Ah that’s so cool!! haha yeah it was a shame, but yes, here’s to a better June!
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You didn’t like Dune *stares at you*
I am now going to have reconsider this whole online, fake friendship thing we have going on.
But on the good side, at least you got through 6 reviews, so you don’t have those weighing you down…
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hehehehe well I guess we can be fake frenemies instead 😉
hahaha yes!!! That was really good to get so many done at once!!
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Fake frenemies! Yeegads, an idea from Above Itself it would seem…
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hahahahha
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The Scorpion Races is on my TBR and I’m looking forward to reading it soon. The only thing I have heard about it is that it’s a really underrated book of a really famous author.
Great reviews! I’m not a Colleen Hoover fan tho.
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Ah awesome!! I hope you enjoy it- I definitely think it’s worth reading and that assessment sounds about right 😀
Thank you! Fair enough- she’s hit and miss for me!
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I agree with you about Scorpio Races. I just couldn’t get in to it. Can’t put my finger on why!
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Ah glad you agree!!
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Oh no I just got a used copy of Dune today for super cheap!! But I have also had Dark Places sitting in my shelf for waaaayy to long, so I need to get to that one!!
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Ah well, it’s still really well loved by loads of people- so hopefully you’ll like it!! Yay- that’s great- I hope you enjoy it 😀
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I’m still a Flynn virgin!!!!
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Ahh I hope you like her if you check her out!! I really recommend Gone Girl!
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I think I have Sharp Object! (TBR too big to remember what it’s composed of xD)
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hahaha I know that feeling!!
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Great reviews I really enjoyed The Scorpio Races but agree that the world building could have been alt better 😀
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Thank you!! Yes- I know it didn’t sound like it- but I did enjoy it too 😉
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I attempted to reread Dun a few years back and just could not. I still tell myself that I will. But not so sure that is true haha. I am pleased to see that the 2 titles on my TBR actually received 4 bananas 😉
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Ahh I’m glad I’m not the only one with that! hahaha I get that- it was such a struggle to get through!! hahah that’s great!!! 😀
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Great stuff! I like this mini reviews approach… Now… I actually read Finding Cinderella a couple of years ago (I think? It feels ages, anyway) but for love nor money, I can’t remember at all what it was about XD Just a time-waste-kind-of read, I think?!
Dune… yeah… My hubby tried to make me watch the series and it was the best remedy to put me to sleep… not even going to attempt the books XD
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Thank you!! Ahh I know right- definitely a waste of time- I got to the end and just though “ye wot?!”
hahaha yes!! I definitely think it’s a good cure for insomnia 😉 hahaha
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I need to step my reading up. This gave me a boost.
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I’m glad 😀 Thank you!
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I’ve been slacking.
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So have I to be honest lately
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It happens to the best of us.
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I’m laughing at how you fared with Dune!!! That is one huge sci-fi classic that fans won’t tolerate reviews of less than 4 stars (or bananas)! Hahahaha I have a copy of it and plan on checking it out soon; really curious to see what I’ll think about the writing. I also almost bought that Dostoyevsky book a couple months ago. It’s nice to know it isn’t that bad (besides the issues you had). I.. like some other peepz out here, have yet to try anything by Flynn. I’ve seen Gone Girl (the movie) and do plan on checking out the book once my memory becomes a bit more hazy about the plot (that’s going to take a while huh? Hahahaha) Hope you get through that slump of yours soon!! 😉
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hahaha I know right- I was pretty terrified of the response to that one 😉 Oh cool- I hope you like it more than me!! Ah yes, it is good and there was a lot of things in it that I did like, but it didn’t make me go crazy for it as I have for other works by him- I think I’m definitely holding Dostoevsky books to a higher standard there 😉 Ah Gone Girl is really well written- I watched the movie first too- so I knew what was going to happen, but it was so well written I loved it anyway. I get what you mean about trying to keep let it get a bit hazy first though 😉 But like you said, it might take a while with that one 😉 Thank you!!
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Great mini-reviews! I can’t wait to try The Scorpio Races and Dark Places 🙂 Both sound awesome but I’m glad you kept your praise down-to-earth and still mentioned the not so awesome stuff as well. Going in with terribly high expectations is usually not good!
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Thank you!! Ah I’m glad!! 😀 Yes they were good- aww thank you! Yeah I definitely agree with you on that. 😀
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Interesting to read your review of The Scorpio Races, I love that book! I listened the audiobook and got lost in all the beautiful words, so while I admit it probably was a bit long-winded, I didn’t really mind. I can also see there were gaps in the world building (the particular one I can remember is that we never find out where this island is supposed to be and what world it’s supposed to be in – not sure if that’s what you’re referring to?) but again, that vagueness didn’t bother me much as it seemed to match the style and scale of the story. Anyway, nice to read your thoughts on it, and I’m glad you liked it on the whole!
And I totally agree with you on Dune. Found it very hard to connect to the characters and the writing style made it a struggle to read, especially at the start. I could appreciate it for the world building and being such a forerunner, but couldn’t connect much with it myself.
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Yeah I get that. I have to add that while I was pretty critical here, I did actually enjoy it. Yes- that’s what I mean- it sometimes would hint at the mainland or what was going on in the outside world (which sometimes sounded like the real world) but it would stop short. I get that- and I think if it hadn’t sparked my curiosity by mentioning some things I wouldn’t have minded at all (if that makes sense) I think for a huge proportion of the book I didn’t care about this mysterious “mainland”.
Ahh i know right. I think I can appreciate it from the abstract- but I’m afraid I was too bored and disconnected from the story overall to ever feel connected with it
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Very true, I also remember the mysterious “mainland” because it kept being alluded too and also made me curious. I tried to piece something together from the clues, but at some point I kind of had to tell myself “it doesn’t matter for this story” and ignore it, otherwise it was going to start irritating me. But yes I see from the 4 bananas that you still enjoyed it, just that it didn’t blow you away and you were pinpointing why in your criticisms, which I can totally relate to. I am sometimes very critical of books I give 4 stars because I am trying to identify what stopped me from outright 5-star loving them!
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haha yes I was the same about wanting to piece all the clues together, and although I tried to tell my brain it didn’t matter, it still distracted me a little. Ah I know right- I think books like that end up having more criticisms than the 3* reviews sometimes 😉
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Yes totally understandable! And you’re right, I think they often do have more (though they might still have a hard time matching most 1* angry rants for criticism level 😉 )
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hahaha true!!
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So far, I think you’re the only person who claim not to like Dune. I haven’t read it, but it’s often recommended to SFF readers.
I might have to go Dark Places soon. I’d love to try another Gillian Flynn.
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Yeah, I’ve noticed- it’s pretty definitive and sooo many of my sci fi reading friends in real life have recommended it to me over the years.
Ahh yes, she’s such a great author- I definitely want to read more of her too!
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