Nessie Reviews ☆ The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes

The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Publisher: Little, Brown Company
Release Date: 2004
Source: Bought
Date Read: 8/23/13 to 8/15/14
303 Pages
Rating: ✰✰✰

The last twelve stories written about Holmes and Watson, these tales reflect the disillusioned world of the 1920s in which they were written. Some of the sharpest turns of wit in English literature are contrasted by dark images of psychological tragedy, suicide, and incest in a collection of tales that have haunted generations of readers.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

I impulse bought this from a local bookstore in New York half-way through my Freshman year because I was really upset about BBC's Sherlock hiatus and wanted something to fill the void, so I figured reading the original Sherlock would be the best way to satisfy my craving.

Two things I need to let you guys know up front before getting into the review: 1) I read this book on and off over the course of a year. I treated it more as a filler book when I wasn't able to get my hands onto anything else. 2) I didn't realize these were the last Sherlock stories until after I finished reading it and checked its Goodreads page, because I'm just a genius like that. 

This is the perfect time to mention that I DETEST reading things out of chronological order

Anyways, this collection contains the final twelve adventures of Sherlock and his dear Watson. Of these twelve my favorite was "The Problem of Thor Bridge" because of the twists and turns the case took, the motive of the culprit, and just how it all came from an unfortunate misunderstanding. This is not to say that the other cases weren't as engaging (I also thoroughly enjoyed "The Adventure of the Retired Colourman" and "The Adventure of Lion's Mane"), it's just that in general I don't find most British works written in the late 1800's to early 1900's as engaging or interesting as other books that I read. I think it just something to do with the language and the way it's written that I think creates some distance between me and the story--and it's the only reason that I gave this collection 3 stars. Actually...the more I think about it, I think the style just reminds me too much of the books I was required to read, but cared little for throughout high school and college.

That being said, Sir Conan Doyle is an excellent writer. He's not as flowery or beautiful as Fitzgerald (one of my favorite writers) in his writing, but he exerts quiet kind of control that I really enjoyed. I guess the best example of this is through his descriptions of the various characters. When a new character entered I would immediately visualize them in one way or another. However, over the course of a couple paragraphs or pages Doyle would quietly drop the occasional adjective or note about their demeanor, that made me revise my mental image of them. These little revisions were done so discreetly that it wasn't until the character left the scene that I would realize just how drastically my imagining of them had changed. Even outside of character descriptions, throughout reading I felt comfortable that my narrator was in complete control of the story and would gently guide me along where I needed to go.

Also, I was pleased to see that Sherlock was just as much as an immature,

"The good Watson had at that time deserted me for a wife, the only selfish action I can recall in our association."

sassy little twat,

"On my word, Watson, you are coming along wonderfully. You have done very well indeed. It is true you have missed everything of importance, but you have hit upon the method..."

that is in love cares deeply for his good friend Watson,

"'You're not hurt, Watson? For God's a sake, say that you are not hurt!'
It was worth a wound--it was worth many wounds--to know the depth of loyalty and love which lay behind that cold mask. The clear, hard eyes were dimmed for a moment, and the firm lips were shaking. For the one and only time I caught a glimpse of a great heart as well as of a great brain. All my years of humble but single-minded service culminated in that moment of revelation."

that I remember from BBC Sherlock.

So if you've only ever heard of Sherlock Holmes, but never actually read any of the book give it a shot! However, don't make the same dumb mistake I did and actually start with the first Sherlock story, titled A Study in Scarlet.

Vanessa is Val's bestest buddy, and she will be guest posting throughout the summer because she loves to read and write. You can also find her at her own blog, Musings of an Aspiring Writer.

Top Ten Tuesday #22

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

Top Ten Books People Have Been Telling You That You MUST Read!

WOW so basically this post is going to be all about how I'm a big poop for not listening to any of your suggestions in the past six months. Ha I guess that's fine and all. First I misread this as "Top Ten books you have been telling people to read" but then I read it again and realized my mistake.

Plus that would've been boring.

But anyways, I do have a long extensive list of all the books people have been telling me to read, and I know by the end of the day, it's going to grow even more.

Ok let's start!

Divergent by Veronica Roth - HAHA. I KNOW. I haven't read it yet, but you guys are determined to make me read this? I'm sorry to crush your dreams and all, but unfortunately I'm not that interested *hearts shattering everywhere* OK ok ok ok I will try it someday in the future, don't hurt me please!

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo - THIS I HAVE JUST BEEN LEAVING FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR. I will get to it, I promise! You can stop telling me to continue on with the series now, thanks! Haha!

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins - I SWEAR this one is actually in my Amazon shopping cart, I just haven't bought it yet because I want it to ship to my new address at school, rather than at home, where I'll never see it again!

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer - Ughhhh I have this on my shelf but I'm also waiting for the school year to pick this one up. You know? Because then I will be broke and have no awesome library to fall back on. Seriously the library system in my region is beyond awesome. And then everyone wants me to read Cress as well, which is understandable haha!

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas - This is a big one because ONE) I know it is awesome and TWO) It's ALSO sitting in my Amazon shopping cart, just waiting to be purchased. So yes, don't worry about this series it will also be read this year!

Every single book by Brandon Sanderson or in other words, Words of Radiance - I have entered Faye's awesome Sanderson Read-along, and we are currently reading Elantris. So I will soon read them all! (Yes Faye if you see this, this is aimed at you. I will read Words of Radiance and bask in the awesomeness of Shallan x Kaladin, ok bye)

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater - SORRY I'M SORRY. I'm not sure if I'm a fan of the plot, but I know tons of people love her writing, and I personally love The Raven Boys.

The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden Series) by Julie Kagawa - I'm also not sure about the whole vampire thing going on here, but I'm likely to give it a try a couple years from now. Hahahahah sorry sorry. I DON'T KNOW OKAY? I just don't know about vampires. 

Stolen Songbird by Danielle L. Jensen - My problem with this is just that I haven't been able to get my hands on it yet! And being broke does not help the situation!

The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson Series) by Rick Riordan - A lot of you guys have read this, while I haven't, I'M SORRY. I don't know when I'll get the time to splurge these all. Ugh. I'm just scared that these are too childish for me!

How about you? Do you have any recommendations for me? Any books readers love to recommend to you ALL THE TIME?

Feel free to link your TTTs, I will be recommending one MUST read book on your post. Because I can do what I want. And I've read a lot of good books lately HA.  

Review: Child of a Hidden Sea

Child of a Hidden Sea by A. M. Dellamonica
Hidden Sea Tales #1
Publisher: Tor Books
Release Date: June 24th, 2014
Source: Library
Date Read: 7/30/14 to 8/16/14
336 Pages
Rating: ✰✰✰

One minute, twenty-four-year-old Sophie Hansa is in a San Francisco alley trying to save the life of the aunt she has never known. The next, she finds herself flung into the warm and salty waters of an unfamiliar world. Glowing moths fall to the waves around her, and the sleek bodies of unseen fish glide against her submerged ankles.

The world is Stormwrack, a series of island nations with a variety of cultures and economies—and a language different from any Sophie has heard.

Sophie doesn't know it yet, but she has just stepped into the middle of a political firestorm, and a conspiracy that could destroy a world she has just discovered… her world, where everyone seems to know who she is, and where she is forbidden to stay.

But Sophie is stubborn, and smart, and refuses to be cast adrift by people who don't know her and yet wish her gone. With the help of a sister she has never known, and a ship captain who would rather she had never arrived, she must navigate the shoals of the highly charged politics of Stormwrack, and win the right to decide for herself whether she stays in this wondrous world . . . or is doomed to exile.

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To be honest, I'm kind of a little disappointed in Child of a Hidden Sea. When I first saw it, I was super excited because the cover screamed PIRATES, ANOTHER WORLD, ASSASSIN'S CREED BLACK FLAG (yay to my video game obsessions), but I wasn't prepared for all the politics that was thrown at me.

THIS IS IT. THIS IS THE GAME

Most of the novel involves our main character, Sophie Hansa, getting caught up in an inheritance problem with her half sister after her aunt has been murdered brutally by magically transformed monsters, that used to be human. Oh, and did I mention that Sophie's the only one from San Francisco, while the rest of her family is from this new, maybe parallel world, called Stormwrack? She was pretty much CAST ASIDE by her birth mother, and was then later adopted.

BUT NOT ONLY do we have problems with her inheritance, there's also the matter of finding the heart of the Temperance, which is some sort of huge military ship, I think? And the reason why her aunt Gale was murdered in the first place, was because she held the magic that let her know where the heart was, while everyone else magically believes that it's just a legend. Yup, so the culprits are now targeting Sophie, and are determined to find any way to get her to give them the heart.

And as vague as that last paragraph sounds, I can't tell you anything else, just because I'm so confused on what happened and why. I'm not sure if it was just the whole political thing throwing me off, or that I needed more information than was given. But basically, I was only able to understand 60% of the novel. There are just a number of questions that I really need answered! Such as:

• The whole magic system involved the use of someone's true name, and since the culprits had Sophie's full name in possession, why didn't they just use that to control her? Why go through so much trouble with everything?

• THIS MAGIC SYSTEM IS NOT 100% EXPLAINED TO ME

• So confused at what the heck the Temperance actually does. I don't even know how to go about questioning this. All I know is that it's a big ship that's good at destroying other ships, I think?

• GAH

• WHY IS THERE NO ROMANCE :(

But other than that, I did like the fact that Sophie brought all of her technological gear to study up on the sea life and different species on Stormwrack, after being contacted by her half sister to come back, of course. And not only that, but she brought her queer adopted brother as well. Both of them are literally the smartest people I've ever read about, well ok, maybe just her brother Bram, who learned a language in around a week's time (because MAGIC let Sophie learn the language). BUT THEN, both of them didn't even focus on the COOL THINGS about such a world. Nope. It's all about geography, marine life, and land masses, and "How is this new world connected to Earth? I see some Italian influences, blah blah". I think that's cool and all for the first couple of chapters, but then wouldn't you want to know more about the magic?

Maybe I should've concentrated more, but I don't think I could've. I think Child of a Hidden Sea would've been perfect for someone more knowledgeable in the realm of politics, but that's not me. And in the end, I think that's what caused my inability to enjoy the novel, which is why this is 3 stars rather than 2.

Nessie Reviews ☆ Ebony Rising

Ebony Rising: Short Fiction of the Greater Harlem Renaissance by Craig Gable
Publisher: Indiana University Press
Release Date: February 1, 2004
Source: Library
Date Read: 7/11/14 to 8/11/14
600 Pages
Rating: ✰✰✰✰

Ebony Rising is the first comprehensive, gender-balanced collection of short fiction from the greater Harlem Renaissance era (1912-1940). This was a time marked by writing of extraordinary breadth and depth by some of the most famous authors in African American literary history. Among them were Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Jean Toomer, Dorothy West, and Claude McKay. Not surprisingly, these authors have received an unprecedented amount of critical attention, and their work remains popular to this day.

For this anthology, Craig Gable has selected 52 short stories by 37 writers (20 women and 17 men) representing a wide range of style, form, subject matter, and social awareness. To underscore the movement's growth and change, the stories are arranged chronologically by year of publication. Some will be familiar to readers; many more will not, for this is not the "greatest hits" of the Harlem Renaissance. Instead, readers will find a remarkable collection of fiction by authors famous and obscure--some who lived in New York City and others who never resided there. There are stories set in Harlem, but they are just as likely to take place elsewhere in the United States. Alongside traditional stories, there are examples of detective fiction, political satire, even science fiction, with a few experiments in narrative structure and form for good measure. The stories take up issues of race, marriage, parenthood, crime, politics, religion, work, abuse, old age, and death--in short, the stuff of life, and of compelling and lasting fiction.

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When this summer started, I challenged myself to read a few books that were outside of my usual reading range. In addition, throughout the past year I have become increasingly aware of the importance of reading and listening to marginalized voices. Growing up I had always been vaguely aware of what the Harlem Renaissance was and its cultural importance for Black Americans but never really read anything from it. However after spending 3 or 4 days a week in Harlem for my job (I  go to school at Columbia University--just a couple blocks away), I had a burning desire to read and learn more about the area's cultural history. So when I stumbled across this 600 page behemoth in my local library I knew I had get my hands on it.

This was my first time reading an anthology so I can't really compare it as a whole work against other anthologies. That being said, the reason I picked up this particular anthology is because the editor, Craig Gable, made a point to include women, lesser known authors, and a variety of genres. I thought it would give me a nice wide scope of what Black American authors were writing. I also skimmed through the introduction, where Mr. Gable made a point to mention the importance of the works being arranged by date published instead of by authors. If anything, I liked this arrangement because it allowed me to see which fears and social circumstances changed or remained the same across these works.

This anthology is made up of 52 short stories, but, of course, some stood out to me more than others. One story that will always haunt me is "The Closing Door" by Angeline Weld Grimké. In it, a fifteen year old girl paints the picture of a beautiful, happy, ideal life with her with an aunt and uncle, Agnes and Jim Milton, that couldn't be more in love and are expecting a beautiful baby. However, the mood drastically changes as Agnes discovers that her favorite brother was lynched by a mob in the South. The woman who was once the epitome of joy and light is transformed into a ghost that lurks along the shadows. Once so happy to be a mother, she is now distraught at the thought of bringing life into the world when any "orderly, white mob" could murder her child and no one would think twice. The way Grimké tells this story is equally beautiful and heartbreaking and actually forced me to put down the book for a couple days just so I could soak it all in and realize just how relevant a story written in 1919 is today.

Me after finishing 70% of the stories

I'm not going to lie, a fair amount of these stories are depressing. Many of them involve characters who are trying their hardest to better their lives but continue to find themselves exploited or at the bottom for no other reason than the color of their skin. While lynchings are discussed, they mainly remain in the background giving you a glimpse into the world and the constant, yet normalized, fear that Black Americans once lived under. There's once sci-fi story written by W.E.B Dubois, where the entirety of New York City has been suddenly killed with the exception of Jim, a black man, and Mary, a white woman. It was interesting to see how it took the apparent erasure of society for Jim to be seen as a man once again. However, let it be said that there are also a few works in here that aren't too concerned with the racial politics of the day but are just as fun and interesting to read. There's also a murder mystery story that isn't too concerned with the social politics of the day and was just a nice distraction.

I highly recommend this anthology for everyone to read just because I think it is extremely important to read from authors that have been silenced or marginalized in the past. Some of the works in this anthology force you to face the parts of America's past that we so often try to forget. It's horrendously uncomfortable at times, but I still find it necessary, because you can't claim to know or love your country if you don't ever encounter it at its worse.

Take the Red Pill and read this book.

Vanessa is Val's bestest buddy, and she will be guest posting throughout the summer because she loves to read and write. You can also find her at her own blog, Musings of an Aspiring Writer.

Stacking the Shelves #7

Stacking The Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews and is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!


Bought or from the library:

Elantris by Brandon Sanderson - FOR THE SOCIAL POTATO SANDERSON COSMERE READ-ALONG! :D

Child of a Hidden Sea by A. M. Dellamonica - Had this on hold in the library, and I actually started reading this right after I picked it up. So far, it's pretty good, but a little confusing to understand, especially with all the politics involved. It's also adult fiction.

Landline by Rainbow Rowell - I FINALLY GOT MY HANDS ON THIS. But for some reason, it's in large print? I mean my eyesight is really bad, but I didn't ask for this! LOL

Eona by Alison Goodman - I HAVE THE SEQUEL! Buuuuuut I won't be reading it until I finish all my other library books too. Ugh, I'm so behind, I think I'm going to have to return some for now.

e-ARCs and blog tour books:

Crane: Legends Saga by Stacey Rourke - Part of the blog tour I'm in (I'm allowed to post up blog tour books I've acquired, right? I'm not breaking some sort of bloggy law?)

The Winter People by Rebekah L. Purdy - The cover is definitely intriguing, and I just started it so it's pretty good. I received this ARC from Entangled Publishing, so thank you very much!

Coral & Bone by Tiffany Duane - I THINK THIS ONE IS ABOUT MERMAIDS???? But this is also from Xpresso Book tours :D

So there ya go! This has been my haul for the past three weeks or so, but since I haven't really been reading for said amount of time, these books have just been piling up. Luckily, I have just gotten out of my reading slump! But then again, I only have 12 days to finish my library books, and then I also have a couple of ARCs and blog tours as well.

BUT I BELIEVE! I BELIEVE I WILL SUCCEED!

Oh, and side not, I just watched this not so creepy, but hilarious Japanese horror movie with Faye @ The Social Potato, and I have no regrets. I mean, it was a little weird. Nope, scratch that, super weird. HAHA.

Review: Wings of Arian Blog Tour + Giveaway!

Wings of Arian by Devri Walls
Solus #1
Publisher: Stonehouse Ink
Release Date: April 24th, 2012
Source: E-book
Date Read: 7/8/14 to 7/14/14
371 Pages
Rating: ✰✰✰

Kiora thought she had never heard a lie until she was sixteen. But she was wrong. Her entire existence was based on nothing but. She thought that evil did not exist. Lie. That magic was not real. Lie. And that the land of Meros was all there was. One more lie.

With Aleric telling her that evil is knocking on the door and that she is the only one who can stop them she has a choice to make. Refuse, or start the wildest most painful ride of her life.
She reluctantly dips her toe into her new existence of magic and threads, dragons and shapeshifters, and the person who wants to take control of it all: the evil Dralazar.

However, this journey was never meant to be hers alone. She will be accompanied by a Protector. To her disbelief, and utter irritation they name the hotheaded, stubborn, non -magical, (albeit gorgeous) Prince Emane. They will have to trust each other with their lives, but right now Kiora would settle for a non hostile conversation.

And now it comes down to this, If you had never heard a lie, would you know when you heard one? Is knowing good from evil innate? Kiora finds herself having to decide who lives and who dies on those very questions.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

Devri Walls lives in Kuna Idaho with her husband and two kids. She has worked as a music teacher and currently, a preschool teacher. She majored in theater and her love of a story still drives her today. Thankfully, she has finally found an outlet for all the voices in her head.

Author Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Truthfully, I signed up for my first blog tour due to the amazing banner design based off of the cover of the last book in the series, Wings of Lomay, which is actually what this blog tour is promoting. Other than that, I didn't have a specific reason for signing up for Wings of Arian, but luckily, it turned out to be pretty good. It wasn't super special or anything, but I didn't find any reason to hate it!

The beginning of the series starts out with discovering who the Solus is, in other words, Kiora, who not only has the ability to control magic, but is part of this huge prophecy that states that she will save the world from darkness and unite all species. But, unfortunately due to the humans and the King, all non-magical beings have no clue that 1) magic exists, and 2) other species besides humans exists. Sure, there's history books and stuff, but who believes in that?

Enter Prince Emane. He hardly paid attention to his history lessons, and now when he's called to protect the Solus against an evil strong enough to destroy them all, he's clueless. But regardless, he still chooses to be Kiora's Protector anyway, no matter what his father, the King says.

Like I said before, Wings of Arian didn't really leave a memorable mark, but I did enjoy some of the unique features of the story. LIKE PEGASUSES! 

But more serious. This whole book is serious honestly

And then also, each living being having a their own individual thread. Which is pretty cool in a way. OH and did I mention Shapeshifters? Basically, everyone is either on the side of Kiora and her "guardians/teachers", or on the side OF EVILLLLLLL (aka this main villain dude called Dralazar), or just completely oblivious because they're human.

EVILLLLLLLLLL

Unfortunately, I did have a couple of problems with the book. It wasn't perfect. First off, much of the storytelling is in the form of dialogue. As in both Kiora and reader discover new information through the conversations she has with her teachers, the Ancient ones, Arturo the Pegasus, and then the main love interest (can you guess?). It was fine in the beginning, but over time, it got a little boring.

Plus most of the conversations between the two lovebirds were very typical, like "I don't want to stand by without doing anything!", or "I will not allow you to get hurt!" It really felt like the main characters were just really, immature. 

And then lastly, I was not a fan of the villain. Honestly, this book felt like a children's movie to me. Dralazar wasn't as powerful as he was said to be, and he was constantly outwitted by Kiora and Eleana, one of Kiora's "guardians". Like really. Eleana, being extremely powerful, managed to sneak into his "lair" and pretty much turn off his "magic pool of water that lets him track Kiora". And then while she leaves, he curses her and yells out. Like what? HOW DID HE GET BEATEN SO EASILY?? I don't understand!

KIND OF REMINDS ME OF THIS GUY BUT WORSE

And of course Kiora meets him some point along the way, and he's super handsome and tall.

But an idiot...

Haha ok I'll stop. But that's really how I felt about the so called evil side. I thought the sides were so unbalanced, that it ended up really bothering me. Obviously, I don't know what happens in the sequels, but for now, this is how I feel.

In conclusion, Wings of Arian has great potential as the first in its series. Even though there were some things here and there that could be better, I still enjoyed reading it. AND, AS PART OF THE BLOG TOUR, WE HAVE SOME GOODIES!

The first giveaway is for an ebook copy of ANY book in the Solus series which is part of my blog only. And then the second is the tour-wide one. Feel free to enter both or either!

FYI: This e-book is actually FREE on Amazon

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Dreams of Gods & Monsters

Dreams of Gods & Monsters by Laini Taylor
Daughter of Smoke & Bone #3
Publisher: Little, Brown Company
Release Date: April 8th, 2014
Source: Library
Date Read: 7/29/14 to 8/4/14
613 Pages
Rating: ✰✰✰✰

By way of a staggering deception, Karou has taken control of the chimaera rebellion and is intent on steering its course away from dead-end vengeance. The future rests on her, if there can even be a future for the chimaera in war-ravaged Eretz.

Common enemy, common cause.

When Jael's brutal seraph army trespasses into the human world, the unthinkable becomes essential, and Karou and Akiva must ally their enemy armies against the threat. It is a twisted version of their long-ago dream, and they begin to hope that it might forge a way forward for their people.

And, perhaps, for themselves. Toward a new way of living, and maybe even love.

But there are bigger threats than Jael in the offing. A vicious queen is hunting Akiva, and, in the skies of Eretz ... something is happening. Massive stains are spreading like bruises from horizon to horizon; the great winged stormhunters are gathering as if summoned, ceaselessly circling, and a deep sense of wrong pervades the world.

What power can bruise the sky?

From the streets of Rome to the caves of the Kirin and beyond, humans, chimaera and seraphim will fight, strive, love, and die in an epic theater that transcends good and evil, right and wrong, friend and enemy.

At the very barriers of space and time, what do gods and monsters dream of? And does anything else matter?

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

 I have finally finished this monstrosity of a book. Yes, I loved this series, and I've been anticipating this last book since I finished the second one, but still, 600 pages is a lot to take in, you know? It's just so intimidating!

But in the end, I did finish it! And for the first time in a while, I have finished a trilogy! COMPLETELY. *cues confetti* Woooooo!

Party time with dancing Groot!

Since this is the last book of the Daughter of Smoke & Bone Trilogy, I've decided to convince you to start the series, by slightly recapping the first book, and also by mentioning its awesomeness. In bullet-point form of course:

• Meet Karou. She is awesome. She also has blue hair (and I'm imagining, a nice royal blue color, unless I'm completely wrong ah well who cares). AND SHE'S AN AMAZING ARTIST
• She doesn't know where she comes from, except that she's been raised by chimaera, who act as her family
• And of course, when she meets Akiva, and that's where all hell breaks loose! Because when you think that this is just your typical "angel" meets "demon" thing, you are wrong. Life is more complicated than just romance. The two sides have been at war, since maybe forever? And that's not even all! Especially coming into the third book here.
• Be prepared to enter an AMAZING and ORIGINAL WORLD, like seriously, I don't think you'll find any other book like this. The originality of the world that Taylor magically comes up with is impressive. GIVE ME A BRAIN LIKE THAT.

So yes, please start this series, with Daughter of Smoke & Bone. And if you don't like it, then no harm done, right?

Is there a limit to how many times I can use this gif? Yes, no? no????

Right, ok, onto the actual review of Dreams of Gods & Monsters. Feel free to skim or skip if you haven't even touched this series (yet)!

Dreams of Gods & Monsters really was an amazing end to a really, really good YA fantasy trilogy. Even now, I just want to start over with the first book, and reread them all, this time more slowly. There is just so much to take in with this series, and some parts can be confusing if you took long breaks between each book (lol me). I especially had a hard time with this at the beginning, because I had to yet again, get accustomed to all the side characters, the changing POVs, and also even some new characters. Luckily, the author gave us a reminder to who was who, and by the middle, I was rolling along.

Yep, because once I got reaquainted with my beloved characters, Karou and Ziri and Mik and Zuzanna, I just could not stop reading. At that point, it wasn't even a 600 page book anymore.

Everything just came together so naturally, and the writing itself was also so beautiful, and augh, I just absolutely loved how original the world was. I remember thinking to myself, "I don't think I'll read anything as complex and original as this again." I'll probably be proven wrong sometime soon (and Harry Potter is an exception to this), but it was a thought!

"But Val," you might ask, "if you love this series so much, and it ended perfectly, then WHY is it only rated 4 stars?" Well first off, I think I would rate it 4.25, but I like rounding. And second, some things did bother me a little in the end. 

Spoiler time! Highlight to see! I'm not sure how I feel about Taylor adding in the whole "there are multiple universes and beasts are out there to get us, and yes Akiva you are opening up the veil that is keeping the beasts from the other universes". Like wow, isn't that a mouthful? And that's along with everything else that's been happening too. End spoiler!

And also, I approve of Akiva and Karou's relationship, I really do, it's just that I don't really know that much about him. Basically he doesn't "pop out" like all the other characters in this series. In fact, I think I'm more fascinated by (spoiler) Ziri's and Lizrael's relationship, and then of course there's Mik and Zuzanna, who are totally badass. 

In the end though, I definitely recommend this series. I know, I'm done I'm done, ok? But it was just so mesmerizing and beautiful, and gah. It was a great experience, and now I'm just SO SAD that it's over.