Tag Archives: m/m romance

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Book Review: Carry On, by Rainbow Rowell

I picked up a paperback copy of Rainbow Rowell‘s Carry On from a local Little Free Libary.

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Simon Snow is the worst Chosen One who’s ever been chosen.

That’s what his roommate, Baz, says. And Baz might be evil and a vampire and a complete git, but he’s probably right.

Half the time, Simon can’t even make his wand work, and the other half, he starts something on fire. His mentor’s avoiding him, his girlfriend broke up with him, and there’s a magic-eating monster running around, wearing Simon’s face. Baz would be having a field day with all this, if he were here — it’s their last year at the Watford School of Magicks, and Simon’s infuriating nemesis didn’t even bother to show up.

my review

I generally enjoyed this once it picked up. The book is divided into three parts and an epilogue, and I was well into part II before I became invested. Up until that point, it was just too gimmicky—being a Harry Potter spoof and a spin-off from another Rowell book.

Once it finally managed to nab my attention, I found the humor endearing, the story fun to read, and the characters relatable. It’s a little predictable. There are a few threads left open (one presumes for future books), and it’s a little anticlimactic. But all in all, I’m glad to have finally read it.
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Book Review: Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

 

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Book Review: Mechanical Magic, by Lorraine UIrich

Here I am, at the end of another year, trying to finish up my author alphabet challenge. I set out to read a book by an author whose surname begins with every letter of the alphabet each year. Just as almost every previous year, we’ve reached mid-December, and I still hadn’t read an author whose name starts with a ‘U.’ I find these the hardest to find usually. So, I purchased a copy of Mechanical Magic by Lorraine Ulrich to fit the bill.

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When Aster Genisov, a creator of mechanical novelties, is asked to help a wounded elf, his special talents and painful past could be the key to the elf’s survival.

Y’rean was born to touch the sky, but when his wings are destroyed by a cruel master, not even the life he begins to build with Aster can assuage his despair. Aster has the means to help him—it’s written in his gypsy blood—but is love enough for Aster to face his past and embrace his talent for mechanical magic?

my review

It’s a good thing that I don’t bother with star ratings here on the blog because this would be a hard book for me to rate. I think if I had read it five years ago, I would have loved it; I probably rated it five stars. I was very into M/M romances at the time, and I think I would have appreciated the quietness of the story. But tastes change with time, and now the sedateness of the story left me wanting. I wouldn’t go so far as to say I was bored. But it definitely wasn’t hitting the notes I currently enjoy. However, if you are someone who enjoys a calm, soft romance, this is a good one to pick up.

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Mechanical Magic By Lorraine Ulrich

 

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Book Review: Soul Eater, by Lily Mayne

I received a copy of Lily Mayne‘s Soul Eater a Renegade Romance box.
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Twenty years ago, monsters rose on earth and began a new age of civilization.

One where humans live in military-controlled, cramped and dirty cities along the coasts, and the majority of the United States is known as the Wastes. A lawless, desolate and dangerous place, teeming with monsters that have claimed the land for their own.

Including Wyn the Soul Eater.

He appears every three years, making his way across the country and slaughtering humans randomly, sucking them dry until they’re nothing but husks.

I’ve only been in the military for six months, but now I’m part of a unit tasked with trying to stop and capture him. And when I’m the only soldier out of hundreds that the Soul Eater leaves alive, I realise that… something about me has intrigued him.

But what is it? What could a twenty-three year old guy from the south, with no one and nothing in the world, have possibly done to capture the attention of a death monster with horns, blackened fingertips and a face hidden in the dark depths of his hood?

my review

This was really sweet, and I enjoyed it. I liked all of the characters, even the side one. But there really isn’t anything to it except the romance, and that left me a tad bored. There is no particular mystery or challenge to the plot (other than survival). There isn’t a lot of world-building. There are no significant characters outside of the main heroes and a side character who stars in the next book in the series. So, ultimately, though I liked the book, I wasn’t lit on fire by it. I have the next one, and I plan to read it though.

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Niblioholic: Review Soul Eater