22/11/2015 This is the first time I've read the illustrated edition, obviously, but I'm copying my review from the standard edition anyway because it's22/11/2015 This is the first time I've read the illustrated edition, obviously, but I'm copying my review from the standard edition anyway because it's still relevant. First things first: the art in this is STUNNING. It shows the emotion and movement in so many of the scenes perfectly - Harry's joy when he and Hagrid are taking the boat back to the mainland and away from the Dursleys, the chaos of Platform 9 3/4, Harry's desperation and ecstasy over seeing his parents in the Mirror of Erised, Snape's loathing, the speed of Quidditch.
That said, it makes me ever so slightly disappointed that Kay chose to make all three of the Golden Trio white. Because sure, Ron has to be white. He's ginger, and we're constantly told that he's stupidly pale or green or grey. But Harry and Hermione? There's nothing in there to say that either of them are white. And it actually makes more sense if they're not, given their hair. My headcanon says Harry's black and Hermione's Indian. So I would have LOVED to see an artist go "Guess what? Let's do something a little different here."
ANYWAY. Because of the layout of this and wanting to savour the illustrations, this was a slower read than Philosopher's Stone usually is. And as a result, the book gave me a crapton of feels. Why? Because reading it slowly made it incredibly obvious just how abusive the Dursleys are towards Harry, and how fucked up Harry's childhood has been. I mean, he lives in a cupboard full of spiders. He's never been to the zoo. He has to do the cooking and the cleaning. He thinks it's generous that they give him 50p for Christmas. He's never gotten a birthday present or a Christmas present, and he doesn't have any friends until he goes to Hogwarts. He's never even seen a picture of his parents. UNCLE VERNON DRIVES HIM TO KINGS CROSS ON 1 SEPTEMBER, POINTS OUT THAT THERE'S NO PLATFORM 9 3/4 AND FUCKING LEAVES HIM THERE.
Obviously, I've noticed all these things in the past, but something about the combination of the layout and the art really hammered it home for me and gave me seven million feelings and the desire to give this ELEVEN YEAR OLD KID a hug. It's no wonder Molly Weasley mothers him so much. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go and cry over a fictional kid.
4/5/2014 It staggers me that no matter how many times I read these books, I still find new things every time. Surely, after sixteen rereads, I shouldn't be surprised by anything? And yet, I am. This time around? Harry's nerves about being Sorted: "He'd never been more nervous, never, not even when he'd had to take a school report home to the Dursleys saying that he'd somehow turned his teacher's wig blue." (p. 86)
26/11/2012 I first read Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone on a plane from London to Singapore in 1998. My mum handed it and Chamber of Secrets to me as I was boarding the plane, and told me to read them and let me know what she thought when she got back to Australia the following week. I read both books straight through without stopping. I read through dinner, and I kept reading when they dimmed the lights so everyone could go to sleep.
Fourteen years later, it still has the same power over me. I love every second of it. It may not be a perfect book from a critical point of view. But to me, as a reader? It's flawless....more
I had an entire review here from the first time I read it, but apparently Goodreads decided that it wasn't worth keeping and deleted it when I marked I had an entire review here from the first time I read it, but apparently Goodreads decided that it wasn't worth keeping and deleted it when I marked it as "currently reading" again. SIGH. Anyway, I love this book. It's squee-worthy and adorable, even if the boy next door has a completely stupid name (Cricket?? Seriously?!), particularly when you're from a Commonwealth country. The first time around, I read this before Anna and the French Kiss and enjoyed it a lot more than its predecessor. The second time around, there was so much more of the story that made sense. I'm torn now as to which book I love more. This gives us the continuation of Anna and Etienne's story as WELL as a completely new and squee-tastic story. But it also gives us Max, who's a completely douchecanoe. So...there's that.
I love Lola's quirky fashion sense, Cricket's inventing, Lola's dads, the random figure skating thanks to Calliope, and obviously Anna and Etienne popping up throughout. And, after rereading it during the Winter Olympics, I'm kind of wishing that there was going to be a future book featuring Calliope going to the Olympics and meeting a hot Swedish snowboarder or something. Because that would be magical.
Anyway, if you like stupidly cute books about quirky teenage girls falling in love with adorable teenage neighbour boys with a dash of figure skating, you should go read this. Really, you should go read this anyway because it's just so stinking cute....more
Plot summary: Lucas Bell lives in a gloomy house with no one but his bad-tempered guardian and tutor for company. But when someone else comes to live Plot summary: Lucas Bell lives in a gloomy house with no one but his bad-tempered guardian and tutor for company. But when someone else comes to live at Midnight Court, things are about to change forever.
Thoughts: I LOVED Joan Aiken's books as a kid. They were a big part of what got me interested in history and the Victorian era more specifically. The characters weren't nearly as wonderful as I remembered them being, and the story contains quite a lot of deaths. But then again, it's set in 1842 in a carpet mill, so what would you expect?!
It's still got plenty of gasp-worthy moments as an adult, but the action is all fairly shortlived. Lots of build up, and then the climax takes place in half a page! Still worth the read for kids who are interested in history, provided they can handle the dark themes....more
Plot summary: Polly Meridian is about to graduate from high school when her home, Delta Station, is attacked by the Gloman Empire. With a ruthless suiPlot summary: Polly Meridian is about to graduate from high school when her home, Delta Station, is attacked by the Gloman Empire. With a ruthless suitor chasing her across the galaxy, Polly is about to realise that her world may not have been quite as idyllic as she thought.
Thoughts: I loved the crap out of this book as a teenager. Rereading it for the first time in about ten years, it's apparently that YA has come a long way since the mid-90s. First of all, I'm not sure that this was QUITE the appropriate book that my mother thought it was when she bought it for 13 year old me. I mean, in the course of the book, the following things happen to Polly: (view spoiler)[- Getting down in the park with her high school boyfriend when the Empire invades, and her boyfriend gets sucked out of the hole in the space station - Told that as she has no useful skills, she'll be sold into prostitution - Escapes from the threat of prostitution only to find herself tangled up in an assassination plot - Falls for one of the would-be assassins and starts a sexual relationship with him within 24 hours of meeting him - Nearly gets raped by one of the other would-be assassins - Finds out that her parents are dead - Sexual Relationship Guy gets shot and dies - Ends up on a prostitution ship anyway - Made a sex slave to a slightly insane Gloman dude - Gloman dude's ship is attacked by rebel forces, and he leaves her behind - Finds out what a period is - Finds out she's pregnant with Gloman dude's baby - Finds out Gloman dude is Sexual Relationship Guy's half brother - Gets kidnapped by Gloman dude - Has her baby stolen (while she's still pregnant!!) by Gloman dude's all-powerful mother - Gets abandoned on a random planet by the all-powerful mother - Immediately gets pregnant a second time because all-powerful mother ensured she was given fertility treatments after she stole the foetus - Realises that she actually loves Gloman dude and he loves her (hide spoiler)]
So yeah. There's a lot going on that wasn't really appropriate for 13 year old me.
It takes a lot to get past the kind-of-rapey, Stockholm Syndrome thing. But if you can, it's a fun space opera. And as an added benefit, it's a stand-alone book with no love triangle, and not a crooked smile to be seen!...more
Plot summary: On a cold night in Chicago, two teenagers - both named Will Grayson - meet in the most unlikely of places. A chance meeting suddenly seePlot summary: On a cold night in Chicago, two teenagers - both named Will Grayson - meet in the most unlikely of places. A chance meeting suddenly sees their lives colliding, thanks to Tiny Cooper, who is in the midst of writing the most spectacularly epic musical to ever grace the high school stage.
Thoughts: I was a little apprehensive at first. Having come straight from reading "Looking for Alaska" and "An Abundance of Katherines", I was concerned that John Green's Will Grayson would be his standard slightly annoying but still awesome every man character. But then I hit David Levithan's first chapter, and holy hell. The two Will Graysons couldn't be more different. There's so much anger and so much fear in Levithan's creation.
Despite the two Will Graysons, the book is really more about Tiny Cooper and how he brings people together. Tiny was a FANTASTIC character, although I'm sure if he were real, he'd get very annoying very quickly!
I loved the book, overall. It was a fantastic mix of humour, sadness and teen anger and frustration. The two parts merged brilliantly, and the ending - oh God, the ending - made me cry. But in a good way. Not a "The Fault in Our Stars" way. ...more
Plot summary: Colin Singleton has dated nineteen girls, and they've all been named Katherine. And every single one of them has dumped him. Wallowing iPlot summary: Colin Singleton has dated nineteen girls, and they've all been named Katherine. And every single one of them has dumped him. Wallowing in self pity after his most recent dumping by a Katherine, his best friend Hassan decides that what Colin needs is a roadtrip. Ending up in Gutshot, Tennessee, Colin starts developing a theorem which will predict the course of any relationship.
Thoughts: I've seen a lot of negative reviews of this, but I really enjoyed it. Colin and Hassan are such an odd pair, and their moments of "Dude, what do we DO in this situation???" are brilliant. The supporting characters were hilarious, and I loves me the hell out of a roadtrip story.
I suspect the reason why a lot of people struggle with it is the anagrams and the maths behind Colin's theorem. But they were so much a part of who Colin is that without them, the story would be greatly lessened. ...more
Plot summary: Miles Halter has led a very dull life, with the possible exception of his fascination with the last words of famous people. But when he Plot summary: Miles Halter has led a very dull life, with the possible exception of his fascination with the last words of famous people. But when he moves away to attend boarding school, he meets Alaska Young. Alaska steals his heart, and changes his life forever. But events are brewing beyond Miles' control. Events that will change everything.
Thoughts: I found Miles kind of irritating, to be honest. But the supporting characters were fantastic. I loved The Colonel, particularly his antics at basketball games. I really enjoyed the Before/After timeline, counting down to the big event and then counting up afterwards.
Honestly, while I enjoyed it, I think I would have liked it more if I hadn't read a bunch of John Green books back to back. It felt too familiar - too similar to the camaraderie of Paper Towns, too reminiscent of the sadness of The Fault in Our Stars - despite knowing that it was John Green's first book.
While I loved the characters and the story and the style, I had unanswered questions at the end. And who knows - maybe that's exactly what John Green intended....more
Plot summary: In a dystopian future, everyone has a procedure done at the age of eighteen to remove their ability to love, which is seen as a disease.Plot summary: In a dystopian future, everyone has a procedure done at the age of eighteen to remove their ability to love, which is seen as a disease. A few short months before her procedure is due to take place, Lena meets Alex, and her life changes forever.
Thoughts: I was really disappointed in this. I LOVED Lauren Oliver's "Before I Fall". But this had none of the characteristics that I so enjoyed about that. I never quite got the hang of the world Oliver built, and to come across yet another teenage boy with a crooked smile almost made me scream. I also have a hard time dealing with female characters who are all "No one would EVER look at me, because I'm standing next to my super pretty friend" on an almost constant basis.
I found myself constantly wondering how you can have music and art and literature and religion in a world devoid of love, as well as struggling to understand why the children being raised by loveless parents grow up without any signs of neglect or attachment issues. It seemed like a pretty big plot hole that I couldn't overlook.
Overall, I felt like the book would have been much more enjoyable if Lena's best friend Hana had been the protagonist. Lena never felt quite strong enough to me. ...more
Plot summary: As an eleven year old, Grace was attacked by wolves. She's been fascinated by them ever since. Now seventeen, Grace meets Sam, and learnPlot summary: As an eleven year old, Grace was attacked by wolves. She's been fascinated by them ever since. Now seventeen, Grace meets Sam, and learns that the wolves are actually people who turn into wolves during the winter and revert to their human form when the weather warms up.
Thoughts: This is basically Twilight where Bella falls for Jacob instead. Except that Grace falls for Sam when he's in wolf form, and doesn't know he's human for six years. So...that's kind of creepy. When she DOES find out that Sam's human(ish), there's a massive case of insta-love. That said, at least Sam and Grace are cute together...
I liked the different take on werewolves, especially the (view spoiler)[limited years before you become a wolf permanently (hide spoiler)] thing. That was fun, and a nice change from the norm.
My biggest problem was the irresponsible parenting all around. Grace's parents left her locked in a car on the hottest day of summer as a child. Sam's parents tried to kill him as a child. Grace is basically the parent in the house, doing the cooking and cleaning, and coming home to an empty house night after night. I mean, Sam is staying in the house for WEEKS and her parents don't realise.
As mindless fluff, it was fine. It kept me entertained during some really long and boring days. But the more I think about it, the more problems I had with it. And that's not exactly ideal. ...more
Plot summary: 16 year old Tris has a decision to make: stay with her family and be unhappy, or risk a new life and never see her family again. In the Plot summary: 16 year old Tris has a decision to make: stay with her family and be unhappy, or risk a new life and never see her family again. In the near future, society is divided into factions, each valuing different qualities. Tris's life is about to change forever.
Thoughts: I couldn't stop reading this, and am actually fighting the urge to buy the sequel. I loved that Tris is a sixteen year old girl who kicks arse. I loved - especially having been there last year - having a sense of how Chicago has changed while still remaining recognisable. The pacing was great, and I loved that Roth wasn't afraid to recognise that in war, not everyone makes it out alive.
The thing that irritated me most is that there's a limited amount of explanation. It's a very plot driven novel with little back story to the society or, indeed, Divergents. Perhaps it's to be expected, given that it was clear from the get go that it was written to be part of a trilogy.
Also, I couldn't help but compare the factions to Hogwarts houses, especially with their penchant for wearing particular colours and valuing specific traits over others.
It was a fast paced and fun read that left me with plenty of questions that will hopefully be answered in the sequel....more
In all honesty, I had absolutely no idea what The Great Gatsby was about before I read it. I'm quite hesitant when it comes to early twentieth centuryIn all honesty, I had absolutely no idea what The Great Gatsby was about before I read it. I'm quite hesitant when it comes to early twentieth century fiction - I'm a big fan of nineteenth century books, so progressing from carriages and the formality of the Victorian era to cars and the decadence of the Jazz Era was something of a dramatic shift for me.
I liked it well enough, but I don't know that it's going to be a book that I read over and over again. Essentially, while it was an enjoyable story, it was 150 pages of white people swanning around, revelling in their richness, and 30 pages unexpected death.
Perhaps I missed the point of the story, and would feel differently if I'd had to study it in high school like many Americans. But for me, it was an enjoyable if somewhat plot light story. ...more
18/3/2017 I stand by what I said last time, basically. Also, WHAT UP JACIN? I SEE YOU THERE.
That said, this is probably my least favourite of the quar18/3/2017 I stand by what I said last time, basically. Also, WHAT UP JACIN? I SEE YOU THERE.
That said, this is probably my least favourite of the quartet, just because I want to get to #squadgoals territory. That, and it has to do a lot of heavy lifting as far as worldbuilding is concerned and so it takes a while to get into the flow of things. Still, I'm looking forward to rereading the rest of the quartet, especially Winter.
15/9/2015 On reread, having now read Scarlet and Cress, it's really obvious how well Meyer was setting up the series from the get go. We get little hints at all the other stories that will follow, and it's really cool to see how tied together the overall plot is right from the start. And it's interesting to reread this after having read Fairest because holy wow Levana. You're bonkers.
There are times when the writing feels a little clunky or when the worldbuilding isn't entirely sufficient (I want to know HOW the world ended up basically being continent-countries. What happens to all the island nations? Are they underwater? Are they rebel factions? Or are they part of the continent-countries and not worth mentioning?? Seriously. I need to know whether New Zealand is part of Australia, because if so, LOL. 1901 may not have worked out, but we got you in the end!), but on the whole it's a fast-paced and enjoyable read.
27/11/2012 Plot summary: Cinderella retold with cyborgs, and evil people who live on the moon.
Thoughts: I really enjoyed this. It wasn't a perfect story, but it was lots of fun and really well conceived. That said, it loses a star for the whole automatic trilogy thing. The ending, while I could see it coming a mile away, was frustrating. I would have far preferred it if it had been finished but with a teaser possibility of sequels....more
10/5/2016 OW, MY FEELS. It's so beautifully written, so magnificently illustrated. The story is magical and emotional and there are so many layers to t10/5/2016 OW, MY FEELS. It's so beautifully written, so magnificently illustrated. The story is magical and emotional and there are so many layers to the stories that the monster tells. The stories, incidentally, always look like the Three Brothers section of the Deathly Hallows movie in my head, and I can't explain why.
Essentially, this book nearly made me cry at work in front of a class of year 9 kids. Buuuuut I convinced two of them to borrow it, so I'm calling it a win.
23/11/2012 Plot summary: 13 year old Conor wakes up at 12.07am to find a monster in his room. He's been having nightmares ever since his mother started her treatment, and he's surprised to find that it's not the monster from his dreams. It's a different monster. An ancient monster. A monster that claims to be here to help him.
Thoughts: Holy Hell, this book was incredible. There were so many moments that were astonishingly poignant, that made you think. Lines that I wanted to read again and again because they were so simple and so compelling at the same time. Almost from the beginning of the book, it's obvious how the story is going to end. That didn't stop me from crying when I read the last page.
There are so many elements in it that there's something everyone can relate to. It's short, but it's perfect....more
Plot summary: Finley James is a maid in an aristocratic house in London. When she's attacked by the son of her employee, she fights back. Convinced shPlot summary: Finley James is a maid in an aristocratic house in London. When she's attacked by the son of her employee, she fights back. Convinced she's a freak after her inner "bad guy" takes over, Finley runs for her life. But then she collides with Griffin King, and learns that maybe she's not so much of a freak after all.
Thoughts: For a book that's set in England and features predominantly English characters, it felt very American to me. This isn't to say that it wasn't enjoyable. It was. I loved the steampunk elements and the setting. But to have English characters drinking coffee and cream at every opportunity and referring to Queen Victoria as "Your Highness"?? No. Not even.
Add to that the fact that it felt like a 21st century plot line (the writing, the dialogue, AND the inventions) that had been dumped into the 19th century solely for the sake of making it steampunk, and it had me more than a little irritated on several occasions.
As escapism, it was enjoyable enough and I'll probably try and track down the next one at some stage. But as a historical novel? Fail. ...more
Plot summary: Six years after Lizzy and Mr Darcy's wedding, all is well at Pemberley. At least until Lydia arrives in the middle of the night screaminPlot summary: Six years after Lizzy and Mr Darcy's wedding, all is well at Pemberley. At least until Lydia arrives in the middle of the night screaming that Wickham is dead. Darcy and Bingley set out in search of Wickham, but what they find is a mystery that no one at Pemberley quite expected.
Thoughts: I liked the writing style. It was very reminiscent of Austen, although without the wit. The mystery itself was predictable but nonetheless enjoyable enough. HOWEVER. The characters had no life or spirit - it was like James took Austen's creations, and flattened them.
My biggest problem, however, was with the timeline. The book is set in 1803, and while it's true that Austen wrote the original in 1796-7, making James' timeline plausible, Austen made significant changes to what became Pride & Prejudice in 1811. The bigger problem, however, comes when James makes mention of characters from OTHER Austen books. Wickham is supposed to have most recently been working for Sir Walter Elliot, whose daughter Anne has recently made a favourable marriage to a navy captain. Problem #1: According to the VERY FIRST PAGE of Persuasion, Anne Elliot was born in 1787. She was 19 when she rejected Wentworth, and is 27 when she marries him - 1806 and 1814 respectively. All of this comes directly from Austen, and is not open to interpretation.
I also had a major problem with the prologue, in which James spells out that it's public knowledge in Meryton that Elizabeth Bennet married Mr Darcy for his money. While it's entirely plausible that a small village would gossip about such things, why would none of Lizzy's friends stand up for her? Similarly, there's a point later in the book where James says that Lizzy's friendship with Charlotte has more or less fallen apart, because Charlotte thinks Lizzy is a hypocrite - judging Charlotte for marrying without love, and then doing the same herself.
Honestly? I wouldn't bother. Read Austen's original works and be done with it. ...more
Plot summary: The Cirque du Reves is a source of wonder to all who visit it. Appearing in the middle of the night and vanishing just as mysteriously sPlot summary: The Cirque du Reves is a source of wonder to all who visit it. Appearing in the middle of the night and vanishing just as mysteriously several days later, only a select few know where the circus will visit next. But under the surface, the circus is more than it appears.
Thoughts: This was beautifully written. I loved the style and the level of description and the way the characters were painted. Hell, I loved the characters full stop. It took me a while to get used to the non-linear plot, and at times I actually found it quite frustrating.
The Goodreads description gives the indication that the competition between the two protagonists is fierce and fast-paced. It's not. The story takes place over thirty years, and for at least half of that time, one protagonist has no idea who their competitor is. Furthermore, the POINT of the competition is never explained. Neither is the outcome if they choose to just continue ambling along with nothing changing. So while I enjoyed the book overall, I found elements of it to be frustrating, and I was left with a bunch of unanswered questions. ...more
Trigger warnings: murder, gore, racism, medical procedures, animal cruelty, animal death, death of a sibling (in the past), death of a parent (in the Trigger warnings: murder, gore, racism, medical procedures, animal cruelty, animal death, death of a sibling (in the past), death of a parent (in the past), rape, abortion, eugenics, and possibly some homophobia?? It's set in the 1920s and there's a gay character, so it seems likely.
8/2/2020 Reread in preparation for reading King of Crows. This series is fantastic and I love it. I don't really have any further thoughts other than the ones I've mentioned below.
6/10/2017 On reread in preparation for reading Before the Devil Breaks You, I'm bumping this up to five stars. I love this world and these characters so much. There's so much diversity in the story - there are multiple POC point of view characters, one gay point of view character, a couple of point of view characters representing socio-economic diversity, and one point of view character with a serious medical condition. And that's just the point of view characters. Basically? It's long but great.
31/7/2015 I think I enjoyed this slightly more as a reread. I mean, I wasn't 100% sure on what was going to happen because it had been two and a half years since I read it and the story wasn't exactly fresh in my mind. But it didn't feel like it dragged at any point during the story, and the ending annoyed me less, knowing that I only have to wait another couple of weeks to find out what happens next. So, you know, that's an unexpected perk to rereading! I'm really excited about Lair of Dreams now. Is it the 18th yet??
3/12/2012 Plot summary: In the height of the 1920s, seventeen year old Evie is sent to New York City to live with her uncle, who runs an occult museum. When a string of murders with occult symbols turn up, Evie sets out to help her uncle solve the case, using her deep dark secret - she can see people's secrets from holding their possessions. But in investigating this series of murders, Evie may get more than she's bargained for.
Thoughts: I really enjoyed this. The characters - particularly the supporting characters - were fabulous, the fashion and the dialogue was lots of fun, and the murderer was one of the creepiest I've come across. Where it lost a star for me was the length - while the story didn't drag, it DID seem like it was quite a bit longer than it needed to be - and the "tune in next time to find out what happens" style ending with little updates on each of the major characters. I feel like it would have worked much better without that final section.
Other than that, it was lots of fun to read. Definitely recommended....more
Plot summary: A fictionalised version of Charlotte Bronte's life from the time Arthur Nicholls becomes her father's curate to her death.
Thoughts: I thPlot summary: A fictionalised version of Charlotte Bronte's life from the time Arthur Nicholls becomes her father's curate to her death.
Thoughts: I think perhaps the title is misleading here. It gives the impression that it's going to be a "Becoming Jane" kind of a story, where in fact it's far more focused on Bronte's homelife with her family, and her struggles with her eventual fame. While her eventual marriage to Nicholls does, obviously, come into the book, there is little of it in the first 300+ pages of a 416 page book.
It's well written, and I enjoyed it. It's - not surprisingly - quite depressing, given the Bronte family's ability to die in unfortunate ways at a very young age. On the whole, it was more like an easy-to-read biography than a novel. You know, up until the part where she gets married, and suddenly you're reading about her sex life..........more
Plot summary: Coraline's new house includes a door to nowhere. Or so it seems. But when her mother goes to the shops one day, Coraline unlocks the dooPlot summary: Coraline's new house includes a door to nowhere. Or so it seems. But when her mother goes to the shops one day, Coraline unlocks the door to nowhere and finds a whole world on the other side. A world where she has other parents with buttons for eyes. Other parents who don't want to let her go home again.
Thoughts: This was typical Neil Gaiman for me - equal parts creepy and funny, with a little dose of sadness. Considering it's a children's book, it's perhaps not surprising that there's no ultimate explanation of who the Other Mother was or where she came from. Children often aren't concerned with the motives behind events and actions. So while the story is appealing to adults as well as children, it's possible that some adults will find the ending and the lack of explanation unsatisfying.
Definitely a book I would read again. I'm also going to try and get hold of the movie sometime soon. ...more
Plot summary: There's a Satanist conspiracy afoot, and it's up to Eddie Drood to find out who's responsible. There's just one small problem: Eddie's dPlot summary: There's a Satanist conspiracy afoot, and it's up to Eddie Drood to find out who's responsible. There's just one small problem: Eddie's dead.
Thoughts: It was enjoyable enough. Pretty much a standard addition to the series - there's a bad thing, Eddie and Molly find out who's responsible, something goes horribly wrong, a minor character dies in a rather horrific way, Eddie and Molly stop the evil plot and kill those responsible.
So yes, having read them all back to back, they're starting to seem a little formulaic. That said, there were several plot twists in this that added nicely to the story, and it will be very interesting to see where the series goes as a result of these. There's one piece of technology in particular ((view spoiler)[The Merlin Glass (hide spoiler)]) that I'll be glad to see the back of. Where in the beginning it was a nifty little toy, in recent books it's become a deus ex machina. Its absence in future volumes will be a welcome change. ...more
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