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booksandbraids's reviews
1858 reviews
The Awakening by Caroline Peckham, Susanne Valenti
Tory: Roxanya. Bike thief. House Ignis. All elements. Claimed by Caleb as his blood source. Got friendly with Caleb and Darius
Darcy:. House Aer. All elements. Claimed by Orion as his blood source. Lessons with Orion. Blue hair. Got friendly with Seth and Max.
Darius Acrux: Fire and Water. House Ignis. Dragon Order. Black Hair. Engaged to second cousin.
Seth Capella: Air and Earth. House Aer. Werewolf Order. Long Brown Hair.
Caleb Altair: Earth and Fire. House Terra. Vampire Order. Blond. Taurus.
Max Rigel: Water and Air. House Aqua. Siren Order. Black.
Orion: Air and Water. Libra. Vampire.
Father: Fire, water, and air. Hydra Order (multi headed monster. One of the rarest orders).
Mother: Air. Gemini. Harpy Order.
Professor Astrum: aka Falling Star. Tarot teacher. Was friend of their mothers.
Orders:
5.0
I went into this afraid to accidentally let me expectations get too high. I had heard a lot of great things about it and I just *knew* it was going to let me down despite how much I wanted to love it because that is what always happens. But you know what?! IT WAS SO GOOD. It lived up to the hype. The only thing that bothers me is that the adults/professors of this school are so okay with the stupid body torturing one another. That and the order system- it seems strange that people can be whatever they are (vampire, siren, dragon, etc) without inheriting that from genetics. Like… it seems strange that a werewolf and harpy could randomly have a kid and it be something other than a werewolf or harpy. I feel like that should be genetic instead of a complete random gamble. The rest of the world/magic system is awesome though. Such a unique twist with the horoscope aspect. The 4 elemental magics have been constantly thinking of Avatar the last airbender though haha. It throws me off when the earth wielders manipulate plants instead of rock.
I’m so excited to read the rest of the series. I hope it is this good the entire way through.
I need a cheat sheet of who’s whose because I can’t keep these people straight… I started to keep notes as I was going so I could try to remember everyone/everything.
Darcy:. House Aer. All elements. Claimed by Orion as his blood source. Lessons with Orion. Blue hair. Got friendly with Seth and Max.
Darius Acrux: Fire and Water. House Ignis. Dragon Order. Black Hair. Engaged to second cousin.
Seth Capella: Air and Earth. House Aer. Werewolf Order. Long Brown Hair.
Caleb Altair: Earth and Fire. House Terra. Vampire Order. Blond. Taurus.
Max Rigel: Water and Air. House Aqua. Siren Order. Black.
Orion: Air and Water. Libra. Vampire.
Father: Fire, water, and air. Hydra Order (multi headed monster. One of the rarest orders).
Mother: Air. Gemini. Harpy Order.
Professor Astrum: aka Falling Star. Tarot teacher. Was friend of their mothers.
- Vampires: sucking blood
- Werewolf: the moon
- Pegasus: flying through clouds
- Siren: emotions while touching (any emotion)
- Dragon: gold
Signs:
- Aries are ruled by Mars so they can be particularly impulsive and often aggressive
And my commentary while reading…
- 10% I love that this is a magic system where people do not have their magic awakened until they are 18. While Hogwarts and the traditional school aged children magic school is great, this university level magic world is a fun change.
- I was not so sure about the idea of changelings when Orion first said it, but this girl saying she’s never met a changeling before makes the idea seem cooler and less stupid.
- I wonder which house they will choose. And what the reputations of each house is. If I had to guess, I would say fire is the Slytherin of the group. The rebellious tough kids. Earth would have to give Hufflepuff vibes. Down to earth. Maybe a bit hippy. I’m not sure about the other 2 though. First thought is ravenclaw is air because I associate the air nation of the avatar being the best and of course the mascot being winged doesn’t hurt…
- 15% “Orders”… vampire. werewolf. Siren. I guess that explains why Caleb took a chunk out of Tory. I wonder what they will be. Seth must be a siren. He’s very touchy.
- 18% You know when you start a book that’s been hyped and you get super nervous about trying to keep your expectations reasonable so that you don’t ruin the book by expecting too much? That’s me. With this book. Sofia just explained that vampires are one of the orders and the orders determine how one replenishes their magic. Idk why but that idea is so much more exciting than a normal vampire. Do the sirens get their power from touch? Is that why the air group is so touchy? Or more specifically from like sexual touch/excitement?
- 36% Orion removed her mid with heat, water, and air. So he has three powers?? Although she says “Orion had essentially put me through a car wash with his Elements of air and water.” So I guess the heat wasn’t a fire thing and the water/air was somehow just magically warm.
- 39% what was the point of even meeting with Orion. He didn’t teach her a single thing other than her parentage. He was supposed to be teaching her to create shields to block coercion. If he was just going to send her articles to read he could have done that hours ago and maybe prevented some of the torment she has gone through.
- 46% it’s about damn time someone offered to teach them to shield! Thank you Sofia!!
- 77% I am so tired from staying up way too late reading last night. I had a theory/wish that I couldn’t note at the time because I was reading in bed without my phone and was too lazy to go get it…. WHAT IF. What if each sister pairs off with 2 heir boys and they rule in this crazy polyamorous conglomeration lol. Because Darcy should totally wind up with Seth and Max and Tory should totally wind up with Caleb and Darius.
- 86% eekkkk Caleb just kissed Tory
- 94% aghhh I have absolutely no idea who I can trust! Part of me thinks that the heirs and Orion are not out to get them. Part of me thinks that Diego might turn out to be email. After all, he was in this magical world his whole life and he doesn’t know his order? And what’s with the hat? And he was from a place faraway. None of these are particularly damning facts but I don’t trust him.
- OMG SETH I TRUSTED YOU! WHAT A FOOL WE BOTH WERE TO TRUST YOU!
- 97% I’m now convinced that we are going to have a forbidden teacher romance. I’m probably crazy once again. Ignore my romantic tendencies.
- 99% oh god the burnt person is totally the falling star professor dude
Beyond Reasonable Doubt by Robert Dugoni
4.0
Initially I was so distracted by the fact that this Jenna person is almost identical to Elizabeth Holmes who was convicted of fraud in connection with her blood-testing company, Theranos. She too had a romantic relationship with older Sunny Balwani. Eventually I got over it, but for the first 25% of the book all I could think was “well this is lame and unoriginal”. Luckily I got over it and I found myself shocked that the book was over as quick as it was! The story just flew by. I will say the same thing I say every time I read a book by this author- I am so thankful we read one of his books in book club and discovered him. Robert Dugoni never disappoints.
Things We Hide From The Light by Lucy Score
2.0
I actually sort of hated this book. Maybe I would have liked it more had it not been so long since I had read the first book in the series. Unlike most romance book series where there is only minimal connection between books in the series, this one extremely heavily dependent on what took place in the first book and I remembered none of it.
Overall I just didn’t love their relationship. I cannot pinpoint anything specifically wrong with it, it just did not pull me in.
The ending was decent though. Enough to make me now consider continuing with the third book in the series. After all, I did love the first book.
Overall I just didn’t love their relationship. I cannot pinpoint anything specifically wrong with it, it just did not pull me in.
The ending was decent though. Enough to make me now consider continuing with the third book in the series. After all, I did love the first book.
Her Deadly Game by Robert Dugoni
4.0
This was a really good book! I love Robert Dugoni. I am so thankful that I discovered him through a book club book. While I did not like this book as much as the Tracy Crosswhite books, it was very good. And I was excited to see Del and Faz mentioned!
A Separate Peace by John Knowles
Did not finish book.
Did not finish book.
i read the sparknotes. I attempted the book. it was horrible. i got through like a chapter or two. The sparknotes were bad enough.
The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James
4.0
This book was very good. It was the perfect combination of a ghost story and a murder mystery.
My only issue with the book is the whole Heather situation. It seemed overly convenient that the girl currently living in her aunt’s old apartment is looking for a roommate just for the sake of company and also is super into true crime and they instantly became BFFs… When the book started that I was convinced I would hate the entire book unless there was some twist to help justify that stupid over convenience. Luckily the rest of the book was so good it was able to overcome that major shortcoming.
Also, this book was definitely a book of the modern age because were almost too many strong independent problem solving female characters.
My only issue with the book is the whole Heather situation. It seemed overly convenient that the girl currently living in her aunt’s old apartment is looking for a roommate just for the sake of company and also is super into true crime and they instantly became BFFs… When the book started that I was convinced I would hate the entire book unless there was some twist to help justify that stupid over convenience. Luckily the rest of the book was so good it was able to overcome that major shortcoming.
Also, this book was definitely a book of the modern age because were almost too many strong independent problem solving female characters.
Giving Voice To Linnentown by Hattie Thomas Whitehead
Did not finish book.
Did not finish book.
Soooo I started this book because it was for a book club. That and the fact that it was being turned into a musical! I tried to read it. It was a book written by a local woman about the local history of Athens where I was living. But it was such a busy time (preparing to move, family visiting to do some last minute things in Georgia before moving/helping us pack…) that I just couldn’t bring myself to sit down with this book to read it. It wasn’t enough to capture my attention.
I did see the musical though. I am a HUGE musical person. To put it into perspective, I saw 8 shows within the 2 month span just before moving out of Georgia (a couple of Broadway tour productions at the Fox theatre in Atlanta… a couple of Athens community theatre shows… a town and town community theatre show… a Broadway tour production at the very theatre where Linnentown was performed, and a University of Georgia theatre show… in addition to Linnentown) so I do have a background to compare this production against. For being such a local production it was presented on a very large scale. It was performed in the venue that actually supports a Broadway season tour- much larger than you would expect for a local thing. And the sets were good enough to look professional. Buttttt the story was not meant to be a musical. While extremely interesting and a story worth telling and sharing and making known, it was too slow and not right for a musical at all. And the music was (I hate to say it) not good. And the acting (I really hate to say it) was also not good. But there were some very good singers! Overall it went on for too long. Probably because it was not well suited for musical… I think it would have made an amazing documentary. With interviews and images and them showing what the area looks like now. I think that would have been the proper medium to get the story out there.
I did see the musical though. I am a HUGE musical person. To put it into perspective, I saw 8 shows within the 2 month span just before moving out of Georgia (a couple of Broadway tour productions at the Fox theatre in Atlanta… a couple of Athens community theatre shows… a town and town community theatre show… a Broadway tour production at the very theatre where Linnentown was performed, and a University of Georgia theatre show… in addition to Linnentown) so I do have a background to compare this production against. For being such a local production it was presented on a very large scale. It was performed in the venue that actually supports a Broadway season tour- much larger than you would expect for a local thing. And the sets were good enough to look professional. Buttttt the story was not meant to be a musical. While extremely interesting and a story worth telling and sharing and making known, it was too slow and not right for a musical at all. And the music was (I hate to say it) not good. And the acting (I really hate to say it) was also not good. But there were some very good singers! Overall it went on for too long. Probably because it was not well suited for musical… I think it would have made an amazing documentary. With interviews and images and them showing what the area looks like now. I think that would have been the proper medium to get the story out there.
Behind Every Good Man by Sara Goodman Confino
5.0
I absolutely love Sara Goodman Confino. Her books never disappoint. Her characters are always the best. I’m so glad I stumbled across her first book when I did and randomly decided to give it a chance just because it was there. I love how this book brought in some characters from a previous book as well- a subtle connection that is fun surprise if you have read her previous books but not at all necessary to know to enjoy the story.
My commentary from while reading:
My commentary from while reading:
25% I’m listening to this book and my husband keeps interrupting me with this or that. “I have a tax form that I need you to file. I need a thank you card for a birthday gift someone gave me. Where do we keep the pie pans….” Etc. The comparison between the incompetence of men in this book back in the 60s and the competence of real men today is very obvious. They haven’t changed. They cannot do anything right without a woman organizing the way. No wonder secretaries were invented and are so often women- men in these jobs can’t do anything for themselves.
41% OMG! It’s the same girl from an earlier book! I love when there are connections like this
64% “Men liked to feel independent even if you couldn’t trust them to get the details right.”
The Score by Elle Kennedy
3.0
I really love Elle Kennedy and her characters and writing and romances... but I am getting tired of having every single MMC be a playboy manwhore. On principle, I do not like manwhore MMCs. I find them trashy. I find the fact that they have all been with half the female student body disgusting. Sure, they change their ways for the FMC- the one person who they have ever felt the desire to settle down for- but I still find them trashy and gross.
If I ignored his history and just focused on the current, this book was good enough. But I am never able to truly love a MMC as trashy as Dean. Sorry, Dean.
If I ignored his history and just focused on the current, this book was good enough. But I am never able to truly love a MMC as trashy as Dean. Sorry, Dean.
Persuasion by Jane Austen
5.0
Yet another great Jane Austen! I think it is my second favorite (that I have read so far) after Emma
1. Emma
2. Persuasion
3. Sense and Sensibility
4. Pride and Prejudice (although I had to read P&P for school, so that probably negatively influenced my opinion so I should probably reread it)
Movie reviews…
1995 Adaption (watched 7/26/22)- they did a good job with this one. My only complaint is that it is from the 90s so it looks old.
2022 Adaptation (watched 7/27/22)- the cast, costumes, and filming locations/sets were so much nicer but they destroyed it by changing the story a bit. I didn’t like the changes they made. And they changed Anne’s personality. If only they had taken the same exact screenplay from 1995 and just redid it with the modern filming (better costumes, locations, etc). I will say I really enjoyed all of the casting/characters other than Anne. I don’t mind who they selected to play Anne, but they changed her personality. And the whole “talking into the camera thing” just made me think of Enola Holmes which Netflix also produced not too long ago— it felt like they were just reusing that same idea/method/style.
1. Emma
2. Persuasion
3. Sense and Sensibility
4. Pride and Prejudice (although I had to read P&P for school, so that probably negatively influenced my opinion so I should probably reread it)
Movie reviews…
1995 Adaption (watched 7/26/22)- they did a good job with this one. My only complaint is that it is from the 90s so it looks old.
2022 Adaptation (watched 7/27/22)- the cast, costumes, and filming locations/sets were so much nicer but they destroyed it by changing the story a bit. I didn’t like the changes they made. And they changed Anne’s personality. If only they had taken the same exact screenplay from 1995 and just redid it with the modern filming (better costumes, locations, etc). I will say I really enjoyed all of the casting/characters other than Anne. I don’t mind who they selected to play Anne, but they changed her personality. And the whole “talking into the camera thing” just made me think of Enola Holmes which Netflix also produced not too long ago— it felt like they were just reusing that same idea/method/style.