"Blackwood"by Gwenda Bond

NOTE: I received this book from Netgalley.

Since I love historically themed books, this one really got to me. I liked it very much, especially since the subject of the Lost Colony interests me. And the mystery surrounding Miranda (the female POV character) and her curse was definitely a nice concept to read about.

The story was written nicely, following a plot that spiraled ever upward, toward the grand finale. I must say that the grand scene could've been a bit more impressive, but other than that, I don't think the story lacked anything. It wasn't extremely fast paced, but it wasn't slow either. The characters were realistic and made me turn the pages until the end.

*Miranda was the last Blackwood, who bore the curse placed on her ancestor long time ago, before the Lost Colony was lost. A curse that could root itself within her, and make her do things she'd usually abhor. She was a brave young woman, who took care of the house and her ever drunk father. She was also an outcast, hated by everybody because of a curse she didn't have any power over. If she could've, she would've left the Roanoke Island and never go back. But she couldn't. I liked Miranda, because she didn't back out of a difficult situation. She always wanted to help her friends(the very few she had), to find love and be accepted by society. In the end, I think after what went on, she'd get her happy ending.

*Phillips was the boy who ran away from Roanoke Island because he carried his own curse upon his shoulders. But when a mass disappearance of people occurs on the island, and he sees Miranda's face on TV, he knows he has no choice but to go back and help her. Because he felt she was in danger, and because the only one who could help was him. His gift/curse was the key to solving all the problems that the whole island went through. I liked Phillips because he didn't give up on Miranda even when she wasn't really herself, because he wanted to protect her even if it meant losing his life.

*John Dee was the villain, who came out at a later point. I was impressed by his powers, his ambitions, his love for his special arts. But what he had planned for Miranda was just gross.

In conclusion: I think Blackwood was a nice, easy flowing read with a historical mystery that could ensnare the willing reader. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in such topics.

 My rating is

"God can!" by Calvin Rychener

NOTE: I received this book from Netgalley.

I don't know how to begin this review. It's difficult when reviewing non-fiction. I guess, just start on it and see how it unfolds.

For starters, I didn't know (or I had forgotten) that I would be reading the stories of several people, how they were suffering, how they were led to the faith by the loving hand of God, and how He changed their lives forever.

I don't think I can like or not like those personal stories, since it's not my place to have any opinion on them. I can only have an opinion on the book as a whole, and I must say that I liked it. It was inspirational and touched my heart very deep. Some of the stories didn't really speak to me, but others got me close to tears. I was impressed, even though I know how much God loves us all, and how much He's always ready to help us in times of trouble.

I do wish I was in the States, so I could go visit the Northwoods Community Church and see for myself the people, and hear their stories from their own mouths. It would be amazing!

Thank you for allowing me to read this book, so it would saw one more seed of wonderment and faith into my heart!


My rating is

"Spellbound" by Cara Lynn Shultz

NOTE: I received the ARC of this book from MIRA INK.

Where to begin, where to begin... The cover was very pretty, with these shiny glass-like particles suspended around.

But the story wasn't the best I've read so far. Umm, sad to say, it was rather in the middle of the rating scale, which is too bad because I had great expectations for it.

The writing style was good, though there were places (especially in the first half of the book) where I found it difficult to concentrate on the story. The story itself was well built, but it wasn't anything original. The soul mate concept was far too stretched, and I just couldn't find it believable or realistic. Sure, I believe in love at first sight, but this just felt sort of forced.

The paranormal element wasn't all that intriguing either. It was sort of pushed in the background, though it had the potential to play a major role. I think I would've enjoyed the story more, if the witchy part of it was expanded a bit more.

The characters... well, there wasn't anything special about them, to be honest. We have a girl and a boy, who fall head over heals for each other; we have the silent observers, and the antagonists. And nothing even remotely out of the norm.

Emma was the POV girl, lead female. She had experienced some drama back in the day, of which we're only told. She seems to have a hard time talking about her past, especially about her dead brother. I thought there'd be some terrible reason why that was, but I guess it wasn't important to mention. Also, Emma seemed more upset about the loss of her brother than that of her mom. It just seems a bit unrealistic to me. She's described as brave, because she defended her cousin in front of the whole school, but the way she did it was stupid. I mean, if you're a 5'5" tall girl, would you go messing with a guy who's like twice your size and could make you into a pavement stamp? Um.. no. To be honest, I didn't get the impression that the Emma was thinking much. She was rash and naive more than anything else.

Brendan was this super hot, super rich guy, who falls head over heals for Emma. He's very protective of her one moment, and very cold to her the next. He explained it as being confused. Whatever, I get it, guys are like that. But then, once he gains the courage to confess his feelings, well... the Brendan from the past is totally gone, and he only has eyes and ears for Emma. That's cool, which is why I liked the guy. But with all the weird things that surround the couple, you'd think he'd be more careful around her. Which is not the case.

Ashley was Emma's cousin. She was naive and unreasonable, and preferred not to listen to Emma's advice, which is why she got in trouble with the wrong guy.

Anthony, the antagonist, wasn't developed right, I think. I mean, his reasoning was sort of off. Sure, he was mean and a player, and a rich dude at that. But, I just couldn't feel all that disgusted with him. I was rather neutral, and that's not something I want to feel toward the 'bad' guy.

I don't think there were other prominent characters worth mentioning. I'm just really sorry that this book didn't get to me. I wish I had enjoyed it.

Still though, I believe that there will be at least 70% of the readers who will find it an enjoyable read.

My rating is

"Eve and Adam" by Katherine Applegate

 NOTE: I received this title to review from Netgalley.

I'll start with saying that I'd been wondering why the second E and the D in the title were backwards. While I seem to have figured out the E (the girl hated being called Eve), I have no idea what's the reason behind the D. So if anyone has figured it out, or has any suggestions, please share them!

Now, let's talk about the book itself. I can say that I liked the story. It wasn't the best story, and it was a bit too slow paced for me, but it was unique, and I stand by my rating. The world building was nice, including various elements of description of the lab quarters, the equipment, the change in scenery etc.

The characters were a bit undeveloped I think, but it seems like they will be worked on in the next book. Here are my thoughts on them:

Evening, a.k.a E.V. was clueless that she wasn't just like everyone else. I'm not saying what was different about her, but if she was really the smart person she was described to be, well... she should've noticed something wasn't quite right with her. She also seemed to take things, no matter what things, quite calmly. I belive, if I were in her situation, I'd be more or less freaked out by the impossibilities that somehow turned out to be quite real. She however, was calm and cool about it all. What I liked about her though was that she wasn't selfish, or engulfed in self-importance. She was rather earthly and nice, and ready to help her friends no matter what the price.

Solo was a guy E.V. met at her mom's biochemical compound. He was distant at first, but curious of her. And he was on his own secret mission. Which is why he'd figured out routes of escape, as well as a way to control and operate the video security system. Solo was smart, but there was just one problem with him - he held too much hatred in him, which seemed to be unfounded.

Aislinn was E.V.'s BFF, who was always in trouble because of messing with the wrong guys. Still though, she was a good friend, and sometimes she did show to have brains in that thick head of hers.

Adam was the one character that surprised me the most. I honestly didn't expect his appearance, though if now I think about it, it was quite obvious. I'm glad he turned out to be rather imperfect, because I'm seriously tired of perfect males who have no flaws.

I would definitely recommend this book if you're into romance and some biochem experiments. I sure enjoyed it!

My rating is

"Entangled" by Nikki Jefford

 NOTE: I received this book from Netgalley to review.

Boy, am I glad I requested this book from Netgalley!!! It was simply ah-mazing! I couldn't stop reading, and even dreamed of it in my sleep!!! I can't believe I liked it so much, but then again, great books do stick around for a while. And this one was certainly a great book.

The story was about two sisters, twins in fact, who are so unlike each other, there's no room for comparison. And they're also witches. But while Graylee (Gray) is open and helpful and just good, Charlene is her total opposite. Too many things happen between the sisters, that they can't really trust, or love each other in the end. That part of the story is actually sad, because I hate it when siblings don't appreciate each other and instead stab each other in the back. It's just awful.

Anyway, the language was pretty clean, which I really liked. The world development was realistic and written so that the reader could feel like they lived in Gray and Charlene's world too. Like I said - pretty good.

So, the characters:

*Gray - well, you just couldn't not love her. She was strong, smart and a real fighter. She used to be a gifted witch, but then bam! it all went away. Later on she figured out why, but what's more important is that she was mostly okay with being powerless. What I mean is that she didn't whine all the time, or feel so jealous of the other witches that she became bad natured. No. That wasn't Gray. She was good hearted, and sweet. She was into helping people. It just so happened that life didn't pour much luck on her.

*Charlene was the mean sister. She really was. Like umm... satan's incarnate or something. She was truly evil, murder filling her heart. She didn't care whom she might hurt, as long as the world revolved around her. It was pathetic, to be honest. Like, she seeked the thrill of attention, just because she couldn't really love herself. It's sad, really. But I don't pity her. I actually really dislike her. What she did... well... it wasn't something you'd forgive easily.

*Raj was the bad guy. And just like any bad guy out there, he had a good heart. And his feelings for Gray might've been what helped her survive. I loved the guy, because he was honest and open and just REAL. He didn't hide what he felt, what he thought. Still, he had his own secrets. Who doesn't, really?

*Nolan......... boy I wasn't all that surprised that he turned out to be such a jerk. I mean, I sort of expected it. Not in the way it happened, but well... jerks are jerks I guess.

If you want to know what I'm talking about, you'd better buy the book and read it. You'd be missing on a great story if you don't.

My rating is

"Speechless" by Hannah Harrington

NOTE: I received this book to review from Netgalley.

I'm glad to say that my expectations of this book were actually surpassed. To be honest, I had forgotten what the book was supposed to be about. And so I plunged in the story, expecting something paranormal. But it came out to be a contemporary YA! Which, by the way, I was totally in the mood for.

And so it goes. I loved this book. Perhaps the only things I didn't like about it, was the use of cuss words now and then. But, I guess I could overlook that, since the story was pretty good.

The storyline was unique - a teenage gossip girl, who messes up big time (no news there!)decides to take a vow of silence. I've never read such a story, so it totally grabbed me, and I read the book in just one standing. That's how amazingly good it was.

Also, this was one of the books that didn't 'kill' the parents, or have them be absent all the time. Chelsea's parents were actually there, and cared.

So, the characters:
*Chelsea - the girl with the big mouth - was the biggest gossip in the school. So much that she could never ever keep her mouth, eyes, ears and so on shut. Not for even a second. It's what got her in trouble in the first place. But I'm glad that all that stuff happened, because the little girl was sort of forced to grow up in a matter of days. Chelsea had to figure out her mistake, had to realize that her big mouth could (and has) ruin people's lives, and to decide not to use it for gossip anymore. That took courage, determination and bravery, and I can very well say that I came to admire the girl. There were times when the urge to forsake her vow were too great, but she held on, knowing that beeing speechless was sort of a blessing in her case. In other words, she developed. She grew and matured, and I loved how well she turned out.

*Kristen - the 'best' friend, who was actually nothing but a nasty mean girl. She was never a good friend, and she never had real friends. I sort of felt bad for her, because really - even though she was popular, she was actually pathetic. Plunging a knife in your supposed best friend's back is very nasty. I'm glad that Chelsea matured enough to realize that there was no use (need) to stab Kristen back.

*Sam was the sweetest guy. Suspicious at first, he had no clue what Chelsea could be up to with her vow. He didn't take her seriously, and why should he? Her reputation spoke for her. But the more time and interraction passed between them, the more he realized that the girl the whole school hated, wasn't really that bad. She had feelings, she had thoughts, dreams and desires. And she was a mess herself as well. I'm very glad that Sam was there for Chelsea when she needed him. He didn't push her to speak before she was ready. He was that sweet.

*I also liked Andy, who seemed like a pretty hard-core guy at first, but then his exterior shell sort of cracked and his true character shined. He was forgiving and sweet, and I had fun reading about him.

In conclusion I can only say: READ this book, people! You won't regret it!!!

My rating is:

"The Burning Star" by Jessie Lane

Let me start off by saying that I began reading the uncorrected version and kept with it until about 33% of the story. I was very disappointed by the many misspellings, word misuse, lack of punctuation and a whole lot of other editing problems.

So then I thought that I'd upload me the newer (proofed) version. I honestly couldn't see any difference, except that the chapters now bore the POV name. If that could be counted as improvement, okay, but it isn't such in my book.

Still though, I think that this story is unique in a way that in my experience so far the worlds of the werewolves and fae hadn't been mixed in together. And also, I sort of liked the plot, it definitely kept me going. But, there was a huge problem with almost all the characters. They sounded completely unrealistic, their dialogue was way overdone, and I found myself rolling my eyes most of the time. There was also the problem of the development... it was slow. Very slow.

Yet, the book has potential, and I'm sure of this because by the end of it I found myself wanting more. I seriously got intrigued, and I think I'd be asking for the next installment's review copy. The main reason for that is the one character who completely got to me. And what's weird is that her chapters were fairly clean of errors. I mean, seriously! You'd be surprised how well developed that person and her chapters are!

I also noticed inconsistencies throughout the chapters. Let me account for several:
1) The monster that Kay meets is first a dog, then a mountain lion. So which one is it really?
2) On the night Kay sees the wolves outside her window, she says it's pitch black, but then she notices that one of the wolves has brilliant emerald green eyes? How did she do it?
3) While at Nick's house, Kay's taken to a room full with lit candles. But then we're told that the room is pitch black and she can't see anything in it? Umm...

Another problem that I noticed, and it sort of interrupted the flow of the story, is that in almost every sentence of the dialogue, the characters talk to each other using their names. Even if in a particular scene there are just two people, they still refer to each other by name. Like "Okay Nick. I believe you're right." and he responds then "I told you so Kay." and then "Yeah, I know you did Nick, but still. Oh, and by the way Nick..." blah blah. You see what I mean? And that's in every scene, and it's done by each of the characters. It's very irritating.

Anyway, so here are my thoughts on the main characters:

*Kay - firstly, I don't think that name suits the girl at all. I mean, if she were just an ordinary girl, sure it would do. But try saying out loud Princess Kay... sounds too simple, too short, don't you think? I believe that Kayla would've been a much better choice. Princess Kayla... has a special ring to it. Anyways, what I have to say about her is that she's supposed to be stubborn, but to me she felt as a silly girl. Her reasoning was off, and her behavior was irrational. And let's add unrealistic to the list since we're here anyway. When she has to trust a person, she doesn't, and when it's obvious that she's been set up.. well she believes the lies. She didn't strike me as brave or clever. I'd rather say she was shallow and unsculpted, but her race's survival is supposed to depend on her...

*Ryan - the Summer Court prince, was just as unrealistic both in action and dialogue. He was described as this gorgeous guy, and smart and stuff, but all he shows is some recklessness and a ton of jealousy towards a girl he'd just met.

*Nick - he's a werewolf who, oddly, has also fallen for Kay. Whatever those boys saw in her is beyond me, truly. Anyways, he's perfectly aware that he can't have anything romantic to do with a fae princess, and he's still trying. Seriously? How dumbstruck must he be not to just give up and try his chances elsewhere?

*Kira - now that's a girl. Kira's the one character that had me turning the pages. She was realistic, she was brave, she had guts. She had no clue who or what she was, being raised by a brutal idiot, but she still found in herself the strength to go on. To plan a revenge even. I loved that girl, for who she was. I didn't pity her - I loved her. I'm glad that there was a person just for her.

I'm going to close the review here. But before I do that, I'd like to say that I do recommend this book, but you should read it after it's properly edited.

My rating is

"The Demon Catchers of Milan" by Kat Beyer

NOTE: I received this book from Netgalley to review.

Let me say first, that I loved the book cover and that it was what made me request the book in the first place. I'm happy to say I wasn't disappointed. In fact, I can't wait for book 2 to come out. If there is going to be book 2, that is.

So, the story was pretty unique, in my opinion. I haven't read anything like it, so the concept was pretty fresh, and I liked that. It wasn't one of those typical paranormal novels where everything revolves around some love triangle with an indecisive girl and a couple of boys that surround her and fight for her attention. It was a book where there was spiritual action, and a rather slight note of romance. The story line revolved around a demon possession, a family of demon hunters, and a girl who grew out of her shell in a country far from home.

The characters were described realistically, and I felt like I was living with them every step of the way. Not many books do that, so I can honestly say that this one deserved my rating.

*Mia was an ordinary girl, living in the US, who didn't care at all about her Italian heritage. Until a demon possessed her body and wrecked havoc in her family. She was timid, she though low of herself, and she believed that she wasn't all that loved. But when her Italian relatives came to exorcise the demon and then take her with them back to Milan, things change. The timid girl began to grow into a secure person, who not only wanted to learn how to fight that demon, but she wanted revenge. Because that particular demon, had a history with her family.

*Emilio was Mia's second cousin, who was also an exorcist. He's one of those gorgeous guys, that a girl can only dream for. Too bad he's related to Mia. He taught her some history and other things connected to the family business. I liked him.

*Nonno and Nonna - Emilio's grandparents were extremely nice, though Nonno had his weird moments, when he got angry or secretive. I loved them though.

The rest of Mia's Italian relatives were also great in character, and even though one of the cousins, Anna Maria, was much too selfish at times, she wasn't too bad either.

I recommend the book to readers who like the spiritual battles, exorcism stories and such.

My rating is:

"Pure" by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Oh, wow! If you guys had been following my reviews, you know that I just read Half-Blood last week. And what do you know, I loved it. Which is why I got Pure next and finished it in two days. And it was absolutely fabulous.

Jennifer's story telling has definitely improved even more and I found myself in Alex's world as if it were mine. That happens rarely, so it's definitely important to me. I loved the structure and development of each scene, the way they grew in intensity and left me longing for more.

And the characters got even more interesting here.

Alex actually grew in this book. She understood how reckless she'd been and how her decisions affect everyone around her. It was about time she matured, especially since she is to carry the responsibilities of the Appolyon on her shoulders when she turns eighteen. One thing I didn't like about her was her stubbornness when Aiden was concerned. She saw what happened with those pures and halfs who ignored the Breed Order, and she still would keep hope. Sure, love doesn't just go away, but when it could kill the person you love... Well... You sort of reconsider. Otherwise you'd just declare yourself to be brutally selfish.

Aiden on the other hand had his wits about. Sure, in Alex's presence he sort of lost control, but at least he was able to regain it and not claim anyone's attention.

Seth was my favorite in this book as well. Well, I didn't like his player attitude and all that, but I feel like he can really grow to care for Alex, not only as the other Appolyon, but as a whole. He totally earned points in my book.

The one person I'd miss the most though !!!!!!!!!!! and this is a spoiler, so don't read on if you haven't read the book yet!!!!!!!!!! is Caleb. He was Alex's one true friend, and she lost him in the stupidest way possible. And yeah, I sort of blame her for it. I mean, if she hadn't been so obsessed with herself and Aiden, and if she actually put some thought before she acted, then surely she would've realized how extremely irresponsible she'd been.

And I fear I'd miss Grandma Pipery as well.

Anyways, Pure was a really good book and I totally recommend it.

My rating is

"Perfectly Unique" by Annie Downs

Note: I received this book to review from Netgalley.

At first I thought that this will be just the next instruction book, but i was pleasantly surprised to find out it wasn't so.  There wasn't a list of do's and don'ts, where the only thing you seem to be allowed to do is pray. No, I'm not saying not to do that. Of course praying is important, it's just not all there is.

Chapter after chapter, the author introduces us to both real pieces of her life and the importance of each and every part of our body. From our mind and heart, through our eyes and mouth, Annie talks about the wonderful way God has made us, the many ways we do wrong with His work and the even more ways we can glorify Him through each part of our body.

Truth is, I agree with all the things she said. Of course, I'm not proud of myself for not using some of my body parts right. Like, sometimes I gossip. I'm not proud of it, but I do. And sometimes I fail to listen properly or see what's rightg in front of my eyes. Like, people's needs and hurts, and how you can help.

This book helped me personally to realize that there are aspects of life where I need serious improvement. For that I can only say THANK YOU ANNIE.

"Sweet Evil" by Wendy Higgins

Let me start with this: I ABSOLUTELY LOVED this book. I can't not give it 5 stars. It just totally won me over. And I couldn't put it down, finished it in one sitting :))

Okay, enough ranting, let me tell you what was so superb about it.

First, there was the story itself. It was unique, it was daring, and it was light at the same time. I haven't read anything quite like it, and I really appreciated that. It's difficult to write a unique story nowadays, what with all the thousands of different novels that pop up on the market..

Second, the story telling was enchanting. It make me love the book from the first page till the very last one. I can say that I breathed Sweet Evil from cover to cover. And what was more important was that I was with the characters every step of the way, feeling what they felt, seeing what they saw.

And last, but definitely not least: the characters.

*Anna was the lead girl, whose POV we read the entire time. She's sweet, and naturally good, even though she's the descendant of a demon. Her better half seems to have the advantage in her, which is why she's such a goody-two-shoes. I know some people feel irritated by her character, but I can say that I honestly loved her. She was very much like me in personality, and that pulled me real close to her.

*Kaiden, a.k.a. lover boy. Literally. He was the guy that every girl swooned after. Even Anna. The playboy, the lust-god, or demon. Or son of the lust demon. Anyway, he was cute the way he was in denial most of the time. But of course, I could easily see through his defenses. I was really impressed when he denied his nature for Anna. It was cute.

*Patti, Anna's adoptive mother was loving and caring and I really liked her. She was always there for Anna, even when Anna wasn't all that truthful.

*Kopano was my favorite guy here. He wasn't in the spotlight, he wasn't a girl magnet, and he definitely wasn't a playboy. He was cute and very outward, and outright delicious. He had a steady, open personality and I think I could see him beside Anna. Too bad she's got someone else on her heart. *sigh*

In conclusion, if you're into angel/demon stories, this one should definitely be on the top of your list! It was ah-mazing!

"Half-Blood" by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Here's a book I'd wanted to read for a while, but never got the chance to get to. Now that my friend Kay gave me a copy for my birthday, I'd made sure to go ahead and plunge in the Covenant Series adventure.

And boy, I don't regret it at all!

I loved the story, the narrative, the romance, and the characters. I can say that there wasn't even one thing lacking.

The concept of the Greek gods and their plethora of offspring was interesting. The forbidden connection/relationship between pure bloods and half bloods was something that made me read on, just so I could see if the characters would find a way to overcome it. Naturally, it wasn't done in this installment, so I'll be definitely going on to the next one!

The story telling was nice and flowing. There weren't any irritating repetitions or comments that didn't make sense. Except for the words of the Oracle, but I believe no one could figure those out the first time around. At least Kay has led me to believe so.

And the characters were all pretty realistic.
*Alexandria(Alex) started out as someone who sounded like she had a huge attitudinal problem. But as the story developed, all her snarky comments and her behavior in general started to make sense. After all, she had been pulled out of the world where she belonged, was given no reason for it, and was expected to behave like a mortal when she was nothing like one. The confidence she had in herself was admirable, though in some moments it bordered on stupidity. But hey, who am I to blame her! In her circumstances, she did what she could to cope with the reality. I can only give her a high five for it!

*Aiden, a pure blood who'd decided to become a Sentinel (almost entirely a half-blood position) was the sweet good guy, who got all the ovations. I did like him, though hit was a bit unclear to me when or how his feelings for Alex developed. At any rate, he was protective and caring, and very brave. He defended and protected Alex in those moments when she needed him the most. I just wish he wasn't a pure blood, so they could be together.

*Seth was someone I'd love to read more about. And I totally mean that! I can't say he's better or cooler than Aiden, but I can say that I liked his character. He was honest and good-natured and I really really liked how he developed. Perhaps there will be a love triangle in the following installment? Dunno, but I'd love to see some more of his pretty blond hair, and that unnaturally good-looking face :)

*Caleb was the friend every girl would kill to have. He was always there for Alex, sharing her anger and sorrow; her pain and happiness. I know he'd give his life for her if necessary. I hope it never is necessary though.

*Marcus, Alex's uncle, tried to appear pretty hard core. But I know that inside that heart of his, he's not so bad. I believe Alex could make that coldness disappear, should she wish to do so.

*Lucian, Alex's step father was pretty irritating. He's got to be hiding something important, like his grand scheme to overthrow the gods or something.

Umm, I think I should shut up now. I can only say that I loved the book, and would recommend it to anyone who loves paranormal YA stories. It's totally worth the time!

"Pledged" by Gwynneth White

NOTE: I was given this book to review by the author, Gwynneth White.

I never thought that this review would be so difficult to write. I don't even know where to begin, or how to rate the novel. I hope I get some insight as the words appear on the screen. At any rate, just please don't think I'm being hateful or anything. I'm just being honest.

Firstly, let me say that I had great expectations about Pledged. So great in fact, that when I started reading it, they came crushing down on me. Not cool, I know, but that's what usually happens when a book doesn't turn out to be what you've thought it would be.

Secondly, the world building and story telling sort of disappointed me. I was expecting a masterpiece, where I'd be enveloped in the book world as if it were my own reality. That I'd feel the wind, the heat of the desert, the pain of the characters. Sadly, It didn't turn out to be that way. The descriptions felt distant to me, and I couldn't get submerged no matter how hard I tried.

Thirdly, the story plot revolved around prophesies and curses that hardly made sense to me. I tried to understand what it was all about, but it just didn't make sense. And no, it wasn't some complicated mystery or something. It just logically didn't make sense.

In fourth place, I thought that the soul mate concept that we were introduced to in the summary, would be developed as a part of a grander scheme. But it wasn't. IT was the grand scheme. And it felt a bit silly to me that generation upon generation of fictional characters would depend on a concept that none of them actually considered important. Trust me, I do believe in love at first sight, but what I read here wasn't it. It was pushed to appear so, but it actually wasn't.

Fifth, the characters did not really impress me. Not even one of them grabbed my attention. They were all sort of the same, as if moulded in the same mould. Their dialogues felt unrealistic, their fears and stubbornness were completely unnecessary, and they never seemed to follow through with their decisions (unless those decisions were very stupid - then they'd stick to them).

And still, with all that said, after the 50-60% of the novel, I sort of liked it. I was even disappointed that it ended where it did. Stupid, stupid trilogies! Anyway, that's all I've got to say.

I'd recommend this book to all those who love a slow read, where there's more telling than showing and more thinking than doing.