Dreams of Gods and Monsters - Book Review

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Title: Dreams of Gods and Monsters

Series: Daughter of Smoke and Bone Trilogy

Author: Laini Taylor

Publisher: Little, Brown & Company

What an end! And a beginning? Dreams of Gods and Monsters does what all good closers do, leave room for the imagination. With 600+ pages to work with Taylor weaves an, at times dizzying, conclusion to a rather elaborately constructed narrative. There’s a satisfactory end, I suppose, even though we’re left with the sense that the story is far from over.

We were left in a lurch, following the events of the Days of Blood and Starlight and it seemed like Taylor wanted to extend that suspense, setting us up for some grade A plot-twists. Taylor has a flair for ornate prose which, while undeniably gorgeous, can at times become slightly finicky.

Chimaera and the Seraphs face an even bigger danger than themselves, human weapons- Jael is trying to acquire weapons of mass destruction all the while there’s an even bigger danger on the grandest of scales.

We’re going to be honest with you, this has been sitting here in drafts for a long time- so it’s time for a super-fast-rundown of my feels and a super-fast-post because I’m sure you’re dying to know what I thought about the conclusion to DoSaB Trilogy.

- The beginning was confusing, like who introduces a finale with a completely new character that seemingly has nothing to do with the story so far? Of course all is revealed in a way that makes you go ‘oooooh deus ex machina’ much?

- There were enough moments where you wanted to punch both Karou and Akiva in the face.

- The villains were sufficiently villainous. Well done.

- Ziri was the best.

All in all this book did what it was supposed to do, the ending was left open to show that everything wasn’t neatly tied up but things were mending- or on the mend. However I can’t say I loved it as much as the first or second book.

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Spoiler Corner:

- I sorta saw Ziri and Liraz coming, it made complete sense tbh.

Midnight Crossroad by Charlaine Harris | Book Review

Title: Midnight Crossroad
Series: Midnight, Texas
Author: Charlaine Harris
Publisher: Hachette Book Group, $34.99 RRP

Let’s just preface this with no, I did not read the No.1 bestselling Sookie Stackhouse series and no, I do not watch True Blood. Now that we’ve got that out of the way- what did I think of Midnight Crossroad, the first in Charlaine Harris’ new paranormal trilogy set in Texas about a “telephone psychic” named Manfred Bernardo?

I didn’t hate it.

As someone who hasn’t ever read anything from Harris I do believe I’ve gone into this with a fresh, unbiased, pair of eyes. So upon reading Midnight Crossroad, with no preconceived notions of Harris’ writing and storytelling, I was rather pleased to find how easy it was to become immersed in the lives of the residents of the fictional town of Midnight.

While Harris does flit from one character’s viewpoint to another, with the use of a third-person omniscient narrator, allowing us full access into a flurry of character’s minds- you never feel inundated and/or out of sorts. The main character, Manfred, serves as an introduction for the reader, as a newcomer, to Midnight. Like our authentic-with-fraudulent-moments psychic main character, we are thrown into the quaint lives of his neighbours. In this supernatural thriller Harris takes the supernatural and almost normalises it, not in a patronising way that seems off but rather, so that the supernatural is seen in such a casual fashion that it’s rather odd to be normal.

You’ll love the characters, there are no Mary Sues/Gary Stus to be detected and Harris has a way with macabre descriptions that I like. Granted the plot does sort of drag a bit, I felt like not much had occurred almost half-way through the book, you don’t get bored. Midnight Crossroad offers subtle humour and uncomfortable awkward moments that make for great entertainment. Which also serves to give the characters a believable quality.

If you’re down to read an amusing novel that’s the start of an amusing trilogy give it a go. You’ll be absorbed in no time, even if you’ve never read a thing from Harris in your life. I can vouch for that, at least.

The Realm (Hachette’s fun-time list) have five copies to give away to NZ residents, head over and ENTER HERE to win yourself a copy if you’re so inclined. Entries close 12pm 17 May 2014 NZST.