Showing posts with label Cainsville. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cainsville. Show all posts

Monday, March 5, 2018

Book Review l Rituals

Rituals 
(Cainesville #5)
Kelley Armstrong

YA / Fantasy / Supernatural / Paranormal
8.5 Stars

I loved these books, and they were some of the first books that I annotated, for sure the first everyday kind of books I took notes on.  When I finally got around to this last one, I was so happy with how much of the previous books I remembered -  its been over a year since I read the  first 4 and I binge read them - Armstrongs stories tend to be great when I am reading them but the details fade really quickly (but not this time!).

*** No Summery because it will give away to much from books 1-4

I am still amazed at this series, I just loved it so much. It is a mix of Celtic, Irish folklore. A YA - teen version of American Gods. It does the predestined characters in the perfect way, its avoids most cliches. Gabriel was / is amazing, I have the biggest crush on him. Armstrong played him and Ricky against each other, but together, and to the reader in such a clever way. I love Ricky but I never rooted for him, but I wanted him to be happy. I didn't always like Gabriel, he was always sexy, dark, mysterious, and I always wanted him to end up with Liv. Even when I was sitting there hating him for being slow, distant, reluctant. I contracted myself over and over reading these. I am so happy with how it all ended, it felt a little anticlimactic at times, but then it just fits perfectly.

Amazing amazing amazing, would make a phenomenal TV show.

Sunday, September 18, 2016

Series Review - Cainsville

Cainsville
Kelley Armstrong

Easy Reads
Paranormal / Supernatural / Mystery / Teen or Adult / Thriller /

*I won't adding a summaries to these novels the way I normally do. Because there would just be too many spoilers. I feel like even the goodreads synopisis gives too much away.
You just have to read this series it is AMAZING and totally addicting!

So here are my Spoiler Free Reviews :

Omens
8 Stars
483 Pages

I just finished The Darkest Powers Series and decided I should check out some more of Kelley Armstrong's novels. I went into this novel blind, I did quickly skim the synopsis before opening the book but I really did not have any expectations. I was in love by the second chapter, I don't even know where to begin explaining how excited I am about Cainsville! The setting is perfect, the pace is spot on, amazing characters - especially Gabriel who is just swoon worthy - the buildup is enough to keep you on the edge of your seat, more importantly the questions posed are answered in a timely and satisfying manner. Action packed and fast paced, I just couldn't put it down!



Visions
8 Stars
476 Pages

It is Armstrong's style to have the next novel pick up exactly where the previous novel left off; I often find that really irritating as there is excessive repetition and the first few chapters of the book always seem unnecessary. While this novel is no exception to her start up rule, but in this case it just enhances the story. With so much action and the primary (Larsen Mystery) and secondary storylines (Cainsville) both leaving cliffhangers, the characters are still developing. We the readers know more than the characters within the story and that dynamic more than anything is what has my anticipation levels so high. I have to know when the characters are going to find out what I know! As a result I have been marathoning my way through this book, picking it up whenever I have a free moment. I am a little worried that I will forget things because I am reading so fast, but these are also something I think I could read over and over. I might end up buying this series so I can have my own hardcover copies. I haven't read anything this captivating since The Daughter of Smoke and Bone last year!
We are given enough answers to be satisfied and interested but there is enough held back to keep you wondering.

Deceptions
7.5 Stars
458 Pages

I read the first 2/3 of this novel a lot slower than I wanted to, a couple chapters at a time instead of in big chunks like the first two. This was all due to life being in the way of reading, I think it would have been way better if I had read it with the same pattern I did the first couple books.  I am writing this review after I read the fourth novel and I am really regretting not taking the time between the two books to write this up as now my feelings for both books are kind of combined.
About half way through this book, I realized how many answers and how much information Armstrong has given me as a reader; without an overwhelming info dump. Yes she does give lots of info at once here and there, but overall its just little bits and pieces that come together seamlessly to form the big picture. There is a little bit of welcome repetition as we move around between characters and its "hidden" in such a way that until I looked back I never even noticed it. Getting the facts straight without that irritating tone that YA novels sometimes get. The conclusion of this novel was perfect, a wrap up of the first three novels that was satisfying and gave me a complete feeling. But still knowing there is more with the world and the characters driving you on to continue. *Armstrong has found the balance between the good and bad of so many characteristics... I can't even explain its just such good writting.

Betrayals 
8.5 Stars
416 Pages

I commented this on goodreads about 1/4 of the way through the novel and it sums up the beginning very nicely.
"Armstrong knows exactly when and how to change it up a little. First goal completed after three books, change the time line a little, switch up how all the characters interact, add another perspective and voila same old love but fresh" 
There is about three months between the end of the third novel and the beginning of this one - where as the first three novels were back to back timelines, and also Gabriel's perspective is added. I had so many mixed feelings going into this book. I wanted to love it,  but I was worried ; our main question had been answered. Would the new driving force behind the novel live up to my skyhigh standards for this series? Knowing so much now about the whole world what was left to really explore? Would it just be info dumping to fill in all the blanks with a half baked plot line to string out those facts?
I am beyond happy to report that this novel was just as amazing, although waiting a year for the 5th novel is going to be awful. I can't recommend this series enough.
*it is getting so hard to do reviews without spoiling anything!


Similar Reads
Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan
The Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor