Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride

From Goodreads

I loved this book in a way that is pure enjoyment. It was like going to an amusement park, yes there were some cliches but there was also the unexpected and the entertainment. I purchased this in actual, page turning book form which I haven't done in ages but am so glad that I did. It is a quick read, I read it in two nights but could have done it in one if my personal life wasn't demanding attention.

The plot had a lot of the basics, bad guy that does bad things for power; confused, inexperienced protagonist that turns out to be something special, parental units that hide what is really going on, and a beautiful, strong willed love interest. That being said, the execution was fantastic and I've never read about a necromancer before. The plot moved along quickly but without feeling rushed. There was a good balance of world building and action. One that initially bothered me but later did not was the change in POV. This book, while dark at times, actually had a fun feel. I appreciate the optimism and humor found throughout this book. I didn't have a problem accepting anything but the ending. Actually one specific part of the ending---SPOILER ALERT--- the part with detective investigating Brooke showed up and they told him everything. It was obviously a set up for something that comes later and it could have been done better.

The character's in this were great, they felt like people instead of just roles with names performing. That is really my biggest thing while reading, I want my characters to be human like and not feel fake. This cast of characters was bigger than most, and I loved that too. I hate it when the main character is just an entity without participation in society. Sam was such a great embodiment of this: he lived in his own apartment, had a relationship with his mom that was relevant, had multiple friends that he actually cared about, and wasn't a stranger to love (I am specifically referring to an emotional capacity.) Ramon, Brooke, and Frank all got varying levels of development depending on their relation to Sam which was totally appropriate but the best part was the relationships changed and grew. They didn't stay stagnate.  

Overall I would recommend this book to 16+ year olds and I give it 4 out of 5 zombies.

From SSpike's Photobucket

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Longbourn by Jo Baker

From Goodreads

Baker has given me a roller coaster ride. At first I wasn't too interested but then suddenly-invested! I was invested for awhile and then that lulled too. I started to get bored right at what was suppose to be a climax--not a good sign. But then she started this backstory/flashback sequence which interested me again. By the end I was tapping my foot waiting for it to be over.

Baker does a lot of great things. She captures the time period perfectly, she did her research. Historically the events notch in the story elegantly. She uses appropriate language and turn of phrase without weighing down the narrative.

Baker also spins her orginial characters beautifully. Each character is unique and free of stereotypes for the most part, this helps flesh them out into individuals instead of place holders. Sarah is the main character and I actually enjoy her thoroughly. The rest of the staff at Longbourn get fully developed and are interesting in their own ways. What I fault Baker is her understanding of the ladies from Pride and Prejudice.  Jane and Elizabeth seem wrapped. Mr. Wickham is particularly villainous and over the top. Elizabeth, after she is married, does a 180 in her personality. She goes from independent to pressured by society to look good at breakfast. Elizabeth even asks Darcy to fight her battle which is NOT like her at all. Mr. Bennett was more of a central figure in this and he got an "interesting" back story but I did enjoy his character being further developed.

The plot was fully developed but the pacing was too slow to keep my attention. I appreciate details but sometimes it just went overboard. Especially with Jame's back story which initially hooked me again but ended up too heavy. Then the large gaps where the characters went missing were suppose to build suspense (I guess?) but really weakened the plot as a whole because it was about as suspenseful as a gaping ragged whole where you can clearly see the bottom about two feet down. I also did not like how the ending was handled, it was just awkward in my opinion. The content was fine and it was just the kind of ending everyone wanted which I appreciated after reading some other works (not reviewed) this month.

The audience is probably what I call "older mom" age which fine but just not something I am use to. It was fairly clean cut and just a tad scandalous. Overall I give Longbourn 3 out of 5 bonnets.

From Sentimentalbaby on Etsy

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Night of Cake and Puppets by Laini Taylor

I am just going to come out and say it: This was fluff. The fluff we were dying to hear about since Days of Starlight and Blood from the Daughter of Smoke and Bone Trilogy. (Woah, that's a mouth full.) Night of Cake and Puppets tells the story of how Mik and Zuzanna finally met. Of course it was perfect and it helped ease the loneliness from the trilogy being over. 

A brief taste of what you get in this bite sized novella: backstory of Zuze and Karou's friendship, scuppy wishes, dual point of view with Zuze and Mik, and a romantic setting for the backdrop. 

While I enjoyed Mik's point of view, Zuzanna's point of view is so alive and vibrant it's all I wanted. I would read another novel told from Zuzanna's  point of view. Zuze reminded us just how old our characters are. Karou always seems much older but Zuze has more youthful tone. Zuze also makes me fall in love with Prague. 

I give this short, 5 out of 5 puppets because it did exactly what it was suppose to do. I do not recommend this story as a stand alone. 

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