Wednesday, September 26, 2018

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black



I've been sorely tempted by Ms. Black's works in the past, but never actually managed to get to one of them considering my staggering To-Read list (and the one on goodreads is just the tip of the iceberg). But I was seeing this book everywhere since it came out. Everyone was talking about it. Everyone was promoting it. So I decided to see for myself. Let's see if this is worth all the hype. Let's see if it really is as good as people have been going on and on that it is.....and it is. Let's dive right in.

Jude, the twin sister Taryn, and their older half sister Vivienne were snatched from their home at a young age by Vivi's faerie father, the Red Cap Madoc. Madoc adopts Jude and Taryn and takes them into his home, raising them and caring for them, and giving them some semblance of a family. But Jude and Taryn are humans in a faerie world, where everything is riddles and tricks and the two of them are deeply unwelcome. Most especially by Prince Cardon, youngest son of the High King, whose seems to make it his goal in life to punish Jude for existing. But Jude soon gets hopelessly wrapped up in faerie politics and it's going to be up to her to secure the future of her home.

This book was a wonderful roller coaster full of witty characters, a good protagonist, twists and turns, beauty and brutality. Now more than ever I'm kicking myself for not looking into the works of Holly Black earlier then I might not have doubted so much. I mean dang, I had a great time with this. It's no surprise that Black knows her stuff about Celtic lore and stories of the fae, and the way she captures the magnificence and the danger is just expertly done. The faerie world lives and breathes with its own rules and dangers. It just feels so alive and so perfectly at ends with out own world (which we do occasionally see).

Jude, as the main character, could have gone into Mary Sue territory, but cleverly avoids it by being vulnerable and not always winning. That's Jude's frustration. She both wants to be a part of Faerie but also wants to beat it. She's not looking to blend in and survive, she wants to thrive and succeed. She wants to impress her foster father, she wants to stick it to Carden, she wants to be acknowledged...and the fact that she's mortal and easily bested by their powers is frustrating beyond belief. But she has an edge...she can lie. Faeries cannot. And boy does she use it to her advantage. You can look at a lot of things that Jude does in this book and see her as a terrible person, but she's relatable and sympathetic and has good intentions enough that you don't hold the things she does against her. She's marvelously complex.

The creatures and other characters make for an exquisite cast that is just a ton of fun and interesting to boot. Madoc who loves bloodshed but makes for a truly kind father figure, Locke who loves to see things in motion, Prince Dain who takes an interest in Jude and runs the mysterious Court of Shadows, Vivi who loves the human world and wants only to escape back and take her sisters with her, they're all really cool. The only one I had any problem with was the cruel prince himself, Carden, and that's mostly because...I saw through him. Before I even picked up the book, I saw it. Now, that's not a bad thing, exactly. It just wasn't the big reveal it probably wanted to be.

That being said, there are plenty of big reveals in this book that I didn't see coming at all. I had to pick my jaw up off the floor twice from this little baby. Good plot twists are getting harder to find and the fact that this book did it twice speaks to the level of talent this woman has. Kudos.

Final Verdict
This book was totally worth the hype. Great characters, a fast and intriguing plot, tension, drama, just a fantastical and wonderful time that I'd say is totally worth your money at your local bookstore.

Have you read the book? What did you think? Comment below and share your thoughts. Please make sure to Follow Midnight Readings for instant updates. Have a book you'd like me to read or would like to make a recommendation? Contact me on goodreads at https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/65448711-michelle-beer

If you would like to read my book, Powerless, you can find it at:

Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Powerless-Shelley-Miller/dp/1543482546/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519062043&sr=8-1&keywords=powerless+by+shelley+miller

Xlibris: https://www.xlibris.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=SKU-001175242

Next Time: Out of the ashes, she will rise....

Sunday, September 16, 2018

Royal Replicas by Micheal Pierce



I need to apologize to The Selection. I called it out as being too familiar to the TV reality show The Bachelor and not original enough and...well, it still is but this book here could probably give it a run for its money in how much we're relying on the dynamic of reality television to sell an idea. Let's just get this started.

Victoria Sandelwood was raised in the 24th ward with a spineless stepmother and an abusive stepfather who beats her. She's also stalked by a mysterious boy who says they have a history together but she doesn't remember it at all. One day a message arrives for her with revealing new information, that she's the surrogate daughter of the Queen and she is to travel to the 1st ward to become the new Princess Amelia and marry a prince...along with six other girls who look exactly like her. Victoria must compete with the other clones to win the affections of Prince Byron and also the crown of Westeria, but the competition is more than it seems and secrets are around every corner, threatening Victoria and the other girls with more than just a return trip home.

Okay, so when a book honestly tries to relate itself with Twilight, I'm going to have issues with it. (Seriously, there's a scene in here where she freaking reads Breaking Dawn and wishes her relationship could be like Bella and Edward's...I'm not kidding!) This book just lacked so much in originality. Color-coding the girls so we could tell them apart, having the catty mean one who is super possessive with the prince, the love triangle where the two guys involved have to be stupid for liking this devoid-of-personality-girl (OMGosh, it IS just like Twilight!). Even some little details of the book just so generic. Her favorite book is Pride and Prejudice...because of course it is. Her stepfather beats her with a switch, leaving marks, and being super creepy and possessive...despite the fact she knows he could one day be royalty and have his sorry behind executed because she freaking felt like it...naturally. There was nothing that said "original" or "new" about it and it just made me sad...and irritated.

Now, it's not like this book was devoid of hope from the very beginning, it wasn't. There was potential here, but I think the issue lies in the execution. It plays it's cards way too soon (I'll come back to this little tidbit) and the pacing was just...strange. Victoria has a terrible encounter with her stepfather...and in the next second we're admiring out pretty dresses and reading Pride and Freaking Prejudice for the billionth time. We find out the queen isn't what she seems and then we've discovered a horrible secret...then it's date night with our super handsome prince man! It just doesn't seem realistic. If I learned half the things that Victoria does, going on dates and having slumber parties with my new "sisters" would be the last thing on my mind!

Yeah, we need to talk about The Bachelor references in this book. Now, I'm not the biggest fan of the show (if I watch it then it's background noise while I do something else and still end up hating the final choice anyway). That being said, I've seen enough of it to know that what you find in this book is borderline copyright infringement. I'm serious, all the cheesy lines from the show are here. "I'm certain my future wife is in this room." "Can I steal him from you for a second?" "I'm looking for my one true love." Even the tacky date cards with the stupid puns are in here!

Now, the major stuff I want to talk about is going into some serious spoiler territory, so I'm putting up the alert and, if you wanna skip it, go down to the Final Verdict.

*SPOILER ALERT* So, there's a twist in the book that I kind of figured out right away. Each of these girls is a clone of the original princess, yes? So what happens to the ones who are not going to be picked to be the new princess? Well, they die of course. Now, one of the girls figures it out at about halfway into the book and rats out the Queen in front of everyone. Now, here's my problem...this is a horrible way to announce this kind of plot twist. If all the broads on the tv show were told they'd either win this guy's heart or die they would NOT be sitting around swimming and sowing and reading and whatever generic crap hobby they give each girl. They'd run for the freaking hills! They'd try to off themselves before the Queen can do it first. They'd...do something! These girls don't try anything. They just sit around and turn down escape attempts...nothing! It's implied that one of the girls tries something, but she freaking survives. What is the point of that!? You've set up all these dark implications and you're not using them! Plus, we sit around for four weeks with all of these pointless girls just sitting around and doing nothing. Hey! Here's an idea. If you want to be The Bachelor so much...why not have Rose Ceremonies!? It's the only thing they don't have. Have a girl eliminated every week only to find out that, instead of being sent home, she's actually eliminated! How much more impactful would that have been!? What a better way to discover this plot twist! Have your stupid date cards and your fantasy dates and find out the dark truth in such a horrible way! Missed opportunities all around in this thing and it just annoyed the crap out of me.*END OF SPOILERS*

Final Verdict
As much as I complained about this book, the truth is it's just not for me. I don't like reality dating shows, I'm sick of "girl-starts-revolution" plot lines, and I'm just tired of it all. If you're the type of person who does like those things, you might end up liking this book just fine...just check it out at your local library.

Have you read the book? What did you think? Comment below and share your thoughts. Please make sure to Follow Midnight Readings for instant updates. Have a book you'd like me to read or would like to make a recommendation? Contact me on goodreads at https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/65448711-michelle-beer

If you would like to read my book, Powerless, you can find it at:

Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Powerless-Shelley-Miller/dp/1543482546/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519062043&sr=8-1&keywords=powerless+by+shelley+miller

Xlibris: https://www.xlibris.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=SKU-001175242

Next Time: Man, Faerie folk can be real jerks....

Friday, September 7, 2018

Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman



Seeing as this book's predecessor was my favorite book of last year, this one had a lot to live up to if it wanted to impress me. Unlike movie sequels, I have a bit more faith in book sequels and went into this one with optimism. Well, not only did I find this book as good as the first one...it might actually be better! Let's dive in.

A year has passed and Scythe Anastasia, formerly known as Citra Terranova, has made a name for herself with her unique way of gleaning. At the same time, the allusive Scythe Lucifer, who punishes unlawful scythes, evades capture. But there are plans laid out throughout the Scythdom with the intent to see the two junior scythes put in their place. A wicked scheme that threatens the lives of Citra's mentor, Honorable Scythe Curie, and all the while the all-powerful Thunderhead observes, forbidden to interfere, but finds a way regardless.

Boy, this book was a rush! It was jam packed with action and twists and surprises and I just loved it! The intelligence of these books never ceases to amaze me, not to mention Shusterman's brilliant writing. Not only is the plot creative and the characters well developed, but there's a wonderful cheekiness to his writing as well. An almost dry sense of humor that keeps even the exposition and descriptions fun to read. The world building is some of the most well done that I've seen in a long while, covering just about every aspect of this world that it is possible to explore and keeping it engaging.

While we get the much welcomed returns of Citra and Rowan, we also get a couple of new characters that we get to meet and follow in this story. Firstly is Greyson Tolliver, a very ordinary young man who was practically raised by the Thunderhead and finds himself at its whims. Greyson is a humble guy who only wants to do what's right and show his appreciation to the Thunderhead, but often finds himself in very strange and often dangerous circumstances. He's probably the most human of all the characters, at the whims of an uncontrollable force and just trying to find some clarity. The other big character introduced (kinda) in this book is the Thunderhead itself. We hear what it has to say about situations, how it deals with the humans it has sworn to protect, and find that it has a personality of its own. We get to know the Thunderhead and why and how it works. It is fascinating to see and I actually really enjoyed the bits with it.

The plot of this book is a massive roller coaster, throwing "unsavory" people, a revenge plot, a political take over, and many more. Each one finds our characters, mostly Rowan, Citra, and Greyson, using all the wits and determination they possess to protect the scythodom and mankind from an upcoming catastrophe. This book also includes the return of "new age" scythe idealists and perhaps one of the most heinous, jaw-dropping, horrific acts preformed by a villain I've seen in a Young Adult book in a long while. It is a really ballsy move and absolute kudos to the author for that. I won't give anything away, in fact, I can't go much further without giving anything away, including an ending that will make the wait for the third installment that much more painful.

Final Verdict
I love it, I love it, I love these books so much! Brilliant writing, amazing characters, a thrilling plot, just...just everything was awesome! Book three can't come any sooner but, in the mean time, this little baby is going right on the Shelf or Recommendation!

Have you read the book? What did you think? Comment below and share your thoughts. Please make sure to Follow Midnight Readings for instant updates. Have a book you'd like me to read or would like to make a recommendation? Contact me on goodreads at https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/65448711-michelle-beer

If you would like to read my book, Powerless, you can find it at:

Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Powerless-Shelley-Miller/dp/1543482546/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519062043&sr=8-1&keywords=powerless+by+shelley+miller

Xlibris: https://www.xlibris.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=SKU-001175242

Next Time: Will you accept this crown?

Saturday, August 25, 2018

The Hangman's Daughter by Oliver Pötzsch



I actually started this book a long time ago and never got around to finishing it. Seeing it again as I was browsing my many books, I figured it was time to give this another chance. Thank goodness I did because I've been missing out. This well-written little beauty has gotten a lot of acclaim that seems pretty well deserved. Let's dive right in.

In a tiny, Bavarian village in the year 1659, hangman Jakob Kuisl manages his job with an unusual amount of wisdom and empathy, earning him fear and respect among the people. But a day comes when a series of mysterious deaths befall young orphans littered about the city and the hysterical villagers are blaming witchcraft. While Jakob is convinced that the case's only suspect is innocent, his only ally is the young town physician and his own daughter, Magdalena, who happen to be smitten with each other. The trio must find the true killer and save an innocent life, but the town officials, the terrified villagers, and time itself are against them, as is a mysterious devil with a hand of bones.

This book does a marvelous job of balancing the realistic elements with those of the supernatural, bringing to life the feeling of living in a time when reality and the unknown often collide. You feel both the gritty realism of a time period where life is hard, plague is a very real and scary thing, and the unexplained is plausible. It's this wonderfully macabre style that the book has, feeling both historically accurate and fantastical at the same time. It's a very difficult balance to pull off and it was expertly pulled off.

The character of Jakob Kuisl is probably going onto my list of new heroes because this guy is awesome! Living the life of a man who kills for a living is no easy task and you feel for him as he finds the balance of being both an executioner and a good man. The passion with which he fights for what he knows is right is highly commendable. You want him to win, even when the odds are stacked firmly against him. The characters of Simon, the physician, and Magdalena are also really well done. Simon is one of those bright, ahead-of-his-time types of guys. He believes in science and the powers of deduction and so, when faced with a village screaming "witchcraft", he goes where no-one else is willing to and fight the truth of the situation. Ironically, the one with the least amount of time dedicated to her is the title character, Magdalena. Not that she doesn't have much to do in the book or isn't helpful because she is, it's just that she comes into the story a bit later and doesn't have as many opportunities as you'd think she would. Still, the three working together make for a great team.

I always enjoy a good mystery and I love it when I can't figure out exactly what's going on. And, once again, I was surprised with the outcome...even if it was pretty complex. You've got a scheme involving a leper sanctuary being built, you have corrupt politicians, a conspiracy involving the local orphans...there's a ton of stuff going on in here. Also, this is a long book. I'd felt I had reached the halfway point three times before realizing I wasn't even close. Not that long books are a problem or that I don't like them (I have the Everests including Battle Royale and Dune to look forward to in the future) but there aren't many times I feel the length of a book as much as I did in this one. The pace reads pretty quickly, so it's a bit alarming when you realize you haven't made much actual progress. But that's mostly just a personal problem and not necessarily a flaw.

Final Verdict
A great mystery, interesting characters, well-written plot, overall just a great book and a darkly, mysterious read. If this sounds like your cup of tea, then I'd say it's well worth your money at your local bookstore.

Have you read the book? What did you think? Comment below and share your thoughts. Please make sure to Follow Midnight Readings for instant updates. Have a book you'd like me to read or would like to make a recommendation? Contact me on goodreads at https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/65448711-michelle-beer

If you would like to read my book, Powerless, you can find it at:

Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Powerless-Shelley-Miller/dp/1543482546/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519062043&sr=8-1&keywords=powerless+by+shelley+miller

Xlibris: https://www.xlibris.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=SKU-001175242

Next Time: The Scythes return....

Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Fatal Throne: The Wives of Henry VIII Tell All



Ah, King Henry VIII. When I was a much younger nerd in history class, I did a report on this infamous king and his legacy for a report and since then the king and his six wives have always been a source of fascination for me. So when I found this recent treasure, a book written by seven different authors in the voices of Henry and the wives, I just had to dive in. Let's see what we found.

This is a collection of stories told from the points of view of the six wives of King Henry VIII. Hear their sides of the stories and understand where they're coming from as they're passed over and as they fight to keep their throne...and their lives. From the devout Catherine of Aragon, scheming Anne Boleyn, meek Jane Seymour, neglected Anne of Cleves, lusty Catherine Howard, and learned Catherine Parr tell their tales with interludes from the great King himself as he recalls his life and goals.

Having a different author as the voice of each character in this book is pretty clever and works greatly to this books advantage. Each one shares their own views and uses their own unique voices to really capture the character they are writing for. Even the set ups of each section are different from each other. Parr's story is the only one that uses chapter headings, Boleyn's uses poetry, Aragon and Cleves's stories is mostly told in flashback, and so on and so forth. The parts from the perspectives of Henry VIII himself are also very well done, making a misogynistic, philandering, pompous jerk seems almost (almost) sympathetic but at the very least understandable. The guy reads like the arrogant douche he really was, but you see how he was raised to be and how each wife, each death, and each divorce had an effect on him. You see just how miserable a life he lived alongside those of his wives and you do feel for him...kinda...sorta...just a bit...just barely. Kudos the the writer for that one.

Going into nitpick mode, the only thing that really bothered me was that changed the spelling on the names of some of the Queens to avoid there being confusion. Now, I understand why they did, it makes sense to me with three Catherines, two Annes and one Jane to work with. Still the grammar nazi in me just couldn't really get over seeing the changes to the names. The biggest grievance was probably the spelling of Catherine Parr's name as Kateryn. What kind of crazy, millenial spelling is that? Still, it served its purpose in trying to avoid confusion, but I just wish there was another way.

It's clear a lot of time and energy went into making these as nice and accurate as they could. Slipping in creative license from time to time but also keeping the timelines right and the events as they were. This is historical fiction done right. Keeping the real events as they are while expanding on the exciting details and using time gaps to come up with interesting filler. It keeps the book entertaining and educational, and difficult combo but perfectly possible if handled with care, and this book was handed with such care.

Final Verdict
I really liked this one and anyone with an interest in the life and loves of this most well known monarch will probably like it too. If this sound like something up your alley, then it's got my approval  as being worth your money at your local bookstore!

Have you read the book? What did you think? Comment below and share your thoughts. Please make sure to Follow Midnight Readings for instant updates. Have a book you'd like me to read or would like to make a recommendation? Contact me on goodreads at https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/65448711-michelle-beer

If you would like to read my book, Powerless, you can find it at:

Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Powerless-Shelley-Miller/dp/1543482546/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519062043&sr=8-1&keywords=powerless+by+shelley+miller

Xlibris: https://www.xlibris.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=SKU-001175242

Next Time: An executioner preventing an execution...sold!

Monday, July 30, 2018

The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett



I had a lot of expectations going into this book, having really liked Good Omens and hearing tons of praise about Pratchett's works, particularly the Discworld stories. When it finally came time to get to the first book of the series, I was braced for anything, whether it would be excitement or disappointment. So, let's just get to it.

Rincewind is a failed wizard merely trying to find his way in life when he comes across the strangest and most dangerous thing ever seen in Discworld...a tourist. A simple man named Twoflower has come from the Counterweight Continent looking to see the sights with a camera and Luggage full of gold...and teeth.  Rincewind soon finds himself Twoflower's unwilling guide and the two of them seek out all the exciting sights that Twoflower has longed to see...including bar fights, dangerous temples, and dragons. Of course.

If I was going to use one word to describe this book it would be...cheeky. The whole book has that wonderful, cheeky, British humor that I happen to love. It's remarkably dry humor that captures Rincewind's exasperation, Twoflower's naivety, and the confused and sometimes murder-y reactions of everyone they come across. One of my favorite gags was right in the beginning: Rincewind is trying to explain how the Twoflower's camera works and so just tells the people he wants to photograph that there's a little demon inside the box that paints their picture, while privately thinking that the box captures the image using light...only to discover that there actually is a tiny demon in the box that paints the photos. The tiny ways in which the book plays with your expectations is a ton of fun and I really enjoyed it.

The book is set up, not as one long story, but as four short stories with their own beginnings, middles, and ends. While they do come together to tell one long, cohesive story, it does mean that it starts over and re-explains things over again at the beginning of each segment. This didn't bother me too much, but some people might find it a bit repetitive. That seems to be something that most people aren't sure about when reading this book. The set-ups take a lot of time, but I found the pay off to be worth the wait. There's just a lot to get through until you get there.

This is the book that sets up the Discworld and it does so wonderfully. I found that I really liked this place. The characters are a ton of fun, the set up of the world and the logic on which it runs is incredibly imaginative, and, as I said earlier, the cheeky tone is just spot on. It was never really "laugh out loud" funny, but it's defiantly fun and will leave you smiling the whole time you're reading. There's a reason Discworld has become known for being one of the best developed literary universes and anyone looking to get into it has my seal of approval.

Final Verdict
This book was a lot of fun. While the set-up and pacing took there time, there was a lot of humor and character that I really enjoyed. If you feel like exploring Pratchett's world for yourself, than I'd say that it's definitely worth your money at your local bookstore.

Have you read the book? What did you think? Comment below and share your thoughts. Please make sure to Follow Midnight Readings for instant updates. Have a book you'd like me to read or would like to make a recommendation? Contact me on goodreads at https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/65448711-michelle-beer

If you would like to read my book, Powerless, you can find it at:

Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Powerless-Shelley-Miller/dp/1543482546/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519062043&sr=8-1&keywords=powerless+by+shelley+miller

Xlibris: https://www.xlibris.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=SKU-001175242

Next Time: Desperate Castle Wives....

Monday, July 2, 2018

These Vicious Masks by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas




Super powered beings? Good. Victorian England? Good. Clever writing and interesting ideas. Good. There's a formula here for a good story and just the type I like to read. Still, can too much of a good thing turn out to be a bad thing or does this only guarantee greatness? Let's begin.

Evelyn Windum is very bored with her life in society and the endless barrage of unsavory suitors, boring parties, and her mother's constant fussing in regards to Evelyn's "reputation". Her only joy is that she has her sister, Rose, with her for most of the dreadfully boring season. But when her sister suddenly goes missing, Evelyn throws propriety and reputation out the door in order to find her. The only souls willing to help her are the enigmatic "master detective" Mr. Kent, and the brooding Mr. Braddock, who believes that Evelyn and her sister possess some kind of extraordinary powers. Though she's skeptical at first, Evelyn soon discovers that Mr. Braddock's theory is not only accurate, but opens her eyes to a world lying just beneath the surface that she'd never encountered before.

Initially, I was a bit worried about Evelyn as a character. I feared her sarcasm and nonchalance would lead her into the "selfish, tragic Mary-Sue who complains about everything and hardly does any of the work but still gets the credit" territory. Thankfully, I was completely wrong. While she is sarcastic, she is successfully so and actually got some good laughs out of me while I was reading this.  And while her modern (perhaps too modern) mentality about Victorian society was brought up, it wasn't really focused on that much. And, wonderfully, she is proactive in this book. She does things, she fights, she helps others even if she isn't sure she can. She tries her best, even if she doesn't think she can do it. When something bad happens, she doesn't let it get to her. Her parents don't want to help her? Fine, she'll just leave without their permission. She's not allowed to stay in someone's house. Okay, then, I'll just find an inn. She's a strong character, without being cartoonishly silly or melodramatic and I appreciated that about her.

This was also a pretty fun book, even if it was a bit straightforward. It sticks pretty closely to a three act structure, so you can kind of figure out where it goes, even if you can't predict exactly what will happen. The plot is simple: solve the mystery. But there's definite love in this book, and I'm not talking about the relationships between the characters. A lot of thought went into this story, into the characters, the setting, and the mystery and so all the elements come together, even if it sticks to a formula that we're pretty familiar with. Each character was full of life and the powers were an interesting mix. Sometimes you couldn't even tell if what a person could do was a power or if it was just an exceptionally skilled person. It's a neat little touch and I liked that.

The only real problems I have is, once again, the inclusion of the love triangle. Evelyn, for her part, makes it clear that her priorities are on her sister and she's not interested in romance at the moment, but that doesn't stop Kent and Braddock from getting into these really ridiculous cock-fights that just make you want to slap yourself in the forehead and roll your eyes. They're just shoved into theses arm-candy stereotypes but, thankfully, they do have personalities that develop them a bit more than you might find elsewhere. Kent is really funny and charismatic and Braddock has some good reasons for his brooding and deals with a power that is no benefit to him and makes him harmful to others. I didn't dislike either of them, thankfully. I didn't wish ill on anyone, so that's something. The villain of the book, while formidable, didn't leave that much of an impact either. We don't see him very often and, when he did show up, he just kind of came off as the mad-scientist-with-superiority-complex type that we see a lot. Other than those two things, I did have fun with this book and think anyone with an interest in it would find it amusing.

Final Verdict
A fun, quick, and interesting read. Good characters, an easy to follow story, and great humor and dialogue make for a nice, chill read. If you have an interest in it, defiantly give it a shot because, in my opinion it is worth your money at your local bookstore.

Have you read the book? What did you think? Comment below and share your thoughts. Please make sure to Follow Midnight Readings for instant updates. Have a book you'd like me to read or would like to make a recommendation? Contact me on goodreads at https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/65448711-michelle-beer

If you would like to read my book, Powerless, you can find it at:

Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Powerless-Shelley-Miller/dp/1543482546/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519062043&sr=8-1&keywords=powerless+by+shelley+miller

Xlibris: https://www.xlibris.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=SKU-001175242

Next Time: You might be cool, but you'll never be flat-planet-balanced-on-the-backs-of-four-elephants-riding-on-the-back-of-a-giant-turtle-floating-through-space cool.