Tag: carti fantasy

Posted in Chris Wooding

Pale – Chris Wooding

Posted on by roxtao

Pale – Chris Wooding

Editura: Stoke Books

Data publicare: 10 septembrie 2012

Numar pagini: 72

 

Sinopsis:

Serul Lazarus te poate aduce inapoi din morti. Singura problema este ca te si transforma intr-un „Palid”. Jed nu-si poate imagina nimic mai rau, dar apoi alegerea nu ii mai apartine…

Parerea mea:

Multumesc editurii Stoke Books si autorului, Chris Wooding, pentru ca mi-au oferit aceasta carte pentru recenzie.

Cu siguranta de acum ar trebui sa fiu mai atenta inainte de a-mi alege viitoarele lecturi. Eram nerabdatoare sa incep Pale, asteptandu-ma bineinteles la un roman, pentru ca in momentul in care am inceput sa citesc sa descopar ca este de fapt vorba doar de o nuvela 🙂 Dar chiar si asa, lectura a fost placuta si nu regret deloc timpul petrecut citind-o. Mai ales ca a fost vorba cam de o ora, maxim.. Singurul lucru de care imi pare rau este ca un subiect cu adevarat interesant a fost epuizat oarecum superficial, in doar 70 de pagini, cand ar fi putut sa fie transformat intr-un roman mult mai captivant.

Pale trateaza subiectul mereu fascinant al nemuririi. Incercarea de a invinge moartea se traduce de data aceasta prin crearea unui ser, denumit Serul Lazarus, ce ofera posibilitatea unei anumite categorii de oameni sa fie salvati din ghearele mortii. Insa efectele secundare ale serului laolalta cu ironia faptului ca doar cateva persoane indeplinesc criteriile naturale pentru a beneficia de aceasta descoperire dau nastere atat unor controverse imense cat si unui dispret general indreptat impotriva celor intorsi din morti. In ciuda faptului ca cei „Palizi” raman exact aceleasi persoane ca si inainte de moarte, pastrandu-si capacitatile cognitive, amintirile si comportamentul, aspectul fizic diferit ii face sa fie respinsi si brutalizati de catre societate. Iar legislatia nefavorabila le ingreuneaza si mai mult noua viata. Miturile si superstitiile nu intarzie si ele sa apara, teama, invidia si nestiinta fiind factorii declansatori ai unui adevarat razboi dus impotriva celor intorsi din morti.

Pe acest fundal, facem cunostinta cu Jed si prietenii lui, niste copii care au preluat intreaga gama de sentimente si reactii ale adultilor, vis-a-vis de existenta „Palizilor”. Iar in momentul in care unul dintre copii ajunge in tabara adversa, viziunea cititorului se transfera intr-o directie opusa. Avem acum o perspectiva diferita asupra lumii, chiar din interiorul comunitatii celor „Palizi”, iar cruzimea societatii este si mai bine subliniata. Notiunea de familie isi pierde sensul, prietenii devin dusmani, iar cei prezentati pana acum intr-o lumina intunecata sau cel putin incerta, ajung sa fie singurul sprijin al personajului principal.

Povestea te duce cu gandul la mitul cutiei Pandorei. Cei Palizi reprezinta factorul declansator al exploziei de sentimente negative: ura, razbunare, invidie, cruzime, vanitate, inselaciune. Insa in acelasi timp, ei raman singurul simbol al sperantei, singura urma de bunatate si intelegere. Spre deosebire de alte carti in care mortii reinviati reprezinta personajele negative, in Pale, rolurile sunt inversate. Umanitatea mai salasluieste doar in inimile celor reintorsi la viata, in timp ce oamenii vii, normali, si-au pierdut orice urma de omenie.

Bile albe:

– Stilul autorului este remarcabil, reusind sa combine tonul infantil si viziunea adolescentina asupra intamplarilor cu o nuanta ascunsa extrem de rece, aspra, acida. Desi nuvela este incadrata in genul Young Adult, exista anumite sensuri mai profunde, ascunse printre randuri.

Bile negre:

– Dat fiind numarul restrans de pagini al povestii, o multime de detalii importante nu au fost clarificate, asa ca cititorul ramane cu cateva nelamuriri ce nu primesc nici un fel de explicatie. De asemenea, intriga nuvelei ar fi putut fi dezvoltata mult mai amplu, putand fi transformata intr-un punct de plecare pentru un scenariu mai complex.

English version:

Sinopsis:

The Lazarus Serum can bring you back from the dead. Only thing is, it turns you into a Pale. Jed can’t imagine anything worse, but then the choice is taken out of his hands…

My opinion:

I received this book by courtesy of Stoke Books publisher and the author, Chris Wooding. Thank you for offering me Pale in order to write a review. Because English is not my native language, please excuse the possible mistakes.

I’m pretty sure that from now on, I should be more careful before choosing the next books I’m going to read. I was eager to start reading Pale, expecting, of course, a novel. And when I began reading, I discovered a novella instead 🙂 Even so, reading Pale was a real pleasure and I don’t regret a second the time I spent. Especially that I only needed about an hour to finish it.. The only thing I feel sorry about is the fact that such an interesting idea was presented somehow superficial, in only 70 pages, when it could have become a much more captivating novel.

Pale covers the forever fascinating subject of immortality. This time, the attempt to fight death is represented by the Lazarus Serum, which offers the possibility to come back from the dead to a small category of people. But the adverse effects of the serum and the irony that only a few people fill the natural criteria to benefit from this new discovery are shaping huge debates and also a general feeling of hate for the ones that returned from death. Despite the fact that the Pales remain the exact same persons they were before dying (keeping their cognitive abilities, their memories and their behavior), their altered appearance determines the society to reject and brutalize them. And an unaspicious legislation makes their new lives even more difficult. The myths and the superstitions are the next to come – the fear, the envy and the ignorance being the trigger to a real war against the returned ones.

On this background we meet Jed and his friends, a group of children that absorbed from the adults the whole chord of thoughts and reactions against the Pales. And when one of the kids finds himself on the other side of the fence, the reader’s vision transfers in an opposite angle. We have now a different perception over the world, right from the inside of the Pales’ community and the society’s cruelty is highlighted even more. The concept of family is ruined, the friends become enemies and the ones we were seeing until now in a dark or at least in an unclear light become the only comfort for the main character.

The story makes you think about Pandora’s box. The Pales are the trigger of the negative feelings’ explosion: hate, revenge, envy, cruelty, vanity, abuse. But in the same time, they remain the only symbol of hope, the last bit of gentleness, kindness and harmony. Unlike other books where the living dead are usually the villains, in Pale, the roles are reversed. The humanity only lies in the hearts of the living dead, while the normal humans lost any trace of humaneness.

Pros:

– The author’s style is remarkable, blending the childish tone and the infantile perception over the events with a well hidden cold and sharp touch. Although the novella is considered to be Young Adult, there are some deeper meanings, hidden between the lines.

Cons:

– Because of the limited number of pages, a lot of important details were not clarified, so the reader remains with some questions that don’t receive an explanation. Also, the novella’s storyline could have been extended, in order to become a premise for a more complex plot.

Alte recenzii care te-ar putea interesa:

Monster in My Closet (seria Monster Haven, volumul 1) – R.L. Naquin

Caderea (seria Cele noua vieti ale lui Chloe King, volumul 1) – Liz Braswell
Posted in Michael Grant

Disparuti (seria Disparuti, volumul 1) – Michael Grant

Posted on by roxtao

Disponibil la: Libris

Colectia: Literatura Universala

Traducerea: Doru Mihailescu

Numar pagini: 488

 

Sinopsis:

Cat ai clipi din ochi, toata lumea a disparut. Disparuti. Toti, cu exceptia tinerilor. Au ramas fara nici un adult. Fara profesori, politisti, doctori, parinti. Si tot asa de brusc dispar si telefoanele, internetul, televiziunea. Fara nici o posibilitate de a cauta ajutor. Si fara vreo sansa de a afla ce se intampla. Foametea ameninta. Incepe domnia salbaticilor. O creatura sinistra pandeste din umbra. Animalele devin mutante. Iar adolescentii se schimba si ei, le apar talente noi, puteri inimaginabile, periculoase, mortale, care sporesc din zi in zi. Este o lume noua si inspaimantatoare. Se aleg tabere, se pregateste o lupta. Cei puternici impotriva celor slabi. Iar timpul se scurge inexorabil: de ziua ta, dispari, la fel ca toti ceilalti. 

Parerea mea:

Coioti mutanti care atunci cand te vad striga “Mancare! Mancare!”? Da, poate ca la prima vedere suna prosteste, dar va asigur ca in momentul in care veti citi cartea lui Michael Grant nu veti sti cum sa aprindeti mai repede toate luminile prin casa si cum sa va refugiati mai rapid sub patura protectoare. Am terminat cartea pe la 3 noaptea si dupa aceea ma simteam exact ca in poza de mai jos:

Nu imi dau seama daca simt eu o atractie speciala pentru unele carti ce nu reusesc sa nasca obsesii, dar chiar am adorat romanul Disparuti. Am observat mai demult ca de multe ori, cartile mele preferate dintr-un anumit gen nu corespund cu cele desemnate ca fiind de fapt cele mai bune. Cum ar fi Legaminte si Uratii in cazul genului distopic, carti ce nu au avut acelasi succes ca Jocurile Foamei sau Divergent de exemplu, dar care mie mi-au placut mai mult decat acestea din urma. Oricum, momentan nu pot decat sa ma intreb cum de nici una dintre recenziile pe care le-am citit pana acum despre romanul lui Michael Grant nu a mentionat cat de grozava este de fapt aceasta carte.

Recunosc ca m-am indragostit de ea de la primele pagini, cand am observat ca fiecare capitol prezinta personajele in paralel, oferind aceeasi atentie tuturor, indiferent daca erau pozitive sau negative, principale sau secundare si utilizand acelasi ton neutru in cazul tuturor categoriilor de personaje. Mi-a amintit de unele romane mai vechi scrise de Stephen King ( Apocalipsa, It, Mobilul, etc), deoarece acelea sunt cartile in care acest stil mi s-a parut a fi cel mai bine evidentiat. Cunoastem deci personajele pe rand, pentru ca pe masura ce inaintam in lectura sa observam cum povestile acestora incep sa se lege. In plus, pe langa acest aspect, au mai existat si altele care amintesc de cartile mai sus mentionate. Asadar, daca v-au placut acele romane ale lui Stephen King, va recomand si povestea lui Michael Grant.

Cred ca romanul a fost incadrat gresit in genul distopic. Actiunea se petrece in prezent, dar un.. accident declanseaza o serie de evenimente inexplicabile. Tensiunea creste treptat, astfel incat devii atat de prins de poveste incat nu mai percepi nimic din ceea ce se intampla in jur. In anumite momente, Disparuti are accente de roman horror. Nu, nu intelegeti gresit. Nu incepe sa sara sangele de peste tot, nu apare un criminal in serie care macelareste personajele. Nimic de genul acesta. Insa ti se instaureaza treptat in subconstient o teama primitiva, irationala, greu de inteles, de explicat sau de anulat. Inamicul din Disparuti nu este o creatura pe care personajele sa o poata invinge prin forta fizica, trucuri inteligente sau arme sofisticate. Dusmanul este insasi necunoscutul, intunericul, ceea ce te speria inca de cand erai un copilas mic lasat noaptea singur, in camera lui intunecata. Este o forta de neinteles, cu abilitati nelimitate, fara vreo lege, fara vreo conditie care sa il oblige sa nu sfideze orice logica, sa nu transforme lumea in absolut orice doreste, fara a respecta vreo regula a universului.  Iar suspansul este accentuat tocmai de faptul ca in prima jumatate a cartii, atentia iti este indreptata catre altceva. Ai in vizor alte probleme, alte temeri, alte pericole. Destul de infricosatoare si acestea, dar aproape inofensive pe langa ceea ce urmeaza apoi, pe langa ceea ce descoperi ca se ascunde de fapt in umbra.

Personajele sunt remarcabile. Toti sunt copii, dar actioneaza cu maturitate, cu intelepciune, inteleg rapid modul in care pot supravietui, primejdiile care pandesc, alegerile pe care trebuie sa le faca. Si totusi, nu ai nici o secunda senzatia ca autorul a exagerat si ca personajele ar putea parea neverosimile. Copii din Disparuti raman fragili, speriati, dezorientati si innebuniti sa caute o explicatie si o solutie pentru ceea ce li se intampla. Dar nu o iau razna, ci se comporta intr-un mod natural, asa cum probabil ar reactiona niste pusti adevarati pusi intr-o astfel de situatie, dupa ce ar depasi socul primelor ore. Vorbesc de personajele pozitive, nu de cele ce isi pierd controlul, bineinteles. Pentru ca grupul se imparte inca de la inceput in doua categorii. Cei care raman cu capul pe umeri in ciuda a ceea ce se petrece si cei care vad in asta doar o oportunitate de a incalca toate regulile, de a deveni vedete, de a pune mana pe o putere iluzorie sau de a incerca sa preia controlul asupra celorlalti.

Bile albe:

– Nu stiu ce parere au alti cititori, dar pe mine autorul m-a aruncat direct in poveste. Am fost pe rand Sam, Astrid, Lana si altii, am trait in lumea lor, am tremurat odata cu ei, mi-a fost frica, am fost furioasa, m-am luptat sa inteleg, am trait pur si simplu in haosul vietii lor. Si sunt nerabdatoare sa ma intorc acolo!

Bile negre:

– Stiu ca un personaj pozitiv trebuie sa ramana bun pana la capat. Sa ii ierte pe cei ce i-au facut rau, sa le mai ofere o sansa, sa vada lumina din ei prin ceata intunecata ce o inconjoara. Stiu asta, dar nu inseamna ca sunt si de acord cu asa ceva. Faptul ca Sam si prietenii lui ii lasa sa plece pe cei care au inrautatit infernul in care deja se aflau cu totii mi se pare dovada de prostie si nu de bunatate. Pana la urma, ii lasa liberi si nevatamati pe cei ce sunt responsabili de atatea morti, de panica creata, de pierderile cauzate si de luptele ce vor urma cu siguranta. Pentru ca raul persista, iar o persoana dominata de acesta nu va vedea in iertare bunatatea si sansa de a o lua de la inceput, pe o cale diferita, ci doar ocazia de a-si intari fortele, de a face alte planuri malefice si de a se pregati de o noua lupta.

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Spulbera-ma (seria Atingerea lui Juliette, volumul 1) – Tahereh Mafi

The Selection (seria The Selection, volumul 1) – Kiera Cass
Posted in Linda Grimes

In a Fix (seria In a Fix, volumul 1) – Linda Grimes

Posted on by roxtao

In a Fix (seria In a Fix, volumul 1) – Linda Grimes

Editura: Tor Books

Data publicare: 4 septembrie 2012

Numar pagini: 336

 

Sinopsis:

Inceputul unei noi serii urban fantasy, avand-o ca protagonista pe Ciel Halligan, „cameleonul uman”.

Sa obtina o cerere in casatorie pentru clienta ei, intr-o vacanta platita integral ar trebui sa fie o treaba simpla pentru Ciel Halligan, o extraordinara „imprumutatoare” de aure. Fiind un fel de cameleon uman, ea e capabila sa preia infatisarea clientilor sai si sa se strecoare discret in vietile acestora, rezolvand orice problema neplacuta de care nu vor sa se ocupe singuri. Fara agitatie, fara zarva. Si cu o plata substantiala.

Misiunea de fata este destul de placuta..asta pana cand casuta in care e cazata in perioada vacantei  se face praf in urma unei explozii, iar viitorul logodnic al clientei sale este rapit de niste vikingi ai zilelor noastre. Din anumite motive, Ciel incepe sa suspecteze ca obtinerea inelului de logodna va fi mult mai dificila decat anticipase.

Trecerea de la romantism la salvare necesita atat transformari serioase, cat si un plan de rezerva. Cel mai bun prieten al ei, Billy si Marc, agentul CIA de care a fost indragostita de ani de zile – amandoi posedand acelasi talent ca si ea – intra in actiune, dar in mod enervant, prioritatea lor este sa o tina pe ea in siguranta. Nu dupa mult timp, Ciel dedica mai multa energie evadarii de sub privirile protectoare decat salvarii iubitului clientei sale.
Deodata, infruntarea unei multimi de vikingi pare a fi ultima dintre problemele ei.

(traducerea descrierii a fost facuta de mine, scuzati eventualele greseli)

Parerea mea:

Multumesc editurii Tor Books si autoarei, Linda Grimes pentru aceasta carte oferita pentru recenzie.

In a Fix este primul roman pe care l-am citit ce are ca personaj principal o persoana cu abilitati..cameleonice. Ciel Halligan, protagonista cartii are capacitatea de a imprumuta aura unei persoane, adica de a-i prelua in totalitate aspectul fizic si vocea. Ceea ce, asa cum mentioneaza si eroina la inceputul povestii se pare ca este diferit fata de ceea ce fac shape-shifterii.  Ciel isi transforma talentul intr-o afacere, folosindu-l pentru a rezolva unele probleme mai spinoase pe care clientii ei prefera sa le evite. Misiunea de fata consta in obtinerea unei cereri in casatorie pentru clienta sa. Dar lucrurile o iau pe un fagas neasteptat, iar Ciel se trezeste ca prietenii ei din copilarie, Billy si Marc sunt direct implicati in disparitia iubitului clientei sale. Si descopera faptul ca acestia planuiesc sa se ocupe singuri de rezolvarea cazului, tinand-o pe ea in siguranta, cat mai departe de acesta. Evident, Ciel are planuri diferite. Iar de la asta pana la rapiri, „excursii” neplanificate in Suedia, intalniri cu un clan neprietenos de vikingi moderni ce ii pun viata in primejdie, nu mai e decat un pas. In plus, Ciel se trezeste si intr-o incurcatura sentimentala.

Povestea este destul de atragatoare, stilul autoarei foarte amuzant, iar cartea nu are defecte care sa bata la ochi. Si totusi, ceva lipseste. Nu stiu de ce, dar pur si simplu nu m-am simtit atrasa in poveste, nu m-a captivat, nu mi-a dat senzatia ca pentru cateva zile am trait in pielea pesonajelor. Uneori aveam impresia ca s-a folosit un exces de umor, ca si cum autoarea ar fi incercat cu tot dinadinsul sa faca toate replicile si toate situatiile amuzante. Intr-adevar, au existat pagini pe parcursul carora am chicotit intr-una, dar de multe ori umorul parea fortat. Alteori, povestea parea atat de neverosimila datorita alegerilor eroinei incat imi venea sa o abandonez cel putin pentru o perioada. Si per ansamblu, cred ca suspansul a lipsit cel mai mult. Nici o secunda nu am tremurat alaturi de protagonista, in nici un moment nu m-am gandit ca situatia poate evolua intr-o directie neplacuta.

In plus, atitudinea eroinei este cel putin bizara. Desi autoarea a incercat sa introduca in scena un personaj feminin matur si puternic, cu o afacere proprie si o viata destul de bine organizata, care este capabila sa aiba grija singura de ea si e de obicei cu picioarele pe pamant, faptele lui Ciel demonstreaza contrariul. Ok, stim cu totii ca atunci cand iti spune cineva ca nu ai voie sa faci ceva, esti tentat sa te arunci exact in mijlocul acelui lucru. Indiferent daca ai 10 ani sau daca esti adult. Asa ca prima data cand Ciel actioneaza pe cont propriu, facand exact ceea ce prietenii ei i-au interzis, este de inteles. Dar in momentul in care intra in belele iar si iar si iar, punandu-i in primejdie pe cei din jur… Mai ales in conditiile in care Ciel chiar nu are nici in clin nici in maneca cu ceea ce se intampla. Nu are abilitatile de a se descurca in misiunea pe care o intreprinde, nu poate sa stopeze planurile malefice ale inamicilor, nu poate sa salveze pe nimeni, nici macar pe ea insasi, nu poate oferi nici un fel de ajutor celor care chiar sunt indreptatiti sa incerce sa rezolve cazul. Dar ea se incapataneaza sa incurce tot si sa alerge din nou in bratele dusmanilor dupa fiecare moment in care este salvata cu greu de catre prietenii sai.

Bile albe:

–  Mi-au placut relatiile construite de autoare intre persoanele cu acelasi talent. Daca in alte romane protagonistii cu diferite abilitati supranaturale sunt de obicei solitari sau isi petrec timpul in grupuri mici, in romanul In a Fix lucrurile sunt diferite. Ciel face parte dintr-un adevarat clan, toti cei care poseda capacitatea de a-si schimba aspectul fizic sunt in legatura unii cu altii, construind relatii de prietenie durabile, astfel incat grupul lor poate fi privit aproape ca o familie extinsa.

Bile negre:

– Pe parcursul romanului Ciel se simte mai intai atrasa de iubitul clientei sale, apoi aflam de slabiciunea pe care o are de ani inregi pentru Marc, mai tarziu se saruta cu Billy si flirteaza cu unul dintre vikingi. Putin cam mult, nu-i asa? Dar trecem si peste asta, pentru ca spre final sa ni se dezvaluie ca Ciel este de fapt aproape virgina. Really?? Chiar era nevoie ca autoarea sa introduca asa ceva? Nu inteleg de unde pana unde ideile acestea in romanele aparute in ultimii ani ca eroinele sa fie „pure”. Chiar daca au 25 de ani sau mai mult, trebuie sa fie inca virgine sau sa fi avut maxim o experienta care sa fi durat mai putin de 30 de secunde, astfel incat sa nu prea merite sa fie luata in seama. Ok, banuiesc ca portretul fecioarei merge atunci cand protagonista are 15-16-17 ani, poate ca e si o incercare de a induce anumite standarde morale publicului tanar. Dar de aici pana la o incercare ca orice eroina, indiferent ca are 15 sau 25 de ani sa fie construita pe acelasi model mi se pare prea mult. Inteleg ca trebuie sa se dea profunzime iubirii care apare intre protagonisti, dar nu cred ca acesta este singurul lucru prin care se poate obtine asta.

English version:

Sinopsis:

Snagging a marriage proposal for her client while on an all-expenses-paid vacation should be a simple job for Ciel Halligan, aura adaptor extraordinaire. A kind of human chameleon, she’s able to take on her clients’ appearances and slip seamlessly into their lives, solving any sticky problems they don’t want to deal with themselves. No fuss, no muss. Big paycheck.

This particular assignment is pretty enjoyable… that is, until Ciel’s island resort bungalow is blown to smithereens and her client’s about-to-be-fiancé is snatched by modern-day Vikings. For some reason, Ciel begins to suspect that getting the ring is going to be a tad more difficult than originally anticipated.

Going from romance to rescue requires some serious gear-shifting, as well as a little backup. Her best friend, Billy, and Mark, the CIA agent she’s been crushing on for years—both skilled adaptors—step in to help, but their priority is, annoyingly, keeping her safe. Before long, Ciel is dedicating more energy to escaping their watchful eyes than she is to saving her client’s intended.

Suddenly, facing down a horde of Vikings feels like the least of her problems.

My opinion:

I received this novel by courtesy of Tor Books publisher and the author, Linda Grimes. Thank you for offering me In a Fix in order to write a review. Because English is not my native language, please excuse the possible mistakes.

In a Fix is the first novel I read that has a protagonist with..chameleonic abilities. Ciel Halligan, the novel’s heroine has the ability to take someone’s look and voice. Which is, according to Ciel, totally different from what a shape-shifter does. Ciel transforms her talent into a business, using it to solve the problems that her clients are trying to avoid. Her current mission consists of obtaining a marriage proposal for her client. But everything goes wrong and Ciel finds out that her friends, Billy and Marc are involved in the disappearance of her client’s boyfriend. She also discovers that they plan to solve the case alone, leaving her into safety, far, far away from the whole mission. Naturally, Ciel has other plans. And from this to kidnapping, unplanned trips to Sweden, meetings with an unfriendly clan of modern Vikings that put her life in danger there’s just a tiny step. Furthermore, Ciel finds herself in a romantic disaster.

The story is pretty appealing, the author’s writing style really funny and the book has no big imperfections. But still, something is missing. I’m not sure why, but I didn’t feel drawn in the story, I wasn’t captivated by it, I didn’t get the feeling that for a few days I lived in the characters’ skin. Sometimes, I had the impression that there was a humor excess, like the author tried to make absolutely all the situations and the dialogs really funny. Indeed, there were some pages where I kept giggling, but there were a lot of fragments were the fun seemed a little forced.  Sometimes, the story was so unbelievable because of the heroine’s choices that I was almost tempted to abandon the novel for a period.  And overall, I think that it was the suspense that lacked. I didn’t feared for a second for the protagonist and I never had the feeling that the situation might become really ugly.

Oh, and the protagonist’s attitude is totally bizarre. Although the author tried to show us a strong and mature female character, with a good business and a well organized life, which is capable of taking care of herself and knows what she wants, Ciel’s actions show the contrary. Ok, we all know that when somebody tells you not to do something, you are tempted to throw yourself exactly in the middle of that thing. It doesn’t matter if you’re 10 years old or if you’re an adult. So the first time when Ciel acts on her own, doing what her friends had forbidden, it’s understandable. But when she gets in trouble again and again and again… Especially when Ciel has absolutely nothing in common with the situation. She doesn’t have the ability to solve the mission that she tries to solve, she can’t stop the malefic plans of her enemies, she can’t save anybody, not even herself, she can’t give any kind of help to the persons which are actually capable of solving the case. But she keeps destroying everything and she runs again and again in her enemies hands, after each moment when she is finally saved by her friends.

Pros:

– I liked the relations that the author built between the persons that share the same talent. If in other books the characters that have some kind of supranatural ability are usually solitary persons or they live in small groups, in this novel things are different. Ciel is part of a real clan, because everybody that has the ability to change their appearance are somehow related, they keep close relations for the whole life, so their community may be seen like an extended family.

Cons:

– During the story, Ciel first feels attracted by the client’s boyfriend, than we find out about her crush for Mark, later she kisses Billy and she flirts with one of the Vikings. A little too much, right? But we ignore this and we go on only to discover in the end that Ciel is almost virgin. Really?? Was it really necessary for the author to introduce such a thing? I don’t understand where are these ideas coming from in the novels written in the last few years: the heroine to be “pure”.  It doesn’t matter that they might be over 25 or something similar, but they need to be still virgins or at least to have had maximum one experience of 30 seconds, so this way the experience might be ignored. Ok, I suppose that the virgin’s portrait works when the protagonist has 15-16-17 years old, maybe it’s some kind of attempt to induce some moral standards for the young public. But from this to creating the same characteristics for the protagonists, no matter if they’re 15 years old or 25, it’s a little to much. I understand that the love that appears between the heroes must be truly special, but I really don’t think that’s the only way to show this.

Alte recenzii care te-ar putea interesa:

Beautiful Disaster (seria Beautiful, volumul 1) – Jamie McGuire

Monster in My Closet (seria Monster Haven, volumul 1) – R.L. Naquin
Posted in Charlaine Harris

Deadlocked (seria Vampirii Sudului, volumul 12) – Charlaine Harris

Posted on by roxtao

Deadlocked

Seria Vampirii Sudului, volumul 12

Charlaine Harris

Numar pagini: 327

 

Sinopsis:

With Felipe de Castro, the Vampire King of Louisiana (and Arkansas and Nevada), in town, it’s the worst possible time for a body to show up in Eric Northman’s front yard—especially the body of a woman whose blood he just drank.

Now, it’s up to Sookie and Bill, the official Area Five investigator, to solve the murder. Sookie thinks that, at least this time, the dead girl’s fate has nothing to do with her. But she is wrong. She has an enemy, one far more devious than she would ever suspect, who’s out to make Sookie’s world come crashing down.

Off-topic:

Inainte sa incep recenzia, as vrea sa transmit cateva scuze pt absenta indelungata. Am fost in concediu (finally!) si se pare ca am avut mult mai putin timp pt blog fata de cat ma asteptam. Cel putin stiu ca data viitoare ar fi mai bine sa anunt dinainte 😀 So…scuzati va rog absenta nemotivata, promit ca o sa incerc sa nu se mai repete ^_^

Parerea mea:

Am ajuns sa ma atasasez de seria Vampirii Sudului atat de mult incat de fiecare data cand citesc un nou volum ma simt de parca as vizita niste prieteni vechi. Si chiar daca volumul respectiv poate nu este cel mai reusit, tot imi face placere sa il citesc si nu ma simt dezamagita de el. Il vad doar ca pe o noua ocazie de a ma rataci iar in lumea creata de Charlaine Harris, chiar daca uneori suspansul creat nu se ridica la nivelul cu care eram obisnuiti. Volumul 12 al seriei, Deadlocked, nu este spectaculos. Dar cred ca toti fanii seriei il vor citi cu placere, mai ales ca este penultima carte din Vampirii Sudului.

Desi intriga este reprezentata de crima care a avut loc pe proprietatea lui Eric, povestea se axeaza de fapt pe relatia tot mai rece dintre Sookie si Eric si pe misterul unei „mosteniri” pe care o gaseste eroina in casa sa, mostenire legata direct de descendenta sa din neamul zanelor. Povestea dintre Sookie si Eric are parte de un obstacol ce le pune la incercare iubirea. Si de data aceasta, obstacolul pare indeajuns de mare pentru ca cei doi sa nu il poata trece. Finalul nu aduce o lamurire sau o rezolvare, ci dimpotriva, sugereaza o posibila separare in viitorul apropiat. Ambii protagonisti au asteptari pe care celalalt nu le indeplineste, iar faptul ca in aceasta perioada dificila comunicarea dintre ei este extrem de redusa nu ii ajuta deloc.

Pe de alta parte, Sookie se trezeste in posesia unui obiect magic, ramas de la bunica ei, obiect ce pare sa nu ii aduca decat ghinioane si probleme. In momentul in care cateva persoane afla de existenta acelui obiect, viata eroinei este din nou in primejdie. Iar singura persoana care are mai multe informatii si ar putea-o ajuta este si ea in primejdie.

Toate firele se leaga in final, atunci cand descoperi cat de strans erau de fapt impletite intre ele inca de la inceput. Ca de obicei, si finalul acestui volum rezolva o parte dintre intrigile aparute pe parcursul sau, insa lasa deschise exact problemele mai spinoase, cele care ii intereseaza cel mai mult pe cititori.

Bile albe:

– Autoarea a reusit sa creeze un mix perfect intre supranatural si normal. Pe langa aspectele legate de vampiri, varcolaci si zane, Sookie are in continuare o viata simpla si foarte obisnuita: probleme legate de job, prieteni si familie care ii solicita prezenta in perioadele importante pentru ei, diverse lucruri ce tin de casa, etc. Am adorat in special relatia care se dezvolta intre Sookie si stra-unchiul ei zana, Dermot. Acesta are o personalitate atat de inocenta si de dragalasa incat toate momentele in care apare in carte te lasa cu un zambet larg pe fata.

Bile negre:

– Volumul nu mi-a creat deloc acea stare de visare in care intram de obicei atunci cand citeam cartile autoarei. Nu stiu daca asta are vreo legatura cu racirea relatiei dintre Sookie si Eric, cu reaparitia lui Bill in peisaj sau cu faptul ca o parte dintre personajele secundare care mi-au placut dispar probabil pentru totdeauna. Se intampla deci prea multe lucuri pe care speram sa nu le citesc vreodata in aceasta serie. Nu am idee daca alti cititori vor avea aceeasi impresie, dar mie mi s-a parut ca romanului Deadlocked i-a lipsit ceva. Nu are acelasi farmec si nu captiveaza la fel ca celelalte carti din serie. Cred ca deosebirea principala este aceea ca de data aceasta partile negative ale povestii nu sunt compensate de aspectele pozitive. Si in final in loc sa zambesti satisfacut si sa astepti cu nerabdare ultimul volum, simti doar un gust amar si te ingrijorezi ca povestea ar putea avea de fapt un final nu tocmai placut.

Alte recenzii care te-ar putea interesa:

Capcana Mortala (seria Vampirii Sudului, volumul 11) – Charlaine Harris

Moarte in familie (seria Vampirii Sudului, volumul 10) – Charlaine Harris
Posted in R.L. Naquin

Monster in My Closet (seria A Monster Haven Story, volumul 1) – R.L. Naquin

Posted on by roxtao

Monster in My Closet  (seria A Monster Haven Story, volumul 1) – R.L. Naquin

Editura: Carina Press

Data publicare: 30 iulie 2012

Numar pagini: 224

 

Sinopsis:

Am incetat sa mai cred in monstrii de multa vreme. Dar stiam ca nu imi imaginez lucruri atunci cand am descoperit unul in bucataria mea, pregatind briose. Il mai vazusem si inainte: pandind din dulapul meu, speriindu-ma de moarte pe cand aveam 5 ani. Se pare ca totul fusese de fapt o neintelegere, iar acum Maurice are nevoie de un loc unde sa locuiasca. Cum as putea sa ii spun nu?

Pana la urma, am fost intotdeauna ca un magnet pentru cei cu probleme emotionale, iar asta nu numai in contextul jobului meu de organizatoare de nunti. Fiind capabila sa simt toate sentimentele celor din jur poate fi o adevarata problema. Nu ma intelegeti gresit, imi place sa ajut oamenii – si… ne-oamenii. Insa aceasta abilitate m-a transformat intr-un festin pentru un incub, un demon ce se hraneste cu energia emotionala. Acum, miresele mor pe capete prin tot orasul iar casa mea a devenit un adapost sigur pentru supranatural. Trebuie sa invat sa imi concentrez talentul si sa inving demonul inainte ca acesta sa mai apuce sa isi mai ia drept gustare vreo femeie nevinovata si apoi sa vina si dupa felul principal…

Parerea mea:

Multumesc editurii Carina Press si autoarei, R.L. Naquin, pentru sansa de a citi aceasta carte. Recunosc ca m-am indragostit de la primele randuri de ea. De fapt..nu, mint! Cred ca din momentul in care am citit titlul am devenit innebunita sa aflu despre ce este vorba in carte. Am prostul obicei de a-mi forma anumite asteptari de la o carte in functie de titlul si coperta acesteia, asa ca bineinteles, si in acest caz, odata ce am vazut aceste doua elemente am banuit/sperat ca si povestea va fi la fel de originala. Si din fericire, nu m-am inselat. Am adorat romanul lui R.L. Naquin de la prima pana la ultima pagina!

Am descoperit o poveste total neasteptata, incarcata de magie, de creaturi supranaturale adorabile, de personaje amuzante, pasaje nostime, replici acide sau dimpotriva, atat de dulci incat le-am citit iar si iar, nevenindu-mi sa cred ca poate exista un roman atat de dragalas. Pentru ca per ansamblu, cred ca acesta este cuvantul care defineste cel mai bine Monster in My Closet. Da, povestea are si o parte dramatica, care reprezinta de fapt si intriga volumului, dar eu am fost atat de fascinata de cateva dintre personajele ne-umane, incat orice altceva a fost pus in umbra de ele. Am senzatia ca orice as spune despre aceasta carte nu ar putea exprima cat de mult mi-a placut. Cred ca daca lista de carti necitite pe care le am in biblioteca nu ar fi atat de lunga, as reincepe romanul chiar acum. De fapt, de-a lungul lecturii, m-am intors de cateva ori la unele pagini de la inceput pentru a le citi din nou. Nu pentru ca as fi uitat sau nu as fi inteles ceva, ci pur si simplu pentru ca mi-au placut prea mult.

Povestea incepe in dimineata in care Zoey, eroina romanului, o tanara de 28 de ani, organizatoare de nunti, cu o casnicie ratata la activ si total ancorata in realitate, fara absolut nici o legatura cu orice lucru paranormal, isi da seama ca in casa ei se afla un intrus. O privire aruncata inspre acesta o transporta in amintiri, mai exact in noaptea in care avea 5 ani si a vazut un monstru iesind din dulapul ei.  Iar in prezent, in fata ei se afla exact acelasi monstru pe care il daduse uitarii, presupunand ca fusese pur si simplu o spaima copilareasca. Iar exuberantul monstru, numit Maurice, o intampina cu cafea, un mic dejun delicios si rugamintea de a-i oferi un adapost pentru o perioada. De aici pana la o viata care o ia razna total nu mai e decat un pas. Zoey afla ca propria ei capacitate de a empatiza total cu cei din jur, de a le simti toate emotiile si toate sentimentele nu este un lucru normal, iar asta o transforma intr-o tinta pentru un demon, un incubus, pentru care ea reprezinta o masa delicioasa. Si in acelasi timp, toate femeile cu care Zoey a interactionat in ultima vreme au devenit si ele tinte. Iar cateva dintre acestea si-au pierdut deja viata.  Zoey trebuie sa invete sa traiasca cu toate fiintele supranaturale care au dat navala in viata ei, sa descopere in ce mod poate evolua relatia pe care tocmai a inceput-o cu un reaper, un slujitor al mortii ce colecteaza suflete si mai presus de orice, sa scape pentru totdeauna de demonul ce ii ameninta viata si ei si tuturor femeilor din jur, fie ele umane sau nu.

Povestea este bine inchegata, nu am detectat nici macar un aspect care sa para fortat sau nelalocul lui. Personajele sunt de departe cel mai savuros aspect al cartii. Cred ca Maurice a devenit unul dintre personajele mele preferate din toate cartile pe care le-am citit vreodata, Zoey este extrem de credibila, in ciuda faptului ca tot ce i se intampla este incredibil, si absolut toate celelalte personaje secundare ofera un plus de farmec romanului, completand cu succes scenariul acestuia. Mi-a placut faptul ca personajele nu respecta nici o schema clasica. Desi reuseste sa lupte singura impotriva lui Sebastian, demonul ce ii ameninta viata, Zoey are momente de slabiciune cand trebuie sa fie salvata.  Riley, reaper-ul de care se indragosteste ii e alaturi doar de la un punct, la inceput el incercand sa nu se amestece in razboiul ei, in ciuda faptului ca ar putea fi de un real ajutor. Andrew, unul dintre putinii oameni care cunosc directia in care a luat-o viata protagonistei ii sta alaturi ca sfatuitor, profesor si prieten in acelasi timp, dar el ramane vulnerabil in fata pericolului. Iar Maurice, adorabilul monstru din dulap, in ciuda puterilor magice pe care pare sa le aiba, nu are posibilitatea sa si le puna in lupta impotriva incubusului pentru a o ajuta pe Zoey.

Romanul este disponibil de ieri in magazinele din afara in format e-book, nu stiu daca va aparea si in editie printata si daca va ajunge vreodata sa fie tradus si in Romania. Totusi, daca obisnuiti sa cititi carti in format electronic, va recomand din suflet sa nu stati pe ganduri  daca vreti o lectura amuzanta, care va va binedispune nu doar cand o veti citi, ci si de fiecare data cand va veti aminti de ea. Daca aveti indoieli, mai jos sunt primele replici pe care i le adreseaza monstrul din dulap eroinei:

<< “You’re up!” he said. “Sit-sit-sit! I made you orange-strawberry muffins. They’ll be ready in a few minutes.” He jerked to his feet and waved me to a chair. “I’ll get you some coffee.” He paused for a long moment, and his smile grew larger as he gazed at me. “Gosh, you grew up pretty, Zoey. Sit-sit-sit.”

…..

 “Zoey, Zoey, my friend, Zoey!”

…..

“So can I stay? Wait, don’t answer that yet. Taste a muffin first. I’m a good cook! I can clean the pool, too. Honest, I won’t get in the way.”

I blinked again. „What?”

“You’re still mad at me, aren’t you. I’m really sorry about that. I didn’t mean to scare you the last time I was here.”

…..

“…and that’s why I came here when she kicked me out. It’s the only place I’ve ever felt safe.”

“What?” I knew I’d missed something crucial. I glanced down at the table in an automatic search for the DVR remote. I needed to rewind and replay that last part.

“You’re not awake yet.” He patted my arm again. “Drink your coffee. We’ll try again when you’re fed.”

…..

“I was only eight, myself, back then,” he said. “I had nowhere to go, and your mom took me in. Oh, Zoey, she was so mad at me that night. I was supposed to stay in the hall closet, but yours had all those great toys. Even then I loved to cook, and your Easy-Bake Oven was perfect for trying out your mom’s recipes in small batches. The lightbulb inside it gave such a warm, even toast to my shortbread.” He reached toward me as if to touch me again, then pulled away, looking down at his hands. “I wasn’t trying to scare you. I thought we were playing a game. Didn’t you see me smiling?”

I nodded, the memory of that grin still giving me chills. “I thought you were going to eat me.”

Maurice wrinkled his fat nose. “That’s disgusting, Zoey. >>

Bile albe:

– Nici nu stiu ce altceva as mai putea scrie aici, intrucat tot romanul a fost o „bila alba”. Nu am nimic de reprosat, mi s-a parut o lectura perfecta si as recomanda cartea oricui. M-a amuzat teribil si chiar daca intre timp m-am apucat deja de o noua carte, inca imi mai vin in minte anumite replici ale personajelor si mi se par la fel de savuroase ca si atunci cand le-am citit prima data.

Bile negre:

– Romanul este incadrat in genul urban fantasy, dar fiind publicat de Carina Press, editura cunoscuta pentru romanele sale cu tenta erotica, banuiesc ca unii cititori ar putea astepta un numar mai mare de scene hot. Acestea nu lipsesc in totalitate, dar nu sunt nici atat de frecvente incat sa transforme romanul intr-unul bine incadrat in literatura romance. Personal, nu am fost absolut deloc deranjata de acest lucru, dar cred ca trebuia mentionat acest aspect, astfel incat sa nu se astepte nimeni la un roman gen Sandra Brown in varianta fantasy.

Update:

OMG! Recenzia mea a ajuns la autoarea cartii Monster in my Closet, R.L. Naquin si se pare ca i-a placut destul de mult incat sa scrie despre aceasta pe blogul ei! Sunt extrem de entuziasmata, acesta a fost unul dintre cele mai grozave momente de care am avut parte de cand am blogul! Gasiti AICI postarea de pe site-ul autoarei.

English version:

I received Monster in my Closet by courtesy of Carina Press publisher and R.L. Naquin, the author of the book. Because English is not my native language, please accept my excuses for the possible mistakes.

I admit I fell in love with the book from the first words. In fact..no, I’m lying! I think that since the moment I saw the book’s title I became desperate to find out the story.  I have a bad habit of creating different expectations around a novel, depending of it’s title and cover and of course, in this case also, once I saw those elements I suspected/hoped that the story would be as original as it seemed to be. And fortunately, I wasn’t wrong. I loved the novel written by R.L. Naquin from the first page till the last one!

I discovered a totally surprising story, full of magic, supernatural and adorable creatures, funny characters, entertaining fragments, sarcastic dialogues or on the contrary, dialogues that were so sweet that I read them over and over again, almost not believing that such a lovely story actually exists. Because, overall, I think a word like “cuddly”, “lovely” or “sweet” would best define Monster in my Closet. Indeed, the story also has a dramatic part, which is actually the novel’s story line, but I was so fascinated by some of the un-human characters that everything else was cast into the shade by them. I have the feeling that no matter what I’d say about the book couldn’t express how much I actually liked it. I think that if my list of unread books wouldn’t be so big, I would start again the novel right away. In fact, during the time I was reading Monster in my Closet I got back at the beginning of the book and read again and again some fragments.  Not because I didn’t understand something or because I forgot something, but because I loved them too much.

The story begins with the morning when Zoey, the protagonist, a 28 years old woman, wedding planner and totally anchored in reality, with no affinity with anything paranormal, realizes that there’s an intruder in her house.  One look at him sends her in her memories, at the moment when she was 5 years old and she’d seen a monster coming out of her closet. And now, in front of her is the exact same monster that she’d forgotten about, thinking that it was only a childish fear.  And the exuberant monster, called Maurice, greets her with coffee, a delicious breakfast and the prayer to be sheltered in her house for a while. From that to a complete crazy life there’s just a tiny step.  Zoey finds out that her gift to empathize completely with the others, to feel all their emotions and feelings is not such a normal thing as she thought and this makes her the perfect target for a demon, an incubus that sees her as a delicious meal. And in the same time, all the women that interacted with Zoey in the recent time are also a target for the demon. And some of them already lost their lives. Zoey must learn how to live among all the supernatural beings that burst into her life, to discover a way to develop her relation with a reaper – a death’s soldier that collects souls and, most important, to get rid of the demon that threatens her life and the lives of all the women around, human or not.

The story was perfectly built, I haven’t noticed a single aspect to seem forced or not in it’s place. The characters are certainly the best part of the book. I think that Maurice became one of my favorites characters from all the books I have ever read. Zoey is extremely credible, although everything that happens to her is incredible. And all the other minor characters raise the book’s enchantment.  I loved the fact that the characters are not created based on a common draft. Although she manages to fight alone with Sebastian, the demon that threatens her life, Zoey has moments full of weakness, when she needs to be saved by others. Riley, the reaper that she falls in love with, stays beside her only later, because at the beginning he tries not to interfere with her fight, even if he would be a huge help. Andrew,  one of the few humans that know the way her life goes now stays with her as a friend, a teacher and an advisor in the same time, but he remains vulnerable in front of the danger.  And Maurice, the lovely closet monster, doesn’t have the possibility to use his magical powers in the fight against the demon, in order to help Zoey.

The novel is available for shopping since yesterday in the most important shops, as an e-book. I don’t know if it’s going to appear in a printed version or if it will ever be translated in Romanian. Still, if you’re usually reading e-books, I totally recommend you this novel. Not only that you’ll have fun reading it, but every time you’ll remember something about it, you’ll have a smile on your face. If you’re still not convinced, please read bellow the first conversation between Zoey and the closet monster:

<< “You’re up!” he said. “Sit-sit-sit! I made you orange-strawberry muffins. They’ll be ready in a few minutes.” He jerked to his feet and waved me to a chair. “I’ll get you some coffee.” He paused for a long moment, and his smile grew larger as he gazed at me. “Gosh, you grew up pretty, Zoey. Sit-sit-sit.”

…..

 “Zoey, Zoey, my friend, Zoey!”

…..

“So can I stay? Wait, don’t answer that yet. Taste a muffin first. I’m a good cook! I can clean the pool, too. Honest, I won’t get in the way.”

I blinked again. „What?”

“You’re still mad at me, aren’t you. I’m really sorry about that. I didn’t mean to scare you the last time I was here.”

…..

“…and that’s why I came here when she kicked me out. It’s the only place I’ve ever felt safe.”

“What?” I knew I’d missed something crucial. I glanced down at the table in an automatic search for the DVR remote. I needed to rewind and replay that last part.

“You’re not awake yet.” He patted my arm again. “Drink your coffee. We’ll try again when you’re fed.”

…..

“I was only eight, myself, back then,” he said. “I had nowhere to go, and your mom took me in. Oh, Zoey, she was so mad at me that night. I was supposed to stay in the hall closet, but yours had all those great toys. Even then I loved to cook, and your Easy-Bake Oven was perfect for trying out your mom’s recipes in small batches. The lightbulb inside it gave such a warm, even toast to my shortbread.” He reached toward me as if to touch me again, then pulled away, looking down at his hands. “I wasn’t trying to scare you. I thought we were playing a game. Didn’t you see me smiling?”

I nodded, the memory of that grin still giving me chills. “I thought you were going to eat me.”

Maurice wrinkled his fat nose. “That’s disgusting, Zoey. >>

Pros:

– I don’t have idea what else I could write here, because the whole novel was a “pro”. I don’t have any complains, I really thought that Monster in the Closet was a perfect reading and I would recommend the book to anybody. I had a lot of fun reading it and even if I already started a new book, I still have moments when I remember some dialogues from Monster in the Closet and I still find them as delicious as they were the first time I read them.

Cons:

– The novel is considered an urban fantasy volume, but because it was published by Carina Press, a publisher known especially for it’s erotic novels, I suppose that some readers might expect a bigger number of hot moments. Which are not totally missing, but are not enough frequent in order to make this novel a romance or erotic one. I was not a bit disturbed by this aspect, but I think I needed to mention this, so that nobody expects some kind of fantasy Sandra Brown book.

Update:

OMG! My review came to the hand of the author of the novel Monster in my Closet, Mrs. R.L. Naquin and it seems that she liked enough to write about it on her own blog! I’m extremely excited, this was one of the best moments I lived since I have this blog! You can read HERE the post on Mrs. Naquin’s site.

Alte recenzii care te-ar putea interesa:

Rogue’s Pawn (seria Covenant of Thorns, volumul 1) – Jeffe Kennedy

Nici moarta, nici maritata (seria Betsy, Regina Vampirilor, volumul 1) – Maryjanice Davidson