Hello there guys!
After getting my laptop back from the world of the dead laptops (at least more or less) I have been unmotivated to do a lot of blogging, mostly due to laziness and wanting to spend more time reading, but I want to eventually get back in full swing. In the mean time I'll try and be somewhat consistent and have at the very least a pair of posts (ideally three) up each week!
For this week's Friday Reads I have a review book I got from Netgalley so it counts towards my NetGalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge and will help me stick up to my over 80% ratio!
Much of Madness by S.E. Summa
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I discovered this book via my friend Jenny from Supernatural Snark & Seedlings Studio, because she's the talented cover designer that did the gorgeous cover for this one! Cover lust made me check the summary and I was intrigued, so when I saw it up for request on Netgalley, I jumped to the chance of reading it.
Much of Madness is a different twist of a paranormal story, with Sin Eaters, Spellcasters, Djinn and ghosts and Curse-Breakers! It was quite refreshing to see a story full of different paranormal types but without vampires or werewolves!
The story is told in dual POVs and at first the separation was done more clearly, one chapter per POV, getting Marceu's and Seraphina's story as they come to intersect and I really enjoyed their voices and individual stories. I loved seeing their different worlds and the way the interactions with their close circle of either friends or associates show their personalities.
When they met and started interacting I liked how their differences were showcased and how the worlds could collide, but I wasn't so keen on how their voices mixed up on the narrative... they were different enough to know when they switched even in the same chapter, but it seemed to muddy things a bit and confuse the narrative a bit.
Plot wise, it seemed quite clear where things would come to a point but I was pleasantly surprised that I still got some unexpected twists here and there. Some of the intersecting plots felt a bit forced to come together, even if when they did mix, it all seemed to work out pretty well.
I must confess the romance didn't really work for me. It wasn't insta love or underdeveloped, but I just never felt the chemistry or tension between the characters, so I never really connected with their romance. I did connect much more with the romance between two of the secondary characters. I cannot say why or why not... it just happened!
I really enjoyed all the NOLA and Nashville references and really felt like the atmosphere was so very realistic, even if I've never been to any of the places. It made ME want to visit there for sure! And made me crave beignets & chicory coffee like mad, dammit!
All in all, I'm pretty torn because I really enjoyed the first half of the book and then things became a lil messy in the second half and although I liked the ending and I'd probably read the sequel, I was not blown away by the book as a whole. I guess it'd be fair to give it a 3 star rating as it can stand as a quite unique paranormal.
View all my reviews
After getting my laptop back from the world of the dead laptops (at least more or less) I have been unmotivated to do a lot of blogging, mostly due to laziness and wanting to spend more time reading, but I want to eventually get back in full swing. In the mean time I'll try and be somewhat consistent and have at the very least a pair of posts (ideally three) up each week!
For this week's Friday Reads I have a review book I got from Netgalley so it counts towards my NetGalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge and will help me stick up to my over 80% ratio!
Much of Madness by S.E. SummaMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
I discovered this book via my friend Jenny from Supernatural Snark & Seedlings Studio, because she's the talented cover designer that did the gorgeous cover for this one! Cover lust made me check the summary and I was intrigued, so when I saw it up for request on Netgalley, I jumped to the chance of reading it.
Much of Madness is a different twist of a paranormal story, with Sin Eaters, Spellcasters, Djinn and ghosts and Curse-Breakers! It was quite refreshing to see a story full of different paranormal types but without vampires or werewolves!
The story is told in dual POVs and at first the separation was done more clearly, one chapter per POV, getting Marceu's and Seraphina's story as they come to intersect and I really enjoyed their voices and individual stories. I loved seeing their different worlds and the way the interactions with their close circle of either friends or associates show their personalities.
When they met and started interacting I liked how their differences were showcased and how the worlds could collide, but I wasn't so keen on how their voices mixed up on the narrative... they were different enough to know when they switched even in the same chapter, but it seemed to muddy things a bit and confuse the narrative a bit.
Plot wise, it seemed quite clear where things would come to a point but I was pleasantly surprised that I still got some unexpected twists here and there. Some of the intersecting plots felt a bit forced to come together, even if when they did mix, it all seemed to work out pretty well.
I must confess the romance didn't really work for me. It wasn't insta love or underdeveloped, but I just never felt the chemistry or tension between the characters, so I never really connected with their romance. I did connect much more with the romance between two of the secondary characters. I cannot say why or why not... it just happened!
I really enjoyed all the NOLA and Nashville references and really felt like the atmosphere was so very realistic, even if I've never been to any of the places. It made ME want to visit there for sure! And made me crave beignets & chicory coffee like mad, dammit!
All in all, I'm pretty torn because I really enjoyed the first half of the book and then things became a lil messy in the second half and although I liked the ending and I'd probably read the sequel, I was not blown away by the book as a whole. I guess it'd be fair to give it a 3 star rating as it can stand as a quite unique paranormal.
View all my reviews
Two thumbs up for beignets, but you aren't missing anything with chicory coffee. He he. This does sound like an okay book, but at this point in time there is no space on my plate for okay stories. Thanks for another informative review!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you! Not that I wish I hadn't read this one, but it's not one I'd recommend...
DeleteYay for laptop being alright :D But aw, I don't blame you for being lazy. I am lazy so often too, lol. Thank you for sharing about this book Pili. <3 I'm sorry it wasn't all that good :\ That the romance didn't make you feel anything. Ack. That sucks. But glad you still liked the book a bit even so :)
ReplyDeleteYeah, I liked the book but the romance was mostly meh... oh well!
Delete