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donealrice

Debbie's Spurts

Just an avid reader. Mostly SF/Fantasy, some hobbies, paranormal, urban fantasy and lighter, fluffier things.

 

Currently reading

Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking
Samin Nosrat, Wendy MacNaughton
Bring Me Their Hearts
Sara Wolf
House of Earth and Blood
Sarah J. Maas
A Selection of Designs inspired by Iznik & Delft Pottery in Cross Stitch: 16 stunning floral cross stitch designs
Durene Jones
Ain't Love a Witch?
Dakota Cassidy
Progress: 1 %
The Old Witcheroo
Dakota Cassidy
Gemina (The Illuminae Files)
Jay Kristoff, Amie Kaufman
Progress: 100 %
The Dragonbone Chair
Tad Williams
Progress: 14 %

Favorite Book Quotes


"Never interrupt your enemy while he is making a mistake"— Lois McMaster Bujold

 

 

 

 

 

 

Review of "Almost to Die for" (Vampire Princess, #1) by Tate Hallaway

Almost to Die for: A Vampire Princess Novel - Tate Hallaway

This reader's personal opinion, ©2019, all rights reserved, not to be quoted, clipped or used in any way by goodreads, Google Play, amazon.com or other commercial booksellers* 

 

Hmmm...jury is out on this one.  I think I need to see how the next book in this series develops.

 

On the plus side, I liked the Vampire Princess and it wasn't full of annoying teenage angst.  Fairly original; original enough I want to read more of the worldbuilding.

 

On the downside, I sniff a love triangle approaching and everything was pretty easy where it lacked a certain tension; the "easiness" impacted connecting more to characters and story.  No urgency to turn the page or get the next book.  Strangers were very quick to have very deep emotions for other characters.

 

Other than the main character, the side characters were not very deeply drawn -- although mostly pretty original and could develop more as series continues.  A huge fail for me were the parents. Mom character was kinda erratic where seemed to undergo personality changes as plot needed.  Dad who'd never met child before this book was awfully emo and "I love you" -- plus I really hate when centuries (or in this case millenniums) old characters seem like teenagers or normal humans. 


*©2019.  All rights reserved except permission is granted to author or publisher (except Penumbra Publishing) to reprint/quote in whole or in part. I may also have cross-posted on Libib, LibraryThing, and other sites including retailers like kobo and Barnes and Noble. Posting on any site does not grant that site permission to share with any third parties or indicate release of copyright.  

 

Ratings scale used in absence of a booklikes suggested rating scale:

★★★★★ = All Time Favorite 
★★★★½ = Extraordinary Book. Really Loved It.
★★★★☆ = Loved It.
★★★½☆ = Really Liked.
★★★☆☆ = Liked.
★★½☆☆ = Liked parts; parts only okay. Would read more by author.
★★☆☆☆ = Average.   Okay. 
★½☆☆☆ = Disliked or meh? but kept reading in hopes would improve.
★☆☆☆☆ = Loathed It. Possibly DNF and a torturous read.
½☆☆☆☆ = So vile was a DNF or should have been. Cannot imagine anyone liking.  (Might also be just an "uploaded" word spew or collection that should not be dignified by calling itself a "published book." If author is going batshit crazy in the blogosphere over reviews -- I now know why they are getting bad reviews.  Or maybe author should take remedial classes for language written in until basic concepts like using sentences sink in. Is author even old enough to sign a publishing contract or do they need a legal guardian to sign for them?)