ArchEnemy

currently reading: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
want to read: By The Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead by Julie Anne Peters

ArchEnemy
written by Frank Beddor



I must say, I'm a little torn. Part of me wants to say that this was a fantastic book, a perfect ending to the trilogy, but unfortunately, I don't think I can. A lot of this book was insignificant fighting scenes that seemed to go on forever. I'm sure this makes it a popular read for some readers, but that's really not what I go into books for. The writing was spectacular, sharply witty, albeit going overboard sometimes with the details of the fight scenes, and it was through this amazing writing that these characters really came to life. I found myself switching favorite characters from Dodge (who sadly doesn't make as many appearances as I had hoped/expected him to make) to good old Hatter. My heart really broke for him and Molly, and Beddor portrayed the awkward phase they were going through really well. I've not read many books where the author has so fully developed a complete world. I didn't know what to think of the many instances of blatant foreshadowing; it had its plusses and minuses, sometimes it worked, other times it was a little much. Up until the ending, it was really a great read. However, the ending seemed, in my opinion, completely rushed, slowed down, and anticlimactic--not as epic as the rest of the series. I know Beddor could have done better. I still do highly recommend this series to all fans of fractured fairytales and the like.

Rating: 4.5/5

See Also:
The Looking Glass Wars
Seeing Redd

I got this book from...:Barnes & Noble

The Looking Glass Wars

The Looking Glass Wars
written by Frank Beddor



The Looking Glass Wars took a while to get into, I'm not going to lie, but once I was about a quarter of the way in, it was smooth reading. The problem is, while the pace picks up and more time is dedicated to storytelling, the time for character develpment is sadly lost, and some of the characters are not explored as in-depth as they should have been. All the connections to Alice in Wonderland are great, but you don't have to be a complete Wonderland Fan to understand and enjoy the story. The weird thing about this book is that, well, technically, it's an Alternate/Author's Universe Fanfic. It's good writing for the most part, though dense at times, but the story isn't as original as it could have been. Nevertheless, I did enjoy this unique new spin on things, as I am a complete sucker for fractured fairy tales. It was very interesting to see the original author now presented as a character in the story, very mind-blowing, but in an awesome way. My personal favorite was Dodge, and I can't wait to see where his story, along with Alyss's go in the next book.

Rating: 4/5


In other news, you may have noticed a new link in my sidebar. This is to a fantastic microfinancing nonprofit called KIVA. I definitely encourage you all to check it out and maybe make a donation. The money you give will allow someone to go out, make some money, and in a couple months time, pay you back, allowing you to keep giving and making more peoples lives better. Hope you consider this great way of giving!

[In other, other news, guess who has gotten completely obsessed with Brotherhood 2.0? Yeah, that'd be me.]