The Amber Spyglass (His Dark Materials #3) by Philip Pullman.

"An acceptable and bittersweet conclusion to the series but overall the book itself plodded along, any action that did take place fell flat and all emotions felt forced and out of character. I just wasn't thrilled with the book itself but the series overall was entertaining."

2 Stars

Pros: It was an acceptable conclusion, bittersweet but understandable.

Cons: I struggled through this novel. I think I wanted more things to happen and it was just a lot of getting from point A to point B/Asriel marshaling all his forces and such just all seemed to kind of peter out/Mary Malone acting "the Serpent" didn't seem to come to anything either.

Full Review:

With the cliff hanger ending of The Subtle Knife the reader is left desperate to know what happened to Lyra etc. Pullman takes care of it all but a lot of it feels forced. Mrs. Coulter's sudden desperate love for Lyra didn't make any sense, since she'd always been so cold and calculating before. Asriel is as indifferent as ever. And the people who actually care about Lyra are no longer players in the game.

A lot of the novel just seemed like it was going from one point to the other, getting Lyra and Will from Point A to Point B. Not much seemed to really happen and what did happen, all seemed kind of glazed over. It all just fell kind of flat and felt disjointed and rushed.

Overall, this was a good conclusion to the series. It was bittersweet, what had to happen, but in the end, you're left feeling a little sad but also hopeful. I think, in the end, this series was about innocence, how as children, we take what we have for granted and then as we grow older and realize we don't have it anymore, we're left reeling. It was a coming of age story and a story about growing up, which is never an easy thing. I enjoyed the series for what it was but I really struggled to get through the last book.

Comments

A Spark of White Fire (The Celestial Trilogy #1) by Sangu Mandanna

"Similar to "Game of Thrones" only in space, there was a lot going on with a lot of different people and they were all important and connected but my tired, overworked brain had trouble keeping up. " 2 Stars Pros: I liked Max as a character, I'm all for the tall, dark, mysterious supposed bad boy with a heart of gold cliche, but the kissing cousins thing just made it weird. Cons: It felt like Game of Thrones, only in space, so there was a bit of a kissing cousins vibe going and I wasn't feeling it/The book tried to have these big, shocking moments I was just non-plussed, unaffected./The presence of the Gods irked me as they did in The Illiad, it's all terribly convenient to have divine intervention for your MCs. I feel like it's the cheapest fake-out cheat of all time 👍🤣 Full Review: My co-worker, who has recommended some amazing reads such as, A Man Called Ove , The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and the Horse, and I'll Give You The Sun...

Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

"The classic tale of Peter Pan, the boy who never grows up and his adventures with his Lost Boys and the Darling Children, Wendy, John and Michael. At times fun and whimsical and other times surprisingly dark, it was an interesting read as an adult." 3 Stars Pros: There is something appealing about flying away to a mysterious island where you can play all day and never have to grow up. The thrall of Neverland is a constant for this dreamer. Cons: Peter Pan is truly the most arrogant little brat and very much in need of a mother/I was surprised at the bloodshed because I always thought this was a children's book, it was rather dark at times. Full Review Mr. and Mrs. Darling are the proud yet rather dismissive and negligent parents of three children. Wendy, John and Michael. All three have flights of fancy and dream of an island, with mermaids and pirates. Mrs. Darling dismisses these as the whimsy of childhood but she herself remembers when she too dreamt of...

Leviathan Wakes (The Expanse #1) by James S.A. Corey

" Science Fiction at its most epically, horrific best. Mankind has colonized the galaxy and is reaching for the stars but something dark and fathomless waits in the recesses of space, biding its time and when it strikes, life itself will change." 5 Stars Pros: Deep and likable characters for all their flaws and a story that grabs you from the very beginning and never lets go. Cons: Some parts were a little technical, like how many G's a ship was flying under and the spin of planets, but it didn't take away from the story too much. Full Review: Julette Andromeda Mao. The heiress to a lunar corporate dynasty who's decided to turn her back on her life of luxury and venture out into the solar system to find work and earn her keep. Miller. A cynical, downtrodden but intelligent and resourceful cop who works out of the Ceres Station on the Belt. Holden, the commanding officer of a water hauler that ships ice from the rings of Saturn to stations ...

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