Mini Reviews: Poison Dance and Phoenix Overture

Poison Dance by Livia Blackburne

Series: Midnight Thief #0.5

Release Date: September 12th, 2013

Buy: Amazon

This novella is good. Great in fact. The problem is that I feel no connection. I felt detached the whole time I read this. There was no connection between me and the characters, hell that ending didn’t do anything for me either.

Which is why I am confused. The atmosphere is dark. The world building incredible. But the characters. I can see them for the strong people they are but there is no connection there. I can admire them and appreciate them but I cannot seem to forge a connection, to feel what they feel, to understand them.

The plot, the story, everything is perfect but the lack of connection kind of just ruins for me. What could have been an incredible novella turns bland and I wasn’t able to enjoy it as much as I could have otherwise.

In spite of this, I await the release of Midnight Thief and hope to get to see more of James. 

Phoenix Overture by Jodi Meadows

Series: Newsoul #2.5

Release Date: September 3rd, 2013

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Buy: Amazon

I read and loved Incarnate but when I tried reading Asunder, I couldn’t get into the book. After reading this novella though, I believe I am finally ready to pick up Asunder.

Jodi creates this wonderful world that is so enchanting and so original but in spite of that I cannot overlook how much Sam annoys me.

I don’t dislike him, not at all; I just cannot seem to like him either. I did love him while reading Incarnate but this novella just makes him seem pathetic. I can understand why he is the way he is but it doesn’t mean I have to like it. He is too damn sensitive. I don’t have anything against sensitive men, hell Sam from Shiver, one of my all-time favorite male leads was sensitive, but this Sam cannot seem to pull it off. He is too naïve for my tastes.

I really did enjoy seeing his wonderful relationship with his brother and I loved seeing how he and Stef became friends. Both relationships were developed beautifully.

This novella explains a lot about the world of Incarnate and I only wish it had been published before Asunder came out, that way I would have looked forward to it more.