Well y'know how I said Violet Eyes was SO GOOD? I was mistaken. It's okay. I mean it, the ending of a book can really steer how a reader sees the entire piece. Not to be an expert on the matter, I mean I am still a writer in progress. As a matter of fact, I hope that my work is more than naught. But really, if you see things the way I do, you'll probably want to read the sequel, Silver Eyes. I do want to read it. But also, if you see things the way I do, you'll probably think to yourself, "Wow if this book made it through the publishing process, Beautiful Sun should have no problem being successful."
Now don't get me wrong. The first 6 chapters of the book is very addicting. She does have a good hook. But there are just certain things that never meet together, besides the few (truly just a few) randomly placed sentences. I do have to admit, the whole thing with Wendy and Angel spending the night together, and the short conversation at the end of chapter 1 fit very nicely (once you've gotten thru chapter 12 or 13 it finally makes sense). But come on! If someone was super-human, perfectly intelligent - perfectly, how could a mere human match in smarts, wit or logic? Sometimes that really made me sick in the read of this book. It was like reading about how Superman was beat down by Billy Blanks or Hulk Hogan. I mean, in his day Hulk Hogan could've beat down most average guys because he was trained y'know. But honestly, he would've been no match for superhuman (alien actually) Superman. Even in his prime. Well I had this type of thought reading through those last chapters. Especially since I couldn't see anywhere how Michelangelo had shown any extraordinary intelligence (or extraordinary anything else) during the story.
One other thing that began to get on my nerves and I had to leave siding with Angel for 2 seconds and I sided with Mike on this - who could you believe? There was a lot of story cover up and I began to wonder, how do you trust anyone? Everyone was lying or had a hidden motive. I didn't know who to really believe, which I admit, made the mystery of the book very enticing. Yet, it got to a point where you began to wonder why were they doing what they were doing? Why did they care? They could've just escaped.
Overall, I still think it was a good book in an okay sort of way. If you are willing to suspend your belief in several instances and hold tightly to the loveable characters they are introduced as in chapters 1-7, you'll get through the book fine. The story is very varied which helps things to never get dull. And if you like mystery, it'll be all the more entertaining for you. But just don't get too comfortable with how the book begins because the setting and atmosphere created disappears and there is a change in the type of story you are reading. Which if it was a movie, I think would've been great. The plot is very well put together but yes, there are places where it seemed like the author forgot to say something so perhaps she was like "oh I'll just drop this here". lol - sounds like something I am guilty of doing a lot in my book too... but then again maybe not! It's hard for me to judge. So why don't you judge for me? DOWNLOAD STORY HERE.
Violet Eyes was certainly good enough to spark some thoughts in my mind about Boy Craze’s plot. Last entry I decided that my book is a fairly simple read with a pointed plot. Book 2 though could vary and include several storylines or at least one more. But I wasn’t sure what to do and I wanted to do something with Shawn. But I need help! Comment and let me know of some plot that would involve Shawn Tanaze. Perhaps one of you would give me something to go on; something that may very well change Book 2 back to a Shawn story! So Comment Comment Comment.
If I've sparked your interest about Violet Eyes by Nicole Luiken, you can probably find it at your local library or check out SimonSaysKids.com
Showing posts with label Reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Reviews. Show all posts
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Violet Eyes - the real review
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Wednesday, January 2, 2008
All Eyes on Beautiful Sun
Been reading Violet Eyes by Nicole Luiken. So GOOD!! But I really am ticked off at the unnecessary use of God's name starting somewhere around chapter 11, 12 or so. It's probably 4x's so far and I'm on chapter 16. There are only 19 chapters in the book. I figure, compared to my book, this books chapters are longer in general. Also, I was considering the story development. With Boy Craze, the story develops but I guess not extremely... it just ... continues.
While with VE, the story changes quite a bit and goes from the first few chapters of the main character, Angel, completely disliking her co-star to falling in love with him. Then (STOP READING HERE, MAYBE SOME GIVEAWAYS BUT I TRY TO STAY GENERAL) somehow they end up being teamed up for badminton, and soon we find out about the whole Sci-Fi aspect. After that we have some inclusion of a probable family disruption (well I guess that's at the same time). It goes to the escape and we get a turnabout in events, Sci-Fi becomes futuristic then twists more to include assassination. A calm, a kidnapping, Angel is now alone, but wittily gets everyone on her side. She flips the high school upside-down and we now understand how/why the town is a "museum". She gets captured, betrayal? and then...I don't know because I had to put it down for now. I'll finish it tomorrow but still, think of all of those lovely plot twists and turns. Though there is an occasional random sentence or illogical event, overall it's good. Now this makes me think of several things I should do with my books.
Boy Craze did not have a lot of back and forth or other plot lines that suddenly match up later on. It's a fairly simple read and pointed. Book 2 though could have more than 1 train of thought. The main train is the girl and the mother and Zion (HA! I AGAIN STAY GENERAL, WELL IT IS BOOK 2 :p MOST OF YOU HAVEN'T READ BOOK 1! SO GO READ IT, DOWNLOAD IT HERE). There could be a second train, I guess. What though? Hm, maybe the girl could be Saffire's grandmother!! Then there would have to be a reference to Saffire in the book and why the order went as such.
Personal note (since you don't know the characters): Somehow they could solve what happened to Mara as a child and stop her from being crazy, end the curse, or destroy the evil. But I may not do that. Hee... I know, I'm such a tease. Yet there are many things that could go on while the main storyline is moving. Perhaps...
Yes?
Perhaps the mother could be an ancestor of Shawn!!
Yes, then mayhaps, Book 3 could be on Shawn, as I always wanted book 2 to be.
It is true, I wanted Book 2 of the series to be about Shawn from Book 1. Shawn Tanaze is introduced in chapter 9 of Boy Craze. He becomes the obstacle that I mention on the back of the book. He's a very arrogant but somehow, loveable character that just oozes self-seeking. However, there is a lot more to Shawn than I'm able to explain or show in book 1. So I wanted to give his story in book 1 and develop him further. But it changed because I just couldn't get my thoughts going on a plot that made sense and that I could write well. Hey, why don't you guys tell me plotlines about Shawn that you'd like to read!? That would be fun, and perhaps one of you would give me something to go on; something that may very well change Book 2 back to a Shawn story. O_O How awesome would that be? And more so, if I were to name YOU as the rhyme behind the reason! You cannot tell me that would not be cool. I want the series to be about the individual characters, not necessarily one flowing storyline. However, there could be a larger storyline that engulfs all the books. I haven't thought that far ahead at the moment, so any suggestions would be taken seriously.
Comment! Tell me your thoughts about the characters and if Book 2 should star Shawn Tanaze!
While with VE, the story changes quite a bit and goes from the first few chapters of the main character, Angel, completely disliking her co-star to falling in love with him. Then (STOP READING HERE, MAYBE SOME GIVEAWAYS BUT I TRY TO STAY GENERAL) somehow they end up being teamed up for badminton, and soon we find out about the whole Sci-Fi aspect. After that we have some inclusion of a probable family disruption (well I guess that's at the same time). It goes to the escape and we get a turnabout in events, Sci-Fi becomes futuristic then twists more to include assassination. A calm, a kidnapping, Angel is now alone, but wittily gets everyone on her side. She flips the high school upside-down and we now understand how/why the town is a "museum". She gets captured, betrayal? and then...I don't know because I had to put it down for now. I'll finish it tomorrow but still, think of all of those lovely plot twists and turns. Though there is an occasional random sentence or illogical event, overall it's good. Now this makes me think of several things I should do with my books.
Boy Craze did not have a lot of back and forth or other plot lines that suddenly match up later on. It's a fairly simple read and pointed. Book 2 though could have more than 1 train of thought. The main train is the girl and the mother and Zion (HA! I AGAIN STAY GENERAL, WELL IT IS BOOK 2 :p MOST OF YOU HAVEN'T READ BOOK 1! SO GO READ IT, DOWNLOAD IT HERE). There could be a second train, I guess. What though? Hm, maybe the girl could be Saffire's grandmother!! Then there would have to be a reference to Saffire in the book and why the order went as such.
Personal note (since you don't know the characters): Somehow they could solve what happened to Mara as a child and stop her from being crazy, end the curse, or destroy the evil. But I may not do that. Hee... I know, I'm such a tease. Yet there are many things that could go on while the main storyline is moving. Perhaps...
Yes?
Perhaps the mother could be an ancestor of Shawn!!
Yes, then mayhaps, Book 3 could be on Shawn, as I always wanted book 2 to be.
It is true, I wanted Book 2 of the series to be about Shawn from Book 1. Shawn Tanaze is introduced in chapter 9 of Boy Craze. He becomes the obstacle that I mention on the back of the book. He's a very arrogant but somehow, loveable character that just oozes self-seeking. However, there is a lot more to Shawn than I'm able to explain or show in book 1. So I wanted to give his story in book 1 and develop him further. But it changed because I just couldn't get my thoughts going on a plot that made sense and that I could write well. Hey, why don't you guys tell me plotlines about Shawn that you'd like to read!? That would be fun, and perhaps one of you would give me something to go on; something that may very well change Book 2 back to a Shawn story. O_O How awesome would that be? And more so, if I were to name YOU as the rhyme behind the reason! You cannot tell me that would not be cool. I want the series to be about the individual characters, not necessarily one flowing storyline. However, there could be a larger storyline that engulfs all the books. I haven't thought that far ahead at the moment, so any suggestions would be taken seriously.
Comment! Tell me your thoughts about the characters and if Book 2 should star Shawn Tanaze!
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