Gilded Cage (Dark Gifts #1) by Vic James

Review:

 

 

Our world belongs to the Equals — aristocrats with magical gifts — and all commoners must serve them for ten years. But behind the gates of England's grandest estate lies a power that could break the world.

A girl thirsts for love and knowledge.

Abi is a servant to England's most powerful family, but her spirit is free. So when she falls for one of the noble-born sons, Abi faces a terrible choice. Uncovering the family's secrets might win her liberty, but will her heart pay the price?

A boy dreams of revolution.

Abi's brother, Luke, is enslaved in a brutal factory town. Far from his family and cruelly oppressed, he makes friends whose ideals could cost him everything. Now Luke has discovered there may be a power even greater than magic: revolution.

And an aristocrat will remake the world with his dark gifts.

He is a shadow in the glittering world of the Equals, with mysterious powers no one else understands. But will he liberate—or destroy?

 

 

Layers people... layers... Gilded Cage to me felt sort of like a victorian/fantasy/suspense/romance/ kind of multiple layered story. Although I felt it probably could have used a prequel of some kind establishing the world and its players/cast simply because there is just so much information its difficult to take it all in while focusing on the issue at hand. To sum it up I felt like Gilded Cage was Downton Abbey meets the supernatural. Magical users beware. There's a hierarchy even here.

I couldn't really define whether this book should be slated a YA/NA but it falls between the lines there somewhere. The content topic of slavery could be a trigger for some so if that is an issue for you be aware it is involved although its fairly expanded on what the definition of what the slavery is/ translates to with each person who serves in their own sort of political / social structure right down to the working stiffs.

There is quite a bit of who's who and who really is the bad guy where the lines blur to that effect which was interesting but I enjoyed how James handled it and it was written really well. I enjoyed reading Gilded Cage and would definitely pass it on to others. I look forward to reading the next book in the series!

 

Vic James

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews received a digital copy in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley from Random House Publishing.

 

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Original post: kkmalott.booklikes.com/post/1530069/gilded-cage-dark-gifts-1-by-vic-james

Movie Night: Fifty Shades Darker

Review:

While Christian wrestles with his inner demons, Anastasia must confront the anger and envy of the women who came before her.

     

I gave Fifty Shades Darker three stars simply because I could tell that both Dakota and Jamie tried to expand their acting ranges this time around to include actual personalities into their characters Christian and Ana more than they did in the first film unfortunately there's no way to really give this movie much more than that.

The jumbled disjointed scenes that felt as if they were cut and pasted together around the additional pornographic sex scenes were doubled in the film this time around couldn't give me enough reason to care about why any of it was happening.

Although I did find it interesting that instead of glorifying Christians abuse and his abuses they way EL did in the books they were more critical of it and noted how unhealthy it was however it felt a little too little too late.

Fifty Shades Darker just needed so much more fleshing out to make it worth the time spent waiting for something to happen including the helicopter scene and the Miss Robinson reveal moments felt just a little underwhelming.

There were a couple laugh bit moments on behalf of Ana's ignorance involving the sex toys but honestly I was mostly bored with this movie all the way through.

My opinion on the films so far are the same as my opinions on the books. Save your money for real erotica written by a real author.

Original post: kkmalott.booklikes.com/post/1530052/movie-night-fifty-shades-darker