Synopsis After saving themselves and their fellow students from a life pitched against one another, Sophie and Agatha are back home again, living happily ever after. But life isn't exactly a fairytale. When Agatha secretly wishes she'd chosen a different happy ending with Prince Tedros, the gates to the School for Good and Evil open once again. But Good and Evil are no longer enemies and Princes and Princesses may not be what they seem, as new bonds form and old ones shatter. Review I'd like to start off by saying that this book didn't completely live up to my expectations and I didn't like it as much as the first book. I still enjoyed it, just not as much as I hoped I would. Characters: I'll start with the negative: by far my biggest problem with this book is how dumb Agatha and (especially) Sophie were. Yes, they were naive in the first book, but now they are actually just unbelievably dumb. Of course there were times when I could completely understand their obliviousness, but at other times it just seemed way too unbelievable that they didn't understand something- imagine a super exaggerated "dumb blonde" impersonation - that's what it felt like. It was really just too much silliness. I don't want to be any more specific for the risk of spoilers... On to the positives: it was still really fun to watch Agatha and Sophie's relationship morph and evolve and I especially liked how close they became with other students and teachers. These extended relationships gave so much more background and depth to students, teachers and Gavaldon citizens/family which made the world building expand seamlessly. We learn just enough to be interested in side characters yet there is still so much wonderful mystery surrounding everyone that will no doubt play into the final book! Plot/Themes/Motifs: I am so torn with the plot of this book!! On one hand it is really impossible to guess the bigger picture, but on the other hand there were so many predictable parts. Let me explain. I absolutely did not see see the end coming (until about a page before it happened), all of the characters and mystery tied together beautifully and made total sense by the end. BUT there were lots of predictable parts. It seemed like the author tried to create trails of breadcrumbs for us to follow, but failed by making the hints and clues wayyy too obvious - which, again, the main characters were oblivious to. I also really felt that although this story has a much different plot than the first book, it was very repetitive of the first book. There was lots of "can I truly trust her?", "she's hiding something", "i just don't want to be alone", "i'm good!"..... and it just felt repetitive from the first book and repetitive within it's own right. Of course I still loved the overarching story of this book. It was a cool depiction of extremist "feminist" terrorism. Where as the first book often abided by traditional fairytale sexism, this book did a complete 180 and showed "feminism" gone wrong which was really fun to watch! I can only imagine that this is setting up a nice middle ground for the final book - like Goldilocks: the first book is too male dominated, the second book is too female dominated, the final book is just right! This story ends on a wicked cliff-hanger which basically ensures that I'll start the third book right away! Overall it was pretty good! It's not something that completely hooked me, but it was still good enough to keep me invested in the characters and the world - I'll start the third book ASAP! Rating:
3/5 Stars
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Synopsis The first kidnappings happened two hundred years before. Some years it was two boys taken, some years two girls, sometimes one of each. But if at first the choices seemed random, soon the pattern became clear. One was always beautiful and good, the child every parent wanted as their own. The other was homely and odd, an outcast from birth. An opposing pair, plucked from youth and spirited away. This year, best friends Sophie and Agatha are about to discover where all the lost children go: the fabled School for Good & Evil, where ordinary boys and girls are trained to be fairy tale heroes and villains. As the most beautiful girl in Gavaldon, Sophie has dreamed of being kidnapped into an enchanted world her whole life. With her pink dresses, glass slippers, and devotion to good deeds, she knows she’ll earn top marks at the School for Good and graduate a storybook princess. Meanwhile Agatha, with her shapeless black frocks, wicked pet cat, and dislike of nearly everyone, seems a natural fit for the School for Evil. But when the two girls are swept into the Endless Woods, they find their fortunes reversed—Sophie’s dumped in the School for Evil to take Uglification, Death Curses, and Henchmen Training, while Agatha finds herself in the School For Good, thrust amongst handsome princes and fair maidens for classes in Princess Etiquette and Animal Communication.. But what if the mistake is actually the first clue to discovering who Sophie and Agatha really are…? The School for Good & Evil is an epic journey into a dazzling new world, where the only way out of a fairy tale is to live through one. Review Characters: I went into the book a bit skeptical since the characters are essentially split into "good" and "evil". I was worried about possible cliches and simplifications. But Soman Chainani did a great job in blurring the lines between good and evil, showing slow transitions into good or evil, and planting little hints of good and evil in mundane personality traits. That being said, I did easily pick up on those little personality traits which made it a bit frustrating when characters in the story didn't. I found Sophie and Agatha to be a bit too naive and oblivious at times (and I'm not blaming that on this being a middlegrade-ish novel, because middlegrade can be clever). Despite their naivety, it was pretty interesting to watch the girls' transformations through the novel. They really evolved and grew very seamlessly throughout the story. Their relationship with each other is very interesting to watch, keeping you on your toes and making you unsure whether to be suspicious or happy. World: I really loved the world(s?) in this story. The way it is written makes it unclear whether there are two worlds (he real and the fairy tale) or if it is one big world with parts in seclusion from the rest. I loved the ambiguity. It worked since this story mainly takes place at the school, so we really don't need to know about the politics of the greater world yet. We know just enough. Plot: Some parts of the plot were pretty predictable but even more parts were very unpredictable. Towards the beginning-middle it starts off kind of like a high school petty romance, which is when the story is pretty predictable (who loves who?), but towards the end things get pretty crazy and it's really impossible to predict the ending - especially the details. But the overall inspiration of fairytales made this book fairly whimsical, while putting a new twist on fairytale cliches (why do princesses rely on princes?). I did find some resemblances to Harry Potter (with the magic school and certain spells) and also the Hunger Games (with a certain tournament), but these resemblances weren't super overwhelming so I was okay with it. Overall it was fast paced and magical Writing: I wasn't a huge fan of the writing style. Though I loved it's simplicity, many times I found that sentences were awkwardly worded or phrased. This didn't occur an overwhelming amount, but when it did it really bothered me. Many times I questioned whether the author used the correct words - kind of like the drank vs drunk argument, sometimes certain words just didn't quite seem right. Overall it didn't deter me from reading and I still loved the simplicity. Rating:
4/5 Stars Synopsis: Augusten Burroughs is the author of the bestselling trilogy, Running with Scissors, Dry, and Lust & Wonder. Return to the memoir that started it all. The true story of a boy whose mother (a poet with delusions of Anne Sexton) gave him away to be raised by her unorthodox psychiatrist who bore a striking resemblance to Santa Claus. So at the age of twelve, Burroughs found himself amidst Victorian squalor living with the doctor's bizarre family, and befriending a paedophile who resided in the backyard shed. The story of an outlaw childhood where rules were unheard of, and the Christmas tree stayed up all year round, where Valium was consumed like candy, and if things got dull an electroshock-therapy machine could provide entertainment. The funny, harrowing and bestselling account of an ordinary boy's survival under the most extraordinary circumstances. Review: This so-called memoir gave me some pretty strong emotions, mainly disgust and chingy shivers. I really enjoyed this novel initially but once I learned that quite a bit of this story was actually made up, I didn't feel as strongly towards the book. So, let's get into this: This story takes the idea of a dysfunctional family to the max with a *somewhat true story* of the author's childhood. Every singe character in this novel is so shocking and full of surprises! There's the psychotic mother, abusive father, quack doctor, pedophile boyfriend....there's really no end to the surprises. I felt that all of the characters were really well rounded. My favourite part is that the story is told for Augusten's innocent point of view, so many things are only implied. I felt that this just brought so many layers to the story, leaving so many things open to interpretation. Equally as dysfunctional as the characters are the antics they get into. Although this story is branded a "memoir" I felt like so many of the things that happened were so unbelievable - not in an amazing way, but in a "who would do that and how did they not end up in the hospital?!" sort of way. This gave me such a thrill and it really broadened my view of what may be happening behind closed doors. It's so different than anything I have ever read before and probably anything I ever will read. The definition of "family" is challenged in many ways and the idea of free range children is explored in depth. It's truly a cringe-worthy and sad experience to read about how unfortunately far from "normal" Augusten's childhood was (though it is reassuring to know that he's a successful authors). The only warning I have for those interested in reading this is that there is crude language, pedophilia, sexual assault, and wonderful examples of how to be a bad parent. Rating 4/5 Stars Let me know what you thought about Running With Scissors down below!
Synopsis: In a continent on the edge of war, two witches hold its fate in their hands. Young witches Safiya and Iseult have a habit of finding trouble. After clashing with a powerful Guildmaster and his ruthless Bloodwitch bodyguard, the friends are forced to flee their home. Safi must avoid capture at all costs as she's a rare Truthwitch, able to discern truth from lies. Many would kill for her magic, so Safi must keep it hidden - lest she be used in the struggle between empires. And Iseult's true powers are hidden even from herself. In a chance encounter at Court, Safi meets Prince Merik and makes him a reluctant ally. However, his help may not slow down the Bloodwitch now hot on the girls' heels. All Safi and Iseult want is their freedom, but danger lies ahead. With war coming, treaties breaking and a magical contagion sweeping the land, the friends will have to fight emperors and mercenaries alike. For some will stop at nothing to get their hands on a Truthwitch. Review: TBH when I picked this book up in the first place I was really excited for it! But my feeling towards it changed quickly as I struggled through the first few chapters. If this wasn't my book club book of the month, I may have put it down after the first several chapters. For about the first two thirds of the book, I was very aware that I was reading a story and was slowly counting down the pages until the end. The characters came off as quite two-dimensional and the author relied too heavily on the spectacle of the girls' witch powers as they lacked real personality. For the last third of the book, though, the characters suddenly seemed more developed and real to me. Safi and Iseult ended the novel on a high note! I also had a problem with the writing style. Again, the first two thirds of the novel were the worst for this, but the last third seemed to get it together: the author often used "telling" rather than "showing" - which can work such as with Harry Potter - but it really fell flat here. The writing style made the whole story seem very bland, even though there was almost non-stop action! But towards the end, the writing improved (but I can't pinpoint exactly how). My biggest problem with this book is that the reader is just thrown into this new fantasy world, and we don't get very much initial information. There is a world map at the beginning of the story, but there is nothing charting the different types of witches an their powers. As I read on, I felt like the author kept being like, "Oh and there's also this type of witch that can do this.... and conveniently this type of witch too.... oh ya, and this witch can do this...". This may have been done to elicit more surprise from readers, but I just found that it made it hard to put myself in the character's shoes when I don't know what different potential threats there are until it's too late. Overall it had a really rocky start but pulled through in the end as being decent. It ended with a great cliffhanger but since most of the book felt distant, I don't think I'll continue on with this series when the next book comes out in January. P.S. two other people in my book club who have recently finished the book loved it and are going to continue on with the series. Rating: 2.5 Stars Let me know that you rated Truthwitch, in the comments below!
Synopsis: SHHHH! Don't spread the word! Three-day weekend. Party at White Rock House on Henry Island. You do NOT want to miss it. It was supposed to be the weekend of their lives—an exclusive house party on Henry Island. Best friends Meg and Minnie each have their reasons for being there (which involve T.J., the school’s most eligible bachelor) and look forward to three glorious days of boys, booze and fun-filled luxury. But what they expect is definitely not what they get, and what starts out as fun turns dark and twisted after the discovery of a DVD with a sinister message: Vengeance is mine. Suddenly people are dying, and with a storm raging, the teens are cut off from the outside world. No electricity, no phones, no internet, and a ferry that isn’t scheduled to return for two days. As the deaths become more violent and the teens turn on each other, can Meg find the killer before more people die? Or is the killer closer to her than she could ever imagine? Review: Meh. I went into this book with absolutely no expectations and finished the book feeling good about it, but not amazing. First off (this has been driving me crazy), the island on the cover of the book is way way way too small to be the Henry Island, the book's main setting (sorry, I know that really isn't a big deal). All I can call this is a murder mystery book, I wouldn't go as far to say that this is a thriller, though it is suspenseful since the characters fear which among them will die next. I generally scare really easily, but I didn't feel the least bit scared reading this, I felt more like a detective trying to solve the case before the main characters. Now the characters of the book are pretty basic, following the characters tropes of the popular girl, the quiet friend, the beach bum, the jock, the control freak, the punk, the creepy ladies man, the big teddy bear, the solo singer and the boy toy. Despite the cliche quality to the characters, it was fun to watch their descent into madness or terror as they discover their life-threatening situation. The main "forbidden" romance struck me as a little petty and drawn out, but I still found myself rooting for them and loving them as a potential couple - I don't want to spoil too much though, but there's a lot of drama! The main mystery of the story revolves around discovering who the murderer is before everyone is killed. I found myself getting frustrated at the main character, Meg, who seemed much too oblivious to some clues that were right in front of her, which I saw as being very obvious evidence. Throughout the entire story, I thought that I had the murderer figured out (which bummed me out since I thought I easily knew how it would end), but it turned out that I didn't see the ending coming which was such a relief! This is an easy and quick read - it took me about six hours to read. It was thrilling enough to capture and hold my attention for the entire duration of the story making it a perfect book to read as a buffer between reading larger books. I'd recommend this for anyone looking for to solve a mystery and at the same time have an easy read. However if you're looking for a thriller or horror story, you won't necessarily find that here.
Rating: 3/5 Stars Let me know what you rated this in the comment below!
Synopsis: A strange and charming collection of hilariously absurd poetry, writing, and illustration from one of today's most popular young comedians... Review: So this wasn't as funny as I expected it to be but there were some hilarious poems and some really socially accurate ones. I was caught off guard by the mix of humorous and serious pieces, but it worked - i enjoy not knowing what to expect next. It's definitely worth a read if you're looking for something a little lighter to pick up! If you liked Bo's comedy show, you can expect to like his poem book too! Rating: 3/5 Stars Let me know what your rating for this is in the comments below!
Synopsis: Lara Jean didn’t expect to really fall for Peter. She and Peter were just pretending. Except suddenly they weren’t. Now Lara Jean is more confused than ever. When another boy from her past returns to her life, Lara Jean’s feelings for him return too. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once? In this charming and heartfelt sequel to the New York Times bestseller To All the Boys I've Loved Before, we see first love through the eyes of the unforgettable Lara Jean. Love is never easy, but maybe that’s part of what makes it so amazing. Review: Better than the first book, but still just a cute contemporary (so by no means amazing). Starting off right where the last book left off, Jenny Han jumps right into the story! This was much more fast-paced than the first book which made it a little more intriguing. Lara Jean's character development also made this story more intriguing as she ever-so-slightly becomes more outgoing and gutsy. The one story element I didn't like was the ending though! It's made childishly clear that the lesson of the story is that people in your life come and go - but I wish the ending focused more on an exciting plot!! Lara Jean didn't end up with who I wanted her to; I mean, it seemed so obvious that the other one was the right choice! C'mon Lara Jean! With all that said, this story continued to develop Lara Jean's cutesy, instagram-esque life which is what most of us love most about this book anyway. It makes you feel warm inside - like gooey cookies, pink ribbons and fluffy pajamas. Just be prepared for lots more baking! I can't say that I was disappointed, I can't say that I was wowed - it's pretty much just what you would expect the sequel to be. But, it's so short that it's totally worth finishing the series. Rating:
3.5/5 Stars REVIEW: To All the Boys I've Loved Before (To All the Boys I've Loved Before #1) by Jenny Han1/10/2016 Synopsis: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters: her first kiss, the boy from summer camp, even her sister's ex-boyfriend, Josh. As she learns to deal with her past loves face to face, Lara Jean discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all. Review: The first word that comes to mind when thinking about this book is COZY. The second word that comes to mind is CUTE. Just think: cupcakes, cashmere sweaters, and first loves. The best part about this book is the overall feel of it. It just leaves you feeling warm and happy - which in itself is reason enough to read it. The story, however, progressed a bit too slow, with many (seemingly filler) scenes of Lara Jean baking or waiting to be picked up for school. I'm almost at a loss of words as to how to describe this book. Just know that it's freaking adorable, the story is on the slow side but still very fun, and the romance is something very new and different from other YA romance stories. The lines between acting, love and lust are blurred, and Lara Jean's life is just something to fall in love with. This love triangle is actually really well done. I really didn't know which guy to ship, there was just so much history involved to be able to fall in love with one couple. The short chapters make this a really quick read. It really is the most relaxing book I've read to date. It's not the most thrilling, or the most complex story, but it doesn't need to be - it's a YA romance! Rating:
3.5/5 Stars Synopsis: This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do. This afternoon, her planet was invaded. The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit. But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again. Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more--Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes. Review: The synopsis does not do this book justice... You have a break-up, a massacre, a broken fleeing fleet, a murderous super computer, a zombie/psycho virus, and an epic space battle....in that order. It was so much more than I could have hoped for - and I had high expectations to start with! I was apprehensive about the unique formatting of the narrative, but quickly fell in love with it. Every page holds an new and unexpected development AND crazy visuals (The Scream anyone?) I really can't praise this book enough. Plot twists on top of the romance on top of a child dragging around a human heart...convinced yet. Amazingly, Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff managed to make all of these elements work harmoniously and managed to create this beautiful in-depth world through crazy narrative formatting. Even though this book is 599 pages, you fly through it. It's fast-paced and most pages aren't flooded with words - i.e. the instant messaging or space battle pages. Even if you're not a fan of sci-fi or romance you will love this because you love awesome. The characters - on point. The "world" - perfect. The story - a crazy, wild ride with the best plot twists (the end OMG). EPIC. UNEXPECTED. INTRIGUING. BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED.... p.s. please release the next book asap. Thanks. Rating:
5/5 Stars Synopsis: Forgve us, Father, for we have sinned Brooklyn Stevens sits in a pool of her own blood, tied up and gagged. No one outside of these dank basement walls knows she’s here. No one can hear her scream. Sofia Flores knows she shouldn’t have gotten involved. When she befriended Riley, Grace, and Alexis on her first day at school, she admired them, with their perfect hair and their good-girl ways. They said they wanted to save Brooklyn. They wanted to help her. Sofia didn’t realize they believed Brooklyn was possessed. Now, Riley and the girls are performing an exorcism on Brooklyn—but their idea of an exorcism is closer to torture than salvation. All Sofia wants is to get out of this house. But there is no way out. Sofia can’t go against the other girls . . . unless she wants to be next. . . . In this chilling debut, Danielle Vega delivers blood-curdling suspense and terror on every page. By the shockingly twisted end, readers will be faced with the most haunting question of all: Is there evil in all of us? Review: This is a great book to read when you're in between books. Its a fairly quick read, thrilling, and easy to follow. It's mindless (you don't have to think about it much) but really gives the feels. It's messed up, but I kind of liked it. Now, by no means does this have amazing writing or super complex characters. It's just not the type of book you look forward to reading all year long. There are very typed characters - the Jesus freak (reminds me of a more psychotic Marianne, from Easy A), her number one fan/wannabe best friend, the boldly stylish third, and the new girl. Very easy to grasp, right? That's the point. The characters and plot are so simple that it mainly relies on thrilling the reader into continuing on reading. This book may be a little hard to get into because the thrills don't really begin until Chapter 7 (page 86). From then on it's exorcism, torture, psychotic meltdowns and death. It's just so f***ing messed up and twisted that you can't help but read what happens next. this book was great for a fast read and a great thrill. You'll definitely finish the book saying "wtf did I just read" - in a time-killing, entertaining way. The only thing I was let down about was the insa-romance. It was there for a couple pages here and there, but it really didn't contribute much to the story and it never developed. It was there one second then it was...gone?...Put way way in the background? It just seemed out of place. If you can't handle blood, delusional psychopaths, bodily mutilation, and *cough* pealing off fingernails *cough*, or you scare easily, I would not recommend this. But, if you're in between books, have a busy schedule, or just need a gripping book to get you out of a slump, I would recommend this. Just make sure you do get past the first 80 or so pages - it gets 100x more exciting. Rating:
3.5/5 Stars Synopsis: Combined for the first time here are Maus I: A Survivor's Tale and Maus II - the complete story of Vladek Spiegelman and his wife, living and surviving in Hitler's Europe. By addressing the horror of the Holocaust through cartoons, the author captures the everyday reality of fear and is able to explore the guilt, relief and extraordinary sensation of survival - and how the children of survivors are in their own way affected by the trials of their parents. A contemporary classic of immeasurable significance. Review: In terms of overall enjoyment, it's not the most emotionally crippling holocaust narrative out there, but it does a wonderful job of framing the holocaust in an alternative form while making it an incredibly realistic feeling story. As a generalization, this is a holocaust story told through a graphic novel directed towards an adult audience. So, yes, my expectations were pretty low going into the first book. I was happily surprised. The story is narrated by Art Speigleman as a character in the story who has his elderly father tell him his Auschwitz survival story in order for "Artie" to write this graphic novel. Get it? It's super self-reflexive which makes it seem so real! Spiegleman seems to go above and beyond to portray this particular holocaust story in it's true light. He shows how the entire story is a series of recollected events, only ONE side of the story, and shows us examples of how his father can stretch the truth sometimes. It's a big warning saying "this is his story, but take the details with a big grain of salt". This is why it's so REAL. And this is why it's so intriguing. The story jumps from the present to the recollected story to Art's father going off on random tangents. You really feel the tension and frustration between father and son, yet the underlying love. I can see why Art Spiegelman was worried about his readers thinking that he's speaking ill of the dead (his father is dead by the time the book is published), but I can see that he is just telling things like they were and not romanticizing it - which I love and commend. As I said, overall, I liked the graphic novels well enough. I wasn't dying to read on nor was I dying to put it down. I have read lots of more heart-wrenching and dramatic novels which feed off of readers' emotions, and this is not one of those stories. It was more so just an interesting and alternative way of speaking about the holocaust. Not to mentions the drawings were just 'meh'. It took me a while to get used to the drawing style - black and white, rough, sometimes hard to tell characters apart.... but I ended up being alright with it. I just see the rough-style drawings as a reflection of the harshness of the holocaust. In that sense, the visuals are perfect, but in terms of overall enjoyment, they weren't super intriguing to look at. Overall 3/5 stars. I had to take away two stars based on my overall enjoyment and the visuals, but I'm keeping 3 stars again based on my overall enjoyment and the self-reflexive and symbolism found in the narrative. If your interested in holocaust literature, check this out! It's a great alternative way to look at the past, not to mention a huge time commitment - it's just two graphic novels. Rating:
3/5 Stars Synopsis: Watts is smoldering in ruins-and the cops are on Easy Rawlins's doorstep. Easy expects the worst, as usual. But, incredibly, they're asking for his help. A redheaded woman known as Little Scarlet had sheltered a man during the riots. Witnesses later saw him fleeing her building; not long after, Little Scarlet was found viciously murdered. Now, with his old friend Mouse at his side, Easy follows the case's single clue across Los Angeles. The missing man is the key, but he's only the beginning. Hidden in the heart of the city is a killer whose red-hot rage is as fierce as the fires that rocked L.A. Review: Little Scarlet is a beautifully candid piece of work. Walter Mosley has created a story that describes not only the riots and events associated with the Watts Rebellion, but also the emotional and mental effects of the uprising while taking the reader on a thrilling journey with a murder mystery. Easy Rawlins is completely brought to life in all of his imperfect gloriousness. He is a complex protagonist who evolves as he struggles through the stress of the uprising, causing morality issues surrounding love, lust, new-found power, and death. The emotional trauma caused by the death of 'Little Scarlet'only amplifies as the case progresses. It really can't be stressed enough how raw this novel is, making it something you just can't put down. From the main case to the smallest details, everything written by Mr. Mosley only enhances the experience. Whether you are a lover of epic fantasy, contemporary romance or even horror, Walter Mosley will make you fall in love with his novel. *This novel can be read as a standalone (as I read it), or as Book #9 in the "Easy Rawlins" series.* Rating:
4.5/5 Stars Synopsis: All the creatures of the night gather in "the Hollows" of Cincinnati, to hide, to prowl, to party... and to feed. Vampires rule the darkness in a predator-eat-predator world rife with dangers beyond imagining - and it's Rachel Morgan's job to keep that world civilized. A bounty hunter and witch with serious sex appeal and an attitude, she'll bring 'em back alive, dead... or undead. Review: Though is novel has pretty good balance of relatable humanity and supernatural elements, I didn't feel like I connected very much with the characters or story. I know there's a pretty big fandom surrounding this series, but I just didn't get into it. The overused elements of sexuality seemed unnecessary in light of Rachael being hunted by virtually everyone, and I felt that the characters needed to be further developed - which I suppose they may be in later books...but I won't be reading on. Insignificant scenes seemed to last forever, and it took a while for the plot to become exciting. Overall it was alright, I ended up feeling ok with it. Not upset that I read it, but also not blown away by it. just Meh! (note the exclamation point still). I'm not going to continue on with this series though - there are too many other books out there that I'm dying to read instead! Rating:
3/5 Stars Synopsis: War is coming to the Wizards of Arcadia. Will Kailee’s love be enough for Rek to fight for good, or will a powerful blood bond push him to fight for evil? Review: This book is the definition of a happily ever after. Overall it was a decent end to a simple yet exciting trilogy. It remains to be a wonderful novel trilogy ideally for young teenagers or even preteens. It is full of love, hatred, danger, and most of all, good vs evil. As much as I love this series and the characters in it, the idea of good vs evil started to get a bit old for me. Everything was almost too black and white. The bad guys were simply bad due to a poison coursing through their veins, and the good guys were good in order to stop the bad guys from creating destruction. I have to say that I did like how the evil was not only “evil”, and was a poison, but it still was a little too unexplained. That could also just be the simplicity of a young teen novel though. I still love Kailee and Rek, Astrid and Gabe, Ryan and Tasha, and Audric and Cass. It’s all perfect. It was a little convenient that everyone found their soulmates so easily, but you really can’t help but love it and get a warm feeling inside. Everything is wrapped up perfectly in the epilogue that will leave you satisfied and happy for everyone. There is lots of death in this book seeing as it is the final book in the trilogy. Both good and bad characters die, and everyone is put in danger. There really are lots of plot twists and unexpected events in this finale which I love! If you are a fan of The Key and The Oracle, please, please, please read till the very end. This book comes to a perfect ending and will definitely make you smile. This is cliche teen paranormal romance at it’s finest, and I loved it :) Rating:
3.5/5 Stars Synopsis: Following on the heels of Sanderson’s successful launch into the YA market with the New York Times bestselling Rithmatist comes Mistborn, now repackaged for the teen audience Once, a hero rose to save the world. He failed. For a thousand years since, the world has been a wasteland of ash and mist ruled by the immortal emperor known as the Lord Ruler. Every revolt has failed miserably. Yet somehow, hope survives. Hope that dares to dream of ending the empire and defeating the Lord Ruler. A new kind of uprising is being planned—one that depends on the cunning of a brilliant criminal mastermind and the determination of an unlikely heroine: a teenage street urchin named Vin. Once, a hero rose to save the world and failed. This time, can a young heroine succeed? Review: This is the first Brandon Sanderson novel I've ever read, am I'm a little upset for not picking him up sooner! I've been so engrossed in cliche YA fantasy novels written by female authors (which isn't a bad thing, stories just have a different perspective when a female character is created by a male author), and haven't even thought to branch out until now. I loved it. I feel like I say this a lot about the books I read, but hey, I just have good taste. Sanderson has developed a vivid new world, dominated by the ashy shades of grey. He managed to give me such a clear understanding of this unique world without defaulting to using paragraphs of dull landscape description - which I applaud. His world building was effortless, and his world was a beautiful dystopia of dirty ash-falls, swirling night mist and "mythical" mist creatures. Though the world was developed so vividly, so much is left a mystery - the unknown history of the world, the mysterious, "Godly", "immortal" leader, Allomancy.... The main characters, Kelsier and Vin were just as refreshing and brilliant as their world. Kelsier, a slave turned rebel turned martyr was presented in such a way where I questioned his sanity, and when his plans were brought to light, I questioned how I ever doubted him! He's mad, erratic, spontaneous, reckless, blunt, sarcastic and to top it off, a heroic genius. At no point do you stop questioning his motives and sanity until after the fact. I loved him. Vin too. Untrusting street urchin turned noble-lady-spy-rebel. All the characters in this book are just so diverse, from Elend to Sazed. These's rebellion, magic, mystery, noble balls, battle, political infiltration, forbidden romance...what more could you ask for?! Though this book is over 500 pages, it seems to go by too fast. It's faced paced, and invokes the "I need to go to bed but I need to keep going" mentality. Total winner. I'll for sure keep on with this series! Rating:
5/5 Stars Synopsis: From the acclaimed author of Forever, Interrupted and After I Do comes a breathtaking new novel about a young woman whose fate hinges on the choice she makes after bumping into an old flame; in alternating chapters, we see two possible scenarios unfold—with stunningly different results. At the age of twenty-nine, Hannah Martin still has no idea what she wants to do with her life. She has lived in six different cities and held countless meaningless jobs since graduating college. On the heels of leaving yet another city, Hannah moves back to her hometown of Los Angeles and takes up residence in her best friend Gabby’s guestroom. Shortly after getting back to town, Hannah goes out to a bar one night with Gabby and meets up with her high school boyfriend, Ethan. Just after midnight, Gabby asks Hannah if she’s ready to go. A moment later, Ethan offers to give her a ride later if she wants to stay. Hannah hesitates. What happens if she leaves with Gabby? What happens if she leaves with Ethan? In concurrent storylines, Hannah lives out the effects of each decision. Quickly, these parallel universes develop into radically different stories with large-scale consequences for Hannah, as well as the people around her. As the two alternate realities run their course, Maybe in Another Liferaises questions about fate and true love: Is anything meant to be? How much in our life is determined by chance? And perhaps, most compellingly: Is there such a thing as a soul mate? Review: What do you get when you cross the multiverse theory with a contemporary/romance novel? You get a pretty freaking cool book. For those of you who don't know, the multiverse theory is a theory where "everything that is possible happens" (p. 329). For every decision you make, another version of you from another universe makes the other decision, creating an infinite number of universes. Maybe in Another Life plays with this theory by having the main character, Hannah make a decision to either go home from a party with her best friend or her high school ex-boyfriend. The book then alternates chapters playing out how Hannah's life would turn out if she made either of those two decisions. The differences in her two lives are both very different and strangely similar - you have to read it to the end to know what I mean. I found this concept to make for a really fun to read. I kept going back and fourth as to which decision was the the right one for Hannah to make as both her lives spiral in different ways. In all honesty, this book would have been decent without the parallel stories, but the multiverse concept completely enhanced the reading experience by causing me to have more concern and anxiety over Hannah's lives. I even loved the individual story lines because of all the twists, drama, and "I can't believe I didn't see that coming" moments. Both of Hannah's lives seem so authentic that I can't help but have such concern for her - It all feels so real! There are two reasons why this book didn't get a full five stars from me. Firstly, because of the overkill with the cinnamon rolls. I know they were a big part of the story, but their appearances were incessant! Also, I call them 'cinnamon rolls', not 'cinnamon buns', which was slightly irritating for me to read. The second reason is that there were too many times when I would forget that Hannah is 29 years old since she has a bad habit of acting like a child. This occur often, but when it did, I was annoyed. Generally speaking though, this was an awesome and unique read that I would suggest to anyone. It would be especially great for anyone in their 20's to read as it's much more relatable to be close the the main character's age. Rating:
4/5 Stars Synopsis: Meet Skulduggery Pleasant Ace Detective Snappy Dresser Razor–tongued Wit Crackerjack Sorcerer and Walking, Talking, Fire-throwing Skeleton —as well as ally, protector, and mentor of Stephanie Edgley, a very unusual and darkly talented twelve-year-old. These two alone must defeat an all-consuming ancient evil. The end of the world? Over his dead body. Review: I really can't decide if this is a good book or not, since I am really too old to be reading it. But, in terms of my liking of it, I thought it was OK. This is a middle grade-ish, paranormal novel. I found the overall story to be a great idea which will no doubt be a gateway for children read more fantasy as they grow up. I mean you have it all: magical skeleton, a newly discovered world of magic, an ultimate scepter, and a murder mystery. For a child, I imagine that this would be a really exciting read. Though to me it was a little cliche, and I found the main character to be whiny and annoying at times. I did however like Skulduggery Pleasant - he reminded me of that driver from Halloweentown. None the less, I still enjoyed this easy read - it really feels like your flying through the book when the font and line spacing is large! I won't be continuing on with this series, though I do recommend it for older children! Rating:
3/5 Stars Synopsis: Ruby can't look back. Fractured by an unbearable loss, she and the kids who survived the government's attack on Los Angeles travel north to regroup. With them is a prisoner: Clancy Gray, son of the president, and one of the few people Ruby has encountered with abilities like hers. Only Ruby has any power over him, and just one slip could lead to Clancy wreaking havoc on their minds. They are armed only with a volatile secret: proof of a government conspiracy to cover up the real cause of IAAN, the disease that has killed most of America's children and left Ruby and others like her with powers the government will kill to keep contained. But internal strife may destroy their only chance to free the "rehabilitation camps" housing thousands of other Psi kids. Meanwhile, reunited with Liam, the boy she would-and did-sacrifice everything for to keep alive, Ruby must face the painful repercussions of having tampered with his memories of her. She turns to Cole, his older brother, to provide the intense training she knows she will need to take down Gray and the government. But Cole has demons of his own, and one fatal mistake may be the spark that sets the world on fire. Review: By no means as good as the first two books, but still had a satisfying ending… When I immediately finished this book, I loved it. But I held off on writing this review because I find that I ALWAYS love books right when I finish them. So this time, I took the time to let my emotions settle in order to get a stronger hold on my opinion. With all that said, I like this series. Not love, but that perfect crush that you had in high school who you look back on now and think “meh”. I found that Alexandra Bracken tried too hard to stretch out this book and make it as long as the others in the series. I mean, there were just too many chapters that seemed to repeat each other, where Ruby would feel insecure, Ruby would struggle with her emotions, and Ruby would keep secrets from a special someone. It definitely could have been condensed. And speaking of a special someone, considering the fact that Liam was present for nearly this entire book, he really didn’t seem to be around much. He was such a fan favourite yet the author focused too little on him and way too much on Ruby’s emotions. So if you haven’t figured it out yet, Ruby did start to get on my nerves with the repetitive and constant complaining and struggling with her abilities and relationships with Cole and Liam. Ruby’s complaints and Liams lack of air-time caused me to disconnect from them on an emotional level. BUT the momentum from the action in the past books and the emotional connections I had made in the past two books allowed me to still enjoy reading this one. For a good majority of the book, Ruby's all like: On the other hand, I loved the direction the story took and (without giving too much of a spoiler) I loved how the story come full circle and concluded where book one started. I did find the very ending (the resolution to the damaged American world) very over simplistic and unlikely, but I can’t be surprised by it, this is young adult after all. So, the ending was satisfying - but it would be FANTASTIC if there were an epilogue or a novella to tell us what happens after this book, because we are left to wonder how these characters relationships develop after the big events of the finale. Rating:
3.5/5 Stars **I received this novel courtesy of Penguin Publishing in exchange for my honest review** Synopsis: Nuala O’Connor’s enchanting American debut novel, Miss Emily, reimagines the private life of Emily Dickinson, one of America’s most beloved poets, through her own voice and through the eyes of her family’s Irish maid. Eighteen-year-old Ada Concannon has just been hired by the respected but eccentric Dickinson family of Amherst, Massachusetts. Despite their difference in age and the upstairs-downstairs divide, Ada strikes up a deep friendship with Miss Emily, the gifted elder daughter living a spinster’s life at home. But Emily’s passion for words begins to dominate her life. She will wear only white and avoids the world outside the Dickinson homestead. When Ada’s safety and reputation are threatened, however, Emily must face down her own demons in order to help her friend, with shocking consequences. Review: Miss Emily is a story both beautifully simplistic and plainly genuine. For a book that lacks in the epic action department, I found myself quite invested from the first page. The simple language in which it is written makes Miss Emily an easy read (for a story taking place in the 1800’s), and the shortness of it being 239 pages helps encourage binge reading. The alternating chapters written from Emily Dickenson’s point of view intrigued me the most. O’Connor did a beautiful job of recreating Emily Dickenson’s mind and bringing its innocence and marvel to life. Emily’s chapters look at the world in a very poetic way that I found fascinating to read about. Keeping in mind the fact that despite the many non-fictional characters, this is a fictional story, I loved how O’Connor was able to subtly display the inspirations for Emily’s poetry, and the mindset behind Emily’s choice to live secluded - among other seemingly queer decisions. I even found Emily to be very relatable to the point where I would pick up this book for consolation. On the other hand, we have alternating chapters written from the Irish maid, Ada’s perspective. Ada’s story of travelling to a new country and facing the hardships of starting a new foreign life decently balanced out Emily’s chapters of living in her own head. Now, I didn’t find Ada nearly as poetic to read about, but the slowly developing, mild action of her story kept me just interested enough to want to know where her story was headed. I only wish that the friendship connecting Emily and Ada was emphasized more, because I found that for a decent portion of the book, I was reading two completely different stories. The ending of Miss Emily was both satisfying and charming, but nothing extraordinary. This is the type of book where the journey is more important than the destination, and I was glad to have taken that journey. When reading this, don’t expect a lot of action (though there are a couple big events), but rather expect intriguing insight to the possible mindset of Emily Dickenson, friendship, romance, abuse, and even some poetry. Rating:
3.5/5 Stars Synopsis: Ruby never asked for the abilities that almost cost her her life. Now she must call upon them on a daily basis, leading dangerous missions to bring down a corrupt government and breaking into the minds of her enemies. Other kids in the Children’s League call Ruby “Leader”, but she knows what she really is: a monster. When Ruby is entrusted with an explosive secret, she must embark on her most dangerous mission yet: leaving the Children’s League behind. Crucial information about the disease that killed most of America’s children—and turned Ruby and the others who lived into feared and hated outcasts—has survived every attempt to destroy it. But the truth is only saved in one place: a flashdrive in the hands of Liam Stewart, the boy Ruby once believed was her future—and who now wouldn’t recognize her. As Ruby sets out across a desperate, lawless country to find Liam—and answers about the catastrophe that has ripped both her life and America apart—she is torn between old friends and the promise she made to serve the League. Ruby will do anything to protect the people she loves. But what if winning the war means losing herself? Review: So, let’s be honest. Alexandra Bracken definitely knows how to mend half the heart while crumbling the other half. Learning this from The Darkest Minds had definitely prepared me for tragic events in this book, making me slightly less sensitive to them. So no, I did not enjoy this as much as the first book – but then again, that tends to happen a lot in trilogies. Going into this book, I was really excited for the continuing story from book one – to find out what happens with Ruby in the League. But I was slightly disappointed that we didn’t get to see Ruby’s initial time there. The story starts off with Ruby having been in the League for several months. And though I did love her newly combat trained, bad-ass self, I found that it took away from the excitement of the lingering danger everywhere. I mean, now everything is slightly less of a threat since she’s trained! I feel like I’m making this book sound boring – which it really isn’t! Though the book started off a little too slow for my liking, it picked up momentum as it went. I started to love the story again when the new characters met the old characters. The familiarity form the first book brought the story completely back on track and delivered with plot twists and more twisted minds. The new twister minds completely make this book! The bigger picture of America begins to unravel just enough for you to be begging for more. Rating:
4/5 Stars Synopsis: When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that’s killed most of America’s children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control. Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones. When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she’s on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents. When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living. Review: I loved this book! <<< That’s it, review over. The unpredictable story, loveable characters, and simple writing style were all on point here! Beginning with the characters: Ruby was a very likeable character who the audience is forced to sympathize with right from the beginning. Her life if revealed to us with the perfect combination of answers and tolerable mystery. As Ruby’s character evolves throughout the book, her mysterious past is slowly unraveled and presented to the audience, not only through narration but also during crucial plot turning points. Ruby was written in a way where she is easily understood and loved by the audience. There are also Ruby’s companions to consider, Liam (Lee), Chubs, and Suzume (Zu), who are all loveable in their own ways. These characters are split up to play certain roles: the leader, the brains, and the innocent powerhouse. These differences really made each character stand out from one another. I was surprised at how much I sympathized with and felt a strong connection with each of them – especially considering that they are not the main character. Though I fell in love with Liam and Suzume right away, I was even more impressed with how much my opinion of Chubs had evolved over the course of the book to make me love him too. Now, at a glance, the story itself seems very unoriginal: a teenage girl with special powers who is on the run from those who want to use her powers for evil. That sounds like every YA dystopian book I’ve ever read. BUT DON’T’ LET THAT DETER YOU, this story was made a lot more interesting with an epidemic thrown into a crumbling America, desperate bounty hunters, different powers, and (basically) concentration camps for “freak” children. I loved the story Alexandra Bracken created, and all the twists and turns that went with it. This is one of those books where you never really know what’s real or who to trust. For those of you who’ve read this story already: NONONONO THE ENDING. I COULD FEEL MY HEART CRUMBLE WITH EVERY WORD. WHYYYYY! Any book that can give me this much enjoyment and pain at the same time deserves a full 5 stars! Emotional, gripping, and unpredictable... Rating:
5/5 Stars Synopsis: Dying Embers tells the story of Drake McCarty; a sixteen year old boy with more than a few challenges in his life. As if it wasn't enough that he had begun seeing creatures that no one else could, he is suddenly thrust into the position of liaison to an alien race. He was just coming to understand that part of his life when he finds himself pronounced father to three Larian infants; embers. They are injured, frightened, and carrying a pathogen with the capacity to destroy any technology it contaminates. Bole and the rest of the mature aliens are of limited help; exiled from their home-world following a bloody civil war, they arrived on Earth in a burned out spaceship just as the Cold War began, and for over half a century the military kept them a closely guarded, rather boring, and ultimately unproductive secret. But when the other half of the conflict arrives, bent on continuing the war here on Earth Bole has no choice but to defend his new home and the family he has built here, leaving Drake to tend to the embers on his own. But Drake has other allies; a family with roots that stretch back into antiquity, and a reach that spans the world. They in turn know beings native to Earth, but far more alien than any of the Larians; creatures that hold no love for the species that they see as invaders, but might hold the key to his children's very survival. Review: Iwant to begin by apologizing to the author of this novel, Betty Adams, for not completing her book which I had agreed to give my honest review about. Holding up my end of the deal, this review will be by thoughts and opinions on the first half of the book as I only managed to read up to page 127 / 276. This book originally captured my attention with the adorable cover art - it is nothing completely amazing or spectacular, but it hit me as being very genuine and beautiful, and thus, I decided to read this novel. To be completely honest, I didn't enjoy this book. Not to say that the story is terrible, but I found this book to be very one dimensional, which resulted in me having absolutely no emotional connection with the characters or story. There were obvious attempts by the author to build on backstories of the characters, which just fail to work. These attemps to build backstories were dispersed throughout the novel in, what I assume, is to allow the reader's connection with the characters slowly change and mature. Unfortunately I found that this attempted method of connection made the story very boring, as we really don't know all that much about the characters at any given point in time. My second issue with the characters, is with the aliens and their many names. The protagonist aliens in this book are mostly introduced within the first few chapters - and there are a decent number of aliens to introduce! The problem is that each alien has several different names (formal, informal, and sometimes nicknames), which caused me to really struggle to remember who was who. Needless to say this caused a huge lack of connection between me and the alien characters. Lastly, I found the story line to be quite boring, considering this is a sci-fi genre book. I was very underwhelmed. During the first half of the book, which is all I read, there really is not much epic action as would be expected with an alien book. The story mainly based around a brother - sister relationship developing more trust, of which the alien babies are just a means of. Though I've been trying for two weeks to finish reading this novel, my lack of connection with the characters and lack of interest in the storyline, made Dying Embers too unbearable to finish. Keep in mind that this is only my opinion of the first half of the book, and that my opinion may, in no way, reflect that of the entire novel - for all I know, it could have had a spectacular ending. Rating:
DNF (Did Not Finish) Synopsis: In the hundreds of years since the Holy City disappeared, darkness has fallen over the land. Human kingdoms have seized control of the realm, scattering the other races into hiding. Bridazak, a skilled thief, and his friends, a Dwarf and a fellow Ordakian, have dared to remain within the human communities and live relatively quiet lives, until they discover a mysterious, magical artifact. The three friends are thrust into an adventure that will challenge their faith, their purpose, and their destiny as they chase a forgotten and lost prophecy across the realm of Ruauck-El, where they hope to discover the origins of the strange item and their place in its history. An ancient, unknown enemy threatens the completion of their journey at every turn. Bridazak is about to face the biggest adventure of his life, one that may change the known realm, and answer the questions he has carried all his life. Will they unlock the truth? Review: I have to say that I was underwhelmed by this book. I went into it not knowing exactly what to expect as the synopsis was fairly vague. All in all, this novel was an attempt at an unoriginal fantasy quest story. First, I’ll begin with what I enjoyed about the book: Since I listened to the audiobook version of this, I got to listen to the author and a couple other people voice the main characters. Brae Wyckoff and the other voice actors had great reading voices, and I enjoyed their narration for the most part. I also enjoyed the very beginning of the novel, before the characters were sent on their main journey. There was fairly good character and world building, and everything was described the perfect amount, where I could clearly picture the world and events, but didn’t get bored with excessive description. Unfortunately, the negatives of this book outweighed the positives for me. I mentioned that I enjoyed the voice actors for the most part, but nearing the end of the novel, Dulgin’s voice become irritating. For a book of this length, his voice was too unnatural and eventually started sounding very fake. I also disliked how there was only one female voice actor who voiced several female characters in the story. Her voice was so distinct (since it has a slight accent) that all of the female characters sounded very similar, and made it easy to mistake them for one another. Some reviews of this novel relate it to Lord of the Rings, which I think is completely off track! I can clearly see the author’s attempt at creating a story with a similar feel to Tolkien’s novels, but Wyckoff fell short with a super cliché storyline and characters, as well as only a mediocre writing style. I can’t say that his writing was “bad” but it was very sequential (i.e. this happened, then this, then this…) which become boring after a while. As well, many portions of the story seemed to be dribbled in thesaurus vomit – some words just didn’t sound natural or seem to fit in with the rest of the story. One of the biggest mistakes I found with this story is too many convenient coincidences which got characters out of trouble. I am a strong believer that you can use coincidences to get characters into trouble, but you can never use them to get characters out of trouble – that’s just a cheap move. And too many times throughout this story, did characters conveniently have the right tools or the right people to save them. This story also has too many repeated events/scenes which made everything very predictable. In the beginning of the story, the Orb tells Bridazak that he will protect him of the journey. Yet the authors still tries to create scenes that appear life threatening by giving characters fatal wounds etc. which are conveniently healed almost immediately after. The repetition of trying to create life threatening events made the story appear to have no clear climax. The cliché characters consisted of the “good guys” and “bad guys” who are polar opposites of good and evil for no clear reason (the villain is simply just evil). And the cliché villain with the evil laugh and tacky one-liners just seemed too one dimensional and underdeveloped. I have to give props to Brae Wyckoff for his intentions on creating a brand new fantasy world and story, but everything just fell short and the story sounded very cliché and amateur. If you are a fan of fantasy books, I unfortunately wouldn’t recommend this for you. Rating:
2/5 Stars ***CAUTION: MAY CONTAIN MILD SPOILERS** Synopsis: I have a curse I have a gift I am a monster I'm more than human My touch is lethal My touch is power I am their weapon I will fight back Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days. The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color. The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war – and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now. Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior. Review: Though I enjoyed reading Shatter Me, I don’t quite understand all the hype surrounding it. Tahereh Mafi’s writing style struck me as pretty standard – aside from the crossing out of words which I was only indifferent to. There was just nothing that wowed me about her writing, it was just…good. It made me want to keep reading, yet didn't give me the I-can’t-put-this-down feeling. The story itself has been told before. It’s the Hunger Games meets the X-Men. Including the Hunger Games world where citizens are suppressed and living on a dying earth, and the X-Men as Rogue is identical to Mafi’s character, Juliette, and “Omega Point” is a blend between Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters and District 13. With all of these parallels, I still enjoyed reading this story. It presented some plot twists but nothing completely spectacular, it was not entirely predictable, though some parts were very obvious, and all of the characters seem to be standard YA paranormal romance characters: Juliette is insecure about herself but is crucial to the fate of the world because of her power, Adam is mysterious, incredibly capable (even though he is 17 years old), speaks in a “husky” voice at times, and very easily and quickly falls completely in love with the heroine. I know it sounds like I’m ripping on this book, but I really did enjoy reading it. I just don’t understand all of the hype about it – it’s not THATTTT original or suspenseful. It’s just “pretty good”. I also have to say that I really don't like the original book cover which I own (as shown above). I find it annoying when a main character is shown on the cover - it completely ruins any attempt for me to form my own image of Juliette in my head. I with I would have bought the Newer edition with an eye on the cover.... Rating:
3/5 Stars ***WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE FIRST AND SECOND BOOKS IN THE SERIES*** Synopsis: New Year's Eve ended with a bang and Mary, Kat and Lillia may not be prepared for what is to come. After Rennie's death, Kat and Lillia try to put the pieces together of what happened to her. They both blame themselves. If Lillia hadn't left with Reeve... If Kat had only stayed with Rennie... Things could have been different. Now they will never be the same. Only Mary knows the truth about that night. About what she is. She also knows the truth about Lillia and Reeve falling in love, about Reeve being happy when all he deserves is misery, just like the misery he caused her. Now their childish attempts at revenge are a thing of the past and Mary is out for blood. Will she leave anything in her wake or will all that remain be ashes? Review: WOWWWWWW. The last book in this series, Fire With Fire, ended with such a cliff hanger that I don’t think anyone really knew what to expect for this book. But WOW. This series shifts from a teen contemporary drama vibe to almost a horror vibe. The Fact that Mary is DEAD makes you rethink everything you thought you knew about her in the past two books. Though Lil and Kat both go through plenty of character development here, Mary’s character development in this book is by far the most drastic and terrifying. This turn of events forced me to sympathize with characters who I’ve previously despised, and gave me a whole new outlook on the dynamic and relationships between the characters. I love when books force me to rethink everything I thought to be true – it really is a key feature of a great story teller. The one criticism I have for this book is that it came to a seemingly abrupt ending. Though it was satisfying, I would have loved for the climax to last just a littleeeee longer – but still, I was happy with how it ended. It even wrapped up what the next several years were like for the main characters which is very satisfying. Han and Vivian’s writing is so easy to follow and very intriguing, it’s easy to get lost in the story and forget that you are really just looking at words on a page. Due to the great writing and intriguing storyline, this series just seemed to fly by, and I’m really going to miss it! This is the first book (series) I’ve read by Jenny Han and it definitely makes me want to check out more of her work! I really did love this book and this series! Rating:
4.5/5 Stars |
WelcomeHey everyone, my name is Amy and this is my reading and writing blog. Look out for book reviews, hauls, recommendations and original writing! xo Archives
October 2016
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