I was hesitant in starting this book, only because the reviews were lower than the other books in the series. I can see why. You will either love it oI was hesitant in starting this book, only because the reviews were lower than the other books in the series. I can see why. You will either love it or be like me (it was worth skipping, IMO).
This is Chaol Westfall and Nesryn Faliq book. You know, what happened to them when they left? I am not a fan of Chaol (okay maybe when I first read the series like a decade ago, but as I got more into the series, I wasn't too keen on how Sarah J. Maas wrote Chaol to be).
I would say, Tower of Dawn is Chaol's redemption book. I'm not a 100% his fan, but this book sheds a better light on the Chaol Westfall's character, I mean, the guy can't walk. It's kind of pitiful right?
I never know where this series will go, you think it's going to go one way and people are going to stick together, then boom, the author throws you a curve ball.
Overall, I could have skipped this book, but I'm glad I read because I'm so close to the climatic ending! ...more
This is what happens when you go into a book without reading the reviews. I found Caraval on Spotify Ridiculous ? Silly? Frustrating? Non-gratifying?
This is what happens when you go into a book without reading the reviews. I found Caraval on Spotify under the audiobook section, who knew right? I thought the cover was pretty and I saw the book several times when I visit my local Barnes and Nobel’s. I went into the read blindly and that was my mistake.
I like the premise of the book. Two sisters sneak out from their abusive father to visit a Caraval, kind of like a carnival. I love circle theme and mysterious books. I also love reading a sister book because I have a sister! That was pretty much my likes.
The audio was good and the narrator could do voices really well, but I didn’t like the voice for Julian, something about a fake accent just rubbed me the wrong way, but that’s my personal taste.
Scarlett was probably the most annoying protagonist ever written. I struggled with her character a lot. From the beginning I should have seen the red flags, she’s engaged to a man she has never met, She’s very one track minded as in, she must-find-the-sister, until she see a shiny thing (Julian) and then she goes overboard with the inner monologues.
The problem for me was the plot writing. I understand the main theme of the book is Scarlett needs to find her sister, but I didn’t really feel like I got a story. There wasn’t enough character development for me to get a feel for who Scarlett is. She also made dumb choices after dumb choices after being warned several times.
Like I said, she was ANNOYING to read.
If Julian didn’t have that silly accent, I might have gotten into him more, but even then his character was pretty flawed and I didn’t appreciate that.
Overall, I couldn’t get into the heart of the story. I didn’t like the characters, I didn’t like the writing style (overly wordy and too much added descriptive proses) and the romance was just meh. I will not be continuing the story. ...more
A decent read, but it didn’t live up to the hype and expectations I thought it would have.
I was looking for another emotional Young Adult Fantasy bookA decent read, but it didn’t live up to the hype and expectations I thought it would have.
I was looking for another emotional Young Adult Fantasy book and I will admit, it was overall good. The world building, the character development and pacing was fine.
Powerless is interesting in the sense, you have a female lead that has no powers, against a world where everyone has powers. I found that to be different. A lot of people mention that Powerless is like Red Queen and Hunger Games and I agree. I do think Powerless is more romantic (without the smut and thank you!).
Paeydn is a good female lead. She’s fierce, strong and very smart. I love that she is scrappy and all she wants is to survive. She’s kind of thrown into this world and doesn’t know what will happen, but she roles with the punches.
I did enjoy the “Trial’s� aspect of the book. I felt like Paeydn and Kai got a lot of their chemistry and character development during the trials. I also love the balls because that was a little different and who doesn’t like a glammed up girl.
There is an odd love triangle between the brothers, Kitt and Kai and I liked how they are polar opposites of each other.
I think where it started to get a little frustrating is when you know the bubble will burst and pop and everything will come tumbling down. I truly don’t like that writing. It’s very situational and the author sets up for a fall, to get you hooked for the second book.
I get it. Paeydn is an Ordinary and the Princes are Elites. How could things every truly work out? A little part of me felt like the author would write something (not so obvious) of an ending because I wanted to look forward to the second book.
After I finished Powerless I can say that I’m not looking forward to the second book because frankly it’s going to be a tension filled angst and that’s not my cup of tea. I enjoyed the sweet moments between Pae and Kai. I liked the banter between Kitt and Pae. I found it very wholesome and sweet. I was fine getting the tension from the King and oh boy was he VERY annoying.
I truly don’t know if I can survive for book 2 and I’m glad it will take the author 1.5 years to write it, because I hope they put their heart and soul into the book and not write a tension angst plot. BUT that is just my personal preference. ...more
3.75 Stars �. A little too much tension for my taste.
I have been eyeing this book every time I walk into my local Barnes and Nobel. I love YA reads, 3.75 Stars �. A little too much tension for my taste.
I have been eyeing this book every time I walk into my local Barnes and Nobel. I love YA reads, but I usually go for fantasy or PNR because I am a fan of world building. I figure a book based on a game would be kind of like that?
The premise of the story is pretty intriguing. What would you do if a stranger gave you 4.6 billion dollars? I like Avery as the lead. She’s a very mature teenager with the heart of gold. Sometimes her loyalty to friends and her sister can get the best of her.
The 4 grandsons that should have inherited the money are the main focus of the book. I think the four brothers was a bit much. I think the author should have paid attention to one brother more, so I could kind of “root� for him. Every brother has their own story.
The older brother (Nash) has a thing for the sister, the two middle brothers (Jameson and Grayson) have a thing for Avery and the younger (Zander) one is just quirky? I honestly would have been okay with no romantic interest and I’m happy that was NOT the focal point of the story telling.
The thing that really got to me and probably the main reason why I finished the book in 1.5 days was that the writing is very high angst. I felt like there was just too much bickering? Everyone is upset with Avery and everyone is letting Avery know it. Sheesh, can the girl catch a break?
I do like the mystery aspect of the game, it reminds me of Knives Out the movie. A very rich family, scheming to gain the upper hand.
I’m not sure if I will continue with the series. I am happy the way the first book concluded, I felt like a huge portion of the big question was answered and a good opening to book two was presented. I’m just not sure if I can take another angst fest read. ...more
This series started out really strong for me. I truly loved the first book, it had everything I looked for in a YA read. I love the4 Bittersweet feels
This series started out really strong for me. I truly loved the first book, it had everything I looked for in a YA read. I love the tension between Cardan and Jude. I did think Cardan was fairly harsh on Jude, but I guess that is the couple's dynamics. The first book was great with world building and just getting myself situated with Jude and her POV.
I was highly disappointed in the second book, due to it being a little verbose and very political. I guess that is kind of the theme of YA books, it's usually very political and the "romance" aspect of read are always on the back burner.
I only read The Queen of Nothing because it was the last book in the series and I was very curious to how Cardan would redeem himself. When I realized Cardan's true intensions, I wasn't moved, but a little irritated. Maybe it felt like a cop-out? Was the whole purpose of the exile was just for a cliffy-ending on book 2? The answer is yes.
Anyhow, I enjoyed the last book more than the second book, but I still found it a little slow at times. I did enjoy the parts where Jude struggled to get back and figure things out. I find myself liking to be in the dark with Jude. I did get more tender moments between her and Cardan, but I think my mindset was on a romance-theme YA, not an overly YA fantasy theme novel. But I guess that's my fault?
Overall, I am disappointed that the series has left me with an okay impression and I didn't love the later books as much as the first book. I don't regret reading the series, but next time if I want a romance troupe, I need to seek that out specifically. ...more
I was REALLY excited to read The Wicked King. I loved The Cruel Prince and I couldn't wait to see how the story would continue.
There we3.5 hmmmm stars
I was REALLY excited to read The Wicked King. I loved The Cruel Prince and I couldn't wait to see how the story would continue.
There were things that were entertaining, but I think my expectations were too high.
1.) What I liked in The Cruel Prince was the back-story, character building and world building. I thought we would get a little more relationship development (there was some) but The Wicked King had too much political talk. I felt like the book could have been edited down 50-75 pages or so.
2.) I really felt for Jude, she was always suffering. What I liked about The Cruel Prince is that, there was a nice balance of justice and injustice. I wouldn't say Jude didn't get any justice in The Wicked King, but she was working her job like crazy. And through all the attempts on her life, I felt like she was a lone wolf with zero support. I was really rooting for Cardan to be her person.
3.) The annoying characters were a bit frustrating and I felt like everyone was out to be in Jude's way.
- Couldn't stand Jude's twin sister, can she be a more annoying character. - I'm truly over Jude's dad, who is ALWAYS selfish and the poor daddy / daughter duo, just need to talk it out and realize they are on the same team. - Cardan was not supportive at all and he still battles with his feelings with Jude (which I was kind of getting tired of).
4.) The ending was very disappointing and I wasn't getting the satisfying feeling I wanted from The Cruel Prince.
I did enjoy some moments, the author hasn't change Jude's character in the sense, she is still strong and will not let anyone get in her way of her goal. I do feel like Cardan's character is SLOWLY changing for the better, but not at the rate I want.
Overall, I think I set myself up for a fail because of my high expectations, but I do want justice for Jude so I will finish the series!...more
What did I just read? I haven’t read a novel in ages, but lately I have been craving a good YA read. I saw this book at Barnes and Nobles and rememberWhat did I just read? I haven’t read a novel in ages, but lately I have been craving a good YA read. I saw this book at Barnes and Nobles and remembered a lot of positive reviews about it. When I read the first page, I was instantly hooked.
No, this isn’t a romance novel and no this book isn’t for the faint of hearts, but you know what? It was exactly what I wanted. I loved being sucked into this fairy world, where it’s filled with dangers, troubles and polices. I liked it a lot more than I thought I would.
The strongest element in the novel for me was the protagonist. The FL is a STRONG one and my favorite aspect of her is that she is not arrogant. She’s scrappy and she’s on survival mode, that makes for some strong writing in my opinion.
I loved how cruel the world was and I loved that the author sprinkled bits of clues here and there. You get a general idea of what would happen so I wasn’t too surprised, which I liked. However, the author throws so much at you, that you eventually become surprised and it’s good too.
The pacing and plot and character development are the best in the book. I loved the world building and relationships building too. I felt like I was sucked into this Fairy world and I wanted to be a part of it.
I like the idea of Jude, the FL, being a mortal in this heartless fairyland. I liked that is encounters many people, the bullies at school, her loving, yet ruthless father and of course a few male fairies here and there.
I would consider book 1 as a very good introduction to the series. It establishes the core of the story and kind of helps you understand Jude a bit more. I wouldn’t say the book is romance, but it has some overtones, there is an odd tension between Jude and Cardan and I’m not sure I was for it or against it, but it was there. I am definitely interested in where it will lead in book 2 which I will start soon. ...more
I will admit this, I had no idea what The Hate U Give would be about. I knew it became a movie and that’s about it. I didn’t even see the tra3.5 Stars
I will admit this, I had no idea what The Hate U Give would be about. I knew it became a movie and that’s about it. I didn’t even see the trailer of the movie so I was in the dark.
I’m not a fan of angsty books over audio. Lately, due to the pandemic, I’ve been trying to keep myself occupied with rom-com tv series and light-hearted books. I was under the impression this would be a cute YA book about a poor girl going to a rich high school.
I had no idea the book would address so many social issues and that the book would be deep and a little dark. It also mirrors A LOT of what is happening today, which can be really stressful if you are mentally not in the right mindset. I understand the meaning of the book and I can respect the message, but I didn’t enjoy the way it was told.
It was very hard for me to connect to the main character. I think I had an issue with the flow of the book. I felt like for what Starr went through, the things that happened following the event it just seemed a little too fast. Yes, the book fast-forwards months in advance to show progress, but I felt like Starr wasn’t able to grieve and process what a normal person should be going through. I think she went to school the next day?
The book has a few cute moments and light undertones, but it was just hard to break through all the tension and angst. It bothered me how much Starr was putting up with. She had to deal with her peers at school and had to deal with her issues in her area. This is my problem with angsty books, it’s just too much down on the main character.
I can see how everyone would love this book, but I just didn’t like the way it was presented. I did go and see the trailer for the movie and it looked really good. So maybe this might be something where I enjoy the movie more than the book. ...more
I’ve watched K dramas all my life, it actually reminds me of my childhood, where my parents had it on and we would all watch it in3 Stars Audio Review
I’ve watched K dramas all my life, it actually reminds me of my childhood, where my parents had it on and we would all watch it in the living room together as a family.
SO this book was for me, HOWEVER I was hesitant because of the reviews.
I believe in a thing called love is a ridiculous book and all the reviews are correct. It’s very difficult to like the Heroine and as much as I love a Korean author and YA books, I am not the target audience for this read.
I think this book is meant for the tweens. It’s very immature, angsty and silly.
I really liked the premise of the book and that is what really hooked me into getting the audio. The narrator’s voice is a little deep for a young teen and she reads a tad too slow, I had to speed it up to 1.5X just to feel like she is reading at a normal pace for me. I did like her acting though.
The Heroine, Desi wants a guy (only because he is good looking, there was really no substance in why she liked Luke) and because she’s a nerd and awkward, she decides to pull K drama antics to land him.
It translates to her, lying and manipulating into getting Luke to like her. It’s an awful storyline when it’s executed and I had to speed up the narration by double to get it over with.
Some things she does to land Luke:
1.) Pretend to like Art because Luke likes art < ---- I would be so disappointed in my daughter if she did this. 2.) Arranges in a fake car accident (Luke is driving) to get Luke to notice her. < ---- this could have been cute if it wasn’t for the fact, it was Luke’s car she wrecked! 3.) Unhooks the rope to the boat to be “lost at sea� with Luke < --- again this could have been cute if it wasn’t for the fact Luke was under watch by his Daddy and this could land him in serious trouble. 4.) Pretends to be in a fake love triangle < ---- again, could have been cute, but she took it too far and the whole 7 mins in heaven was just the downfall for me.
I feel like the attempts to gain his attention were always a bad idea (or an angsty plot for writing material). I just don’t understand in doing “cute� things to get a guys attention. I can see this book played out in a K-drama, BUT towards the end of K dramas the Heroine usually redeems herself in some way.
I feel like Desi never redeems herself, even in the end she pulls one last “situation� and it almost kills Luke, then BLAMES him for almost killing himself even though it was her fault.
I get the author tried her best in creating a funny read, but it ended being very dramatic and silly and just not likable. ...more
I 100% picked up this book because of the narrators. I love Steve West’s deep British voice and I love Fiona 1 This is going to be a rant review Stars
I 100% picked up this book because of the narrators. I love Steve West’s deep British voice and I love Fiona Hardingham accent and high pitch voice.
I had zero expectations going into this book except for the fact I know the author usually writes Young Adult.
I gave The Scorpio Races one star for two reasons.
1.) The book didn’t need the last bit of “romance� at the end of the book (last two hours). It’s like watching a movie where the main character has ZERO tension and there is ZERO chemistry BUT the writer have to thrown something in so let’s force the “romance� at the last minute.
Listening to the kissing scene was awkward and made me really uncomfortable. I would have been perfectly fine if it was just a book about a girl and boy racing. Shoot� even two girls as best friends racing.
2.) The book is boring AF.
I actually listened to the entire book because I love the narrators and I was hoping for something to happen in the plot but nothing really does happen even for everything crapping on the main characters.
The book is a REAL Debbie downer.
The first 50% was leading up to who was going to ride in the race. REALLY?!!! The pace was all off and there was too much character development and no plot development in my opinion.
The last hour was the race. REALLY?!!!!!
The whole book was leading up the race and we ALL knew who was going to win.
I just have no words. This book fell mega short with me.
The music was cool and I was surprised the author wrote the music....more
First 13 hours is 4 stars � last 3 hours is 3 stars
I have really mixed feelings with this book. I 100% believe this book wouldn’t have been as enjoya First 13 hours is 4 stars � last 3 hours is 3 stars
I have really mixed feelings with this book. I 100% believe this book wouldn’t have been as enjoyable had it been for the amazing cast of narrators. The publishers did justice on this book when they hired different narrators for each person’s POV. Bravo.
I really enjoyed the first 70% of the book. It had the same, look, feel and pace as the first book and so nothing was thrown at me that I wasn’t already use to. When everything started to fall apart in the last 30% I have to say I didn’t appreciate the angst.
This book shouldn’t have angst, it has tension, but the angst was just REALLY annoying and even though it only lasted the last 30%, it was enough to make me not enjoy the story as much as I should have.
´¡³Ü°ù´Ç°ù²¹â€™s voice is so lovely and I love the narrator. Aurora knows her purpose a little more, as we figured out she is the trigger, but of course we are a little confused to what is a trigger? I was fully satisfied in my questions being answered. I felt like the second book made more sense (because I was a little lost in the first book).
Kal (Kaliis) is still amazing and I LOVE his voice. Gah, the deep British voice is just yummy. What I love most about Kal is his LOVE for Aurora and there’s no secret about that. He’s not overbearing or anything, it’s just a deep affection that I truly liked while I was reading. Of course this isn’t the heart of the story, but it did hit a big chunk of the book and thanks.
I liked Kal and ´¡³Ü°ù´Ç°ù²¹â€™s relationship. I felt like they worked well together and overall wanted the same end result (even though they do go through hardships). Look I get what the authors were trying to do, but it could have been written better.
Cat is dead? and Tyler is feeling the affects of it. I wasn’t a huge fan of Tyler’s character, but I really admire him more after this book. I enjoyed his POV’s and I get a better understanding of why he is always “good�. I love that his twin sister Scarlett and him have such a deep connection and a little bit of that is explained in the book.
Scarlett is the outlandish girl I usually don’t like reading in books and she still remains to be one of my least favorite characters. I just don’t feel any depth with her. Sure she has a lot of boyfriends but what’s your story?
I like Finian crush on Scarlett and I like that Finn has a weakness, he uses a suit to function and when his suit isn’t working right, he suffers. I felt like he was a little more exposed in this book and I liked that.
Zila, where do I begin with her. I enjoyed her chapter, but I did find it a little long. I don’t know why she is written into the story and I don’t see where she fits into the book. Maybe she might harbor feelings for Kal? I think she does swing both ways? I didn’t really understand that part. Anyhow, her past is sad and tragic, but what value do you add to the story?
Overall, the story was good. I was entertained. I was disappointed in the ending, I knew it would be something, but I felt like �
3 I’m not sure this writing style is for me Stars
I’m not sure if the entire series is YA, but the first book is definitely YA, there’s nothing wrong 3 I’m not sure this writing style is for me Stars
I’m not sure if the entire series is YA, but the first book is definitely YA, there’s nothing wrong with that, so if you are looking for a book for a tween, they can read this one. Other than the gore, it’s pretty tame.
Like what most reviews state, it’s a Hunger Games feel type of book with Vampires, so I was of course interested in the book.
When I started the book I realized this book is HIGHLY descriptive. I mean, my kindle told me it would take over 6 hours to read the book. That is a clear sign of what kind of writing style the author writes.
Honestly 30% of the book could have been edited out. There was WAY too much detail in some scenes and not enough character development in other scenes.
The author puts a lot of emphasis in the game itself, which is fine, but the game is played with 20 other girls. The hero isn’t really in the game, so you get a glimpse of interaction between the Heroine and Hero sprinkled here and there, which is okay, BUT it makes the chemistry or lack of chemistry between the Heroine and Hero non existent.
Selena and Varick’s friendship / “relationship� was mega forced and hard to believe. I was more interested in Selena’s relationship between her and the other girls to be honest.
Another thing about the book I didn’t like was the Debbie downer aspect. The villains seem to always have the upper hand it was very frustrating. Selena is pitted against 50 vampires and Varick can’t step out of line or he dies. I felt like where was the relief? It was too much tension for my taste.
With all that is said and done, I don’t think I will continue with the series. I’m not invested into the characters enough, the books are way too long and the writing is too descriptive. I wouldn’t be opposed to look at different series from the author, but not this one. ...more
I’m not sure what prompted me to reread this. I thought the audio version would be my go-to since I love to l7 years later reread, I’m still not a fan
I’m not sure what prompted me to reread this. I thought the audio version would be my go-to since I love to listen to YA audio books but for the life of me I wasn’t fan.
The main problem of the book for me is that it’s VERY SLOW.
I thought the book started out with a bam and I was really interested in the main character and once Tessa and Will meet I thought things would get action pack from there out.
That wasn’t the case. I know the first book is suppose to have world building but sometimes there is a little too much of that. There’s also a lot of characters to keep track of and when you are listening to it via audio it’s hard to follow.
I found myself in and out of the book as I was listening and that wasn’t helping my case what-so-ever. I might have enjoyed this if I read it instead of listening to it.
I will more than likely not be continuing the series. ...more
A few things drawn me to An Ember in the Ashes, You have a 17 year old slave girl and a solider with dual narrators, well sold.
If you4 Chilling Stars
A few things drawn me to An Ember in the Ashes, You have a 17 year old slave girl and a solider with dual narrators, well sold.
If you had to do any version of this book, I highly recommend the audio narration. Fiona Hardingham and Steve West completely made this book for. They can read, they can act, and the pace was perfect. Both had wonderful voices and I could listen to them all day. I would gladly follow other books they narrate. Okay, enough fan-girling.
This book was TOUGH.
The first 30% of the book is really hard to navigate. You are thrown into this new world and you had to get the look and feel of the land. This was not an easy book to read. A lot of the parts I did cringe because I was like� oh the author was going to go there.
So I’m not sure I could buddy read with my 14-year-old nephew, but I do like there was zero steam in this one. FINALLY! a YA book without (sex).
The great thing about this book was that the plot was the star of the read and the “romance� between Laia and Elias is on the back burner. Oh and lets say this, anyone naming a character Laia, but pronounced “Liar� IS SUPER ANNOYING. It took me some time to realize oh that is her name, they aren’t calling her a “liar�.
Laia’s brother is taken into captivity and Laia must act as a spy to get information to bust him out. The only thing is she has to be a slave.
You don’t want to be a slave in this world. Oh no. It’s pretty harsh� like I said, I cringed a few times.
The first half of the book Laia and Elias have their separate stories and I know that might turn you off, but it’s totally okay. I like the character buildup. I wanted to get into Laia’s mind. I wanted to feel her love for her brother and her desperation to save him. She’s so innocent and blind to the world her family (who are dead) held her back from.
Elias � what can I say. You feel so bad for him. He has the whole world on his shoulders and you just want to hold him and say everything is going to be okay. He must endure trials and he could die in each of them. It’s kill or be killed.
So, overall, the book is rough, a bit slow in the start and the romance is on the back-burner, but the world building is fantastic and I love the slow progression of story and characters. Sometimes you don’t want to be slapped in the face, I liked getting my feet wet.
I’m always looking for books to buddy read with my 14-year-old nephew. I like to pre-screen them before I suggest him reading it and the2.75 � 3 Stars
I’m always looking for books to buddy read with my 14-year-old nephew. I like to pre-screen them before I suggest him reading it and then we talk about them.
Not a book for my 14-year-old nephew
I will not be recommending this book to my nephew. Not because I didn’t like it as much but because there is a sex scene. Which in my opinion was not needed. You are probably thinking, come on, he’s 14! Well, he’s my baby and nope.
Moving forward.
Narrator I like the narrator but because she was suppose to be a “boy/man� I kind of wanted her to fake a deep accent, kind of like the girl in the Disney’s Mulan. So I wouldn’t forget she is trying to be a boy. She also read SLOW. I had to speed up the audio by 1.25 and it was finally at the pace I liked. I’m very picky when it comes to pace in narrators.
Selling me short
Spin the Dawn should have been a slam dunk for me. An Asian author with Chinese theme, you sold me on the “Mulan� theme, but I hate it when I have expectations and I was sold on a false tale.
The book is broken into 3 parts, but the book is mostly part 1 and 2, I think the author threw in part 3 because of the climatic change.
Part 1
The first part is Maia in the competition. Yup, she’s trying to be the imperial’s tailor and she’s pretending to be a boy. A lot of mischief happens and it’s a real Debbie downer as almost everyone tries to sabotage her.
I didn’t know this would be a fantasy book with some “magic� elements, but there was, to me it wasn’t enough. I felt like that part of the book should have been fluffed up a bit and expressed more. It was sprinkled in here and there and Maia tries very hard to not use it. Does she have magic abilities?
There’s a romance forming and this shouldn’t have been written in. The thing I love about YA books is the small romance that’s on the back burner. Nothing is better than the brewing of something. But you don’t get that.
Part 2 This is where the “Mulan� story ends and the new part of the book begins. Maia and the love interest are on a journey to obtain the hardest you can find items.
I think the people that had beef with this story is that Maia isn’t awesome, fierce and kick-butt like the real Mulan. She kind of flounders and uses other people to guide and help her. When she does try to do things on her own, like save people’s garments in a fire, really? She risks her life for jackets?! It’s like she doesn’t understand when to be tough and when to be smart.
the sex scene
Look, the author doesn’t go into detail, but she does enough to where you know they have sex. Was it really needed? I don’t think so. I didn’t feel the “love� between the two people. It was very much forced.
I don’t think I will be moving on with the series. The book ends on a sad note and you are just left feeling empty. Like I went though 14 hours of hardship for NOTHING.
I read Aurora Rising in two versions. I listened to it first and then I went back and reread it. A lot goes in th4.25 Print Book Stars / 5 Audio Stars
I read Aurora Rising in two versions. I listened to it first and then I went back and reread it. A lot goes in this book and I didn’t want to miss anything.
I’ve been looking for books I can buddy read with my nephew and this one is great for him and me. It had adventure, a rag-tag team of misfits and unique storyline. It had just about a little of everything and more.
100% you have to do the audio version of this book. It’s beyond anything. There are many POV’s in the book and yup, the audio production has a unique voice for EACH POV and even the computer (that talks) gets his own voice.
Who ever casted the narrators for the book should get a raise because each narrator fit each person to the T. You will get a little bit of everything. An American accent, a British accent and an Australian accent and all sound lovely. My favorite voice is Kal and of course ´¡³Ü°ù´Ç°ù²¹â€™s voices.
The book
Even though the book is titled “Aurora Rising� it’s not 100% about her. Because of the other POV’s, it’s basically about the team. Which is what I preferred.
The Characters
Aurora (who is half Chinese!) � The “main� character. She’s human and she’s kind of the center of the book, somehow everything surrounds her and we don’t know why. I like her character a lot. She’s kind, loyal and very logical.
Kal (Kaliis) � He’s a warrior, an alien and he has a huge chip on his shoulder. Don’t you love that? He’s lost his family and he’s kind of the outcast of society but for good reason. He may be broody but oh boy does this man have a good heart.
Tyler � The leader, the “golden boy� and think Captain America. He doesn’t swear, drink and always follows the rules. You would think he’s annoying, but he’s not! If I had to say, he went through the most changes and character growth in the book for me.
Cat � She’s flies the ships, the pilot. Cat and Scarlett are very close and are like sisters. She grew up with Tyler and Scarlett so they have a very special and close bond. She’s probably the closest person to Tyler (along with his sister).
Scarlett � She’s Tyler’s twin sister. She’s Tyler’s best friend and kind of drives Tyler bonkers but they love each other. If you had to pick an annoying character, she might be it, but she wasn’t too bad.
Finian � the nerd, brains of the group. You know in Spider-man you have the guy in the chair, behind the computer, well he’s that guy.
Zila � She didn’t have too much of a role. Her POV was basically one paragraph, but she’s doesn’t understand social norms and she’s the scientist in the group (closest to me as the doctor).
The Story Line
I couldn’t really say. There’s a lot of world building in this book, hence why I had to reread it because I didn’t want to miss anything. You have to lay the foundation for the people, who they are and where they come from.
Then there’s the mystery of who Aurora is and how she shows up in the group 200 years later. Yup, that’s right.
The entire book is centered around who Aurora is and why she is the way she is. She’s no normal girl, there’s some quirks with her and because of that the group goes mission after mission trying to uncover the mystery of Aurora.
I really like the mystery element of the book. I liked discovering with the group and trying to figure out how everything tied together. The best part for me is the relationships that form within the group.
Just like all YA books the “romance� is in the back burner of the story, but it’s there. I was fine without it to be honest because I was kind of sucked into the story, but because of the relationships that do form and yes there’s more than one, it really added the icing to the cake.
Overall, it was a great book to start the series. The audio book truly made my experience and if you had to read the book, you need to do it in audio format. It doesn’t just have many narrators, there’s sound effects too, it felt like I was experiencing the story as I was listening. ...more
I’m trying to find books I can buddy read with my nephew and I’m a fan of listening to YA on audio. I love Emily 3.5 Stars I love Korean Authors stars
I’m trying to find books I can buddy read with my nephew and I’m a fan of listening to YA on audio. I love Emily Woo Zeller, she has a great voice and she does a lot of Asian books (which I am also a fan of).
I’m a fan of K-dramas, I’ve been to Korea and I love the food and culture, so this book was really for me.
There are certain aspects of the book I liked and some I didn’t.
Things I liked
I love that it was written by a Korean author
I love the Korean culture, names and influences in the book.
I love the cover
I love that it was a somewhat, fantasy book? She’s a human / fox.
I love it’s mainly about the two main characters, the Hero and the Heroine.
I liked the beginning. I thought it moved fairly quickly and I like the mysterious element of it. She’s a fox and she needs to “feed� to survive. I was curious to how this would go.
I liked that they were in high school.
Things that made the book drop a few stars for me
I really liked the pace of the book until the 50% mark. I felt like the second half of the book was the downfall of the story. The second half was drawn out, draggy and didn’t really make too much sense to me.
I started to not like both characters. I didn’t understand the Heroine’s reasoning and I didn’t like all the hardships the Hero went through. It didn’t add any value of the story and I felt like it changed the dynamics of the relationship and tone of the book.
I didn’t really care for the romance of the book. I’m a romance book reviewer so when I say that, it’s a big deal. I love a YA book so I don’t need that stuff, but the little flirtation here and there was just so forced. It didn’t feel organic and I rather have the Hero and Heroine be friends more than anything.
It got way too serious and dramatic towards the end and I felt like the book was a little all over the place. It went from too slow pace to way too fast and too many things happening all at once.
Overall
I like the idea of the story. I like that it’s by a Korean author with Korean influences, but I think the chemistry between the Hero and Heroine is a bit off. I feel like there needs to be more elements to the book other than she has a bead in her body and she needs to feed in order to survive. There needs to be world building and other things to pull my attention to.
Will I continue the series? I’m not sure, but if I do, it will be in audio format.
3.5 Stars Thanks Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Reviewers for all the spoilers. NOT. I am usually pretty good at reading reviews. I mean, I know that I might get a spoiler 3.5 Stars Thanks Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Reviewers for all the spoilers. NOT. I am usually pretty good at reading reviews. I mean, I know that I might get a spoiler here and there, but gah, EVERYONE just had to put down (view spoiler)[ THAT ENDING (hide spoiler)] for every person that did that, you are horrible. I hope we don’t ever watch shows together because no one wants to read a book and have expectations. With that aside â€�
I knew Restore Me would be a letdown after Ignite me
I just didn’t realize how much of a letdown it would have been. Restore Me wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t as good as the first 3 books and I’m not sure if I like where the direction of the series is going.
I was happy to know that the series is continuing, but I felt like � Despite one or two shock factors, Restore me was a filler book
There were a lot of issues I had with Restore Me ..
The pace was incredibly slow Like I said, despite one or two shock factors, NOTHING happened in this book. There were too many lengthy conversations about “what to do� “how to feel� and again “what to do�. Gah, the lengthy conversations Juliette had with Kenji. Gah, the lengthy conversations Warner had with Castle I wish I could fast-forward those conversations. It was just filler pages. I had to speed up the audio book because it was just too darn slow.
Where did Adam go? Except for a few conversations Adam has with Warner, he was non-existent. I guess he’s written off?
Juliette is back to being annoying Juliette was annoying in the second book and gone is the girl who was self-assured, self –confident. She even questions the way she dresses? Oh please, this is a stupid.
the part where everyone talks about (view spoiler)[everyone mentions the ending, so let me say this. Realizing there would be a “surprise� ending was really annoying. Also, the whole book was a filler, until the ending. (hide spoiler)]
the male narrator had a slower reading speed than I would have liked Okay so this is a personal opinion. But yay we get Warner’s POV. But, the guy who is reading him reads a little slower than I would have liked and so I had to speed up his parts.
OHHHHH and I have to say this (view spoiler)[ why did she cut her hair?! No girl, looks good in a buzz haircut. Couldn’t you have at least given her a bob? (hide spoiler)]
I’m still team Warner and Juliette. More team Warner, because I kind of understand more where he’s coming from. I think Juliette over-reacts just a tad bit. ...more
I loved it the first time I read it and I love it just as much the second time now listening to it.
It’s been 6 Re-read audio Stars
Re-read June / 2019
I loved it the first time I read it and I love it just as much the second time now listening to it.
It’s been 5 years since I’ve started this series and rereading the first 3 books to get myself caught up, since I Haven’t started the 4th book has been a really good ride.
I’m not a mega fan of re-reading books. I only do it with books I truly love and if an author releases a new book many years later, like this one.
This by far is my favorite book in the series. I love the Juliette and Warner saga, I truly do.
From start to finish the book was perfection. I wouldn’t change a thing. I was glued to my earbuds, not wanting to miss anything!
The thing I really love about this series is that the character development is on point. You feel for the characters and you love / hate all of them.
Adam Goes through a lot in this book. I didn’t really appreciate him the first time I read the series. Now, I see him in a different light. He sure got the crap end of the stick, but he’s making the best of it.
Warner Gah what can I even do with this man. He’s everything and more. I love reading books with his kind of character. He’s so complex and yet beautifully written. I love his love for Juliette. He’s so strong, yet so weak when it comes to Juliette.
Juliette I have my ups and downs with this girl. I do love her more in this one. I feel like she’s finally coming into her own skin. No more crying and sad little girl. She’s getting stronger and I really do love it.
I thought this was going to be the last book of the series and so I glad I can now move on to book 4 and 5. I am nervous because how can the next two books top this one? The ratings are very so so on the next two books so I will be very nervous, but excited.
So glad they kept the same narrator, I think she's the perfect person to read the series. I could listen to her all day!...more
This book is tricky, not all of it was good, the last half of the book was 5 star and the first half was 3 star so rounded out i4 Stars Audio Re-read!
This book is tricky, not all of it was good, the last half of the book was 5 star and the first half was 3 star so rounded out it’s a 4 star read.
The love triangle grows strong!
I struggled with Juliette with this book. She cried, she was acting childish and it was a little draggy, like I said for the first half of the book.
Then you have the love dynamics between Juliette and Adam and oh my gosh, you feel so bad for him. He’s just a regular guy in love with a girl he can’t touch (apparently).
Then you have the love dynamics between Warner and Juliette. I’ve always been team Warner, but he’s not a good guy and you really search deep for the redeemable quality and I feel like you kind of get it towards the end.
Gah, this book is too emotional and I’m going to the 3rd.
Still love the narrator. It's cute and light and matches the Heroine completely. ...more
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