en-US Sat, 25 Dec 2021 06:57:22 -0800 60 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg 54798427
Even Corayne an-Amarat can feel it, tucked away in her small town at the edge of the sea.

She soon discovers the truth: She is the last of an ancient lineage—and the last hope to save the world from destruction. But she won’t be alone. Even as darkness falls, she is joined by a band of unlikely companions:

A squire, forced to choose between home and honor.
An immortal, avenging a broken promise.
An assassin, exiled and bloodthirsty.
An ancient sorceress, whose riddles hide an eerie foresight.
A forger with a secret past.
A bounty hunter with a score to settle.

Together they stand against a vicious opponent, invincible and determined to burn all kingdoms to ash, and an army unlike anything the realm has ever witnessed.

An alternate cover edition can be found here.]]> 576 Victoria Aveyard Unknown Reviews 4 Dom scoffed. "I did not realise there was a competition for the worst personality," he crowed.

- Dom, 2021, speaking my thoughts about these characters.

I feel like it’s hard for me to rate this book. On one hand, the writing was astounding, the pacing well-done, and the plot intriguing. Yet what do you do when you’ve been handed a starter? A book that practically says “actually, it’s the next book you need to read,�� combined with having some of the most unoriginal, bland and worst of all, generic, characters in YA.

Hi, welcome to Unknown Reviews. Today's special is Realm Breaker. Can I please take your order?

To start this review, we genuinely have what I think is a cracking plot. A group of five (supposedly seven) mismatched people have to band together and use their skills to defeat Taristan, a man determined to open portals into other worlds and unleash chaos, all under the bidding of He Who Waits.

(A more fun summary: Portals!)

I think portal stories make excellent reading. What happens when a normal world collides with somewhere completely chaotic, where monsters spill through doors and unimaginable evils are born. The potential is endless.

Unfortunately (spoiler)…we don’t get that.

Basically, in this book, Spindles are the name of the gates and our crew is trying to close them. About two or three are ever opened. We hear of some of the cool worlds behind them, but unfortunately, they’re never ever entered. Now, do they play a role in the story at time? Yes. Do they play exciting roles? For definite, perhaps the most exciting part in the book.

Still, it’s not that I feel I’ve been undersold a concept, because I’m entirely confident Aveyard is going to go all out in the next book, it’s just I feel underwhelmed. There are a few worlds mentioned and they all sound pretty awesome: one with sea monsters, one which may just be full of gems, one that’s home to immortals called the Elders. Except…they’re not really explored. And when you take out the usage of the Spindles, you get, well, a book about a ragtag bunch of people travelling around to continent to find something.

A.K.A a typical fantasy book.

The worst part of this book was how generic it was, especially the characters. As I continued on through the story, I realised something about them was itching at me, something I couldn’t put my finger on. And then I worked out it was how uninspired and terrible they were.

Characters summed up
(And this is accurate, even I think I've outdone myself)

Domacridhan: Elder (Not fae, but a little fae. More respectful and less horny then S.J.M’s which is a win.). Lots of brooding, scowling, rumbling. Check.

Corayne: “I want to explore the world. Ugh, I’m tired of life at home. Oh wow, I’m a chosen one, but how can that be, being the unremarkable girl that I am (I wrote this as a joke, but it turned out to be true, woah). I never saw this coming.�� Check.

Andry: “I’m a squire! I probably have trauma! I…I don’t have a personality.�� Check.

(Poor Andry, but this is painfully true).

Sorasa: She is an emotionless assassin who has killed hundreds of men and can escape anything. We’ve never heard of that before, amiright? (Mandatory check? This isn't making sense anymore)

Ridha: Wasn’t in the book, really. Irrelevant. (Check for the lols)

If you read this, you might think “Hmm, the first four match up to the characters on the blurb, but is Ridha the sorceress?�� Actually, no, she isn’t. She’s Dom’s cousin on the search for help to save the realm. The characters I’ve skilfully described are just the ones with the POV’s. So, that fifth member who is important enough to get a mention on the back isn’t worthy of a POV (yet).

Actually, that’s another issue. The group? There’s actually supposed to be seven overall. Two join in later but they feel like very late additions even though I preferred them to our core five personality wise. Ridha has about four or five chapters, maybe even less, and they don’t contribute to the overall story? Once again, it’s a next book thing, but I can’t believe a character’s entire purpose was to set up events for the next one. There would’ve been no difference had she been in this story or not.

Finally, our last POV was actually my favourite. Erida, the young queen of Galland, who rejects a typical arc seen in YA. While I didn’t love her, this was one of the elements I really want to praise Aveyard for. It was one of the only elements in the book that was unusual and I haven’t really seen it done in YA before. Out of the POV’s, she was likely the most intriguing.

But now, I have to return and dissect as to why the characters were such a failure for me.

Nothing is offensive about these characters. They’re not super angsty. They don’t make stupid decisions. Each of them seems to have a goal and an arc drawn out for them. I don’t even hate them. It’s more about what they stood for: Just a mishmash of clichés and a billion tropes.

My description about Dom was accurate. He’s an elder, centuries old and while he doesn’t veer down the route of hitting on a twenty-year old, he’s just boring. He’s a character full of pride and justice. Whenever anyone makes a snarky remark, he scowls. He growls, glowers, glares, sours, snarls, you name it. And then I realised, I’ve seen this stiff-faced character a million times before and every time, they’re just as bad as before. I’ll compare him to Matthias from the SOC duology. I thought Matthias was the worst of the crows in the first book (great in Crooked Kingdom) and Dom’s personality is similar, but he’s actually less distinctive as a person. Please stop doing “gruff�� and “honourable�� characters if they can’t have a personality.

Corayne. So bland. Of course, she sticks to the trope of the Farm Boy. You know the one where they discover they’re the key to a prophecy and leave their small town in search of a bigger world. What didn’t annoy me was Corayne being a bad character. She’s actually fine. I mean, she’s there, but she’s not unbearable or anything. It’s just it’s the way the other characters that view her that feels unearned. When an author has to keep beating you over the head with how special, brave, amazing this character is to everyone, it means those characters are none of those things. For example, at one stage Andry looks at Corayne, and for no reason thinks ��brilliant, brave Corayne. And it’s like “where, Andry?�� When has Corayne been brilliant or brave? When has been inspiring. Is this in the behind the scenes? Did she grow interesting during that time?�� Or another example.

Andry Trelland had seen enough spooked horses and hot-blooded squires in the training yard to know how to maintain some semblance of calm. Even if Corayne An-Amarat is more terrifying than either.��

Long story short, Corayne plays the role of the everywoman. The self-insert with no discernible wit, personality, or talent so everyone can relate to her. I thoroughly believe it’s such a shame these characters dominate YA when they have the main role and then leave the book unremarkable.

Andry is literally the male version of Corayne. Basically just a nice guy once again with no personality. Like, I don’t even know what his arc is or what purpose he actually serves the plot besides one thing. The funniest development in this book with Andry? His growing “relationship�� with Corayne. Don’t be fooled, no romance happens in this book (another excellent decision by Aveyard), but growing attraction is there and it sucks. How is it the two driest characters become attracted to one another in a span of a few days with the most juvenile interactions. My friends, this is possible the driest romance in the history of YA romance and YOU HAVE READ YOUNG ADULT! YOU KNOW HOW BAD IT IS.

Their interactions are actually even worse.

“You’re the best hope we’ve got. That comes with consequences.��

She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. “Does one of them have to be a brooding immortal listening to my every heartbeat?�� she growled, nodding at Dom only a few feet away.��

“If it keeps you alive, yes.�� Heat spread across his cheeks, a flush blooming over his brown skin. That was forward, Trelland.��

What about that was forward? “Oh, I hope you don’t die.�� Yes, that is something we want for most people.

Their interactions are so mundane. They’re like (I’m making this up now) “her skin brushed his. He blushed. Was he being too obvious?�� Again and again.

(Seriously, why is it in YA that people turn red every time their crush appears in the corner of their peripheral vision. Why? They must look sunburnt ninety percent of the time.)

Even this little conversation felt forced.

“A squire who doesn’t like taverns or barmaids or drinking on another man’s coin,�� Charlon laughed, gesturing for another beer. “Rare as a unicorn, that boy. Not that I’m exactly clear on what that boy is bringing to the table, if I’m being honest.��

“Andry Trelland is the reason we have the Spindleblade and even a chance of saving the realm,�� Corayne answered coldly, her Cor eyes inscrutable.

Charlon raised a hand in placation. “All right, all right. Ca galle’ans allouve?�� he muttered, raising an eyebrow at Sarn.

Dom failed to hide a smirk. He did not speak Madrentine, but by now he knew that Corayne most likely did. With the same twist of her lips, Sarn met his eye, sharing his sentiments for once.

Corayne’s face flushed, her grip closing on her drink. “I can think of nothing more ridiculous than being lovestruck in times such as these,�� she said tightly. “And if you’d like to talk about me, I suggest you do it in Jydi. I can follow in almost everything else.��

Valtik cackled merrily into her cup.

Understand well that Corayne and Andry have known each other for a brief while before this, they’ve little to no chemistry and, yet, this is a wink-wink, nudge-nudge sent by the author, saying “aww, they’re so in love. Even their friends see it!�� It’s like she’s trying to convince us they should be together rather than allowing things to happen organically. Cut out the romance, Aveyard, please. The book is flying without it. It’s really not needed, especially when it is the most boring ship I’ve ever witnessed and is a prime example of why we need to get away from unnecessary YA tropes.

Sorasa Sarn is probably my favourite of our crew but she stills relies on generic Assassin trope. I feel assassins have been overdone, especially assassins who are emotionless, disappear like Batman, are legendary everywhere. Also, in the first half of the book, there’s lot of times where Sorasa makes snarky little comments about men and it’s like “why? Who asked for this?��

He was always terrible at hiding his intentions. Such is the way with men.

Or (my personal favourite)

The Amhara has great need for those who pass unseen and who is more unseen to men than a woman

Or

I learned long ago not to trust the promises of men. Even immortal ones

Yes. You go Queen.

Joking aside, you might come at me like “but, empowering!�� No, frankly, I just found them really annoying and lazy. They came out of nowhere and once again, it’s like the author is trying to pat herself on the book and smugly say “look how feministy my book is�� because her character…disses guys?

I firmly believe if a book has to tell you it’s message verbally by its characters, it’s because it’s not doing a good job. Tell-don’t-show once again. It feels like peak Girlboss feminism, like “woohoo, look at me, attacking the patriarchy,�� rather than offering anything of substance. It's getting too surface-level and is honestly I skip over it at this stage.

Honestly, I’d just rather have more fantasy books where the women aren’t second class citizens. If we can’t have gender equality in real life, can’t we have in it in some books? There’s instances in this book where if a woman is in armour, they get side-eyes or little boys sneer. Thankfully, this discourse does stop in the second half but I rolled my eyes whenever I had read through it.

Sorasa does have a lot of agency and I feel the cold-hearted man killer assassin is toned down, which is great because it sets her apart from other assassins. Another great aspect of Sorasa is she’s about thirty, I think? And it was refreshing to see a character with that much skill have a believable training timeframe to back her up instead of being like “I’ve been the Assassin Legend since me mum kicked me on the street when I was little more than a toddler.��

Though her and Dom’s relationship gets old (they insult each other all the time. He snarls, she snaps, blah-blah), I liked it her relationships with woman in the novel. She takes on a �� I wouldn’t say motherly �� but a protective role towards Corayne which was refreshing to see.

To return to the feminism aspect of this book, it’s actually a shame Aveyard did feel she had to mention anything about it because all the female characters are powerful and exist as their own person. The work was already put in so the quotes pointing out men ended up being more irrelevant. Aveyard, rely on your own writing and characters please! It’s all there.

Valtik is our final member of the group and is…unneeded. She’s a witch who can see the future but the thing is she speaks in…rhymes all the time. It’s certainly a choice. Also her future-telling is really ambiguous. She only tells people things when she wants to so it’s kind of like “Yo, Valtik, will we die?�� and she cackles and says “Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall etc.�� and you’re like. “Um, no.��

Her eccentricity is supposed to be part of the whimsical *charm* of her character but I think it’d just be really annoying in a real life situation. Like, I can’t even get behind it as a reader because she has these powers and she’s just not answering anything. She literally says “Where’s the fun in telling you everything, that’s a boring song to sing.�� Valtik, stop being so self-absorbed! They’re trying to stop the end of the world.

Though this rhyme did make me laugh.

Better than a kraken, we are not forsaken

It’s just because I pronounce kraken as kra-kin not cray-kin so it was a little lost on me.

Besides the characters, I’ve the same issue with the dialogue. It’s very “snarky, snark, snark�� and completely serviceable but as I read on I was thinking “what distinguishes this from any other YA book? Could I divide this from ACOTAR or Shadow and Bone?�� And I realised I couldn’t. It reminded me of an AI bot spends a thousand hours studying YA books and this is exactly what it would be like. It was never funny or quotable, just completely, utterly filler. Now, I’m being unfair. I could use this criticism on many books. But maybe it’s just because I’m growing out of YA that I’m looking for a little more and I’m not getting it.

World? Probably fleshed out, only issue is I didn’t have a map. I heard there’s one in the hardback copy but that seems a real loss by the publishers since all these place names were thrown at me and I could never reference them in my head, so I’ve forgotten most of them I think. They need to do them in the paperback one day. Not for financial purposes, but just because it does make the book struggle, I think.

(This is an edit to say I had a dream where my paperback did have the map? I don’t know what’s real anymore and I’m too lazy to check)

No distinctive cultures or traditions stood out. It was like “oh, look Jydi and Gallish people�� and I was like “if you say so.��

The magic wasn’t fleshed out. That doesn’t bother me, but I’m reading Legendborn at the moment and that magic system is proving a real treat. My only issue with the absence of a magic system is you’re unsure what the limits are. There's a sorcerer in this book (barely used) and it posed the question couldn't he defeat all of his enemies with magic hand waving? There must be some limit there, but it was never unexplained. This means a possible deus ex machina could be pulled out of nowhere in the future which I would be very disappointed by. Since it wasn't popped out in this book, I don't mind it all and it doesn't need to be explained to me.

The villain is unremarkable. Wants chaos and He Who Waits to come out for no justifiable reason (in my opinion). He makes dramatic speeches and threatens people for fun. I think I prefer courteous villians (think Gus from Breaking Bad) who do what they have to do without the boring "I hate everyone and I don't care who gets hurt in my mischef, mwa-ha-ha." (I do hate everyone, though, so I can relate). I mean just go to therapy, man, and resolve your low self esteem issues. It’s so much easier instead of wanting to take over the world.

The writing was magnificent. Best written book I’ve read all year. Definitely why I’m giving it four stars. It always kept my attention and was so enriching, just *whispers* yes, God.

The ending is actually kind of strange. I’d disagree there’s a twist. In fact, this book ends like the sequel is an after-thought. I can confidently say it wrapped up the majority of what happened in this book. And while it’s better than those books that tie nothing up in lieu for a sequel, it’s still like “Oh. That’s all that happened?�� It could be a standalone, if a standalone didn’t actually use the elements it said it would.

Overall, it’s a good second book (series, I mean. This sounds like I was trying to ignore the rest of the Red Queen series, but it was literally just a mistype. But I also did kind of ignore the rest of the series so...I'm not wrong?) from Aveyard. It’s excellently written, expansive and there’s a lot of potential there. However, I just couldn’t bypass how generic the characters and dialogue were. It really feels like it’s combined every YA book to form them without putting in any effort or making them anything more than blank mouthpieces.

The four stars must seem conflicting but this is really just the book I’ve selected in today’s Why YA Needs More Originality. Hopefully with a little more effort, some use of the Spindles and character development (anything, please), the next book might step up to the mark.]]> 3.67 2021
author: Victoria Aveyard
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2021/07/14
date added: 2021/12/25
shelves: 2021-reads, 4-star, characters-were-meh, fantasy, ya-reads, writing-is-the-best
review:
Dom scoffed. "I did not realise there was a competition for the worst personality," he crowed.

- Dom, 2021, speaking my thoughts about these characters.

I feel like it’s hard for me to rate this book. On one hand, the writing was astounding, the pacing well-done, and the plot intriguing. Yet what do you do when you’ve been handed a starter? A book that practically says “actually, it’s the next book you need to read,�� combined with having some of the most unoriginal, bland and worst of all, generic, characters in YA.

Hi, welcome to Unknown Reviews. Today's special is Realm Breaker. Can I please take your order?

To start this review, we genuinely have what I think is a cracking plot. A group of five (supposedly seven) mismatched people have to band together and use their skills to defeat Taristan, a man determined to open portals into other worlds and unleash chaos, all under the bidding of He Who Waits.

(A more fun summary: Portals!)

I think portal stories make excellent reading. What happens when a normal world collides with somewhere completely chaotic, where monsters spill through doors and unimaginable evils are born. The potential is endless.

Unfortunately (spoiler)…we don’t get that.

Basically, in this book, Spindles are the name of the gates and our crew is trying to close them. About two or three are ever opened. We hear of some of the cool worlds behind them, but unfortunately, they’re never ever entered. Now, do they play a role in the story at time? Yes. Do they play exciting roles? For definite, perhaps the most exciting part in the book.

Still, it’s not that I feel I’ve been undersold a concept, because I’m entirely confident Aveyard is going to go all out in the next book, it’s just I feel underwhelmed. There are a few worlds mentioned and they all sound pretty awesome: one with sea monsters, one which may just be full of gems, one that’s home to immortals called the Elders. Except…they’re not really explored. And when you take out the usage of the Spindles, you get, well, a book about a ragtag bunch of people travelling around to continent to find something.

A.K.A a typical fantasy book.

The worst part of this book was how generic it was, especially the characters. As I continued on through the story, I realised something about them was itching at me, something I couldn’t put my finger on. And then I worked out it was how uninspired and terrible they were.

Characters summed up
(And this is accurate, even I think I've outdone myself)

Domacridhan: Elder (Not fae, but a little fae. More respectful and less horny then S.J.M’s which is a win.). Lots of brooding, scowling, rumbling. Check.

Corayne: “I want to explore the world. Ugh, I’m tired of life at home. Oh wow, I’m a chosen one, but how can that be, being the unremarkable girl that I am (I wrote this as a joke, but it turned out to be true, woah). I never saw this coming.�� Check.

Andry: “I’m a squire! I probably have trauma! I…I don’t have a personality.�� Check.

(Poor Andry, but this is painfully true).

Sorasa: She is an emotionless assassin who has killed hundreds of men and can escape anything. We’ve never heard of that before, amiright? (Mandatory check? This isn't making sense anymore)

Ridha: Wasn’t in the book, really. Irrelevant. (Check for the lols)

If you read this, you might think “Hmm, the first four match up to the characters on the blurb, but is Ridha the sorceress?�� Actually, no, she isn’t. She’s Dom’s cousin on the search for help to save the realm. The characters I’ve skilfully described are just the ones with the POV’s. So, that fifth member who is important enough to get a mention on the back isn’t worthy of a POV (yet).

Actually, that’s another issue. The group? There’s actually supposed to be seven overall. Two join in later but they feel like very late additions even though I preferred them to our core five personality wise. Ridha has about four or five chapters, maybe even less, and they don’t contribute to the overall story? Once again, it’s a next book thing, but I can’t believe a character’s entire purpose was to set up events for the next one. There would’ve been no difference had she been in this story or not.

Finally, our last POV was actually my favourite. Erida, the young queen of Galland, who rejects a typical arc seen in YA. While I didn’t love her, this was one of the elements I really want to praise Aveyard for. It was one of the only elements in the book that was unusual and I haven’t really seen it done in YA before. Out of the POV’s, she was likely the most intriguing.

But now, I have to return and dissect as to why the characters were such a failure for me.

Nothing is offensive about these characters. They’re not super angsty. They don’t make stupid decisions. Each of them seems to have a goal and an arc drawn out for them. I don’t even hate them. It’s more about what they stood for: Just a mishmash of clichés and a billion tropes.

My description about Dom was accurate. He’s an elder, centuries old and while he doesn’t veer down the route of hitting on a twenty-year old, he’s just boring. He’s a character full of pride and justice. Whenever anyone makes a snarky remark, he scowls. He growls, glowers, glares, sours, snarls, you name it. And then I realised, I’ve seen this stiff-faced character a million times before and every time, they’re just as bad as before. I’ll compare him to Matthias from the SOC duology. I thought Matthias was the worst of the crows in the first book (great in Crooked Kingdom) and Dom’s personality is similar, but he’s actually less distinctive as a person. Please stop doing “gruff�� and “honourable�� characters if they can’t have a personality.

Corayne. So bland. Of course, she sticks to the trope of the Farm Boy. You know the one where they discover they’re the key to a prophecy and leave their small town in search of a bigger world. What didn’t annoy me was Corayne being a bad character. She’s actually fine. I mean, she’s there, but she’s not unbearable or anything. It’s just it’s the way the other characters that view her that feels unearned. When an author has to keep beating you over the head with how special, brave, amazing this character is to everyone, it means those characters are none of those things. For example, at one stage Andry looks at Corayne, and for no reason thinks ��brilliant, brave Corayne. And it’s like “where, Andry?�� When has Corayne been brilliant or brave? When has been inspiring. Is this in the behind the scenes? Did she grow interesting during that time?�� Or another example.

Andry Trelland had seen enough spooked horses and hot-blooded squires in the training yard to know how to maintain some semblance of calm. Even if Corayne An-Amarat is more terrifying than either.��

Long story short, Corayne plays the role of the everywoman. The self-insert with no discernible wit, personality, or talent so everyone can relate to her. I thoroughly believe it’s such a shame these characters dominate YA when they have the main role and then leave the book unremarkable.

Andry is literally the male version of Corayne. Basically just a nice guy once again with no personality. Like, I don’t even know what his arc is or what purpose he actually serves the plot besides one thing. The funniest development in this book with Andry? His growing “relationship�� with Corayne. Don’t be fooled, no romance happens in this book (another excellent decision by Aveyard), but growing attraction is there and it sucks. How is it the two driest characters become attracted to one another in a span of a few days with the most juvenile interactions. My friends, this is possible the driest romance in the history of YA romance and YOU HAVE READ YOUNG ADULT! YOU KNOW HOW BAD IT IS.

Their interactions are actually even worse.

“You’re the best hope we’ve got. That comes with consequences.��

She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. “Does one of them have to be a brooding immortal listening to my every heartbeat?�� she growled, nodding at Dom only a few feet away.��

“If it keeps you alive, yes.�� Heat spread across his cheeks, a flush blooming over his brown skin. That was forward, Trelland.��

What about that was forward? “Oh, I hope you don’t die.�� Yes, that is something we want for most people.

Their interactions are so mundane. They’re like (I’m making this up now) “her skin brushed his. He blushed. Was he being too obvious?�� Again and again.

(Seriously, why is it in YA that people turn red every time their crush appears in the corner of their peripheral vision. Why? They must look sunburnt ninety percent of the time.)

Even this little conversation felt forced.

“A squire who doesn’t like taverns or barmaids or drinking on another man’s coin,�� Charlon laughed, gesturing for another beer. “Rare as a unicorn, that boy. Not that I’m exactly clear on what that boy is bringing to the table, if I’m being honest.��

“Andry Trelland is the reason we have the Spindleblade and even a chance of saving the realm,�� Corayne answered coldly, her Cor eyes inscrutable.

Charlon raised a hand in placation. “All right, all right. Ca galle’ans allouve?�� he muttered, raising an eyebrow at Sarn.

Dom failed to hide a smirk. He did not speak Madrentine, but by now he knew that Corayne most likely did. With the same twist of her lips, Sarn met his eye, sharing his sentiments for once.

Corayne’s face flushed, her grip closing on her drink. “I can think of nothing more ridiculous than being lovestruck in times such as these,�� she said tightly. “And if you’d like to talk about me, I suggest you do it in Jydi. I can follow in almost everything else.��

Valtik cackled merrily into her cup.

Understand well that Corayne and Andry have known each other for a brief while before this, they’ve little to no chemistry and, yet, this is a wink-wink, nudge-nudge sent by the author, saying “aww, they’re so in love. Even their friends see it!�� It’s like she’s trying to convince us they should be together rather than allowing things to happen organically. Cut out the romance, Aveyard, please. The book is flying without it. It’s really not needed, especially when it is the most boring ship I’ve ever witnessed and is a prime example of why we need to get away from unnecessary YA tropes.

Sorasa Sarn is probably my favourite of our crew but she stills relies on generic Assassin trope. I feel assassins have been overdone, especially assassins who are emotionless, disappear like Batman, are legendary everywhere. Also, in the first half of the book, there’s lot of times where Sorasa makes snarky little comments about men and it’s like “why? Who asked for this?��

He was always terrible at hiding his intentions. Such is the way with men.

Or (my personal favourite)

The Amhara has great need for those who pass unseen and who is more unseen to men than a woman

Or

I learned long ago not to trust the promises of men. Even immortal ones

Yes. You go Queen.

Joking aside, you might come at me like “but, empowering!�� No, frankly, I just found them really annoying and lazy. They came out of nowhere and once again, it’s like the author is trying to pat herself on the book and smugly say “look how feministy my book is�� because her character…disses guys?

I firmly believe if a book has to tell you it’s message verbally by its characters, it’s because it’s not doing a good job. Tell-don’t-show once again. It feels like peak Girlboss feminism, like “woohoo, look at me, attacking the patriarchy,�� rather than offering anything of substance. It's getting too surface-level and is honestly I skip over it at this stage.

Honestly, I’d just rather have more fantasy books where the women aren’t second class citizens. If we can’t have gender equality in real life, can’t we have in it in some books? There’s instances in this book where if a woman is in armour, they get side-eyes or little boys sneer. Thankfully, this discourse does stop in the second half but I rolled my eyes whenever I had read through it.

Sorasa does have a lot of agency and I feel the cold-hearted man killer assassin is toned down, which is great because it sets her apart from other assassins. Another great aspect of Sorasa is she’s about thirty, I think? And it was refreshing to see a character with that much skill have a believable training timeframe to back her up instead of being like “I’ve been the Assassin Legend since me mum kicked me on the street when I was little more than a toddler.��

Though her and Dom’s relationship gets old (they insult each other all the time. He snarls, she snaps, blah-blah), I liked it her relationships with woman in the novel. She takes on a �� I wouldn’t say motherly �� but a protective role towards Corayne which was refreshing to see.

To return to the feminism aspect of this book, it’s actually a shame Aveyard did feel she had to mention anything about it because all the female characters are powerful and exist as their own person. The work was already put in so the quotes pointing out men ended up being more irrelevant. Aveyard, rely on your own writing and characters please! It’s all there.

Valtik is our final member of the group and is…unneeded. She’s a witch who can see the future but the thing is she speaks in…rhymes all the time. It’s certainly a choice. Also her future-telling is really ambiguous. She only tells people things when she wants to so it’s kind of like “Yo, Valtik, will we die?�� and she cackles and says “Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall etc.�� and you’re like. “Um, no.��

Her eccentricity is supposed to be part of the whimsical *charm* of her character but I think it’d just be really annoying in a real life situation. Like, I can’t even get behind it as a reader because she has these powers and she’s just not answering anything. She literally says “Where’s the fun in telling you everything, that’s a boring song to sing.�� Valtik, stop being so self-absorbed! They’re trying to stop the end of the world.

Though this rhyme did make me laugh.

Better than a kraken, we are not forsaken

It’s just because I pronounce kraken as kra-kin not cray-kin so it was a little lost on me.

Besides the characters, I’ve the same issue with the dialogue. It’s very “snarky, snark, snark�� and completely serviceable but as I read on I was thinking “what distinguishes this from any other YA book? Could I divide this from ACOTAR or Shadow and Bone?�� And I realised I couldn’t. It reminded me of an AI bot spends a thousand hours studying YA books and this is exactly what it would be like. It was never funny or quotable, just completely, utterly filler. Now, I’m being unfair. I could use this criticism on many books. But maybe it’s just because I’m growing out of YA that I’m looking for a little more and I’m not getting it.

World? Probably fleshed out, only issue is I didn’t have a map. I heard there’s one in the hardback copy but that seems a real loss by the publishers since all these place names were thrown at me and I could never reference them in my head, so I’ve forgotten most of them I think. They need to do them in the paperback one day. Not for financial purposes, but just because it does make the book struggle, I think.

(This is an edit to say I had a dream where my paperback did have the map? I don’t know what’s real anymore and I’m too lazy to check)

No distinctive cultures or traditions stood out. It was like “oh, look Jydi and Gallish people�� and I was like “if you say so.��

The magic wasn’t fleshed out. That doesn’t bother me, but I’m reading Legendborn at the moment and that magic system is proving a real treat. My only issue with the absence of a magic system is you’re unsure what the limits are. There's a sorcerer in this book (barely used) and it posed the question couldn't he defeat all of his enemies with magic hand waving? There must be some limit there, but it was never unexplained. This means a possible deus ex machina could be pulled out of nowhere in the future which I would be very disappointed by. Since it wasn't popped out in this book, I don't mind it all and it doesn't need to be explained to me.

The villain is unremarkable. Wants chaos and He Who Waits to come out for no justifiable reason (in my opinion). He makes dramatic speeches and threatens people for fun. I think I prefer courteous villians (think Gus from Breaking Bad) who do what they have to do without the boring "I hate everyone and I don't care who gets hurt in my mischef, mwa-ha-ha." (I do hate everyone, though, so I can relate). I mean just go to therapy, man, and resolve your low self esteem issues. It’s so much easier instead of wanting to take over the world.

The writing was magnificent. Best written book I’ve read all year. Definitely why I’m giving it four stars. It always kept my attention and was so enriching, just *whispers* yes, God.

The ending is actually kind of strange. I’d disagree there’s a twist. In fact, this book ends like the sequel is an after-thought. I can confidently say it wrapped up the majority of what happened in this book. And while it’s better than those books that tie nothing up in lieu for a sequel, it’s still like “Oh. That’s all that happened?�� It could be a standalone, if a standalone didn’t actually use the elements it said it would.

Overall, it’s a good second book (series, I mean. This sounds like I was trying to ignore the rest of the Red Queen series, but it was literally just a mistype. But I also did kind of ignore the rest of the series so...I'm not wrong?) from Aveyard. It’s excellently written, expansive and there’s a lot of potential there. However, I just couldn’t bypass how generic the characters and dialogue were. It really feels like it’s combined every YA book to form them without putting in any effort or making them anything more than blank mouthpieces.

The four stars must seem conflicting but this is really just the book I’ve selected in today’s Why YA Needs More Originality. Hopefully with a little more effort, some use of the Spindles and character development (anything, please), the next book might step up to the mark.
]]> 56597885 356 Sally Rooney 0374602603 Unknown Reviews 2
I can't even write a review for another few weeks but this annoyed me enough to get back on ŷ������.]]> 3.53 2021
author: Sally Rooney
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 3.53
book published: 2021
rating: 2
read at: 2021/11/14
date added: 2021/11/14
shelves:
review:
If all these characters had died in a car accident at the end of the novel, I couldn't have cared less.

I can't even write a review for another few weeks but this annoyed me enough to get back on ŷ������.
]]> 40024121
But on the day of the ceremony, her blood runs gold, the color of impurity–and Deka knows she will face a consequence worse than death.

Then a mysterious woman comes to her with a choice: stay in the village and submit to her fate, or leave to fight for the emperor in an army of girls just like her. They are called alaki--near-immortals with rare gifts. And they are the only ones who can stop the empire's greatest threat.


Knowing the dangers that lie ahead yet yearning for acceptance, Deka decides to leave the only life she’s ever known. But as she journeys to the capital to train for the biggest battle of her life, she will discover that the great walled city holds many surprises. Nothing and no one are quite what they seem to be–not even Deka herself.]]> 432 Namina Forna 1984848704 Unknown Reviews 3 3.5

I'm not going to lie, this was one of the weirdest YA books I've read in a while...but it was still pretty good?

Review to Come!]]> 3.99 2020
author: Namina Forna
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2021/08/06
date added: 2021/08/16
shelves:
review:
3.5

I'm not going to lie, this was one of the weirdest YA books I've read in a while...but it was still pretty good?

Review to Come!
]]> 50892338
A flying demon feeding on human energies.

A secret society of so called “Legendborn�� students that hunt the creatures down.

And a mysterious teenage mage who calls himself a “Merlin�� and who attempts—and fails—to wipe Bree’s memory of everything she saw.

The mage’s failure unlocks Bree’s own unique magic and a buried memory with a hidden connection: the night her mother died, another Merlin was at the hospital. Now that Bree knows there’s more to her mother’s death than what’s on the police report, she’ll do whatever it takes to find out the truth, even if that means infiltrating the Legendborn as one of their initiates.

She recruits Nick, a self-exiled Legendborn with his own grudge against the group, and their reluctant partnership pulls them deeper into the society’s secrets—and closer to each other. But when the Legendborn reveal themselves as the descendants of King Arthur’s knights and explain that a magical war is coming, Bree has to decide how far she’ll go for the truth and whether she should use her magic to take the society down—or join the fight.]]> 502 Tracy Deonn 1534441603 Unknown Reviews 4 4.5
This is it, guys.

What an astonishing debut. The further I went into this book, the more captivated I became in the world of Legendborn. This book hits that niche spot after a long thread of swing-and-misses and is possibly my one of my favourite books released in 2020.

(Okay, I’ve probably only read like two books released in 2020, but in general, I’m telling you this is top-tier stuff.)

Bree is a young girl whose mother passed away in a tragic accident that may not just be an accident. After enrolling in the University of North Caroline, she becomes embroiled in a world full of secrets and magic war threatening to rise��

To sum up briefly as to why I liked this book so much was how cohesive it was. I’m a characters type of person, but I am also an intricate plots type of person. Things joining up together in a neat and clever just hits the spot to me. Foreshadowing, re-reads that just get better and better, give them all to me. So when there were several in this book, you guys can bet I put down my book and nodded off into the distance, thinking “ah, Book Gods, you’ve done your job.��

Starting with characters as I usually do, most were solid, in particular Bree. You know, I’m not a first person perspective lover. I think it’s harder to depict a personality in that writing style, despite being in the person’s heads. Often, I feel it doesn’t allow for flaws as much as third person and it also limits other, more interesting perspectives, but Bree was pretty solid. She was stubborn, witty and friendly all without playing that same trap that female YA characters fall into, that being a lack of agency and authority. Her confidence bounced from off the page and despite her age (she’s sixteen. I would rather she just be a young college student than being in a residential programme) I thought she differentiated herself from other YA characters which, after reading Realm Breaker, is like a palette cleanser.

Second, Nick, the squeaky clean good guy who is Obvious Love Interest…wasn’t that bad? At this stage, you might be thinking “wait, a second. This reviewer never likes instalove love interests. Are they being held hostage?�� (Maybe) And no, while I’m not aboard the hype train, this might be one of the better, if not best depictions of instalove I’ve seen in a while. I think it’s because Bree spends a decent amount of time with Nick particularly in the first half of the book so it felt like there was something there. In addition, there’s no secret longing or rejection of feelings. When they start to feel a spark for each other, it’s kind of admitted outright on the page which saved me a lot of angry inhales through my nose.
I mean I still hate instalove and would I probably have preferred this book without it? Yes! You know I don’t believe in instant love, the emotionless troll I am! But it was subtler, more believable and hey, if it can even be explained by the plot, well…let’s say I’ll take it.

Now, shooting over to Bad Boy #373. Selwyn Kane. Golden eyes and a penchant for taking amusement in threatening people. This might be an unpopular opinion but he was…weaker than Nick as a character? Look, I normally vibe with bad boys, mainly because there’s a sustained dislike between them and the main character and when that blossoms into a friendship, it’s all that much better. It’s just he ticks off all the boxes of angsty YA boys. Snarky? Check. Tragic past? Check. Sometimes looks out for the Bree while she’s all like “oh, he’d never do that. I must be imagining it?�� Check.

To be clear, I think both Selwyn and Nick have compelling backstories. I’m not dissing them. But Selwyn didn’t add anything new or original to the trope and his personality felt too one-dimensional for me until he and Bree started developing a relationship. I don’t know if this fits the vibe of a love triangle. I think Bree and Selwyn fit much better as friends forged over grief and I want them to remain that way. But other times I think Deonn is trying to suggest otherwise, which is such a shame because I find they work better without(?) being together. This is also a call for some more platonic friendships between boys and girls in books while we’re at it. But anyway, you know me. One or no love interest is enough. (More can be spicy, but only if they’re done well).

The other characters were the weakest point of the book. Bree is inducted into a secret society of magic and many of the supporting characters are based here, but there’s too many and none are distinctive enough to stand out bar Greer I think. I wasn’t invested in most of them and I couldn’t tell who was who around halfway through the book. Patricia, Bree’s therapist, was more complex and interesting than the lot of them, as well as the healer, William.

That includes Alice, Bree’s best friend, who doesn’t serve much purpose beyond being Bree’s friend and a pre-existing character Bree has a tight bond with (though it’s barely shown). They spend a lot of the book arguing and Alice is barely in it which enhanced the feeling she definitely served as a plot tool than a fleshed-out person.

While we’re speaking about plot, it was pretty tight. Distinctive magic systems can be hard to find these days but I enjoyed this one. Basically, (excuse me if I get some of it wrong) Arthur had thirteen knights and their descendants (the first born of each family I believe) inherit their abilities granted they’re awakened properly. But considering the amount of knights who are awakened are proportional to how much danger the world is in, and a lot of them are awakening well�� it’s not looking good for our gang.

The world-building in that sense was relatively strong though sometimes I did forget things. The Welsh mythology was less touched on unfortunately. We see a few monsters but it’s a lot of similar description in my opinion. I’d appreciate more demons in the next book and the realms they come from.

Speaking of the villain however, (I totally called it, even though there was no indication of who it was. Ah, the power of expecting good old tropes), their motive…I stared at the page for a while and thought “hmm. That’s really the foundation of their hatred in the book?�� It’s very hard to go into it without being spoilery but I just felt it was very…lazy or forced like “that’s really your motive? Oh f**k off.�� I think because the rest of the book hits a compelling standard, the motive felt too on-the-nose. Not saying there isn’t people like that, but I thought seriously? Of course they would be that kind of person.

Anyway (after my very ambiguous paragraph) I really appreciated the themes woven into this book, particularly Deonn’s depiction of grief. There’s Bree and there’s After-Bree (after her mother’s death) and seeing those feelings coincide in this book made for very real and raw writing.

Secondly, Deonn does delve into racism. Bree experiences a lot of micro aggressions being inducted into a society that caters to the white and wealthy (there is a lot of nepotism involved in who gets what), as well blatant incidents of racism. This includes the plot touching on slaves in plantations �� once again, I won’t go into it �� but there was a lot of care and thought put into this book. This isn’t a contemporary book focused on racism happening today, but instead goes much further than that.

Besides being a lot of fun (We have trials, training, fights) and well-written (nothing special, but extremely easy to read) the way storylines were tied up and connected were the best aspects of this book. I cannot go into the details about the last few chapters, but foreshadowing, hints…guys, it was all pulled together. Often, you come across books that leave immense plot holes. This is often why magic systems are left looser as it allows authors to conjure whatever tool they need to help their characters proceed to the next plot point. With a tightly-written magic system and history, Deonn’s reveals match up perfectly with what we know is possible and makes the book that much more satisfying.
I looped over the plot in my head to find errors, but it was as simple as puzzle pieces clicking together. It’s been so long since I’ve found a YA book that ties up storylines with such skill and still leaves questions open for the next. Even the mystery of Bree’s mother took a route I didn’t expect, a route that ended up being more original and explained than I expected.

Where my rating drops is the weak side characters, maybe the length and the writing at times being a little repetitive, but this was a really solid and well-written book. It would not be mildly fair of me to look for a fault when there are so few and it was so entertaining. I’m glad I listened to the reviews and actually found it exceeded my expectations.

So, I suppose I’ve nothing else to say (I might write more if I there’s anything I’ve forgotten), but this - Believe the hype. It was worth it.]]> 4.32 2020
author: Tracy Deonn
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2021/07/21
date added: 2021/08/05
shelves:
review:
4.5
This is it, guys.

What an astonishing debut. The further I went into this book, the more captivated I became in the world of Legendborn. This book hits that niche spot after a long thread of swing-and-misses and is possibly my one of my favourite books released in 2020.

(Okay, I’ve probably only read like two books released in 2020, but in general, I’m telling you this is top-tier stuff.)

Bree is a young girl whose mother passed away in a tragic accident that may not just be an accident. After enrolling in the University of North Caroline, she becomes embroiled in a world full of secrets and magic war threatening to rise��

To sum up briefly as to why I liked this book so much was how cohesive it was. I’m a characters type of person, but I am also an intricate plots type of person. Things joining up together in a neat and clever just hits the spot to me. Foreshadowing, re-reads that just get better and better, give them all to me. So when there were several in this book, you guys can bet I put down my book and nodded off into the distance, thinking “ah, Book Gods, you’ve done your job.��

Starting with characters as I usually do, most were solid, in particular Bree. You know, I’m not a first person perspective lover. I think it’s harder to depict a personality in that writing style, despite being in the person’s heads. Often, I feel it doesn’t allow for flaws as much as third person and it also limits other, more interesting perspectives, but Bree was pretty solid. She was stubborn, witty and friendly all without playing that same trap that female YA characters fall into, that being a lack of agency and authority. Her confidence bounced from off the page and despite her age (she’s sixteen. I would rather she just be a young college student than being in a residential programme) I thought she differentiated herself from other YA characters which, after reading Realm Breaker, is like a palette cleanser.

Second, Nick, the squeaky clean good guy who is Obvious Love Interest…wasn’t that bad? At this stage, you might be thinking “wait, a second. This reviewer never likes instalove love interests. Are they being held hostage?�� (Maybe) And no, while I’m not aboard the hype train, this might be one of the better, if not best depictions of instalove I’ve seen in a while. I think it’s because Bree spends a decent amount of time with Nick particularly in the first half of the book so it felt like there was something there. In addition, there’s no secret longing or rejection of feelings. When they start to feel a spark for each other, it’s kind of admitted outright on the page which saved me a lot of angry inhales through my nose.
I mean I still hate instalove and would I probably have preferred this book without it? Yes! You know I don’t believe in instant love, the emotionless troll I am! But it was subtler, more believable and hey, if it can even be explained by the plot, well…let’s say I’ll take it.

Now, shooting over to Bad Boy #373. Selwyn Kane. Golden eyes and a penchant for taking amusement in threatening people. This might be an unpopular opinion but he was…weaker than Nick as a character? Look, I normally vibe with bad boys, mainly because there’s a sustained dislike between them and the main character and when that blossoms into a friendship, it’s all that much better. It’s just he ticks off all the boxes of angsty YA boys. Snarky? Check. Tragic past? Check. Sometimes looks out for the Bree while she’s all like “oh, he’d never do that. I must be imagining it?�� Check.

To be clear, I think both Selwyn and Nick have compelling backstories. I’m not dissing them. But Selwyn didn’t add anything new or original to the trope and his personality felt too one-dimensional for me until he and Bree started developing a relationship. I don’t know if this fits the vibe of a love triangle. I think Bree and Selwyn fit much better as friends forged over grief and I want them to remain that way. But other times I think Deonn is trying to suggest otherwise, which is such a shame because I find they work better without(?) being together. This is also a call for some more platonic friendships between boys and girls in books while we’re at it. But anyway, you know me. One or no love interest is enough. (More can be spicy, but only if they’re done well).

The other characters were the weakest point of the book. Bree is inducted into a secret society of magic and many of the supporting characters are based here, but there’s too many and none are distinctive enough to stand out bar Greer I think. I wasn’t invested in most of them and I couldn’t tell who was who around halfway through the book. Patricia, Bree’s therapist, was more complex and interesting than the lot of them, as well as the healer, William.

That includes Alice, Bree’s best friend, who doesn’t serve much purpose beyond being Bree’s friend and a pre-existing character Bree has a tight bond with (though it’s barely shown). They spend a lot of the book arguing and Alice is barely in it which enhanced the feeling she definitely served as a plot tool than a fleshed-out person.

While we’re speaking about plot, it was pretty tight. Distinctive magic systems can be hard to find these days but I enjoyed this one. Basically, (excuse me if I get some of it wrong) Arthur had thirteen knights and their descendants (the first born of each family I believe) inherit their abilities granted they’re awakened properly. But considering the amount of knights who are awakened are proportional to how much danger the world is in, and a lot of them are awakening well�� it’s not looking good for our gang.

The world-building in that sense was relatively strong though sometimes I did forget things. The Welsh mythology was less touched on unfortunately. We see a few monsters but it’s a lot of similar description in my opinion. I’d appreciate more demons in the next book and the realms they come from.

Speaking of the villain however, (I totally called it, even though there was no indication of who it was. Ah, the power of expecting good old tropes), their motive…I stared at the page for a while and thought “hmm. That’s really the foundation of their hatred in the book?�� It’s very hard to go into it without being spoilery but I just felt it was very…lazy or forced like “that’s really your motive? Oh f**k off.�� I think because the rest of the book hits a compelling standard, the motive felt too on-the-nose. Not saying there isn’t people like that, but I thought seriously? Of course they would be that kind of person.

Anyway (after my very ambiguous paragraph) I really appreciated the themes woven into this book, particularly Deonn’s depiction of grief. There’s Bree and there’s After-Bree (after her mother’s death) and seeing those feelings coincide in this book made for very real and raw writing.

Secondly, Deonn does delve into racism. Bree experiences a lot of micro aggressions being inducted into a society that caters to the white and wealthy (there is a lot of nepotism involved in who gets what), as well blatant incidents of racism. This includes the plot touching on slaves in plantations �� once again, I won’t go into it �� but there was a lot of care and thought put into this book. This isn’t a contemporary book focused on racism happening today, but instead goes much further than that.

Besides being a lot of fun (We have trials, training, fights) and well-written (nothing special, but extremely easy to read) the way storylines were tied up and connected were the best aspects of this book. I cannot go into the details about the last few chapters, but foreshadowing, hints…guys, it was all pulled together. Often, you come across books that leave immense plot holes. This is often why magic systems are left looser as it allows authors to conjure whatever tool they need to help their characters proceed to the next plot point. With a tightly-written magic system and history, Deonn’s reveals match up perfectly with what we know is possible and makes the book that much more satisfying.
I looped over the plot in my head to find errors, but it was as simple as puzzle pieces clicking together. It’s been so long since I’ve found a YA book that ties up storylines with such skill and still leaves questions open for the next. Even the mystery of Bree’s mother took a route I didn’t expect, a route that ended up being more original and explained than I expected.

Where my rating drops is the weak side characters, maybe the length and the writing at times being a little repetitive, but this was a really solid and well-written book. It would not be mildly fair of me to look for a fault when there are so few and it was so entertaining. I’m glad I listened to the reviews and actually found it exceeded my expectations.

So, I suppose I’ve nothing else to say (I might write more if I there’s anything I’ve forgotten), but this - Believe the hype. It was worth it.
]]> 41398739 The fate of the world rests on a blade's edge.

Fighting beside her band of unlikely companions, Corayne is learning to embrace her ancient lineage and wield her father's powerful sword.

But while she successfully closed one of the Spindles, her journey is far from over.

Queen Erida's army marches across Allward with her consort, Taristan, right beside them, opening more portals into nightmarish worlds, razing kingdoms to the ground.

Corayne has no choice but to assemble an army of her own if she's to save the realm as she knows it. But perilous lands await her and the companions, and they face assassins, otherworldly beasts, and tempestuous seas all as they rally a divided Ward to fight behind them.

But Taristan has unleashed an evil far more wicked than his corpse armies. Something deadly waits in the shadows; something that might consume the world before there's any hope for victory.]]> 578 Victoria Aveyard 0062872664 Unknown Reviews 0 3.95 2022
author: Victoria Aveyard
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/07/19
shelves:
review:
Look, all I want to do is visit more worlds. I mean there's a realm of shiny things? What's going on there?
]]> 54513688 Alternate cover edition of ASIN B08CZHZSRW.
---
Save the world or end it.

A strange darkness is growing in the Ward. Even Corayne an-Amarat can feel it, tucked away in her small town at the edge of the sea.

Fate knocks on her door, in the form of a mythical immortal and a lethal assassin, who tell Corayne that she is the last of an ancient lineage—with the power to save the world from destruction.

Because a man who would burn kingdoms to the ground is raising an army unlike any seen before, bent on uprooting the foundations of the world. With poison in his heart and a stolen sword in his hand, he'll break the realm itself to claim it. And only Corayne can stop him.

Alongside an unlikely group of reluctant allies, Corayne finds herself on a desperate journey to complete an impossible task, with untold magic singing in her blood and the fate of the world on her shoulders.]]> 576 Victoria Aveyard Unknown Reviews 4 3.57 2021
author: Victoria Aveyard
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 3.57
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2021/07/19
date added: 2021/07/19
shelves:
review:

]]> 31373233
Ronan Lynch isn't planning to wait and find out. Backed by his mentor, Bryde, he is ready to do what needs to be done to save the dreamers and the dreamed . . . even if it takes him far from his family and the boy he loves.

Jordan Hennessy knows she will not survive if the dreaming fails. So she plunges into a dark underworld in order to find an object that may sustain her.

Carmen Farooq-Lane is afraid of the dreamers -- which is why she's agreed to hunt them down. The closer she gets, though, the more complicated her feelings become. Will the dreamers destroy the world . . . or will the world be destroyed trying to eliminate the dreamers?

In the remarkable second book of The Dreamer Trilogy, Maggie Stiefvater pushes her characters to their limits -- and shows what happens when they start to break.]]> 340 Maggie Stiefvater 1338188364 Unknown Reviews 4 3.5

After not being the biggest “Call Down The Hawk�� fan, I was a little sceptical about continuing this series. Stiefvater’s legendary writing and wit propped up a book that contained what I felt had no plot and little characterisation. What’s nice about Mister Impossible is that it’s (a) another Maggie Stiefvater book and (b) �𱹱����ٳ󾱲Բ�’s back on track. Well, nearly everything.

After escaping the clutches of the Moderators, Bryde, Hennessy and Ronan are on the run, testing their dreaming abilities to a degree never seen before. Meanwhile, Declan Lynch, Matthew and Jordan are on the pursuit of a mysterious item which could be the key to ensuring there is a future for them all��

(I don’t really think that last part made sense, but I’m trying to avoid *spoilers*).

One problem with Stiefvater that I struggle with (and this stretches back to The Raven Cycle) is her lack of plot. And before you come at me with “WoOoOh, it’s about the journey, not the destination,�� sorry, guys I didn’t take a ten-hour flight to Bora Bora to end up in a port in Wales (I do love Wales though, so if someone wants to give me a genuinely sh*tty place, I’m open to it).

So, to scour the pages of this book and see actual links coming together in surprisingly intuitive and interesting ways, I knew this was an upgrade from CDTH. Ronan, Bryde and Hennessy, as well as developing their skills, are looking for a solution to eradicate the Lace �� the impending entity that looms in Hennessey’s dreams and may lead to the end of the world. Unless, perhaps the dreamers have a hand in it too.

One thing that intrigued me about this trio was the fact these characters teeter on a morally grey edge. Often, we’re offered up heroes who are nearly always right, since they’re the protagonists. But this gang sometimes ethically questionable things �� and they actually have reasons to do it. There’s a plotline involving the ley lines which I enjoyed just because there’s good debate around it �� who’s right and wrong in this situation?

I felt…indifferent to Ronan in this book. I mentioned this in my CDTH review, but I’ve felt a bit out of touch with him in this series compared to The Raven Cycle. I think once again it’s because he’s not a teen and he’s veering more down that morally grey arc which honestly, is welcome. I don’t think I’ve met another character like Ronan in fiction, so even if I’m not personally attached to him, I still have to praise the uniqueness of him and his characterisation.

Hennessy is like the meaner half of Jordan. Unlike Ronan, she’s not a master dreamer and she’s battling the omnipresence of the Lace. There are aspects of her I like. I think Maggie made an effort to insert some wit and quirkiness into her which divulges her from the others. She slowly becomes more desperate throughout this book as Bryde’s guidance doesn’t always help her. I understand her actions as a character. She’s not my favourite and she’s quite flawed, but when you suffer under the bulk of something as heavy as the Lace, along with the murder of your clones who were like sisters and just the total disassociation with reality that stems from being a dreamer, I’d be annoyed too.

Also, Bryde. Uh, yeah, he’s there anyway.

Bryde is so bland. In the last book, he gave kind of mysterious “I am the cool, all-knowing, alt father you wish you had.�� In this book, he advises to Ronan and Hennessey, but I thought it was kind of meh for the most part. He’s like one of those cheap self-help gurus you find on YouTube who you stop listening to because you realise their advice isn’t anything you don't already know. I mean in context of me. It sounded like he was trying to be a lot more philosophical and deep than he actually was.

This doesn’t apply all the time though. Sometimes he’s actually useful and there are characteristics of him I find interesting, characteristics which I can’t go into because *spoilers*. He was a let-down I have to say. I was waiting to be invested in him and then I never was.

Let’s swap over to our other trio, what I deem, our light-hearted trio because there is sometimes happiness in their lives! Declan, Jordan and Matthew are out there looking at art, making art, having relationships (not Matthew).

While, once again, they didn’t stand out to me, they are better than their CDTH counterparts. I wasn’t a fan of Declan’s boring act and Matthew’s cuteness act and thankfully, they’re both toned down in this book. Declan’s developing relationship with Jordan was kind of sweet and Matthew develops into what I see is more of a normal human being. I honestly really liked Declan in this book. He was cute and I was like "is this a personality?" Turns out yes. Obviously, Declan's always been a good guy but it's nice to dig into his thoughts more.

A lot of their storyline actually focuses on art, something I’m unskilled at but I find terribly interesting to read about. Maggie’s love of art shines through in this book, as well as the subplot it involves. I think this was the most intriguing concept to read, which once again, I won’t delve into further because *cough* spoilers, but things like this are why I liked Stiefvater. She has a unique brand which I think differs from YA (if you count this as YA) at the moment.

The Moderators remain as boring as ever. Well, I take that back. I find them cool as an agency and their goals are relatively understandable, but the representatives of them that we get, Carmen and Lilliana have no personality. Lilliana’s powers are explained a bit more. She ages from a teen to middle-aged to elderly every time she receives a vision, but it doesn’t really go beyond that besides her having a previous knowledge of future relationships. Some of Carmen’s chapters are written uniquely style-wise, and while I liked them, it still doesn’t count as making her interesting.

To get to the crux of my review: In my opinion, the book is well-written and readable, yet I felt completely indifferent and unattached to it.

I’d give it a 3.5 since it was well-written, there wasn’t anything I actively disliked but there was a certain lack that has made me feel let down. I fell in love with Maggie’s writing with The Raven Cycle. Each of the main five were unique individuals with flaws and strengths and intriguing storylines. While the plot didn’t lead to a satisfying finish, each book seemed to have a purpose. If I were to suggest the Raven Cycle as a colour, I’d say a mystical blue or green found in a forest shaded in the afternoon. With Ronan’s trilogy? Beigey-brown.

The characters don’t feel like people. They feel more like themes coughed on a page, kind of artificial and scrubbed up in a presentable way. I can give a gist of each character’s personalities but can’t find anything in particular I like about them. I like them more in thought than on paper.

Similarly, the plot, while it's there, is going to be left so unexplained. I snuck into Maggie’s recent AMA on Reddit and she confirmed this is the finish for the series. No further stories for the Gangsey, which is sad enough, but there will be so many elements of this series left unexplored in regards to the Visionaries and Dreamers and other things which have popped up in this trilogy only to be brushed over. Even in this book, there are things mentioned and left unexplored and, no, I don’t really find it fun to leave them to my imagination when “them�� refers to pretty much everything.

I lowered my rating from 4 since this book feels quite filler, but then, honestly this whole series does. It’s advancing the world in a way that doesn’t feel fulfilling or satisfying. You can see I’m struggling to write a review because it’s been a month since I’ve read it and I can’t remember anything besides a brief summary of the story and certain scenes. That says to me this was a book that doesn’t stand out.

A good thing was the writing. It was still pretty much as cool as ever. As we all know, Maggie’s got a penchant for crazy ideas and the dreams supplemented a lot of them. Nitpicks also included the writing. Sometimes it felt quite jerky and confusing. Honestly, some of the last few chapters lost me but perhaps that was because I was in a rush to finish it. Like whatever happened with Hennessey at the end, I’m only guessing. I don’t really know.

Eek. This book hasn’t left much a dent on my mind. I know I’m reading this out of loyalty to The Raven Cycle, but I don’t know if I’ll be pushed to pick up another Maggie book when she’s so undependable as plot writer (not a storyteller. She’s got that nailed). While I thought it was an improvement on CDTH, I personally think it will be divisive. To me, it was a bit of a colder, more distant story but pulled some ways back on track when subplots started showing up and lines started being connected.

Just for those who solely came for Gangsey and Pynch. Barely a mention. Adam was only involved for a chapter or two. I do think he’ll have a bigger role in the next book but I do think it’s strange Ronan’s boyfriend is so absent. I’ve a feeling the next book will be super explosive, which is encouraging to think about, but I do wish this book had invested more time in being entertaining and making the characters feel a bit more genuine. Will this be worth it? Only time will tell.

Alas, a Pynch quote to soothe your worries and finish this muddled review!

Ronan didn’t care to think about this. It gave him the same vibe he used to get back at the Barns some nights, when he got trapped in one particular train of thought, where he imagined he and Adam had been together a very long time and then Ronan died of old age or bad choices and Adam found someone else and later they all three were reunited in the afterlife, and rather than getting to spend the rest of eternity together, Adam had to split his time between Ronan and this stupid usurper he’d fallen in love with as a widower, which completely ruined the point of Heaven. And that was before Ronan even got to worrying if Adam made it to the afterlife at all, with his agnostic tendencies.

Until next year or whenever the next one is released. Bye dudes.
...........................

*Keeping this, because it's a gem.*

Maggie, do you realise if you put more Ronan and Adam in this book then you will be financially stable forevermore since I will (a) pay all of your bills, (b)do everything you ask, (c) busk and sing Squash Song on the streets just to earn a pittance for more Pynch content?

Just saying.

(Obligatory mention that this is some sexy cover)]]> 4.13 2021
author: Maggie Stiefvater
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2021/06/13
date added: 2021/07/10
shelves:
review:
3.5

After not being the biggest “Call Down The Hawk�� fan, I was a little sceptical about continuing this series. Stiefvater’s legendary writing and wit propped up a book that contained what I felt had no plot and little characterisation. What’s nice about Mister Impossible is that it’s (a) another Maggie Stiefvater book and (b) �𱹱����ٳ󾱲Բ�’s back on track. Well, nearly everything.

After escaping the clutches of the Moderators, Bryde, Hennessy and Ronan are on the run, testing their dreaming abilities to a degree never seen before. Meanwhile, Declan Lynch, Matthew and Jordan are on the pursuit of a mysterious item which could be the key to ensuring there is a future for them all��

(I don’t really think that last part made sense, but I’m trying to avoid *spoilers*).

One problem with Stiefvater that I struggle with (and this stretches back to The Raven Cycle) is her lack of plot. And before you come at me with “WoOoOh, it’s about the journey, not the destination,�� sorry, guys I didn’t take a ten-hour flight to Bora Bora to end up in a port in Wales (I do love Wales though, so if someone wants to give me a genuinely sh*tty place, I’m open to it).

So, to scour the pages of this book and see actual links coming together in surprisingly intuitive and interesting ways, I knew this was an upgrade from CDTH. Ronan, Bryde and Hennessy, as well as developing their skills, are looking for a solution to eradicate the Lace �� the impending entity that looms in Hennessey’s dreams and may lead to the end of the world. Unless, perhaps the dreamers have a hand in it too.

One thing that intrigued me about this trio was the fact these characters teeter on a morally grey edge. Often, we’re offered up heroes who are nearly always right, since they’re the protagonists. But this gang sometimes ethically questionable things �� and they actually have reasons to do it. There’s a plotline involving the ley lines which I enjoyed just because there’s good debate around it �� who’s right and wrong in this situation?

I felt…indifferent to Ronan in this book. I mentioned this in my CDTH review, but I’ve felt a bit out of touch with him in this series compared to The Raven Cycle. I think once again it’s because he’s not a teen and he’s veering more down that morally grey arc which honestly, is welcome. I don’t think I’ve met another character like Ronan in fiction, so even if I’m not personally attached to him, I still have to praise the uniqueness of him and his characterisation.

Hennessy is like the meaner half of Jordan. Unlike Ronan, she’s not a master dreamer and she’s battling the omnipresence of the Lace. There are aspects of her I like. I think Maggie made an effort to insert some wit and quirkiness into her which divulges her from the others. She slowly becomes more desperate throughout this book as Bryde’s guidance doesn’t always help her. I understand her actions as a character. She’s not my favourite and she’s quite flawed, but when you suffer under the bulk of something as heavy as the Lace, along with the murder of your clones who were like sisters and just the total disassociation with reality that stems from being a dreamer, I’d be annoyed too.

Also, Bryde. Uh, yeah, he’s there anyway.

Bryde is so bland. In the last book, he gave kind of mysterious “I am the cool, all-knowing, alt father you wish you had.�� In this book, he advises to Ronan and Hennessey, but I thought it was kind of meh for the most part. He’s like one of those cheap self-help gurus you find on YouTube who you stop listening to because you realise their advice isn’t anything you don't already know. I mean in context of me. It sounded like he was trying to be a lot more philosophical and deep than he actually was.

This doesn’t apply all the time though. Sometimes he’s actually useful and there are characteristics of him I find interesting, characteristics which I can’t go into because *spoilers*. He was a let-down I have to say. I was waiting to be invested in him and then I never was.

Let’s swap over to our other trio, what I deem, our light-hearted trio because there is sometimes happiness in their lives! Declan, Jordan and Matthew are out there looking at art, making art, having relationships (not Matthew).

While, once again, they didn’t stand out to me, they are better than their CDTH counterparts. I wasn’t a fan of Declan’s boring act and Matthew’s cuteness act and thankfully, they’re both toned down in this book. Declan’s developing relationship with Jordan was kind of sweet and Matthew develops into what I see is more of a normal human being. I honestly really liked Declan in this book. He was cute and I was like "is this a personality?" Turns out yes. Obviously, Declan's always been a good guy but it's nice to dig into his thoughts more.

A lot of their storyline actually focuses on art, something I’m unskilled at but I find terribly interesting to read about. Maggie’s love of art shines through in this book, as well as the subplot it involves. I think this was the most intriguing concept to read, which once again, I won’t delve into further because *cough* spoilers, but things like this are why I liked Stiefvater. She has a unique brand which I think differs from YA (if you count this as YA) at the moment.

The Moderators remain as boring as ever. Well, I take that back. I find them cool as an agency and their goals are relatively understandable, but the representatives of them that we get, Carmen and Lilliana have no personality. Lilliana’s powers are explained a bit more. She ages from a teen to middle-aged to elderly every time she receives a vision, but it doesn’t really go beyond that besides her having a previous knowledge of future relationships. Some of Carmen’s chapters are written uniquely style-wise, and while I liked them, it still doesn’t count as making her interesting.

To get to the crux of my review: In my opinion, the book is well-written and readable, yet I felt completely indifferent and unattached to it.

I’d give it a 3.5 since it was well-written, there wasn’t anything I actively disliked but there was a certain lack that has made me feel let down. I fell in love with Maggie’s writing with The Raven Cycle. Each of the main five were unique individuals with flaws and strengths and intriguing storylines. While the plot didn’t lead to a satisfying finish, each book seemed to have a purpose. If I were to suggest the Raven Cycle as a colour, I’d say a mystical blue or green found in a forest shaded in the afternoon. With Ronan’s trilogy? Beigey-brown.

The characters don’t feel like people. They feel more like themes coughed on a page, kind of artificial and scrubbed up in a presentable way. I can give a gist of each character’s personalities but can’t find anything in particular I like about them. I like them more in thought than on paper.

Similarly, the plot, while it's there, is going to be left so unexplained. I snuck into Maggie’s recent AMA on Reddit and she confirmed this is the finish for the series. No further stories for the Gangsey, which is sad enough, but there will be so many elements of this series left unexplored in regards to the Visionaries and Dreamers and other things which have popped up in this trilogy only to be brushed over. Even in this book, there are things mentioned and left unexplored and, no, I don’t really find it fun to leave them to my imagination when “them�� refers to pretty much everything.

I lowered my rating from 4 since this book feels quite filler, but then, honestly this whole series does. It’s advancing the world in a way that doesn’t feel fulfilling or satisfying. You can see I’m struggling to write a review because it’s been a month since I’ve read it and I can’t remember anything besides a brief summary of the story and certain scenes. That says to me this was a book that doesn’t stand out.

A good thing was the writing. It was still pretty much as cool as ever. As we all know, Maggie’s got a penchant for crazy ideas and the dreams supplemented a lot of them. Nitpicks also included the writing. Sometimes it felt quite jerky and confusing. Honestly, some of the last few chapters lost me but perhaps that was because I was in a rush to finish it. Like whatever happened with Hennessey at the end, I’m only guessing. I don’t really know.

Eek. This book hasn’t left much a dent on my mind. I know I’m reading this out of loyalty to The Raven Cycle, but I don’t know if I’ll be pushed to pick up another Maggie book when she’s so undependable as plot writer (not a storyteller. She’s got that nailed). While I thought it was an improvement on CDTH, I personally think it will be divisive. To me, it was a bit of a colder, more distant story but pulled some ways back on track when subplots started showing up and lines started being connected.

Just for those who solely came for Gangsey and Pynch. Barely a mention. Adam was only involved for a chapter or two. I do think he’ll have a bigger role in the next book but I do think it’s strange Ronan’s boyfriend is so absent. I’ve a feeling the next book will be super explosive, which is encouraging to think about, but I do wish this book had invested more time in being entertaining and making the characters feel a bit more genuine. Will this be worth it? Only time will tell.

Alas, a Pynch quote to soothe your worries and finish this muddled review!

Ronan didn’t care to think about this. It gave him the same vibe he used to get back at the Barns some nights, when he got trapped in one particular train of thought, where he imagined he and Adam had been together a very long time and then Ronan died of old age or bad choices and Adam found someone else and later they all three were reunited in the afterlife, and rather than getting to spend the rest of eternity together, Adam had to split his time between Ronan and this stupid usurper he’d fallen in love with as a widower, which completely ruined the point of Heaven. And that was before Ronan even got to worrying if Adam made it to the afterlife at all, with his agnostic tendencies.

Until next year or whenever the next one is released. Bye dudes.
...........................

*Keeping this, because it's a gem.*

Maggie, do you realise if you put more Ronan and Adam in this book then you will be financially stable forevermore since I will (a) pay all of your bills, (b)do everything you ask, (c) busk and sing Squash Song on the streets just to earn a pittance for more Pynch content?

Just saying.

(Obligatory mention that this is some sexy cover)
]]> 31373240
Niall and Mór escaped their homeland for a new start, and lost themselves in what they found.

Declan has grown up as the responsible son, the responsible brother--only to find there is no way for him to keep his family safe.

Ronan has always lived on the edge between dreams and waking... but now that edge is gone, and he is falling.

Matthew has been the happy child, the brightest beam. But rebellion beckons, because it all feels like an illusion now.

This world was not made for such a family--a family with the power to make a world and break it. If they cannot save each other or themselves, we are all doomed.]]> 336 Maggie Stiefvater 1338188410 Unknown Reviews 0 to-read 4.28 2022
author: Maggie Stiefvater
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/07/10
shelves: to-read
review:
I don't really know what's happening in this series anymore, but I am still choosing to believe it leads to a Pynch marriage, hooray.
]]> 14061957 Alternative Cover Edition #1

The capital has fallen.

The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.

Now the nation's fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.

Deep in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must submit to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who worship her as a Saint. Yet her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives.

Alina will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and Mal race to find the last of Morozova's amplifiers. But as she begins to unravel the Darkling's secrets, she reveals a past that will forever alter her understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields. The firebird is the one thing that stands between Ravka and destruction—and claiming it could cost Alina the very future she’s fighting for.]]> 350 Leigh Bardugo Unknown Reviews 4
Review to come!]]> 3.97 2014
author: Leigh Bardugo
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2021/06/25
date added: 2021/06/25
shelves:
review:
Knocks the other books in the trilogy out of the park. Bardugo is finally on form.

Review to come!
]]> 31373184 The dreamers walk among us . . . and so do the dreamed. Those who dream cannot stop dreaming �� they can only try to control it. Those who are dreamed cannot have their own lives �� they will sleep forever if their dreamers die.

And then there are those who are drawn to the dreamers. To use them. To trap them. To kill them before their dreams destroy us all.

Ronan Lynch is a dreamer. He can pull both curiosities and catastrophes out of his dreams and into his compromised reality.

Jordan Hennessy is a thief. The closer she comes to the dream object she is after, the more inextricably she becomes tied to it.

Carmen Farooq-Lane is a hunter. Her brother was a dreamer . . . and a killer. She has seen what dreaming can do to a person. And she has seen the damage that dreamers can do. But that is nothing compared to the destruction that is about to be unleashed. . . .]]> 472 Maggie Stiefvater 1338188321 Unknown Reviews 3
Call Down The Hawk is a spin-off focused on Ronan Lynch �� a boy with the ability to bring anything he wishes back from his dreams �� and how he is coping without his friends, who have gone on a year-long road trip, and his boyfriend Adam, who has traded his small town life for Harvard University. Meanwhile, another dreamer, Hennessey, is trying to cope with the terrors her head manifests while a woman named Carmen Farooq Lane is on search for more people like Ronan/Hennessey �� after all, the world’s going to end and it can only be because of dreamers, right?

I came into Call Down the Hawk with lowered expectations. I was warned by other readers that this would be a very different tone to the Raven Cycle �� which honestly, I was fine with, considering the underwhelming finish to the series. But I was still intrigued to pick this series up because 1. I love the characters, 2. The writing is superb, and 3. Steifvater’s brain is literally a goldmine for magical, quirky and original stories. There is no limit in regards to imagination when it comes to dreamers since they can literally manifest anything they want. And yes, the tone was different from The Raven Cycle �� but when was different meant to be boring?

The weakest part for me with The Raven Cycle was the plot, or the lack of it at least. This apparently is a trait in her other books, so I came into Call Down the Hawk for the writing, characters and world more than anything. Unfortunately, The Raven Cycle made up for this lack of plot with its characters, who are beloved by most readers I’ve met. Call Down the Hawk does not contain the chemistry or the brilliant characters that made the original series. The dialogue, the relationships, most of it fell flat. This book also happens to contain possibly the blandest character by Steifvater since the villain in the The Raven Boys. What was his name? I can’t really remember. But I felt his characterisation was better done than Farooq-Lane’s, and we got to spend a lot more time with her, unfortunately.

I suppose she’s a good place to start with, since her story was the only one expanded the world. Carmen Farooq-Lane is working to save the world by finding dreamers who will eventually be murdered by one of her co-workers. She’s charged with taking care of a Visionary �� someone who can see the future �� to find more dreamers. Sounds kind of fun, maybe, until you realise what a bland character both her and the Visionary, Parsifal Bauer, are. And the amount of page time, they took up. Once again, it’s a case of 1. Finish a good chapter, 2. Flip the page, 3. Groan when you see who it is.

I can barely describe her or Parsifal. Were they supposed to be funny? Make us care for them? No, they were boring and they stayed boring. It didn’t help that their storyline was possibly the only one with real relevance to the bigger plot.

A character(s) I can say I did get intrigued in was Jordan and Hennessey. Hennessey’s a dreamer who doesn’t want to dream. Every time she does, she gets a little closer to death, or something else. I don’t think I can go into detail without spoiling anything, so I’ll just say she was farrrrrr better than Farooq-Lane and Parsifal, though honestly, that bar is lower than my foot.

And Ronan Lynch. What to say? I feel like people may not like me for this, but I was kind of indifferent to him in this book? Ronan was always probably my second favourite, overshadowed by Adam Parrish, but in this book…I just don’t think he was as interesting as he used to be. Maybe it’s that he’s more mature, or older, though he still seemed young to me. I suppose interesting things did happen to Ronan �� his dreams for me were always highlights �� some of them encounters with a very interesting figure named Bryde, and those encounters just happened to be my favourite part of the book. It’s just with re-treaded inner monologue after inner monologue, I’m waiting for something different, something as captivating as the Ronan I used to know. A book can’t always survive on the complexities of thoughts, and I guess I just expected bigger things for him than what happened. And that can easily be resolved in the next book �� but then what exactly was the point of this one then, other than establishing other characters that had more intriguing backgrounds?

Adam, was actually in this more than I thought he was, which is always welcome. Once again, the chemistry between the two of them didn’t hit for me the way it used to. It could be down to his brief appearances, or the fact we don’t get Adam’s perspective, which I love. Ultimately, I still think the two of them are a #1 Power Couple, but it just wasn’t shown in this book, which I guess is fair enough, since one of Ronan’s biggest issues is the distance between him and Adam.

Declan and Matthew, Ronan’s brothers, also get more focus in this book, but once again, it’s only a so-so deal. Declan’s probably up there with Hennessey, and possibly more interesting than Ronan in this book. Matthew, I find boring and underdeveloped, personally. The “he’s so lovable�� trick gets old after a little while, along with Declan’s “he’s so boring.��

Personally, I think I’ll keep this review short, since now that I think of it, there isn’t really much to say. Not much actually happened in this book, and the bigger things that I wanted to see, were always a promise of “later�� a.k.a “in the next book.�� I love the swirling mystery and magic of Maggie’s writing, but there just wasn't much to justify my interest in this book. The characters were only okay, the plot was uninteresting, not much got done, and the chemistry/natural dialogue/humor/relationships were missing. When it comes to the characters, the book feels kind of dry, maybe soulless.

As I said, the writing was supreme and as intriguing as ever, but how long can a series run without plot? There were some really cool angles and twists opened up towards the end of the book and I will pick up the next one up out of loyalty and hope more than anything. It’s just this book literally could have no limits when it comes to plots, and yet it felt more mundane than I expected. Mentions of the Gangsey were fun (no mention of Noah, or Henry though). Maybe I would’ve liked this more if it were shorter, since the length seemed about 20,000 words too much. I considered taking a break between The Raven Cycle and this, but I’m glad I didn’t let my hope build up. Such a shame, because there is a lot of good in here, but it’s just too long and overdrawn.

My final thoughts. Don’t read this without reading The Raven Cycle first. This does not work as a “you can pick me up without knowing anything�� book. If you were disappointed with The Raven King, you’ll probably be disappointed for this. If you’re here for the writing, world, and characters as I am, the latter unfortunately does not deliver, but the other two definitely do.
Maybe others will like it, but for me the word is “underwhelming.��

(I may edit this later, as I am alarmed by the length of the review. It seems weird how so little stuck out to me.)]]> 4.24 2019
author: Maggie Stiefvater
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2020/10/10
date added: 2021/06/08
shelves:
review:
Over the past year, I’ve become quite immersed in Maggie’s Stiefvater’s writing, enough to say The Dream Thieves has become one of my favourite books of all time. Unfortunately, since said book, I’ve felt a downward trend in what once contained a lot of love and magic for me.

Call Down The Hawk is a spin-off focused on Ronan Lynch �� a boy with the ability to bring anything he wishes back from his dreams �� and how he is coping without his friends, who have gone on a year-long road trip, and his boyfriend Adam, who has traded his small town life for Harvard University. Meanwhile, another dreamer, Hennessey, is trying to cope with the terrors her head manifests while a woman named Carmen Farooq Lane is on search for more people like Ronan/Hennessey �� after all, the world’s going to end and it can only be because of dreamers, right?

I came into Call Down the Hawk with lowered expectations. I was warned by other readers that this would be a very different tone to the Raven Cycle �� which honestly, I was fine with, considering the underwhelming finish to the series. But I was still intrigued to pick this series up because 1. I love the characters, 2. The writing is superb, and 3. Steifvater’s brain is literally a goldmine for magical, quirky and original stories. There is no limit in regards to imagination when it comes to dreamers since they can literally manifest anything they want. And yes, the tone was different from The Raven Cycle �� but when was different meant to be boring?

The weakest part for me with The Raven Cycle was the plot, or the lack of it at least. This apparently is a trait in her other books, so I came into Call Down the Hawk for the writing, characters and world more than anything. Unfortunately, The Raven Cycle made up for this lack of plot with its characters, who are beloved by most readers I’ve met. Call Down the Hawk does not contain the chemistry or the brilliant characters that made the original series. The dialogue, the relationships, most of it fell flat. This book also happens to contain possibly the blandest character by Steifvater since the villain in the The Raven Boys. What was his name? I can’t really remember. But I felt his characterisation was better done than Farooq-Lane’s, and we got to spend a lot more time with her, unfortunately.

I suppose she’s a good place to start with, since her story was the only one expanded the world. Carmen Farooq-Lane is working to save the world by finding dreamers who will eventually be murdered by one of her co-workers. She’s charged with taking care of a Visionary �� someone who can see the future �� to find more dreamers. Sounds kind of fun, maybe, until you realise what a bland character both her and the Visionary, Parsifal Bauer, are. And the amount of page time, they took up. Once again, it’s a case of 1. Finish a good chapter, 2. Flip the page, 3. Groan when you see who it is.

I can barely describe her or Parsifal. Were they supposed to be funny? Make us care for them? No, they were boring and they stayed boring. It didn’t help that their storyline was possibly the only one with real relevance to the bigger plot.

A character(s) I can say I did get intrigued in was Jordan and Hennessey. Hennessey’s a dreamer who doesn’t want to dream. Every time she does, she gets a little closer to death, or something else. I don’t think I can go into detail without spoiling anything, so I’ll just say she was farrrrrr better than Farooq-Lane and Parsifal, though honestly, that bar is lower than my foot.

And Ronan Lynch. What to say? I feel like people may not like me for this, but I was kind of indifferent to him in this book? Ronan was always probably my second favourite, overshadowed by Adam Parrish, but in this book…I just don’t think he was as interesting as he used to be. Maybe it’s that he’s more mature, or older, though he still seemed young to me. I suppose interesting things did happen to Ronan �� his dreams for me were always highlights �� some of them encounters with a very interesting figure named Bryde, and those encounters just happened to be my favourite part of the book. It’s just with re-treaded inner monologue after inner monologue, I’m waiting for something different, something as captivating as the Ronan I used to know. A book can’t always survive on the complexities of thoughts, and I guess I just expected bigger things for him than what happened. And that can easily be resolved in the next book �� but then what exactly was the point of this one then, other than establishing other characters that had more intriguing backgrounds?

Adam, was actually in this more than I thought he was, which is always welcome. Once again, the chemistry between the two of them didn’t hit for me the way it used to. It could be down to his brief appearances, or the fact we don’t get Adam’s perspective, which I love. Ultimately, I still think the two of them are a #1 Power Couple, but it just wasn’t shown in this book, which I guess is fair enough, since one of Ronan’s biggest issues is the distance between him and Adam.

Declan and Matthew, Ronan’s brothers, also get more focus in this book, but once again, it’s only a so-so deal. Declan’s probably up there with Hennessey, and possibly more interesting than Ronan in this book. Matthew, I find boring and underdeveloped, personally. The “he’s so lovable�� trick gets old after a little while, along with Declan’s “he’s so boring.��

Personally, I think I’ll keep this review short, since now that I think of it, there isn’t really much to say. Not much actually happened in this book, and the bigger things that I wanted to see, were always a promise of “later�� a.k.a “in the next book.�� I love the swirling mystery and magic of Maggie’s writing, but there just wasn't much to justify my interest in this book. The characters were only okay, the plot was uninteresting, not much got done, and the chemistry/natural dialogue/humor/relationships were missing. When it comes to the characters, the book feels kind of dry, maybe soulless.

As I said, the writing was supreme and as intriguing as ever, but how long can a series run without plot? There were some really cool angles and twists opened up towards the end of the book and I will pick up the next one up out of loyalty and hope more than anything. It’s just this book literally could have no limits when it comes to plots, and yet it felt more mundane than I expected. Mentions of the Gangsey were fun (no mention of Noah, or Henry though). Maybe I would’ve liked this more if it were shorter, since the length seemed about 20,000 words too much. I considered taking a break between The Raven Cycle and this, but I’m glad I didn’t let my hope build up. Such a shame, because there is a lot of good in here, but it’s just too long and overdrawn.

My final thoughts. Don’t read this without reading The Raven Cycle first. This does not work as a “you can pick me up without knowing anything�� book. If you were disappointed with The Raven King, you’ll probably be disappointed for this. If you’re here for the writing, world, and characters as I am, the latter unfortunately does not deliver, but the other two definitely do.
Maybe others will like it, but for me the word is “underwhelming.��

(I may edit this later, as I am alarmed by the length of the review. It seems weird how so little stuck out to me.)
]]> 26032887 The enchanting and bloodthirsty sequel to the New York Times bestselling novel The Cruel Prince.

You must be strong enough to strike and strike and strike again without tiring.

The first lesson is to make yourself strong.

After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.

When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.]]> 336 Holly Black 0316310336 Unknown Reviews 4 3.5

I’m really wondering am I reading the same series as everyone else.

I was so excited to get my hands upon The Wicked King, even if The Cruel Prince proved only an okay start. I was constantly re-assured that The Wicked King would be the book that made me fall in love with the series. And while I did love Cardan and Jude’s relationship (or what we saw of it), I found the rest of the book to be lacking.

After gaining control over throne, Jude must do everything it takes to maintain power until her brother is of age. However, it doesn’t help when a traitor appears on the horizon, threatening to undo all of her work and her feelings for Cardan slowly start to bleed into her personal and political life.

(It’s been six weeks since I’ve read this and you can tell I’ve not put effort into this summary.)

Anyway, I’ll start with my characters as I tend to. I liked Jude so much in this book. I’ll admit, the first book I was on the fence with her, but here she’s so competent and capable, she had me blown away without ever turning into a Mary Sue. Jude gets things done. She plans the schemes, figures out the schemes, is literally a badass the entire book. At this stage, I’m willing to fight anyone who says “but she’s unlikeable.�� She is an anti-heroine and I love it.

Secondly, Cardan? Bring these two together and the tension we get? Cardan + Jude are the best part of this series. I think why they win is because they are both nasty characters �� there’s no unbalanced bad boy, good girl or vice versa. Not to mention, they’re acknowledging of this relationship. They don’t skirt around it the entire book, thinking “oh he/she’s so good-looking, but of course I can’t think of them like that.�� But it doesn’t take up the bulk of the story either. The priority is always the politics, so while Cardan and Jude does take a backseat (I would say, at least), you always feel the intensity of their relationship. Like, chapter 15? The is probably the only time I’ve ever responded to one of “those�� scenes with an “okay, I don’t mind it.��

However, the cons? Cardan and Jude take a backseat.

I’ll be evolving here from the characters into the wider plot, since I’m not really sure how I felt about it. The thing is, it’s been six weeks and while my feelings at the time were uncertain, I don’t remember much of the plot which probably means not much stuck out to me. I think my issues lie in how convoluted it feels �� there’s always a scheme dominating another scheme, and while political alliances shift, after a while it gets complicated to work out who’s on whose side. I don’t think it worked out as well in the first half of this book, but then I felt it was pulled through by a much stronger second half in terms of tying things up and connecting them together.

I suppose I came into this series really for Jude and Cardan, and it’s worked �� I do ship them as a couple. However, I hope The Queen of Nothing satisfies my urge to see more of them together since I don’t feel I’ve got enough of them. My hopes aren’t honestly too high considering how the book ended, but that draws back to the world of the book.

I still feel the land of Faerie is still kind of thinly sketched out. It wasn’t excellent in the first book either, and while I did receive more here (the Undersea being the best addition), I’m not as invested in it as I am Jude and Cardan. There’s still excellent, nasty elements there and I have to praise Black for daring to be more unique with her world and magic system (the treatment of Heather stands out to me). She did really knock out the ending, I believe, even if I feel it ended abruptly with its cliff hanger. I do enjoy the contrast of the human world and faerie, the politics for the most part, and of course, the main relationship, but I still find the series to be unremarkable, if not original.

I think the bulk of problems lie in characters other than Jude and Cardan. Some, I find to be quite two-dimensional and others, there is so much unpredictability it’s hard to hammer down their actual personalities. Once again, this could be an intentional trait on Black’s part, but I don’t love it as it leads to a lot of rug-pulling which doesn’t always feels earned. Like, I think the core message here is don’t trust anyone, but Jude continues to do so even when I think “Girl, come on. You’ve been betrayed about five times.��

To sum it, I think the series is serviceable and quite unique for YA, but I’m just not connecting with it. I think it feels too disjointed as a whole to work for me.

However, I was talking to a girl last week who’s a big YA fan and guess what? She thought it was only alright too. Maybe I’m not alone, but I would love for this series to have a special place in my heart as it does for many others.]]> 4.27 2019
author: Holly Black
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2021/04/16
date added: 2021/06/08
shelves: 3-5-stars, 2021-reads, fantasy, female-author, magical, ya-reads, fae, we-love-the-romance
review:
3.5

I’m really wondering am I reading the same series as everyone else.

I was so excited to get my hands upon The Wicked King, even if The Cruel Prince proved only an okay start. I was constantly re-assured that The Wicked King would be the book that made me fall in love with the series. And while I did love Cardan and Jude’s relationship (or what we saw of it), I found the rest of the book to be lacking.

After gaining control over throne, Jude must do everything it takes to maintain power until her brother is of age. However, it doesn’t help when a traitor appears on the horizon, threatening to undo all of her work and her feelings for Cardan slowly start to bleed into her personal and political life.

(It’s been six weeks since I’ve read this and you can tell I’ve not put effort into this summary.)

Anyway, I’ll start with my characters as I tend to. I liked Jude so much in this book. I’ll admit, the first book I was on the fence with her, but here she’s so competent and capable, she had me blown away without ever turning into a Mary Sue. Jude gets things done. She plans the schemes, figures out the schemes, is literally a badass the entire book. At this stage, I’m willing to fight anyone who says “but she’s unlikeable.�� She is an anti-heroine and I love it.

Secondly, Cardan? Bring these two together and the tension we get? Cardan + Jude are the best part of this series. I think why they win is because they are both nasty characters �� there’s no unbalanced bad boy, good girl or vice versa. Not to mention, they’re acknowledging of this relationship. They don’t skirt around it the entire book, thinking “oh he/she’s so good-looking, but of course I can’t think of them like that.�� But it doesn’t take up the bulk of the story either. The priority is always the politics, so while Cardan and Jude does take a backseat (I would say, at least), you always feel the intensity of their relationship. Like, chapter 15? The is probably the only time I’ve ever responded to one of “those�� scenes with an “okay, I don’t mind it.��

However, the cons? Cardan and Jude take a backseat.

I’ll be evolving here from the characters into the wider plot, since I’m not really sure how I felt about it. The thing is, it’s been six weeks and while my feelings at the time were uncertain, I don’t remember much of the plot which probably means not much stuck out to me. I think my issues lie in how convoluted it feels �� there’s always a scheme dominating another scheme, and while political alliances shift, after a while it gets complicated to work out who’s on whose side. I don’t think it worked out as well in the first half of this book, but then I felt it was pulled through by a much stronger second half in terms of tying things up and connecting them together.

I suppose I came into this series really for Jude and Cardan, and it’s worked �� I do ship them as a couple. However, I hope The Queen of Nothing satisfies my urge to see more of them together since I don’t feel I’ve got enough of them. My hopes aren’t honestly too high considering how the book ended, but that draws back to the world of the book.

I still feel the land of Faerie is still kind of thinly sketched out. It wasn’t excellent in the first book either, and while I did receive more here (the Undersea being the best addition), I’m not as invested in it as I am Jude and Cardan. There’s still excellent, nasty elements there and I have to praise Black for daring to be more unique with her world and magic system (the treatment of Heather stands out to me). She did really knock out the ending, I believe, even if I feel it ended abruptly with its cliff hanger. I do enjoy the contrast of the human world and faerie, the politics for the most part, and of course, the main relationship, but I still find the series to be unremarkable, if not original.

I think the bulk of problems lie in characters other than Jude and Cardan. Some, I find to be quite two-dimensional and others, there is so much unpredictability it’s hard to hammer down their actual personalities. Once again, this could be an intentional trait on Black’s part, but I don’t love it as it leads to a lot of rug-pulling which doesn’t always feels earned. Like, I think the core message here is don’t trust anyone, but Jude continues to do so even when I think “Girl, come on. You’ve been betrayed about five times.��

To sum it, I think the series is serviceable and quite unique for YA, but I’m just not connecting with it. I think it feels too disjointed as a whole to work for me.

However, I was talking to a girl last week who’s a big YA fan and guess what? She thought it was only alright too. Maybe I’m not alone, but I would love for this series to have a special place in my heart as it does for many others.
]]> 11250317
Profoundly moving and breathtakingly original, this rendering of the epic Trojan War is a dazzling feat of the imagination, a devastating love story, and an almighty battle between gods and kings, peace and glory, immortal fame and the human heart.]]> 352 Madeline Miller 1408816032 Unknown Reviews 4
Patroclus, a young prince, has been exiled from his kingdom after a tragic accident. Moving to the court of King Peleus, he meets his son, Achilles. Achilles is golden, perfect, a god in the making. Yet, when he takes interest in Patroclus, a bond between the two boys is formed, deeper and more intense than anyone can imagine.

There really is something about Miller’s writing. I was captivated by her prose while simultaneously being infinitely jealous of it. She really does have a way with words. The first half of the book I adored. The growing relationship between Patroclus and Achilles was raw and genuine, two teenage boys slowly become infatuated with each other, but reluctant to admit anything that shows their love. It kind of works that they’re opposites. Patroclus is weak, shy, socially awkward while Achilles is outgoing and beloved by all who meet him. It is technically the adult version of Nerdy Boy gets with Popular boy, but it works. I was really rooting for those first moments between them, especially considering the divide in social status. Achilles is destined for greatness with the potential to evolve from demi-god to god provided he achieves monumental glory. Patroclus is the unwanted exile and thus appears an unworthy match for Achilles, particularly to Thetis, Achille’s mother who is devoid of emotion (I’m not exaggerating. Wow, she is cold).

Watching all this occur as they grow up together makes them a cute couple to follow, at first. I loved the section of the book when they were with Chiron, a centaur, who assured both their skills developed and encouraged the bond between them. But, then of course, I entered the main body and event of the book; The Trojan War.

And I think that’s where I lost interest a bit.

From Chiron out, I somewhat liked and disliked the pacing. There is the gathering up of troops which is quite prompt (besides a few odd excursions which I guess is just Greek Mythology for you?), but then when we drift to the war, it takes up another chunk of the book. The war lasted ten years, so it makes sense that Miller delved into how the lives of the soldiers changed overtime. And the thing is, I found that interesting but at the same time it removed urgency from the book and not much advancement was made. I thought the ending was explosive and excellently done (especially those last few pages), but I didn’t weep though everyone promised me I’d need a tissue box near me when I finished this. Why, I think? Because I never connected to the characters and found them the least interesting aspect of this book.

In theory, I liked them as personas. How Achilles is this stellar, unbreakable demi-god and Patroclus is shy and caring �� those types of people tend to work for me. Unfortunately, I feel they were quite thinly drawn. Patroclus is incredibly passive at the beginning. He has little motivations or desires besides Achilles, and I literally mean all he cares for is Achilles. To me, he felt like someone just narrating the story while not participating in it. He wasn’t witty or interesting, and it was hard to find why Achilles was invested in him. Likewise, I found Achilles to be a symbol of perfection at the beginning. He rarely did wrong or lashed out, and his lack of flaws made him uninteresting.

But then when we move to the Trojan War, this flipped. I grew to like Patroclus more as he assimilated into life at the camp and genuinely went out of his way to help people. I wasn’t as indifferent to him as I was at the beginning and felt he had some form of development. Yet, Achilles slowly grows worse as the book goes on. I understand that’s the point. Even Rick Riordan (the guy whose books I haven’t read yet) pointed out in his review he considers Achilles to be a “brat�� and a “bully,�� before explaining Miller painted Achilles in a new light. Perhaps it’s my unfamiliarity with the source but since I didn’t find Achilles a captivating character at the start, his devolution just looked like a series of bad character choices. The kind you see in films you know, where someone’s stubborn for the sake of being stubborn because the plot requires it. After finishing the book, I texted my friend, and said “Achilles is an idiot.�� They replied, “yes.��

I admit, it’s not necessarily true I have zero knowledge of Greek Mythology. I read a big book years ago and came away with one conclusion; the majority of Greek gods are petty and annoying. So, technically, yes, this book concluded as expected! Ignoring how Achilles�� and Patroclus�� personalities (or lack of them) hindered the plot, I want to go further on and say it sadly also let down the relationship for me. When you have two characters that are quite bland and mesh them together, it’s hard to feel a genuine connection besides being told it through prose. I just wasn’t invested in their relationship and as Achilles�� worsened, I realised I wasn’t sure what this book was giving me. Like I said, it felt like Achilles was being stubborn for the sake of being stubborn. But that is actually just Greek Mythology, so Miller wasn’t being inaccurate in keeping it in. I just think that even ignoring that aspect, the characters weren’t well done. They both mostly remained two-dimensional and as a result, character development for certain events didn’t feel earned.

I don’t know how much of this review makes sense. I do think it’s a good book, but I unfortunately never felt the connection between the characters that I strived to find (besides a beautiful ending). I think I’d re-read at some stage, but less for the relationship and more the prose. I feel this is an unusual opinion, considering the love the book has, and for good reason, but it just didn’t work for me this time! :)
]]> 4.38 2011
author: Madeline Miller
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at: 2021/06/06
date added: 2021/06/08
shelves: 2021-reads, 4-star, female-author, lgbt-reads, characters-were-meh
review:
The Song of Achilles is a book that has been everywhere recently. If I stumble across a Youtube video titled “books I recommend to everyone!�� The Song of Achilles tends to end up in there somewhere. Sadly, my knowledge of Greek mythology is minimal. I haven’t read the Percy Jackson series (yet, I will do it soon, I promise.) And while I didn’t connect with everything in this book, I must admit, I came away in awe of the beauty and the prose I read.

Patroclus, a young prince, has been exiled from his kingdom after a tragic accident. Moving to the court of King Peleus, he meets his son, Achilles. Achilles is golden, perfect, a god in the making. Yet, when he takes interest in Patroclus, a bond between the two boys is formed, deeper and more intense than anyone can imagine.

There really is something about Miller’s writing. I was captivated by her prose while simultaneously being infinitely jealous of it. She really does have a way with words. The first half of the book I adored. The growing relationship between Patroclus and Achilles was raw and genuine, two teenage boys slowly become infatuated with each other, but reluctant to admit anything that shows their love. It kind of works that they’re opposites. Patroclus is weak, shy, socially awkward while Achilles is outgoing and beloved by all who meet him. It is technically the adult version of Nerdy Boy gets with Popular boy, but it works. I was really rooting for those first moments between them, especially considering the divide in social status. Achilles is destined for greatness with the potential to evolve from demi-god to god provided he achieves monumental glory. Patroclus is the unwanted exile and thus appears an unworthy match for Achilles, particularly to Thetis, Achille’s mother who is devoid of emotion (I’m not exaggerating. Wow, she is cold).

Watching all this occur as they grow up together makes them a cute couple to follow, at first. I loved the section of the book when they were with Chiron, a centaur, who assured both their skills developed and encouraged the bond between them. But, then of course, I entered the main body and event of the book; The Trojan War.

And I think that’s where I lost interest a bit.

From Chiron out, I somewhat liked and disliked the pacing. There is the gathering up of troops which is quite prompt (besides a few odd excursions which I guess is just Greek Mythology for you?), but then when we drift to the war, it takes up another chunk of the book. The war lasted ten years, so it makes sense that Miller delved into how the lives of the soldiers changed overtime. And the thing is, I found that interesting but at the same time it removed urgency from the book and not much advancement was made. I thought the ending was explosive and excellently done (especially those last few pages), but I didn’t weep though everyone promised me I’d need a tissue box near me when I finished this. Why, I think? Because I never connected to the characters and found them the least interesting aspect of this book.

In theory, I liked them as personas. How Achilles is this stellar, unbreakable demi-god and Patroclus is shy and caring �� those types of people tend to work for me. Unfortunately, I feel they were quite thinly drawn. Patroclus is incredibly passive at the beginning. He has little motivations or desires besides Achilles, and I literally mean all he cares for is Achilles. To me, he felt like someone just narrating the story while not participating in it. He wasn’t witty or interesting, and it was hard to find why Achilles was invested in him. Likewise, I found Achilles to be a symbol of perfection at the beginning. He rarely did wrong or lashed out, and his lack of flaws made him uninteresting.

But then when we move to the Trojan War, this flipped. I grew to like Patroclus more as he assimilated into life at the camp and genuinely went out of his way to help people. I wasn’t as indifferent to him as I was at the beginning and felt he had some form of development. Yet, Achilles slowly grows worse as the book goes on. I understand that’s the point. Even Rick Riordan (the guy whose books I haven’t read yet) pointed out in his review he considers Achilles to be a “brat�� and a “bully,�� before explaining Miller painted Achilles in a new light. Perhaps it’s my unfamiliarity with the source but since I didn’t find Achilles a captivating character at the start, his devolution just looked like a series of bad character choices. The kind you see in films you know, where someone’s stubborn for the sake of being stubborn because the plot requires it. After finishing the book, I texted my friend, and said “Achilles is an idiot.�� They replied, “yes.��

I admit, it’s not necessarily true I have zero knowledge of Greek Mythology. I read a big book years ago and came away with one conclusion; the majority of Greek gods are petty and annoying. So, technically, yes, this book concluded as expected! Ignoring how Achilles�� and Patroclus�� personalities (or lack of them) hindered the plot, I want to go further on and say it sadly also let down the relationship for me. When you have two characters that are quite bland and mesh them together, it’s hard to feel a genuine connection besides being told it through prose. I just wasn’t invested in their relationship and as Achilles�� worsened, I realised I wasn’t sure what this book was giving me. Like I said, it felt like Achilles was being stubborn for the sake of being stubborn. But that is actually just Greek Mythology, so Miller wasn’t being inaccurate in keeping it in. I just think that even ignoring that aspect, the characters weren’t well done. They both mostly remained two-dimensional and as a result, character development for certain events didn’t feel earned.

I don’t know how much of this review makes sense. I do think it’s a good book, but I unfortunately never felt the connection between the characters that I strived to find (besides a beautiful ending). I think I’d re-read at some stage, but less for the relationship and more the prose. I feel this is an unusual opinion, considering the love the book has, and for good reason, but it just didn’t work for me this time! :)

]]> 26032825 Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.

And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.

Jude was seven when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

As Jude becomes more deeply embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, she discovers her own capacity for trickery and bloodshed. But as betrayal threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.]]> 370 Holly Black 0316310271 Unknown Reviews 3 3.5

I think the most hyped YA book in recent times has either been Six of Crows or The Cruel Prince, so you couldn’t explain how excited I was to finally pick this up. I mean, considering I’m a person who doesn’t search for fan art but still somehow has Jude/Cardan popping up in my feeds indicates the fan base for this book is off the charts.

And after reading it…it only turned out to be okay?

The book starts decently. Decently as in there's two murders and three children, Jude, Taryn and Vivi are taken to the magical Faerie where all sorts of mythical creatures roam the land, including the beautiful, cruel fae. Fast forward a decade or so, and Jude, now seventeen, longs to become strong, powerful - one of the fae, really, if it means she can be more than mortal. Relentlessly bullied by Prince Cardan and his friends, Jude will fight for her status even if means becoming a spy in and putting her life on the line to find out the land’s darkest secrets.

Starting with the positives, this book is wonderfully weird for YA. I don’t really have anything against Sarah J Maas�� fae, but Black’s fae are just so magical She has no problem piping in creatures with skin every colour of the rainbow, or tails, or a cat’s head. You name it, there’s probably some version of it there. There’s little character quirks which come from actual mythology; Jude has to wear a necklace made of berries to avoid spells, do rituals three times, put salt in food etc. And it’s very appropriate because these characters can get very nasty.

Fae can’t lie, but they can glamour humans into doing anything they wish and Black has no problem playing with this power. Fae often kidnap humans from their world and work them as slaves in their homes, sometimes not returning them and just letting exhaustion kill them instead. The horror of this is never dimmed down and makes it very clear why Jude is so on edge all the time. Even the children are raised to use this ability without mercy �� Jude’s brother, Oak, once made her play with him using his magic, and when he got bored, he made herself slap her face as hard as she could for hours. Even though he was only a child not understanding the consequences, it’s incredibly unnerving to picture a girl repeatedly hit herself with tears in her eyes and a smile on her face.

Jude is a character who I’ve seen disliked a bit when it comes to discussion. She is ambitious, as cruel as the title, lusting unendingly for power. Jude isn’t a good person but that’s what makes her so interesting. In YA, you tend to get two heroines �� (a) insecure, doesn’t know she’s pretty but will lead armies/ be face of rebellion or (b) sassy, boisterous, confident to the point of being annoying. I’m not brushing off the other, unique, wonderful female leads we have in YA, it’s just the two I named are the most common. Jude is, in my opinion, unlikeable because of her capacity for violence and greed, but it’s so understandable why she is that way. I also think it’s funny how the argument for messier YA leads keep coming up, Jude is presented and then people complain she’s too messy. I do think female leads get more flack than their male counterparts, but that’s something that will hopefully change with time. I can say for now, while I didn’t love Jude, I still thought she was an interesting character (besides the rants about not wanting to be human which came up maybe one, two, many times).

The rest of the characters…eek. They all felt flat. Like they’re interesting in theory, but it feels as if Black sketched out their plot points, wrote them, but didn’t inject much personality. This goes for Vivi, Taryn (ugh, Taryn, she’s the worst), Dain, Locke. Character consistency changed frequently, leaving me unsure who a person actually was. And maybe that’s the point, but every character? It stops being clever writing and ends up infuriating. I’ve seen this intentional trick done for Where The Crawdads Sing, Normal People, and now this. That the author wrote it this way specifically for something unconvincing reason. No, guys, lack of characterisation is not mysterious, it’s just bad writing.

When I mentioned all the other characters besides Jude being inconsistent or one dimensional, I also meant �� sigh �� Cardan.

I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I know this has offended a million fans hearts. It’s just�� Cardan starts the book bullying Jude. This has apparently been going on for years. Threats of violence, humiliation, and his friends actually carry these things out. So, first, I couldn’t get on board. This abusive guy is the main love interest? But then I conceded, their relationship must grow infinitely during The Wicked King and this series would’ve been the ultimate enemies to lovers.

Except during the second half, he feels like a different guy.

We see why he’s this way, and what he’s actually been doing with Jude this but suddenly the intrigue is gone. I’m not vouching for abusive relationships in books, but had Black kept the original tangent of their hateful relationship, when it would grow and get better, it would’ve been so satisfying to see. Instead we jumped bounds in their relationship which I genuinely thought were out of character, ridiculous, and firmly belonged in the second or third book.

I wanted this book to be the romance I finally got behind and low-key stanned. The Cruel Prince did not deliver this relationship and I’m not sure it will either in future books.

Besides that, I think the worst part of this book was the plot. Like the characters, it’s very inconsistent. Now, I’m actually pretty good for avoiding spoilers and what I thought would happen in this book is:
1. A girl raised as a second class citizen in Fairy land becomes a spy for/ against said Cruel Prince, Carden.
2. The ultimate enemies to lovers romance.
3. A very entertaining, shocking plot.
(Does that sound like a book that’s more fun? Because it kind of is)

In future, I must lower my expectations since the pacing and plot were as bland as the characters. Jude becoming a spy actually felt very secondary to the plot. The “training�� was one of those trainings where it happened in a few lines. I think it only came in properly, twice? maybe. And the clues that we got for twists were very unfair. The reader couldn’t have worked them out. This isn’t the book I’d read again and think “ah, I can’t believe I missed this.�� I did miss these “twists�� because Black’s clues were too vague to be picked up by even a cryptologist.

Remembering the book, I can’t think what exactly the main plot was. Everything is too disjointed to connect cohesively. There’s fun moments in this book (trips to the human world, the cost of magic, the ball). This felt like a sample and the epilogue felt completely flat for me. It’s a strong case of “buy the sequel for answers!�� No, I stand by my belief that books should be able to work as standalones, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone being a good example, Legend by Marie Lu being a bad one.

My last point (for now) is the general world building wasn’t good either. It is very magical and wonderful to read, but I got lost on the number/names of courts and people. I don’t know the difference between Seelie and Unseelie. Also, I enjoyed how casual the weirdness of it was, but I want more on cat-headed people or mermaids or trolls. Where do they live? What are their lives like? There isn’t any development on this in the book. I’m equally as uninformed about the magic and knowing this book ���dzܱ���’v�� been so much better for these things, it’s disappointing.

I can’t lie and say I didn’t enjoy this because I did. It’s easy to read, has little nasty shocks, nice twists, and is pretty fun. It felt like a fast food book rather than a full meal, but I can see how it might evolve to a three courser in the next two books. All the ingredients are there, it’s just the recipe that’s missing. My best bet? Cardan, if done correctly, may save the next two books and change my mind.

So, my fingers are crossed. Just a little ;)

Final thoughts: The book started strong, continued weakly, peaked, and fell utterly flat at the end with inconsistent pacing and characters. The writing and nasty world (when it was mentioned) was wonderful, and the book does have an addictive, magical quality to it. I can see why people love it so dearly, and hopefully in time, I will too.]]> 4.01 2018
author: Holly Black
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2020/09/22
date added: 2021/04/12
shelves: but-it-s-stayed-with-me, fantasy, ya-reads, 3-5-stars, magical, world-building
review:
3.5

I think the most hyped YA book in recent times has either been Six of Crows or The Cruel Prince, so you couldn’t explain how excited I was to finally pick this up. I mean, considering I’m a person who doesn’t search for fan art but still somehow has Jude/Cardan popping up in my feeds indicates the fan base for this book is off the charts.

And after reading it…it only turned out to be okay?

The book starts decently. Decently as in there's two murders and three children, Jude, Taryn and Vivi are taken to the magical Faerie where all sorts of mythical creatures roam the land, including the beautiful, cruel fae. Fast forward a decade or so, and Jude, now seventeen, longs to become strong, powerful - one of the fae, really, if it means she can be more than mortal. Relentlessly bullied by Prince Cardan and his friends, Jude will fight for her status even if means becoming a spy in and putting her life on the line to find out the land’s darkest secrets.

Starting with the positives, this book is wonderfully weird for YA. I don’t really have anything against Sarah J Maas�� fae, but Black’s fae are just so magical She has no problem piping in creatures with skin every colour of the rainbow, or tails, or a cat’s head. You name it, there’s probably some version of it there. There’s little character quirks which come from actual mythology; Jude has to wear a necklace made of berries to avoid spells, do rituals three times, put salt in food etc. And it’s very appropriate because these characters can get very nasty.

Fae can’t lie, but they can glamour humans into doing anything they wish and Black has no problem playing with this power. Fae often kidnap humans from their world and work them as slaves in their homes, sometimes not returning them and just letting exhaustion kill them instead. The horror of this is never dimmed down and makes it very clear why Jude is so on edge all the time. Even the children are raised to use this ability without mercy �� Jude’s brother, Oak, once made her play with him using his magic, and when he got bored, he made herself slap her face as hard as she could for hours. Even though he was only a child not understanding the consequences, it’s incredibly unnerving to picture a girl repeatedly hit herself with tears in her eyes and a smile on her face.

Jude is a character who I’ve seen disliked a bit when it comes to discussion. She is ambitious, as cruel as the title, lusting unendingly for power. Jude isn’t a good person but that’s what makes her so interesting. In YA, you tend to get two heroines �� (a) insecure, doesn’t know she’s pretty but will lead armies/ be face of rebellion or (b) sassy, boisterous, confident to the point of being annoying. I’m not brushing off the other, unique, wonderful female leads we have in YA, it’s just the two I named are the most common. Jude is, in my opinion, unlikeable because of her capacity for violence and greed, but it’s so understandable why she is that way. I also think it’s funny how the argument for messier YA leads keep coming up, Jude is presented and then people complain she’s too messy. I do think female leads get more flack than their male counterparts, but that’s something that will hopefully change with time. I can say for now, while I didn’t love Jude, I still thought she was an interesting character (besides the rants about not wanting to be human which came up maybe one, two, many times).

The rest of the characters…eek. They all felt flat. Like they’re interesting in theory, but it feels as if Black sketched out their plot points, wrote them, but didn’t inject much personality. This goes for Vivi, Taryn (ugh, Taryn, she’s the worst), Dain, Locke. Character consistency changed frequently, leaving me unsure who a person actually was. And maybe that’s the point, but every character? It stops being clever writing and ends up infuriating. I’ve seen this intentional trick done for Where The Crawdads Sing, Normal People, and now this. That the author wrote it this way specifically for something unconvincing reason. No, guys, lack of characterisation is not mysterious, it’s just bad writing.

When I mentioned all the other characters besides Jude being inconsistent or one dimensional, I also meant �� sigh �� Cardan.

I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I know this has offended a million fans hearts. It’s just�� Cardan starts the book bullying Jude. This has apparently been going on for years. Threats of violence, humiliation, and his friends actually carry these things out. So, first, I couldn’t get on board. This abusive guy is the main love interest? But then I conceded, their relationship must grow infinitely during The Wicked King and this series would’ve been the ultimate enemies to lovers.

Except during the second half, he feels like a different guy.

We see why he’s this way, and what he’s actually been doing with Jude this but suddenly the intrigue is gone. I’m not vouching for abusive relationships in books, but had Black kept the original tangent of their hateful relationship, when it would grow and get better, it would’ve been so satisfying to see. Instead we jumped bounds in their relationship which I genuinely thought were out of character, ridiculous, and firmly belonged in the second or third book.

I wanted this book to be the romance I finally got behind and low-key stanned. The Cruel Prince did not deliver this relationship and I’m not sure it will either in future books.

Besides that, I think the worst part of this book was the plot. Like the characters, it’s very inconsistent. Now, I’m actually pretty good for avoiding spoilers and what I thought would happen in this book is:
1. A girl raised as a second class citizen in Fairy land becomes a spy for/ against said Cruel Prince, Carden.
2. The ultimate enemies to lovers romance.
3. A very entertaining, shocking plot.
(Does that sound like a book that’s more fun? Because it kind of is)

In future, I must lower my expectations since the pacing and plot were as bland as the characters. Jude becoming a spy actually felt very secondary to the plot. The “training�� was one of those trainings where it happened in a few lines. I think it only came in properly, twice? maybe. And the clues that we got for twists were very unfair. The reader couldn’t have worked them out. This isn’t the book I’d read again and think “ah, I can’t believe I missed this.�� I did miss these “twists�� because Black’s clues were too vague to be picked up by even a cryptologist.

Remembering the book, I can’t think what exactly the main plot was. Everything is too disjointed to connect cohesively. There’s fun moments in this book (trips to the human world, the cost of magic, the ball). This felt like a sample and the epilogue felt completely flat for me. It’s a strong case of “buy the sequel for answers!�� No, I stand by my belief that books should be able to work as standalones, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone being a good example, Legend by Marie Lu being a bad one.

My last point (for now) is the general world building wasn’t good either. It is very magical and wonderful to read, but I got lost on the number/names of courts and people. I don’t know the difference between Seelie and Unseelie. Also, I enjoyed how casual the weirdness of it was, but I want more on cat-headed people or mermaids or trolls. Where do they live? What are their lives like? There isn’t any development on this in the book. I’m equally as uninformed about the magic and knowing this book ���dzܱ���’v�� been so much better for these things, it’s disappointing.

I can’t lie and say I didn’t enjoy this because I did. It’s easy to read, has little nasty shocks, nice twists, and is pretty fun. It felt like a fast food book rather than a full meal, but I can see how it might evolve to a three courser in the next two books. All the ingredients are there, it’s just the recipe that’s missing. My best bet? Cardan, if done correctly, may save the next two books and change my mind.

So, my fingers are crossed. Just a little ;)

Final thoughts: The book started strong, continued weakly, peaked, and fell utterly flat at the end with inconsistent pacing and characters. The writing and nasty world (when it was mentioned) was wonderful, and the book does have an addictive, magical quality to it. I can see why people love it so dearly, and hopefully in time, I will too.
]]> 40024139 Bound as one to love, honor, or burn.

Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned.

Sworn to the Church as a Chasseur, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. His path was never meant to cross with Lou's, but a wicked stunt forces them into an impossible union—holy matrimony.

The war between witches and Church is an ancient one, and Lou's most dangerous enemies bring a fate worse than fire. Unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, a choice must be made.

And love makes fools of us all.

This is a previously published edition of ISBN 9780062878021. An alternate cover edition can be found here.]]> 513 Shelby Mahurin Unknown Reviews 3 really like books with cheesy romances? Do I really like characters that seem to be carbon copies of other YA heroes/heroines? Do I really care about a book that focuses less on plot and instead on fast, flimsy fun?

Well according to Serpent and Dove, yes.

Lou is a witch who’s trying to escape her past in the city of Cesarine, Belterra which is definitely not France. Reid, is a Chasseur, a witch hunter who’s only goal in life is to kill witches. After an altercation goes slightly out of hand, the Archbishop of the Chasseurs sees only one way for Reid’s public image to stay intact: Marriage to Lou.

I know, I know, I should’ve stopped reading this at the blurb. But unfortunately I want to be part of the cool kids crowd of YA and that means reading the most popular books at the moment. “Look,�� I say, as I hold up(?) my e-book of Serpent and Dove, “I’m one of you too!��
But I didn’t expect to actually, like, enjoy it.

Okay, “enjoy�� is a strong word, but I didn’t outright hate it which is unusual considering its use of clichés that are really running rampant in YA fantasy these days. I admit I don’t read fanfiction, but the premise itself sounds a bit sketchy. A random marriage? I pictured it in my head as a Ross and Rachel situation in Vegas, or the characters did it to escape some kind of attackers by pretending to get married. Nope. It’s actually a lot less believable than either of my guesses (which are pretty far fetched anyway).

After assuming Lou to be a thief, Reid chases her and they somehow fall onto the middle of a stage because book logic. Everyone thinks he harmed her because of injuries she’d received the night previous. But instead of Lou clearing things up with a simple “this wasn’t him,�� the Archbishop (whose the leader of the Chasseurs) marries them in attempt to preserve the Chasseurs gentlemanly reputation. Technically, this shouldn’t work because people will still presume he assaulted her anyway, but this book is set in an incredibly patriarchal society (I’ll get to that) where when a husband disciplines his wife, it’s totally okay and no-one would view the Chasseurs in a negative light if they thought one of them beat up his wife. Way to stay in the good books, people!

Anyway, if Lou refuses, she’ll be sent to prison because a thief’s a thief. Reluctantly, they both agree to this and thus begins a story where they eternally hate each other. Oh wait, this is YA.

Starting with characters, I actually did like Lou which is genuinely unusual for me, considering how similar she is to many YA leads I disliked. I thought she was likeable enough and she didn’t annoy me as much as I expected her to. I think Malhurin portrayed a playful, quirky teenager/young woman relatively well and I appreciated that Lou didn’t make a handful of bad decisions to advance the plot.

Reid unfortunately, is quite bland playing the stoic, stiff, upper-lip witch hunter. Part of this is how predictable he is. I knew anytime Lou would do something frivolous, he’d be like “wait, that’s unholy,�� the same as any of the other Chasseurs. I think a lot of authors genuinely struggle with injecting personality into main characters who are quiet or awkward, because it shies away from the persona they’re trying to portray. Reid didn’t have any distinct type of humour or interest, and ended up being rather dull compared to Lou. Honestly, the book didn’t need his perspective and it was completely understandable why Lou’s took up the bulk. But I liked how protective he was of Lou without commanding her. Yes, I like love interests whose best interest is to keep their partner safe, minus the orders of “that’s dangerous! I refuse to let you go.�� When Lou did something, Reid could be unhappy but he’d never stop her.

I think the winning element of this book for me was that I did like the romance. I thought it was sweet and I think it came together better than other enemies-to-lovers I’ve read (though I’ll never believe enemies-to-lovers can be within one book alone over a limited timespan). I do believe the progression was more natural than that of The Cruel Prince (the first book specifically which had one scene which felt really unnatural to me.) and it was clear they cared for each other. Even the enemies side of the relationship was done well, if not quite quickly. If I hadn’t enjoyed the romance, I would not have liked this book. It’s just a shame the book couldn’t have stuck to the relationship alone.

The world building was lacking…to say the least. Belterra is, I suppose, a fictional version of France but the French was primarily used for (a)cursing, (b)names of places, and (c) to be like, “hey, this book is cultured.�� Had it borrowed from French history, or not used American slang, I don’t know, maybe it wouldn’t have felt so unearned. The French language felt awkwardly slipped in as a reminder to readers that this was definitely a fantasy book. Shelby, if it’s France, just say it’s France, instead of thinking it substitutes as a fully-fleshed out world from your imagination. For a second, I thought the hunters were literally named Shoes, but it turned out Chasseur is French for hunter, so I guess I’m not qualified to give any judgements? I do have one question that’s been plaguing my mind though? Lou sees someone drinking chocolat chaud, which is hot chocolate, and then says he has chocolat on his beard/moustache/face/whatever. Does hot chocolate somehow transform into chocolate once the first sip has been taken? Are the drops of hot chocolate disregarded as hot chocolate once they touch human skin? Instead of a making this blunder, why didn’t Malhurin just say hot chocolate instead of trying to emphasise how French this book is? (Now I'm waiting for a French person to come and prove to me she’s in the right. Then I delete my ŷ������ account and cry for a few hours.)

It’s just this book has no nuance. Every message is slapped across your face. In this case, it happens to be religion/men=bad, witches/women=good. I don’t think it was fair for Malhurin to fully use Catholicism in every way except its name, and then talk about how terrible it was. Once again, just call it Catholicism, or maybe make up a different religion inspired by it. Don’t be lazy, and take every ounce of it and pretend it’s something new. I think it’s just tiring to re-iterate that Christianity or religion is bad when obviously there are good people out there who believe in it. I’m not going to pretend there aren’t bad sides to it, but saying someone who follows it is hypocritical and sexist seems unfair to those who believe in God and don’t use it as a way to repress people, but just as a faith for themselves. Disclaimer that I’m basically an atheist, but I wouldn’t use the bulk of someone’s religion and choose to portray it, or the people so negatively with few outliers. It’s just lazy writing.

Maybe if there were morally grey characters in this book, but nope. The Chausseurs hate witches, but some also hate women too, pretty much. They’re referred to as harlots or heathens or whores, whatever you can think of. I don’t understand why Malhurin didn’t stick to them just disliking witches but how else can we show Lou standing up against the patriarchy? She curses! She wears pants! She disobeys her husband! I do like the female friendship in this between Coco and Lou, but I wish Malhurin hadn’t so aggressively made the men/religion in this society so sexist or judgemental. It’s like Reid is so great for treating Lou with respect, though he still thinks of women as weaker than men, or that they shouldn’t be so frivolous. I’m tired of authors acting like their male characters deserve a reward for treating women like people. I’m aware it’s set in the 1600’s (I think), but damn it, if the book ���dzܱ���’v�� been a bit more subtle with its message. This wasn’t a huge problem for me and I think Malhurin genuinely just wanted to make an empowering book, but it just seems lazy and she really ���dzܱ���’v�� made more of an effort instead of proclaiming “look at the sexism!�� every few pages without actually delving into the theme.

Adding to the feminism, Lou calls the girl who used to date Reid a cow for trying to talk to him. She also finds the fact she have didn’t sex with Reid ridiculous. I think Malhurin slipped these in without thinking, but this book was actually doing so well up to that point in women not shaming women. I'm going to go out here and say, I don't tend to delve into controversial issues in my review, going more for the story/writing, but a number of people have brought up problematic elements that you may want to check out before reading. Lauren's review does a really good job summing up the key issues. Also Read with Cindy's Youtube video is an enjoyable 40 minutes whether you've read the book or not.

I do think the magic system was surprisingly intriguing and cool for a YA book (I’ve grown to dislike “hey, you’re just born with the ability to control whatever"), and the curses in this book were pleasantly nasty and just as I wanted them to be. A few that stuck out to me was forgetting all your memories of your child, or becoming a cannibal. The writing was gorgeous and flowery (I’m okay with this style of writing though some readers don’t like it as much) and I liked Ansel, another chasseur, and Coco, Lou’s best friend. Yeah, Ansel felt way too young for sixteen, but he was sweet and I liked his growing relationship with Lou. The amount of empathy Lou had was also a nice touch to her character.

Both villains were one-dimensional. Morgane (I don't even know if I've spelt her name right) is the kind of villain whose like “it’s good for the world if we kill someone�� while stroking your hair or kissing your head. So boring. The Archbishop hated women more than anyone else in this book in this book so that wasn’t much better. I think it would’ve been better if the leader of the whole religion had some sort of holy compassion, but hey, who needs nuance? Who wants that? There’s hints that the bigger world is quite interesting, but they may only be hints and not even well thought-out ones, according to the way the rest of the world was portrayed in this book. Also the ending was kinnndddd of rushed, along with the introduction of the Big Bad. It's probably only there to warrant a sequel. I thought the twists were fun, if not unoriginal, and I had a good time reading the whole story (besides Big Tiddy Liddy. No. We are never discussing that again.)

Sure, I knew this book was a bit silly the second Lou described the colours of her eyes in the first person narrative without looking at her reflection (they’re blue-green. Did you know?). But, being honest, I enjoyed the book up till the last third where it just felt a bit off for me. It was fun, fast, had nice writing, and I liked the romance. It’s totally a fast food book, and that’s okay. I’m just unimpressed with the laziness in the author’s villains, world, and overall themes. If you’re not a critical reader, I think you’d like this. If you can handle the messages being hit at you with the force of a sledgehammer, you could enjoy it. But do I think this needs a second book? No. Am I going to read it anyway? Yes.]]> 3.92 2019
author: Shelby Mahurin
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2020/10/28
date added: 2021/04/08
shelves: 3-star, 2020-reads, cute-romance-weirdly, fantasy, female-author, magical, rants, ya-reads, bit-lazy
review:
Sometimes I like to think I’ve moved on from YA books, that I’m now somehow a more refined reader who sips a cup of tea with my pinky finger out. I mean, do I really like books with cheesy romances? Do I really like characters that seem to be carbon copies of other YA heroes/heroines? Do I really care about a book that focuses less on plot and instead on fast, flimsy fun?

Well according to Serpent and Dove, yes.

Lou is a witch who’s trying to escape her past in the city of Cesarine, Belterra which is definitely not France. Reid, is a Chasseur, a witch hunter who’s only goal in life is to kill witches. After an altercation goes slightly out of hand, the Archbishop of the Chasseurs sees only one way for Reid’s public image to stay intact: Marriage to Lou.

I know, I know, I should’ve stopped reading this at the blurb. But unfortunately I want to be part of the cool kids crowd of YA and that means reading the most popular books at the moment. “Look,�� I say, as I hold up(?) my e-book of Serpent and Dove, “I’m one of you too!��
But I didn’t expect to actually, like, enjoy it.

Okay, “enjoy�� is a strong word, but I didn’t outright hate it which is unusual considering its use of clichés that are really running rampant in YA fantasy these days. I admit I don’t read fanfiction, but the premise itself sounds a bit sketchy. A random marriage? I pictured it in my head as a Ross and Rachel situation in Vegas, or the characters did it to escape some kind of attackers by pretending to get married. Nope. It’s actually a lot less believable than either of my guesses (which are pretty far fetched anyway).

After assuming Lou to be a thief, Reid chases her and they somehow fall onto the middle of a stage because book logic. Everyone thinks he harmed her because of injuries she’d received the night previous. But instead of Lou clearing things up with a simple “this wasn’t him,�� the Archbishop (whose the leader of the Chasseurs) marries them in attempt to preserve the Chasseurs gentlemanly reputation. Technically, this shouldn’t work because people will still presume he assaulted her anyway, but this book is set in an incredibly patriarchal society (I’ll get to that) where when a husband disciplines his wife, it’s totally okay and no-one would view the Chasseurs in a negative light if they thought one of them beat up his wife. Way to stay in the good books, people!

Anyway, if Lou refuses, she’ll be sent to prison because a thief’s a thief. Reluctantly, they both agree to this and thus begins a story where they eternally hate each other. Oh wait, this is YA.

Starting with characters, I actually did like Lou which is genuinely unusual for me, considering how similar she is to many YA leads I disliked. I thought she was likeable enough and she didn’t annoy me as much as I expected her to. I think Malhurin portrayed a playful, quirky teenager/young woman relatively well and I appreciated that Lou didn’t make a handful of bad decisions to advance the plot.

Reid unfortunately, is quite bland playing the stoic, stiff, upper-lip witch hunter. Part of this is how predictable he is. I knew anytime Lou would do something frivolous, he’d be like “wait, that’s unholy,�� the same as any of the other Chasseurs. I think a lot of authors genuinely struggle with injecting personality into main characters who are quiet or awkward, because it shies away from the persona they’re trying to portray. Reid didn’t have any distinct type of humour or interest, and ended up being rather dull compared to Lou. Honestly, the book didn’t need his perspective and it was completely understandable why Lou’s took up the bulk. But I liked how protective he was of Lou without commanding her. Yes, I like love interests whose best interest is to keep their partner safe, minus the orders of “that’s dangerous! I refuse to let you go.�� When Lou did something, Reid could be unhappy but he’d never stop her.

I think the winning element of this book for me was that I did like the romance. I thought it was sweet and I think it came together better than other enemies-to-lovers I’ve read (though I’ll never believe enemies-to-lovers can be within one book alone over a limited timespan). I do believe the progression was more natural than that of The Cruel Prince (the first book specifically which had one scene which felt really unnatural to me.) and it was clear they cared for each other. Even the enemies side of the relationship was done well, if not quite quickly. If I hadn’t enjoyed the romance, I would not have liked this book. It’s just a shame the book couldn’t have stuck to the relationship alone.

The world building was lacking…to say the least. Belterra is, I suppose, a fictional version of France but the French was primarily used for (a)cursing, (b)names of places, and (c) to be like, “hey, this book is cultured.�� Had it borrowed from French history, or not used American slang, I don’t know, maybe it wouldn’t have felt so unearned. The French language felt awkwardly slipped in as a reminder to readers that this was definitely a fantasy book. Shelby, if it’s France, just say it’s France, instead of thinking it substitutes as a fully-fleshed out world from your imagination. For a second, I thought the hunters were literally named Shoes, but it turned out Chasseur is French for hunter, so I guess I’m not qualified to give any judgements? I do have one question that’s been plaguing my mind though? Lou sees someone drinking chocolat chaud, which is hot chocolate, and then says he has chocolat on his beard/moustache/face/whatever. Does hot chocolate somehow transform into chocolate once the first sip has been taken? Are the drops of hot chocolate disregarded as hot chocolate once they touch human skin? Instead of a making this blunder, why didn’t Malhurin just say hot chocolate instead of trying to emphasise how French this book is? (Now I'm waiting for a French person to come and prove to me she’s in the right. Then I delete my ŷ������ account and cry for a few hours.)

It’s just this book has no nuance. Every message is slapped across your face. In this case, it happens to be religion/men=bad, witches/women=good. I don’t think it was fair for Malhurin to fully use Catholicism in every way except its name, and then talk about how terrible it was. Once again, just call it Catholicism, or maybe make up a different religion inspired by it. Don’t be lazy, and take every ounce of it and pretend it’s something new. I think it’s just tiring to re-iterate that Christianity or religion is bad when obviously there are good people out there who believe in it. I’m not going to pretend there aren’t bad sides to it, but saying someone who follows it is hypocritical and sexist seems unfair to those who believe in God and don’t use it as a way to repress people, but just as a faith for themselves. Disclaimer that I’m basically an atheist, but I wouldn’t use the bulk of someone’s religion and choose to portray it, or the people so negatively with few outliers. It’s just lazy writing.

Maybe if there were morally grey characters in this book, but nope. The Chausseurs hate witches, but some also hate women too, pretty much. They’re referred to as harlots or heathens or whores, whatever you can think of. I don’t understand why Malhurin didn’t stick to them just disliking witches but how else can we show Lou standing up against the patriarchy? She curses! She wears pants! She disobeys her husband! I do like the female friendship in this between Coco and Lou, but I wish Malhurin hadn’t so aggressively made the men/religion in this society so sexist or judgemental. It’s like Reid is so great for treating Lou with respect, though he still thinks of women as weaker than men, or that they shouldn’t be so frivolous. I’m tired of authors acting like their male characters deserve a reward for treating women like people. I’m aware it’s set in the 1600’s (I think), but damn it, if the book ���dzܱ���’v�� been a bit more subtle with its message. This wasn’t a huge problem for me and I think Malhurin genuinely just wanted to make an empowering book, but it just seems lazy and she really ���dzܱ���’v�� made more of an effort instead of proclaiming “look at the sexism!�� every few pages without actually delving into the theme.

Adding to the feminism, Lou calls the girl who used to date Reid a cow for trying to talk to him. She also finds the fact she have didn’t sex with Reid ridiculous. I think Malhurin slipped these in without thinking, but this book was actually doing so well up to that point in women not shaming women. I'm going to go out here and say, I don't tend to delve into controversial issues in my review, going more for the story/writing, but a number of people have brought up problematic elements that you may want to check out before reading. Lauren's review does a really good job summing up the key issues. Also Read with Cindy's Youtube video is an enjoyable 40 minutes whether you've read the book or not.

I do think the magic system was surprisingly intriguing and cool for a YA book (I’ve grown to dislike “hey, you’re just born with the ability to control whatever"), and the curses in this book were pleasantly nasty and just as I wanted them to be. A few that stuck out to me was forgetting all your memories of your child, or becoming a cannibal. The writing was gorgeous and flowery (I’m okay with this style of writing though some readers don’t like it as much) and I liked Ansel, another chasseur, and Coco, Lou’s best friend. Yeah, Ansel felt way too young for sixteen, but he was sweet and I liked his growing relationship with Lou. The amount of empathy Lou had was also a nice touch to her character.

Both villains were one-dimensional. Morgane (I don't even know if I've spelt her name right) is the kind of villain whose like “it’s good for the world if we kill someone�� while stroking your hair or kissing your head. So boring. The Archbishop hated women more than anyone else in this book in this book so that wasn’t much better. I think it would’ve been better if the leader of the whole religion had some sort of holy compassion, but hey, who needs nuance? Who wants that? There’s hints that the bigger world is quite interesting, but they may only be hints and not even well thought-out ones, according to the way the rest of the world was portrayed in this book. Also the ending was kinnndddd of rushed, along with the introduction of the Big Bad. It's probably only there to warrant a sequel. I thought the twists were fun, if not unoriginal, and I had a good time reading the whole story (besides Big Tiddy Liddy. No. We are never discussing that again.)

Sure, I knew this book was a bit silly the second Lou described the colours of her eyes in the first person narrative without looking at her reflection (they’re blue-green. Did you know?). But, being honest, I enjoyed the book up till the last third where it just felt a bit off for me. It was fun, fast, had nice writing, and I liked the romance. It’s totally a fast food book, and that’s okay. I’m just unimpressed with the laziness in the author’s villains, world, and overall themes. If you’re not a critical reader, I think you’d like this. If you can handle the messages being hit at you with the force of a sledgehammer, you could enjoy it. But do I think this needs a second book? No. Am I going to read it anyway? Yes.
]]> 15783514
Forty years earlier, a man committed suicide in a stolen car at this farm at the end of the road. Like a fuse on a firework, his death lit a touchpaper and resonated in unimaginable ways. The darkness was unleashed, something scary and thoroughly incomprehensible to a little boy. And Lettie—magical, comforting, wise beyond her years—promised to protect him, no matter what.

A groundbreaking work from a master, The Ocean at the End of the Lane is told with a rare understanding of all that makes us human, and shows the power of stories to reveal and shelter us from the darkness inside and out. It is a stirring, terrifying, and elegiac fable as delicate as a butterfly's wing and as menacing as a knife in the dark.]]> 181 Neil Gaiman 0062255657 Unknown Reviews 4
Something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately is my childhood. When everything was just easier and brighter, and the worst thing of consequence was probably school. These past few years, I feel I’ve become more aware of the cruelty of the real world, and I reminisce over the stretch of happiness where absolutely nothing mattered. It makes me sad to look back on it, really, to have wasted my time and not done so many things with the freedom I had. So when I heard The Ocean at the End of the Lane would evoke some of these feelings, I was eager to read it. I wasn’t an American Gods fan (though I feel the times due to give it a re-read), but I’ve heard unending praise of Gaiman over the years. And while I believe this delivered the wonder he is known for, I couldn’t help feeling I much preferred the book rather than the story that it told.

An unnamed narrator returns to his childhood home after years of being away. On visiting a neighbour’s pond, he slowly begins to unravel memories of magic and monsters long forgotten��

The Ocean at the End of the Lane is a short read, done over the span of two or three days. It centres on our narrator growing up as a seven-year old boy in the countryside of Sussex and how he becomes entangled with the Hempstock family, who appear to have been the same age for a long time and have a wider knowledge of the world than the narrator could ever imagine.

It’s hard to write a normal review on this, considering its length. Our unnamed character retells the story in an unending flashback as he recounts his exploration into the world of magic. Starting where I usually do (with characters) I connected with some of the experiences he had, but not him to a personal level. I suppose it’s less a child narrating the story than a man narrating a childhood he’s only just beginning to remember. That means much of the story is told in a clinical and safe fashion (besides a terrifying villain) so I felt hard pressed at times to drum up fear or awe. More fascinating were the Hempstock’s, particularly eleven-year old Hettie (well, she looks eleven) and her family.

The strongest part of this book were the magical elements. Gaiman allowed his imagination to wander in creating creatures and mythos I ���dzܱ���’v�� never even dreamed to think about. Though there’s little consistency to the world-building (it has quite a dreamlike loose feel, which I suppose reflects our memories of magic as a child), it was so interesting and I would’ve liked to know more. One little creature evolves into one of the most unsettling antagonists I’ve ever met, especially as she doubles down as both a mystical and real-world threat.

You see, a lot of this story focuses on the narrator’s slow comprehension of growing up and this is blended into all of the magical aspects too (this book is probably just a giant metaphor, might as well say it). This offers up a lot of opportunity for the narrator to blur both his fear of adults and the horrors he encounters together until equal weight is given to both sides. Suicide and money and adultery are all woven in to the magical villains of this story, and honestly, the narrator’s evolving understanding and reflection on these things were probably my favourite part of the book.

A lot is left up to imagination here and it’s done for a reason. When does the magic that some us so sorely believed in as children disappear? The events in this book can be taken as literal (I think, no Pan’s Labyrinth here), but over time, the narrator just forgets and becomes an adult, something he scorns upon as a child. I wonder too, at what age do we leave behind the dreams and hope we had so bountifully when we were younger? When do we just give up on these things? Like I said, I’ve been thinking about this a lot, so this book plucked at some heart strings with its subject matter.

If I’m holding back on my five stars, it’s because, while I thought this was a serviceable book, I didn’t connect with it fully. I’ve read a few reviews where people insist this is childhood re-told, but I couldn’t help feeling distanced to some aspects of this story-telling. The parts about adults, while good, felt like they had to be forced in to make a point, rather than let the subtleness of the prose speak for itself. This book touched on many of the appropriate points I wanted to see covered, but in a way that felt like it was inserted for discussion and pondering rather than being part of the natural flow of the story. I can’t say he didn’t pull it off at some stages and I didn’t feel anything (since my last paragraph would be a lie). However, I do think I would like to see these themes/plot re-done, but in a way that felt less like an author trying to translate ideas he truly cares about into book rather than a fully-fledged story.

I think if I read this a year ago, I would praise it a lot more for its uniqueness, but I’ve varied my taste to weirder and wackier stories to the point where the elements in this book don’t seem too unusual. I think this is an incredibly rich book �� there’s so much to be unpacked with the metaphors and theme and description �� but as a story, while I came away blissfully content, I don’t think I’ll be too pushed to do a second reading rather than I would an in-depth research online. Perhaps I need a couple of more years to fully appreciate this book and have it hit me in a different way, but until then, I’m happy with my four stars.
]]> 4.00 2013
author: Neil Gaiman
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at: 2021/04/04
date added: 2021/04/07
shelves:
review:
(Possibly the most boring review I've ever written, but I'm not too motivated and I'll let it slide :)

Something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately is my childhood. When everything was just easier and brighter, and the worst thing of consequence was probably school. These past few years, I feel I’ve become more aware of the cruelty of the real world, and I reminisce over the stretch of happiness where absolutely nothing mattered. It makes me sad to look back on it, really, to have wasted my time and not done so many things with the freedom I had. So when I heard The Ocean at the End of the Lane would evoke some of these feelings, I was eager to read it. I wasn’t an American Gods fan (though I feel the times due to give it a re-read), but I’ve heard unending praise of Gaiman over the years. And while I believe this delivered the wonder he is known for, I couldn’t help feeling I much preferred the book rather than the story that it told.

An unnamed narrator returns to his childhood home after years of being away. On visiting a neighbour’s pond, he slowly begins to unravel memories of magic and monsters long forgotten��

The Ocean at the End of the Lane is a short read, done over the span of two or three days. It centres on our narrator growing up as a seven-year old boy in the countryside of Sussex and how he becomes entangled with the Hempstock family, who appear to have been the same age for a long time and have a wider knowledge of the world than the narrator could ever imagine.

It’s hard to write a normal review on this, considering its length. Our unnamed character retells the story in an unending flashback as he recounts his exploration into the world of magic. Starting where I usually do (with characters) I connected with some of the experiences he had, but not him to a personal level. I suppose it’s less a child narrating the story than a man narrating a childhood he’s only just beginning to remember. That means much of the story is told in a clinical and safe fashion (besides a terrifying villain) so I felt hard pressed at times to drum up fear or awe. More fascinating were the Hempstock’s, particularly eleven-year old Hettie (well, she looks eleven) and her family.

The strongest part of this book were the magical elements. Gaiman allowed his imagination to wander in creating creatures and mythos I ���dzܱ���’v�� never even dreamed to think about. Though there’s little consistency to the world-building (it has quite a dreamlike loose feel, which I suppose reflects our memories of magic as a child), it was so interesting and I would’ve liked to know more. One little creature evolves into one of the most unsettling antagonists I’ve ever met, especially as she doubles down as both a mystical and real-world threat.

You see, a lot of this story focuses on the narrator’s slow comprehension of growing up and this is blended into all of the magical aspects too (this book is probably just a giant metaphor, might as well say it). This offers up a lot of opportunity for the narrator to blur both his fear of adults and the horrors he encounters together until equal weight is given to both sides. Suicide and money and adultery are all woven in to the magical villains of this story, and honestly, the narrator’s evolving understanding and reflection on these things were probably my favourite part of the book.

A lot is left up to imagination here and it’s done for a reason. When does the magic that some us so sorely believed in as children disappear? The events in this book can be taken as literal (I think, no Pan’s Labyrinth here), but over time, the narrator just forgets and becomes an adult, something he scorns upon as a child. I wonder too, at what age do we leave behind the dreams and hope we had so bountifully when we were younger? When do we just give up on these things? Like I said, I’ve been thinking about this a lot, so this book plucked at some heart strings with its subject matter.

If I’m holding back on my five stars, it’s because, while I thought this was a serviceable book, I didn’t connect with it fully. I’ve read a few reviews where people insist this is childhood re-told, but I couldn’t help feeling distanced to some aspects of this story-telling. The parts about adults, while good, felt like they had to be forced in to make a point, rather than let the subtleness of the prose speak for itself. This book touched on many of the appropriate points I wanted to see covered, but in a way that felt like it was inserted for discussion and pondering rather than being part of the natural flow of the story. I can’t say he didn’t pull it off at some stages and I didn’t feel anything (since my last paragraph would be a lie). However, I do think I would like to see these themes/plot re-done, but in a way that felt less like an author trying to translate ideas he truly cares about into book rather than a fully-fledged story.

I think if I read this a year ago, I would praise it a lot more for its uniqueness, but I’ve varied my taste to weirder and wackier stories to the point where the elements in this book don’t seem too unusual. I think this is an incredibly rich book �� there’s so much to be unpacked with the metaphors and theme and description �� but as a story, while I came away blissfully content, I don’t think I’ll be too pushed to do a second reading rather than I would an in-depth research online. Perhaps I need a couple of more years to fully appreciate this book and have it hit me in a different way, but until then, I’m happy with my four stars.

]]> 51704136 Everything I Never Told You, a riveting novel that traces the intertwined fates of the picture-perfect Richardson family and the enigmatic mother and daughter who upend their lives.

In Shaker Heights, a placid, progressive suburb of Cleveland, everything is planned--from the layout of the winding roads, to the colors of the houses, to the successful lives its residents will go on to lead. And no one embodies this spirit more than Elena Richardson, whose guiding principle is playing by the rules.

Enter Mia Warren--an enigmatic artist and single mother--who arrives in this idyllic bubble with her teenaged daughter Pearl, and rents a house from the Richardsons. Soon Mia and Pearl become more than tenants: all four Richardson children are drawn to the mother-daughter pair. But Mia carries with her a mysterious past and a disregard for the status quo that threatens to upend this carefully ordered community.

When old family friends of the Richardsons attempt to adopt a Chinese-American baby, a custody battle erupts that dramatically divides the town--and puts Mia and Elena on opposing sides. Suspicious of Mia and her motives, Elena is determined to uncover the secrets in Mia's past. But her obsession will come at unexpected and devastating costs.

Little Fires Everywhere explores the weight of secrets, the nature of art and identity, and the ferocious pull of motherhood--and the danger of believing that following the rules can avert disaster.

Named a Best Book of the Year by: People, The Washington Post, Bustle, Esquire, Southern Living, The Daily Beast, GQ, Entertainment Weekly, NPR, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Audible, ŷ������, Library Reads, Book of the Month, Paste, Kirkus Reviews, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and many more...

Perfect for book clubs! Visit celesteng.com for discussion guides and more. ]]> 368 Celeste Ng 0143135163 Unknown Reviews 4
Elena Richardson is part of the idyllic community of Shaker Heights, where everything has been planned to perfection before even she was even born. When she rents out a home out to artist Mia and her daughter, Pearl, she cannot predict how entangled they will become in the lives of herself and her children, especially when a court case over an adopted baby leaves them split on both sides.

To start off, Ng’s writing is fantastic �� I know I plan to pick up every book of hers in the future and I wish I’d read this one sooner. There’s a lyrical smoothness to her prose, where her writing weaves into each sentence flawlessly. Not to mention, the plot is stirring. In the hands of another author, maybe the first half wouldn’t have come out so enticing, but Ng managed to execute it while the second half also left me enraptured with our big trial. There's just a cinematic quality to her writing which I adored, and also brings the plot to life with the complexity it creates.

Let me set out the court case for you. A woman leaves her baby at a fire station with a note to find her a new home. Said baby is adopted by an affluent and childless family. There appears to be no issue, until months later, her real mother returns, saying it was a mistake and she wants her baby back. Who is in the right here? The family with the means to give this child a good life? Or a woman, held back by a language barrier and a dead end job in a foreign country, but still ultimately her mother.

I feel like my summary sounds a little biased, but being honest, there is no easy side to pick here. Since finishing this book, I still debate which one is right in my mind (perhaps right isn’t even a viable word in this situation), something that absolutely delights me. It’s so often you get books where there’s no question to whose side your supposed to be on, leaving little room for shades of grey in favour of a clear-cut, black and white presentation. But the fact I can debate either side with a concise list of advantages and disadvantages for both and still have no clue who I’d pick showcases Ng’s skill for writing morally grey situations. Unfortunately, I do not feel this quality was carried throughout the rest of the book.

Just to let you know, the court case isn’t the dominant plot of this book. It doesn’t really feature until the second half, and grows to be more of an undercurrent to the real plot of the story which is about Mia and Elena. These two are set to contrast each other. Elena is the rich, privileged mother of four who’s whole life has been planned to a tee. Mia is the travelling artist, single-handedly raising her daughter and only working part-time jobs to scrape by and paint. One offers a sense of security and another freedom, which would be okay if Ng wasn’t so biased towards the second.
I’d like to discuss the children as characters first, as a lot of time is focused on them and does sometimes carry the air of a YA novel. Pearl has never stayed somewhere past six months, content to leave school and momentary friendships behind to accommodate her mother’s job. But Shaker Heights is different. Here, she becomes to blossom and grows close to the Richardson children, particularly the two boys, Moody and Trip.

Pearl’s story does offer up some interest - especially when we see how Mia watches her daughter being absorbed into this picket-fence, trust fund world. Except, while this novel does imbue a coming-of-age subplot in terms of Pearl, I can’t say I really identified with any of the children in this book. You see, none of them are interesting and their narrative felt quite clinical and cold. Lacey, Elena’s daughter, is the snobbish, privileged (she’s an “I don’t see colour�� type of person) teenager who takes Pearl under her wing. Trip is the popular jock. Moody is the “I’m Not like Other Boys��, boy who plays guitar and reads poetry and is the first to befriend Pearl. Izzy, Elena’s youngest and most disliked, is the wild rebel who causes trouble just for fun and doesn’t fit into this perfectly cultivated society, much to her mother’s dismay.

I think Lacey was the only interesting one, because I initially expected her to be a mean, kind of toxic girl but she actually did care about Pearl and while stuck-up at times, was never explicitly bad. Trip has the personality of a brick, I don’t know think he has a persona other than being popular (and you know me, I always love unexpected romances). Izzy, I was indifferent to. I think Izzy was designed to appeal to most people in this novel �� the prank-pulling, political troublemaker who wants to live a life without constraints �� that just doesn’t work for me. Most of the time Izzy was unpleasant or ignored other people. I can get behind my description of her, but when you look down or angrily at people, it’s not an excuse to treat them as lesser and view yourself as the one in the right (a problem this book has).

Moody, who was fine at start, revealed himself to be a Nice Guy unknowingly �� he has a crush on Pearl and when she gets with someone else, he proceeds to slut shame her. Because, we do love when teenage boys like girls and feel entitled to a relationship as a result and get angry when they find out she’s with another guy. After all, Moody met her first and he’s her best friend. Plus, Moody sees the world differently to other guys. Haha. Moody, you ���dzܱ���’v�� been good. You had so much potential.

And Pearl. She’s out lead character, I would say, out the children. Yet, she is the blandest one there. Pearl pops up, shy and demure. Throughout the book, she becomes more popular and all the Richardsons love her, but she’s not remotely interesting. I think it comes down to the style she was written in �� it just didn’t sound in any way like a teenage girl would think. So when guys like Moody, and eventually Trip, are attracted to her, you ask “why?��. Tell me one thing about Pearl that makes her stand out. Nothing. We just need to believe that she’s this wildly fascinating person. I think Trip even has a “she’s not like other girls�� moment, but don’t quote me because I’m not confident. I don’t blame Pearl for that because she never thought she was better than anyone else, but I don’t think she ���dzܱ���’v�� been more passive as a character.

I enjoyed the way Ng explored classism and race (the mother of the baby in the case, Bebe, is a Chinese immigrant, something which definitely is used against her in the trial). Both Mia and Elena were interesting people to follow. Elena’s a determined, self-serving woman who uses all her wits and wiles to make sure things go her way. She’s flawed and sometimes unlikeable, and I think that’s why I enjoyed her so much. Mia’s more of a viewer of this life, but will still do anything to protect her secrets and do what’s best for Mia.

What holds this book back from being a five star read is Ng’s guided direction which I became aware of after reading other reviews. A huge theme propped up in this book is motherhood. Elena with her perfect family, Mia with Pearl, Bebe with her lost baby, and the McCulloughs with her new adopted child. But Ng makes it really clear who we should be rooting for and that’s Mia.
I would’ve agreed with this, at first. Elena puts her family under duress with her devotion to keeping up appearances. But when I took a step back and looked at how Mia raised Pearl, I have my reasons to doubt. For her art, Pearl is bundled everywhere, living in low-income houses, no steady friends or education. This is actually another passive quality of Pearl’s, that she is so indifferent to this. If Covid-19 has taught me anything, it’s actually how much I crave companionship sometimes, even when I didn’t expect it. Later, we learn some of the art Mia sits on is quite valuable and could pay enough to lead a steady life. Mia chooses for herself and her daughter to live in poverty for no reason. I don’t think I can say Mia is a the “best�� mother because she puts her daughters needs second. Why does she not care about Pearl’s social life and education? Because the book says it doesn’t matter.

Mia is living the life society dislikes. She is rebelling, therefore she is correct in how she raises Pearl, even though I would hate it myself. Artists often like to scorn upon the constructed lives normal people live, and in this book, it’s the same. The monotony of the suburbs is the wrong life, it’s not a real life and a few characters come to terms with that. Look, I agree with this sometimes. I don’t think I want to lead an ordinary life. But should I look down on others for doing so?

(But seriously, Mia’s art is worth a pile of money. Give me one reason not to sell some. GIVE ME ONE REASON.)

Ng, as an artist, favours the artists, the freedom seekers. But in doing so, it felt to me her characters felt as snobbish as the ones she was trying to critique. Can we judge the system and not always the people? Maybe some people lead happier lives doing the expected, maybe they don’t. But just because Mia is a rule-breaker, dedicated to her passion, how does that elevate her as a mother and a person? Simple answer, it doesn’t. When I read this book, I didn’t notice, but thinking about it, the more thoughtful I grew. This book really is more than the sum of its parts when the parts are put together. Take one away �� logic makes it fall apart.

I really like this book. I really do. It was fun to read, all the adult characters were cool, the writing harmonious and the plot incredibly intriguing. I thought the ending was great and impactful (besides one sappy part), but I am tired of reading a tirade of books looking down upon normal lives. Find your passion, follow it, and say what you want to say �� but don’t become as judgemental as the society you frown upon.]]> 4.06 2017
author: Celeste Ng
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2021/03/18
date added: 2021/04/07
shelves:
review:
The Suburbs are something that have been vastly explored in different forms of media �� Arcade Fire even released a Grammy-winning album about them in 2011. This idea of a close-knit, organised community on the edges of the city, full of the nuclear families with the standard husband and wife and 2.5 kids? It’s easy pickings and Ng explores a lot in this novel in terms of individuality, racism, middle classism and so on. If there’s one thing I learned from this book, it’s she is a damn good writer, but also, that it’s sometimes hard to be invested in a plot where someone holds your hand and points “this is the bad guy,�� until you take a step back and realise it may not necessarily be the truth.

Elena Richardson is part of the idyllic community of Shaker Heights, where everything has been planned to perfection before even she was even born. When she rents out a home out to artist Mia and her daughter, Pearl, she cannot predict how entangled they will become in the lives of herself and her children, especially when a court case over an adopted baby leaves them split on both sides.

To start off, Ng’s writing is fantastic �� I know I plan to pick up every book of hers in the future and I wish I’d read this one sooner. There’s a lyrical smoothness to her prose, where her writing weaves into each sentence flawlessly. Not to mention, the plot is stirring. In the hands of another author, maybe the first half wouldn’t have come out so enticing, but Ng managed to execute it while the second half also left me enraptured with our big trial. There's just a cinematic quality to her writing which I adored, and also brings the plot to life with the complexity it creates.

Let me set out the court case for you. A woman leaves her baby at a fire station with a note to find her a new home. Said baby is adopted by an affluent and childless family. There appears to be no issue, until months later, her real mother returns, saying it was a mistake and she wants her baby back. Who is in the right here? The family with the means to give this child a good life? Or a woman, held back by a language barrier and a dead end job in a foreign country, but still ultimately her mother.

I feel like my summary sounds a little biased, but being honest, there is no easy side to pick here. Since finishing this book, I still debate which one is right in my mind (perhaps right isn’t even a viable word in this situation), something that absolutely delights me. It’s so often you get books where there’s no question to whose side your supposed to be on, leaving little room for shades of grey in favour of a clear-cut, black and white presentation. But the fact I can debate either side with a concise list of advantages and disadvantages for both and still have no clue who I’d pick showcases Ng’s skill for writing morally grey situations. Unfortunately, I do not feel this quality was carried throughout the rest of the book.

Just to let you know, the court case isn’t the dominant plot of this book. It doesn’t really feature until the second half, and grows to be more of an undercurrent to the real plot of the story which is about Mia and Elena. These two are set to contrast each other. Elena is the rich, privileged mother of four who’s whole life has been planned to a tee. Mia is the travelling artist, single-handedly raising her daughter and only working part-time jobs to scrape by and paint. One offers a sense of security and another freedom, which would be okay if Ng wasn’t so biased towards the second.
I’d like to discuss the children as characters first, as a lot of time is focused on them and does sometimes carry the air of a YA novel. Pearl has never stayed somewhere past six months, content to leave school and momentary friendships behind to accommodate her mother’s job. But Shaker Heights is different. Here, she becomes to blossom and grows close to the Richardson children, particularly the two boys, Moody and Trip.

Pearl’s story does offer up some interest - especially when we see how Mia watches her daughter being absorbed into this picket-fence, trust fund world. Except, while this novel does imbue a coming-of-age subplot in terms of Pearl, I can’t say I really identified with any of the children in this book. You see, none of them are interesting and their narrative felt quite clinical and cold. Lacey, Elena’s daughter, is the snobbish, privileged (she’s an “I don’t see colour�� type of person) teenager who takes Pearl under her wing. Trip is the popular jock. Moody is the “I’m Not like Other Boys��, boy who plays guitar and reads poetry and is the first to befriend Pearl. Izzy, Elena’s youngest and most disliked, is the wild rebel who causes trouble just for fun and doesn’t fit into this perfectly cultivated society, much to her mother’s dismay.

I think Lacey was the only interesting one, because I initially expected her to be a mean, kind of toxic girl but she actually did care about Pearl and while stuck-up at times, was never explicitly bad. Trip has the personality of a brick, I don’t know think he has a persona other than being popular (and you know me, I always love unexpected romances). Izzy, I was indifferent to. I think Izzy was designed to appeal to most people in this novel �� the prank-pulling, political troublemaker who wants to live a life without constraints �� that just doesn’t work for me. Most of the time Izzy was unpleasant or ignored other people. I can get behind my description of her, but when you look down or angrily at people, it’s not an excuse to treat them as lesser and view yourself as the one in the right (a problem this book has).

Moody, who was fine at start, revealed himself to be a Nice Guy unknowingly �� he has a crush on Pearl and when she gets with someone else, he proceeds to slut shame her. Because, we do love when teenage boys like girls and feel entitled to a relationship as a result and get angry when they find out she’s with another guy. After all, Moody met her first and he’s her best friend. Plus, Moody sees the world differently to other guys. Haha. Moody, you ���dzܱ���’v�� been good. You had so much potential.

And Pearl. She’s out lead character, I would say, out the children. Yet, she is the blandest one there. Pearl pops up, shy and demure. Throughout the book, she becomes more popular and all the Richardsons love her, but she’s not remotely interesting. I think it comes down to the style she was written in �� it just didn’t sound in any way like a teenage girl would think. So when guys like Moody, and eventually Trip, are attracted to her, you ask “why?��. Tell me one thing about Pearl that makes her stand out. Nothing. We just need to believe that she’s this wildly fascinating person. I think Trip even has a “she’s not like other girls�� moment, but don’t quote me because I’m not confident. I don’t blame Pearl for that because she never thought she was better than anyone else, but I don’t think she ���dzܱ���’v�� been more passive as a character.

I enjoyed the way Ng explored classism and race (the mother of the baby in the case, Bebe, is a Chinese immigrant, something which definitely is used against her in the trial). Both Mia and Elena were interesting people to follow. Elena’s a determined, self-serving woman who uses all her wits and wiles to make sure things go her way. She’s flawed and sometimes unlikeable, and I think that’s why I enjoyed her so much. Mia’s more of a viewer of this life, but will still do anything to protect her secrets and do what’s best for Mia.

What holds this book back from being a five star read is Ng’s guided direction which I became aware of after reading other reviews. A huge theme propped up in this book is motherhood. Elena with her perfect family, Mia with Pearl, Bebe with her lost baby, and the McCulloughs with her new adopted child. But Ng makes it really clear who we should be rooting for and that’s Mia.
I would’ve agreed with this, at first. Elena puts her family under duress with her devotion to keeping up appearances. But when I took a step back and looked at how Mia raised Pearl, I have my reasons to doubt. For her art, Pearl is bundled everywhere, living in low-income houses, no steady friends or education. This is actually another passive quality of Pearl’s, that she is so indifferent to this. If Covid-19 has taught me anything, it’s actually how much I crave companionship sometimes, even when I didn’t expect it. Later, we learn some of the art Mia sits on is quite valuable and could pay enough to lead a steady life. Mia chooses for herself and her daughter to live in poverty for no reason. I don’t think I can say Mia is a the “best�� mother because she puts her daughters needs second. Why does she not care about Pearl’s social life and education? Because the book says it doesn’t matter.

Mia is living the life society dislikes. She is rebelling, therefore she is correct in how she raises Pearl, even though I would hate it myself. Artists often like to scorn upon the constructed lives normal people live, and in this book, it’s the same. The monotony of the suburbs is the wrong life, it’s not a real life and a few characters come to terms with that. Look, I agree with this sometimes. I don’t think I want to lead an ordinary life. But should I look down on others for doing so?

(But seriously, Mia’s art is worth a pile of money. Give me one reason not to sell some. GIVE ME ONE REASON.)

Ng, as an artist, favours the artists, the freedom seekers. But in doing so, it felt to me her characters felt as snobbish as the ones she was trying to critique. Can we judge the system and not always the people? Maybe some people lead happier lives doing the expected, maybe they don’t. But just because Mia is a rule-breaker, dedicated to her passion, how does that elevate her as a mother and a person? Simple answer, it doesn’t. When I read this book, I didn’t notice, but thinking about it, the more thoughtful I grew. This book really is more than the sum of its parts when the parts are put together. Take one away �� logic makes it fall apart.

I really like this book. I really do. It was fun to read, all the adult characters were cool, the writing harmonious and the plot incredibly intriguing. I thought the ending was great and impactful (besides one sappy part), but I am tired of reading a tirade of books looking down upon normal lives. Find your passion, follow it, and say what you want to say �� but don’t become as judgemental as the society you frown upon.
]]> 27883214 A legendary competition.
A mesmerizing romance.
An unbreakable bond
between two sisters.

Scarlett Dragna has never left the tiny island where she and her sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval—the faraway, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show—are over.

But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt-of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. Nevertheless she becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic. And whether Caraval is real or not, Scarlett must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over or a dangerous domino effect of consequences will be set off, and her beloved sister will disappear forever.

Welcome, welcome to Caraval . . . beware of getting swept too far away.]]> 407 Stephanie Garber 1250095255 Unknown Reviews 2 1.5?

(I'm really trying not to give it one star guys, I'm really trying)

Last year, Where The Crawdads Sing was my least favourite book. I understand now I've made a mistake. Where The Crawdads Sing, I'm sorry I treated you too harshly. You were a good book. You kind of made sense (not really). But now I've read Caraval and understand the error of my ways. If I find a book worse than Caraval this year, I think I'll quit reading and knit. At least then I won't need to deal with (a) dumb characters, (b) non-existent worldbuilding and (c) the most ridiculous plot I've ever read.

(Drumroll please)

Scarlett Dragna has lived on the island of Trisda her entire life with her sister, Donatella and their father who abuses them both regularly. Every year, Scarlett writes a letter to the mysterious Legend, owner of a magical week-long performance named Caraval, begging him to visit their home. After turning eighteen and a week away from her arranged marriage, Scarlett finally receives a response �� three tickets and an invitation to compete in this year’s Caraval, the number one prize? A wish.

Where to even begin.

Firstly, Scarlett is literally the worst. This character has no agency or no ounce of personality in her skull. She’s not funny, she’s not intelligent (she’s quite actually quite dumb, if you would like to know), if you a pull a string from her back she’ll say “I have to find my sister!�� or “I’m getting married in two days!�� or “I got a snake in my boot�� (oops, wrong media. Save me Woody, save me).

Scarlett’s main personality is My Sister (trademarked) and it’s a shocking case of tell don’t show. So many paragraphs are dedicated to Scarlett thinking how much she cares about her sister, while in reality, going off and doing whatever suits her. And if she gets called out on something, she’s like “I need to find my sister.�� Girl, you literally went dress shopping, stop blaming other people for your laziness.

Let’s list some fun facts about Scarlett. She sees things in colour. Now, I don’t know if she has synthesia or something, but this is never clarified. She just does it. Like;

"It came in cool shades of forget-me-not blue, which wrapped around her like evening fog, making her feel hidden enough to acknowledge that she wanted to experience more of Caraval’s pleasures than she would ever have admitted out loud.��
Or
A panicked vermillion moved inside her chest
Or
She felt five different shades of berry-coloured foolish

(These aren’t the worst quotes at all, but I didn’t mark ones the worst offenders and I regret that. I’m sorry)

Garner is really reaching for to apply colour to every situation. I’d love to be like “but golden-blue isn’t the colour of my, childhood dreams. What are you going to do now, Stephanie? Huh?�� (Also, I’m pretty sure she used the same colour twice for different emotions, which I’m going to say is illegal). And let’s be clear, this never becomes interesting, it just took me out of the book and made me cringe. I don’t mind flowery writing, I don’t mind basic writing, but this ruined any enjoyment I had of the prose (which was mostly okay, depending on your taste) in this book and the prose was supposed to be its best-selling point. If I constructed a sentence where I said “her jealously was green like, um snot,�� is that what will make me a New York Times bestseller?

I think every other character in this book is as abysmal as Scarlett. Julian, who starts off as a raunchy dumb sailor gets more boring as the book goes on. Now, I tend to have biases towards supporting side characters, especially love interests since they are often more flawed and fun compared to their romantic everyman/woman/person counterpart. Julian couldn’t even do that. He doesn’t communicate with Scarlett, he’s dull, he always has an ulterior motive and he isn’t even funny. His motivations feel like they make no sense. And he keeps calling her Crimson. Like, come on. Imagine your name’s Violet and a guy’s like “alright, Purple,�� and you’re like “mm, I’d rather you didn’t call me that,�� and he ignores you and proceeds to call you it anyway. Maybe it’d be more attractive if it were an actual nickname, stemming from an inside joke or her appearance, but no, we get the blandest, most unoriginal one on earth.

Also instalove is present! Yes, you wonder, how could two characters incapable of having personalities fall in love with each other in a span of like two days? I don’t know either! Maybe they just realised no one else was going to put up with them. But, wait a second, Scarlett’s got her fiancé! We know she has a fiancé because she keeps reminding everyone they’ll be married in a week. They’ve never met or anything, but he’s a good person, because he sounded good in the letters she got from him. Ah, simpler times.

And to let you know, there is no flavour to this relationship. Scarlett keeps basically holding back from Julian because of her marriage, but she’ll compensate by telling us how hot he is all the time. Lucky us. It might’ve helped if either of them were interesting, but we can only wish for so much, I guess. I genuinely think she’s only interested in his looks though. I mean at one stage when he’s being hurt, the first thing she thinks about is “his sharply defined brown muscles.�� Like, some people might think of fun moments they had together or their virtuous qualities, but those brown muscles though amiright?

(Though maybe Scarlett really does love his hard abs. Maybe they’re the best thing about him, so she’s not technically wrong in thinking that.)

Moving off the characters now, I just think this book makes so little sense and this is something that coincides with character’s personalities too. Something I seek in books is character consistency. You know, when you think “wait a second, that’s unlike them,�� or also, one of my favourites, “No human in the history of the world would ever do something as stupid as you just did.�� But these character’s morph into whatever traits Garber needs for the book. They start foolish, then suddenly dump of a load of information they’ve been hiding. It makes you wonder “why didn’t they do this fifty pages ago?�� or “why does Scarlett never prompt at dubious questions?�� Because who knows, that might lead us somewhere?

This book has so many moments of stupidity. At one stage, while they’re in the middle of this life or death game, Scarlett chooses to go dress-shopping. Let’s try some logic. Okay, Scarlett needs new clothes, cool. But in Caraval, these clothes also come with magical prices you may not want to pay. But instead of going for clothes with values that are harmless (for example, one would cost her last nightmare), she’s like “no, too ugly,�� and picks out the dresses with prices that end up costing her way more than there worth, literally affecting her participation in the game.

Let’s talk about the game; Caraval, as a competition, literally does not make any sense. To give you a brief summary, you partake in a magical treasure hunts against all the other lucky folks who managed to source tickets. You’re given a list of clues and off you go. Except, and this actually amused me the most, the competition revolves around Scarlett this year. I mean, the clues given out only specifically work for her. How unfair is that?! Imagine you’re a single parent, raising a family with little to no savings and you do everything you can to attend to Caraval in the hope you win and give your children a better life with one wish. And then you arrive, and you get clues, only to realise they work for one person. Is this a villain origin story? Not to mention, there are so many times where Scarlett is basically handed the clue and she’s like “hmm, is this relevant?�� It’s like the “is this a pigeon?�� anime meme, except it is a clue, it’s clearly nothing else.

To continue on about nonsensical things, this entire book is a cop out. Everyone consistently tells Scarlett “What, girl? Caraval’s not real. It’s all performers. You’re crazy,�� and then when something *suspicious* happens, Scarlett’s all like “hmm, that seemed pretty real, but Caraval isn’t. Or is it?�� An analogy I would like use to communicate my frustration would be that of someone punching you in the face and saying “haha, it’s a joke.�� And you’re like “ow, weird, that actually hurt a lot,�� and the other person narrowing their eyes and being like “Of course it did, what you didn’t think that was a punch?�� *laughs manically.�� And then they say “just kidding, it’s not real!�� and punch you again. At this stage, I’m out. (maybe both metaphorically and literally. Who knows how hard they hit me?)

This book is such a cheat. No magic system is explained. There are no rules. It’s whatever is convenient to the plot and might add a little whimsical wonder to the setting. I’d be okay with second if I weren’t left so unsatisfied with the first. There isn’t an ounce of originality to this book. You’re telling me a magic system is off limits, yet you choose to do nothing interesting with it. Or, more specifically, you use it to help Scarlett or undermine her. I feel so tricked. This book is supposed to have the most magical setting ever, yet I’ve read better ones in contemporary books. Also the setting? There are islands. There’s a Dry Season (a metaphor for my dating life?). There is Caraval. The world-building in this book is non-existent. I’m convinced Garner didn’t have a world created at the time and thought she’d rely on her plot, but that didn’t work out since she didn’t have one of those either.

The plot is all coincidences. Like I said, Scarlett stumbles into convenient answers in the most random situations. I think if I had to say the worst thing about this book is how much it subverts your expectations with little to no work for it. Scarlett spends the majority of the book pointing randomly at people saying “You’re Legend,�� to be proved wrong. Basically, nothing in this book ends as it started (except for Scarlett, unfortunately). Before you think that’s a good thing, what I mean is a character appears nice or naïve or whatever, but then it’s revealed “this is what they’re really like.�� Except it’s done with every character. Similarly, no situation is as it seems. It happens, only to be undone with “hey, this is what really happened,�� therefore having no actual consequence. When I tell you everything in this book holds no weight to it, I’m not joking. How can it, when you realise nothing ever lasts and somehow things will be magically (hehe) righted with the most absurd explanations.

I’m not going to lie, there were times when I didn’t understand what was going on. I actually think this was a flaw of the writing rather than myself (which I don’t say often), but by the end, I didn’t care to read over it. I just rolled it with it because there’d be some inexplicable reason for it just around the corner. If you guys watch Rick and Morty, in the newest season (third episode maybe? Or fourth?), they mock heists by always having someone with an ulterior plan that would need every single thing in the world to work according to their predictions, despite how improbable they may be. That is this book. There’s always a guy with another plan behind a guy with another plan behind the guy with the plan. It’s laughable.

(Also, if you think this book will have an ending that ties things up, no not really, unless a heap of illogical answers is your jam).

I am a critical reviewer, but I refrain from giving one stars because someone did put time and effort into this book and trees were used and all that. But isn’t that what the one star is for? If this book was a case of “it’s so bad, it’s good��, I’d recommend it, but it wasn’t, it was just boring. I mean, I did laugh every few pages and every time my roommate came in I’d say “this book is so bad,�� but it was still a struggle to get through. I even think this put me in a book slump. I’ve never been in one before. I would never read this again unless it’s to gather more quotes for this review, because I was lazy and didn’t note the worst ones (there were many to choose from). I actually may do that, I’m so salty.

This book has taught me I can write a book about anything and it will be sold. If you comment an idea below, I can work it into something. I can’t even write, just to let you know, but if a book this ridiculous can get a major push and become a New York’s Time Bestseller, then I have to be able to get a publishing deal. Then you can get a publishing deal! And you can get a publishing deal! In fact, everyone gets a publishing deal! Yayyyyyy.

In summation; I laughed. I cried. I mostly cried from laughter because of how bizarre this book was. I also cried from boredom because of how boring this book was. I just cried, like a lot. And now you’re telling me there’s another two books in this series I have to read.

*Screams into pillow, but lets myself die anyway instead of reading another two books of possible bs.*]]> 3.97 2016
author: Stephanie Garber
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2016
rating: 2
read at: 2021/03/26
date added: 2021/04/04
shelves:
review:
1.5?

(I'm really trying not to give it one star guys, I'm really trying)

Last year, Where The Crawdads Sing was my least favourite book. I understand now I've made a mistake. Where The Crawdads Sing, I'm sorry I treated you too harshly. You were a good book. You kind of made sense (not really). But now I've read Caraval and understand the error of my ways. If I find a book worse than Caraval this year, I think I'll quit reading and knit. At least then I won't need to deal with (a) dumb characters, (b) non-existent worldbuilding and (c) the most ridiculous plot I've ever read.

(Drumroll please)

Scarlett Dragna has lived on the island of Trisda her entire life with her sister, Donatella and their father who abuses them both regularly. Every year, Scarlett writes a letter to the mysterious Legend, owner of a magical week-long performance named Caraval, begging him to visit their home. After turning eighteen and a week away from her arranged marriage, Scarlett finally receives a response �� three tickets and an invitation to compete in this year’s Caraval, the number one prize? A wish.

Where to even begin.

Firstly, Scarlett is literally the worst. This character has no agency or no ounce of personality in her skull. She’s not funny, she’s not intelligent (she’s quite actually quite dumb, if you would like to know), if you a pull a string from her back she’ll say “I have to find my sister!�� or “I’m getting married in two days!�� or “I got a snake in my boot�� (oops, wrong media. Save me Woody, save me).

Scarlett’s main personality is My Sister (trademarked) and it’s a shocking case of tell don’t show. So many paragraphs are dedicated to Scarlett thinking how much she cares about her sister, while in reality, going off and doing whatever suits her. And if she gets called out on something, she’s like “I need to find my sister.�� Girl, you literally went dress shopping, stop blaming other people for your laziness.

Let’s list some fun facts about Scarlett. She sees things in colour. Now, I don’t know if she has synthesia or something, but this is never clarified. She just does it. Like;

"It came in cool shades of forget-me-not blue, which wrapped around her like evening fog, making her feel hidden enough to acknowledge that she wanted to experience more of Caraval’s pleasures than she would ever have admitted out loud.��
Or
A panicked vermillion moved inside her chest
Or
She felt five different shades of berry-coloured foolish

(These aren’t the worst quotes at all, but I didn’t mark ones the worst offenders and I regret that. I’m sorry)

Garner is really reaching for to apply colour to every situation. I’d love to be like “but golden-blue isn’t the colour of my, childhood dreams. What are you going to do now, Stephanie? Huh?�� (Also, I’m pretty sure she used the same colour twice for different emotions, which I’m going to say is illegal). And let’s be clear, this never becomes interesting, it just took me out of the book and made me cringe. I don’t mind flowery writing, I don’t mind basic writing, but this ruined any enjoyment I had of the prose (which was mostly okay, depending on your taste) in this book and the prose was supposed to be its best-selling point. If I constructed a sentence where I said “her jealously was green like, um snot,�� is that what will make me a New York Times bestseller?

I think every other character in this book is as abysmal as Scarlett. Julian, who starts off as a raunchy dumb sailor gets more boring as the book goes on. Now, I tend to have biases towards supporting side characters, especially love interests since they are often more flawed and fun compared to their romantic everyman/woman/person counterpart. Julian couldn’t even do that. He doesn’t communicate with Scarlett, he’s dull, he always has an ulterior motive and he isn’t even funny. His motivations feel like they make no sense. And he keeps calling her Crimson. Like, come on. Imagine your name’s Violet and a guy’s like “alright, Purple,�� and you’re like “mm, I’d rather you didn’t call me that,�� and he ignores you and proceeds to call you it anyway. Maybe it’d be more attractive if it were an actual nickname, stemming from an inside joke or her appearance, but no, we get the blandest, most unoriginal one on earth.

Also instalove is present! Yes, you wonder, how could two characters incapable of having personalities fall in love with each other in a span of like two days? I don’t know either! Maybe they just realised no one else was going to put up with them. But, wait a second, Scarlett’s got her fiancé! We know she has a fiancé because she keeps reminding everyone they’ll be married in a week. They’ve never met or anything, but he’s a good person, because he sounded good in the letters she got from him. Ah, simpler times.

And to let you know, there is no flavour to this relationship. Scarlett keeps basically holding back from Julian because of her marriage, but she’ll compensate by telling us how hot he is all the time. Lucky us. It might’ve helped if either of them were interesting, but we can only wish for so much, I guess. I genuinely think she’s only interested in his looks though. I mean at one stage when he’s being hurt, the first thing she thinks about is “his sharply defined brown muscles.�� Like, some people might think of fun moments they had together or their virtuous qualities, but those brown muscles though amiright?

(Though maybe Scarlett really does love his hard abs. Maybe they’re the best thing about him, so she’s not technically wrong in thinking that.)

Moving off the characters now, I just think this book makes so little sense and this is something that coincides with character’s personalities too. Something I seek in books is character consistency. You know, when you think “wait a second, that’s unlike them,�� or also, one of my favourites, “No human in the history of the world would ever do something as stupid as you just did.�� But these character’s morph into whatever traits Garber needs for the book. They start foolish, then suddenly dump of a load of information they’ve been hiding. It makes you wonder “why didn’t they do this fifty pages ago?�� or “why does Scarlett never prompt at dubious questions?�� Because who knows, that might lead us somewhere?

This book has so many moments of stupidity. At one stage, while they’re in the middle of this life or death game, Scarlett chooses to go dress-shopping. Let’s try some logic. Okay, Scarlett needs new clothes, cool. But in Caraval, these clothes also come with magical prices you may not want to pay. But instead of going for clothes with values that are harmless (for example, one would cost her last nightmare), she’s like “no, too ugly,�� and picks out the dresses with prices that end up costing her way more than there worth, literally affecting her participation in the game.

Let’s talk about the game; Caraval, as a competition, literally does not make any sense. To give you a brief summary, you partake in a magical treasure hunts against all the other lucky folks who managed to source tickets. You’re given a list of clues and off you go. Except, and this actually amused me the most, the competition revolves around Scarlett this year. I mean, the clues given out only specifically work for her. How unfair is that?! Imagine you’re a single parent, raising a family with little to no savings and you do everything you can to attend to Caraval in the hope you win and give your children a better life with one wish. And then you arrive, and you get clues, only to realise they work for one person. Is this a villain origin story? Not to mention, there are so many times where Scarlett is basically handed the clue and she’s like “hmm, is this relevant?�� It’s like the “is this a pigeon?�� anime meme, except it is a clue, it’s clearly nothing else.

To continue on about nonsensical things, this entire book is a cop out. Everyone consistently tells Scarlett “What, girl? Caraval’s not real. It’s all performers. You’re crazy,�� and then when something *suspicious* happens, Scarlett’s all like “hmm, that seemed pretty real, but Caraval isn’t. Or is it?�� An analogy I would like use to communicate my frustration would be that of someone punching you in the face and saying “haha, it’s a joke.�� And you’re like “ow, weird, that actually hurt a lot,�� and the other person narrowing their eyes and being like “Of course it did, what you didn’t think that was a punch?�� *laughs manically.�� And then they say “just kidding, it’s not real!�� and punch you again. At this stage, I’m out. (maybe both metaphorically and literally. Who knows how hard they hit me?)

This book is such a cheat. No magic system is explained. There are no rules. It’s whatever is convenient to the plot and might add a little whimsical wonder to the setting. I’d be okay with second if I weren’t left so unsatisfied with the first. There isn’t an ounce of originality to this book. You’re telling me a magic system is off limits, yet you choose to do nothing interesting with it. Or, more specifically, you use it to help Scarlett or undermine her. I feel so tricked. This book is supposed to have the most magical setting ever, yet I’ve read better ones in contemporary books. Also the setting? There are islands. There’s a Dry Season (a metaphor for my dating life?). There is Caraval. The world-building in this book is non-existent. I’m convinced Garner didn’t have a world created at the time and thought she’d rely on her plot, but that didn’t work out since she didn’t have one of those either.

The plot is all coincidences. Like I said, Scarlett stumbles into convenient answers in the most random situations. I think if I had to say the worst thing about this book is how much it subverts your expectations with little to no work for it. Scarlett spends the majority of the book pointing randomly at people saying “You’re Legend,�� to be proved wrong. Basically, nothing in this book ends as it started (except for Scarlett, unfortunately). Before you think that’s a good thing, what I mean is a character appears nice or naïve or whatever, but then it’s revealed “this is what they’re really like.�� Except it’s done with every character. Similarly, no situation is as it seems. It happens, only to be undone with “hey, this is what really happened,�� therefore having no actual consequence. When I tell you everything in this book holds no weight to it, I’m not joking. How can it, when you realise nothing ever lasts and somehow things will be magically (hehe) righted with the most absurd explanations.

I’m not going to lie, there were times when I didn’t understand what was going on. I actually think this was a flaw of the writing rather than myself (which I don’t say often), but by the end, I didn’t care to read over it. I just rolled it with it because there’d be some inexplicable reason for it just around the corner. If you guys watch Rick and Morty, in the newest season (third episode maybe? Or fourth?), they mock heists by always having someone with an ulterior plan that would need every single thing in the world to work according to their predictions, despite how improbable they may be. That is this book. There’s always a guy with another plan behind a guy with another plan behind the guy with the plan. It’s laughable.

(Also, if you think this book will have an ending that ties things up, no not really, unless a heap of illogical answers is your jam).

I am a critical reviewer, but I refrain from giving one stars because someone did put time and effort into this book and trees were used and all that. But isn’t that what the one star is for? If this book was a case of “it’s so bad, it’s good��, I’d recommend it, but it wasn’t, it was just boring. I mean, I did laugh every few pages and every time my roommate came in I’d say “this book is so bad,�� but it was still a struggle to get through. I even think this put me in a book slump. I’ve never been in one before. I would never read this again unless it’s to gather more quotes for this review, because I was lazy and didn’t note the worst ones (there were many to choose from). I actually may do that, I’m so salty.

This book has taught me I can write a book about anything and it will be sold. If you comment an idea below, I can work it into something. I can’t even write, just to let you know, but if a book this ridiculous can get a major push and become a New York’s Time Bestseller, then I have to be able to get a publishing deal. Then you can get a publishing deal! And you can get a publishing deal! In fact, everyone gets a publishing deal! Yayyyyyy.

In summation; I laughed. I cried. I mostly cried from laughter because of how bizarre this book was. I also cried from boredom because of how boring this book was. I just cried, like a lot. And now you’re telling me there’s another two books in this series I have to read.

*Screams into pillow, but lets myself die anyway instead of reading another two books of possible bs.*
]]> 6185 You can find the redesigned cover of this edition HERE.

At the centre of this novel is the passionate love between Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff - recounted with such emotional intensity that a plain tale of the Yorkshire moors acquires the depth and simplicity of ancient tragedy.

This best-selling Norton Critical Edition is based on the 1847 first edition of the novel. For the Fourth Edition, the editor has collated the 1847 text with several modern editions and has corrected a number of variants, including accidentals. The text is accompanied by entirely new explanatory annotations.

New to the fourth Edition are twelve of Emily Bronte's letters regarding the publication of the 1847 edition of Wuthering Heights as well as the evolution of the 1850 edition, prose and poetry selections by the author, four reviews of the novel, and poetry selections by the author, four reviews of the novel, and Edward Chitham's insightful and informative chronology of the creative process behind the beloved work.

Five major critical interpretations of Wuthering Heights are included, three of them new to the Fourth Edition. A Stuart Daley considers the importance of chronology in the novel. J. Hillis Miller examines Wuthering Heights's problems of genre and critical reputation. Sandra M. Gilbert assesses the role of Victorian Christianity plays in the novel, while Martha Nussbaum traces the novel's romanticism. Finally, Lin Haire-Sargeant scrutinizes the role of Heathcliff in film adaptations of Wuthering Heights.

A Chronology and updated Selected Bibliography are also included.]]> 464 Emily Brontë Unknown Reviews 4
I don’t mean characters we dislike due to their personality or choices, but because, at their core, they’re weak or cruel or, maybe, just plain evil. So, to open up a book 175 years old, having only heard “It’s a great love story!�� as guidance, Wuthering Height is probably the biggest false advertisement I’ve ever faced which made it so much better to read.

Being honest, the beginning was slow and boring. It’s the most technically challenging book I’ve read in a while after a break from reading and a large consumption of mostly YA books in the past few years. Secondly, I didn’t know where it was going. Heathcliff may be the star of this story, but he’s not the one to tell it. Our protagonist, Mr Lockwood, is literally a random person who doesn’t hold any relevance to the plot except to hear the woeful tale of Wuthering Heights from someone who also isn’t Heathcliff (a bit like a book Inception, if you will). But the more I got stuck in and the more my page count trickled upward each day, I came to appreciate it for what it was. Not a love story exactly, but instead a depiction of the cruelty and wickedness of humanity.

Long story short. Heathcliff, a gypsy boy, is adopted by Earnshaw to Wuthering Heights, a house among the Moors. There he spends his childhood, in love with Earnshaw’s daughter Catherine, hated by Hindley, Earnshaw’s son. As they grow up, their lives become entangled with another family, the Linton’s, and they more they intersect, the more chaos is caused.

For a lot of the story, I wondered where were things going, because from the start all of these characters continued to be unpredictable. Cathy is bad-tempered, Hindley, abusive, The Lintons, weak, (though I liked them both) and Heathcliff…he’s basically a sociopath, I don’t know what other way to put it. All their children are equally frustrating (with such similar names to their parentage), yet I was completely sucked into the drama of their lives. Because this book takes the risk of of irredeemable characters, it suddenly becomes so more unique and fascinating to read. They have unhappy marriages, are abusive, treat one another terribly, that you lose hope in their humanity. And to think of how long ago this was published, I would’ve loved to seen the uproar at time.

Because how many happy books and characters do we have? How many relationships are unbreakable and honest, and last without flaws? This ���dzܱ���’v�� been an easy love story about a boy from a low background trying to marry a girl who’s from a privileged family. But no. Heathcliff and Cathy are callous and deceitful, and marry other people, and then treat their spouses with hatred. It’s remarkable a book this old went to challenge social norms during such a conservative time period. Never once is there sympathy in this book. People hate (or love) each so much, they dedicate their lives to getting revenge in such weird ways on each other. And that's where the believability lies. These cruel character with their selfish impulses and violence reflect the part of society and relationships we don't talk about. We like the happy endings and soul mates, but this book is just a portrayal of the opposite side. The qualities of the characters in this book are qualities that exist in real life, and maybe we'd like to believe they're unrealistic, but the truth is, most people lay between this and the Disney, rom-com ending. We'd just rather not see the former because we want to believe love is a perfect thing, when this book proves that's not always a correct view to have.

In terms of characters, Nellie and Edgar were the only remotely nice people, as well as Hareton. And I’m just clarifying my stance here, but there is no way Heathcliff can be considered redeemable. He’s a brilliant character and incredibly complex, but to those who are convinced he’s some kind of swash-buckling romantic figure, I’m just so confused. Give me your thought process.

I must admit, I also see the allure of referring to this book as romance novel due to the sheer intensity of Heathcliff and Cathy’s relationship, but I feel Bronte was much more focused on the negative aspects of these characters. Yes, they may be abusers and wicked people, but they can love in their own, odd ways. At the same time, they’re still abusers and wicked people. Their love, strong as it is, does not detract from the things they’ve done. In fact, maybe their love was the cause of the downfall of all these people anyway.

I didn’t mind “It’s a story, about a guy who’s told a story�� as a choice of narrative, and while I actually felt I didn’t get a full picture of the Moors, I feel the spooky atmosphere was always spot on. My stars are lost on the general slowness of the beginning and the last fifty pages took such a random turn, I put down the book to laugh at the absurdness of it, thinking “what is this book?�� It felt like the third act twist of a B-list horror move. But the characters and their choices stayed fascinating and the psychology of each one of them left so much for me to explore. I thought it was a bold take on what we expect of a romance story and I'm glad I picked it up.

(I really hated Heathcliff's son though. I just need to write that down.)]]> 3.89 1847
author: Emily Brontë
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 3.89
book published: 1847
rating: 4
read at: 2021/02/12
date added: 2021/03/22
shelves:
review:
It’s so unusual to find a good story with terrible characters.

I don’t mean characters we dislike due to their personality or choices, but because, at their core, they’re weak or cruel or, maybe, just plain evil. So, to open up a book 175 years old, having only heard “It’s a great love story!�� as guidance, Wuthering Height is probably the biggest false advertisement I’ve ever faced which made it so much better to read.

Being honest, the beginning was slow and boring. It’s the most technically challenging book I’ve read in a while after a break from reading and a large consumption of mostly YA books in the past few years. Secondly, I didn’t know where it was going. Heathcliff may be the star of this story, but he’s not the one to tell it. Our protagonist, Mr Lockwood, is literally a random person who doesn’t hold any relevance to the plot except to hear the woeful tale of Wuthering Heights from someone who also isn’t Heathcliff (a bit like a book Inception, if you will). But the more I got stuck in and the more my page count trickled upward each day, I came to appreciate it for what it was. Not a love story exactly, but instead a depiction of the cruelty and wickedness of humanity.

Long story short. Heathcliff, a gypsy boy, is adopted by Earnshaw to Wuthering Heights, a house among the Moors. There he spends his childhood, in love with Earnshaw’s daughter Catherine, hated by Hindley, Earnshaw’s son. As they grow up, their lives become entangled with another family, the Linton’s, and they more they intersect, the more chaos is caused.

For a lot of the story, I wondered where were things going, because from the start all of these characters continued to be unpredictable. Cathy is bad-tempered, Hindley, abusive, The Lintons, weak, (though I liked them both) and Heathcliff…he’s basically a sociopath, I don’t know what other way to put it. All their children are equally frustrating (with such similar names to their parentage), yet I was completely sucked into the drama of their lives. Because this book takes the risk of of irredeemable characters, it suddenly becomes so more unique and fascinating to read. They have unhappy marriages, are abusive, treat one another terribly, that you lose hope in their humanity. And to think of how long ago this was published, I would’ve loved to seen the uproar at time.

Because how many happy books and characters do we have? How many relationships are unbreakable and honest, and last without flaws? This ���dzܱ���’v�� been an easy love story about a boy from a low background trying to marry a girl who’s from a privileged family. But no. Heathcliff and Cathy are callous and deceitful, and marry other people, and then treat their spouses with hatred. It’s remarkable a book this old went to challenge social norms during such a conservative time period. Never once is there sympathy in this book. People hate (or love) each so much, they dedicate their lives to getting revenge in such weird ways on each other. And that's where the believability lies. These cruel character with their selfish impulses and violence reflect the part of society and relationships we don't talk about. We like the happy endings and soul mates, but this book is just a portrayal of the opposite side. The qualities of the characters in this book are qualities that exist in real life, and maybe we'd like to believe they're unrealistic, but the truth is, most people lay between this and the Disney, rom-com ending. We'd just rather not see the former because we want to believe love is a perfect thing, when this book proves that's not always a correct view to have.

In terms of characters, Nellie and Edgar were the only remotely nice people, as well as Hareton. And I’m just clarifying my stance here, but there is no way Heathcliff can be considered redeemable. He’s a brilliant character and incredibly complex, but to those who are convinced he’s some kind of swash-buckling romantic figure, I’m just so confused. Give me your thought process.

I must admit, I also see the allure of referring to this book as romance novel due to the sheer intensity of Heathcliff and Cathy’s relationship, but I feel Bronte was much more focused on the negative aspects of these characters. Yes, they may be abusers and wicked people, but they can love in their own, odd ways. At the same time, they’re still abusers and wicked people. Their love, strong as it is, does not detract from the things they’ve done. In fact, maybe their love was the cause of the downfall of all these people anyway.

I didn’t mind “It’s a story, about a guy who’s told a story�� as a choice of narrative, and while I actually felt I didn’t get a full picture of the Moors, I feel the spooky atmosphere was always spot on. My stars are lost on the general slowness of the beginning and the last fifty pages took such a random turn, I put down the book to laugh at the absurdness of it, thinking “what is this book?�� It felt like the third act twist of a B-list horror move. But the characters and their choices stayed fascinating and the psychology of each one of them left so much for me to explore. I thought it was a bold take on what we expect of a romance story and I'm glad I picked it up.

(I really hated Heathcliff's son though. I just need to write that down.)
]]> 19547856
With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.]]> 320 Becky Albertalli 0062348671 Unknown Reviews 4
I suppose the comparisons I hold it against aren’t very fair which would be most of the teenage dramas on TV. The side character whose personality is their sexuality, or their odd storyline is to Raise Awareness About Being Gay, while they’re then left redundant for the rest of the season. Unless they have to be involved in a tragic accident, because, you know can we really kill anyone else on the cast? You might know what I mean, and if you don’t, then well done, you’re watching better TV than I am.

This difference with this book is Simon isn’t just gay. He’s also a person. He’s a witty, sarcastic, sometimes outgoing guy who is just living his day to day life like every other teenager (Except, in his case it’s a bit more stressful since the threat of being outed is held over his head) - and I was just so glad to see that. (the Simon part, not the blackmail part.)

To add to that, the book has a bit of a fun mystery in it to spice things up. Simon is still pining for a relationship, the closest coming in the form of emails from a boy nicknamed Blue whose identity remains unknown. The majority of the book is Simon trying to guess who it could possibly be, which offers for a fun mystery. I mean, sure, you could probably pick up a dozen stories like this in a shop, but it was the reality of the story that sold it for me.

When Simon comes out, there aren’t any sob stories or wilful accusations. It’s awkward and unbroken territory for the characters, once established, people move on pretty quickly. And Simon is not a character who is on one end or the other of the popularity scale. He’s in the middle, friendly with people both nerdy and sporty. I’m not saying cliques don’t exist �� obviously they do and some can be mean. But I appreciated a depiction of high school that isn’t just socially incompetent nerds vs. bitchy hot girls and jocks. At least we’re I’m from, people were friends no matter what group they were in or where they ranked popularity-wise. Honestly, this is to date the most normal school I’ve seen in a book and I mentally thanked Albertalli for finally serving me actual relatability while I was reading it.

And to address the homophobia in this book �� it is there, of course �� it’s minimal, and I liked that too. Once again, I know this isn’t an accurate representation for everyone, especially with some countries still so adamant against LGBTQI+ rights, but it at least reminded me of my school, where most people were indifferent to what your sexuality was. I think I just appreciated a book where being gay isn’t a bundle of traumatic experiences, and instead of being rejected, the character is supported by his family and friends.

The writing isn’t spectacular, but I was thoroughly amused throughout the book and liked everyone (I didn’t really vibe with Leah, but I understood her as a character so it’s all good on my end) since Albertalli fleshed out each one of their personalities past clichés and stereotypes. I was able to familiarise with situations where it seemed Simon’s friendship with Leah was breaking, and her jealousy around being pushed out of the friend group with new girl Abby (who’s cool, by the way.)

Albertalli has a really keen eye for writing experiences that relate to being a teen �� you know, the night out you’ll never forget or a singular event with your friend that still makes you laugh. And though I mentioned this story did solidify Simon as a separate person to his sexuality, he allows himself to explore it more, like when he’s picked up at a bar or considering asking someone out.

As for the blackmailer �� do I think his motivation was weak? Very much so (though Simon’s response to him was incredibly appropriate and satisfying in my opinion.) And the identity of Blue? I really don’t think the book laid out enough clues (though with a small cast, that might make sense), but now I wonder did I really just not try hard enough.

I was really content throughout the book and did linger on giving it a five stars, but it dropped to four in the last thirty pages for me. I’m not one hundred percent sure why, it may have just been the way the story concluded paled in comparison to everything beforehand. It could just be my ego puffing a cigar with a top hat on and saying “giving five stars to a YA book? Pfft, I think not.�� (The mystery continues)

Overall, it’s a very fun, fluffy story and I might re-read it sometimes (which never happens). I appreciated the realism, the characters and the humour in the book and think it stands out as one of the best coming-out stories I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading.

(Also Blue and Simon's emails were so cute hehe)]]> 4.14 2015
author: Becky Albertalli
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2021/02/24
date added: 2021/03/22
shelves:
review:
Simon Vs. The Homo Sapien Agendas is not a masterclass in writing. It’s not particularly ground breaking, or original. It’s definitely not the first book to talk about being gay and a teenager. But if I upped it to five stars someday, I wouldn’t be surprised �� it really is one of the most accurate depictions I’ve ever seen of what it’s like to be in the closet and on the edge of coming out.

I suppose the comparisons I hold it against aren’t very fair which would be most of the teenage dramas on TV. The side character whose personality is their sexuality, or their odd storyline is to Raise Awareness About Being Gay, while they’re then left redundant for the rest of the season. Unless they have to be involved in a tragic accident, because, you know can we really kill anyone else on the cast? You might know what I mean, and if you don’t, then well done, you’re watching better TV than I am.

This difference with this book is Simon isn’t just gay. He’s also a person. He’s a witty, sarcastic, sometimes outgoing guy who is just living his day to day life like every other teenager (Except, in his case it’s a bit more stressful since the threat of being outed is held over his head) - and I was just so glad to see that. (the Simon part, not the blackmail part.)

To add to that, the book has a bit of a fun mystery in it to spice things up. Simon is still pining for a relationship, the closest coming in the form of emails from a boy nicknamed Blue whose identity remains unknown. The majority of the book is Simon trying to guess who it could possibly be, which offers for a fun mystery. I mean, sure, you could probably pick up a dozen stories like this in a shop, but it was the reality of the story that sold it for me.

When Simon comes out, there aren’t any sob stories or wilful accusations. It’s awkward and unbroken territory for the characters, once established, people move on pretty quickly. And Simon is not a character who is on one end or the other of the popularity scale. He’s in the middle, friendly with people both nerdy and sporty. I’m not saying cliques don’t exist �� obviously they do and some can be mean. But I appreciated a depiction of high school that isn’t just socially incompetent nerds vs. bitchy hot girls and jocks. At least we’re I’m from, people were friends no matter what group they were in or where they ranked popularity-wise. Honestly, this is to date the most normal school I’ve seen in a book and I mentally thanked Albertalli for finally serving me actual relatability while I was reading it.

And to address the homophobia in this book �� it is there, of course �� it’s minimal, and I liked that too. Once again, I know this isn’t an accurate representation for everyone, especially with some countries still so adamant against LGBTQI+ rights, but it at least reminded me of my school, where most people were indifferent to what your sexuality was. I think I just appreciated a book where being gay isn’t a bundle of traumatic experiences, and instead of being rejected, the character is supported by his family and friends.

The writing isn’t spectacular, but I was thoroughly amused throughout the book and liked everyone (I didn’t really vibe with Leah, but I understood her as a character so it’s all good on my end) since Albertalli fleshed out each one of their personalities past clichés and stereotypes. I was able to familiarise with situations where it seemed Simon’s friendship with Leah was breaking, and her jealousy around being pushed out of the friend group with new girl Abby (who’s cool, by the way.)

Albertalli has a really keen eye for writing experiences that relate to being a teen �� you know, the night out you’ll never forget or a singular event with your friend that still makes you laugh. And though I mentioned this story did solidify Simon as a separate person to his sexuality, he allows himself to explore it more, like when he’s picked up at a bar or considering asking someone out.

As for the blackmailer �� do I think his motivation was weak? Very much so (though Simon’s response to him was incredibly appropriate and satisfying in my opinion.) And the identity of Blue? I really don’t think the book laid out enough clues (though with a small cast, that might make sense), but now I wonder did I really just not try hard enough.

I was really content throughout the book and did linger on giving it a five stars, but it dropped to four in the last thirty pages for me. I’m not one hundred percent sure why, it may have just been the way the story concluded paled in comparison to everything beforehand. It could just be my ego puffing a cigar with a top hat on and saying “giving five stars to a YA book? Pfft, I think not.�� (The mystery continues)

Overall, it’s a very fun, fluffy story and I might re-read it sometimes (which never happens). I appreciated the realism, the characters and the humour in the book and think it stands out as one of the best coming-out stories I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading.

(Also Blue and Simon's emails were so cute hehe)
]]> 52339313
When his traditional Latinx family has problems accepting his gender, Yadriel becomes determined to prove himself a real brujo. With the help of his cousin and best friend Maritza, he performs the ritual himself, and then sets out to find the ghost of his murdered cousin and set it free.

However, the ghost he summons is actually Julian Diaz, the school’s resident bad boy, and Julian is not about to go quietly into death. He’s determined to find out what happened and tie up some loose ends before he leaves. Left with no choice, Yadriel agrees to help Julian, so that they can both get what they want. But the longer Yadriel spends with Julian, the less he wants to let him leave.]]> 344 Aiden Thomas 1250250463 Unknown Reviews 3
Yadriel, a young, trans boy desperately wants to be seen as a brujo by his family �� a wielder of magic who assures spirits pass safely into the next life. To prove himself, he attempts to summon the ghost of a murdered family member except there’s a slight bit of a mistake. Instead of his cousin, he gets Julian �� a reckless, foul-mouthed bad boy who happens to be in Yadriel’s grade and also dead without a clue what happened to him. Partnered up with Maritza, Yadriel’s cousin, the two boys attempt to solve Julian’s murder while a much darker threat looms on the horizon.

A quick warning, this review should be short as my memory is a little foggy and I’ll be solely focused on the parts of the book that stood out to me the most, whether they’re bad or good. And luckily, there good news for the characters. I liked them . Especially, Julian. Especially, especially, Julian. Because, you know when you read a debut - cross that out - the fourth book of an established authors career and you see they’re trying to write a funny, quirky character and it doesn’t pan out? Well, it does here. Because, Julian is genuinely a funny character and such a sweetheart at that. I won’t lavishly throw praise over the dialogue, because sometimes it was a bit on the nose, but to see little spurts of realism and humour done well in a debut is a good indication to me the author is going to get even better, and is quite promising.

Moving on, I was also pleased with Yadriel and Maritza. Being fair, both were more thinly draw than Julian and often outshined by him, but there is a difficulty in writing a relatively good, “everyman�� main character without them being blander than the supporting cast.

I did like Yadriel, I can say, due to his own sense of humour as well as not being overtly bland or passive. However, the most compelling aspect of his character happened to be his struggles. By far, the most interesting part of the book to me was Yadriel trying to live life as a trans man, minus his mother, multiplied by his families ignorance, plus all the mysticism that surrounds him. This was possibly the most nuanced exploration of being trans I’ve read yet, and I believe it was quite an important read. Seeing things like Yadriel’s family use his deadname, misgender him or even his struggles with the school bathrooms lends a much deeper layer beyond the supernatural in this book, and a much more heartfelt one too. When something goes right for Yadriel, you cheer. You want the best for him and whenever he has a little win, or a new advancement is made, you can’t help but feel happy for him.

I also liked Thomas�� choice to portray a more three-dimensional take on Yadriel’s family. They don’t outright accept or reject him. They’re trying to navigate through it with a lot of goodwill but with many mistakes along the way. His dad is trying his best, but he still doesn’t fully understand the best way to behave, or the fact Yadriel’s grandmother still uses female pronouns when speaking Spanish, without understanding the harm it causes Yadriel. The book being more balanced adds both much-needed realism with such an important topic. Not to mention frustration. These slip-ups are not fun to read about, yet it is believable that a family leaning more towards tradition see them as either insignificant or petite. Even more irritating, these kind of things do happen to transgender people every day and Thomas accurately writes Yadriel’s annoyance, as well as ours.

Swinging back to characters, I also liked Maritza too. I feel she was the personification of readers trying to get the Yulian (?) ship sailing, and she maintained a good dynamic with both boys. Also, she consistently proved herself to be a strong character who took no bullshit. Though there may have been a few, too many mentions of her hair colour (sorry, I just hate when authors repeat “look, their hair is purple!�� or “she somehow has a secret mole on her face�� for some reason.) Bonus, she plays soccer and for some reason I think that’s cool.

So, while I did like the characters and believe all of the any conversations regarding being LGBTQ+ were done beautifully, they sadly can’t accost for the issues with this book, and unfortunately, there were a lot of them.

To summarise the predicted plot in a few lines: Someone is attempting to re-access a deadly type of power with dangerous consequences. People have gone missing. Yadriel summons a ghost. Ghost happens to be cute, bad boy. Yadriel + CBB try to solve the mystery before Día de los Muertos, complete with action, forbidden romance and rep along the way.

That sounds like a cool book, except we don’t get this. There are hints of it, except this book is very much bogged down by exposition, bland writing and a structure that feels in no way cohesive.

You see, the world-building sounds really interesting. It’s clear Thomas has put a lot of work into their premise and I always love reading about mythologies that I know nothing about. But honestly, it seemed like the more interesting aspects were locked off to us as readers and very much put in the background. For example, things like the challenges people had to face to make it to the afterlife, or just the general history about Lady Death and the Jaguar God (I can’t remember his name, so please excuse me if this is incorrect.) all sounded amazing and very fantastical. As a contemporary fantasy, I understand why the magic would be more grounded but the book really would’ve benefited from the wilder parts of Thomas�� world-building.

Because unfortunately, the plot is boring and not tightly written. The links between scenes and plot points felt very artificially done and I was disappointed by the lack of imagination. The whole thing felt as if it was written without a plan, like Thomas wandered from scene to scene without thinking what makes an action-packed and entertaining book. Obviously, not all books need to be action-packed (you would hope they’re entertaining though), but the writing was not strong enough to carry this book on atmosphere or characters alone. A lot of the book focuses on the relationship between Yadriel and Julian, but I nearly always wondered “couldn’t Thomas have come up with a more interesting scene relevant to the plot and still have the relationship develop?�� instead of re-treading “they’re in Yadriel’s bedroom, they’re walking somewhere, they’re in Yadriel’s bedroom again.�� Have them talk after a fight with spirits turned bad maybe? An exploration into more magic? Something, anything to further in a plot in an organic, interesting and scary way (sorry, I wanted some Halloween feels.)

Another issue is that this book contains little to no tension, as the evilness plot is kind of forgotten about. It’s hard to be scared of an apparent killer trying to re-claim the power of an evil god when the characters appear so indifferent to it. The whole book feels so passive, I think is the best way to describe my feelings. You're supposed be tricked into thinking this darker plot is going on when really there’s no suspense or thrills because the characters care more about other things. I’d even say I’d rather this book just be about Julian and Yadriel’s relationship since it was a lot more interesting and the book wouldn’t be bogged down in something that only feels half-heartedly invested in. For example, at one stage, they use a party as an excuse to take the day off. Never mind the party doesn’t make it past a page, but this is just a weak plot device to get the boys to Secluded Spot to Have Feelings. Seriously, could Have Feelings not had happened during an actual plot point that might be relevant to the story?

(Also, the villain was ridiculously predictable. They ���dzܱ���’v�� been called Villain for all I care, since it was basically stamped on their face the moment we met them. To add to that, since the main plot is forgotten about, their motivation gives us no empathy for them.)

Another thing I want to point out, which is a little odder, is this book does not feel mature enough. Maybe I had different expectations than everyone else, but I genuinely think if you cut out the swearing in this book, it could be easily marketed to 10-13 year olds over older teenagers. Something about the cast and writing felt very young, and maybe it’s due to the book being a debut, maybe it’s due to the light-heartedness of the story, but it is the most juvenile YA book I’ve read in a while. I don’t mean that as an insult, and it’s possible the teens in the story are a more accurate depiction than the usual brooding, self-suffering teens of YA, but I just didn’t expect it, if I’m honest.

Also, the writing. Yeah... I have to say it, it wasn’t great. This book is very clearly a debut and in all honesty, I do think it should’ve run through an editor again. I’m no expert, but something felt off straight away when I saw the amount of exposition in the first few chapters. I can’t lie, I’m genuinely surprised a published book had such amateur tell-tales. And, I think I pointed out the amount of exposition in my review for “Into The Drowning Deep,�� too, but at least that was somewhat organic. Here, Yadriel’s thoughts can jump from something like thinking about his family to what Brujx receive when they’re fifteen. It hits you with the force of the train with it’s randomness and could be plucked straight from a history book in the way it’s told. This book contains the worst examples of exposition I’ve read this year. Now, this does get better since there’s less exposition later in the book, but that’s because practically all of it was in the first few pages. Rather than being woefully lopsided, the information should’ve been spread out through the book and dropped a little bit…well, more subtly anyway.

The prose also wasn’t great either which maybe enhanced the juvenile feel I was getting from it. Being fair, basic prose in books doesn’t bother me (unless it doesn’t flow well), but this really felt like an earlier draft rather than the fully edited, published book. Things were told in a very mundane way which meant I got a little bored or disinterested during scenes.

Some parts of the plot I liked, for example when we meet Julian’s group of friends (who are all interesting characters in their own right) or Yadriel in school, but they’re so detached from the overall plot, it does feel like flicking back and forth between different genres.

Also, the ending. Very anti-climatic, though the lack of build-up prepares you for it anyway. It’s quite rushed and I’m wondering will there be a sequel, but if there is, what was the point of this book either than Yadriel’s personal/romantic life? It sets up little to nothing. It’s possible Thomas stored up the more fantastical elements for the future, but they ���dzܱ���’v�� easily been used in this book to make it more entertaining. I know this book means so much to so many people, and I’d recommend you to read it, but the story itself just didn’t work for me beyond Yadriel and Julian’s relationship.

Honestly, looking at the distance between this review and when I read it (six weeks maybe), my general thoughts of the book would be "it's underwhelming". This is super subjective, since most ŷ������ readers loved it and I’d always advise you to trust them over me, but I could not vibe with the plot or weak story structure. Though I will say this: That yearbook scene gets a star of its own �� I did not expect it to make me feel some type of way.]]> 4.26 2020
author: Aiden Thomas
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2020/11/15
date added: 2021/03/14
shelves:
review:
Writing this review after a month long absence doesn’t seem very fair, as I don’t have a copy of Cemetery Boys at my bedside anymore and I can’t flick for appropriate plot references and so on. However, there’s no way I can move onto another book and not feel guilty over not having this review done, so, alas, a late Christmas present.

Yadriel, a young, trans boy desperately wants to be seen as a brujo by his family �� a wielder of magic who assures spirits pass safely into the next life. To prove himself, he attempts to summon the ghost of a murdered family member except there’s a slight bit of a mistake. Instead of his cousin, he gets Julian �� a reckless, foul-mouthed bad boy who happens to be in Yadriel’s grade and also dead without a clue what happened to him. Partnered up with Maritza, Yadriel’s cousin, the two boys attempt to solve Julian’s murder while a much darker threat looms on the horizon.

A quick warning, this review should be short as my memory is a little foggy and I’ll be solely focused on the parts of the book that stood out to me the most, whether they’re bad or good. And luckily, there good news for the characters. I liked them . Especially, Julian. Especially, especially, Julian. Because, you know when you read a debut - cross that out - the fourth book of an established authors career and you see they’re trying to write a funny, quirky character and it doesn’t pan out? Well, it does here. Because, Julian is genuinely a funny character and such a sweetheart at that. I won’t lavishly throw praise over the dialogue, because sometimes it was a bit on the nose, but to see little spurts of realism and humour done well in a debut is a good indication to me the author is going to get even better, and is quite promising.

Moving on, I was also pleased with Yadriel and Maritza. Being fair, both were more thinly draw than Julian and often outshined by him, but there is a difficulty in writing a relatively good, “everyman�� main character without them being blander than the supporting cast.

I did like Yadriel, I can say, due to his own sense of humour as well as not being overtly bland or passive. However, the most compelling aspect of his character happened to be his struggles. By far, the most interesting part of the book to me was Yadriel trying to live life as a trans man, minus his mother, multiplied by his families ignorance, plus all the mysticism that surrounds him. This was possibly the most nuanced exploration of being trans I’ve read yet, and I believe it was quite an important read. Seeing things like Yadriel’s family use his deadname, misgender him or even his struggles with the school bathrooms lends a much deeper layer beyond the supernatural in this book, and a much more heartfelt one too. When something goes right for Yadriel, you cheer. You want the best for him and whenever he has a little win, or a new advancement is made, you can’t help but feel happy for him.

I also liked Thomas�� choice to portray a more three-dimensional take on Yadriel’s family. They don’t outright accept or reject him. They’re trying to navigate through it with a lot of goodwill but with many mistakes along the way. His dad is trying his best, but he still doesn’t fully understand the best way to behave, or the fact Yadriel’s grandmother still uses female pronouns when speaking Spanish, without understanding the harm it causes Yadriel. The book being more balanced adds both much-needed realism with such an important topic. Not to mention frustration. These slip-ups are not fun to read about, yet it is believable that a family leaning more towards tradition see them as either insignificant or petite. Even more irritating, these kind of things do happen to transgender people every day and Thomas accurately writes Yadriel’s annoyance, as well as ours.

Swinging back to characters, I also liked Maritza too. I feel she was the personification of readers trying to get the Yulian (?) ship sailing, and she maintained a good dynamic with both boys. Also, she consistently proved herself to be a strong character who took no bullshit. Though there may have been a few, too many mentions of her hair colour (sorry, I just hate when authors repeat “look, their hair is purple!�� or “she somehow has a secret mole on her face�� for some reason.) Bonus, she plays soccer and for some reason I think that’s cool.

So, while I did like the characters and believe all of the any conversations regarding being LGBTQ+ were done beautifully, they sadly can’t accost for the issues with this book, and unfortunately, there were a lot of them.

To summarise the predicted plot in a few lines: Someone is attempting to re-access a deadly type of power with dangerous consequences. People have gone missing. Yadriel summons a ghost. Ghost happens to be cute, bad boy. Yadriel + CBB try to solve the mystery before Día de los Muertos, complete with action, forbidden romance and rep along the way.

That sounds like a cool book, except we don’t get this. There are hints of it, except this book is very much bogged down by exposition, bland writing and a structure that feels in no way cohesive.

You see, the world-building sounds really interesting. It’s clear Thomas has put a lot of work into their premise and I always love reading about mythologies that I know nothing about. But honestly, it seemed like the more interesting aspects were locked off to us as readers and very much put in the background. For example, things like the challenges people had to face to make it to the afterlife, or just the general history about Lady Death and the Jaguar God (I can’t remember his name, so please excuse me if this is incorrect.) all sounded amazing and very fantastical. As a contemporary fantasy, I understand why the magic would be more grounded but the book really would’ve benefited from the wilder parts of Thomas�� world-building.

Because unfortunately, the plot is boring and not tightly written. The links between scenes and plot points felt very artificially done and I was disappointed by the lack of imagination. The whole thing felt as if it was written without a plan, like Thomas wandered from scene to scene without thinking what makes an action-packed and entertaining book. Obviously, not all books need to be action-packed (you would hope they’re entertaining though), but the writing was not strong enough to carry this book on atmosphere or characters alone. A lot of the book focuses on the relationship between Yadriel and Julian, but I nearly always wondered “couldn’t Thomas have come up with a more interesting scene relevant to the plot and still have the relationship develop?�� instead of re-treading “they’re in Yadriel’s bedroom, they’re walking somewhere, they’re in Yadriel’s bedroom again.�� Have them talk after a fight with spirits turned bad maybe? An exploration into more magic? Something, anything to further in a plot in an organic, interesting and scary way (sorry, I wanted some Halloween feels.)

Another issue is that this book contains little to no tension, as the evilness plot is kind of forgotten about. It’s hard to be scared of an apparent killer trying to re-claim the power of an evil god when the characters appear so indifferent to it. The whole book feels so passive, I think is the best way to describe my feelings. You're supposed be tricked into thinking this darker plot is going on when really there’s no suspense or thrills because the characters care more about other things. I’d even say I’d rather this book just be about Julian and Yadriel’s relationship since it was a lot more interesting and the book wouldn’t be bogged down in something that only feels half-heartedly invested in. For example, at one stage, they use a party as an excuse to take the day off. Never mind the party doesn’t make it past a page, but this is just a weak plot device to get the boys to Secluded Spot to Have Feelings. Seriously, could Have Feelings not had happened during an actual plot point that might be relevant to the story?

(Also, the villain was ridiculously predictable. They ���dzܱ���’v�� been called Villain for all I care, since it was basically stamped on their face the moment we met them. To add to that, since the main plot is forgotten about, their motivation gives us no empathy for them.)

Another thing I want to point out, which is a little odder, is this book does not feel mature enough. Maybe I had different expectations than everyone else, but I genuinely think if you cut out the swearing in this book, it could be easily marketed to 10-13 year olds over older teenagers. Something about the cast and writing felt very young, and maybe it’s due to the book being a debut, maybe it’s due to the light-heartedness of the story, but it is the most juvenile YA book I’ve read in a while. I don’t mean that as an insult, and it’s possible the teens in the story are a more accurate depiction than the usual brooding, self-suffering teens of YA, but I just didn’t expect it, if I’m honest.

Also, the writing. Yeah... I have to say it, it wasn’t great. This book is very clearly a debut and in all honesty, I do think it should’ve run through an editor again. I’m no expert, but something felt off straight away when I saw the amount of exposition in the first few chapters. I can’t lie, I’m genuinely surprised a published book had such amateur tell-tales. And, I think I pointed out the amount of exposition in my review for “Into The Drowning Deep,�� too, but at least that was somewhat organic. Here, Yadriel’s thoughts can jump from something like thinking about his family to what Brujx receive when they’re fifteen. It hits you with the force of the train with it’s randomness and could be plucked straight from a history book in the way it’s told. This book contains the worst examples of exposition I’ve read this year. Now, this does get better since there’s less exposition later in the book, but that’s because practically all of it was in the first few pages. Rather than being woefully lopsided, the information should’ve been spread out through the book and dropped a little bit…well, more subtly anyway.

The prose also wasn’t great either which maybe enhanced the juvenile feel I was getting from it. Being fair, basic prose in books doesn’t bother me (unless it doesn’t flow well), but this really felt like an earlier draft rather than the fully edited, published book. Things were told in a very mundane way which meant I got a little bored or disinterested during scenes.

Some parts of the plot I liked, for example when we meet Julian’s group of friends (who are all interesting characters in their own right) or Yadriel in school, but they’re so detached from the overall plot, it does feel like flicking back and forth between different genres.

Also, the ending. Very anti-climatic, though the lack of build-up prepares you for it anyway. It’s quite rushed and I’m wondering will there be a sequel, but if there is, what was the point of this book either than Yadriel’s personal/romantic life? It sets up little to nothing. It’s possible Thomas stored up the more fantastical elements for the future, but they ���dzܱ���’v�� easily been used in this book to make it more entertaining. I know this book means so much to so many people, and I’d recommend you to read it, but the story itself just didn’t work for me beyond Yadriel and Julian’s relationship.

Honestly, looking at the distance between this review and when I read it (six weeks maybe), my general thoughts of the book would be "it's underwhelming". This is super subjective, since most ŷ������ readers loved it and I’d always advise you to trust them over me, but I could not vibe with the plot or weak story structure. Though I will say this: That yearbook scene gets a star of its own �� I did not expect it to make me feel some type of way.
]]> 50266871
Despite their mutually beneficial pact, they start developing real feelings for each other. But relationships are complicated, and some people will do anything to stop two Bengali girls from achieving happily ever after.]]> 352 Adiba Jaigirdar Unknown Reviews 0 to-read
Or maybe I'm just tempted because it has two girls on the cover? :)]]> 4.08 2021
author: Adiba Jaigirdar
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/03/13
shelves: to-read
review:
The Henna Wars was a warm, pleasant debut last year and I'm intrigued to see what this has in store.

Or maybe I'm just tempted because it has two girls on the cover? :)
]]> 50623864
Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world.

But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name.]]> 448 Victoria E. Schwab 0765387565 Unknown Reviews 3 3.5

I know The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue will probably end up on a lot of people's favourite bookshelves this year, but having finished it, I can't say I'm in the same boat. Why? Well, mostly due to the blatant emphasis on prose over plot and unfortunately, character too.

When Addie LaRue is forced into a marriage with no hopes of escaping her boring life, she mistakenly makes a deal with the devil after dark. He grants her wish �� Addie will live forever, at the price that no-one will ever remember her again. For 300 years, Addie roams the world alone, unable to make true friends, fall in love beyond a night, even say her name. That is until 2014, in the quiet corner of a bookstore, she hears the words she’d given up on: I remember you

Upon hearing the plot of the book, I expected a very different story. I think the concept is beyond incredible �� whether it’s been done before or not, I’m not sure, but it sounded like a refreshing story that I couldn’t wait to devour. Devils, immortality, a mixture of art, history and the meaning of memory/time thrown along the way. I couldn’t wait. Add to that, a modern day depiction of depression that sounded like it’d be utilised to its full potential, I was hooked.

Now, there was definitely a lot about this book I loved. I want to preface this by saying I know where my four stars went. The writing was supreme, each sentence depicting a full blown film in my mind. This style may not be for everyone �� there is a lot of repetition and the word weaves maybe a touch too poetic for some �� but I adored it, and there’s no doubt I’ll buy the physical copy just to pore over the similes, the structure, each inch of the prose again and again.

Secondly, the themes of time and memory always have and always will speak to my soul. Me being a weird, emo child was obsessed with both from a young age and the older I grow, the more fascinating they become to me. Is my life worth any meaning if I have nothing to prove for it at the end? Is life just a stitched passage of journeys, good and bad, and then ultimately nothing? Am I wasting my youth? Conversely, is Addie’s life a waste since though she is immortal, she cannot write, draw, create without disappearing instantly? She does and does not exist at the same time. I say this as I type my review on laptop, wondering should I be doing something else instead, noticing the time ticking in the corner. Well, lucky for you, no. There is clearly nothing better in the world that I should be doing right now. (Watch as the camera pans in mockumentary style on all my wasted potential, trophies sitting in the background behind me.)

So, yes I can say both were executed very well for me through Schwab’s writing alone. I can’t emphasise enough how her prose saved the book for me. Because this book isn’t what I was expecting and I’m not sure if it’s a good thing or a bad thing.

Speaking of wasted potential. What is this book about? I gave a little summary above, if you’ve read it. I’m notoriously good at avoiding plots (seriously, if you give me a bestseller, I could not guess what it is about unless the title is blatantly obvious), but this one seemed simple. Girl is cursed. Girl travels the world for centuries. Girl feels lonely. Girl meets boy. Now, apparently some people expected a villain as the love interest. Maybe that was an earlier release, I don’t know. But I truly believe this plot did not explore the book’s true potential.

I expected Addie to go through wars, events, see the whole world to its fullest. Honestly, the most she goes to is America, Paris, and her village (Florence for a bit too.) Maybe it’d be less frustrating if inklings of this other plot hadn’t been given off. Occasionally, Addie will mention how an image or a piece of music will bring her back to, City, City, City. Those cities never get beyond being The Rule of Three. They’re placed there so we’ll believe she’s cultured or well-travelled, as if her immortality wouldn’t give us that idea. But the bulk of the story takes place in Paris and New York, and I wouldn’t even say Paris gets as focused a lens as New York does. And I would’ve loved to see a girl live through so many different wars, revolutions, and we know she has, because we’re told it, but the closest we ever get to see is a World War Two scene which takes up maybe? Three paragraphs. I’m pretty sure she’s also supposed to be a spy during this time, but the book payed about one line of attention to it, so who knows? (Let’s ignore the impracticalities of her being a spy, since everyone forgets her once she’s out of sight and it’s not like she can write anything down to secretly slip into their hands)

That’s the issue. We know Addie’s been all these things, or seen all these things, or done all these things, but it’s never shown, only told, and not even in proper detail. Now, there are a load of interesting scenes regarding Addie's curse. But, oh boy, does this book have problems when it comes to “show, don’t tell�� and that is primarily the characters.

Addie…I’m not sure what her personality is. She has seven freckles, I can tell you that. They look like stars, everyone says so. She likes reading and drawing, you know arty stuff. Her voice is written really, really well, though it's usually only focused on the plights she suffers. And I’d be okay with that...if Addie isn’t supposed to inspire every artist she meets. This is one of her core characteristics. She’ll met a guy or girl, they’ll draw or paint her in that evening, then they’ll forget her. Of course, the artwork never can fully capture her appearance, nor can photos, but there’s always an element of allure and mystique to them. To summarise bluntly, everyone she meets is so entranced by her and think she's the most spectacular person ever. But why? She’s not particularly witty or charismatic. The book will consistently tell us how amazing she seems (without showing it), so it makes some kind of sense that everyone falls in love with her on contact. If this was part of her curse, sure, I’d believe it. But it’s not, so I’ve just settled on she’s hot. Like, really, really hot. Supermodel type of hot. I never knew there was such a fetish for freckles, but there’s got to be if people are this drawn to her (ha! Puns).

(Also, Addie seems to be in a load different art works, but don’t think we ever meet these artists or learn their experiences of getting to know her or being with her. There’s two, three maybe max? Once again, the showing part of the story being ignored)

(Also Number 2: Addie mopes the entire book. And I know these kind of circumstances realistically call for Endless Moping, but God, it would be a lot more interesting if Addie wanted to do something fun every once in a while.)

Let’s move onto main character two, and that’s Henry. This book ���dzܱ���’v�� be renamed The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue AND Henry, and I would've accepted it. He gets his own section and there’s more to his character than we expect. Initially, he is the first person to ever remember Addie which I can say was a pretty impactful moment to read about. Then they begin a relationship (let's ignore the age gap), and we learn more about him. He’s a sweater vest wearing, bookish kind of guy. He’s nice. Nice is the key word. Sometimes that often co-ordinates with being bland in books, and it's no different here.

See, Henry’s got his own troubles. I can’t remember if it’s named in the book, it’s clear he has depression, and possibly anxiety. Good mental health rep is hard to find and I thought this book would be it. When Addie asks him “would you rather feel nothing or everything?�� and his face goes blank, I thought “oh, this is going to be real.�� But, personally, I rarely felt the emotion of Henry’s suffering, even when it was written so well. And then something (no spoilers) happens to him, and his reaction to it for the rest of the novel felt a little underwhelming? It was once again felt like his feelings were told, rather than shown. Likewise, the chemistry between the two wasn’t visible for me, either than him being immune to Addie’s curse which is reason enough to strike up a relationship, I guess. I don’t think the emotions ring true though, and it may be because of those prose. It’s clear Schwab has poured these similes and metaphors onto the page after years of practice and planning, but it feels a little too clipped, a little too perfect to carry the realness. Words don’t compensate for the actions that incite our feelings. I could be wrong, but that’s my little estimate anyway. Still, I’d rather Addie and Henry have been friends over lovers.

As for the real plot, I suppose, it’s Henry or Addie showing each other around New York, intersected with flashbacks to Addie’s past which is primarily in France, or her hating the effects of her curse along with some moments with the Devil dude. It’s a kind of cheesy, indie movie plot which will win some Oscars and become an aesthetic for tumblr (and don't worry. This is becoming a movie) They show each other the joy of living through things they haven’t seen before. And I do believe that element is executed so well, even if it’s not what I wanted once again.

Lastly, I need to address, Luc, “the night��, whatever he is. He literally is The Darkling, and I didn’t even like The Darkling. I don’t know how I felt about him, because he was such a petty, possessive hoe, but he still was more interesting than Henry. Those looking for your love interest, you’re going to get it, just don't think he's any different from the toxic, dark guys of YA. My problem with Luc is he does feel like he's from a YA book. I think this is adult (I haven’t followed Schwab’s usage of V.E and Victoria), but he felt very…cliché to me. You know every line’s going to be a quote, you know he’ll want the main girl to be his lover and be an absolute control freak, you know there will be paragraphs detailing his looks and his darkness again and again and again. I don’t like those possessive guys with no redemption, sorry. I feel his character would have fit in the original plot I expected, but in this book which is apparently trying to take itself so seriously...Nope. And I know there’ll be a lot of people who’ll love him. He’s going to be a Book Boyfriend for many. But like I said, I thought he was a petty hoe and did nothing other than make the prose and scenery a bit cooler. Sorry.

(Also, if you think any of your faves haven’t sold their soul, they have apparently.)

It’s right I should finish this with the ending. Mmm…I don’t know. I thought it was quite sweet and satisfying, but Addie who is a very resilient and strong character didn’t get the ending I deserve. I can’t explain it without spoiling but with the theme of feminism and independence running so strong through the book, that’s how it finishes? I don’t want a sequel, but I just wished it had been a bit more clear in finishing Addie’s story.

Anyway, I think a lot of people will love this book. Overall, the themes and writing completely captivated me. The characters, less so, but their stories were still very interesting to read about. I would tell readers, you won’t get to see any major historical events or wars, bar one or two that are very short. You won’t see Addie’s travels throughout the world. This book is much more focused on grief, loss, memory, loneliness and how two people help each other to get through their pain. Schwab has spent ten years on this book. Was it perfect? I don’t think so. Would I read it again? Definitely. But as a new favourite, or something ground breaking, this happens to be a miss for me.]]> 4.16 2020
author: Victoria E. Schwab
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2020/10/31
date added: 2021/03/11
shelves: 2020-reads, 4-star, but-it-s-stayed-with-me, diverse-cast, magical-realism, female-author, lgbt-reads, magical, different-plot-than-i-expected
review:
3.5

I know The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue will probably end up on a lot of people's favourite bookshelves this year, but having finished it, I can't say I'm in the same boat. Why? Well, mostly due to the blatant emphasis on prose over plot and unfortunately, character too.

When Addie LaRue is forced into a marriage with no hopes of escaping her boring life, she mistakenly makes a deal with the devil after dark. He grants her wish �� Addie will live forever, at the price that no-one will ever remember her again. For 300 years, Addie roams the world alone, unable to make true friends, fall in love beyond a night, even say her name. That is until 2014, in the quiet corner of a bookstore, she hears the words she’d given up on: I remember you

Upon hearing the plot of the book, I expected a very different story. I think the concept is beyond incredible �� whether it’s been done before or not, I’m not sure, but it sounded like a refreshing story that I couldn’t wait to devour. Devils, immortality, a mixture of art, history and the meaning of memory/time thrown along the way. I couldn’t wait. Add to that, a modern day depiction of depression that sounded like it’d be utilised to its full potential, I was hooked.

Now, there was definitely a lot about this book I loved. I want to preface this by saying I know where my four stars went. The writing was supreme, each sentence depicting a full blown film in my mind. This style may not be for everyone �� there is a lot of repetition and the word weaves maybe a touch too poetic for some �� but I adored it, and there’s no doubt I’ll buy the physical copy just to pore over the similes, the structure, each inch of the prose again and again.

Secondly, the themes of time and memory always have and always will speak to my soul. Me being a weird, emo child was obsessed with both from a young age and the older I grow, the more fascinating they become to me. Is my life worth any meaning if I have nothing to prove for it at the end? Is life just a stitched passage of journeys, good and bad, and then ultimately nothing? Am I wasting my youth? Conversely, is Addie’s life a waste since though she is immortal, she cannot write, draw, create without disappearing instantly? She does and does not exist at the same time. I say this as I type my review on laptop, wondering should I be doing something else instead, noticing the time ticking in the corner. Well, lucky for you, no. There is clearly nothing better in the world that I should be doing right now. (Watch as the camera pans in mockumentary style on all my wasted potential, trophies sitting in the background behind me.)

So, yes I can say both were executed very well for me through Schwab’s writing alone. I can’t emphasise enough how her prose saved the book for me. Because this book isn’t what I was expecting and I’m not sure if it’s a good thing or a bad thing.

Speaking of wasted potential. What is this book about? I gave a little summary above, if you’ve read it. I’m notoriously good at avoiding plots (seriously, if you give me a bestseller, I could not guess what it is about unless the title is blatantly obvious), but this one seemed simple. Girl is cursed. Girl travels the world for centuries. Girl feels lonely. Girl meets boy. Now, apparently some people expected a villain as the love interest. Maybe that was an earlier release, I don’t know. But I truly believe this plot did not explore the book’s true potential.

I expected Addie to go through wars, events, see the whole world to its fullest. Honestly, the most she goes to is America, Paris, and her village (Florence for a bit too.) Maybe it’d be less frustrating if inklings of this other plot hadn’t been given off. Occasionally, Addie will mention how an image or a piece of music will bring her back to, City, City, City. Those cities never get beyond being The Rule of Three. They’re placed there so we’ll believe she’s cultured or well-travelled, as if her immortality wouldn’t give us that idea. But the bulk of the story takes place in Paris and New York, and I wouldn’t even say Paris gets as focused a lens as New York does. And I would’ve loved to see a girl live through so many different wars, revolutions, and we know she has, because we’re told it, but the closest we ever get to see is a World War Two scene which takes up maybe? Three paragraphs. I’m pretty sure she’s also supposed to be a spy during this time, but the book payed about one line of attention to it, so who knows? (Let’s ignore the impracticalities of her being a spy, since everyone forgets her once she’s out of sight and it’s not like she can write anything down to secretly slip into their hands)

That’s the issue. We know Addie’s been all these things, or seen all these things, or done all these things, but it’s never shown, only told, and not even in proper detail. Now, there are a load of interesting scenes regarding Addie's curse. But, oh boy, does this book have problems when it comes to “show, don’t tell�� and that is primarily the characters.

Addie…I’m not sure what her personality is. She has seven freckles, I can tell you that. They look like stars, everyone says so. She likes reading and drawing, you know arty stuff. Her voice is written really, really well, though it's usually only focused on the plights she suffers. And I’d be okay with that...if Addie isn’t supposed to inspire every artist she meets. This is one of her core characteristics. She’ll met a guy or girl, they’ll draw or paint her in that evening, then they’ll forget her. Of course, the artwork never can fully capture her appearance, nor can photos, but there’s always an element of allure and mystique to them. To summarise bluntly, everyone she meets is so entranced by her and think she's the most spectacular person ever. But why? She’s not particularly witty or charismatic. The book will consistently tell us how amazing she seems (without showing it), so it makes some kind of sense that everyone falls in love with her on contact. If this was part of her curse, sure, I’d believe it. But it’s not, so I’ve just settled on she’s hot. Like, really, really hot. Supermodel type of hot. I never knew there was such a fetish for freckles, but there’s got to be if people are this drawn to her (ha! Puns).

(Also, Addie seems to be in a load different art works, but don’t think we ever meet these artists or learn their experiences of getting to know her or being with her. There’s two, three maybe max? Once again, the showing part of the story being ignored)

(Also Number 2: Addie mopes the entire book. And I know these kind of circumstances realistically call for Endless Moping, but God, it would be a lot more interesting if Addie wanted to do something fun every once in a while.)

Let’s move onto main character two, and that’s Henry. This book ���dzܱ���’v�� be renamed The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue AND Henry, and I would've accepted it. He gets his own section and there’s more to his character than we expect. Initially, he is the first person to ever remember Addie which I can say was a pretty impactful moment to read about. Then they begin a relationship (let's ignore the age gap), and we learn more about him. He’s a sweater vest wearing, bookish kind of guy. He’s nice. Nice is the key word. Sometimes that often co-ordinates with being bland in books, and it's no different here.

See, Henry’s got his own troubles. I can’t remember if it’s named in the book, it’s clear he has depression, and possibly anxiety. Good mental health rep is hard to find and I thought this book would be it. When Addie asks him “would you rather feel nothing or everything?�� and his face goes blank, I thought “oh, this is going to be real.�� But, personally, I rarely felt the emotion of Henry’s suffering, even when it was written so well. And then something (no spoilers) happens to him, and his reaction to it for the rest of the novel felt a little underwhelming? It was once again felt like his feelings were told, rather than shown. Likewise, the chemistry between the two wasn’t visible for me, either than him being immune to Addie’s curse which is reason enough to strike up a relationship, I guess. I don’t think the emotions ring true though, and it may be because of those prose. It’s clear Schwab has poured these similes and metaphors onto the page after years of practice and planning, but it feels a little too clipped, a little too perfect to carry the realness. Words don’t compensate for the actions that incite our feelings. I could be wrong, but that’s my little estimate anyway. Still, I’d rather Addie and Henry have been friends over lovers.

As for the real plot, I suppose, it’s Henry or Addie showing each other around New York, intersected with flashbacks to Addie’s past which is primarily in France, or her hating the effects of her curse along with some moments with the Devil dude. It’s a kind of cheesy, indie movie plot which will win some Oscars and become an aesthetic for tumblr (and don't worry. This is becoming a movie) They show each other the joy of living through things they haven’t seen before. And I do believe that element is executed so well, even if it’s not what I wanted once again.

Lastly, I need to address, Luc, “the night��, whatever he is. He literally is The Darkling, and I didn’t even like The Darkling. I don’t know how I felt about him, because he was such a petty, possessive hoe, but he still was more interesting than Henry. Those looking for your love interest, you’re going to get it, just don't think he's any different from the toxic, dark guys of YA. My problem with Luc is he does feel like he's from a YA book. I think this is adult (I haven’t followed Schwab’s usage of V.E and Victoria), but he felt very…cliché to me. You know every line’s going to be a quote, you know he’ll want the main girl to be his lover and be an absolute control freak, you know there will be paragraphs detailing his looks and his darkness again and again and again. I don’t like those possessive guys with no redemption, sorry. I feel his character would have fit in the original plot I expected, but in this book which is apparently trying to take itself so seriously...Nope. And I know there’ll be a lot of people who’ll love him. He’s going to be a Book Boyfriend for many. But like I said, I thought he was a petty hoe and did nothing other than make the prose and scenery a bit cooler. Sorry.

(Also, if you think any of your faves haven’t sold their soul, they have apparently.)

It’s right I should finish this with the ending. Mmm…I don’t know. I thought it was quite sweet and satisfying, but Addie who is a very resilient and strong character didn’t get the ending I deserve. I can’t explain it without spoiling but with the theme of feminism and independence running so strong through the book, that’s how it finishes? I don’t want a sequel, but I just wished it had been a bit more clear in finishing Addie’s story.

Anyway, I think a lot of people will love this book. Overall, the themes and writing completely captivated me. The characters, less so, but their stories were still very interesting to read about. I would tell readers, you won’t get to see any major historical events or wars, bar one or two that are very short. You won’t see Addie’s travels throughout the world. This book is much more focused on grief, loss, memory, loneliness and how two people help each other to get through their pain. Schwab has spent ten years on this book. Was it perfect? I don’t think so. Would I read it again? Definitely. But as a new favourite, or something ground breaking, this happens to be a miss for me.
]]> 44286258 When Dimple Met Rishi meets Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda in this rom com about two teen girls with rival henna businesses.

When Nishat comes out to her parents, they say she can be anyone she wants—as long as she isn’t herself. Because Muslim girls aren’t lesbians. Nishat doesn’t want to hide who she is, but she also doesn’t want to lose her relationship with her family. And her life only gets harder once a childhood friend walks back into her life.

Flávia is beautiful and charismatic and Nishat falls for her instantly. But when a school competition invites students to create their own businesses, both Flávia and Nishat choose to do henna, even though Flávia is appropriating Nishat’s culture. Amidst sabotage and school stress, their lives get more tangled—but Nishat can’t quite get rid of her crush on Flávia, and realizes there might be more to her than she realized.]]> 400 Adiba Jaigirdar Unknown Reviews 3 3.5

I can’t deny my expectations for this book were high and it just about delivered. I enjoyed the story a lot, but the finished product didn’t exactly give me what I thought it would. I was looking forward to in-depth dives into cultural appropriation, a Sapphic enemies to lovers romance, and just a story generally dealing with the aftermath of coming out. I still got one of those things, so that’s still decent but this book felt like it could've been so much more.

The Henna Wars centres on a Muslim girl, Nishat, who lives in Ireland along with her Bengali family. After coming out to her parents and receiving only a strained silence, Nishat must navigate her sexuality while falling for an old friend, Flávia. However, their budding romance is put on hold when both of them enter a competition with the idea to do henna �� and both girls refuse to back down.

I’ll start by saying I loved Nishat. This probably doesn’t mean much, but it’s so rare for me to like the main character. Despite all the wrongdoings that were done to her, Nishat never gave up and was always steadfast in her decisions. To have a main character that felt real, believable and authentic without being annoying just made it easy to follow her journey. And also Nishat’s relationship with her sister was so sweet. Seriously! This book made me realise how much more I wanted to see strong sibling relationships in books rather than only children, or family reduced to minor mentions.

But the romantic relationship…not so much.

Flávia is an Irish-Brazilian girl who was sold as beautiful, charismatic, caring. But for most of the book, I didn’t like her. When Flávia takes on the idea of doing henna, Nishat immediately expresses her discomfort. And Flávia just…shoots her annoyances down. Without even listening to a full explanation about how Nishat felt her culture was being appropriated. To say this book is an enemies to lovers would be untrue �� they’re kind of friends, then minor rivals (minor as in Flávia still talks to Nishat normally and wishes her luck and stuff) to, I think you can guess the outcome.

But Flávia always felt manipulative or unconcerned to me while playing the good guy. And when something terrible happens to Nishat (it’s one of the trigger warnings), Flávia tells Nishat this the following day;

“Look, I know you’re angry about what happened, but you’re too caught up in �� whatever this is. Victimizing yourself. You don’t even realize what a brat you’re being.��

Whether this refers to what happened to Nishat, or how she feels about cultural appropriation, Flávia should have had so much more sensitivity. I mean, what happened to Nishat was incredibly traumatic. Nishat needed ���Բ�DzԱ�’s support during this time and I was so surprised when Flávia said that. At the same time, she had so many heartwarming and cute moments, but then things like that just left a bitter taste in my mouth regarding her character. It didn’t feel liked she learned much and it disappointed me.

Another issue I had was the discussion on cultural appropriation. I was really looking forward to it, as it’s such a massive topic in the world at the moment, but it never felt like it was fully explored. Nishat would mention that cultural appropriation was bad, and then someone would throw her a question at her and it’d never be answered properly. There was just never enough depth regarding the subject. I really would’ve loved if Nishat had explained exactly how she felt to anyone in the book, but it never happened.

By far the best thing (besides the characters) was Nishat’s journey on being out as a lesbian. She’s proud of herself and there were so many nice moments in there regarding her sexuality. The steps made by particular people just…they made me feel so, so, so happy. I’d definitely recommend this book to any queer teen for the relatability alone.

I think Jaigirdar’s writing style was very pleasant to read and I flew through the book. All of her characters were amazingly believable and reading about Bengali culture was just excellent for someone who doesn’t know anything about it. And Jaigirdar did tackle racism predominantly throughout this book e.g Nishat’s friend Jess telling her she’s overreacting on cultural appropriation and the borrowing of cultures when it’s trendy. I’d rank it above the enemies-to-lovers, and the cultural appropriation discussion for sure.

Another slight thing; The competition as a whole fell to the background, and the “incident��, as I’ll term it, was kind of never resolved? Literally in any shape or form? I don’t mind the former as much, but the latter did leave me wondering why it wasn’t dealt with. Like seriously, the implications, source...just I’m sick of books brushing over this, it can be beyond traumatizing.

Overall, I really enjoyed the characters, the writing, the pace, the absolutely amazing non-romantic relationships, the diversity, the different cultures, and the gayness, of course.

If you’re looking for a quick, cute and easy read, I’d recommend it. However, If you’re looking for a deep dive into cultural appropriation and enemies-to lovers romance? I’d give it a miss. However, I think it was a strong debut and I’m looking for to more books by Jaigirdar in the future.]]> 3.93 2020
author: Adiba Jaigirdar
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2020/09/16
date added: 2021/03/09
shelves: 4-star, 2020-reads, lgbt-reads, own-voices, ya-reads, contemporary, diverse-reads
review:
3.5

I can’t deny my expectations for this book were high and it just about delivered. I enjoyed the story a lot, but the finished product didn’t exactly give me what I thought it would. I was looking forward to in-depth dives into cultural appropriation, a Sapphic enemies to lovers romance, and just a story generally dealing with the aftermath of coming out. I still got one of those things, so that’s still decent but this book felt like it could've been so much more.

The Henna Wars centres on a Muslim girl, Nishat, who lives in Ireland along with her Bengali family. After coming out to her parents and receiving only a strained silence, Nishat must navigate her sexuality while falling for an old friend, Flávia. However, their budding romance is put on hold when both of them enter a competition with the idea to do henna �� and both girls refuse to back down.

I’ll start by saying I loved Nishat. This probably doesn’t mean much, but it’s so rare for me to like the main character. Despite all the wrongdoings that were done to her, Nishat never gave up and was always steadfast in her decisions. To have a main character that felt real, believable and authentic without being annoying just made it easy to follow her journey. And also Nishat’s relationship with her sister was so sweet. Seriously! This book made me realise how much more I wanted to see strong sibling relationships in books rather than only children, or family reduced to minor mentions.

But the romantic relationship…not so much.

Flávia is an Irish-Brazilian girl who was sold as beautiful, charismatic, caring. But for most of the book, I didn’t like her. When Flávia takes on the idea of doing henna, Nishat immediately expresses her discomfort. And Flávia just…shoots her annoyances down. Without even listening to a full explanation about how Nishat felt her culture was being appropriated. To say this book is an enemies to lovers would be untrue �� they’re kind of friends, then minor rivals (minor as in Flávia still talks to Nishat normally and wishes her luck and stuff) to, I think you can guess the outcome.

But Flávia always felt manipulative or unconcerned to me while playing the good guy. And when something terrible happens to Nishat (it’s one of the trigger warnings), Flávia tells Nishat this the following day;

“Look, I know you’re angry about what happened, but you’re too caught up in �� whatever this is. Victimizing yourself. You don’t even realize what a brat you’re being.��

Whether this refers to what happened to Nishat, or how she feels about cultural appropriation, Flávia should have had so much more sensitivity. I mean, what happened to Nishat was incredibly traumatic. Nishat needed ���Բ�DzԱ�’s support during this time and I was so surprised when Flávia said that. At the same time, she had so many heartwarming and cute moments, but then things like that just left a bitter taste in my mouth regarding her character. It didn’t feel liked she learned much and it disappointed me.

Another issue I had was the discussion on cultural appropriation. I was really looking forward to it, as it’s such a massive topic in the world at the moment, but it never felt like it was fully explored. Nishat would mention that cultural appropriation was bad, and then someone would throw her a question at her and it’d never be answered properly. There was just never enough depth regarding the subject. I really would’ve loved if Nishat had explained exactly how she felt to anyone in the book, but it never happened.

By far the best thing (besides the characters) was Nishat’s journey on being out as a lesbian. She’s proud of herself and there were so many nice moments in there regarding her sexuality. The steps made by particular people just…they made me feel so, so, so happy. I’d definitely recommend this book to any queer teen for the relatability alone.

I think Jaigirdar’s writing style was very pleasant to read and I flew through the book. All of her characters were amazingly believable and reading about Bengali culture was just excellent for someone who doesn’t know anything about it. And Jaigirdar did tackle racism predominantly throughout this book e.g Nishat’s friend Jess telling her she’s overreacting on cultural appropriation and the borrowing of cultures when it’s trendy. I’d rank it above the enemies-to-lovers, and the cultural appropriation discussion for sure.

Another slight thing; The competition as a whole fell to the background, and the “incident��, as I’ll term it, was kind of never resolved? Literally in any shape or form? I don’t mind the former as much, but the latter did leave me wondering why it wasn’t dealt with. Like seriously, the implications, source...just I’m sick of books brushing over this, it can be beyond traumatizing.

Overall, I really enjoyed the characters, the writing, the pace, the absolutely amazing non-romantic relationships, the diversity, the different cultures, and the gayness, of course.

If you’re looking for a quick, cute and easy read, I’d recommend it. However, If you’re looking for a deep dive into cultural appropriation and enemies-to lovers romance? I’d give it a miss. However, I think it was a strong debut and I’m looking for to more books by Jaigirdar in the future.
]]> 34523174
Now, a new crew has been assembled. But this time they’re not out to entertain. Some seek to validate their life’s work. Some seek the greatest hunt of all. Some seek the truth. But for the ambitious young scientist Victoria Stewart this is a voyage to uncover the fate of the sister she lost.

Whatever the truth may be, it will only be found below the waves. But the secrets of the deep come with a price.]]> 448 Mira Grant 0316379409 Unknown Reviews 3
When the Atargatis sailed out to film a mockumentary about mermaids, more a party then a serious mission, the ship returned within weeks, only empty of life and bodies. Several years later, Victoria “Tory�� Sanderson is desperate to find out the truth of what happened to the ship, and more importantly, her sister. So, when a second secret expedition filled with state-of-the-art technology and top professionals is commissioned, Tori takes her chance to get on board, only to find what is out there is much worse than she imagined��

Dun, dun, duuuun

I don’t really read sci-fi books, but the best part about this book is undoubtedly the scientific elements. Most novels tend to consider mermaids as magic or mythological, but Grant’s depiction makes them almost appear real with the amount of detail and realism she goes into. I’m seriously wondering does she have a degree related to this or did she just do a lot of research. Another bonus is how she conducts this information through a variety of scientists in her novel. It’s explained how exactly how the mermaid’s bodies works, how they function, their whole lifestyle really, but never in a way hat makes it hard to comprehend. And I do personally find it very satisfying that we received a lot of information about them rather than their origins being left clouded in a veil of mystery. That doesn’t work for every reader, obviously, but I think it fits very well in this case because otherwise, I’m not sure this would’ve been as interesting to read.

What caught me out the more I read through the novel, was how the mermaids either (a) appeared too little, or (b) when they were there, the threat rarely felt imminent. The mermaids peak, possibly (probably) within the first few chapters of the books and then take an extended absence till about midway. Now, most of the time they are terrifying when they’re on the page. With some brilliant visual descriptions, Grant evokes equal parts claustrophobia, wonder, and disgust. My interest in them could not be satiated. However, the downfall in this book, to me, lies within the characters.

It’s a hard one to pinpoint. With a book this size, it’s understandable why Grant would want to create a large cast, probably so we can empathise with them, and make the promised kill count much more thrilling and emotional. But the majority of them felt so…flat. There’s Tori, the sonar specialist who’s searching for answers to her sister’s demise, Olivia the anchor who has taken Tori’s sisters role on the new ship, Jillian Toth, who’s whole job basically revolves around mermaids and their existence, deaf twins Holly and Heather, their sister Hallie, the three trying to find a way to communicate with the mermaids...there’s a lot of characters basically, and sadly, the book didn’t benefit from it. Very few stuck out and for a simple reason; a lot of their choices suffered from bordering between shallowness and just being ridiculous.

(Also, naming three siblings, Hallie, Holly, and Heather made for a lot of confusion. Maybe their parents/Grant were aiming for a Kardashian type thing, but if I saw a number of K’s on the page also, my eyes would still spasm.)

After the confirmation of the mermaid’s existence, things quickly get very repetitive and stale. (Not to say talk about the person who discovered them �� it’s been some time since I’ve seen that level of idiocy in a book from a character). Characters will continuously say “we are not going to get out of this alive,�� but as passively as if they are describing the weather. You see, once the threat is established, no one does anything. They will say things similar to the above, but won’t make an effort to fight it, pursue it. They’re not even afraid of it, and this point really affected the book for me. If a character does not show fear of the main threat, the readers won’t either. This is the second time I’ve used IT as an example in recent months, but at some stage in the book, the kids don’t really seem scared of Pennywise and because of that, I wasn’t either. I don’t think it was an intentional thing in IT �� it’s just a case where you knew they wouldn’t die and the kids knew he was lurking around. Here, it’s clear the mermaids are a vital, violent threat, but everyone’s just like “alright,�� and go about their day as usual. I’m just going to assume everyone was borderline suicidal or had a death wish, since no one reacted in a sanely human way and wanted to leave the ship. Some of this is blamed on people wanting to finish their research, but you’re telling me no one was remotely scared? All interest went out the window once I realised the characters had about as much emotions as a chair.

(Another point is it took such a long time for them �� these highly trained scientists- to establish the mermaids were intelligent and dangerous. When they decided they were smart, I basically rolled my eyes. I think it was clear when the mermaids expertly killed someone or did some impressive feat that they may need to be taken a little bit seriously.)

I wouldn’t say the characters were bad in other aspects. The dialogue was fine. I can’t say I clicked with Tori or Olivia, since Tori seemed too distant and Olivia was a bit childish. I think my favourite was Dr. Jillian Toth, since she didn’t take any bullshit and made it clear from the start she knew how dangerous it was and didn’t care. By the end, she was the character I had the most respect for and genuinely liked. Also special shout out to her mysterious husband, Theo Blackwell who oozed control with a slight (slight) bit of heart. But otherwise, characters reacted so passively to everything. People literally died in front of their friends, and no one cared after five minutes. It honestly baffles me how any grief/fear/shock was swept aside so quickly.

My other issue was the lack of mermaids. They felt very underutilised and the book suffered from plot convenience a little too often. At times, characters would be in very dangerous situations and the mermaids would take no advantage of it because, hey, we need that character later. I was also surprised some of the more interesting elements were ignored. We know pretty early on (the second/third chapter, I think) that mermaids can mimic voices/sounds, yet it’s never used against the humans? I expected some kind of psychological torture invoked here, but, alas, no.

Unfortunately, this book wasn’t that creepy for me either. The scariest part occurs during the discovery of the mermaids. I literally held my breath, awash with excitement that I was going to get a lot more like this in an action-packed second half. But if I were to best describe the rest of the book it would basically be a crime show autopsy with, interspersed with random deaths every now and then. Not to mention the number of kill scenes are surprisingly minimal �� when they’re there, they’re good - but most happen off page which must be one of the stranger missed opportunities in this book.

(Also, while she writes great kill scenes, I do need to mention I thought the prose otherwise was a bit sparse and didn't really do the setting justice.)

Grant also has a habit of giving a full life story on any person/building/place we meet. It wasn’t off-putting, just unusual and I’ve rarely seen so much exposition in a novel. No perspective showed much uniqueness, besides a chapter told from a dolphin’s perspective (a brilliant chapter). Also, Tori's ex, Jason, was only in the book for a few chapters, yet I thought his were the most well-written? I'm telling you he was in there for such a short amount of time he should be considered an extra, but she dug into his character really well for the timespan. The changing perspectives didn’t bother me either, though I momentarily freaked out when one chapter was written in present tense, before it stayed at third throughout the book. My brain probably wouldn’t have been a fan of flicking back and forth between the two.

I think the themes of humanity’s selfishness, climate change, and nature’s unstoppable power was quite good though two characters felt a little on the nose. Jacques and Michi, two married hunters only talk about how much they love killing, and have off-the-page sex all the time. I suppose their relationship had some passion, at least. The other two (there’s f/f relationship in this book by the way) suffered from time constraints of everything happening over a span of a day or two, or that the relationship was already too cold to be considered love.

The mermaids were the highlights and brilliantly created/researched. Overall, the book was well-written, but it’s unrealistic characters, weirdly stitched plot/pacing, and lack of scares really let me down. The book is also unnecessarily long �� I think it would be a DNF for those expecting thrills and jump scares. I’d recommend it if you don’t mind the length, but otherwise I couldn’t see it being a major attraction to non sci-fi/horror readers. If you like mermaids too, I guess, you’d enjoy this depiction.

Regarding the abrupt ending, it satisfied enough for me. I did a little digging and I believe Grant is writing/has written a sequel but her publisher only picked up this novel, so it depends solely on public response. I do hope for Grant and myself we’ll see a second book published someday, and I believe there’s a film in the works so it should stir up plenty of interest. Unfortunately, as one now this book had a many fantastic concepts, but ultimately failed to deliver due to the humans being more unrealistic than the mermaids.

(Before I finish, I need to say this �� surely if you fall into the middle of the ocean unexpectedly during the night, the cold would kill you, or render you immobile, or you’d at least panic. This may have been one of the most ridiculous parts of the book, and now, I’m so confused. I need to research this.)]]> 3.94 2017
author: Mira Grant
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2020/10/25
date added: 2021/02/16
shelves: 2020-reads, 3-star, female-author, lgbt-reads, sci-fi, diverse-cast, disappointing
review:
I admit, I’m always confused as to why there isn’t more “adult�� books concerning mermaids. From the eerie sirens who sing sailors to death, to horrific beasts lurking beneath the ocean, the potential for scares and horror is limitless. I was interested in Grant’s book, which went more of the latter route, creating mermaids with grotesque bodies who will gladly eat humans, and was pleasantly rooted in science. I did not expect, however, uninteresting characters to take up the bulk of this novel and for the mermaids to be, well…not very scary?

When the Atargatis sailed out to film a mockumentary about mermaids, more a party then a serious mission, the ship returned within weeks, only empty of life and bodies. Several years later, Victoria “Tory�� Sanderson is desperate to find out the truth of what happened to the ship, and more importantly, her sister. So, when a second secret expedition filled with state-of-the-art technology and top professionals is commissioned, Tori takes her chance to get on board, only to find what is out there is much worse than she imagined��

Dun, dun, duuuun

I don’t really read sci-fi books, but the best part about this book is undoubtedly the scientific elements. Most novels tend to consider mermaids as magic or mythological, but Grant’s depiction makes them almost appear real with the amount of detail and realism she goes into. I’m seriously wondering does she have a degree related to this or did she just do a lot of research. Another bonus is how she conducts this information through a variety of scientists in her novel. It’s explained how exactly how the mermaid’s bodies works, how they function, their whole lifestyle really, but never in a way hat makes it hard to comprehend. And I do personally find it very satisfying that we received a lot of information about them rather than their origins being left clouded in a veil of mystery. That doesn’t work for every reader, obviously, but I think it fits very well in this case because otherwise, I’m not sure this would’ve been as interesting to read.

What caught me out the more I read through the novel, was how the mermaids either (a) appeared too little, or (b) when they were there, the threat rarely felt imminent. The mermaids peak, possibly (probably) within the first few chapters of the books and then take an extended absence till about midway. Now, most of the time they are terrifying when they’re on the page. With some brilliant visual descriptions, Grant evokes equal parts claustrophobia, wonder, and disgust. My interest in them could not be satiated. However, the downfall in this book, to me, lies within the characters.

It’s a hard one to pinpoint. With a book this size, it’s understandable why Grant would want to create a large cast, probably so we can empathise with them, and make the promised kill count much more thrilling and emotional. But the majority of them felt so…flat. There’s Tori, the sonar specialist who’s searching for answers to her sister’s demise, Olivia the anchor who has taken Tori’s sisters role on the new ship, Jillian Toth, who’s whole job basically revolves around mermaids and their existence, deaf twins Holly and Heather, their sister Hallie, the three trying to find a way to communicate with the mermaids...there’s a lot of characters basically, and sadly, the book didn’t benefit from it. Very few stuck out and for a simple reason; a lot of their choices suffered from bordering between shallowness and just being ridiculous.

(Also, naming three siblings, Hallie, Holly, and Heather made for a lot of confusion. Maybe their parents/Grant were aiming for a Kardashian type thing, but if I saw a number of K’s on the page also, my eyes would still spasm.)

After the confirmation of the mermaid’s existence, things quickly get very repetitive and stale. (Not to say talk about the person who discovered them �� it’s been some time since I’ve seen that level of idiocy in a book from a character). Characters will continuously say “we are not going to get out of this alive,�� but as passively as if they are describing the weather. You see, once the threat is established, no one does anything. They will say things similar to the above, but won’t make an effort to fight it, pursue it. They’re not even afraid of it, and this point really affected the book for me. If a character does not show fear of the main threat, the readers won’t either. This is the second time I’ve used IT as an example in recent months, but at some stage in the book, the kids don’t really seem scared of Pennywise and because of that, I wasn’t either. I don’t think it was an intentional thing in IT �� it’s just a case where you knew they wouldn’t die and the kids knew he was lurking around. Here, it’s clear the mermaids are a vital, violent threat, but everyone’s just like “alright,�� and go about their day as usual. I’m just going to assume everyone was borderline suicidal or had a death wish, since no one reacted in a sanely human way and wanted to leave the ship. Some of this is blamed on people wanting to finish their research, but you’re telling me no one was remotely scared? All interest went out the window once I realised the characters had about as much emotions as a chair.

(Another point is it took such a long time for them �� these highly trained scientists- to establish the mermaids were intelligent and dangerous. When they decided they were smart, I basically rolled my eyes. I think it was clear when the mermaids expertly killed someone or did some impressive feat that they may need to be taken a little bit seriously.)

I wouldn’t say the characters were bad in other aspects. The dialogue was fine. I can’t say I clicked with Tori or Olivia, since Tori seemed too distant and Olivia was a bit childish. I think my favourite was Dr. Jillian Toth, since she didn’t take any bullshit and made it clear from the start she knew how dangerous it was and didn’t care. By the end, she was the character I had the most respect for and genuinely liked. Also special shout out to her mysterious husband, Theo Blackwell who oozed control with a slight (slight) bit of heart. But otherwise, characters reacted so passively to everything. People literally died in front of their friends, and no one cared after five minutes. It honestly baffles me how any grief/fear/shock was swept aside so quickly.

My other issue was the lack of mermaids. They felt very underutilised and the book suffered from plot convenience a little too often. At times, characters would be in very dangerous situations and the mermaids would take no advantage of it because, hey, we need that character later. I was also surprised some of the more interesting elements were ignored. We know pretty early on (the second/third chapter, I think) that mermaids can mimic voices/sounds, yet it’s never used against the humans? I expected some kind of psychological torture invoked here, but, alas, no.

Unfortunately, this book wasn’t that creepy for me either. The scariest part occurs during the discovery of the mermaids. I literally held my breath, awash with excitement that I was going to get a lot more like this in an action-packed second half. But if I were to best describe the rest of the book it would basically be a crime show autopsy with, interspersed with random deaths every now and then. Not to mention the number of kill scenes are surprisingly minimal �� when they’re there, they’re good - but most happen off page which must be one of the stranger missed opportunities in this book.

(Also, while she writes great kill scenes, I do need to mention I thought the prose otherwise was a bit sparse and didn't really do the setting justice.)

Grant also has a habit of giving a full life story on any person/building/place we meet. It wasn’t off-putting, just unusual and I’ve rarely seen so much exposition in a novel. No perspective showed much uniqueness, besides a chapter told from a dolphin’s perspective (a brilliant chapter). Also, Tori's ex, Jason, was only in the book for a few chapters, yet I thought his were the most well-written? I'm telling you he was in there for such a short amount of time he should be considered an extra, but she dug into his character really well for the timespan. The changing perspectives didn’t bother me either, though I momentarily freaked out when one chapter was written in present tense, before it stayed at third throughout the book. My brain probably wouldn’t have been a fan of flicking back and forth between the two.

I think the themes of humanity’s selfishness, climate change, and nature’s unstoppable power was quite good though two characters felt a little on the nose. Jacques and Michi, two married hunters only talk about how much they love killing, and have off-the-page sex all the time. I suppose their relationship had some passion, at least. The other two (there’s f/f relationship in this book by the way) suffered from time constraints of everything happening over a span of a day or two, or that the relationship was already too cold to be considered love.

The mermaids were the highlights and brilliantly created/researched. Overall, the book was well-written, but it’s unrealistic characters, weirdly stitched plot/pacing, and lack of scares really let me down. The book is also unnecessarily long �� I think it would be a DNF for those expecting thrills and jump scares. I’d recommend it if you don’t mind the length, but otherwise I couldn’t see it being a major attraction to non sci-fi/horror readers. If you like mermaids too, I guess, you’d enjoy this depiction.

Regarding the abrupt ending, it satisfied enough for me. I did a little digging and I believe Grant is writing/has written a sequel but her publisher only picked up this novel, so it depends solely on public response. I do hope for Grant and myself we’ll see a second book published someday, and I believe there’s a film in the works so it should stir up plenty of interest. Unfortunately, as one now this book had a many fantastic concepts, but ultimately failed to deliver due to the humans being more unrealistic than the mermaids.

(Before I finish, I need to say this �� surely if you fall into the middle of the ocean unexpectedly during the night, the cold would kill you, or render you immobile, or you’d at least panic. This may have been one of the most ridiculous parts of the book, and now, I’m so confused. I need to research this.)
]]> 41057294
A year later, they’re both studying at Trinity College in Dublin. Marianne has found her feet in a new social world while Connell hangs at the sidelines, shy and uncertain. Throughout their years in college, Marianne and Connell circle one another, straying toward other people and possibilities but always magnetically, irresistibly drawn back together. Then, as she veers into self-destruction and he begins to search for meaning elsewhere, each must confront how far they are willing to go to save the other.

Sally Rooney brings her brilliant psychological acuity and perfectly spare prose to a story that explores the subtleties of class, the electricity of first love, and the complex entanglements of family and friendship.]]> 273 Sally Rooney 1984822179 Unknown Reviews 4 Edit: I'm upping this to four stars since it's been around six months and I still think about it a lot.

Finishing Normal People has left me exhausted and on the verge of a headache. Somehow, a journey of suffering, trauma and love has been compressed into a span of 260 pages or so and I'm absolutely shattered.

Connell and Marianne look to be opposites in every sense. He’s the star of the school soccer team and everyone likes him. She’s friendless and considered to be a bitch. Marianne lives in a multitude of wealth; Connell’s mother works as the cleaner at her house. Yet, despite these differences, Connell and Marianne become entangled in a relationship that begins as teenagers and continues right through adulthood as they study in Trinity College, Dublin.

While I began this, I thought the writing was simple and this would be an easy read. It was only at the end, I realised how much weight this book held. Connell and Marianne are marred by flaws; they can be hypocritical, unlikeable, unable to properly express their feelings. But they are painfully real, and so are the journeys they go on.

Connell is the popular one in school, and so keeps his relationship with Marianne hidden, ashamed of what his friends will think. As they attend college, however, Marianne is considered the one who is desirable and befriended by many people, while he grows more and more lonely.

Rooney explores all sorts of themes in this book; mental health, class status, social constraints and so on. Connell never felt he belonged growing up in his small town of Carricklea, though to an outsider his life could be considered perfect. He goes to Trinity in the hope of finding people like him, but is burdened by his social anxiety and lack of wealth. I honestly found Connell’s narrative more interesting than Marianne’s since his struggles were more relatable. He’s left his town for a (predominantly) wealthy college and given up contact with all his old friends, but is no closer to the promise that if you didn’t like secondary school, college is where you’ll finally belong. It’s a driving point of Connell’s anxiety throughout the book �� his old life was easy, as everyone at home knew and accepted him, but since leaving it, he’s lost that assurance in return for a future that may not guarantee him any happiness.

Their feelings were suppressed so carefully in everyday life, forced into smaller and smaller spaces, until seemingly minor events took on insane and frightening significance. It was permissible to touch each other and cry during football matches.

With that being said, I think Marianne’s story was still well-done. She’s grown up to consider herself unlovable and ends up looking for attention in troubling romances/friendships. I wasn’t interested in the BDSM aspects �� I’m not sure if I’m content with how the book ended on that topic since I know nothing about it anyway. But with Connell’s unwavering support and admiration, Marianne at times breaks away from the cage she’s contained herself to and comes through for herself.

Not for the first time Marianne thinks cruelty does not only hurt the victim, but the perpetrator also, and maybe more deeply and more permanently. You learn nothing very profound about yourself simply by being bullied; but by bullying someone else you learn something you can never forget.

Besides the relationship, which I did find myself invested in due to its focus, I found equally, if not more, riveting the themes of class privilege and fitting in. The contrast in Marianne’s wealth against Connell’s shows up in everyday life, an example being where he tries to win a scholarship because he needs it, and she tries to do it for the validation of being special. Rooney also looks at both sides of an argument where school is either “the best days of your lives�� or the process you have to suffer through until you move on to your “real life.�� This book seems to say everyone would be a lot happier if we we’re all accepted. After all, why do we care so much about people’s views on us? What difference does their thoughts make to our lives and vice versa?

Rooney also captures a lot of realism in the supporting characters despite their short appearances. Marianne’s friend Peggy constantly puts her down under the guise of being supportive. Some of Connell’s school friends were kind to Marianne while others tried to play off their meanness as a joke. She doesn’t play stereotypes, and it’s likely why I recognised a lot of the cast as people I actually know. Rooney also comments on how women are treated in society �� how Marianne is the abused one and is often left reviled, while her perpetrator gets off scot free due to his gender.

I don’t think I’d call this an epic love story. Sometimes I found Connell and Marianne’s relationship rather toxic. This story is more about peeking into the lives of two people who have been an essential part of each other’s survival, seeing their inner most thoughts, along with what happens to them. Their relationship is neither good, or bad, but endlessly messy as most things are.

I was indifferent to the writing. It’s incredibly simple and doesn’t add to the story as much as it’s a way of connecting scenes. It’s been marketed as a novel that tells more than shows which probably is sneaky way of writing off genuine critiques. That being said, there were beautiful paragraphs in here, and you could start a sentence so simple, only to be slammed by the force of it at the end.

This book is real, miserable, depressing, and yet, somehow hopeful. I may pick it up from time to time and read beautiful passages, but I don’t know if I have the energy to read it again. This book can be rather artificial and pretentious at times, and I thought the TV show executed the ending much better, but I still weirdly know the characters and their situations will stay with me. And I suppose, with that delivered, I don’t have much more to ask for.

“Life offers up these moments of joy despite everything,��

(Also, Paul Mescal deserves that Emmy, just saying.)]]> 3.81 2018
author: Sally Rooney
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2020/09/03
date added: 2021/02/13
shelves: 2020-reads, contemporary, i-may-not-have-liked-this-book, but-it-s-stayed-with-me, updated-to-four
review:
Edit: I'm upping this to four stars since it's been around six months and I still think about it a lot.

Finishing Normal People has left me exhausted and on the verge of a headache. Somehow, a journey of suffering, trauma and love has been compressed into a span of 260 pages or so and I'm absolutely shattered.

Connell and Marianne look to be opposites in every sense. He’s the star of the school soccer team and everyone likes him. She’s friendless and considered to be a bitch. Marianne lives in a multitude of wealth; Connell’s mother works as the cleaner at her house. Yet, despite these differences, Connell and Marianne become entangled in a relationship that begins as teenagers and continues right through adulthood as they study in Trinity College, Dublin.

While I began this, I thought the writing was simple and this would be an easy read. It was only at the end, I realised how much weight this book held. Connell and Marianne are marred by flaws; they can be hypocritical, unlikeable, unable to properly express their feelings. But they are painfully real, and so are the journeys they go on.

Connell is the popular one in school, and so keeps his relationship with Marianne hidden, ashamed of what his friends will think. As they attend college, however, Marianne is considered the one who is desirable and befriended by many people, while he grows more and more lonely.

Rooney explores all sorts of themes in this book; mental health, class status, social constraints and so on. Connell never felt he belonged growing up in his small town of Carricklea, though to an outsider his life could be considered perfect. He goes to Trinity in the hope of finding people like him, but is burdened by his social anxiety and lack of wealth. I honestly found Connell’s narrative more interesting than Marianne’s since his struggles were more relatable. He’s left his town for a (predominantly) wealthy college and given up contact with all his old friends, but is no closer to the promise that if you didn’t like secondary school, college is where you’ll finally belong. It’s a driving point of Connell’s anxiety throughout the book �� his old life was easy, as everyone at home knew and accepted him, but since leaving it, he’s lost that assurance in return for a future that may not guarantee him any happiness.

Their feelings were suppressed so carefully in everyday life, forced into smaller and smaller spaces, until seemingly minor events took on insane and frightening significance. It was permissible to touch each other and cry during football matches.

With that being said, I think Marianne’s story was still well-done. She’s grown up to consider herself unlovable and ends up looking for attention in troubling romances/friendships. I wasn’t interested in the BDSM aspects �� I’m not sure if I’m content with how the book ended on that topic since I know nothing about it anyway. But with Connell’s unwavering support and admiration, Marianne at times breaks away from the cage she’s contained herself to and comes through for herself.

Not for the first time Marianne thinks cruelty does not only hurt the victim, but the perpetrator also, and maybe more deeply and more permanently. You learn nothing very profound about yourself simply by being bullied; but by bullying someone else you learn something you can never forget.

Besides the relationship, which I did find myself invested in due to its focus, I found equally, if not more, riveting the themes of class privilege and fitting in. The contrast in Marianne’s wealth against Connell’s shows up in everyday life, an example being where he tries to win a scholarship because he needs it, and she tries to do it for the validation of being special. Rooney also looks at both sides of an argument where school is either “the best days of your lives�� or the process you have to suffer through until you move on to your “real life.�� This book seems to say everyone would be a lot happier if we we’re all accepted. After all, why do we care so much about people’s views on us? What difference does their thoughts make to our lives and vice versa?

Rooney also captures a lot of realism in the supporting characters despite their short appearances. Marianne’s friend Peggy constantly puts her down under the guise of being supportive. Some of Connell’s school friends were kind to Marianne while others tried to play off their meanness as a joke. She doesn’t play stereotypes, and it’s likely why I recognised a lot of the cast as people I actually know. Rooney also comments on how women are treated in society �� how Marianne is the abused one and is often left reviled, while her perpetrator gets off scot free due to his gender.

I don’t think I’d call this an epic love story. Sometimes I found Connell and Marianne’s relationship rather toxic. This story is more about peeking into the lives of two people who have been an essential part of each other’s survival, seeing their inner most thoughts, along with what happens to them. Their relationship is neither good, or bad, but endlessly messy as most things are.

I was indifferent to the writing. It’s incredibly simple and doesn’t add to the story as much as it’s a way of connecting scenes. It’s been marketed as a novel that tells more than shows which probably is sneaky way of writing off genuine critiques. That being said, there were beautiful paragraphs in here, and you could start a sentence so simple, only to be slammed by the force of it at the end.

This book is real, miserable, depressing, and yet, somehow hopeful. I may pick it up from time to time and read beautiful passages, but I don’t know if I have the energy to read it again. This book can be rather artificial and pretentious at times, and I thought the TV show executed the ending much better, but I still weirdly know the characters and their situations will stay with me. And I suppose, with that delivered, I don’t have much more to ask for.

“Life offers up these moments of joy despite everything,��

(Also, Paul Mescal deserves that Emmy, just saying.)
]]> 6068551
Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human�� until the cold makes him shift back again.

Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human—or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.]]> 392 Maggie Stiefvater 0545123267 Unknown Reviews 2 2.5. It was really only alright.

A little fact about me is I’m not a vampire person, or a witch person, or a people person (I’m not entirely sure where this is going, but it sounds quite personal). The last paranormal romance series I read was the Twilight saga after my parents told me I couldn’t read it (I did anyway.) So, I genuinely cannot count the years since I’ve touched a book like this. And I’m not a werewolf person either, for that matter. I don’t tend to fantasise about a boy who may want to eat me while kissing me or being The Alpha, or whatever those books entail (these are such judgey stereotypes, I’m so sorry.)

So why did I pick up Shiver? Well, I’d better not go into the whirlwind of an affair I had with Steifvater this year, but I can say her writing has always stood out to me, and the plot line had my interest. Sam, an eighteen-year-old boy, shifts into a wolf each winter due to the cold. Every year his time as a human gets shorter until he’s certain this one will be his last. Grace was attacked by wolves as a child until he saved her, and since then she’s been longing to be with her wolf ever since��

Okay, okay, I know this sounds stupid, but I was honestly more intrigued by the concept of the wolves being completely isolated from humanity and how Grace/Sam’s relationship was affected by that. Did I get that? Eh, not really. There werewolf mythology was kind of murky which was disappointing to say the least. The supernatural aspect got pushed aside for the romance, and God, if there wasn’t a lot of it.

This book is Different From Other Books because this book doesn’t even contain instalove. Instead it has the equally unrealistic, probably creepier, prenatal love (even the name sounds weird) Since Sam saved Grace, she’s been in love with him. Like really in love with him. The kind of love that makes her wish she was a wolf and refer to a wolf as “her wolf��, in a soulmates way despite only thinking he was a wolf at the time. When it’s believed a wolf has killed another boy and the police go to hunt them down, Grace stops the hunt, because “her wolf��, y’know.

A lot of readers love soulmates, but they just don’t work for me. I think love has to be earned before being given, and maybe people can grow into the role of soulmates, just not that fast. And one of the bigger downfalls of the book was when I realised exactly how much Grace thinks about her wolf, to the point she would clearly put it’s safety before her friends and family.

The characters…I didn’t entirely hate. They didn’t feel like teenagers, probably a more middle-aged couple, but I didn’t detest them as much as other reviewers. Grace, I liked less than Sam, probably because of how she treated others. Sam/ Her Wolf always came first to her, and even if Sam wasn’t involved, she was still quite rude to her friends and family, only using them when convenient. And her “woe is me�� story revolved around her parents not paying her enough attention, even though they were still more involved than 90% of YA parents we see these days and back in those days. At one stage, Grace’s mother even offers to watch a movie together and Grace is like “nope, you ���dzܱ���’v�� done this five years ago. My boyfriend lives in my bedroom now, so I am removed from this family. ”Luckily, Grace’s parents don’t seem to take notice of her attitude, so I was happy for them, at least.

Sam equally sappy, but he wasn’t awful either. A weird number of reviews seem to think it’s strange that Sam has “feminine�� qualities (He reads poetry, he plays guitar, can cook a little) and honestly I think it’s a product of the time. I’d like to believe in 2020 that we’re past cornering men and women into stereotypes, though we’re probably nowhere near it. If Sam’s boring? Then he’s boring. But I wouldn’t mark a character down just because they’re more open with their emotions and their interests don’t adhere to tradition.

(What will never stop being funny to me is if a main character who reads poetry, they must make up their own. I laughed every time Sam like looked at Grace and would think “here’s a totally weird, unrelated poem I just wrote.�� And he wrote riffs too! Like he’d actually think of jazzy little tunes when they were feeling each other up. What made it worse was I couldn’t stop thinking of a specific Nirvana riff which made me laugh even harder. Note to authors: Please stop making your characters write poetry. Theirs/yours, isn’t even good.)

As usual, the supporting cast stood out more. Jack, the angry boy who’s been turned, Isabel his snappy sister, Beck, Sam’s leader who’s also into his final year. I probably would’ve been more interested in one of their stories, but it’s fine, guys, we got prenatal love! (shud shivers)

That’s by far the biggest downfall. Since this book focused on Love��.it was pretty boring and dragged for about seventy percent. The first hundred pages I was like “wow, things are being done quickly.�� Then the next two hundred pages were Sam and Grace talking, driving places, you don’t need me to elaborate. I’m either very lucky, or unlucky, that I don’t get bothered by books that drag. No matter the book, I will be fine floating along, even if it’s mind-numbing. But I could see this being a DNF for a lot of people, especially if you hate instalove/prenatal/ love in general. People who might like the wolf aspect��.I wouldn’t recommend it. When the wolf stuff was on the page, it was interesting. But the wolf stuff wasn’t on the page most of the book, so = not interesting!

(I can say I liked some of the ideas though, especially that it was the cold that caused them to change, and one year, they just won't be able to return to human form and will live as a wolf forever.)

So, it it has a glacial pace, iffy romance, “old soul leads�� and lack of plot/wolves, why did I give it three stars? Well, the writing and the ending were quite beautiful to be honest. Number one, well it’s Maggie Stiefvater, so that’s not a surprise. But, and I may be a hypocrite in saying this, when you’re compressed in a relationship with some characters over a long span of time, you grow attached to them. And this book was only about Grace and Sam, so there was nothing else to cling to. Despite my earlier criticisms, maybe Maggie was aware of what she was doing and knew I’d maybe care for them somewhat in the end. The conclusions for Olive and Beck left me staring at the page with a strange feeling for several minutes. The same with Jack, who like I said, I would’ve read more about. And the last few pages �� can I say I understand exactly why this book had so many fans, other than the Twilight craze? It was actually quite sweet. It gave me that otherworldly feeling that only reading contains, that I'm living a life outside myself, and I can't describe how nice that is when it happens, especially in a book you don't expect.

So, yes, this book is mostly cloying and uninteresting. If you like instalove, you will love this. If you don’t, you’d best give it a miss. But I don’t think any book I’ve ever read has been a waste of time. And, with the last one hundred pages, I can say I’ll take a little bit of this one with me too.]]> 3.77 2009
author: Maggie Stiefvater
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2009
rating: 2
read at: 2020/10/18
date added: 2020/10/31
shelves: magical, ya-reads, contemporary-fantasy, cute-romance-weirdly, 2-5-stars
review:
2.5. It was really only alright.

A little fact about me is I’m not a vampire person, or a witch person, or a people person (I’m not entirely sure where this is going, but it sounds quite personal). The last paranormal romance series I read was the Twilight saga after my parents told me I couldn’t read it (I did anyway.) So, I genuinely cannot count the years since I’ve touched a book like this. And I’m not a werewolf person either, for that matter. I don’t tend to fantasise about a boy who may want to eat me while kissing me or being The Alpha, or whatever those books entail (these are such judgey stereotypes, I’m so sorry.)

So why did I pick up Shiver? Well, I’d better not go into the whirlwind of an affair I had with Steifvater this year, but I can say her writing has always stood out to me, and the plot line had my interest. Sam, an eighteen-year-old boy, shifts into a wolf each winter due to the cold. Every year his time as a human gets shorter until he’s certain this one will be his last. Grace was attacked by wolves as a child until he saved her, and since then she’s been longing to be with her wolf ever since��

Okay, okay, I know this sounds stupid, but I was honestly more intrigued by the concept of the wolves being completely isolated from humanity and how Grace/Sam’s relationship was affected by that. Did I get that? Eh, not really. There werewolf mythology was kind of murky which was disappointing to say the least. The supernatural aspect got pushed aside for the romance, and God, if there wasn’t a lot of it.

This book is Different From Other Books because this book doesn’t even contain instalove. Instead it has the equally unrealistic, probably creepier, prenatal love (even the name sounds weird) Since Sam saved Grace, she’s been in love with him. Like really in love with him. The kind of love that makes her wish she was a wolf and refer to a wolf as “her wolf��, in a soulmates way despite only thinking he was a wolf at the time. When it’s believed a wolf has killed another boy and the police go to hunt them down, Grace stops the hunt, because “her wolf��, y’know.

A lot of readers love soulmates, but they just don’t work for me. I think love has to be earned before being given, and maybe people can grow into the role of soulmates, just not that fast. And one of the bigger downfalls of the book was when I realised exactly how much Grace thinks about her wolf, to the point she would clearly put it’s safety before her friends and family.

The characters…I didn’t entirely hate. They didn’t feel like teenagers, probably a more middle-aged couple, but I didn’t detest them as much as other reviewers. Grace, I liked less than Sam, probably because of how she treated others. Sam/ Her Wolf always came first to her, and even if Sam wasn’t involved, she was still quite rude to her friends and family, only using them when convenient. And her “woe is me�� story revolved around her parents not paying her enough attention, even though they were still more involved than 90% of YA parents we see these days and back in those days. At one stage, Grace’s mother even offers to watch a movie together and Grace is like “nope, you ���dzܱ���’v�� done this five years ago. My boyfriend lives in my bedroom now, so I am removed from this family. ”Luckily, Grace’s parents don’t seem to take notice of her attitude, so I was happy for them, at least.

Sam equally sappy, but he wasn’t awful either. A weird number of reviews seem to think it’s strange that Sam has “feminine�� qualities (He reads poetry, he plays guitar, can cook a little) and honestly I think it’s a product of the time. I’d like to believe in 2020 that we’re past cornering men and women into stereotypes, though we’re probably nowhere near it. If Sam’s boring? Then he’s boring. But I wouldn’t mark a character down just because they’re more open with their emotions and their interests don’t adhere to tradition.

(What will never stop being funny to me is if a main character who reads poetry, they must make up their own. I laughed every time Sam like looked at Grace and would think “here’s a totally weird, unrelated poem I just wrote.�� And he wrote riffs too! Like he’d actually think of jazzy little tunes when they were feeling each other up. What made it worse was I couldn’t stop thinking of a specific Nirvana riff which made me laugh even harder. Note to authors: Please stop making your characters write poetry. Theirs/yours, isn’t even good.)

As usual, the supporting cast stood out more. Jack, the angry boy who’s been turned, Isabel his snappy sister, Beck, Sam’s leader who’s also into his final year. I probably would’ve been more interested in one of their stories, but it’s fine, guys, we got prenatal love! (shud shivers)

That’s by far the biggest downfall. Since this book focused on Love��.it was pretty boring and dragged for about seventy percent. The first hundred pages I was like “wow, things are being done quickly.�� Then the next two hundred pages were Sam and Grace talking, driving places, you don’t need me to elaborate. I’m either very lucky, or unlucky, that I don’t get bothered by books that drag. No matter the book, I will be fine floating along, even if it’s mind-numbing. But I could see this being a DNF for a lot of people, especially if you hate instalove/prenatal/ love in general. People who might like the wolf aspect��.I wouldn’t recommend it. When the wolf stuff was on the page, it was interesting. But the wolf stuff wasn’t on the page most of the book, so = not interesting!

(I can say I liked some of the ideas though, especially that it was the cold that caused them to change, and one year, they just won't be able to return to human form and will live as a wolf forever.)

So, it it has a glacial pace, iffy romance, “old soul leads�� and lack of plot/wolves, why did I give it three stars? Well, the writing and the ending were quite beautiful to be honest. Number one, well it’s Maggie Stiefvater, so that’s not a surprise. But, and I may be a hypocrite in saying this, when you’re compressed in a relationship with some characters over a long span of time, you grow attached to them. And this book was only about Grace and Sam, so there was nothing else to cling to. Despite my earlier criticisms, maybe Maggie was aware of what she was doing and knew I’d maybe care for them somewhat in the end. The conclusions for Olive and Beck left me staring at the page with a strange feeling for several minutes. The same with Jack, who like I said, I would’ve read more about. And the last few pages �� can I say I understand exactly why this book had so many fans, other than the Twilight craze? It was actually quite sweet. It gave me that otherworldly feeling that only reading contains, that I'm living a life outside myself, and I can't describe how nice that is when it happens, especially in a book you don't expect.

So, yes, this book is mostly cloying and uninteresting. If you like instalove, you will love this. If you don’t, you’d best give it a miss. But I don’t think any book I’ve ever read has been a waste of time. And, with the last one hundred pages, I can say I’ll take a little bit of this one with me too.
]]> 228665
Moiraine Damodred arrives in Emond’s Field on a quest to find the one prophesized to stand against The Dark One, a malicious entity sowing the seeds of chaos and destruction. When a vicious band of half-men, half beasts invade the village seeking their master’s enemy, Moiraine persuades Rand al’Thor and his friends to leave their home and enter a larger unimaginable world filled with dangers waiting in the shadows and in the light.]]> 800 Robert Jordan 0812511816 Unknown Reviews 0 to-read 4.19 1990
author: Robert Jordan
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 4.19
book published: 1990
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/10/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 40916679
Pretty and popular high school senior Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, who then killed himself. It was all anyone could talk about. And five years later, Pip sees how the tragedy still haunts her town.

But she can't shake the feeling that there was more to what happened that day. She knew Sal when she was a child, and he was always so kind to her. How could he possibly have been a killer?

Now a senior herself, Pip decides to reexamine the closed case for her final project, at first just to cast doubt on the original investigation. But soon she discovers a trail of dark secrets that might actually prove Sal innocent . . . and the line between past and present begins to blur. Someone in Fairview doesn't want Pip digging around for answers, and now her own life might be in danger.]]> 433 Holly Jackson 1405293187 Unknown Reviews 3 3.5

I’m not someone who tends to read murder mysteries, but the good reviews and title had me intrigued. Suffice to say, I wasn’t let down.

In the town of Little Kilton, a schoolgirl named Andie Bell disappeared five years and was never found. Everyone knows her boyfriend, Sal, was the killer �� after all he confessed and committed suicide a few days after she was reported missing. Yet Pippa Fitz-Amobi believes otherwise. For her final year project, she decides to investigate the case herself and unravel what really happened to Andie.

I loved the main character. Pippa is an over-achieving and witty seventeen-year-old who is motivated by her sense of justice. She’s the kind of person who knows the Latin for certain words, or the name of an obscure bird species. But I have to say, I really liked her. How she came to her conclusions were believable yet involved her thinking outside the boxes (logging into other account, emailing people as a fake journalist). She never grows overbearing, and while I do think she could be fleshed out more, I was rooting for her and her detective skills throughout the book.

She is determined to exonerate Sal Singh of any crime, and seeks help in his younger brother, Ravi. Honestly, I adored Ravi as much as I did Pip and I think his suffering was another huge motivation for my need to see Pip succeed. Since his brother has been declared guilty, Ravi’s family has been harassed and shunned by the town community, including racial attacks due to their Indian heritage. He’s very funny and the chemistry between them was excellent.

I think Jackson writes characters very well, but I do believe this book suffered from having a cast that was too large. At times, I was a little muddled on trying to remember who’s who. Now, I’m guessing since there’s apparently three sequels? in the making, she’s just setting up future pawns. This didn’t detract from the book overall, and since the characters that were focused on were really unique and intriguing, it’s a weak criticism of mine.

Besides the characters, the plot was really fun to unwind. It’s told in a multimedia format, so we get both first person and third person perspectives. The little journal entries and audio interviews were great little snippets that kept me more engaged than I usually am. Also, eighty percent of the book moves at break neck speed, the kind of book that gets you to think “I’ll read just one more chapter,�� only to realise you’ve finished another fifty pages.

There’s a lot of twists in this book and not all of them are obvious (in my opinion). It’s really fun creeping into the twisted and dark secrets of some of the towns inhabitants, and there’s been a lot of storylines set up for the future. Even seeing Pippa lose some of her “good girl�� persona was interesting to watch. She starts off this book as rather naïve, but grows more shady the deeper her investigation goes.

(That said, while light-hearted and bubbly at times, this book does deal with many mature themes. I would recommend checking out trigger warnings before you decide to read this book.)

I think the best way to describe this would to be a popcorn flick book, fast-paced and fun. Also, there’s no romance! There looks to be a future couple set up and I can’t wait to see if it goes through, but how I appreciate romance being devoid from the plot, especially one that takes place in a short time span. Pippa doesn’t have time for that. She’s even brushing off a guy who has a crush on her. Pippa has real problems (this is a stan Pippa post now, by the way)

So where do my stars drop off?

One is how the plot points come into place. Sometimes it’s pure luck, other times it’s a far fetched. Also some parts of this novel are a bit unrealistic. I do know it’s a teenager solving a murder and of course I should have some suspended belief, but threatening drug dealers or breaking into homes does kind of have me raising a few eyebrows. Also there are some things that Pippa discovered that I thought the police shouldn’t have missed. Since a body has never been found, I imagine the investigation wouldn’t necessarily be ongoing, but it wouldn’t have been forgotten about either. Maybe I’m being unfair applying true crime logic to a YA book, but a lot of this book involves factual logic used in real-life investigations.

Two, none of the writing really stuck out to me, though it could be witty at times. This is obviously a very minor criticism compared to plot and characters, but it does feel like a debut. I’m not taking a star off for it though because it is good and YA is rather simple eighty percent of the time anyway. Also this wasn’t by any mean bad, just nothing special.

Three is the ending. Now, I’m going to be fair; it was satisfying but I’d mark it down as a double ending. Half of it I thought was quite unrealistic and took me out of the book. The other half was who/what I predicted and the ended the novel very efficiently. So it had both a “safe�� and an “unexpected�� ending that fitted in the clues and backstories quite well, just one half felt too contrived.

Minor Mentions

I love how Pip’s family was in the background and supportive for a lot of the story. So many YA novels barely acknowledge parents. (Also Pip’s step-dad is Nigerian and her brother Joshua biracial, for those interested in diversity rep!)

This book really stands out to me a popcorn flick. I think you can tell by the length of my review that there wasn’t much to the book, not enough to make it to my all-time favourites. This sounds like a criticism, but it really is just an enjoyable and quick read, I can’t stress it enough. I think this could even possibly be a beloved series and trendsetter for more mysteries in YA.

Honestly, I wouldn’t buy the second book, on account of me being poor, but when it comes to my library, I’ll pick it up straight away. Also, 3.5 stars is seventy percent, which is pretty good. Almost as high as the Rotten Tomatoes score for The Prestige! It has Hugh Jackman!

Really enjoyable read and I’d definitely recommend to anyone looking for a light and exciting book.

Conclusion: This book is FUN! (Now go watch The Prestige)
]]> 4.30 2019
author: Holly Jackson
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2020/08/25
date added: 2020/10/10
shelves:
review:
3.5

I’m not someone who tends to read murder mysteries, but the good reviews and title had me intrigued. Suffice to say, I wasn’t let down.

In the town of Little Kilton, a schoolgirl named Andie Bell disappeared five years and was never found. Everyone knows her boyfriend, Sal, was the killer �� after all he confessed and committed suicide a few days after she was reported missing. Yet Pippa Fitz-Amobi believes otherwise. For her final year project, she decides to investigate the case herself and unravel what really happened to Andie.

I loved the main character. Pippa is an over-achieving and witty seventeen-year-old who is motivated by her sense of justice. She’s the kind of person who knows the Latin for certain words, or the name of an obscure bird species. But I have to say, I really liked her. How she came to her conclusions were believable yet involved her thinking outside the boxes (logging into other account, emailing people as a fake journalist). She never grows overbearing, and while I do think she could be fleshed out more, I was rooting for her and her detective skills throughout the book.

She is determined to exonerate Sal Singh of any crime, and seeks help in his younger brother, Ravi. Honestly, I adored Ravi as much as I did Pip and I think his suffering was another huge motivation for my need to see Pip succeed. Since his brother has been declared guilty, Ravi’s family has been harassed and shunned by the town community, including racial attacks due to their Indian heritage. He’s very funny and the chemistry between them was excellent.

I think Jackson writes characters very well, but I do believe this book suffered from having a cast that was too large. At times, I was a little muddled on trying to remember who’s who. Now, I’m guessing since there’s apparently three sequels? in the making, she’s just setting up future pawns. This didn’t detract from the book overall, and since the characters that were focused on were really unique and intriguing, it’s a weak criticism of mine.

Besides the characters, the plot was really fun to unwind. It’s told in a multimedia format, so we get both first person and third person perspectives. The little journal entries and audio interviews were great little snippets that kept me more engaged than I usually am. Also, eighty percent of the book moves at break neck speed, the kind of book that gets you to think “I’ll read just one more chapter,�� only to realise you’ve finished another fifty pages.

There’s a lot of twists in this book and not all of them are obvious (in my opinion). It’s really fun creeping into the twisted and dark secrets of some of the towns inhabitants, and there’s been a lot of storylines set up for the future. Even seeing Pippa lose some of her “good girl�� persona was interesting to watch. She starts off this book as rather naïve, but grows more shady the deeper her investigation goes.

(That said, while light-hearted and bubbly at times, this book does deal with many mature themes. I would recommend checking out trigger warnings before you decide to read this book.)

I think the best way to describe this would to be a popcorn flick book, fast-paced and fun. Also, there’s no romance! There looks to be a future couple set up and I can’t wait to see if it goes through, but how I appreciate romance being devoid from the plot, especially one that takes place in a short time span. Pippa doesn’t have time for that. She’s even brushing off a guy who has a crush on her. Pippa has real problems (this is a stan Pippa post now, by the way)

So where do my stars drop off?

One is how the plot points come into place. Sometimes it’s pure luck, other times it’s a far fetched. Also some parts of this novel are a bit unrealistic. I do know it’s a teenager solving a murder and of course I should have some suspended belief, but threatening drug dealers or breaking into homes does kind of have me raising a few eyebrows. Also there are some things that Pippa discovered that I thought the police shouldn’t have missed. Since a body has never been found, I imagine the investigation wouldn’t necessarily be ongoing, but it wouldn’t have been forgotten about either. Maybe I’m being unfair applying true crime logic to a YA book, but a lot of this book involves factual logic used in real-life investigations.

Two, none of the writing really stuck out to me, though it could be witty at times. This is obviously a very minor criticism compared to plot and characters, but it does feel like a debut. I’m not taking a star off for it though because it is good and YA is rather simple eighty percent of the time anyway. Also this wasn’t by any mean bad, just nothing special.

Three is the ending. Now, I’m going to be fair; it was satisfying but I’d mark it down as a double ending. Half of it I thought was quite unrealistic and took me out of the book. The other half was who/what I predicted and the ended the novel very efficiently. So it had both a “safe�� and an “unexpected�� ending that fitted in the clues and backstories quite well, just one half felt too contrived.

Minor Mentions

I love how Pip’s family was in the background and supportive for a lot of the story. So many YA novels barely acknowledge parents. (Also Pip’s step-dad is Nigerian and her brother Joshua biracial, for those interested in diversity rep!)

This book really stands out to me a popcorn flick. I think you can tell by the length of my review that there wasn’t much to the book, not enough to make it to my all-time favourites. This sounds like a criticism, but it really is just an enjoyable and quick read, I can’t stress it enough. I think this could even possibly be a beloved series and trendsetter for more mysteries in YA.

Honestly, I wouldn’t buy the second book, on account of me being poor, but when it comes to my library, I’ll pick it up straight away. Also, 3.5 stars is seventy percent, which is pretty good. Almost as high as the Rotten Tomatoes score for The Prestige! It has Hugh Jackman!

Really enjoyable read and I’d definitely recommend to anyone looking for a light and exciting book.

Conclusion: This book is FUN! (Now go watch The Prestige)

]]> 7728889 578 Libba Bray Unknown Reviews 4
Evie O’Neill is a mildly alcoholic, outgoing seventeen year-old, who is sent to live with her Uncle Will in New York, after she revealed a shameful affair back in her hometown of Ohio with a secret of her own: the secret being, Evie is psychometric - someone with the power to learn memories and information while holding an object. And when a string of occult murders start arising around the city, and her Uncle is enlisted to find out who the murderer is, Evie may be one of the only people who can really help.

To start, The book contains the best world-building I’ve ever seen. Libba Bray has concocted such a real, vibrant world in regards to 1920’s New York. It’s clear she’s extensively researched the subject, to the point everything was so easy to see �� the grey plumes of smoke, the flashing lights of Broadway, the towering skyscrapers. I think Bray’s writing was just thoroughly beautiful throughout the book. It reminded me of the Raven Cycle with its spooky nature, as well as the ever-present autumnal vibes. I really don’t think I ���dzܱ���’v�� pick up a better book for October.

But besides the dazzling portrayal, you have no idea how long I’ve been searching for a book like this. Something about magic, and ritualistic killings with an intent to bring on the apocalypse just always gets added to my TBR list (I know, I’m weird). And I’ve never seen it as well portrayed as this book. The fun thing about this book is it can get very creepy. We get the perspective of the victims before the killings, and it does genuinely get scary. Bray just brings the atmosphere to life so well, that you’re twisted with a sense of dread as you enter each perspective, and she doesn’t play nice. Despite the YA label, Bray gets as grisly and imaginative as she wants. This reminded me of a Stephen King book in the best kind of way, and if any of you have children/teenagers who may not want to track through his territory yet, I think this would be a fantastic place to start, if they don’t mind the length.

Finally, I cannot laud enough about how Bray has shown the soul of America all in one book. Don’t just think this is a book about the fun extravagance of the twenties, Bray goes deeper into the foundations of America than I expected and thoroughly loved. In this book, Bray covers immigrants, the wars that America’s been built on, the stealing of land, the stealing of people, different cultures, religions, Communism, slavery, racism, the American Dream. I’m so impressed by how expansive this book feels. This possibly may be the weirdest comparison I’ve ever made between a book and pretty much anything, but it’s like, if you’ve played Grand Theft Auto 5, you start in the modernity and security of Los Santos, before exploring the world and countryside further to find cults, strange happenings, maybe even aliens (don’t start the debate with me regarding the Mount Chiliad mystery).

If you excuse my blatant, weird analogy, what I’m trying to say is that she explores the conspiracies, the wishes, the American Dream, and the underlying belief there is magic in our world, just one door away from us. I do love the last point, and the idea that more spooky events are happening because the curtain between us is thinning...chef's kiss.

So, I can thoroughly say while the world-building, and idea of plot (“idea�� is there for a reason) were my favourite aspects of, the rest I was a little less sold on. I liked most of the characters, and was willing to read through their chapters quite happily, but I haven’t exactly found that tight-knit bond I’m looking for. It turns out Evie’s not the only one with powers �� there are several. Some with the ability to heal, to walk through dreams, to make people forget they’re there. These are The Diviners, and we get perspectives from each of them.

Evie is of course, the frivolous, outgoing party girl. All she wants is fun, boys and a little bbit of alcohol at the side at all times. I was kind of impressed about how different she was from usual YA leads. I suppose she was supposed to be unlikable, or at least a little immoral, but I was only so-so with her in the end. She’s fun to read about. Technically. The fact she’s unlikeable wasn’t a deterrent, as she actually ended up being one of the more likeable “unlikeable�� leads I’ve read lately (the words are beginning to jumble in my head and I’m not sure if they make sense anymore.) But while I liked her from the start, I don’t think she ever grew. I’ve seen it pop up in other reviews that she has decent character development, but I didn’t see it. From the start we know she’s selfish and careless, but she does too. It's not news to her. If anything, it’s just revealed why she does the things she does, but Evie herself doesn’t actually change. So, while I was happy with her as protagonist, she grew stagnant and the constant forcing of 20’s slang did get on my nerves after a little while (if I see pos-it-tute-ly one more time, I may wither and die.)

The rest of the characters leave less of an impression. Sam is the snarky thief who ended up being genuinely funny, but didn’t make as much of an impact towards the end. Memphis is an African-American number’s runner who can no longer heal. Mabel is the daughter of two Socialists and a political activist, and Evie’s best friend. Theta is a chorus girl with a dark past, who lives with Henry, a piano player who walks through people’s dreams…Look, there’s a lot of people. I’m not going to type them all out, and while I liked them all, the only ones who felt significant to the real plot was Evie, Sam and Jericho. (A quick note that Jericho works with Evie’s Uncle, and is a very tall man. This is literally all the Diviners, guys, I swear, I’m not lying and being lazy to type out more)

Anyway, since Evie, Sam, and Jericho were the only ones attached to the occult plot, the rest were just…there. At times, they could all intersect and they were the most fun parts, but The Diviners aren’t really established in this book. This is, I’m guessing, the Pre-Diviners? Since no-one would tell each other about their powers, you’d run the same, monotonous circles of why do I have this gift? or something weird just happened. Again. That’s nothing to worry about. Since the other characters stories end up not mattering too much, other than being information about their lives, the only characters I grew attached to were Sam, Theta, and Jericho. Jericho, I might mention, was my favourite. Maybe people would call him wooden, but honestly, the quiet, stoic guys who secretly want the girl but know she prefers someone else flashier always get to me, as they often end up being the nicer option, but never win. I loved Chaol from the Throne of Glass series pre- Queen of Shadows. There, I’ve said it. Now don’t burn me, please.

You see, the problem with multiple-perspective books is you’ll always have a favourite narrator. One piece of praise I do have for George R.R Martin is, even if groan when you turn on to a chapter of someone you don’t care about, by the end of it, you’ll have enjoyed it a lot, and the scheme starts over again with the following chapter. This doesn’t happen here. Memphis wasn’t very interesting to me, Mabel’s parts were relatable as the “ignored girl�� but they don’t actually contribute anything to the book. It felt like a lot of filler, so you end up having a disjointed string of Interesting! Boring! Interesting! Chapters. It’s so frustrating when you end a brilliant chapter about the murder, only to read about someone walking through the streets of New York, going about their day.

So, while, I liked the “idea�� of the plot (the conspiracies, expansiveness, magic), with such long gaps between chapters focusing on the murders, its impact gets lost and really drains the tension. It’d be nice to sometime read the book with only the chapters integral to the murder plot. It’d make a much more cohesive book, and lose one, maybe two hundred pages. Honestly, a trim on this book would’ve made it a lot better. The pacing definitely had it's issues.

Also, the ending was anti-climactic. I was expecting an Avengers Level group to join together and fight evil. That…didn’t happen. In fact, the whole build-up was kind of lost. All the spookiness and mystery was so easily tossed aside, in favour for a relatively bland conclusion. It was just weird, and I wonder why Bray went for that ending. If she ���dzܱ���’v�� left so much filler in her book, surely she ���dzܱ���’v�� made a longer, more action-packed ending that would be worthy of the impressive build-up she created?

Because of the filler and ending, I need to bring this book down to four from five. But, God, if I can somehow explain how this atmosphere finally satisfied my search after all these years...it's just perfect. (Besides the constant use of 20's slang. Yeah, that's a no from me.)

I would, very, very much recommend this to fans of The Raven Cycle, and those who like reading about how the world is always on the brink of magic. Considering the length, I’m taking a break between this book and the next, but what a fantastic book to start October on. Hopefully, the following book will live up to my expectations in regards to friendship and a sprawling, magical plot. How this only has 80,000 reviews after nearly a decade despite the constant recommendations I’ve received from friends online, truly baffles me. Well, guess what, guys? I’ve been converted. Now I must take their place and recommend it to you, maybe through an evil grimoire or a review on ŷ������. Who knows.

Conclusion Don’t be detracted by the fact that this turned into a Grand Theft Auto 5 advertisement for a minute. Go out and read the book!]]> 3.93 2012
author: Libba Bray
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2012
rating: 4
read at: 2020/10/03
date added: 2020/10/05
shelves:
review:
My first introduction to the glamour and extravagance of 1920’s America probably came in the form of The Great Gatsby (the movie, not the book, considering I too young at the time to get it). So, when I heard about a much-raved YA novel involving cult killings, magic powers, and Great Gatsby-esque parties, I knew I had to read it. And for once, a book, has suited my imagination perfectly.

Evie O’Neill is a mildly alcoholic, outgoing seventeen year-old, who is sent to live with her Uncle Will in New York, after she revealed a shameful affair back in her hometown of Ohio with a secret of her own: the secret being, Evie is psychometric - someone with the power to learn memories and information while holding an object. And when a string of occult murders start arising around the city, and her Uncle is enlisted to find out who the murderer is, Evie may be one of the only people who can really help.

To start, The book contains the best world-building I’ve ever seen. Libba Bray has concocted such a real, vibrant world in regards to 1920’s New York. It’s clear she’s extensively researched the subject, to the point everything was so easy to see �� the grey plumes of smoke, the flashing lights of Broadway, the towering skyscrapers. I think Bray’s writing was just thoroughly beautiful throughout the book. It reminded me of the Raven Cycle with its spooky nature, as well as the ever-present autumnal vibes. I really don’t think I ���dzܱ���’v�� pick up a better book for October.

But besides the dazzling portrayal, you have no idea how long I’ve been searching for a book like this. Something about magic, and ritualistic killings with an intent to bring on the apocalypse just always gets added to my TBR list (I know, I’m weird). And I’ve never seen it as well portrayed as this book. The fun thing about this book is it can get very creepy. We get the perspective of the victims before the killings, and it does genuinely get scary. Bray just brings the atmosphere to life so well, that you’re twisted with a sense of dread as you enter each perspective, and she doesn’t play nice. Despite the YA label, Bray gets as grisly and imaginative as she wants. This reminded me of a Stephen King book in the best kind of way, and if any of you have children/teenagers who may not want to track through his territory yet, I think this would be a fantastic place to start, if they don’t mind the length.

Finally, I cannot laud enough about how Bray has shown the soul of America all in one book. Don’t just think this is a book about the fun extravagance of the twenties, Bray goes deeper into the foundations of America than I expected and thoroughly loved. In this book, Bray covers immigrants, the wars that America’s been built on, the stealing of land, the stealing of people, different cultures, religions, Communism, slavery, racism, the American Dream. I’m so impressed by how expansive this book feels. This possibly may be the weirdest comparison I’ve ever made between a book and pretty much anything, but it’s like, if you’ve played Grand Theft Auto 5, you start in the modernity and security of Los Santos, before exploring the world and countryside further to find cults, strange happenings, maybe even aliens (don’t start the debate with me regarding the Mount Chiliad mystery).

If you excuse my blatant, weird analogy, what I’m trying to say is that she explores the conspiracies, the wishes, the American Dream, and the underlying belief there is magic in our world, just one door away from us. I do love the last point, and the idea that more spooky events are happening because the curtain between us is thinning...chef's kiss.

So, I can thoroughly say while the world-building, and idea of plot (“idea�� is there for a reason) were my favourite aspects of, the rest I was a little less sold on. I liked most of the characters, and was willing to read through their chapters quite happily, but I haven’t exactly found that tight-knit bond I’m looking for. It turns out Evie’s not the only one with powers �� there are several. Some with the ability to heal, to walk through dreams, to make people forget they’re there. These are The Diviners, and we get perspectives from each of them.

Evie is of course, the frivolous, outgoing party girl. All she wants is fun, boys and a little bbit of alcohol at the side at all times. I was kind of impressed about how different she was from usual YA leads. I suppose she was supposed to be unlikable, or at least a little immoral, but I was only so-so with her in the end. She’s fun to read about. Technically. The fact she’s unlikeable wasn’t a deterrent, as she actually ended up being one of the more likeable “unlikeable�� leads I’ve read lately (the words are beginning to jumble in my head and I’m not sure if they make sense anymore.) But while I liked her from the start, I don’t think she ever grew. I’ve seen it pop up in other reviews that she has decent character development, but I didn’t see it. From the start we know she’s selfish and careless, but she does too. It's not news to her. If anything, it’s just revealed why she does the things she does, but Evie herself doesn’t actually change. So, while I was happy with her as protagonist, she grew stagnant and the constant forcing of 20’s slang did get on my nerves after a little while (if I see pos-it-tute-ly one more time, I may wither and die.)

The rest of the characters leave less of an impression. Sam is the snarky thief who ended up being genuinely funny, but didn’t make as much of an impact towards the end. Memphis is an African-American number’s runner who can no longer heal. Mabel is the daughter of two Socialists and a political activist, and Evie’s best friend. Theta is a chorus girl with a dark past, who lives with Henry, a piano player who walks through people’s dreams…Look, there’s a lot of people. I’m not going to type them all out, and while I liked them all, the only ones who felt significant to the real plot was Evie, Sam and Jericho. (A quick note that Jericho works with Evie’s Uncle, and is a very tall man. This is literally all the Diviners, guys, I swear, I’m not lying and being lazy to type out more)

Anyway, since Evie, Sam, and Jericho were the only ones attached to the occult plot, the rest were just…there. At times, they could all intersect and they were the most fun parts, but The Diviners aren’t really established in this book. This is, I’m guessing, the Pre-Diviners? Since no-one would tell each other about their powers, you’d run the same, monotonous circles of why do I have this gift? or something weird just happened. Again. That’s nothing to worry about. Since the other characters stories end up not mattering too much, other than being information about their lives, the only characters I grew attached to were Sam, Theta, and Jericho. Jericho, I might mention, was my favourite. Maybe people would call him wooden, but honestly, the quiet, stoic guys who secretly want the girl but know she prefers someone else flashier always get to me, as they often end up being the nicer option, but never win. I loved Chaol from the Throne of Glass series pre- Queen of Shadows. There, I’ve said it. Now don’t burn me, please.

You see, the problem with multiple-perspective books is you’ll always have a favourite narrator. One piece of praise I do have for George R.R Martin is, even if groan when you turn on to a chapter of someone you don’t care about, by the end of it, you’ll have enjoyed it a lot, and the scheme starts over again with the following chapter. This doesn’t happen here. Memphis wasn’t very interesting to me, Mabel’s parts were relatable as the “ignored girl�� but they don’t actually contribute anything to the book. It felt like a lot of filler, so you end up having a disjointed string of Interesting! Boring! Interesting! Chapters. It’s so frustrating when you end a brilliant chapter about the murder, only to read about someone walking through the streets of New York, going about their day.

So, while, I liked the “idea�� of the plot (the conspiracies, expansiveness, magic), with such long gaps between chapters focusing on the murders, its impact gets lost and really drains the tension. It’d be nice to sometime read the book with only the chapters integral to the murder plot. It’d make a much more cohesive book, and lose one, maybe two hundred pages. Honestly, a trim on this book would’ve made it a lot better. The pacing definitely had it's issues.

Also, the ending was anti-climactic. I was expecting an Avengers Level group to join together and fight evil. That…didn’t happen. In fact, the whole build-up was kind of lost. All the spookiness and mystery was so easily tossed aside, in favour for a relatively bland conclusion. It was just weird, and I wonder why Bray went for that ending. If she ���dzܱ���’v�� left so much filler in her book, surely she ���dzܱ���’v�� made a longer, more action-packed ending that would be worthy of the impressive build-up she created?

Because of the filler and ending, I need to bring this book down to four from five. But, God, if I can somehow explain how this atmosphere finally satisfied my search after all these years...it's just perfect. (Besides the constant use of 20's slang. Yeah, that's a no from me.)

I would, very, very much recommend this to fans of The Raven Cycle, and those who like reading about how the world is always on the brink of magic. Considering the length, I’m taking a break between this book and the next, but what a fantastic book to start October on. Hopefully, the following book will live up to my expectations in regards to friendship and a sprawling, magical plot. How this only has 80,000 reviews after nearly a decade despite the constant recommendations I’ve received from friends online, truly baffles me. Well, guess what, guys? I’ve been converted. Now I must take their place and recommend it to you, maybe through an evil grimoire or a review on ŷ������. Who knows.

Conclusion Don’t be detracted by the fact that this turned into a Grand Theft Auto 5 advertisement for a minute. Go out and read the book!
]]> 17378527
All her life, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love's death. She doesn't believe in true love and never thought this would be a problem, but as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she's not so sure anymore.]]> 439 Maggie Stiefvater 0545424984 Unknown Reviews 3 Henny, I need to bring this down to three stars. You shouldn't have so little conclusion for so many characters/ plots because they'll be in your future series or you just want to be mysterious.)

The Raven King and I had a troubled relationship. That is, I left it lying in the corner of my bedroom for about a week, unable to contemplate that this series would finally be over once I picked it up. But eventually curiosity got the better of me and now here I am, infinitely sad while trying to write my way into a review.

The Raven King centres on our final outing with The Raven Boys �� Gansey, Adam, Ronan, Blue and Noah, as their magical world of Cabeswater is slowly being destroyed by an unrelenting demon and the days counting down to �Ҳ��Բ����’s death are getting shorter and shorter.

First of all. Was this book perfect? No. I’d rank it either third or last of the whole series. But as far as things go, I don’t believe the attraction of this series has ever been its plot, as much as the characters (obligatory ranking of characters based on importance to the book)

This is �Ҳ��Բ����’s book, the daredevil, all-knowing, sweater vest enthusiast and our gang’s leader. I was pleased how �Ҳ��Բ����’s arc ran along the lines I wanted it to. After all, he’s been spending years obsessing over finding a long lost king while leaving the rest of the world behind. Through each book he’s becomes less and less enamoured over his magical search, seeing him as more of an outsider to the magical world that all his friends are tied to. Gansey really does have a fantastic internal monologue, as well as great characterisation.

I suppose that �Ҳ��Բ����’s main storyline in this book is that he is going to die soon. But there’s nothing much he can do either than wait and reflect. The search for Glendower has tended to take a backseat in every book since the first and it’s no different here. So while I’m glad I’ve gotten to see such a unique and original character unshelled, action wise, I wish we’d gotten more for him in this book since he was at his strongest towards the end.

In the end, it was such a simple, small thing. He had felt flashes of it before in his life, the absolute certainty. But the truth was that he’d kept walking away from it. It was a far more terrifying idea to imagine how much control he really had over how his life turned out. Easier to believe he was a gallant ship tossed by fate than to captain it himself.

Both Ronan and Adam are tied in terms of importance and how much I love them.

Similar to Gansey, Ronan has just evolved into such a fantastic, loveable character. He’s so far from the tough, edgy boy of the first book. His relationships with everyone in this book are just on peak.

Gansey asked, “Do you have time to run an errand with us? Do you have work? Homework?��
“No homework. I got suspended,�� Blue replied.
“Get the fuck out,�� Ronan said, but with admiration. “Sargent, you asshole.��
Blue reluctantly allowed him to bump fists with her as Gansey eyed her meaningfully in the rearview mirror.

Ronan and Blue were just such a great duo.

Ronan possibly goes through the most trauma in this book, but it is compensated with the joy of his relationships. “The twist�� if you want to call it that, felt pretty unsurprising to me, I don’t know why. I think some part of me was a little unsatisfied with it, but it made sense for where the book was going. Besides that, everything for Ronan was tied up so neatly. His abilities, his familial relationships, Adam :)

Mentioning Adam, he was always the character I understood and felt for the most. By far, he had the most fulfilling character arc, growing from a boy trying to escape his abusive family into a good life, to a magician whose self-assurance stems from himself and his friends. I was just so proud seeing how he evolved and he undoubtedly had some of the darker moments in this book, as did Ronan. His last couple of pages were perfection. Also Pynch :) Pynch get its own star.

Blue once again, I felt fell to the sidelines. Along with Adam, she always had the contrast of her poverty against the Raven Boys wealth and it’s dug in a little here. The fact that after school, she probably won’t be able to travel the world as she wants to. But overall, Blue is fine in this book. Sometimes I do feel like she suffers from criticising others to a fault; it’s a flaw never seen to or explored more and it can get overbearing. Still, she has many tender and warm moments in this book and I couldn’t get enough of them. One thing I want to add though is she’s given this huge reveal and it’s kind of…brushed over after one chapter? It’s just explained, she does it and everyone’s like “okay, yeah, let’s not explore that a little further.�� (this unfortunate “brushing over�� is not a once-off occurrence. It’s the bane of this book)

What do I think of Gansey and Blue? I mean, I prefer Pynch. The issue with Blansey/Glue (UGH. I still don’t know the ship name) is they don’t really talk as much as they gaze at each other or listen to the sounds of each other’s voices and personify these things in a beautiful sentence. I suppose the substance isn’t there, against Pynch who had their admiration seeped in through clues and conversation. Pynch is more naturally built up than Bluesey (I just googled it, that’s what the author called it. Don’t know if it’s legit or not, but let’s roll with it.) who lack meaningful conversations in the final book compared to the first three. I don’t know why but the best part of romantic relationships for me tend to be at the end, when you can feel the weight of the love like a paperweight in your hand. However with Pynch, you always feel the intensity of their relationship and that’s why it wins out for me. Plus, they’re two soft boys who comfort each other frequently and I love it.

Okay.

(Takes a breath)

Is this where I get critiquey?

Let’s talk about Henry Cheng

I do like Henry as a character. He has funny moments like when he drives to �����ܱ�’s school and give her the chance to pretend he’s her ex and yell at him. (It’s Blue way of showing how she stands up to elitists in front of her whole school. Then Gansey picks her up and she’s aware she’s lost a bit of that message.) He feels like a quirkier, weirder version of Gansey or Noah, but I’m uncomfortable to how he was forced in.

Henry was introduced in the third book, so it’s not like he’s pulled out of nowhere. Still, a lot of people believe his Asian heritage wasn’t written very well and he was put in so Maggie could make a mostly white cast more diverse. I’ll stay out of how his background was written since I don’t believe I can comment properly on it, though I will say his constant mentions of being Korean seemed to be a reminder from Maggie that she has a diverse cast rather than being simply an extension of his character.

My biggest issue with Henry? If you’ve read IT by Stephen King, you’ll come across a passage where the main seven meet for the first time and the narrator (I think it’s Bill at that stage?) says how right it feels, something just clicks together as a group. They fit together like pieces of a puzzle and there will never be another bond like it. Now, imagine while they’re fighting in the midst of fighting Pennywise a few weeks in, an eighth member joins The Losers Club. Since we didn’t get a thorough intro of him, his character arc and development are a bit murkier. Bill retracts his statement and says now the group is complete, throwing the whole seven being unique and mystical thing in the bin. It takes away from the power and strength of their original bond, the bond that felt so right, it had to be supernatural.

Henry is the eighth member of the Losers Club.

I think Maggie should’ve have incorporated him in and, hey, maybe he would’ve become a Raven Boy in time. But saying he fits perfectly straight away, despite having a minimal amount of time with each character to bond or develop feels very untrue. Especially since the book thrives on the power of friendship and bonds built over time.

What’s worse? Henry replaces Noah. Noah is barely in the book,

Maggie did Noah sooooooo dirty. It’s like she forgot he’s a Raven Boy. Remember when I marked him as one of my favourites in a review, even though he was barely in the book? I just liked him because of his general weirdness? Yeah, he’s in maybe four chapters in this book? If he was in anymore, I can barely remember which stands to a testament of how much he was used.

Now there’s a sneaky little revelation regarding Noah and the plot which I think was done pretty well, even if it disregards other prophecies and foreshadowing. But we’re also told time is circular for Noah. He will continue down the same part forever, a path ridden with pain, confusion and being forgotten by the author. I’m just confused on the ending for Noah in general. I have no idea what happened. And to think Henry replaced Noah, pretty much? I’d be more appreciative of Henry’s inclusion if Noah ���dzܱ���’v�� been in this book more too.

Seriously, did no editor take a look at this book and think “But Noah’s so nice and weird and creepy. Why is he barely in it?�� Cause I sure did.

Okay, my Noah rant is finished, but unfortunately things don’t get much better. I wasn’t really invested in the first two hundred pages of this book.

I enjoyed it in the sense where I love these characters and reading about anything they do, but the plot felt hastily stitched together and I wondered what was the point? Cabeswater being destroyed was the main storyline and I think it was executed well, but the secondary plot and characters were abandoned.

Piper, our villain from the last book, is getting into the business of selling magical artefacts, one of them the demon that is destroying everything. But what do her scenes even add to the book? If you removed them, they’d have no impact on the plot because they come to no relevant conclusion. I’ve never loved the villains of this series (though I had soft spots for Piper and Kavinsky) because they always change and never feel like a viable threat. I wish Stiefvater kept Kavinsky or at least have Piper make an impact on the plot in this book. She and the teens never interact in a first or secondary sense. She may as well not be there. I think Maggie wanted a subplot but she may as well left have left it out considering the lack of effect it actually had. Maybe it’s a set-up for a future book? I don’t know, it just seemed incredibly filler.

I also stand by my controversial statement from Lily Blue, Blue Lily. The overall plot is not complex. I said in my review I couldn’t judge how much she planned out until I finished this book. Well, now it’s finished and my opinion hasn’t changed.

Biggest Problems with the Plot
�� The big reveal, which may have disappointed other readers didn’t disappoint me, except the fact it disregards the prophecy of “three sleepers.�� The Glendower storyline has always been secondary, but I do think she must have changed her plan somewhere along the way.
�� The ending felt really rushed (yet it also saved the book for me). I was fairly pleased until I dug into some other reviews that question the legitimacy of the ending. Little seems to be of consequence. The big sacrifices ended up not being that sacrificial after all. Someone should’ve died in this book, I think. In the end, the stakes felt big but actually weren’t. I do like the happy ending, but it did feel a bit anticlimactic against all the ominous foreshadowing we were given.
�� So, �����ܱ�’s vision in the first book was true, but Adam’s wasn’t really? Why? And that’s how I think the plot changed again somewhere along the way (and the vision seemed pretty intriguing too)
�� The epilogue should’ve been much longer. We get no answers on several people and subplots? I actually noticed everyone was packaged off early in the book so their endings were sort of wrapped up. Now, I think all of these unanswered questions were because Maggie will explore them in future books, but it felt like pieces of The Raven King were missing. Considering I didn’t think the first two hundred pages to be that relevant, I don’t know why she couldn’t cut some chapters out in favour of others. Also, she’s focusing on Ronan’s trilogy now, so if answers will come later, they won’t come for a long time and that makes me a bit sad. Maybe she just wants to leave things open ended, but I think there was a bit too much here that ���dzܱ���’v�� been answered.
•What Stievfater did in The Raven King was she gave characters who weren’t explored before a chapter of their own to tell us their story and motivation. It was all exposition, but at least it was nice-sounding exposition I guess?
•I’m still kind of indifferent to Gwenillan, Orphan Girl and Mr Gray. The former two annoy me due to how confusing they are, and Mr Gray, I’ve never clicked with.

And despite all these issues, I still adore this series

Yes, I know, most of this has been a rant. Overall, the plot for the whole series has been maybe a 2.5 or 3 out of five. Yet everything else has soared beyond expectations I even predicted.

I guess the power of the Raven Cycle is it doesn’t feel like a book series to me. It feels like a grand, majestic journey that I’ve been allowed to tag along on. Some people enjoyed the start and disliked the end of this book, yet in the last eighty pages, I felt like I was riding a massive wave that brought me further and further into something magical. That feeling has happened in every book, bar Blue Lily, Lily Blue, and three out of four books are pretty impressive. The writing and the characters make this compulsive reading and I’ve never found anything quite like it. The writing here gets gross, creepy, beautiful, beyond weird and I still loved it. And these characters…It’s rare to find fictional creations that evoke such emotions in you.

I’m beyond sad it’s over and I’m grateful I got to have it, even for a short while.

So this is my first farewell to the women at 300 Fox Way.

To magical forests.

To Ronan, Kavinsky and the other dreamers who bring magic to life.

To funny, weird details.

To friendships that may as well be magical.

And to my Raven Boys/ Girl (I’ll let you in on this too, Henry Cheng)

He was a book, and he was holding his final pages, and he wanted to get to the end to find out how it went, and he didn't want it to be over.

And the best part? It’s not even finished yet :)

By the way, my ranking of the series goes in the order of:
(1) The Dream Thieves
(2) The Raven Boys
(3) The Raven King
(4) Lily Blue, Blue Lily]]> 4.26 2016
author: Maggie Stiefvater
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2016
rating: 3
read at: 2020/08/29
date added: 2020/09/27
shelves: 2020-reads, lgbt-reads, rants, ya-reads, magical-realism, contemporary-fantasy, 3-star, female-author
review:
(After an in depth discussion with Henny, I need to bring this down to three stars. You shouldn't have so little conclusion for so many characters/ plots because they'll be in your future series or you just want to be mysterious.)

The Raven King and I had a troubled relationship. That is, I left it lying in the corner of my bedroom for about a week, unable to contemplate that this series would finally be over once I picked it up. But eventually curiosity got the better of me and now here I am, infinitely sad while trying to write my way into a review.

The Raven King centres on our final outing with The Raven Boys �� Gansey, Adam, Ronan, Blue and Noah, as their magical world of Cabeswater is slowly being destroyed by an unrelenting demon and the days counting down to �Ҳ��Բ����’s death are getting shorter and shorter.

First of all. Was this book perfect? No. I’d rank it either third or last of the whole series. But as far as things go, I don’t believe the attraction of this series has ever been its plot, as much as the characters (obligatory ranking of characters based on importance to the book)

This is �Ҳ��Բ����’s book, the daredevil, all-knowing, sweater vest enthusiast and our gang’s leader. I was pleased how �Ҳ��Բ����’s arc ran along the lines I wanted it to. After all, he’s been spending years obsessing over finding a long lost king while leaving the rest of the world behind. Through each book he’s becomes less and less enamoured over his magical search, seeing him as more of an outsider to the magical world that all his friends are tied to. Gansey really does have a fantastic internal monologue, as well as great characterisation.

I suppose that �Ҳ��Բ����’s main storyline in this book is that he is going to die soon. But there’s nothing much he can do either than wait and reflect. The search for Glendower has tended to take a backseat in every book since the first and it’s no different here. So while I’m glad I’ve gotten to see such a unique and original character unshelled, action wise, I wish we’d gotten more for him in this book since he was at his strongest towards the end.

In the end, it was such a simple, small thing. He had felt flashes of it before in his life, the absolute certainty. But the truth was that he’d kept walking away from it. It was a far more terrifying idea to imagine how much control he really had over how his life turned out. Easier to believe he was a gallant ship tossed by fate than to captain it himself.

Both Ronan and Adam are tied in terms of importance and how much I love them.

Similar to Gansey, Ronan has just evolved into such a fantastic, loveable character. He’s so far from the tough, edgy boy of the first book. His relationships with everyone in this book are just on peak.

Gansey asked, “Do you have time to run an errand with us? Do you have work? Homework?��
“No homework. I got suspended,�� Blue replied.
“Get the fuck out,�� Ronan said, but with admiration. “Sargent, you asshole.��
Blue reluctantly allowed him to bump fists with her as Gansey eyed her meaningfully in the rearview mirror.

Ronan and Blue were just such a great duo.

Ronan possibly goes through the most trauma in this book, but it is compensated with the joy of his relationships. “The twist�� if you want to call it that, felt pretty unsurprising to me, I don’t know why. I think some part of me was a little unsatisfied with it, but it made sense for where the book was going. Besides that, everything for Ronan was tied up so neatly. His abilities, his familial relationships, Adam :)

Mentioning Adam, he was always the character I understood and felt for the most. By far, he had the most fulfilling character arc, growing from a boy trying to escape his abusive family into a good life, to a magician whose self-assurance stems from himself and his friends. I was just so proud seeing how he evolved and he undoubtedly had some of the darker moments in this book, as did Ronan. His last couple of pages were perfection. Also Pynch :) Pynch get its own star.

Blue once again, I felt fell to the sidelines. Along with Adam, she always had the contrast of her poverty against the Raven Boys wealth and it’s dug in a little here. The fact that after school, she probably won’t be able to travel the world as she wants to. But overall, Blue is fine in this book. Sometimes I do feel like she suffers from criticising others to a fault; it’s a flaw never seen to or explored more and it can get overbearing. Still, she has many tender and warm moments in this book and I couldn’t get enough of them. One thing I want to add though is she’s given this huge reveal and it’s kind of…brushed over after one chapter? It’s just explained, she does it and everyone’s like “okay, yeah, let’s not explore that a little further.�� (this unfortunate “brushing over�� is not a once-off occurrence. It’s the bane of this book)

What do I think of Gansey and Blue? I mean, I prefer Pynch. The issue with Blansey/Glue (UGH. I still don’t know the ship name) is they don’t really talk as much as they gaze at each other or listen to the sounds of each other’s voices and personify these things in a beautiful sentence. I suppose the substance isn’t there, against Pynch who had their admiration seeped in through clues and conversation. Pynch is more naturally built up than Bluesey (I just googled it, that’s what the author called it. Don’t know if it’s legit or not, but let’s roll with it.) who lack meaningful conversations in the final book compared to the first three. I don’t know why but the best part of romantic relationships for me tend to be at the end, when you can feel the weight of the love like a paperweight in your hand. However with Pynch, you always feel the intensity of their relationship and that’s why it wins out for me. Plus, they’re two soft boys who comfort each other frequently and I love it.

Okay.

(Takes a breath)

Is this where I get critiquey?

Let’s talk about Henry Cheng

I do like Henry as a character. He has funny moments like when he drives to �����ܱ�’s school and give her the chance to pretend he’s her ex and yell at him. (It’s Blue way of showing how she stands up to elitists in front of her whole school. Then Gansey picks her up and she’s aware she’s lost a bit of that message.) He feels like a quirkier, weirder version of Gansey or Noah, but I’m uncomfortable to how he was forced in.

Henry was introduced in the third book, so it’s not like he’s pulled out of nowhere. Still, a lot of people believe his Asian heritage wasn’t written very well and he was put in so Maggie could make a mostly white cast more diverse. I’ll stay out of how his background was written since I don’t believe I can comment properly on it, though I will say his constant mentions of being Korean seemed to be a reminder from Maggie that she has a diverse cast rather than being simply an extension of his character.

My biggest issue with Henry? If you’ve read IT by Stephen King, you’ll come across a passage where the main seven meet for the first time and the narrator (I think it’s Bill at that stage?) says how right it feels, something just clicks together as a group. They fit together like pieces of a puzzle and there will never be another bond like it. Now, imagine while they’re fighting in the midst of fighting Pennywise a few weeks in, an eighth member joins The Losers Club. Since we didn’t get a thorough intro of him, his character arc and development are a bit murkier. Bill retracts his statement and says now the group is complete, throwing the whole seven being unique and mystical thing in the bin. It takes away from the power and strength of their original bond, the bond that felt so right, it had to be supernatural.

Henry is the eighth member of the Losers Club.

I think Maggie should’ve have incorporated him in and, hey, maybe he would’ve become a Raven Boy in time. But saying he fits perfectly straight away, despite having a minimal amount of time with each character to bond or develop feels very untrue. Especially since the book thrives on the power of friendship and bonds built over time.

What’s worse? Henry replaces Noah. Noah is barely in the book,

Maggie did Noah sooooooo dirty. It’s like she forgot he’s a Raven Boy. Remember when I marked him as one of my favourites in a review, even though he was barely in the book? I just liked him because of his general weirdness? Yeah, he’s in maybe four chapters in this book? If he was in anymore, I can barely remember which stands to a testament of how much he was used.

Now there’s a sneaky little revelation regarding Noah and the plot which I think was done pretty well, even if it disregards other prophecies and foreshadowing. But we’re also told time is circular for Noah. He will continue down the same part forever, a path ridden with pain, confusion and being forgotten by the author. I’m just confused on the ending for Noah in general. I have no idea what happened. And to think Henry replaced Noah, pretty much? I’d be more appreciative of Henry’s inclusion if Noah ���dzܱ���’v�� been in this book more too.

Seriously, did no editor take a look at this book and think “But Noah’s so nice and weird and creepy. Why is he barely in it?�� Cause I sure did.

Okay, my Noah rant is finished, but unfortunately things don’t get much better. I wasn’t really invested in the first two hundred pages of this book.

I enjoyed it in the sense where I love these characters and reading about anything they do, but the plot felt hastily stitched together and I wondered what was the point? Cabeswater being destroyed was the main storyline and I think it was executed well, but the secondary plot and characters were abandoned.

Piper, our villain from the last book, is getting into the business of selling magical artefacts, one of them the demon that is destroying everything. But what do her scenes even add to the book? If you removed them, they’d have no impact on the plot because they come to no relevant conclusion. I’ve never loved the villains of this series (though I had soft spots for Piper and Kavinsky) because they always change and never feel like a viable threat. I wish Stiefvater kept Kavinsky or at least have Piper make an impact on the plot in this book. She and the teens never interact in a first or secondary sense. She may as well not be there. I think Maggie wanted a subplot but she may as well left have left it out considering the lack of effect it actually had. Maybe it’s a set-up for a future book? I don’t know, it just seemed incredibly filler.

I also stand by my controversial statement from Lily Blue, Blue Lily. The overall plot is not complex. I said in my review I couldn’t judge how much she planned out until I finished this book. Well, now it’s finished and my opinion hasn’t changed.

Biggest Problems with the Plot
�� The big reveal, which may have disappointed other readers didn’t disappoint me, except the fact it disregards the prophecy of “three sleepers.�� The Glendower storyline has always been secondary, but I do think she must have changed her plan somewhere along the way.
�� The ending felt really rushed (yet it also saved the book for me). I was fairly pleased until I dug into some other reviews that question the legitimacy of the ending. Little seems to be of consequence. The big sacrifices ended up not being that sacrificial after all. Someone should’ve died in this book, I think. In the end, the stakes felt big but actually weren’t. I do like the happy ending, but it did feel a bit anticlimactic against all the ominous foreshadowing we were given.
�� So, �����ܱ�’s vision in the first book was true, but Adam’s wasn’t really? Why? And that’s how I think the plot changed again somewhere along the way (and the vision seemed pretty intriguing too)
�� The epilogue should’ve been much longer. We get no answers on several people and subplots? I actually noticed everyone was packaged off early in the book so their endings were sort of wrapped up. Now, I think all of these unanswered questions were because Maggie will explore them in future books, but it felt like pieces of The Raven King were missing. Considering I didn’t think the first two hundred pages to be that relevant, I don’t know why she couldn’t cut some chapters out in favour of others. Also, she’s focusing on Ronan’s trilogy now, so if answers will come later, they won’t come for a long time and that makes me a bit sad. Maybe she just wants to leave things open ended, but I think there was a bit too much here that ���dzܱ���’v�� been answered.
•What Stievfater did in The Raven King was she gave characters who weren’t explored before a chapter of their own to tell us their story and motivation. It was all exposition, but at least it was nice-sounding exposition I guess?
•I’m still kind of indifferent to Gwenillan, Orphan Girl and Mr Gray. The former two annoy me due to how confusing they are, and Mr Gray, I’ve never clicked with.

And despite all these issues, I still adore this series

Yes, I know, most of this has been a rant. Overall, the plot for the whole series has been maybe a 2.5 or 3 out of five. Yet everything else has soared beyond expectations I even predicted.

I guess the power of the Raven Cycle is it doesn’t feel like a book series to me. It feels like a grand, majestic journey that I’ve been allowed to tag along on. Some people enjoyed the start and disliked the end of this book, yet in the last eighty pages, I felt like I was riding a massive wave that brought me further and further into something magical. That feeling has happened in every book, bar Blue Lily, Lily Blue, and three out of four books are pretty impressive. The writing and the characters make this compulsive reading and I’ve never found anything quite like it. The writing here gets gross, creepy, beautiful, beyond weird and I still loved it. And these characters…It’s rare to find fictional creations that evoke such emotions in you.

I’m beyond sad it’s over and I’m grateful I got to have it, even for a short while.

So this is my first farewell to the women at 300 Fox Way.

To magical forests.

To Ronan, Kavinsky and the other dreamers who bring magic to life.

To funny, weird details.

To friendships that may as well be magical.

And to my Raven Boys/ Girl (I’ll let you in on this too, Henry Cheng)

He was a book, and he was holding his final pages, and he wanted to get to the end to find out how it went, and he didn't want it to be over.

And the best part? It’s not even finished yet :)

By the way, my ranking of the series goes in the order of:
(1) The Dream Thieves
(2) The Raven Boys
(3) The Raven King
(4) Lily Blue, Blue Lily
]]> 2913377
My name is Kvothe.
You may have heard of me'

--back cover]]> 662 Patrick Rothfuss 0575081406 Unknown Reviews 0 to-read 4.38 2007
author: Patrick Rothfuss
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2007
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/09/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 13206760
Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother, or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana.

The adventure continues in this fresh fairytale retelling that combines elements of Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood.]]> 454 Marissa Meyer 0312642962 Unknown Reviews 4
And then I read Scarlet.

Am I allowed to say this?

Scarlet is the real beginning of The Lunar Chronicles

Okay, before you come at me, this book has:

(a) Infinitely better everything.
(b) Spaceships! So we’re actually in space! (hence Lunar, etc.)
And (c) Captain Thorne.

Do I need to say more?

But, seriously, this book is just pure fun all the way through. Cinder, who’s been arrested in the last book, is attempting to make her escape from prison and find answers regarding her past and future. Meanwhile, in France, Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother has gone missing and a street-fighter with superhuman senses named Wolf, may have a clue to her whereabouts.

I think �𱹱����ٳ󾱲Բ�’s improved from the last book. Characters, plot, world-building. Even Cinder, who I found kind of bland in the last book, really gained my approval, especially as she ventured into using her mind control powers for both good and not-so-good purposes. Now since this is Scarlet’s book, Cinder and Kai obviously took a step back, but both of them were fleshed out considerably compared to Cinder. In fact, neither Scarlet or Wolf captivated my interest as much as they did.

As I said, the plot and world-building has improved immensely. Like, I think I know what’s going on the world and space, at least. Also, this book is so action packed. We’ve got a long-lost princess running from the law and trying to learn how to use her new powers, as well as a girl searching for her missing grandmother with a Wolf man (haha, double entendre) while there’s a possible war coming? This has more plot than the entire Raven Cycle series! (sorry Raven Cycle, you know I love you.)

Cinder and Thorne are the best duo going. And they had the more fun adventure. I really appreciate Cinder’s use of her new powers. If you’ve read my Storm and Siege review (it’s kind of meh), I mention briefly I love characters going down darker roads and that’s what Cinder does. She tries to not be evil with her ability, but she is drawn to its power. Also, powers are cool and it’s always fun to see them in action, which happens many times in this book.

(A brief mention on Kai, he wasn’t really there, but he was fine.)

Also Thorne is literally the best character ever. He’s charismatic and caring while also being a total player and stealing priceless artefacts. Thorne has become my number one literary boyfriend. I don't know who was previously my number one, but that is a very hard status to achieve.

“These cells aren’t supposed to be occupied,�� she said.
“Special circumstances.��
She surveyed him for a long moment, her brows knitting together. “Murder?��
His grin grew. “Thank you, but no. I started a riot on the yard.�� He adjusted his collar, before adding, “We were protesting the soap.��
Her confusion grew, and Thorne noticed that she was still in her defensive stance.
“The soap,�� he said again, wondering if she’d heard him. “It’s too drying.��
She said nothing.
“I have sensitive skin.��

Not to mention, this is one of the most unique re-tellings I’ve ever read. There have been so many Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and other fairy tale inspired stories popping up over the years, but this is probably the best one. It’s got sci-fi, fantasy, people live on the moon, androids, genetically enhanced soldiers. That already ticks a lot of boxes for me. It takes what made the original story so enticing and does something completely different. Also, I adore how it’s all connected. You know that weird tingly feeling when there’s a crossover similar to Avengers Endgame, or how New Girl was on Brooklyn Nine-Nine that one time. And here, there’s another two books of it. I instantly liked Cinder more, because I already knew her. If an author writes a book with a character I hate, but that character shows up from a different perspective in a following book/ spin-off, I’ll like them! I don’t know why, but it just makes me happy.

So, where do my stars drop off?

Um…Scarlet? And Wolf too?

I genuinely do like them, but their story felt so much weaker than Cinder and Thorne’s. Scarlet made a lot of weird decisions throughout the book, while Wolf…I actually loved him at first, but his character felt really inconsistent at times. And the instalove.

This was just one more example of her emotions carrying her away, all over a guy she’d known for only �� she strained to count back and realized with some shock they’d barely known each other for a day.

�۱𲹳�…n��.

Scarlet’s relationship with her grandmother was touching, and Wolf had strong moments particularly towards the end, but the parts with them could drag so much. I’d sigh as I went onto another chapter and found I hadn’t got back to Cinder or Thorne yet, and since the cast only expands, I feel this may happen in the next book or two. It’s actually a little strange how the platonic friendship between Cinder and Thorne was instantly more captivating than either of the romances. Will the trend keep up? I don’t know.

The writing is pretty simple but a good story always pleases me more than great prose. Against Shadow and Bone series which likely has stronger writing, I’ll obviously pick The Lunar Chronicles any day. This story is expansive, interesting, and most important of all, fun. I feel like a child getting completely absorbed in another world again.

To sum it up: My need for Cress is as important as Thorne’s need for nice soap. That's all there is.]]> 4.24 2013
author: Marissa Meyer
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at: 2020/09/13
date added: 2020/09/15
shelves: 2020-reads, 4-star, fantasy, ya-reads
review:
Honestly, I didn’t love Cinder, with its lack of world building and the amount of predictability in about everything. It felt more like a precursor for what’s to come.

And then I read Scarlet.

Am I allowed to say this?

Scarlet is the real beginning of The Lunar Chronicles

Okay, before you come at me, this book has:

(a) Infinitely better everything.
(b) Spaceships! So we’re actually in space! (hence Lunar, etc.)
And (c) Captain Thorne.

Do I need to say more?

But, seriously, this book is just pure fun all the way through. Cinder, who’s been arrested in the last book, is attempting to make her escape from prison and find answers regarding her past and future. Meanwhile, in France, Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother has gone missing and a street-fighter with superhuman senses named Wolf, may have a clue to her whereabouts.

I think �𱹱����ٳ󾱲Բ�’s improved from the last book. Characters, plot, world-building. Even Cinder, who I found kind of bland in the last book, really gained my approval, especially as she ventured into using her mind control powers for both good and not-so-good purposes. Now since this is Scarlet’s book, Cinder and Kai obviously took a step back, but both of them were fleshed out considerably compared to Cinder. In fact, neither Scarlet or Wolf captivated my interest as much as they did.

As I said, the plot and world-building has improved immensely. Like, I think I know what’s going on the world and space, at least. Also, this book is so action packed. We’ve got a long-lost princess running from the law and trying to learn how to use her new powers, as well as a girl searching for her missing grandmother with a Wolf man (haha, double entendre) while there’s a possible war coming? This has more plot than the entire Raven Cycle series! (sorry Raven Cycle, you know I love you.)

Cinder and Thorne are the best duo going. And they had the more fun adventure. I really appreciate Cinder’s use of her new powers. If you’ve read my Storm and Siege review (it’s kind of meh), I mention briefly I love characters going down darker roads and that’s what Cinder does. She tries to not be evil with her ability, but she is drawn to its power. Also, powers are cool and it’s always fun to see them in action, which happens many times in this book.

(A brief mention on Kai, he wasn’t really there, but he was fine.)

Also Thorne is literally the best character ever. He’s charismatic and caring while also being a total player and stealing priceless artefacts. Thorne has become my number one literary boyfriend. I don't know who was previously my number one, but that is a very hard status to achieve.

“These cells aren’t supposed to be occupied,�� she said.
“Special circumstances.��
She surveyed him for a long moment, her brows knitting together. “Murder?��
His grin grew. “Thank you, but no. I started a riot on the yard.�� He adjusted his collar, before adding, “We were protesting the soap.��
Her confusion grew, and Thorne noticed that she was still in her defensive stance.
“The soap,�� he said again, wondering if she’d heard him. “It’s too drying.��
She said nothing.
“I have sensitive skin.��

Not to mention, this is one of the most unique re-tellings I’ve ever read. There have been so many Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and other fairy tale inspired stories popping up over the years, but this is probably the best one. It’s got sci-fi, fantasy, people live on the moon, androids, genetically enhanced soldiers. That already ticks a lot of boxes for me. It takes what made the original story so enticing and does something completely different. Also, I adore how it’s all connected. You know that weird tingly feeling when there’s a crossover similar to Avengers Endgame, or how New Girl was on Brooklyn Nine-Nine that one time. And here, there’s another two books of it. I instantly liked Cinder more, because I already knew her. If an author writes a book with a character I hate, but that character shows up from a different perspective in a following book/ spin-off, I’ll like them! I don’t know why, but it just makes me happy.

So, where do my stars drop off?

Um…Scarlet? And Wolf too?

I genuinely do like them, but their story felt so much weaker than Cinder and Thorne’s. Scarlet made a lot of weird decisions throughout the book, while Wolf…I actually loved him at first, but his character felt really inconsistent at times. And the instalove.

This was just one more example of her emotions carrying her away, all over a guy she’d known for only �� she strained to count back and realized with some shock they’d barely known each other for a day.

�۱𲹳�…n��.

Scarlet’s relationship with her grandmother was touching, and Wolf had strong moments particularly towards the end, but the parts with them could drag so much. I’d sigh as I went onto another chapter and found I hadn’t got back to Cinder or Thorne yet, and since the cast only expands, I feel this may happen in the next book or two. It’s actually a little strange how the platonic friendship between Cinder and Thorne was instantly more captivating than either of the romances. Will the trend keep up? I don’t know.

The writing is pretty simple but a good story always pleases me more than great prose. Against Shadow and Bone series which likely has stronger writing, I’ll obviously pick The Lunar Chronicles any day. This story is expansive, interesting, and most important of all, fun. I feel like a child getting completely absorbed in another world again.

To sum it up: My need for Cress is as important as Thorne’s need for nice soap. That's all there is.
]]> 54304072
Rue is the only half-god, half-human there, where leaders protect their magical powers at all costs and thrive on human suffering. Miserable and desperate to see her sister on the anniversary of their mother’s death, Rue breaks Ghizon’s sacred Do Not Leave Law and returns to Houston, only to discover that Black kids are being forced into crime and violence. And her sister, Tasha, is in danger of falling sway to the very forces that claimed their mother’s life.

Worse still, evidence mounts that the evil plaguing East Row is the same one that lurks in Ghizon—an evil that will stop at nothing until it has stolen everything from her and everyone she loves. Rue must embrace her true identity and wield the full magnitude of her ancestors�� power to save her neighborhood before the gods burn it to the ground.]]> 354 J. Elle 1534470670 Unknown Reviews 0 to-read 3.84 2021
author: J. Elle
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/09/03
shelves: to-read
review:
A book about a black girl who is half-human, half-god? Where can I get an advanced copy? :)
]]> 36809135
But Kya is not what they say. A born naturalist with just one day of school, she takes life's lessons from the land, learning the real ways of the world from the dishonest signals of fireflies. But while she has the skills to live in solitude forever, the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. Drawn to two young men from town, who are each intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new and startling world—until the unthinkable happens.

In Where the Crawdads Sing, Owens juxtaposes an exquisite ode to the natural world against a profound coming of age story and haunting mystery. Thought-provoking, wise, and deeply moving, Owens’s debut novel reminds us that we are forever shaped by the child within us, while also subject to the beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps.

The story asks how isolation influences the behavior of a young woman, who like all of us, has the genetic propensity to belong to a group. The clues to the mystery are brushed into the lush habitat and natural histories of its wild creatures.]]> 384 Delia Owens 0735219117 Unknown Reviews 2
“Where the Crawdads Sing�� centers around the life of Kya, a woman who, at the age of six, was abandoned by her family. As she learns the ways of wilderness and survival, two men are beguiled by her beauty and seek to court her. So when one of them shows us dead in 1969, town locals immediately expects Kya to be the culprit, otherwise known as “The Marsh Girl.�� But is Kya really the myth they believe her to be?

Based on that summary, you may assume this is about a girl being caught up in a love triangle which evolves into a murder mystery. By all admittance, the blurb reads as a YA novel. However, I found both romance and mystery lacked in this story immensely. This is nearly four hundred pages of nature descriptions and Kya’s laments regarding love, loneliness, nature, and poetry.

As expected, the writing and prose are beautiful, though I couldn’t help laughing at my cluelessness regarding the nature similes. I just have to take Owens word for it that they made sense. But even with nice-sounding words strung well together, it didn’t seem particularly unique or as vivid as I wanted it to be. A lot of this book was description of nature, clothes, food, more clothes. I think after reading an unusually good streak of well-written books this year, my standards have been elevated. I felt I was being floated along gently as I read the words, without being given any images that were particularly captivating, a shame considering the unusual North Carolina setting.

I also enjoyed Kya’s reflections on mating in animals and humans. I wish Owens had gone more into depth into man vs. nature, since these were the most interesting parts of the book. This what was I expected coming into the book (a story about fireflies was incredibly intriguing). Unfortunately, these came up rarer and rarer as the book went on.

The characters were very flat and one-dimensional. This goes for everyone. I don’t think I’d advertise Kya as a Manic Pixie Girl, but she lacked flaws. At seven, she learns how to provide everything for herself unusually quickly. She goes to school for one day and is like "nope, this isn't for me." She can only speak a few words, until someone teaches her to read and she becomes a bona fide genius in the span of thirty pages. I was also wondering, how, on her bad diet, did she never become ill or need a doctor? I really just wished Owens had bumped up her age a small bit. I don't think a six/seven year old could raise themselves in a swamp.

Okay, maybe I can suspend my disbelief for these points despite it being a contemporary novel. But even take those away, I don’t know who Kya really is. She’s niceish? She likes nature a lot. She felt very passive without a distinct personality. Even her musings on loneliness felt very much like Owens remembered she needed to insert it in to correlate with her themes. It was too telling, most of this book. Had Kya been someone more primal, wilder than she turned out to be, I may have liked her more. But in Owens attempt to make her “unique�� or “different��, she seems as normal as everyone else. She can talk, read, do everything as well as anyone in the modern world could. If you think this book is about a teenage girl who’s completely isolated in the wild, it’s not.

It seems Owens teetered between “should I make her wild,�� or “should I make her a normal girl.�� I think the former was supposed to be what she was aiming for, otherwise the conclusion of the book feels very uncharacteristic. I’ve seen someone float up “we’re as much strangers to Kya as the town’s people are!�� No, that’s an absolutely lazy and far-reaching way to explain bad writing. When your protagonist is a normal girl for all the book, you can’t suddenly pretend she’s not.

The love interests were shockingly bad . Remember when I said the blurb sounded like a YA novel? Well, it’s not YA, but the lover interests have been plucked from a weak YA book. We have Tate and Chase. Tate is the nerdy, caring, unerringly kind boyfriend who respects Kya and knows she’s the only girl he’ll ever be in love with. So much so, he has to diss every other female to his father.

Tate said, “The girls at school are silly. All they talk about is hair and high heels.
“She’s more pure and innocent than any of those girls you’d have me go to the dance with.��

Tate is around eighteen at this time, and he never grows out of this mindset. The “not like other girls�� book is a hatred trope in YA book, a sore attempt of the author telling us his/her main character “Special�� and “Unique�� when the writing doesn’t show it. Besides that, his love for Kya is annoyingly firm. For the rest of the book, he remains her obedient dog, never once having an ounce of characterisation outside Kya’s existence.

Finally, he was going to go back to find her, tell her he never stopped loving her and beg her to forgive him.

This love isn’t enough to motivate him when he decides to leave her for a long period of time. His actions don’t make sense after how infatuated he’s supposed to be with her. Even the character doesn’t know why he didn’t return to her for so long. There’s no reason.

Oh wait, there is. Chase

With Chase, I expected a love interest more fleshed out than Tate. Someone who initially liked Kya for her looks, and then realised there was a lot more to her. Nope. Instead he remains a narcissistic jock who strings everyone around (I’m actually tired of that trope too. The people who played sports in my school were for the most part kind and fun to be with.) Chase has no redeeming features. I'm not even sure why he was in the novel.

This book is not a romance novel. This book is about Kya’s journey. So, I’m not sure why it was marketed as “two boys fall in love with girl.�� I genuinely wonder is there any reader who found these love interests convincing because they didn’t get what they were sold.

No-one in this book is three-dimensional. Jumpin�� and Mabel are two kind of caregivers for Kya, giving her clothes and fuel. There likeable for their actions, but otherwise not real. Her relationship with them literally shows she wasn’t alone, but the book keeps trying to sell her off like she is.

So much of the dialogue is stilted and expositional, especially one scene where Kya reunites with someone from her past. I think the worst offenders may be the sheriff and his partner trying to solve the murder.

“I’m hungry. Let’s go by the diner on the way out there.��
“Well, get ready for an ambush. Everybody in town’s pretty riled up. Chase Andrew’s murder’s the biggest thing’s happened ’round here, maybe ever. Gossip’s goin�� up like smoke signals.��
“Well, keep an ear out. We might pick up a tidbit or two. Most ne’er-do-wells can’t keep their mouths shut.��

The “I’m hungry�� line was just so random, I stared at it with amusement the first time I read it. None of the dialogue was particularly good, except the courtroom, and even some of the questions in there were a little strange. Tate’s and Kya’s teenage conversations made me wonder does Owen remember what it was like to be a teenager. It’s clear Owens doesn’t trust her readers enough to let us fill in the gaps ourselves. Every character must explain their motivation, and their personality and their flaws. People are rarely that self-aware, so we’re left with a book of nice writing, but absurd execution otherwise.

The plot was also disappointing. It’s set up as a murder mystery, but there’s no mystery. As readers, we’re not given relevant clues that let us guess or theorise. Similar to the characters, everything needs to be told to us. Like I said, this is mostly about Kya and her life, but her life can be so unspectacular and mundane at times.

And the ending I believe was severely unfair and terribly done. From an analytical perspective, it would've been good, but when you have such a mishmash of characterisation, it doesn’t make sense. The ending deserved better. It isn't surprising or astonishing, since there was no build-up to it. I actually think the ending contradicts the intended message so I was lost in what Owens was really trying to do.

What I expected before reading: Two boys are entranced by a mysterious girl, who has lived alone in the wild for several years with little human contact. They slowly learn she isn’t as wild or crazy as she’s painted out to be, but rather someone kind and in touch with nature.

What I got: A girl who’s pretty much normal falls in love with a wimp and an asshole (I feel bad for using these terms, but that's what they were), a book stuffed with underdeveloped characters and a weak plot, and writing that is beautiful to read, but doesn’t carry much weight.

Sorry lads, I can’t understand the hype for this one at all.]]> 4.35 2018
author: Delia Owens
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2018
rating: 2
read at:
date added: 2020/08/30
shelves:
review:
At the time, I’m writing this review, Where the Crawdads Sing has a 4.5 star average across nearly 900,000 ratings. And for the life of me, I can’t work out why.

“Where the Crawdads Sing�� centers around the life of Kya, a woman who, at the age of six, was abandoned by her family. As she learns the ways of wilderness and survival, two men are beguiled by her beauty and seek to court her. So when one of them shows us dead in 1969, town locals immediately expects Kya to be the culprit, otherwise known as “The Marsh Girl.�� But is Kya really the myth they believe her to be?

Based on that summary, you may assume this is about a girl being caught up in a love triangle which evolves into a murder mystery. By all admittance, the blurb reads as a YA novel. However, I found both romance and mystery lacked in this story immensely. This is nearly four hundred pages of nature descriptions and Kya’s laments regarding love, loneliness, nature, and poetry.

As expected, the writing and prose are beautiful, though I couldn’t help laughing at my cluelessness regarding the nature similes. I just have to take Owens word for it that they made sense. But even with nice-sounding words strung well together, it didn’t seem particularly unique or as vivid as I wanted it to be. A lot of this book was description of nature, clothes, food, more clothes. I think after reading an unusually good streak of well-written books this year, my standards have been elevated. I felt I was being floated along gently as I read the words, without being given any images that were particularly captivating, a shame considering the unusual North Carolina setting.

I also enjoyed Kya’s reflections on mating in animals and humans. I wish Owens had gone more into depth into man vs. nature, since these were the most interesting parts of the book. This what was I expected coming into the book (a story about fireflies was incredibly intriguing). Unfortunately, these came up rarer and rarer as the book went on.

The characters were very flat and one-dimensional. This goes for everyone. I don’t think I’d advertise Kya as a Manic Pixie Girl, but she lacked flaws. At seven, she learns how to provide everything for herself unusually quickly. She goes to school for one day and is like "nope, this isn't for me." She can only speak a few words, until someone teaches her to read and she becomes a bona fide genius in the span of thirty pages. I was also wondering, how, on her bad diet, did she never become ill or need a doctor? I really just wished Owens had bumped up her age a small bit. I don't think a six/seven year old could raise themselves in a swamp.

Okay, maybe I can suspend my disbelief for these points despite it being a contemporary novel. But even take those away, I don’t know who Kya really is. She’s niceish? She likes nature a lot. She felt very passive without a distinct personality. Even her musings on loneliness felt very much like Owens remembered she needed to insert it in to correlate with her themes. It was too telling, most of this book. Had Kya been someone more primal, wilder than she turned out to be, I may have liked her more. But in Owens attempt to make her “unique�� or “different��, she seems as normal as everyone else. She can talk, read, do everything as well as anyone in the modern world could. If you think this book is about a teenage girl who’s completely isolated in the wild, it’s not.

It seems Owens teetered between “should I make her wild,�� or “should I make her a normal girl.�� I think the former was supposed to be what she was aiming for, otherwise the conclusion of the book feels very uncharacteristic. I’ve seen someone float up “we’re as much strangers to Kya as the town’s people are!�� No, that’s an absolutely lazy and far-reaching way to explain bad writing. When your protagonist is a normal girl for all the book, you can’t suddenly pretend she’s not.

The love interests were shockingly bad . Remember when I said the blurb sounded like a YA novel? Well, it’s not YA, but the lover interests have been plucked from a weak YA book. We have Tate and Chase. Tate is the nerdy, caring, unerringly kind boyfriend who respects Kya and knows she’s the only girl he’ll ever be in love with. So much so, he has to diss every other female to his father.

Tate said, “The girls at school are silly. All they talk about is hair and high heels.
“She’s more pure and innocent than any of those girls you’d have me go to the dance with.��

Tate is around eighteen at this time, and he never grows out of this mindset. The “not like other girls�� book is a hatred trope in YA book, a sore attempt of the author telling us his/her main character “Special�� and “Unique�� when the writing doesn’t show it. Besides that, his love for Kya is annoyingly firm. For the rest of the book, he remains her obedient dog, never once having an ounce of characterisation outside Kya’s existence.

Finally, he was going to go back to find her, tell her he never stopped loving her and beg her to forgive him.

This love isn’t enough to motivate him when he decides to leave her for a long period of time. His actions don’t make sense after how infatuated he’s supposed to be with her. Even the character doesn’t know why he didn’t return to her for so long. There’s no reason.

Oh wait, there is. Chase

With Chase, I expected a love interest more fleshed out than Tate. Someone who initially liked Kya for her looks, and then realised there was a lot more to her. Nope. Instead he remains a narcissistic jock who strings everyone around (I’m actually tired of that trope too. The people who played sports in my school were for the most part kind and fun to be with.) Chase has no redeeming features. I'm not even sure why he was in the novel.

This book is not a romance novel. This book is about Kya’s journey. So, I’m not sure why it was marketed as “two boys fall in love with girl.�� I genuinely wonder is there any reader who found these love interests convincing because they didn’t get what they were sold.

No-one in this book is three-dimensional. Jumpin�� and Mabel are two kind of caregivers for Kya, giving her clothes and fuel. There likeable for their actions, but otherwise not real. Her relationship with them literally shows she wasn’t alone, but the book keeps trying to sell her off like she is.

So much of the dialogue is stilted and expositional, especially one scene where Kya reunites with someone from her past. I think the worst offenders may be the sheriff and his partner trying to solve the murder.

“I’m hungry. Let’s go by the diner on the way out there.��
“Well, get ready for an ambush. Everybody in town’s pretty riled up. Chase Andrew’s murder’s the biggest thing’s happened ’round here, maybe ever. Gossip’s goin�� up like smoke signals.��
“Well, keep an ear out. We might pick up a tidbit or two. Most ne’er-do-wells can’t keep their mouths shut.��

The “I’m hungry�� line was just so random, I stared at it with amusement the first time I read it. None of the dialogue was particularly good, except the courtroom, and even some of the questions in there were a little strange. Tate’s and Kya’s teenage conversations made me wonder does Owen remember what it was like to be a teenager. It’s clear Owens doesn’t trust her readers enough to let us fill in the gaps ourselves. Every character must explain their motivation, and their personality and their flaws. People are rarely that self-aware, so we’re left with a book of nice writing, but absurd execution otherwise.

The plot was also disappointing. It’s set up as a murder mystery, but there’s no mystery. As readers, we’re not given relevant clues that let us guess or theorise. Similar to the characters, everything needs to be told to us. Like I said, this is mostly about Kya and her life, but her life can be so unspectacular and mundane at times.

And the ending I believe was severely unfair and terribly done. From an analytical perspective, it would've been good, but when you have such a mishmash of characterisation, it doesn’t make sense. The ending deserved better. It isn't surprising or astonishing, since there was no build-up to it. I actually think the ending contradicts the intended message so I was lost in what Owens was really trying to do.

What I expected before reading: Two boys are entranced by a mysterious girl, who has lived alone in the wild for several years with little human contact. They slowly learn she isn’t as wild or crazy as she’s painted out to be, but rather someone kind and in touch with nature.

What I got: A girl who’s pretty much normal falls in love with a wimp and an asshole (I feel bad for using these terms, but that's what they were), a book stuffed with underdeveloped characters and a weak plot, and writing that is beautiful to read, but doesn’t carry much weight.

Sorry lads, I can’t understand the hype for this one at all.
]]> 231804 The Outsiders is about two weeks in the life of a 14-year-old boy. The novel tells the story of Ponyboy Curtis and his struggles with right and wrong in a society in which he believes that he is an outsider. According to Ponyboy, there are two kinds of people in the world: greasers and socs. A soc (short for "social") has money, can get away with just about anything, and has an attitude longer than a limousine. A greaser, on the other hand, always lives on the outside and needs to watch his back. Ponyboy is a greaser, and he's always been proud of it, even willing to rumble against a gang of socs for the sake of his fellow greasers--until one terrible night when his friend Johnny kills a soc. The murder gets under Ponyboy's skin, causing his bifurcated world to crumble and teaching him that pain feels the same whether a soc or a greaser.

Librarian note: This record is for one of the three editions published with different covers and with ISBN 0-140-38572-X / 978-0-14-038572-4. The records are for the 1988 cover (this record), the 1995 cover, and the 2008 cover which is also the current in-print cover.]]> 208 S.E. Hinton 0670532576 Unknown Reviews 3
The Outsiders is told by Ponyboy Curtis, a greaser from the East Side of town. Their rivals are the Socs -middle class, rich snobs. The Greasers are the ones who always get into fights, are low-life criminals, Greasers are the kind of guys no self-respecting girl would date. Yet, Ponyboy's closest friends and families are wonderfully tight-knit, a band of brothers where no bond can be broken. That's until an incident throws Ponyboy's world upside down and he has to run unless he wants to be neck-deep in trouble.

I think one of the most common known facts regarding this book is S.E Hinton is female, and wrote this book at the age of seventeen. Seventeen. In the 60's, none the less. And as I read this book, I was so amazed how this girl, at such a young age, managed to paint a world I lived in and understood. This book isn't a historical exploration of Oklahoma or anything, but if I didn't relate to the characters, I was at least shown the teenagers were just like me, despite 60's America being a very different place.

First I want to compliment the characters. After a month of waxing lyrical praise regarding "The Raven Cycle", I've been given another gang of boys who I love. And I really want to compliment the variety in them. It isn't a case of "greasers have bad homes, bad grades, everyone dislikes them etc." Some are popular in school, some have a criminal record. Some have excellent grades, some dropped out of school. Some are supremely gifted at sport, while others like drawing and painting. Hinton doesn't fall into stereotypes, which I think made this book so much more realer. Even her female characters have stronger backbone than leads in YA today. And their conversations aren't too far from what I've had with friends in real life.

Nothing is for real with us. You know, sometimes I'll catch myself talking to a girl-friend, and realize I don't mean half of what I'm saying. I don't really think a beer blast on the river bottom is supercool, but I'll rave about one to a girl-friend just to be saying something.

Secondly, I want to talk about the bond between characters. They mess around with each other, but never belittle one another. They all have each other's backs, so much so, Ponyboy and his brothers leaves their door unlocked so their friends can stay over if they've had trouble at home. Dally (think Billy Hargrove from Stranger Things), a criminal who has moved from New York has no regard for law - but he'll always look out for Johnny, a nervous boy who barely talks to strangers. He tells the boys to defend themselves through violence. Soda-Pop, Ponyboy's other brother tells the boys to do it only when it's necessary. Both have different views, but both equally care - and that's where we have the variety again. Every character has a different motivation towards school, girls, life. Each one has been shaped by their home circumstances to act like this. It just feel so rich to read about.

Soda fought for fun, Steve for hatred, Darry for pride, and Two-Bit for conformity. Why do I fight? I thought, and couldn't think of any real good reason. There isn't any real good reason for fighting except self-defence.

I also want to mention Darry, Ponyboy's eldest brother. He was academically and athletically gifted, but couldn't afford college. After his parents died, he was the one who made Ponyboy get good grades, play sport, not stay out to late. And for most of the book, Ponyboy resents this. But isn't this similar to parents who work so hard, so their children can have a better life than what they've been given? He just stuck with me, the sheer realism of a character looking out for a family member.

The dialogue is neat and the interactions realistic. There's one line where Ponyboy mentions arguing about who's better (the Beatles or Elvis Pressley) that made me smile for how typical it was. And Hinton doesn't stereotype the Socs either. They, along with everyone else, are affected and honed by their own issues.

The weakness may be the plot. It jumps from what I'd deem A-B-C a little too easily. I still enjoyed it though and revelled in the characters relationships, as well as Ponyboy's honest reflections. The writing is basic enough, but come on, the girl was seventeen fifteen when she wrote it. The book was easier to get through than some prose-laden books I've read today.

I don't know how to explain it - we try to be nice to the girls we see once in a while, like cousins or the girls in class; but we still watch a nice girl go by on a street corner and say all kinds of lousy stuff about her. Don't ask me why. I don't know.

I just really would peg this as great reading, mainly for the realism of the writing (not the plot), the stereotypes lower classes are moulded into, and the characters. I think it rivals The Catcher in the Rye for ground-breaking, coming-of-age books (I read The Catcher in the Rye two years ago? I barely remember any of it, but I liked it which seems to be an unpopular opinion strangely enough).

Damn my school for that sad second book they had us study - this was so much better.

I could picture hundreds of boys and hundreds of boys living in the wrong sides of cities, boys with black eyes who jumped at their own shadows. Hundreds of boys who maybe watched sunsets and looked at stars and ached for something better. I could see boys going down under street lights because they were mean and tough and hated the world, and it was too late to tell them there was still good in it, and they wouldn't believe you if you did. It was too vast a problem to be just a personal thing.]]> 4.13 1967
author: S.E. Hinton
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 4.13
book published: 1967
rating: 3
read at: 2020/08/09
date added: 2020/08/29
shelves:
review:
I had to study two books in school for my exams. One was "To Kill a Mockingbird" (great choice). The second one should've been this.

The Outsiders is told by Ponyboy Curtis, a greaser from the East Side of town. Their rivals are the Socs -middle class, rich snobs. The Greasers are the ones who always get into fights, are low-life criminals, Greasers are the kind of guys no self-respecting girl would date. Yet, Ponyboy's closest friends and families are wonderfully tight-knit, a band of brothers where no bond can be broken. That's until an incident throws Ponyboy's world upside down and he has to run unless he wants to be neck-deep in trouble.

I think one of the most common known facts regarding this book is S.E Hinton is female, and wrote this book at the age of seventeen. Seventeen. In the 60's, none the less. And as I read this book, I was so amazed how this girl, at such a young age, managed to paint a world I lived in and understood. This book isn't a historical exploration of Oklahoma or anything, but if I didn't relate to the characters, I was at least shown the teenagers were just like me, despite 60's America being a very different place.

First I want to compliment the characters. After a month of waxing lyrical praise regarding "The Raven Cycle", I've been given another gang of boys who I love. And I really want to compliment the variety in them. It isn't a case of "greasers have bad homes, bad grades, everyone dislikes them etc." Some are popular in school, some have a criminal record. Some have excellent grades, some dropped out of school. Some are supremely gifted at sport, while others like drawing and painting. Hinton doesn't fall into stereotypes, which I think made this book so much more realer. Even her female characters have stronger backbone than leads in YA today. And their conversations aren't too far from what I've had with friends in real life.

Nothing is for real with us. You know, sometimes I'll catch myself talking to a girl-friend, and realize I don't mean half of what I'm saying. I don't really think a beer blast on the river bottom is supercool, but I'll rave about one to a girl-friend just to be saying something.

Secondly, I want to talk about the bond between characters. They mess around with each other, but never belittle one another. They all have each other's backs, so much so, Ponyboy and his brothers leaves their door unlocked so their friends can stay over if they've had trouble at home. Dally (think Billy Hargrove from Stranger Things), a criminal who has moved from New York has no regard for law - but he'll always look out for Johnny, a nervous boy who barely talks to strangers. He tells the boys to defend themselves through violence. Soda-Pop, Ponyboy's other brother tells the boys to do it only when it's necessary. Both have different views, but both equally care - and that's where we have the variety again. Every character has a different motivation towards school, girls, life. Each one has been shaped by their home circumstances to act like this. It just feel so rich to read about.

Soda fought for fun, Steve for hatred, Darry for pride, and Two-Bit for conformity. Why do I fight? I thought, and couldn't think of any real good reason. There isn't any real good reason for fighting except self-defence.

I also want to mention Darry, Ponyboy's eldest brother. He was academically and athletically gifted, but couldn't afford college. After his parents died, he was the one who made Ponyboy get good grades, play sport, not stay out to late. And for most of the book, Ponyboy resents this. But isn't this similar to parents who work so hard, so their children can have a better life than what they've been given? He just stuck with me, the sheer realism of a character looking out for a family member.

The dialogue is neat and the interactions realistic. There's one line where Ponyboy mentions arguing about who's better (the Beatles or Elvis Pressley) that made me smile for how typical it was. And Hinton doesn't stereotype the Socs either. They, along with everyone else, are affected and honed by their own issues.

The weakness may be the plot. It jumps from what I'd deem A-B-C a little too easily. I still enjoyed it though and revelled in the characters relationships, as well as Ponyboy's honest reflections. The writing is basic enough, but come on, the girl was seventeen fifteen when she wrote it. The book was easier to get through than some prose-laden books I've read today.

I don't know how to explain it - we try to be nice to the girls we see once in a while, like cousins or the girls in class; but we still watch a nice girl go by on a street corner and say all kinds of lousy stuff about her. Don't ask me why. I don't know.

I just really would peg this as great reading, mainly for the realism of the writing (not the plot), the stereotypes lower classes are moulded into, and the characters. I think it rivals The Catcher in the Rye for ground-breaking, coming-of-age books (I read The Catcher in the Rye two years ago? I barely remember any of it, but I liked it which seems to be an unpopular opinion strangely enough).

Damn my school for that sad second book they had us study - this was so much better.

I could picture hundreds of boys and hundreds of boys living in the wrong sides of cities, boys with black eyes who jumped at their own shadows. Hundreds of boys who maybe watched sunsets and looked at stars and ached for something better. I could see boys going down under street lights because they were mean and tough and hated the world, and it was too late to tell them there was still good in it, and they wouldn't believe you if you did. It was too vast a problem to be just a personal thing.
]]> 42201962 Yetu holds the memories for her people.

Her people, the wajinru �� water-dwelling descendants of pregnant African slave women thrown overboard by slavers �� live idyllic lives in the deep. Their past, too traumatic to be remembered regularly, is forgotten by everyone, save one. Save the historian.

Yetu remembers for all the wajinru, and the memories �� painful and wonderful, traumatic and terrible and miraculous, are destroying her. And so she flees to the surface, escaping the memories and the expectations and the responsibilities �� and discovers a world the wajinru left behind long ago.

Yetu will learn more than she ever expected to about her own past �� and about the future of her people. If they are all to survive, they’ll need to reclaim the memories, reclaim their identities �� and own who they really are.

Inspired by the hit song by clipping. (comprised of Daveed Diggs, William Hutson, and Jonathan Snipes), The Deep will resonate long after the last page is turned.]]> 166 Rivers Solomon 1534439862 Unknown Reviews 0 to-read 3.78 2019
author: Rivers Solomon
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/08/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 14061955 Alternative Cover Edition #1

Darkness never dies.

Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land, all while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. But she can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.

The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her—or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.]]> 435 Leigh Bardugo Unknown Reviews 2 2.5

Despite my lukewarm review of Shadow and Bone (I brought it down from three stars to two since it left a bitter taste in my mouth for several weeks), I spotted this at my local library and figured might as well continue with the series. After all, the writing, plot, characterisation were probably better, right?

Yes. But also no.

Storm and Siege focuses on Alina and Mal trying to make their way in the world after escaping the Darkling. However, they get caught up in war once again, as rumours of the Darkling’s return grow, along with Alina’s lust for unstoppable power.

I feel if I were to sum the book up in one word, it’d be bland. I didn’t like Shadow and Bone because I found the writing didn’t flow well at all, and without a doubt, it’s a lot better here (same cannot be said for pacing, I’ll get to that). You can see Bardugo’s skill has grown with every book and that’s fantastic to see. But this book was so boring.

Okay, I’ll admit I enjoyed the first hundred pages. Things were happening, stakes were high. There was a cool attack against a mythical sea monster which is the kind of stuff I read fantasy for. We got Nikolai! (He warrants his own star). Alina kind of went down a darker angle where she wanted to become more and more powerful. I always believe plot points revolving around a protagonists greed for power set the book up to a higher standard because it’s (a) realistic, (b)explores the anti-hero/ more selfish part of humanity and (c) allows for some really cool scenes. Except Alina’s power and cravings peak in the first one hundred pages. They’re touched on again vaguely, but not in as much detail which is really disappointing.

Once again, the plot was terrible . The book either centres on Alina’s search for an amplifier, or her trying to train and lead an army against the Darkling. Except the first point is sort of dropped and the second point seems secondary to just Alina doing Alina things (being annoying, lusting after Mal, contemplating how evil she is etc.). Like the Army training is skimmed over in a couple of chapters �� she makes people interact with each other, sets out new training schedules, makes political decisions that actually have very little bearing on the plot. I’d describe the book as stagnant. It’s just so uninteresting.

I suppose what Bardugo should’ve aimed for was Alina slowly training the army and gaining their growing respect. But she just does things with relative ease and it’s a bit irritating. This undertrained teenager with no political experience and limited time as Grisha, is given the reigns of a whole army and it’s just accepted. Being fair, Alina is considered a saint (ugh, if I see Sankta Alina again), but I expected she’d receive more help. I don’t know, I’m just not buying it.

Alina is better in this book , mainly because she grows a bit of spine and I enjoyed when she took the lead. That being said, that isn’t a very high bar. I don’t like her as a character. She’s not as bad as Mare Barrow, but she’s somewhere near the bottom. One, all of her jokes fall flat (same with Mal. She and Mal should just stick to no humor), two, she can be very self-pitying at time, three, she’s so obsessed with Mal, and four, she’s a killjoy.

What I mean by the last point is if anyone teases Mal, she snaps as them. If anyone wants to do something risky, she snaps at them. If anyone suggest anything, she will give out and question them for a few lines, before agreeing to do it. I think I’ve cracked her character code. Headstrong has grown to be an unlikeable characteristic trait for both male and female characters, in my opinion.

(Disclaimer that she’s actually probably realistic in that sense, but I’m asking for a protagonist who likes fun. I want a first person book with a Nikolai like protagonist. I know he’s in King of Scars, but I hope he’s as wild as ever.)

“I don’t have your gift for “amused�� and “aloof��,�� I said, sitting down at the table and tearing eagerly into a roll. “But “grouchy�� seems to be working for me.��

Alina has become sentient. Jokes aside, this quote applies to her for seventy percent of the book.

Mal, Mal, Mal…what is there to say? He seems to be very reviled in the Grishaverse, and honestly I wasn’t sure why at first. He reminded me of an NPC, inserts random joke, typical dialogue. Yet, in the last one hundred pages or so, he became insufferable. He gets angry at Alina for flirting with other guys, though he intentionally does so with other girls. He constantly belittles her new status as Grisha. They just have a terrible relationship and should split from each other as fast as they can. I do tend to think there’s a double standard for women in books where flirting is seen as wrong, yet it’s a consistent character trait for male characters. Maybe I’m reading the wrong YA, I don’t know, but it’s popped up in several series I’ve read recently.

“I can’t ever just be Alina again. That girl is gone.��
“I want her back,�� he said roughly.
“I can’t go back!�� I screamed, not caring who heard me. “Even if you take away this collar and the sea whip’s scales, you can’t carve this power out of me.��
“And what if I could? Would let it go? Would you give it up?��

Yes Mal, make the girl who gets sick when she represses her power, repress her power. But it's okay because they love each other!

Nikolai is a nice fresh breath of air, mainly because he’s rugged, and competent, and actually funny when he means to be. Without Nikolai, this book would’ve been one star. I swear, I actually can’t imagine any saving grace in this book without him. In fact, his worst parts are when he’s with Alina towards the end, but at the same time they’re better than most of the book? He just elavates the scenes he’s in.

I blew out a frustrated breath. “Do you ever answer a question directly?��
“Hard to say. Ah, there I’ve done it again.��
I turned to Mal, fists clenched. “I’m going to kill him.

A classic example of Nikolai being Nikolai, and Alina being a tad overdramatic.

The Darkling is…basically not in the book. Barely. Just about. And, like Nikolai, he is a much more intriguing and fleshed-out character than Alina and Mal. His dialogue doesn’t come off as cringy, his descriptions bring his menacing personality to life. But it’s a like a game of cat and mouse. The Darkling captures Alina, loses her, captures her, loses her, captures her�� You get the gist. But when he is there, he elevates the book. I do think he's fearful, as he carries out his threats more often than not. If you feel a character is at stake, you’ve made a good villain. So many books have villains knock off minor characters, kill millions, but in another country we’ve never seen. The Darkling does bring tension to the book, so I don’t know why Bardugo didn’t avail of him as much as she could have.

I still stand by my statement that he’s a bit of a controlling creep, but at least he carries it off better than Mal. The romance is just not working for this series, but at least the Darkling is offering something better to Alina. Though why is everyone attracted to her? It can’t be her personality, but it can’t be her looks either since she is “Plain.�� Ugh, I can’t even go into it.

Minor nitpicks : All the Russian words are written in italics, and I find that so annoying. Is it like this for other books? It just really throws me off. These words are a part of Alina’s knowledge, they shouldn’t need to be marked differently. When I think of “bonjour��, I don’t think of it as ”b�Dz���dzܰ�.�� It’s literally so irrelevant to this review, but every time I see it, I question why it's done. I don't think it's too hard to pick up this a word of Alina's language.

Alina’s powers are still too badly explained. She was super powerful in the first quarter of the book, but it ended up dying down, or was maybe toned down since it was too OP. Either way, if you can summon light, you should be able to burn people or hurt them with enough force. Why does she need mechanical contraptions for it to be mildly suitable in battles? A power that I think is cool and unique, has been written in a boring and unoriginal way.

The writing is great and easy to read. I flipped pretty fast through the first two hundred pages, though I got bored in the second half. My controversial statement for the day is Bardugo is not good at pacing

This series should’ve been a duology. This book felt like filler, a teaser for what’s to come which honestly, is a waste of time and money. It’s a miracle so little could be done in a relatively well-sized book, but she managed it. Even the action in the last fifty pages came from a very unorganic place, as if Bardugo thought “I need to get this battle into action, how should I do it?�� and ended up with something that came kind of out of the blue. I’d prefer if it was mentioned earlier at least, otherwise it’s just plot convenience that this event happened.

This extends beyond the Shadow and Bones series though. I feel similarly towards Six of Crows which I read earlier in the year. Bardugo excels in characters (okay, maybe not here), world building, and writing, but in the 3 out of 6 Grishaverse books I’ve read, the pacing is not well done. They drag in sections and feel like filler at times. This is likely why these books will never become my all-time favourites; The plot just isn’t good enough.

I’ll read the last book because I don’t DNF series, but my expectations are not high. This is actually a 2.5 from me, but I’m keeping it at 2 in case my memory lowers it again.

Stormhund forever. That’s probably all I've taken from this book.]]> 3.81 2013
author: Leigh Bardugo
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2013
rating: 2
read at: 2020/08/20
date added: 2020/08/22
shelves:
review:
2.5

Despite my lukewarm review of Shadow and Bone (I brought it down from three stars to two since it left a bitter taste in my mouth for several weeks), I spotted this at my local library and figured might as well continue with the series. After all, the writing, plot, characterisation were probably better, right?

Yes. But also no.

Storm and Siege focuses on Alina and Mal trying to make their way in the world after escaping the Darkling. However, they get caught up in war once again, as rumours of the Darkling’s return grow, along with Alina’s lust for unstoppable power.

I feel if I were to sum the book up in one word, it’d be bland. I didn’t like Shadow and Bone because I found the writing didn’t flow well at all, and without a doubt, it’s a lot better here (same cannot be said for pacing, I’ll get to that). You can see Bardugo’s skill has grown with every book and that’s fantastic to see. But this book was so boring.

Okay, I’ll admit I enjoyed the first hundred pages. Things were happening, stakes were high. There was a cool attack against a mythical sea monster which is the kind of stuff I read fantasy for. We got Nikolai! (He warrants his own star). Alina kind of went down a darker angle where she wanted to become more and more powerful. I always believe plot points revolving around a protagonists greed for power set the book up to a higher standard because it’s (a) realistic, (b)explores the anti-hero/ more selfish part of humanity and (c) allows for some really cool scenes. Except Alina’s power and cravings peak in the first one hundred pages. They’re touched on again vaguely, but not in as much detail which is really disappointing.

Once again, the plot was terrible . The book either centres on Alina’s search for an amplifier, or her trying to train and lead an army against the Darkling. Except the first point is sort of dropped and the second point seems secondary to just Alina doing Alina things (being annoying, lusting after Mal, contemplating how evil she is etc.). Like the Army training is skimmed over in a couple of chapters �� she makes people interact with each other, sets out new training schedules, makes political decisions that actually have very little bearing on the plot. I’d describe the book as stagnant. It’s just so uninteresting.

I suppose what Bardugo should’ve aimed for was Alina slowly training the army and gaining their growing respect. But she just does things with relative ease and it’s a bit irritating. This undertrained teenager with no political experience and limited time as Grisha, is given the reigns of a whole army and it’s just accepted. Being fair, Alina is considered a saint (ugh, if I see Sankta Alina again), but I expected she’d receive more help. I don’t know, I’m just not buying it.

Alina is better in this book , mainly because she grows a bit of spine and I enjoyed when she took the lead. That being said, that isn’t a very high bar. I don’t like her as a character. She’s not as bad as Mare Barrow, but she’s somewhere near the bottom. One, all of her jokes fall flat (same with Mal. She and Mal should just stick to no humor), two, she can be very self-pitying at time, three, she’s so obsessed with Mal, and four, she’s a killjoy.

What I mean by the last point is if anyone teases Mal, she snaps as them. If anyone wants to do something risky, she snaps at them. If anyone suggest anything, she will give out and question them for a few lines, before agreeing to do it. I think I’ve cracked her character code. Headstrong has grown to be an unlikeable characteristic trait for both male and female characters, in my opinion.

(Disclaimer that she’s actually probably realistic in that sense, but I’m asking for a protagonist who likes fun. I want a first person book with a Nikolai like protagonist. I know he’s in King of Scars, but I hope he’s as wild as ever.)

“I don’t have your gift for “amused�� and “aloof��,�� I said, sitting down at the table and tearing eagerly into a roll. “But “grouchy�� seems to be working for me.��

Alina has become sentient. Jokes aside, this quote applies to her for seventy percent of the book.

Mal, Mal, Mal…what is there to say? He seems to be very reviled in the Grishaverse, and honestly I wasn’t sure why at first. He reminded me of an NPC, inserts random joke, typical dialogue. Yet, in the last one hundred pages or so, he became insufferable. He gets angry at Alina for flirting with other guys, though he intentionally does so with other girls. He constantly belittles her new status as Grisha. They just have a terrible relationship and should split from each other as fast as they can. I do tend to think there’s a double standard for women in books where flirting is seen as wrong, yet it’s a consistent character trait for male characters. Maybe I’m reading the wrong YA, I don’t know, but it’s popped up in several series I’ve read recently.

“I can’t ever just be Alina again. That girl is gone.��
“I want her back,�� he said roughly.
“I can’t go back!�� I screamed, not caring who heard me. “Even if you take away this collar and the sea whip’s scales, you can’t carve this power out of me.��
“And what if I could? Would let it go? Would you give it up?��

Yes Mal, make the girl who gets sick when she represses her power, repress her power. But it's okay because they love each other!

Nikolai is a nice fresh breath of air, mainly because he’s rugged, and competent, and actually funny when he means to be. Without Nikolai, this book would’ve been one star. I swear, I actually can’t imagine any saving grace in this book without him. In fact, his worst parts are when he’s with Alina towards the end, but at the same time they’re better than most of the book? He just elavates the scenes he’s in.

I blew out a frustrated breath. “Do you ever answer a question directly?��
“Hard to say. Ah, there I’ve done it again.��
I turned to Mal, fists clenched. “I’m going to kill him.

A classic example of Nikolai being Nikolai, and Alina being a tad overdramatic.

The Darkling is…basically not in the book. Barely. Just about. And, like Nikolai, he is a much more intriguing and fleshed-out character than Alina and Mal. His dialogue doesn’t come off as cringy, his descriptions bring his menacing personality to life. But it’s a like a game of cat and mouse. The Darkling captures Alina, loses her, captures her, loses her, captures her�� You get the gist. But when he is there, he elevates the book. I do think he's fearful, as he carries out his threats more often than not. If you feel a character is at stake, you’ve made a good villain. So many books have villains knock off minor characters, kill millions, but in another country we’ve never seen. The Darkling does bring tension to the book, so I don’t know why Bardugo didn’t avail of him as much as she could have.

I still stand by my statement that he’s a bit of a controlling creep, but at least he carries it off better than Mal. The romance is just not working for this series, but at least the Darkling is offering something better to Alina. Though why is everyone attracted to her? It can’t be her personality, but it can’t be her looks either since she is “Plain.�� Ugh, I can’t even go into it.

Minor nitpicks : All the Russian words are written in italics, and I find that so annoying. Is it like this for other books? It just really throws me off. These words are a part of Alina’s knowledge, they shouldn’t need to be marked differently. When I think of “bonjour��, I don’t think of it as ”b�Dz���dzܰ�.�� It’s literally so irrelevant to this review, but every time I see it, I question why it's done. I don't think it's too hard to pick up this a word of Alina's language.

Alina’s powers are still too badly explained. She was super powerful in the first quarter of the book, but it ended up dying down, or was maybe toned down since it was too OP. Either way, if you can summon light, you should be able to burn people or hurt them with enough force. Why does she need mechanical contraptions for it to be mildly suitable in battles? A power that I think is cool and unique, has been written in a boring and unoriginal way.

The writing is great and easy to read. I flipped pretty fast through the first two hundred pages, though I got bored in the second half. My controversial statement for the day is Bardugo is not good at pacing

This series should’ve been a duology. This book felt like filler, a teaser for what’s to come which honestly, is a waste of time and money. It’s a miracle so little could be done in a relatively well-sized book, but she managed it. Even the action in the last fifty pages came from a very unorganic place, as if Bardugo thought “I need to get this battle into action, how should I do it?�� and ended up with something that came kind of out of the blue. I’d prefer if it was mentioned earlier at least, otherwise it’s just plot convenience that this event happened.

This extends beyond the Shadow and Bones series though. I feel similarly towards Six of Crows which I read earlier in the year. Bardugo excels in characters (okay, maybe not here), world building, and writing, but in the 3 out of 6 Grishaverse books I’ve read, the pacing is not well done. They drag in sections and feel like filler at times. This is likely why these books will never become my all-time favourites; The plot just isn’t good enough.

I’ll read the last book because I don’t DNF series, but my expectations are not high. This is actually a 2.5 from me, but I’m keeping it at 2 in case my memory lowers it again.

Stormhund forever. That’s probably all I've taken from this book.
]]> 48829708 move.

As war erupts among the stars, Kira is launched into a galaxy-spanning odyssey of discovery and transformation. First contact isn't at all what she imagined, and events push her to the very limits of what it means to be human.

While Kira faces her own horrors, Earth and its colonies stand upon the brink of annihilation. Now, Kira might be humanity's greatest and final hope...]]> 880 Christopher Paolini 1250762847 Unknown Reviews 0 to-read 3.77 2020
author: Christopher Paolini
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/08/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 40664757
But Kya is not what they say. Abandoned at age ten, she has survived on her own in the marsh that she calls home. A born naturalist with just one day of school, she takes life lessons from the land, learning from the false signals of fireflies the real way of this world. But while she could have lived in solitude forever, the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. Drawn to two young men from town, who are each intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new and startling world--until the unthinkable happens.

A novel about a young woman determined to make her way in the wilds of North Carolina, and the two men that will break her isolation open.]]> 486 Delia Owens Unknown Reviews 0 4.39 2018
author: Delia Owens
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at: 2020/08/17
date added: 2020/08/17
shelves:
review:

]]> 17378508
Blue Sargent has found things. For the first time in her life, she has friends she can trust, a group to which she can belong. The Raven Boys have taken her in as one of their own. Their problems have become hers, and her problems have become theirs.

The trick with found things, though, is how easily they can be lost.

Friends can betray.
Mothers can disappear.
Visions can mislead.
Certainties can unravel.]]> 391 Maggie Stiefvater 0545424968 Unknown Reviews 4 Maybe it was good that the world forgot every lesson, every good and bad memory, every triumph and failure, all of it dying with each generation. Perhaps if they remembered everything, hope would die instead

I’m so sad I have only one book left in this series. I ordered “The Raven King�� yesterday and I’m of stuck in some strange mentality of whether I want it or not since I don’t want this story to end.

Anyway back with our Raven Boys, Maura, �����ܱ�’s mothee, is after disappearing while they continue to look for the body of Glendower. Meanwhile, two strangers have come into town looking to cause trouble and deal revenge.

Let’s start at the selling point of this series: The Characters . Can I go out there and say I’ve never loved a cast so much? When ninety five percent of books I’ve read have been blown away by one of these characters alone? If you’ve gotten this far into my review and not read the books: Read them please

Usually I start by my favourite and work my way down, but I’m not sure who is my favourite anymore, so I’ll start by importance to the plot.

This is technically �����ܱ�’s book. Except notice how I said technically? It really doesn’t feel like it. Maura, �����ܱ�’s mother, has gone missing and Blue is obviously grieving over it. However, I didn’t feel her heartache enough. It’s something touched on vaguely in chapters and it’s definitely known her disappearance might not be forever, but I would’ve set it as the core of this book. Blue is just not as interesting a character as the others. She’s at her best when hanging out with other characters, and I’m glad she was given more to do this book, but for a book supposedly set on her, it ���dzܱ���’v�� been done a lot better. Also, the growing Gansey + Blue relationship, I wasn’t a huge fan on either but I’ll delve into that later. Also, her curse is sort of left in the dust. This initially drew me to the series. What modern day YA books have curses like that? But it’s barely mentioned. And I suppose it shows how Blue is less focused on than the others in pretty much every way. She still has her wonderful snarky inner monologue though. Just arc wise? It could be better.

She’d gone through eighteen years as the town psychic’s daughter, and now, in her senior year, she had already held every single possible conversation about that fact. She had been shunned and embraced and bullied and cajoled. She was going to Hell, she had the straight line to spiritual Nirvana. Her mother was a hack, her mother was a witch. Blue dressed like a hobo, Blue dressed like a fashion mogul. She was untouchably hilarious, she was a friendless bitch.

I still love Adam Parrish . He’s my boy. He explores his role of the magician in this book and it results in some of the most interesting scenes. This Adam makes darker choices than he has in other books, so his morality has been skewed a bit further. His character is so intriguing for me as his arc transforms from “trailer trash�� to something otherworldly, possibly not even human anymore. Also, he is slowly withdrawing from his pride that’s hindered him and shamed him his whole life (he actually splits money in this book!) I think seeing these small steps is just really heartwarming and is how his development is being executed so well. Also, the (possible) conclusion with his abusive father was just brilliant. Such strong writing which Maggie excels in.

Ronan mainly deals with the new villain(s). I think it’s fair he isn’t as focused on after the last book, but he still has some of the strongest moments in this book. Also his developing romance? Literally could not be better :)

Gansey probably contributed more than Ronan, but it didn’t really feel like he was in this book a lot. I think we’ve seen Gansey unwrapped more and more each book. In the first book, he was this untouchable, confident explorer. Now in the third, he’s having doubts. After all, each one of his friends is more connected to the world he’s so invested in. �����ܱ�’s a psychic’s daughter, Ronan is a Greywaren, Noah is a ghost and Adam is something else now. The search for Glendower didn’t feel like it was as prominent, though I’d say it one of the biggest plot points of this book? It’s still an interesting angle for him to develop from that maybe his obsession isn’t all that he thinks it is. Once again, Gansey is shown to be even more caring in this book, so I really think we’re digging into deeper into him as character and getting closer to Graveyard Gansey. It’s really the perfect path for where Maggie wants to end (hehe) his arc.

He wanted to be a part of this world, even though he understood why he couldn’t be. Blue was the natural result of a home like this: confident, strange, credulous, curious. And here he was: neurotic, rarified, the product of something else entirely.

Actually, a lot of his time is dedicated to the Blue + Gansey romance (Bansey? Glue?). This has been promised since the first book, so I’m not surprised. However, it did feel a little too fast. It jumped from late night to conversations to “I want to kiss you.�� Even though it’s already been a slow burn, I would’ve progressed slower. Gansey seems like the kind of guy who’d never be into girls since he’s so absorbed with his quest, so the idea of a relationship for him is cute. It’s just... not executed as well as it could be? Blue especially seems to use this time to vent to him, not like have fun or deep conversations. I hope the Raven King is focused on him so I may get a little more from his side.

Noah Love, love, love him. Every scene he’s in is so funny and he actually has a bit of a storyline this time? Make a spin-off entirely about Noah, Maggie, I dare you (more like I will buy it, so it’s financially encouraging for you at least). Every conversation is just elevated with him. He’s super spooky and weird and adorable. Regarding the storyline, Noah is losing control of himself, becoming more like Poltergeist than Caspar the Friendly Ghost. Poor guy deserves better. He’s the character I feel the most for.

Noah sat in the middle of the floor, papers all around him, a mint plant spilling dirt by his hand. He was all hunched over and shadowless, his form slight and streaky, barely visible at all. He was crying again.
In a very small voice, he told Blue, “you said I could use your energy.

The characters win at life. Every pairing is wonderful to read about, especially Ronan + everyone and Noah + everyone. Props to Blue and Adam especially, acting maturely after breaking up. �����ܱ�’s relationships with Adam, Ronan and Noah were so delightful to see. These characters have come such a long way.

Still love the women at 300 Fox Way. The villains in this book also outshine any other by far (though I still love Kavinsky). Piper is hilariously extra, a kind of evil Elle Woods. Grenwell, I don’t know, I just understand the dude. He’s as weird as anyone else and I can just relate. (Still not sold on the Gray Man though. He’s fine. That’s all I have to say)

Also shoutout to Jesse Dittley for being a tall legend. There is one more character who’s introduced halfway. She slid wildly between being annoying and funny. I’ve come to the conclusion I can read about her and laugh, though in real life I’d probably would have attacked her fifty pages ago.

Also, the writing, the writing, the writing! Still so wonderful and hauntingly beautiful. This is the style I wish I could write in. Besides gorgeous prose, Maggie brings characters to life by putting in small hilarious details. They add to the characters insight beside their internal monologue and is how she executes them so convincingly. That’s the secret (I think.)

A weird detail example: Greenmantle had always liked the idea of being a mysterious hitman, but that career goal invariably paled in comparison with his enjoyment of going out in the town and having people admire his reputation and driving his Audi with its custom plate (GRNMNTL) and going on cheese holidays in countries that put little hats over their vowels like so: ê.

(The last line especially. Like how does that somehow work?)

Her writing is equal parts beautiful, funny and heart warming.

“So,�� you now may be asking, while scratching your chin, “if you adore these books and these characters and her writing as much as you say you do, why give her only four stars?��

Dare I say it? It’s the plot. I’m not sure it exists.

Okay, so it does exist. It’s about a group of teens looking for a dead king, or a girl who will kill her true love with a kiss, or it’s about two boys further discovering their abilities, or it’s about three sleepers?

When I said in my review for The Dream Thieves, it deserved a five without having a proper plot because characterisation and writing surpassed its expectations, I meant it works better as a once-off thing. In this book, more plot was here, but it was still focused too much on the characters. And I love these characters. So when I say I don’t have an inkling where the series is going, and I can’t tell what was planned out and what was added last minute, and the magic is too mysterious to make sense, I mean it. I see reviewers saying the plot is too complex. Is it though? What I’m seeing is a series that is more character focused, so very much, that plot comes second. The best way of describing the plot in this book is “they go searching for/in caves.��

Also on the mystery magic point, maybe that’s intended. But it confuses me sometimes. I keep feeling like Adam is borderline stuck in something evil since that’s what the writing seems to hint at, but he actually isn’t? I think if everyone’s abilities were explained a little better, I would be more secured in. I’ll even admit, I was a little confused in the last fifty pages (though it could be that I hurtled through them). I honestly didn’t think the ending was great. It felt rushes.

Honestly, I can’t judge how good the plot is until I read The Raven King. Maybe Maggie’s been tying up strings since the start or foreshadowing like mad but I’m too stupid to see it. I’ll stand by my controversial statement regarding this book though: the plot isn’t complex

But this book is still super fun! I read it really fast, and that wasn’t intended, it was more like “this is so good, I’ll read another chapter�� and ended up getting stuck in another fifty pages. It’s faster paced and possibly more enjoyable? Which is impressive since I vastly enjoyed the other two?

I won’t be able to read The Raven King for a week or two, but even if it’s a dud (I don’t think it can be, not with that writing or those characters) please read the series . It’s so good. It deserves a TV show, or a movie series, or essays written on it.

It feels like more than a story, it feels like real life.

And something else: friendship of the unshakable kind. Friendship you could swear on. That could be busted nearly to breaking and come back stronger than before. ]]> 4.26 2014
author: Maggie Stiefvater
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2020/08/09
shelves:
review:
Maybe it was good that the world forgot every lesson, every good and bad memory, every triumph and failure, all of it dying with each generation. Perhaps if they remembered everything, hope would die instead

I’m so sad I have only one book left in this series. I ordered “The Raven King�� yesterday and I’m of stuck in some strange mentality of whether I want it or not since I don’t want this story to end.

Anyway back with our Raven Boys, Maura, �����ܱ�’s mothee, is after disappearing while they continue to look for the body of Glendower. Meanwhile, two strangers have come into town looking to cause trouble and deal revenge.

Let’s start at the selling point of this series: The Characters . Can I go out there and say I’ve never loved a cast so much? When ninety five percent of books I’ve read have been blown away by one of these characters alone? If you’ve gotten this far into my review and not read the books: Read them please

Usually I start by my favourite and work my way down, but I’m not sure who is my favourite anymore, so I’ll start by importance to the plot.

This is technically �����ܱ�’s book. Except notice how I said technically? It really doesn’t feel like it. Maura, �����ܱ�’s mother, has gone missing and Blue is obviously grieving over it. However, I didn’t feel her heartache enough. It’s something touched on vaguely in chapters and it’s definitely known her disappearance might not be forever, but I would’ve set it as the core of this book. Blue is just not as interesting a character as the others. She’s at her best when hanging out with other characters, and I’m glad she was given more to do this book, but for a book supposedly set on her, it ���dzܱ���’v�� been done a lot better. Also, the growing Gansey + Blue relationship, I wasn’t a huge fan on either but I’ll delve into that later. Also, her curse is sort of left in the dust. This initially drew me to the series. What modern day YA books have curses like that? But it’s barely mentioned. And I suppose it shows how Blue is less focused on than the others in pretty much every way. She still has her wonderful snarky inner monologue though. Just arc wise? It could be better.

She’d gone through eighteen years as the town psychic’s daughter, and now, in her senior year, she had already held every single possible conversation about that fact. She had been shunned and embraced and bullied and cajoled. She was going to Hell, she had the straight line to spiritual Nirvana. Her mother was a hack, her mother was a witch. Blue dressed like a hobo, Blue dressed like a fashion mogul. She was untouchably hilarious, she was a friendless bitch.

I still love Adam Parrish . He’s my boy. He explores his role of the magician in this book and it results in some of the most interesting scenes. This Adam makes darker choices than he has in other books, so his morality has been skewed a bit further. His character is so intriguing for me as his arc transforms from “trailer trash�� to something otherworldly, possibly not even human anymore. Also, he is slowly withdrawing from his pride that’s hindered him and shamed him his whole life (he actually splits money in this book!) I think seeing these small steps is just really heartwarming and is how his development is being executed so well. Also, the (possible) conclusion with his abusive father was just brilliant. Such strong writing which Maggie excels in.

Ronan mainly deals with the new villain(s). I think it’s fair he isn’t as focused on after the last book, but he still has some of the strongest moments in this book. Also his developing romance? Literally could not be better :)

Gansey probably contributed more than Ronan, but it didn’t really feel like he was in this book a lot. I think we’ve seen Gansey unwrapped more and more each book. In the first book, he was this untouchable, confident explorer. Now in the third, he’s having doubts. After all, each one of his friends is more connected to the world he’s so invested in. �����ܱ�’s a psychic’s daughter, Ronan is a Greywaren, Noah is a ghost and Adam is something else now. The search for Glendower didn’t feel like it was as prominent, though I’d say it one of the biggest plot points of this book? It’s still an interesting angle for him to develop from that maybe his obsession isn’t all that he thinks it is. Once again, Gansey is shown to be even more caring in this book, so I really think we’re digging into deeper into him as character and getting closer to Graveyard Gansey. It’s really the perfect path for where Maggie wants to end (hehe) his arc.

He wanted to be a part of this world, even though he understood why he couldn’t be. Blue was the natural result of a home like this: confident, strange, credulous, curious. And here he was: neurotic, rarified, the product of something else entirely.

Actually, a lot of his time is dedicated to the Blue + Gansey romance (Bansey? Glue?). This has been promised since the first book, so I’m not surprised. However, it did feel a little too fast. It jumped from late night to conversations to “I want to kiss you.�� Even though it’s already been a slow burn, I would’ve progressed slower. Gansey seems like the kind of guy who’d never be into girls since he’s so absorbed with his quest, so the idea of a relationship for him is cute. It’s just... not executed as well as it could be? Blue especially seems to use this time to vent to him, not like have fun or deep conversations. I hope the Raven King is focused on him so I may get a little more from his side.

Noah Love, love, love him. Every scene he’s in is so funny and he actually has a bit of a storyline this time? Make a spin-off entirely about Noah, Maggie, I dare you (more like I will buy it, so it’s financially encouraging for you at least). Every conversation is just elevated with him. He’s super spooky and weird and adorable. Regarding the storyline, Noah is losing control of himself, becoming more like Poltergeist than Caspar the Friendly Ghost. Poor guy deserves better. He’s the character I feel the most for.

Noah sat in the middle of the floor, papers all around him, a mint plant spilling dirt by his hand. He was all hunched over and shadowless, his form slight and streaky, barely visible at all. He was crying again.
In a very small voice, he told Blue, “you said I could use your energy.

The characters win at life. Every pairing is wonderful to read about, especially Ronan + everyone and Noah + everyone. Props to Blue and Adam especially, acting maturely after breaking up. �����ܱ�’s relationships with Adam, Ronan and Noah were so delightful to see. These characters have come such a long way.

Still love the women at 300 Fox Way. The villains in this book also outshine any other by far (though I still love Kavinsky). Piper is hilariously extra, a kind of evil Elle Woods. Grenwell, I don’t know, I just understand the dude. He’s as weird as anyone else and I can just relate. (Still not sold on the Gray Man though. He’s fine. That’s all I have to say)

Also shoutout to Jesse Dittley for being a tall legend. There is one more character who’s introduced halfway. She slid wildly between being annoying and funny. I’ve come to the conclusion I can read about her and laugh, though in real life I’d probably would have attacked her fifty pages ago.

Also, the writing, the writing, the writing! Still so wonderful and hauntingly beautiful. This is the style I wish I could write in. Besides gorgeous prose, Maggie brings characters to life by putting in small hilarious details. They add to the characters insight beside their internal monologue and is how she executes them so convincingly. That’s the secret (I think.)

A weird detail example: Greenmantle had always liked the idea of being a mysterious hitman, but that career goal invariably paled in comparison with his enjoyment of going out in the town and having people admire his reputation and driving his Audi with its custom plate (GRNMNTL) and going on cheese holidays in countries that put little hats over their vowels like so: ê.

(The last line especially. Like how does that somehow work?)

Her writing is equal parts beautiful, funny and heart warming.

“So,�� you now may be asking, while scratching your chin, “if you adore these books and these characters and her writing as much as you say you do, why give her only four stars?��

Dare I say it? It’s the plot. I’m not sure it exists.

Okay, so it does exist. It’s about a group of teens looking for a dead king, or a girl who will kill her true love with a kiss, or it’s about two boys further discovering their abilities, or it’s about three sleepers?

When I said in my review for The Dream Thieves, it deserved a five without having a proper plot because characterisation and writing surpassed its expectations, I meant it works better as a once-off thing. In this book, more plot was here, but it was still focused too much on the characters. And I love these characters. So when I say I don’t have an inkling where the series is going, and I can’t tell what was planned out and what was added last minute, and the magic is too mysterious to make sense, I mean it. I see reviewers saying the plot is too complex. Is it though? What I’m seeing is a series that is more character focused, so very much, that plot comes second. The best way of describing the plot in this book is “they go searching for/in caves.��

Also on the mystery magic point, maybe that’s intended. But it confuses me sometimes. I keep feeling like Adam is borderline stuck in something evil since that’s what the writing seems to hint at, but he actually isn’t? I think if everyone’s abilities were explained a little better, I would be more secured in. I’ll even admit, I was a little confused in the last fifty pages (though it could be that I hurtled through them). I honestly didn’t think the ending was great. It felt rushes.

Honestly, I can’t judge how good the plot is until I read The Raven King. Maybe Maggie’s been tying up strings since the start or foreshadowing like mad but I’m too stupid to see it. I’ll stand by my controversial statement regarding this book though: the plot isn’t complex

But this book is still super fun! I read it really fast, and that wasn’t intended, it was more like “this is so good, I’ll read another chapter�� and ended up getting stuck in another fifty pages. It’s faster paced and possibly more enjoyable? Which is impressive since I vastly enjoyed the other two?

I won’t be able to read The Raven King for a week or two, but even if it’s a dud (I don’t think it can be, not with that writing or those characters) please read the series . It’s so good. It deserves a TV show, or a movie series, or essays written on it.

It feels like more than a story, it feels like real life.

And something else: friendship of the unshakable kind. Friendship you could swear on. That could be busted nearly to breaking and come back stronger than before.
]]> 10194157 Alternative Cover Edition #1

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.]]> 358 Leigh Bardugo 1250048117 Unknown Reviews 2 2.5 stars

After reading and falling in love with the characters of Six of Crows, I was warned to have low expectations approaching Shadow and Bone. And somehow, I was still disappointed?

I was expecting a Harry Potteresque school for older readers, spiced with war and cool world building. Instead I got heroine, a love triangle (but not really) and a lot of descriptive yet flat writing? So basically a typical YA book.

Here’s a quick summary. Alina Starkov is a mapmaker who is in love with her best friend, Mal. After being caught in a dangerous attack, she unleashes a power she never knew she possessed: the ability to control light. She is now Grisha, a person with supernatural powers. At the Little Palace, she is taught how to control her gift, make friends and fall for The Darkling, the most non-evil name in the world. By pure luck, Alina’s power may be the only thing to destroy the Unsea, a dimension full of monsters.

(But this isn’t the actual plot you know. We just put it on the blurb so you’d buy it hehe *sneaky publisher chuckle.* Instead you’ll get overwriting, bad love interests and school girl meanness)

Characters

I never clicked with Alina and I actually have no clue why. I have a few vague ideas. She’s “headstrong�� but not in a good way, like in kind of an annoying way. She scowls a lot. She doesn’t explore her powers at all. She thinks about Mal all the time . I’m not really sure, the two of us just didn’t get on. I suppose I kept expecting a badass moment and it didn’t come. Her personality lacked. I really can’t think of one trait to describe her, except maybe self-pitying. Also, she’s ugly but in the kind of way where boys thinks she’s attractive. I don’t know where you can buy this kind of ugly, but someone show me please.

Honestly, none of the characters worked or for me. The love triangle (that wasn’t really a love triangle) was weak. I liked Mal when he was introduced. He seemed witty and unbothered while still caring for Alina a little. When she’s sent away, she spends the whole book lamenting for him. Then they meet again, actually spend some time together and I’m like “girl, this is who you’re fussing about?�� He’s bland and too moody for my liking.

The Darkling wasn’t well written either and I think it’s due to how little he was in the book. Most of his conversations with Alina has him “half smiling�� or “chuckling softly,�� so we’re supposed to think “aww he’s not too bad this guy.�� But they did not hang out enough to warrant a crush. And then he flips and becomes so low key weird and toxic, that there’s no way Alina should be interested in him. He literally has no respect for her! He’s not edgy, he’s not mysterious and his character motivation is too murky. I can’t understand the hype for him.

Most characters ended up in similar boats. Genya was interesting, but the girl hate in this book was unfortunate, especially surrounding Zoya and the other students. An example:

Zoya swept me into an embrace. “It’s such an honour to finally meet the Sun Summoner,�� she said loudly. But as she hugged me, she whispered “You stink of Keramzin.��

What even?! This is not how near adults treat people when they dislike someone. It’s so petty and not in any way realistic. Leigh, you’re so much better than this!

Also Baghra, Alina’s tutor, is such a cliché. You know, that wise old woman who calls you “girl�� in every sentence and tells you how stupid you are. She wasn’t amusing or inspiring. She just got on my nerves.

(I’m actually feeling for Alina now because her tutors and love interests suck :( Alina, perhaps I treated you too harshly.)

World Building

World building was so-so. I know where places are and some customs, but not too much. I don’t actually mind and think it was decent info for the short length of the book. Maybe more descriptions. I only know one location in detail. Everything else was reduced to a cramped town and no more. I like the Grisha too with their colour coordinated coats, but we weirdly saw like none of their powers. For a book centred on magic, there’s little focus on it. Also I think there’s a war? Ravka versus another country? There’s like a Grisha Army and a First Army, but I’ve no idea what they’re doing. It said Alina had some kind of regiment training, but she certainly doesn’t act like it.

Plot

My biggest criticism besides the characters; The plot was terrible . So little was achieved throughout the space of the book. Tell us about the war, how people live, customs, what will Ravka lose if they lose. Even how Grisha are treated by the public. Why did we get a ball and a description of Alina’s bedroom when we ���dzܱ���’v�� had these things?

Strangely, Alina barely talks about her powers despite it being a huge part of the book. She’s supposed to be insanely powerful, but the writing never communicates how strong she is. I think Sarah J Maas is decent writer in that aspect. She’s very skilled at making the reader understand what it’s like harnessing such raw power.

(On another note, how do Alina’s powers work? She can produce sunlight, but wouldn’t that burn people? And like they give her glass studded gloves to blind her opponents, even though I’m sure a beam of light can already do the job no bother. I’m in a permanent state of confusion now?)

The whole book is a stitched thread of “this happened a week later�� and then “this happened last week.�� A load of her day to day info was dumped in a few pages to do time skips and it just didn’t work out well. The plot legitimately takes place in the last 50 pages only.

Writing

The writing wasn’t great either. It was very stilted and didn’t flow well. Also, Bardugo kind of overdescribed certain things. For example, she had to explain the exact layout of The Little Palace, Alina’s new home. She spends pages doing this, and while the description isn’t bad, all of it wasn’t needed and I couldn’t help thinking “we could actually use this for plot of character development/ interaction.��

Even in pages (maybe?) 210 - 240, Bardugo goes through everything Alina does like.

“In the morning, I��
“In the afternoon, I��
“In the evening, I��

With meticulous step by step description.

Even as a reader, I could pick out lines that should’ve been taken out since they weren’t needed in the story. Bardugo has obviously improved so, so, so much since then, but the writing in this book was very noticeably the work of a debut author and there are simple things I would’ve reconstructed as an editor.

Overall Thoughts

I will say it was a very short and easy read, but I don’t know whether I want to continue with the series or not. I can’t stand another Alina/ Mal road trip. I want Alina to actually use her powers in an impressive way. I’m solely interested in the next book because Nikolai is in it and I’ve heard good things about him. If I do decide to continue, I’ll definitely be borrowing from a library. Can anyone tell me if there’s hope?

I don’t know if this is compulsory to understand the Grishaverse as a whole, but I wish it wasn’t. It’s a very standard, trope filled YA book. I think it suffers from being published in 2012, since the quality of YA is completely different now. It doesn’t hold up at all.

My advice is to read Bardugo’s other works, since she really is a fantastic author but this book isn’t it. If you wanted to skip it, I wouldn’t blame you.

Conclusion: Re - read Six of Crows again.]]> 3.93 2012
author: Leigh Bardugo
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2012
rating: 2
read at: 2020/07/21
date added: 2020/08/06
shelves:
review:
2.5 stars

After reading and falling in love with the characters of Six of Crows, I was warned to have low expectations approaching Shadow and Bone. And somehow, I was still disappointed?

I was expecting a Harry Potteresque school for older readers, spiced with war and cool world building. Instead I got heroine, a love triangle (but not really) and a lot of descriptive yet flat writing? So basically a typical YA book.

Here’s a quick summary. Alina Starkov is a mapmaker who is in love with her best friend, Mal. After being caught in a dangerous attack, she unleashes a power she never knew she possessed: the ability to control light. She is now Grisha, a person with supernatural powers. At the Little Palace, she is taught how to control her gift, make friends and fall for The Darkling, the most non-evil name in the world. By pure luck, Alina’s power may be the only thing to destroy the Unsea, a dimension full of monsters.

(But this isn’t the actual plot you know. We just put it on the blurb so you’d buy it hehe *sneaky publisher chuckle.* Instead you’ll get overwriting, bad love interests and school girl meanness)

Characters

I never clicked with Alina and I actually have no clue why. I have a few vague ideas. She’s “headstrong�� but not in a good way, like in kind of an annoying way. She scowls a lot. She doesn’t explore her powers at all. She thinks about Mal all the time . I’m not really sure, the two of us just didn’t get on. I suppose I kept expecting a badass moment and it didn’t come. Her personality lacked. I really can’t think of one trait to describe her, except maybe self-pitying. Also, she’s ugly but in the kind of way where boys thinks she’s attractive. I don’t know where you can buy this kind of ugly, but someone show me please.

Honestly, none of the characters worked or for me. The love triangle (that wasn’t really a love triangle) was weak. I liked Mal when he was introduced. He seemed witty and unbothered while still caring for Alina a little. When she’s sent away, she spends the whole book lamenting for him. Then they meet again, actually spend some time together and I’m like “girl, this is who you’re fussing about?�� He’s bland and too moody for my liking.

The Darkling wasn’t well written either and I think it’s due to how little he was in the book. Most of his conversations with Alina has him “half smiling�� or “chuckling softly,�� so we’re supposed to think “aww he’s not too bad this guy.�� But they did not hang out enough to warrant a crush. And then he flips and becomes so low key weird and toxic, that there’s no way Alina should be interested in him. He literally has no respect for her! He’s not edgy, he’s not mysterious and his character motivation is too murky. I can’t understand the hype for him.

Most characters ended up in similar boats. Genya was interesting, but the girl hate in this book was unfortunate, especially surrounding Zoya and the other students. An example:

Zoya swept me into an embrace. “It’s such an honour to finally meet the Sun Summoner,�� she said loudly. But as she hugged me, she whispered “You stink of Keramzin.��

What even?! This is not how near adults treat people when they dislike someone. It’s so petty and not in any way realistic. Leigh, you’re so much better than this!

Also Baghra, Alina’s tutor, is such a cliché. You know, that wise old woman who calls you “girl�� in every sentence and tells you how stupid you are. She wasn’t amusing or inspiring. She just got on my nerves.

(I’m actually feeling for Alina now because her tutors and love interests suck :( Alina, perhaps I treated you too harshly.)

World Building

World building was so-so. I know where places are and some customs, but not too much. I don’t actually mind and think it was decent info for the short length of the book. Maybe more descriptions. I only know one location in detail. Everything else was reduced to a cramped town and no more. I like the Grisha too with their colour coordinated coats, but we weirdly saw like none of their powers. For a book centred on magic, there’s little focus on it. Also I think there’s a war? Ravka versus another country? There’s like a Grisha Army and a First Army, but I’ve no idea what they’re doing. It said Alina had some kind of regiment training, but she certainly doesn’t act like it.

Plot

My biggest criticism besides the characters; The plot was terrible . So little was achieved throughout the space of the book. Tell us about the war, how people live, customs, what will Ravka lose if they lose. Even how Grisha are treated by the public. Why did we get a ball and a description of Alina’s bedroom when we ���dzܱ���’v�� had these things?

Strangely, Alina barely talks about her powers despite it being a huge part of the book. She’s supposed to be insanely powerful, but the writing never communicates how strong she is. I think Sarah J Maas is decent writer in that aspect. She’s very skilled at making the reader understand what it’s like harnessing such raw power.

(On another note, how do Alina’s powers work? She can produce sunlight, but wouldn’t that burn people? And like they give her glass studded gloves to blind her opponents, even though I’m sure a beam of light can already do the job no bother. I’m in a permanent state of confusion now?)

The whole book is a stitched thread of “this happened a week later�� and then “this happened last week.�� A load of her day to day info was dumped in a few pages to do time skips and it just didn’t work out well. The plot legitimately takes place in the last 50 pages only.

Writing

The writing wasn’t great either. It was very stilted and didn’t flow well. Also, Bardugo kind of overdescribed certain things. For example, she had to explain the exact layout of The Little Palace, Alina’s new home. She spends pages doing this, and while the description isn’t bad, all of it wasn’t needed and I couldn’t help thinking “we could actually use this for plot of character development/ interaction.��

Even in pages (maybe?) 210 - 240, Bardugo goes through everything Alina does like.

“In the morning, I��
“In the afternoon, I��
“In the evening, I��

With meticulous step by step description.

Even as a reader, I could pick out lines that should’ve been taken out since they weren’t needed in the story. Bardugo has obviously improved so, so, so much since then, but the writing in this book was very noticeably the work of a debut author and there are simple things I would’ve reconstructed as an editor.

Overall Thoughts

I will say it was a very short and easy read, but I don’t know whether I want to continue with the series or not. I can’t stand another Alina/ Mal road trip. I want Alina to actually use her powers in an impressive way. I’m solely interested in the next book because Nikolai is in it and I’ve heard good things about him. If I do decide to continue, I’ll definitely be borrowing from a library. Can anyone tell me if there’s hope?

I don’t know if this is compulsory to understand the Grishaverse as a whole, but I wish it wasn’t. It’s a very standard, trope filled YA book. I think it suffers from being published in 2012, since the quality of YA is completely different now. It doesn’t hold up at all.

My advice is to read Bardugo’s other works, since she really is a fantastic author but this book isn’t it. If you wanted to skip it, I wouldn’t blame you.

Conclusion: Re - read Six of Crows again.
]]> 20257177
One secret: Ronan can bring things out of his dreams.

And sometimes he's not the only one who wants those things.

Ronan is one of the raven boys - a group of friends, practically brothers, searching for a dead king named Glendower, who they think is hidden somewhere in the hills by their elite private school, Aglionby Academy. The path to Glendower has long lived as an undercurrent beneath town. But now, like Ronan's secrets, it is beginning to rise to the surface - changing everything in its wake.

Of THE RAVEN BOYS, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY wrote, "Maggie Stiefvater's can't-put-it-down paranormal adventure will leave you clamoring for book two." Now the second book is here, with the same wild imagination, dark romance, and heart-stopping twists that only Maggie Stiefvater can conjure.]]> 437 Maggie Stiefvater 054542495X Unknown Reviews 5 the best books I've ever read.

Big change I know. But it's completely true.

The Dream Thieves centers on our Raven Boys - Gansey, Ronan, Noah, Adam (and Blue) - as they venture to find the body of Welsh King Glendower. In this book, Ronan comes to terms with being a Greywaren - someone with the ability to pull items out of their dreams. Meanwhile, the ley line is acting up and Cabeswater seems to be disappearing while dangerous enemies are scouring the town for a valuable item.

When I said the plot was going a bit too slow, that's because I'd honestly say there isn't one. This book is essentially a character study while setting up pieces into place for future books to come. This is Ronan and Adam's story. Yes, Gansey, Noah and Blue participate, but to a lesser degree. And how does an author make a second book devoid of plot so good? Through amazing writing and the best characterisation I've ever seen.

Ronan's arc is so rich . I wasn't sold on him initially in "The Raven Boys". He just seemed to be a by the numbers bad boy. Yet, here, we see him come to turns with his ability, his internalised homophobia. There's so many layers to his family, his friendship, his wildness. He's just a beautiful character to watch unfold.

Just after waking, after dreaming, his body belonged to no one. He looked at it from above, like a mourner at a funeral. The exterior of this early morning Ronan didn't look at all like how he felt on the inside. Anything that didn't impale itself on the sharp line of this sleeping boy's cruel mouth would be tangled in the merciless hooks of his tattoo, pulled beneath his skin to drown

Just seeing the leaps and bounds he progresses through acceptance and friendship is so enriching. What a gift of a character we've been given.

Adam is my favourite character, and this book furthered my opinion In a lot of this book, Adam is dealing with repressed rage after waking up the ley line and moving out from his abusive home. I have no idea how people could not sympathise with him. Adam is someone who's always searching for something better after being handed a poverty-ridden life. He has to work several jobs, he has to have perfect grades. So far from his friends wealth, his quiet shame and suffering is understandable and tough to read about. The Raven Boys are the only things he has - and since waking up the ley line, they've been drifting from him. In this book Adam deals with how he is different, and what he is becoming now. Is it a good or bad thing? I'm not actually entirely sure - but I'd read this book just for him.

The bruises he'd come to school with. Who has he ever had to love him? Ever?

Gansey takes a backseat in this book, but in his scenes, we see both a more gentle and more frightening version of him. "Paired back Gansey" is a Gansey who cares about his friends more than anything. Then there's the Gansey he could've been - the rich, elitist snob destined for congress. I think it was interesting having Stievfater explore the latter more, even if it was probably a mask to put on. However, I think we're getting closer and closer to Graveyard Gansey which is both nerve-wracking and exciting? :) Like Adam and Ronan, Gansey is one of the most unique YA leads I've ever seen.

This was a Gansey with a lofty tilt to his chin, a condescending quirk to his mouth. A Gansey that was aware that no matter what went down here tonight, he would still go back to Monmouth Manufacturing and rule his particular corner of the world. This was a Gansey, Ronan realised, that Adam would hate

Blue's arc probably lacks the most in this book. As another reviewer mentioned, her scenes mostly center around her kiss curse and her romantic relationships. There's also some girl rivalry that feels a little contrived (her cousin wears a bikini, jealousy ensues etc.) I do like Gansey's and Blue's growing romance, as it's not rushed. Everyone knows it's going to happen, but Stiefvater takes her time to develop it rather than "instalove". I'm really excited for Blue Lily, Lily Blue. So, while her internal monologue was still as snarky as ever, she doesn't get as much time to shine as she should've.

Noah feels like less of a Raven Boy than the others He's sweet, and weird, and funny, but he's just there to make a scene more amusing, in my opinion. I'm hoping he gets at least one chapter in the following books because it really appears no storyline will be focused on him.

Also Kavinsky was a wonderful character, equally as well-done as the others. I couldn't hate him because I understood him too well. If he was the villain, he's a shining example of how to do them. I wished we could've seen more of him.

In other news, the woman at 300 Fox Way are still hilarious, the atmosphere still wonderfully spooky. But above all Stiefvater's writing is supreme While weaving unusual sentences to make beautiful imagery, it's witty, quirky and full of random observations that makes you smile.

When Dollar City had said "Pets Welcome," Dollar City wasn't certain they'd meant carrion birds.

(this is in no way one of her best lines, but I found it so funny the first time I read it)

I like her style so much, I'll probably go through her entire back catalogue (and that includes Shiver, which I have heard less than darling things about) You see, this book would be nothing without her writing. The characters, setting, magic. It's all carved by her masterful skill. Stand out scenes include The Dinner Party, The Abandoned Fairground, Ronan's dreams, and the last fifty pages.

A few things I was less sold on: The Gray Man was underwhelming and didn't get enough time to flesh out his character. I mean he's a hitman and everyone's just like "okay?" Two, Blue is only really there to further (or end) romantic relationships, which I've covered.

Regarding plot? I was okay. From page 150 on, I was completely sucked in. Like, I should probably re-read the last fifty pages since I went through them so fast. Normally I try balance ratings on how decent the plot was, but the writing and characterisation were so good, this is a necessary five stars.

It's even being added onto my favourites shelf! Can you believe it? Even better, I saw Blue Lily, Lily Blue in a bookshop on Sunday and bought it. So expect another review by tomorrow probably, haha.

This is, without a doubt, one of the best series I've ever read. I think that's all I have to say.

"While I'm gone," Gansey said, pausing, "dream me the world. Something new for every night." ]]> 4.28 2013
author: Maggie Stiefvater
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2013
rating: 5
read at: 2020/08/04
date added: 2020/08/05
shelves:
review:
I remember when I was about one hundred pages through this book, I was thinking of maybe rating it 3 stars since things were going a bit too slow. Earlier me was incredibly dumb. Because I read another fifty and realised this may have been one of the best books I've ever read.

Big change I know. But it's completely true.

The Dream Thieves centers on our Raven Boys - Gansey, Ronan, Noah, Adam (and Blue) - as they venture to find the body of Welsh King Glendower. In this book, Ronan comes to terms with being a Greywaren - someone with the ability to pull items out of their dreams. Meanwhile, the ley line is acting up and Cabeswater seems to be disappearing while dangerous enemies are scouring the town for a valuable item.

When I said the plot was going a bit too slow, that's because I'd honestly say there isn't one. This book is essentially a character study while setting up pieces into place for future books to come. This is Ronan and Adam's story. Yes, Gansey, Noah and Blue participate, but to a lesser degree. And how does an author make a second book devoid of plot so good? Through amazing writing and the best characterisation I've ever seen.

Ronan's arc is so rich . I wasn't sold on him initially in "The Raven Boys". He just seemed to be a by the numbers bad boy. Yet, here, we see him come to turns with his ability, his internalised homophobia. There's so many layers to his family, his friendship, his wildness. He's just a beautiful character to watch unfold.

Just after waking, after dreaming, his body belonged to no one. He looked at it from above, like a mourner at a funeral. The exterior of this early morning Ronan didn't look at all like how he felt on the inside. Anything that didn't impale itself on the sharp line of this sleeping boy's cruel mouth would be tangled in the merciless hooks of his tattoo, pulled beneath his skin to drown

Just seeing the leaps and bounds he progresses through acceptance and friendship is so enriching. What a gift of a character we've been given.

Adam is my favourite character, and this book furthered my opinion In a lot of this book, Adam is dealing with repressed rage after waking up the ley line and moving out from his abusive home. I have no idea how people could not sympathise with him. Adam is someone who's always searching for something better after being handed a poverty-ridden life. He has to work several jobs, he has to have perfect grades. So far from his friends wealth, his quiet shame and suffering is understandable and tough to read about. The Raven Boys are the only things he has - and since waking up the ley line, they've been drifting from him. In this book Adam deals with how he is different, and what he is becoming now. Is it a good or bad thing? I'm not actually entirely sure - but I'd read this book just for him.

The bruises he'd come to school with. Who has he ever had to love him? Ever?

Gansey takes a backseat in this book, but in his scenes, we see both a more gentle and more frightening version of him. "Paired back Gansey" is a Gansey who cares about his friends more than anything. Then there's the Gansey he could've been - the rich, elitist snob destined for congress. I think it was interesting having Stievfater explore the latter more, even if it was probably a mask to put on. However, I think we're getting closer and closer to Graveyard Gansey which is both nerve-wracking and exciting? :) Like Adam and Ronan, Gansey is one of the most unique YA leads I've ever seen.

This was a Gansey with a lofty tilt to his chin, a condescending quirk to his mouth. A Gansey that was aware that no matter what went down here tonight, he would still go back to Monmouth Manufacturing and rule his particular corner of the world. This was a Gansey, Ronan realised, that Adam would hate

Blue's arc probably lacks the most in this book. As another reviewer mentioned, her scenes mostly center around her kiss curse and her romantic relationships. There's also some girl rivalry that feels a little contrived (her cousin wears a bikini, jealousy ensues etc.) I do like Gansey's and Blue's growing romance, as it's not rushed. Everyone knows it's going to happen, but Stiefvater takes her time to develop it rather than "instalove". I'm really excited for Blue Lily, Lily Blue. So, while her internal monologue was still as snarky as ever, she doesn't get as much time to shine as she should've.

Noah feels like less of a Raven Boy than the others He's sweet, and weird, and funny, but he's just there to make a scene more amusing, in my opinion. I'm hoping he gets at least one chapter in the following books because it really appears no storyline will be focused on him.

Also Kavinsky was a wonderful character, equally as well-done as the others. I couldn't hate him because I understood him too well. If he was the villain, he's a shining example of how to do them. I wished we could've seen more of him.

In other news, the woman at 300 Fox Way are still hilarious, the atmosphere still wonderfully spooky. But above all Stiefvater's writing is supreme While weaving unusual sentences to make beautiful imagery, it's witty, quirky and full of random observations that makes you smile.

When Dollar City had said "Pets Welcome," Dollar City wasn't certain they'd meant carrion birds.

(this is in no way one of her best lines, but I found it so funny the first time I read it)

I like her style so much, I'll probably go through her entire back catalogue (and that includes Shiver, which I have heard less than darling things about) You see, this book would be nothing without her writing. The characters, setting, magic. It's all carved by her masterful skill. Stand out scenes include The Dinner Party, The Abandoned Fairground, Ronan's dreams, and the last fifty pages.

A few things I was less sold on: The Gray Man was underwhelming and didn't get enough time to flesh out his character. I mean he's a hitman and everyone's just like "okay?" Two, Blue is only really there to further (or end) romantic relationships, which I've covered.

Regarding plot? I was okay. From page 150 on, I was completely sucked in. Like, I should probably re-read the last fifty pages since I went through them so fast. Normally I try balance ratings on how decent the plot was, but the writing and characterisation were so good, this is a necessary five stars.

It's even being added onto my favourites shelf! Can you believe it? Even better, I saw Blue Lily, Lily Blue in a bookshop on Sunday and bought it. So expect another review by tomorrow probably, haha.

This is, without a doubt, one of the best series I've ever read. I think that's all I have to say.

"While I'm gone," Gansey said, pausing, "dream me the world. Something new for every night."
]]> 34066798 The mega-bestseller with more than 2 million readers—Now a Paramount+ with Showtime series starring Ewan McGregor as Count Alexander Rostov

From the #1 New York Times-bestselling author of The Lincoln Highway and Rules of Civility, a beautifully transporting novel about a man who is ordered to spend the rest of his life inside a luxury hotel

In 1922, Count Alexander Rostov is deemed an unrepentant aristocrat by a Bolshevik tribunal, and is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol, a grand hotel across the street from the Kremlin. Rostov, an indomitable man of erudition and wit, has never worked a day in his life, and must now live in an attic room while some of the most tumultuous decades in Russian history are unfolding outside the hotel’s doors. Unexpectedly, his reduced circumstances provide him entry into a much larger world of emotional discovery.

Brimming with humor, a glittering cast of characters, and one beautifully rendered scene after another, this singular novel casts a spell as it relates the count’s endeavor to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be a man of purpose.]]> 462 Amor Towles Unknown Reviews 5
What a pleasant, beautiful book I've just finished.

Do you ever feel that emptiness as you flick through the last pages of a novel, savouring every word, because you know it's coming to end and you're sad to see it go, as you would an old friend? This is how I felt at the end of Harry Potter. This is how I felt about the end of Stoner. This is how I felt at the end of this book.

Count Alexander Rostov is sentenced to house arrest in the glamorous Hotel Metropol of Moscow. With no option of stepping foot on the streets ever again, the Count is determined to make his contained life as worthy and pleasurable as it ever could possibly be.

This book is told with an aching beauty, showing the suppleness of the english language that makes books so enjoyable to read. It's split into "books", as we start in 1920's Russia and finish in 1950's Russia - two very different worlds. As some of the world's biggest issues occurred during these times, Towles has seeped in information about Russia that I was oblivious to. This novel is not a history book in any way, but any new facts about the world, old or new, is always a bonus for me. Towles makes his views on Russia very clear without discerning a word of discontent. This is "show don't tell" done to its finest.

Count Alexander Rostov. How does one describe him? Charming, witty, clever, kind. A man of honour who should be held at the highest esteem. Flawless maybe, but wonderful to read about. He reminds of me the Count of Monte Cristo, with his confidence and ability to charm people with just a few words and actions. He has many moments of heroism, big and small - stopping dogs running amok a five star hotel, or choosing a wine for a couple struggling with conversation -while dealing with trials and tribulations of the following years.

Many characters in this book are heart warming. Precisive nine year old Nina, or fading actress Anna Urbanova who suffers a the act of being humbled. Each character is told with a wit and warmth that showcases their personality. Can I say there's not a character I disliked in this book? Even the more shady characters were still fun to read about. No one in this book suffers from being bland or stereotyped. Even Russia and the hotel are nearly their own characters, so vibrantly told as if we were there.

I suppose this book is quite motivating, as while stuck in house arrest, Rostov is nearly never dismal. Through his friendships and unique way of looking at life, he only flourishes in a way he may never have had he been outside of his gilded cage.

I think what makes this book worth it is the amazing writing. We can taste, see, hear everything as Rostov does with perfect clarity. Throughout this book, I kept looking for a quote to put in my review when I realised nearly every paragraph was worthy of that privilege (is it a privilege though,hmmm)

He tells rather simply, yet it flows like a river of poetry. The time skips never jerked me out, the day to day telling of his routine never grew dreary. The description is sensational, the story engaging while Towles drops us the occasional life lesson in there somewhere. I admit, I got sidetracked by YA books, as this was one of my first "proper" books in a long time. Yet, when I dedicated myself to continuing it this week, I was so easily sucked in. An hour could pass and I'd think nothing of it.

This book will make you happy, optimistic, grateful to be alive. This is the gift of reading, I guess. That when we're so richly enveloped in a characters life, we come into our world confused for the one we've just left.

I don't think I need to say much else. This review could've simply been summed up in two words, I just like rambling on.

Those two words? A treasure.]]> 4.28 2016
author: Amor Towles
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2016
rating: 5
read at: 2020/07/30
date added: 2020/07/31
shelves:
review:
This book is the literary equivalent of sipping tea and eating a fresh slice of chocolate cake, lush with cold cream, while a fire crackles in the background and the rain beats against the windows outside.

What a pleasant, beautiful book I've just finished.

Do you ever feel that emptiness as you flick through the last pages of a novel, savouring every word, because you know it's coming to end and you're sad to see it go, as you would an old friend? This is how I felt at the end of Harry Potter. This is how I felt about the end of Stoner. This is how I felt at the end of this book.

Count Alexander Rostov is sentenced to house arrest in the glamorous Hotel Metropol of Moscow. With no option of stepping foot on the streets ever again, the Count is determined to make his contained life as worthy and pleasurable as it ever could possibly be.

This book is told with an aching beauty, showing the suppleness of the english language that makes books so enjoyable to read. It's split into "books", as we start in 1920's Russia and finish in 1950's Russia - two very different worlds. As some of the world's biggest issues occurred during these times, Towles has seeped in information about Russia that I was oblivious to. This novel is not a history book in any way, but any new facts about the world, old or new, is always a bonus for me. Towles makes his views on Russia very clear without discerning a word of discontent. This is "show don't tell" done to its finest.

Count Alexander Rostov. How does one describe him? Charming, witty, clever, kind. A man of honour who should be held at the highest esteem. Flawless maybe, but wonderful to read about. He reminds of me the Count of Monte Cristo, with his confidence and ability to charm people with just a few words and actions. He has many moments of heroism, big and small - stopping dogs running amok a five star hotel, or choosing a wine for a couple struggling with conversation -while dealing with trials and tribulations of the following years.

Many characters in this book are heart warming. Precisive nine year old Nina, or fading actress Anna Urbanova who suffers a the act of being humbled. Each character is told with a wit and warmth that showcases their personality. Can I say there's not a character I disliked in this book? Even the more shady characters were still fun to read about. No one in this book suffers from being bland or stereotyped. Even Russia and the hotel are nearly their own characters, so vibrantly told as if we were there.

I suppose this book is quite motivating, as while stuck in house arrest, Rostov is nearly never dismal. Through his friendships and unique way of looking at life, he only flourishes in a way he may never have had he been outside of his gilded cage.

I think what makes this book worth it is the amazing writing. We can taste, see, hear everything as Rostov does with perfect clarity. Throughout this book, I kept looking for a quote to put in my review when I realised nearly every paragraph was worthy of that privilege (is it a privilege though,hmmm)

He tells rather simply, yet it flows like a river of poetry. The time skips never jerked me out, the day to day telling of his routine never grew dreary. The description is sensational, the story engaging while Towles drops us the occasional life lesson in there somewhere. I admit, I got sidetracked by YA books, as this was one of my first "proper" books in a long time. Yet, when I dedicated myself to continuing it this week, I was so easily sucked in. An hour could pass and I'd think nothing of it.

This book will make you happy, optimistic, grateful to be alive. This is the gift of reading, I guess. That when we're so richly enveloped in a characters life, we come into our world confused for the one we've just left.

I don't think I need to say much else. This review could've simply been summed up in two words, I just like rambling on.

Those two words? A treasure.
]]> 9275658
From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Alternate Cover edition for ISBN 9780399256752
]]> 305 Marie Lu Unknown Reviews 2
Day is a fifteen year old rebel on the run. He’s a wanted criminal who actively steals from the government to flourish necessities on his family and others. June is the teenage prodigy tasked with stopping him. The chase becomes especially personal after Day kills June’s brother and she sets on his trail with a determined vengeance.

I haven’t read dystopians in a while so I’m not sure what the standards are, but I felt this lacked a lot.

Characters

First of all, June and Day felt kind of bland to me. I liked that they were both badass, but sometimes I had to suspend my belief a little. Day’s been on the run from the government since he was ten and no-one’s captured him? Even with his above average intelligence and athleticism, you’d have to assume every member of the government is less competent than him.

June was more fleshed out and interesting. Her thinking patterns gave off Sherlock Homes vibes and each plan of hers was created with logical sense. She gets a little more of growth than Day, changing from the privileged girl to realising her leaders may not be as trustworthy as they want to her believe.

I think my biggest problem was their voices felt interchangeable and they lacked in flaws. Each of them had such a tight moral system that everything they did was undeniably right. It left little room to reflect or ponder over their deeds. Also, instalove was as present and random as ever, though I’ll admit it wasn’t as bad as many other YA books.

Since the book was so short, we actually lost the potency of relationships. Day and June’s weren’t too bad, but I felt the first time they showed potential was near the very end. As well as that, I know Day’s focus was on helping his family, but they had so little time together, the emotional beats didn’t really hit the way they should’ve. It’s a letdown, since these relationships are supposed to be driving points of the story, but they’re mostly told rather than shown. I will say June’s motivation felt stronger than Day’s as her time with Metias packed more punches.

The side characters were very one note. They don’t have an ounce of depth to them, other than being the bad guy (especially Thomas. Thomas, why do you exist? What is your aim in life?) None of the reveals felt shocking with such a small cast and the Government didn’t get any. I’m all okay for leaders being looked on as bad, but I don’t think it should be a straight “every soldier is evil�� kind of vibe.

Plot

The book was short which I appreciate, except it didn’t feel like much got done. Was the aim for June to find her brothers killer? Learn about the discrepancies in her world? For Day to help his family? I felt this book actually ���dzܱ���’v�� used a little extra bulk. It was tightly written and fast-paced, yet the plot depends so much on Day and June noticing minute details they’d never seen before. It felt like a loophole way of getting out of things and their plans always worked. Literally, each step would work perfectly which actually detracts from the story; there was never any tension. Also, these two kids managed to outsmart every official which once again, felt a little unrealistic. Not saying adults are more intelligent than teenagers, but if even one soldier was competent enough to ask questions, it would’ve risen the stakes.

World Building

By far, the least well executed thing in the book.

We know states in America are fighting against “The Colonies�� (Who? Where? We don’t know). We know people partake in a Trial which determines how far they go in school or if they’re relegated to living a life of poverty. We know there’s a rebel group named the Patriots. There’s a plague, there’s class divide, there’s a shady president. and we learn nothing about any of them

Maybe we’ll learn about them in the next book. So? My biggest pet peeve is most books show be able to work as standalones. This, if anything, lessens my interest in reading on. We got no motivation for any of the things I mentioned above. What is going on in this war? What’s it for?

It doesn’t help that Lu’s writing style was very simple. It’s totally fine for books to have basic enough writing, but I didn’t get much of an idea of this city other than some buildings being dilapidated. What’s life like for an everyday citizen, or even the rich? Any traditions, haunts, specific places? There is nothing that makes this world stand out more than any other dystopian fic.

Final thoughts

Yeah, I was pretty disappointed and I’m kind of on the fence of whether I want to continue with the series or not. It’s a quick read, but not necessarily a great one. I’ll check out the Young Elites since the plot sounds interesting, but no, this just fell flat for me. What a shame :/]]> 4.16 2011
author: Marie Lu
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2011
rating: 2
read at: 2020/07/01
date added: 2020/07/22
shelves:
review:
The fact that it took me eight days to read a book less than 300 pages confuses me, except then I was also really bored reading it, so I suppose that’s part of the problem.

Day is a fifteen year old rebel on the run. He’s a wanted criminal who actively steals from the government to flourish necessities on his family and others. June is the teenage prodigy tasked with stopping him. The chase becomes especially personal after Day kills June’s brother and she sets on his trail with a determined vengeance.

I haven’t read dystopians in a while so I’m not sure what the standards are, but I felt this lacked a lot.

Characters

First of all, June and Day felt kind of bland to me. I liked that they were both badass, but sometimes I had to suspend my belief a little. Day’s been on the run from the government since he was ten and no-one’s captured him? Even with his above average intelligence and athleticism, you’d have to assume every member of the government is less competent than him.

June was more fleshed out and interesting. Her thinking patterns gave off Sherlock Homes vibes and each plan of hers was created with logical sense. She gets a little more of growth than Day, changing from the privileged girl to realising her leaders may not be as trustworthy as they want to her believe.

I think my biggest problem was their voices felt interchangeable and they lacked in flaws. Each of them had such a tight moral system that everything they did was undeniably right. It left little room to reflect or ponder over their deeds. Also, instalove was as present and random as ever, though I’ll admit it wasn’t as bad as many other YA books.

Since the book was so short, we actually lost the potency of relationships. Day and June’s weren’t too bad, but I felt the first time they showed potential was near the very end. As well as that, I know Day’s focus was on helping his family, but they had so little time together, the emotional beats didn’t really hit the way they should’ve. It’s a letdown, since these relationships are supposed to be driving points of the story, but they’re mostly told rather than shown. I will say June’s motivation felt stronger than Day’s as her time with Metias packed more punches.

The side characters were very one note. They don’t have an ounce of depth to them, other than being the bad guy (especially Thomas. Thomas, why do you exist? What is your aim in life?) None of the reveals felt shocking with such a small cast and the Government didn’t get any. I’m all okay for leaders being looked on as bad, but I don’t think it should be a straight “every soldier is evil�� kind of vibe.

Plot

The book was short which I appreciate, except it didn’t feel like much got done. Was the aim for June to find her brothers killer? Learn about the discrepancies in her world? For Day to help his family? I felt this book actually ���dzܱ���’v�� used a little extra bulk. It was tightly written and fast-paced, yet the plot depends so much on Day and June noticing minute details they’d never seen before. It felt like a loophole way of getting out of things and their plans always worked. Literally, each step would work perfectly which actually detracts from the story; there was never any tension. Also, these two kids managed to outsmart every official which once again, felt a little unrealistic. Not saying adults are more intelligent than teenagers, but if even one soldier was competent enough to ask questions, it would’ve risen the stakes.

World Building

By far, the least well executed thing in the book.

We know states in America are fighting against “The Colonies�� (Who? Where? We don’t know). We know people partake in a Trial which determines how far they go in school or if they’re relegated to living a life of poverty. We know there’s a rebel group named the Patriots. There’s a plague, there’s class divide, there’s a shady president. and we learn nothing about any of them

Maybe we’ll learn about them in the next book. So? My biggest pet peeve is most books show be able to work as standalones. This, if anything, lessens my interest in reading on. We got no motivation for any of the things I mentioned above. What is going on in this war? What’s it for?

It doesn’t help that Lu’s writing style was very simple. It’s totally fine for books to have basic enough writing, but I didn’t get much of an idea of this city other than some buildings being dilapidated. What’s life like for an everyday citizen, or even the rich? Any traditions, haunts, specific places? There is nothing that makes this world stand out more than any other dystopian fic.

Final thoughts

Yeah, I was pretty disappointed and I’m kind of on the fence of whether I want to continue with the series or not. It’s a quick read, but not necessarily a great one. I’ll check out the Young Elites since the plot sounds interesting, but no, this just fell flat for me. What a shame :/
]]> 11235712
She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.]]> 390 Marissa Meyer 0312641893 Unknown Reviews 3
I was thinking about giving this 3.5, but the pacing of the ending threw me off a little and knocked off the half star. Everyone raves about the quartet as a whole so I’ll definitely check out the rest , but, for the start of a series, it felt a bit... flat?

The Good

•So this story is a re-telling of Cinderella, except she happens to be a cyborg who works as a mechanic in in the city of New Beijing (also bonus points for people on the moon with mind-control powers). Like what a cool idea. Synopsis has me hooked. Shame it didn’t live up to it’s potential (more on that later).

�� Meyer’s prose was easy to read and descriptive enough without being too taxing. I like her style and it helped me speed through the book.

�� I found the story entertaining enough to want to read on and plot points seemed pretty solid, especially the Lunar People. A Queen who makes herself appear devastatingly beautiful, but is ugly on the inside? A dictatorship with mind control and infanticide? That’s cool. There were a lot of clever things on the surface that I felt weren’t really explored but I was still engaged with the story.

The Iffy

Characters: I don’t mind Cinder. She didn’t annoy me and she didn’t keep falling into the trap of talking about how wonderful Prince Kai looked every second, so that’s nice. Also she’s pretty resourceful and the decisions she made has some sense of logic (yay). But then she didn’t really ambitions or hopes before the plot kicked in. She didn’t react too much when things happened to her, especially with Peony’s death. It’s like damn girl, your sister just died and you bit your cheek a few chapters later to signify its impact on you.

Kai was kind of eck. He didn’t really have a personality except for some banter between him and Cinder. He talks about doing the right thing for his people and hatred of Lunars, but come on man, what else is going on in your life? Your dad literally just died, how do you feel about that? We didn’t even get insight on you looking for Princess Selene (who also happens to be that girl you latched onto in like three days)

Iko was barely there, Peony was loving younger sister who drives main character on™️, Pearl was a sterotypical mean girl and Cinder’s step mother was one dimensional who’s arc didn’t go past “You’re My Slave.�� These characters could have shown more depth with even a few lines, but they never got it. Levana was interesting but now I’ve gotta wait to find anything else about her. Dr. Dude was fine, even if he was mainly used for info.

The Bad

�� So little world building. Like, when you have an awesome plot, why wouldn’t you explore it more? There were a couple of expositiony paragraphs that gave us the history, but little else, and even those felt shoehorned in.

Also, you’d think for a city named New Beijing, they’re be some Chinese/ East Asian influences in the city, but there’s very few. Also the city wasn’t really described at all besides being cluttered, there being a market square and a view from the palace. I’m sure the world-building is fleshed out in the next few books, but this should work as a stand-alone as well as a starter of a series. Going away from the book, I don’t know as much about a clearly interesting world as I should.

�� No Surprises: Dr. Dude is Lunar (guessed it) Cinder is Lunar (guessed it) CINDER IS PRINCESS SELENE?!? Guessed it.

Meyer didn’t even try to hide that last fact. Maybe she didn’t want to, but it’s something that felt like it should’ve been a twist yet she made it so obvious (Cinder being in a fire like accident, her body needing repairs, being immune to the disease etc.). Nothing in this book surprised me except Peony dying and even that was very rushed and not really mentioned later.

�� To Be Cyborg: Cinder’s a cyborg. We know they’re looked down upon, but nothing was written about how society was different for them. And it’s kind a weird thing to be iffy about too? Lost a leg in an accident and get a new one? Boom; you’re a scourge to society.

If she was full A.I or robot (think Westworld) I’d get it, but for someone who is clearly human, it didn’t strike me as terribly revolting. Plus, all Cinder mentions is she is a cyborg and people don’t like that. What would’ve been better is Cinder wondering what divided her between man and machine. How many metal parts must be implanted before you’re no longer human? Such an interesting discussion but never explored.

�� Plot? Was it about looking for a cure? Levana coming to Earth planning war? Cinder exploring her identity? Cyborgs are second class citizens, time for a REVOLUTION? Not...really.

All these points are touched on but kind of forgotten about (except for the revolution I was expecting, YA tropes kicking in out of instinct haha). The book moved at decent speed but the last fifty pages felt like “damn, we better reveal everything to get the ball rolling for the next book��. The first 2/3 worked as on it’s own, but the whole cure and romance plot got a little lost along the way.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and it’s plot is so cool. However I think most books should be able to standalone and this one seemed to just be setting up for a series as it ignored cool plot points/ settings. Looking forward to the rest since they’re so highly commended, but don’t plan to be re-reading this any time soon.

On to the Wheel of Time for (hopefully) more world-building this time :)]]> 4.14 2012
author: Marissa Meyer
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2012
rating: 3
read at: 2020/01/01
date added: 2020/07/22
shelves:
review:
Okay...where to begin

I was thinking about giving this 3.5, but the pacing of the ending threw me off a little and knocked off the half star. Everyone raves about the quartet as a whole so I’ll definitely check out the rest , but, for the start of a series, it felt a bit... flat?

The Good

•So this story is a re-telling of Cinderella, except she happens to be a cyborg who works as a mechanic in in the city of New Beijing (also bonus points for people on the moon with mind-control powers). Like what a cool idea. Synopsis has me hooked. Shame it didn’t live up to it’s potential (more on that later).

�� Meyer’s prose was easy to read and descriptive enough without being too taxing. I like her style and it helped me speed through the book.

�� I found the story entertaining enough to want to read on and plot points seemed pretty solid, especially the Lunar People. A Queen who makes herself appear devastatingly beautiful, but is ugly on the inside? A dictatorship with mind control and infanticide? That’s cool. There were a lot of clever things on the surface that I felt weren’t really explored but I was still engaged with the story.

The Iffy

Characters: I don’t mind Cinder. She didn’t annoy me and she didn’t keep falling into the trap of talking about how wonderful Prince Kai looked every second, so that’s nice. Also she’s pretty resourceful and the decisions she made has some sense of logic (yay). But then she didn’t really ambitions or hopes before the plot kicked in. She didn’t react too much when things happened to her, especially with Peony’s death. It’s like damn girl, your sister just died and you bit your cheek a few chapters later to signify its impact on you.

Kai was kind of eck. He didn’t really have a personality except for some banter between him and Cinder. He talks about doing the right thing for his people and hatred of Lunars, but come on man, what else is going on in your life? Your dad literally just died, how do you feel about that? We didn’t even get insight on you looking for Princess Selene (who also happens to be that girl you latched onto in like three days)

Iko was barely there, Peony was loving younger sister who drives main character on™️, Pearl was a sterotypical mean girl and Cinder’s step mother was one dimensional who’s arc didn’t go past “You’re My Slave.�� These characters could have shown more depth with even a few lines, but they never got it. Levana was interesting but now I’ve gotta wait to find anything else about her. Dr. Dude was fine, even if he was mainly used for info.

The Bad

�� So little world building. Like, when you have an awesome plot, why wouldn’t you explore it more? There were a couple of expositiony paragraphs that gave us the history, but little else, and even those felt shoehorned in.

Also, you’d think for a city named New Beijing, they’re be some Chinese/ East Asian influences in the city, but there’s very few. Also the city wasn’t really described at all besides being cluttered, there being a market square and a view from the palace. I’m sure the world-building is fleshed out in the next few books, but this should work as a stand-alone as well as a starter of a series. Going away from the book, I don’t know as much about a clearly interesting world as I should.

�� No Surprises: Dr. Dude is Lunar (guessed it) Cinder is Lunar (guessed it) CINDER IS PRINCESS SELENE?!? Guessed it.

Meyer didn’t even try to hide that last fact. Maybe she didn’t want to, but it’s something that felt like it should’ve been a twist yet she made it so obvious (Cinder being in a fire like accident, her body needing repairs, being immune to the disease etc.). Nothing in this book surprised me except Peony dying and even that was very rushed and not really mentioned later.

�� To Be Cyborg: Cinder’s a cyborg. We know they’re looked down upon, but nothing was written about how society was different for them. And it’s kind a weird thing to be iffy about too? Lost a leg in an accident and get a new one? Boom; you’re a scourge to society.

If she was full A.I or robot (think Westworld) I’d get it, but for someone who is clearly human, it didn’t strike me as terribly revolting. Plus, all Cinder mentions is she is a cyborg and people don’t like that. What would’ve been better is Cinder wondering what divided her between man and machine. How many metal parts must be implanted before you’re no longer human? Such an interesting discussion but never explored.

�� Plot? Was it about looking for a cure? Levana coming to Earth planning war? Cinder exploring her identity? Cyborgs are second class citizens, time for a REVOLUTION? Not...really.

All these points are touched on but kind of forgotten about (except for the revolution I was expecting, YA tropes kicking in out of instinct haha). The book moved at decent speed but the last fifty pages felt like “damn, we better reveal everything to get the ball rolling for the next book��. The first 2/3 worked as on it’s own, but the whole cure and romance plot got a little lost along the way.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and it’s plot is so cool. However I think most books should be able to standalone and this one seemed to just be setting up for a series as it ignored cool plot points/ settings. Looking forward to the rest since they’re so highly commended, but don’t plan to be re-reading this any time soon.

On to the Wheel of Time for (hopefully) more world-building this time :)
]]> 17675462 “There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,�� Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.��

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.]]> 409 Maggie Stiefvater 0545424925 Unknown Reviews 5
“The Raven Boys�� is centred around Blue, a psychic’s daughter who has been promised, if she kisses her true love, he will die. Meanwhile, Gansey and his friends are currently on the hunt for the lost body of Welsh king Glendower. Blue bands up together with them and ,somehow, we get this beautiful, brilliant book.

Characters

The relationship between the characters is so, so, so good. The connection and chemistry between all of them is insane and, yet, they still manage to feel realistic. Forget romance, friendship wins everyday. Even the romance, though not as prominent, is still sweet. Absolute perfection.

Blue

Blue is the daughter of psychic Maura, a non-psychic herself, though she does have the ability to amplify the energy of others. Blue is cool, confident and quirky while not stumbling into the “I’m not like other girls�� trope. She’s very likeable, but I wouldn’t even rank her as my favourite character. I’ll leave that to the boys (I’ll go in order of how much I liked them).

Gansey

Oh Gansey. Basically a walking, talking dictionary searching for a lost legend. He’s somehow so awkward and endearing at the same time. Stiefvater really excelled on making him likeable. He’s rich and haughty, but he’s never annoying and just seeing how much he cares for the boys is heart warming. Past that, Gansey knows he’s not perfect, and when we see his weaker moments, we really feel for him. He’s just such a richly developed character who I could write a thesis on.

Adam

Adam stands out as an outsider among the boys. He comes from poverty, works several jobs, gets perfect grades, just so he can scrape for a decent future. Adam carries his struggles internally and is less flashy than Gansey, or Ronan, but he’s just so decent, I adored him. I was really rooting for his initial romance and I know I’ll need to let go of it for plot purposes, but ugh, he deserves everything good. The ending for him felt a little strange, but I can’t wait to see his arc develop. Who knows? He may even top Gansey.

Noah

Weird, awkward, but so sweet. He gets less time than the others (understandably if you’ve read it), but just like Adam, he deserves to be loved and taken care of. He actually reminds me of Will from Stranger Things (which is a bit of coincidence the actor is also named Noah). Anyway, I want to read the next book just to see him get the love he deserves.

Ronan

I put Ronan last since he does fall a lot into the stereotypical “bad boy" trope. He’s still great and any soft moment from him makes my heart twinge, but I think he needs to be burrowed into deeper so his full character comes through. Which is great, because the next book is centred on him!
�����ܱ�’s family of psychics are quirky and entertaining. The villains (would you call them that?) were a little underdeveloped, but it’s been so long since a whole cast has been so wonderful. Stiefvater’s strongest points are characters and writing, and wow, does she deliver.

Plot
I appreciate how Stiefvater differed herself from other books by taking the less stereotypical route. Looking for a long dead Welsh legend and cool, psychic powers is a really unique idea. I thought the pace was great. We get our introductions, our growing tension, and then we’re dropped into chaos. Every character’s development came out well, Adam’s in particular. As well as that, Stiefvater set up enough mysteries for the future. I heard the plot gets pretty complex, so I’m interested to see where it goes.

Writing

The writing is sooooooo good. Every line fit so well and she has such lyrical prose. I have now decided she is my favourite author. Hooray! I’ve been searching for ages. Also, the banter between the gang is very witty, along with each character’s humorous perceptions. It’s funny, beautiful and she builds up the eerie atmosphere so, so well. I want to re-read this just because the writing was so fantastic.

Long story, short : The Dream Thieves, please arrive tomorrow. Everyone else: Pick up this book and read it :)]]> 4.05 2012
author: Maggie Stiefvater
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2012
rating: 5
read at: 2020/07/12
date added: 2020/07/16
shelves:
review:
Halfway through this book, I immediately went online and ordered the next one. I would’ve got the whole series if I could have, but I have no money! Conclusion; this book was great.

“The Raven Boys�� is centred around Blue, a psychic’s daughter who has been promised, if she kisses her true love, he will die. Meanwhile, Gansey and his friends are currently on the hunt for the lost body of Welsh king Glendower. Blue bands up together with them and ,somehow, we get this beautiful, brilliant book.

Characters

The relationship between the characters is so, so, so good. The connection and chemistry between all of them is insane and, yet, they still manage to feel realistic. Forget romance, friendship wins everyday. Even the romance, though not as prominent, is still sweet. Absolute perfection.

Blue

Blue is the daughter of psychic Maura, a non-psychic herself, though she does have the ability to amplify the energy of others. Blue is cool, confident and quirky while not stumbling into the “I’m not like other girls�� trope. She’s very likeable, but I wouldn’t even rank her as my favourite character. I’ll leave that to the boys (I’ll go in order of how much I liked them).

Gansey

Oh Gansey. Basically a walking, talking dictionary searching for a lost legend. He’s somehow so awkward and endearing at the same time. Stiefvater really excelled on making him likeable. He’s rich and haughty, but he’s never annoying and just seeing how much he cares for the boys is heart warming. Past that, Gansey knows he’s not perfect, and when we see his weaker moments, we really feel for him. He’s just such a richly developed character who I could write a thesis on.

Adam

Adam stands out as an outsider among the boys. He comes from poverty, works several jobs, gets perfect grades, just so he can scrape for a decent future. Adam carries his struggles internally and is less flashy than Gansey, or Ronan, but he’s just so decent, I adored him. I was really rooting for his initial romance and I know I’ll need to let go of it for plot purposes, but ugh, he deserves everything good. The ending for him felt a little strange, but I can’t wait to see his arc develop. Who knows? He may even top Gansey.

Noah

Weird, awkward, but so sweet. He gets less time than the others (understandably if you’ve read it), but just like Adam, he deserves to be loved and taken care of. He actually reminds me of Will from Stranger Things (which is a bit of coincidence the actor is also named Noah). Anyway, I want to read the next book just to see him get the love he deserves.

Ronan

I put Ronan last since he does fall a lot into the stereotypical “bad boy" trope. He’s still great and any soft moment from him makes my heart twinge, but I think he needs to be burrowed into deeper so his full character comes through. Which is great, because the next book is centred on him!
�����ܱ�’s family of psychics are quirky and entertaining. The villains (would you call them that?) were a little underdeveloped, but it’s been so long since a whole cast has been so wonderful. Stiefvater’s strongest points are characters and writing, and wow, does she deliver.

Plot
I appreciate how Stiefvater differed herself from other books by taking the less stereotypical route. Looking for a long dead Welsh legend and cool, psychic powers is a really unique idea. I thought the pace was great. We get our introductions, our growing tension, and then we’re dropped into chaos. Every character’s development came out well, Adam’s in particular. As well as that, Stiefvater set up enough mysteries for the future. I heard the plot gets pretty complex, so I’m interested to see where it goes.

Writing

The writing is sooooooo good. Every line fit so well and she has such lyrical prose. I have now decided she is my favourite author. Hooray! I’ve been searching for ages. Also, the banter between the gang is very witty, along with each character’s humorous perceptions. It’s funny, beautiful and she builds up the eerie atmosphere so, so well. I want to re-read this just because the writing was so fantastic.

Long story, short : The Dream Thieves, please arrive tomorrow. Everyone else: Pick up this book and read it :)
]]> 34499221
The ocean is the only place Prince Elian calls home, even though he is heir to the most powerful kingdom in the world. Hunting sirens is more than an unsavory hobby—it’s his calling. When he rescues a drowning woman in the ocean, she’s more than what she appears. She promises to help him find the key to destroying all of sirenkind for good—But can he trust her? And just how many deals will Elian have to barter to eliminate mankind’s greatest enemy?]]> 344 Alexandra Christo 1250112680 Unknown Reviews 4
Siren Princess Lira is forced to become human after disobeying her mother - The Sea Queen who contains all the power of the ocean - and tasked with taking the heart of a young prince. The issue? The prince also happens to be the world’s most prolific siren killer.

I solidly flew through this book since it was pretty fast-paced. In this world, Christo has crafted intriguing cultures, worlds all with serviceable characters.

A quick run through of the bad and good.

Lira is a deadly siren known as “The Princes Bane�� - a ruthless killer who takes a prince's heart each year. I think she started off interesting, especially with her scenes as a mermaid (excuse me, siren. Mermaid are ugly, thieving monsters in this book), but she got a little bland through the middle. I think the issue was she and Elian could have very interchangeable chapters and she wasn’t as much of the vicious badass I wanted to see. From the start, she didn’t appear to be “proper�� evil, so the character development didn’t go as far as it ���dzܱ���’v��.

A similar issue with Elian was he could be boring too. A lot of his inner monologue rode around him “being at home in the sea�� and not wanting to be a king. There were a few sharp moments from him where he shone, but I didn’t love him.

Their relationship, I’m also indifferent to. Even with their goals, they seemed relatively at ease with each other pretty quickly so the slow burn “enemies to lovers�� didn’t work out as well. Their banter was decent 50% of the time and they didn’t talk about how attractive the other looked often, so it was better than most YA fantasy romance. Also, towards the end of the book, I really liked them together. I wanted to see more of that earlier, but, you know, slow burn.

This is a disclaimer that I don’t hate either of them. There were sweet moments between them and as characters, they had strong scenes too, but they didn’t stand out to me amazingly.

The crew who were extremely hyped were okay. I felt we got less of Madrid than we should have and Kye was kind of meh. The crews banter was stronger than Elian and Lira, but still only okay. We needed more time with these characters to actually feel for them. We’re told several times Madrid had an awful past involved in slavery, but she never speaks once about it. Also, she only has about two, whole conversations with Lira and they’re set up to be decent friends.

Yukiko was actually the most interesting character in my opinion and she didn’t follow tropes that I find in most YA books. The villain, Lira’s mother, was one note, but I thought her scenes were intriguing visually to read about.

World building worked well for me. Christo sprinkled interesting tidbits that blended in well enough to not read like infodumps. Maybe a map would’ve come in handy, but I’m not complaining.

Also, I liked her writing style too. There were a few paragraphs where I re-read and admired them for my own enjoyment. Her description painted strong pictures which added to the whimsical wonder of the world. My only issue is some of it felt heavy-handed. A lot of the message seemed to be shown rather than told, specifically in Elian and Lira’s case. Elian talks a lot about how he doesn’t want to be king and Lira keeps reflecting about not being a monster every couple of pages. Some examples of lines that stood out in Lira’s case.

"The humanity has transformed me in a way that is so much deeper than fins for legs and scales for skin"

“In my world, Kahlia is the sole remnant of my lost innocence�� (insert sisterly love of badass protagonist trope)

It feels too on the nose and I feel we ���dzܱ���’v�� gotten these revelations in a few paragraphs that ���dzܱ���’v�� cut down maybe ten percent of the book. It's as if Christo felt we needed to be told the messages instead of working them out for ourselves, despite having the charcaters develop in the book.

Plot wise, I liked it. It went from point A to B very well and I went through it pretty fast. Thinking back, not much happened on their adventure and the book ���dzܱ���’v�� possibly used more scenes. The ending felt a bit anticlimactic and confusing to read, but I had a lot of fun reading this book.

This sounds like a bad review, but I would recommend it. Christo isn’t doing a sequel, I think, but I’d read one no bother. Her writing is lovely, her world building is interesting and I’d love more exploration of the siren world. Sirens are cool, period.

I’ve rated it pretty highly, but there was nothing explicitly bad in this book that would bring down the score. It’s light, fun + mermaids!

(Or sirens, okay)]]> 3.71 2018
author: Alexandra Christo
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2020/07/08
date added: 2020/07/10
shelves:
review:
A solid 4 stars.

Siren Princess Lira is forced to become human after disobeying her mother - The Sea Queen who contains all the power of the ocean - and tasked with taking the heart of a young prince. The issue? The prince also happens to be the world’s most prolific siren killer.

I solidly flew through this book since it was pretty fast-paced. In this world, Christo has crafted intriguing cultures, worlds all with serviceable characters.

A quick run through of the bad and good.

Lira is a deadly siren known as “The Princes Bane�� - a ruthless killer who takes a prince's heart each year. I think she started off interesting, especially with her scenes as a mermaid (excuse me, siren. Mermaid are ugly, thieving monsters in this book), but she got a little bland through the middle. I think the issue was she and Elian could have very interchangeable chapters and she wasn’t as much of the vicious badass I wanted to see. From the start, she didn’t appear to be “proper�� evil, so the character development didn’t go as far as it ���dzܱ���’v��.

A similar issue with Elian was he could be boring too. A lot of his inner monologue rode around him “being at home in the sea�� and not wanting to be a king. There were a few sharp moments from him where he shone, but I didn’t love him.

Their relationship, I’m also indifferent to. Even with their goals, they seemed relatively at ease with each other pretty quickly so the slow burn “enemies to lovers�� didn’t work out as well. Their banter was decent 50% of the time and they didn’t talk about how attractive the other looked often, so it was better than most YA fantasy romance. Also, towards the end of the book, I really liked them together. I wanted to see more of that earlier, but, you know, slow burn.

This is a disclaimer that I don’t hate either of them. There were sweet moments between them and as characters, they had strong scenes too, but they didn’t stand out to me amazingly.

The crew who were extremely hyped were okay. I felt we got less of Madrid than we should have and Kye was kind of meh. The crews banter was stronger than Elian and Lira, but still only okay. We needed more time with these characters to actually feel for them. We’re told several times Madrid had an awful past involved in slavery, but she never speaks once about it. Also, she only has about two, whole conversations with Lira and they’re set up to be decent friends.

Yukiko was actually the most interesting character in my opinion and she didn’t follow tropes that I find in most YA books. The villain, Lira’s mother, was one note, but I thought her scenes were intriguing visually to read about.

World building worked well for me. Christo sprinkled interesting tidbits that blended in well enough to not read like infodumps. Maybe a map would’ve come in handy, but I’m not complaining.

Also, I liked her writing style too. There were a few paragraphs where I re-read and admired them for my own enjoyment. Her description painted strong pictures which added to the whimsical wonder of the world. My only issue is some of it felt heavy-handed. A lot of the message seemed to be shown rather than told, specifically in Elian and Lira’s case. Elian talks a lot about how he doesn’t want to be king and Lira keeps reflecting about not being a monster every couple of pages. Some examples of lines that stood out in Lira’s case.

"The humanity has transformed me in a way that is so much deeper than fins for legs and scales for skin"

“In my world, Kahlia is the sole remnant of my lost innocence�� (insert sisterly love of badass protagonist trope)

It feels too on the nose and I feel we ���dzܱ���’v�� gotten these revelations in a few paragraphs that ���dzܱ���’v�� cut down maybe ten percent of the book. It's as if Christo felt we needed to be told the messages instead of working them out for ourselves, despite having the charcaters develop in the book.

Plot wise, I liked it. It went from point A to B very well and I went through it pretty fast. Thinking back, not much happened on their adventure and the book ���dzܱ���’v�� possibly used more scenes. The ending felt a bit anticlimactic and confusing to read, but I had a lot of fun reading this book.

This sounds like a bad review, but I would recommend it. Christo isn’t doing a sequel, I think, but I’d read one no bother. Her writing is lovely, her world building is interesting and I’d love more exploration of the siren world. Sirens are cool, period.

I’ve rated it pretty highly, but there was nothing explicitly bad in this book that would bring down the score. It’s light, fun + mermaids!

(Or sirens, okay)
]]> 39085465
But everything changes in the aftermath of a siren murder trial that rocks the nation; the girls�� favorite Internet fashion icon reveals she's also a siren, and the news rips through their community. Tensions escalate when Effie starts being haunted by demons from her past, and Tavia accidentally lets out her magical voice during a police stop. No secret seems safe anymore—soon Portland won’t be either.]]> 288 Bethany C. Morrow 1250315328 Unknown Reviews 0 to-read 3.72 2020
author: Bethany C. Morrow
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/07/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 25322449
What if everything you set yourself up to be was wrong?

Frances has been a study machine with one goal. Nothing will stand in her way; not friends, not a guilty secret �� not even the person she is on the inside. Then Frances meets Aled, and for the first time she's unafraid to be herself.

So when the fragile trust between them is broken, Frances is caught between who she was and who she longs to be. Now Frances knows that she has to confront her past. To confess why Carys disappeared��

Frances is going to need every bit of courage she has.

Engaging with themes of identity, diversity and the freedom to choose, Radio Silence is a tour de force by the most exciting writer of her generation.]]> 496 Alice Oseman Unknown Reviews 3
Radio Silence focuses on Frances Janvier, a straight-A student whose sole focus all her life has been getting into Cambridge. The only thing that helps her escape her dreary world is an indie podcast named “Universe City.�� Radio Silence, the creator, is shrouded in mystery �� until she find outs that he is her neighbour, Aled. From there, a friendship spawns between them as they deal with academic and identity woes, along with the growing popularity of Universe City.

I’ll start first on the characters, as I felt they were the strongest point. Frances, wow, I related to that girl. She’s academically focused, won’t waste a second, has excellent taste in TV and also feels lonely in school. I liked how she differentiated between “School Frances�� and “Real Frances.�� “School Frances�� is quiet and boring, but real Frances is a funny, fangirl who loves drawing. She’s not a stereotype. She is a nerd who drinks! (I know load do irl, but it’s rare to see it in books hehe). The writing didn’t always work for me, but it definitely gave us a vibrant protagonist who I wanted to follow, such a difference from the bland teenage girl that tends to pop up in YA these days.

Aled was equally interesting. Unravelling who he was and seeing him become more comfortable with himself was very moving. Along with Frances, we discovered the creative mind behind “Universe City�� and why it was so important to him. Basically, I felt terrible and wanted to make him like a hundred cups of hot chocolate. My only issue is he isn’t in much of the second half of the book, which was such a letdown as his friendship with Frances is the highlight.

The other characters, I was only meagrely interested in, though I do praise Oseman’s effortless inclusion. We’ve a diverse cast, a gay couple, a bi lead. This should be the standard in books nowadays. Maybe the mom was a little too perfect, but you know, I guess someone has to be.

The fandom surrounding “Universe City�� was very interesting too, especially seeing the cost of privacy as it’s fame grew. But what I loved most is the message; You do not need perfect grades, you can be terrible at school and still be amazing. University isn’t the end all. We only have one life to live and we should use it do what we love, with who we love. That was executed really well and it stands out to me as my favourite part of the book.

Unfortunately, the second half of the book fell short for me, especially with Aled. I loved the friendship between him and Frances, so him not really being there much felt like a bummer. The plot felt a little off sometimes, a bit unrealistic. Raine and Dan fell a little flat for me as background characters. I couldn’t really dig into the roots of them. The dialogue, while sounding like something I’d say in real life, didn’t always work (I think it was a bit strange on pages) but it’s still miles ahead of adult authors trying to right teens so, go Alice! Yeah, the ending was too happy. A certain scene felt like something straight out of a movie, but I'll let it slide since there was so much good in here.

Her writing was simplistic as I mentioned, but she always nailed how Frances was feeling and the aura of where she was. Also there was a lot of beautiful and poetic lines in there. Overall, I liked the book and will read more of her works, but with a little trim, this book ���dzܱ���’v�� been four stars for me. A definite recommendation to anyone frustrated with school/uni, or just anyone who’s a teenager in general :)
]]> 4.18 2016
author: Alice Oseman
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2016
rating: 3
read at: 2020/06/23
date added: 2020/06/23
shelves:
review:
3.5 because there was a lot I enjoyed in this book.

Radio Silence focuses on Frances Janvier, a straight-A student whose sole focus all her life has been getting into Cambridge. The only thing that helps her escape her dreary world is an indie podcast named “Universe City.�� Radio Silence, the creator, is shrouded in mystery �� until she find outs that he is her neighbour, Aled. From there, a friendship spawns between them as they deal with academic and identity woes, along with the growing popularity of Universe City.

I’ll start first on the characters, as I felt they were the strongest point. Frances, wow, I related to that girl. She’s academically focused, won’t waste a second, has excellent taste in TV and also feels lonely in school. I liked how she differentiated between “School Frances�� and “Real Frances.�� “School Frances�� is quiet and boring, but real Frances is a funny, fangirl who loves drawing. She’s not a stereotype. She is a nerd who drinks! (I know load do irl, but it’s rare to see it in books hehe). The writing didn’t always work for me, but it definitely gave us a vibrant protagonist who I wanted to follow, such a difference from the bland teenage girl that tends to pop up in YA these days.

Aled was equally interesting. Unravelling who he was and seeing him become more comfortable with himself was very moving. Along with Frances, we discovered the creative mind behind “Universe City�� and why it was so important to him. Basically, I felt terrible and wanted to make him like a hundred cups of hot chocolate. My only issue is he isn’t in much of the second half of the book, which was such a letdown as his friendship with Frances is the highlight.

The other characters, I was only meagrely interested in, though I do praise Oseman’s effortless inclusion. We’ve a diverse cast, a gay couple, a bi lead. This should be the standard in books nowadays. Maybe the mom was a little too perfect, but you know, I guess someone has to be.

The fandom surrounding “Universe City�� was very interesting too, especially seeing the cost of privacy as it’s fame grew. But what I loved most is the message; You do not need perfect grades, you can be terrible at school and still be amazing. University isn’t the end all. We only have one life to live and we should use it do what we love, with who we love. That was executed really well and it stands out to me as my favourite part of the book.

Unfortunately, the second half of the book fell short for me, especially with Aled. I loved the friendship between him and Frances, so him not really being there much felt like a bummer. The plot felt a little off sometimes, a bit unrealistic. Raine and Dan fell a little flat for me as background characters. I couldn’t really dig into the roots of them. The dialogue, while sounding like something I’d say in real life, didn’t always work (I think it was a bit strange on pages) but it’s still miles ahead of adult authors trying to right teens so, go Alice! Yeah, the ending was too happy. A certain scene felt like something straight out of a movie, but I'll let it slide since there was so much good in here.

Her writing was simplistic as I mentioned, but she always nailed how Frances was feeling and the aura of where she was. Also there was a lot of beautiful and poetic lines in there. Overall, I liked the book and will read more of her works, but with a little trim, this book ���dzܱ���’v�� been four stars for me. A definite recommendation to anyone frustrated with school/uni, or just anyone who’s a teenager in general :)

]]> 28954189 Thou shalt kill.

A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery. Humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now scythes are the only ones who can end life—and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control.

Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe—a role that neither wants. These teens must master the “art�� of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own.

An alternate cover edition of ISBN: 9781442472426]]> 435 Neal Shusterman Unknown Reviews 3
I’ve heard a lot of good things about the Arc of a Scythe series, but after finishing the first book, I have to say I’m...underwhelmed?

The first 100 pages I raced through since the concept was so interesting. Death is all but wiped out in a Utopian society where there is no hunger, sickness, poverty. In fact, people kill themselves just for the pleasure of jumping off a building, knowing they’ll be revived in a few days time. Also, you can re-age when you feel you’re too old, so becoming elderly isn’t an issue.

To accommodate the growing population however, Scythes are people chosen to kill or “glean�� a specific quota yearly. Statistics, demographics, ethnicity is taken into account so it’s fair. Unless Scythes chose to abuse their celebrity like status and glean whoever they please, however they please.

Enter Citra and Rowan are two teenagers who, after encountering a certain Scythe named Faraday, become his apprentices. They’re taught how to handle weapons of any kind, how to choose who to glean. The method of the apprenticeship was a very interesting part of the book, even if the characters themselves felt flat.

I feel Shusterman was very bare when it came to description and characters. I don’t hate Rowan and Citra, but I felt indifferent to them? Their interactions felt dry, their monologues robotic. We have an idea of what these characters personalities are like, but rooting into them, they appeared surface-level.

The strongest moments between them happen at the end of the book and I was wondering, why couldn’t we have this before? I generally prefer books without dominating romance, but here I felt they needed more substance between them to make it work.

Scythe Faraday and Scythe Curie were much more interesting in the fact, they subverted your expectations . They showed the moral side of being a scythe in how empathetic they were and how they carried gleaning out. This was much needed in the book because otherwise it would just be “Scythes are bad and evil.�� Shusterman avoids that trap.

Yet, we do have the other side of the pendulum. The overarching villain just kills for fun and that’s...all there is to him. Sure, he has philosophy “we scythes are above the law�� and “in a perfect world, we should do what we love�� kind of jargon - but he just enjoys killing people that’s it.

My only other complaint is the book dragged in the centre. There were a lot of moments where I wondered, was this really needed? And there weren’t many surprises in the book, the biggest “twist�� predictable.

Otherwise, I love the whole concept. A.I is good for once! (I think, my A.I cliches still have me cautious) The general world and practice of Scythes is so interesting, with their laws and how gleanings are carried out. The way people treated Scythes, either ignoring them or worshipping them when they walk down a street. A Scythe’s wishes won’t be refused, because who want to anger the person who could kill you at any moment?

I need to admit, some elements regarding gleaning disturbed me - there was a section where I felt my mouth drop open - which is good because with such a risky concept, you need to show the bad side and the good.

The themes of death, morality, immortality, time and apathy were all touched on in the journal entries throughout the book, but not very deeply which surprised me a little. Weirdly, I have faith Shusterman will explore these further in the following books as the journal sections were written very well - possibly the strongest writing in the book.

The last forty pages I really enjoyed, but I just wish the middle wasn’t such a drag and the characters felt more palpable. I’d say read for the concept and world-building alone: the idea is so brilliantly executed by Shusterman. I will read the next book, but I figure it’ll be a very long time before I do so. ]]> 4.32 2016
author: Neal Shusterman
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2016
rating: 3
read at: 2020/06/21
date added: 2020/06/21
shelves:
review:
3.5

I’ve heard a lot of good things about the Arc of a Scythe series, but after finishing the first book, I have to say I’m...underwhelmed?

The first 100 pages I raced through since the concept was so interesting. Death is all but wiped out in a Utopian society where there is no hunger, sickness, poverty. In fact, people kill themselves just for the pleasure of jumping off a building, knowing they’ll be revived in a few days time. Also, you can re-age when you feel you’re too old, so becoming elderly isn’t an issue.

To accommodate the growing population however, Scythes are people chosen to kill or “glean�� a specific quota yearly. Statistics, demographics, ethnicity is taken into account so it’s fair. Unless Scythes chose to abuse their celebrity like status and glean whoever they please, however they please.

Enter Citra and Rowan are two teenagers who, after encountering a certain Scythe named Faraday, become his apprentices. They’re taught how to handle weapons of any kind, how to choose who to glean. The method of the apprenticeship was a very interesting part of the book, even if the characters themselves felt flat.

I feel Shusterman was very bare when it came to description and characters. I don’t hate Rowan and Citra, but I felt indifferent to them? Their interactions felt dry, their monologues robotic. We have an idea of what these characters personalities are like, but rooting into them, they appeared surface-level.

The strongest moments between them happen at the end of the book and I was wondering, why couldn’t we have this before? I generally prefer books without dominating romance, but here I felt they needed more substance between them to make it work.

Scythe Faraday and Scythe Curie were much more interesting in the fact, they subverted your expectations . They showed the moral side of being a scythe in how empathetic they were and how they carried gleaning out. This was much needed in the book because otherwise it would just be “Scythes are bad and evil.�� Shusterman avoids that trap.

Yet, we do have the other side of the pendulum. The overarching villain just kills for fun and that’s...all there is to him. Sure, he has philosophy “we scythes are above the law�� and “in a perfect world, we should do what we love�� kind of jargon - but he just enjoys killing people that’s it.

My only other complaint is the book dragged in the centre. There were a lot of moments where I wondered, was this really needed? And there weren’t many surprises in the book, the biggest “twist�� predictable.

Otherwise, I love the whole concept. A.I is good for once! (I think, my A.I cliches still have me cautious) The general world and practice of Scythes is so interesting, with their laws and how gleanings are carried out. The way people treated Scythes, either ignoring them or worshipping them when they walk down a street. A Scythe’s wishes won’t be refused, because who want to anger the person who could kill you at any moment?

I need to admit, some elements regarding gleaning disturbed me - there was a section where I felt my mouth drop open - which is good because with such a risky concept, you need to show the bad side and the good.

The themes of death, morality, immortality, time and apathy were all touched on in the journal entries throughout the book, but not very deeply which surprised me a little. Weirdly, I have faith Shusterman will explore these further in the following books as the journal sections were written very well - possibly the strongest writing in the book.

The last forty pages I really enjoyed, but I just wish the middle wasn’t such a drag and the characters felt more palpable. I’d say read for the concept and world-building alone: the idea is so brilliantly executed by Shusterman. I will read the next book, but I figure it’ll be a very long time before I do so.
]]> 2176735 Breath is an extraordinary evocation of an adolescence spent resisting complacency, testing one’s limits against nature, finding like-minded souls, and discovering just how far one breath will take you. It’s a story of extremes—extreme sports and extreme emotions.

On the wild, lonely coast of Western Australia, two thrillseeking and barely adolescent boys fall into the enigmatic thrall of veteran big-wave surfer Sando. Together they form an odd but elite trio. The grown man initiates the boys into a kind of Spartan ethos, a regimen of risk and challenge, where they test themselves in storm swells on remote and shark-infested reefs, pushing each other to the edges of endurance, courage, and sanity. But where is all this heading? Why is their mentor’s past such forbidden territory? And what can explain his American wife’s peculiar behavior? Venturing beyond all limits—in relationships, in physical challenge, and in sexual behavior—there is a point where oblivion is the only outcome. Full of Winton’s lyrical genius for conveying physical sensation, Breath is a rich and atmospheric coming-of-age tale from one of world literature’s finest storytellers.]]> 218 Tim Winton 0374116342 Unknown Reviews 4
Bruce Pike and his wild best friend Loonie, are taken under the wing of a man named Sander. Almost godlike in their eyes, he introduces them to extreme surfing, brutal risks and the craving obsession to become extraordinary. As his wife Eva scorns their reverence, Bruce is thrown threw dangerous thrills, events and relationships that he ���dzܱ���’v�� never imagined.

The dreary atmosphere of Sawyer was up well and we understand through Winton’s writing how addictive and euphoric surfing is to Bruce, if he can ignore the danger. Watching his relationship with Sander develop is interesting, as while Loonie becomes more and more reckless, Bruce doesn’t know if where to follow to impress the man that is (or isn’t?) as great as he appears to be.

More than just a coming of age tale, this book is beautifully written and poignant. Breath will stay with me for a long, long time and I’m very certain to say I’ll be reading the rest of Winton’s work.]]> 3.90 2008
author: Tim Winton
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2008
rating: 4
read at: 2020/06/10
date added: 2020/06/10
shelves:
review:
Breath was suggested to me by a close friend and safe to say, when I finished it, I was overwhelmed.

Bruce Pike and his wild best friend Loonie, are taken under the wing of a man named Sander. Almost godlike in their eyes, he introduces them to extreme surfing, brutal risks and the craving obsession to become extraordinary. As his wife Eva scorns their reverence, Bruce is thrown threw dangerous thrills, events and relationships that he ���dzܱ���’v�� never imagined.

The dreary atmosphere of Sawyer was up well and we understand through Winton’s writing how addictive and euphoric surfing is to Bruce, if he can ignore the danger. Watching his relationship with Sander develop is interesting, as while Loonie becomes more and more reckless, Bruce doesn’t know if where to follow to impress the man that is (or isn’t?) as great as he appears to be.

More than just a coming of age tale, this book is beautifully written and poignant. Breath will stay with me for a long, long time and I’m very certain to say I’ll be reading the rest of Winton’s work.
]]> 7126 The epic tale of wrongful imprisonment, adventure and revenge, in its definitive translation

Thrown in prison for a crime he has not committed, Edmond Dantès is confined to the grim fortress of If. There he learns of a great hoard of treasure hidden on the Isle of Monte Cristo and he becomes determined not only to escape, but also to use the treasure to plot the destruction of the three men responsible for his incarceration. Dumas�� epic tale of suffering and retribution, inspired by a real-life case of wrongful imprisonment, was a huge popular success when it was first serialized in the 1840s.

Translated with an Introduction by Robin Buss

An alternative cover edition for this ISBN can be found here]]> 1276 Alexandre Dumas 0140449264 Unknown Reviews 5
A simple summary: A happy, hard-working sailor is on the top of the world. He is beloved by his friends, has been offered the role of captain and is, most importantly, going to marry the love of his life. Unfortunately two jealous and bitter men seek what he possesses and have him wrongfully imprisoned in an island in the middle of ocean. Escaping and seeking lost treasures on the island of Monte Cristo, he becomes immeasurably rich, disguises himself as a Count and carries out his vengeance which promises to ruin those who have wronged him. Safe it say, it does.

What I love about this book is it is so goddamn entertaining .Seeing Dantès play rich lords and ladies like a fiddle has to be one of the most satisfying things I’ve read in ages. Not to mention, connecting the threads he has planted and seeing his plots become reality are done impeccably well. Little hints of characters connections to each other are sprinkled in here and there so, when the twists are found out they (a) feel incredibly natural to the story and (b) leave your jaw hanging.

This is 1200+ page book written nearly 200 years ago and yet, I finished it easily in a week and a half. The writing is detailed while not being too heavy, the characters are complex and all enjoyable to read (shout out to a personal favourite, Eugénie)

The revenge carried out is possibly my favourite aspect. Dantès becomes a near omnipresent master of disguise and he is never overmined or suspected by other characters, which doesn’t happen in many books. Seeing him control the strings of characters misfortune with his unending fortune is wonderfully done, as while characters muse over their tragedies they believe to be mischance, we get to see every dirty deed that has led to it. Every seed that has cooked slowly throughout the book joins together at the end to create a massive explosion of shock and drama.

Dantès is such an interesting, eccentric character and I’ve never read one quite like him. Reading about him switching disguises and the personality he wears in society is very entertaining, as we know the real man behind the mask. As many bad acts Dantès carries out, he does equally, perhaps even more, good ones which enriches him as character. Dumas could have left him a bitter villain, but instead he’s a swash-buckling anti-hero you root for.

Don’t be afraid of it’s large size since you’ll be hooked in once you start reading and you’ll find it hard to drag yourself away. Joy, humour, jealousy and every other emotion is encompassed inside. The whole book is a simple masterpiece by a master of writing.

Chef’s kiss. That’s it.]]> 4.29 1846
author: Alexandre Dumas
name: Unknown Reviews
average rating: 4.29
book published: 1846
rating: 5
read at: 2020/06/07
date added: 2020/06/07
shelves:
review:
Okay, so I can’t pinpoint how good this book was. Dumas has cultivated a 1200 page + journey of man seeking his revenge and he has executed remarkably.

A simple summary: A happy, hard-working sailor is on the top of the world. He is beloved by his friends, has been offered the role of captain and is, most importantly, going to marry the love of his life. Unfortunately two jealous and bitter men seek what he possesses and have him wrongfully imprisoned in an island in the middle of ocean. Escaping and seeking lost treasures on the island of Monte Cristo, he becomes immeasurably rich, disguises himself as a Count and carries out his vengeance which promises to ruin those who have wronged him. Safe it say, it does.

What I love about this book is it is so goddamn entertaining .Seeing Dantès play rich lords and ladies like a fiddle has to be one of the most satisfying things I’ve read in ages. Not to mention, connecting the threads he has planted and seeing his plots become reality are done impeccably well. Little hints of characters connections to each other are sprinkled in here and there so, when the twists are found out they (a) feel incredibly natural to the story and (b) leave your jaw hanging.

This is 1200+ page book written nearly 200 years ago and yet, I finished it easily in a week and a half. The writing is detailed while not being too heavy, the characters are complex and all enjoyable to read (shout out to a personal favourite, Eugénie)

The revenge carried out is possibly my favourite aspect. Dantès becomes a near omnipresent master of disguise and he is never overmined or suspected by other characters, which doesn’t happen in many books. Seeing him control the strings of characters misfortune with his unending fortune is wonderfully done, as while characters muse over their tragedies they believe to be mischance, we get to see every dirty deed that has led to it. Every seed that has cooked slowly throughout the book joins together at the end to create a massive explosion of shock and drama.

Dantès is such an interesting, eccentric character and I’ve never read one quite like him. Reading about him switching disguises and the personality he wears in society is very entertaining, as we know the real man behind the mask. As many bad acts Dantès carries out, he does equally, perhaps even more, good ones which enriches him as character. Dumas could have left him a bitter villain, but instead he’s a swash-buckling anti-hero you root for.

Don’t be afraid of it’s large size since you’ll be hooked in once you start reading and you’ll find it hard to drag yourself away. Joy, humour, jealousy and every other emotion is encompassed inside. The whole book is a simple masterpiece by a master of writing.

Chef’s kiss. That’s it.
]]>