Emi
4.25/5 stars
This was even better during the second read when the world building actually makes a lot more sense.
This book is soooo so close to being a 5 star read, but Hunt exists and I just can't bring myself to give a book with Hunt in it 5 stars. He is just so, so, so boring. And doesn't really add much to the story. He can just go.
Original Review (March 18th, 2021)
This book was kind of a lot weird but I liked it. I think.
RTC.
2.75/5 stars
Morgan's storyline? I actually liked it. So I'm rounding this up to 3 stars. If we made this book entirely about her and her emotional turmoil, maybe I would have somewhat loved this book. I doubt it, bc this is Colleen Hoover, but it was a possibility.
Clara's storyline was
Screw my future marriage
Screw my future children
Screw my own birth
The day this book comes out will be the greatest day of my life, by far.
What. The. Fuck.
People who don't like this series don't like me, I'm sorry but it is personal.
Is this my new favorite duology of all time???
Let me process everything I just read and I'll let you know.
It's been two hours and I can confidently say this is my favorite duology of all time.
Cee's story is the only reason I'm giving this three stars. But it only barely managed to get the three stars too.
Perhaps if I understood anything that happened in Kasey's story, I would have liked this book a lot more.
3.5/5 stars. I'm unsure whether to round up or down.
There's things I absolutely loved about this book, like the discussions it created on race and privilege, it didn't go in the direction I expected. The first half of this book felt like it had no direction but it came together in the second half. IDK what to rate it.
2.5/5 stars
This was such a disappointment, especially following The Risk. I didn't really see the chemistry between Demi and Hunter. And the representation felt forced and fell flat.
2.5/5 stars
Did I read a different book then everyone else? I am seeing a lot of 4 and 5 star reviews and I'm so confused.
The same thing happened with [b:Defy the Night|50022883|Defy the Night (Defy the Night, #1)|Brigid Kemmerer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1620924420l/50022883.SY75.jpg|71638471] so maybe Brigid Kemmerer just isn't for me.
Honestly, I know this book is YA, but it felt so juvenile for me. Like it would have been better as a middle grade series, the characters aged down a few years. the entire thing where Harper convinced an entire coutry she was a princess from a different country they never heard of??? What even??? How stupid are the citizens of Emberfall to believe that??? I can't. My eyes hurt from rolling so much.
Everything that happened in the book was just sooo convinent tbh. Her brother dating a doctor? Meeting into a man that used to be in the army and having him join the guard? The entire county of Emberfall not doubting their obviously ridiculous lies? Lol. There was no problem solving skills found anywhere in this book.
Anyways, I'm still gonna binge the rest of this series bc I'm trash for buying books and already own books #2 and #3.
Not to be mean but Emma Saylor wins the gold medal for dumbest Sarah Dessen protagonists, narrlowly beating out the one girl from Once and For All, which I didn't even think was possible.
2.25/5 stars
I would take the time to write a long, detailed review about this book, but I'm pretty sure you already know everything. I mean, I don't know how you would know. It wasn't like this book was insanely popular or anything...
Just in case you haven't heard of this book before, the plot is pretty much:
Super special pale snowflake moves to boring rainyland where she meets super “hot”, mysterious, and controlling disco ball. After about two conversations, she realizes he's a vampire and she loves him.
That's it. That is the entire book.
What a revolutionary story.
Why did I agree to buddy read this with all these hitches? I'm never listening to any of them again.
Maybe if I wake up tomorrow and feel like complaining, I'll write a longer review about how much of an asshole Edward Cullen is. But like I said, you probably already know just how much.
///////////////////////////////////////
Have you guys ever read this? I've never even heard of it before.
Buddy read with these hitches fellow Jacob Sartorius lovers:
dingoes are really young lions
harry styles hater #1
harry styles hater #2
the person who still hasn't played psych with us
After this English class I'm taking is over, I think I'm just gonna stick with YA contemporaries.
aka this was stupid. I didn't care.
3.5/5 stars
I said it in an update, but I'll say it again. I am too stupid for this book. It did start to click eventually and the words and story were absolutely beautiful, but I never felt like I got more that a superficial understanding of anything.
2.5/5 stars
I can definitely see how this book is so popular, and I'm sure I'm gonna love the adaptation, but overall the entire thing just felt pointless to me. I failed to get attached to the writing or characters and I spent more time wondering when it's gonna be over than actually reading.
3.5/5 stars
I was actually considering giving this book four stars. Me, a girl who doesn't even like romance novels. Unbelievable. But Brenna and Jake were cute.
Despite my obsessive passionate disposition and my ability to make every single book I read a personality trait, I am slightly terrified of giving books 5 stars. I just don't want to overhype a book and have someone read it, hate it, and then assume I have awful taste in books. Like I probably do have awful taste in books I have read the Foxhole Court 13 times, but I don't want others to think that about me.
That being said, I fucking loved this book and want to keep it at 5 stars. I might change it bc reasons said above. But if I ever do, just know it is actually a 5 star book and is worth all the hype that surrounds it.
I successfully read this entire book in like 4 hours so everyone clap for me.
Tella and redacted because of spoilers have my entire heart and I will love them forever.
4.25/5 stars
My new biggest reading flex is that I read this in one day (in 8 hours, 24 minutes, and 47 seconds to be exact, spread across 11 hours of on-and-off reading). I'm gonna brag about this accomplishment forever. I hope it is written in my obituary one day.
But court politics and dragons are a weakness of mine and this was so, so good.
3.75/5 stars
The way my soul left my body and hasn't returned after that ending is the reason why I'm rounding up to 4 stars.
Two years? I have to wait up to two fucking years for book #3? I can't. I'm suing SJM for emotional damage.
But the way my girl Danika was treated as a plot device? That is the reason why it's not gonna be 5 stars. Someone has to stick up for her and her storyline.
Things I liked:
-The ending. What. the. fuck.
-Ithan. Maybe my new favorite SJM character since Manon and Dorian? I just loved him so much. It was such a pleasant surprise.
-Also Ithan and Therion? Maybe I'm just wayyy desperate for more LGBTQ+ relationships in a SJM book but I definitely convinced they are gonna fall madly in love with each other.
-Literally every side character and their banter. Like let me New Girl it up in Ruhn's house
-SJM's worldbuilding. It's intense but it's honestly a rare talent.
-about how a door was opened up, very widely, and now the loves of my life, Dorian and Manon, might come back. I might get to read about them and their perfect selves. Please do this to me Sarah. Please. I'm a loyal fan since 2015. I deserve this.
Things I didn't liked:
-The ending. What. the. fuck.
-Danika being insert as a plot device MULTIPLE TIMES. Like she's dead. Let her rest. I loved the relationship Danika and Bryce had in book #1 and how through love, all is possible. But at this point I'm just like? Were the even friends?
-Hunt. He's boring. Too possessive. Lack any sort of character development. And he was even more one-dimensional this book contrasted against the secondary characters. My boy Ithan is Oz compared to Hunt's Kansas.
-The concept of mates and how I finally thought we were going to get a SJM book without that BUT THEN IT HAPPENED. Andthe conversations around it were beyond cringey. And I can literally give a Ted Talk about how heteronormative SJM makes the idea of mates and how the concept seems to almost take consent out of love. Let it die Sarah. Please.
-It was too long. It could have condensed.
-I am on the computer so insert puke emoji's here but the phone sex scene. It was just not what I wanted to read at that moment. Just get back to the plot please and thank you.
-How stupid this book made me feel during the last chapter LIKE IT WAS SO OBVIOUS THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN WHY AM I SO SHOCKED
-about how a door was opened up, very widely, and now the hate of my life, R*wan, might come back. I might have to read about him and his stupid bird-self. Don't do this to me Sarah. Please. I'm a loyal fan since 2015. I don't deserve this.