Nichole
I have some conflicting thoughts about this book, and as such the high rating might confuse but I have to rate this book based on my overall thoughts not based on one thing that irked me. This book is ridiculous but it is ridiculous in a great, entertaining way. Victoria Scott has written one of those rare YA novels where our sole POV is a male. These are extremely rare in single POV YA books and she did a great job in The Collector.
In terms of what my issue with this book was, it has to do with this theme of changing yourself to fit into society's notion of beauty. Charlie is depicted an an average if no below average beauty who proceeds to change the way she looks to be happier. To me this is very dangerous territory in today's society where people are constantly judged based on how they look. While this theme really bothered me and affected my enjoyment, I do think Victoria Scott took steps to show us that this was not how Dante felt.
I chose to believe that based on Dante's character growth in this book, he would still protect Charlie regardless of her appearance. I also think Victoria Scott hinted at Dante not agreeing with all the changes she was making.
So for me this book was a well done with only one major issue for me. I own the other two books in the trilogy so I will be finishing it eventually, it just is not currently on the top of my list of books to read.
I feel like for a conclusion to a duology, I should not feel so unsatisfied. There were many aspects of this book that I loved and they were cute and fun. But there was also the fact that the end was overly rushed and just happened and I do not understand why Lara Jean did what she did in the end.
This duology definitely focuses on family and I really appreciate that aspect of the story. I love the Song sisters and the their dad and the relationships they have with each other. I really wish there had been more Margot in this book even if that wasn't feasible because she is in college.
One final note, I loved how in middle school it was Team Peter and Team John and something similar came into play in this book. It was a nice little touch.
Overall, this was a disappointment for me. I did not appreciate where the story went and while I understand this showcases Lara Jean who is very sheltered and inexperienced, I'm still frustrated. I also feel like the ending was way to rushed. There was a point in the last 15 or so pages where I was convinced we were going to be left with another cliffhanger.
I liked how this volume brought even more characters into the fold. And I love the emphasis on finding on what a specific key does in each installment. There were also some really great pages in this book especially when they were using the head key. The art for that was amazing.
I'm really intrigued by Rufus right now and want to know more about him. Luke/Zack continues to infuriate me because he is clearly up to no good.
I have no idea what I expected wit this book, but it was so much darker than I ever imagined it would be. This is considered a YA novel because Jasper is only 17, however, his life is anything but typical. He was raised by a serial killer and with that comes gory details related to the murders. Barry Lyga was not afraid of diving into the gritty details in this book. There are vivid details relating to the murders and thoughts Jasper has.
I was not at all bother by the darkness of this novel, but kind of wish I had been forewarned about how graphic it actually is. I also think you need to be prepared if you want to read this series.
As for the actual characters and plots, I really enjoyed Jasper as the protagonist. He is dealing with a lot with his father being a convicted serial killer. Add to this Jasper's upbringing and his tendencies toward violent thoughts and you have a very complex layered character. We saw the struggle that Jasper goes through with trying to distance himself from his father and his actions. Jasper is also surrounded by people who believe in him in Howie, Connie, and G. Williams.
As for plot, I was engrossed in finding out who was this new killer and what his motivations were. This book had me anticipating and trying to guess what was going to happen. And I can happily say, I was still surprised by the end. Certain aspects I was able to predict, but overall I was left shocked at the outcome. This book also ended in a way that makes me mad I do not have the next book in the series to pick up and see how Jasper and Company deal with the new developments.
I know there is some controversy with this author, along with the publisher, but I don't want to judge this book based on any of that. I went into this book with no expectations, I was just looking forward to reading a book about an alternate Oz. Right off the bat, this book impressed me with its vivid descriptions and its world. I loved the idea of this almost post-apocalyptic Oz, where Dorothy has run rampant and has enslaved the people.
I appreciated that like the Wizard of Oz, we got to see a little bit of Amy in her own world and the hardships she goes through pre-tornado before she is thrown into Oz. Then once she is in Oz, we get this amazing back-story on what happened after Dorothy left and then when she came back.
I really enjoyed our main character, Amy. She was reluctant at first, and slowly saw why she was needed. I appreciate a hero who does not agree to fix everything right away and has to grow into their role. As for the other characters, I have no idea who you can trust and who is on what side, and I really like that. I like that there is the potential for so many twists and turns.
One last thought, I'm beyond peeved by the back cover of this book. It gives away a huge plot detail that you literally do not find out until the last like 10 pages of the book. This was horrible marketing for the book and incredibly disappointing to me that something that is revealed that late in the story is blatantly put on the back. So as an FYI for everyone who wants to read this, do not look at the back of the book (hardcover at least) or you will be spoiled.
This book definitely dragged more than the first in terms of plot and character development. For me this was a weaker book than Wake. While I have still given it the same rating as Wake, it was a let down overall. I still absolutely love Amanda Hocking's writing and love the way she pulls me into a story and keeps me hooked.
I enjoyed the added information about Sirens in this installment. I also continued to appreciate the dual perspectives between Harper and Gemma, this helped show both sides of the story as it unfolded. As for the actual plot, I feel like absolutely nothing was accomplished. I now have even more questions and received no answers about what the long term outcome is.
It also appears as if Gemma and Harper cannot both be happy with their guys at the same time. I know what endgame is though so I'm not super concerned. Having said that, I really hope we do not get another one of those annoying love triangles.
I do plan to continue on with the series by reading Tidal, it just isn't high on my list at the moment.
3.5 Stars
Book 1 of the #rainbownthon.
This book, while it had really intriguing writing and I loved the artwork, was very slow. I feel like way too much time was spent setting up the zombie attack and then once the zombies did attack it seemed rushed. There were only about 20-30 pages of actual zombies. For a “zombie” book that was disappointing. I also loved the black and white pictures throughout the book and how chapters started with the white text on black background. It was a small thing, but it was unique and fit in with the story. And that prologue was fantastically done. That scene is clearly important to the series as a whole, but it threw you right into the zombie attack and had you on edge.
I know that the book is written so that we hate B. B is not supposed to be a protagonist we cheer for or even one we want to be like. B has basically been brainwashed by an absolutely deplorable father. He is racist, abusive, manipulative, and down right nasty to everyone. I hated all the interactions between Mom, Dad, and B. They were horrible to read as B's Dad abused and forced his beliefs on everyone else. And I hated B for not standing up to Dad and not doing the right thing. B was constantly second guessing actions based on what Dad had said or would do as a result.
As for the action, once the plot picked up, I was utterly engrossed. This is a very quick read between the short, succinct writing style, the short chapters, and the short length of the novel as a whole. I have so many questions about the zombies and what this means for the future. That ending has left me with even more questions and I definitely need to get my hands on the 2nd book to find out what happens next.
That being said, this book definitely intrigued me to the point of wanting to continue with the series and find out what happens to London after the zombie attack.
There were so many facets to this book that left me with so many different emotions. Yet again I have read a book about a difficult subject. However difficult the subject may be, it is still an incredibly important one. One that I think Stacey Trombley did a good job of conveying. There were many parts of this book that disgusted me to read and parts that made me so angry, but I'm glad for those emotions because their reenforce how important this book is.
This book follows Anna who is going back to her “normal” life after spending 3 years in NY as a prostitute. This book is about how she copes and deals with this “homecoming”. And I loved how complex and intricate this story was. There wasn't just one aspect of this change that Anna had to cope with. There were so many different areas and obstacles that arose. While this is a shorter novel, it has so many important pieces to the story.
This is truly a story about surviving and surviving in the face of adversity and I really appreciated that. I also really appreciated that there was not an emphasis on romance in this book. Yes there was a love-interest but it was not a major aspect of the book at all. This book focused on the important part of Anna and her life and how she became a stronger and better person after what she had experienced.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
3.5 Stars
I was solely looking forward to reading this book because of the premise and because I wanted to read about what happens after the happily ever after. With the movie coming soon, I wanted to read this before I watched the movie, since this is a prequel novel of sorts. Since this is a prequel novel, I was expecting an info dump of sorts and lots of back-story with very little plot. Luckily I was pleasantly surprised to find an actual plot.
This book focuses specifically on Mal (daughter of Maleficent), Jay (son of Jafar), Evie (daughter of Evil Queen), and Carlos (son of Cruella de Vil) and their lives on the Isle of the Lost. I was also presently surprised to see that even more children of Disney characters made an appearance (but I'm not going to say who because spoilers).
For me this book was great because of all the Disney references. There were so many instances that went back to old school Disney movies including the princess and even more modern day Disney. Just to name a few, there were references to Sleeping Beauty, Tarzan, Rapunzel, Snow White, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, the Princess and the Frog, and 101 Dalmatians. I really enjoyed picking up on all of them. I was also presently surprised that I was able to. I think many people may miss some (and I'm sure I did not catch them all). Melissa de la Cruz's attention to detail was paramount in this book and it made the book for me.
I haven't given this book that amazing of a review only because it was a children's book and that was apparent in both the writing and the story. It was too “childish” for me to truly love. I did enjoy the book and look forward to the continuation in the movie, however this book was not up to my typical standards when it comes to books.
For me this book brought me back to my childhood of constantly watching Disney movies and loving every second of them. This book I think is great for a younger audience, especially kids who are a little apprehensive toward reading. I think this is a great book to get them interesting in a story. I borrowed this book from a family friend, whose 9.5 year old absolutely loved this book. I think for me I enjoyed the references to my childhood, but it was a little too juvenile for me.
4.5 Stars
This book was utterly fantastic. Between the lore, the myths, the world, and the characters, there were so many different facets to this amazing story. I went into this book not having heard anyone else really comment on the series and I had no expectations whatsoever, but let me just say I was blown away by this book. The detail and the writing were amazing and while there was a lot of information to divulge it was an easy read.
The book also moved at a very comfortable pace with progress constantly being made in the quest to undo the curse on Ren and Kishan. From the little bit we saw of Kishan, I think he is a fascinating character and I cannot wait to learn more about him. However, I do not like that this book set up what I assume is a love triangle between Kelsey and the two brothers. And that set up is the reason I docked half a star. I'm tired of love triangles and I was really hoping this series did not have one, but it looks like there will be. However, hopefully I'm wrong and it will just be a strong friendship between Kelsey and Kishan.
As the first in the series, this book did an excellent job of introducing the adventure and giving us the back-story on the events surrounding the curse. While we did get a lot of information, we were also kept in the dark a lot too, which I actually appreciated. We know the “villain” who enacted the curse is still alive, however we do not know anything about what his current motivations and actions are. I'm sure the next book is going to have a lot more to do with him as the gang gets closer and closer to breaking the curse.
I find this book to be really important. Similar to All The Rage in that it tells the story of an issue society tends to shy away from. This is the story of Cody and how Cody moves on and deals with the death of her best friend, Meg. And it isn't simply Meg's death, but Meg's suicide. This is the story of how Cody tries to piece together why Meg did this when there were no clues.
I love Gayle Forman's writing and this book was no exception to that. Gayle Forman has a way of just pulling you into this heart-wrenching story and captivating your attention as you read. While I still prefer If I Stay, this book was still an fantastic read.
For me the true issue with this book was the romance, I did not care for it and would have preferred a story without it. Yes, this was Cody dealing with the loss of her best friend and she needed someone to lean on, but I'm not sure I agree with having that turn romantic. It would have been sufficient to have them be friends rather than it turn into something more.
After finishing this book, I'm left with this feeling of disappointment that this story is true for so many people. It is highly disappointing to me that there are people who experience what Cody went through every day. I think it is important that stories such as Cody and Meg's continue to be told and that society continues to address these issues.
3.5 Stars
Initial thoughts:This is one of those completely mindless, but highly enjoyable reads. It was exactly the book I needed after the readathon last week.
I want to start this review by saying that this was a highly entertaining, mindless read. I flew through this book without any difficulty. That being said this book is not for everyone. I'm one of those people who every once and awhile needs a mindless read after I've finished one of my fantasy books with an incredibly detailed world and characters. This was just the book for me. I was able to pick this up and read it almost straight through.
Now is this an amazing book? No. It is not even close, however it was entertaining. Let me start off by saying that the vampire myths in this were strange. In this world, vampires are half-human, half-demon. I did not really get why these vampires were created and what purpose they served the demons (it seems as if only certain children are raised by their demon fathers). That being said in Velvet Adrian is a vampire who must protect Caitlin from his father.
Talk about cliches, and you have this book. Of course it is illegal for vampires and humans to be together and I'm sure you can guess what happens between Caitlin and Adrian. While this was beyond cliche, it did not cause me to dislike the book. While reading this I also had so many instances where I was comparing this book to both Twilight and the Vampire Academy. There were so many similarities between the three. Along these lines, there were also so many cheesy ridiculous passages that had me rolling my eyes. The quote at the beginning of the review would be one such instance. These passages were shoved in your face and had me cringing at some points.
Velvet is the first in a trilogy and while the plot did progress, this book was definitely about Adrian and Caitlin and had little to do with what they were going to do about Adrian's father or why Caitlin was special. I may or may not pick up the next in the trilogy, but I'm not eager to.
My rating for this book is solely because while it was an entertaining, mindless book, it reminded be too much of other vampire series and it was way too cheesy and cliche. That being said it was an excellent book in terms of mindless reading.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
“Even a book can be dangerous in the wrong hands, and when that happens, you blame the hands, but you also read the book.”
The summary for this book is a huge hunk of a summary, however, I think to an extent it shows what this book is. This book is so complex and intriguing with so many different facets to it. Due to the nature of this book, a long summary is necessary. However, I would give you this shortened summary: In this book you have the Tear people who have been under the brutal rule of the Reagent, and the Queen passed. In comes the rightful heir to the crown, Kelsea. Kelsea is our heroine who has a long journey ahead of her to take her rightful place as Queen. This journey is riddled with politics, battles, and magic.
I went into this book knowing it was a slow read that had a lot to set up before it got to the quote-on-quote action. In many situations, I'm all for the slow world building, as long as it is done properly. And I have to say, Erika Johansen does an amazing job setting up this world and the characters. Very little happens plot wise in this book but we are introduced to the main villain and know what to an extent what Kelsea has to face to give her kingdom the prosperity and freedom it deserves.
As for the characters, I have so many different thoughts about each one. They each have so many layers and reasons for their actions and choices and I loved the sheer amount of development that each character recieves. For me the character that has me most intrigued is definitely the Fetch and that is mostly due to just how little we actually know about him. We do not even really know if we can trust him. And there is definitely something special about him in Kelsea's eyes. Other than Kelsea and the Fetch, we have the members of the Queen's guard. I loved how they were slowly introduced to us and how we learned tiny details about them as Kelsea learned more.
The one issue I had with this book was the timing of it. It is supposedly set in the future after some sort of apocalypse where William Tear left the Americas to travel to where this book takes place. This is clearly in our world since the Harry Potter books are mentioned, but I struggle with grasping the timing and how the almost medieval aspects of the book fit in with this future society. I also question where the rest of humanity is during all of this and why basic things such as medicine, doctors, and even a simple printing press are nonexistent.
As for what is to come, there are so many questions I have after reading this book. There are so many questions about the world, the Red Queen and who she really is (and who she is working with), the sapphires that seem to be magical, and especially who Kelsea's father is. I really hope we learn the answers to at least some of these questions in the Invasion of the Tearling.
An enjoyable sequel. I really liked how this story was constructed in this one. It was not overly cliche and I appreciated that things weren't always perfect in this fake fantasy world were everyone is always happy and together. I appreciated that relationships were tested and more was found out about the zombies and what the Slayers are facing.
I'm looking forward to the next book and seeing what is in store for Cole and Ali.
Book 2 for #TBRTakedown
I don't even know what to say. Beyond disappointed. But I did finish it finally so I am weirdly proud of myself.
Basically I was disappointed with the direction of this book. The ending seemed rushed and I felt like Roth was just throwing new things out there randomly with little to no structure. I do have to say that I was spoiled for the “big thing”, which may have affected my thoughts, but I just did not enjoy this book.
I thought there was way too much drama between Tris and Four and Four was way too moody for me. I also do not think there was enough delineation between the Tris and Four chapters. They felt the same to me and it was not an enjoyable experience when the POV suddenly changed with no change in the style of storytelling as I have come to expect with changing POVs.
That was really jumbled but I'm very frustrated after finishing this series.
Book 1 for #TBRTakedown. This was so good! I loved the plots and the characters. Now I need to get my hands on Skandal.
From the start of this book I was pulled into the world of espionage, spies, and kids with psychic abilities. Lindsay Smith has crafted an amazing world in the 1960s with the events of the Cold War. While this is clearly fiction, there were so many elements that seemed so real to me. Smith clearly did her research on Russian and that time period for this series.
The plot of this series is incredibly deep and while I have no clue where things are headed, I'm perfectly okay with that. I loved not knowing where things were going and what to expect. I did figure out the one big reveal early but I was not overly disappointed in that. I think there were clues there to help you come to that prediction on your own.
As for the characters, I absolutely loved the group of misfit, psychic children. While I absolutely hated Misha and Masha, they were still their own unique characters that had a role to play. As for Sergei, on a purely personal note, I loved the hockey knowledge and obsession he had. As an avid hockey fan who knows how important that sport is in Russia, I loved the tribute to the sport through Sergei. I also loved Yulia and Valentin and the course of their friendship. It was definitely not thrown in your face like other books.
Overall, this was a fascinating read and a great start to what I assume is a fantastic series. I have high hopes that Skandal will live up to this book and I will enjoy it just as must and the story unravels further. There are a lot of loose ends to tie up and I cannot wait to see how that is accomplished.
“It turned out that some crooked things looked even worse when straightened. Some tangled knots only made sense once unraveled.”
The world, the characters, the writing, it was all so amazing in this book. I had no idea what to expect going into this book. I had heard a lot of good things about it from people, but went in fairly blind especially with respect to the plot and what it was really about. I basically knew it was a science fiction novel.
And I was so blown away by this book. It was fantastically written with such real, human characters. I really felt everything they were going through and really cared what happened to them. There were so many layers to what was going on with them and how they were coping with finding out everything about their world.
This book unfolds in a very unique way. You are basically placed at a certain point in time with no background and see the events unfold with some flashbacks, but mostly simply following along. I would say the main character is Juliette, because we do follow her the most, but we also follow the events though other characters too, which I loved.
The last thing I want to comment on is the world. I was so fascinated by this idea of 150 story Silos housing people. This whole idea of having to walk up and down stairs to get anywhere was so intriguing. It also raised the question of why there were not elevators! But I think control is the answer. Going back to the Silos, I loved the disparity that they created. It was fascinating to see how where you lived in the Silo affected your station in life and also your career. The culture was designed in this really weird way that was highly unique.
Overall, this was a great read and I'm really glad I took the time to read it. It is 5 “stories” in one but I think reading all five together is important. However the first few stories were not as gripping and action heavy as the last two. And I think some aspects of the last two could be cut to make the book shorter because some plot points did seem to drag on. I also was disappointed with the ending. I feel like there are still a lot of questions that need answering. I know their is a sequel of sorts, but I'm not sure how much of a direct sequel it actually is. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy a unique science fiction world and for people who do no mind longer books that can drag in places.