Nichole
OMG! This was an absolute thrill to read from start to finish. I absolutely love this world and these characters! Automatically a new favorite and best book I've read this year hands down. Plus in typical Jay Kristoff fashion, I wanted to throw the book when I got to the end and the cliffhanger (it isn't as bad as it could be but it does blow everything wide open).
I really enjoyed this book. I felt like the characters were really well fleshed out and I felt like I really knew who they were and what motivated them. This book is definitely a journey, it follows Lee (Leah) as she travels to California during the Gold Rush. You could really tell Rae Carson took the time to thoughtfully research all aspects of the journey and made it realistic.
This book has very little romance which I also appreciated. It was a focus on female empowerment and Leah taking charge in her life and not letting any man make decisions for her.
This book was a great story of determination, strength, and family. While there was romance, I did not feel that it completely took over the book. There was still the focus on family and what it means to grow up in a divided world. This book did have the cliche warring societies where your main character is forced to live among the “enemy”. However, I felt like it was done in a unique way with this viking-like aspect. I really liked seeing aspects of Riki life through Eelyn's Askan viewpoint. I wish we would have been able to see more Askan life.
I also felt like the ending of the book was rushed with the major climax and battle being quickly resolved and minimal closure. I do however appreciate that this is a standalone novel. So many books lately have been series and I liked that Adrienne Young gave us a standalone where the story is complete. That being said, I think 20 or so more pages would have allowed for less of the feeling of rushing and allow for complete resolution.
As an American who has an avid interest in the British Royal Family, this book was immediately on my radar. Everyone at some point has that fantasy where they become a princess or prince and their life is completely different than what they actually have. For Ellie that is actually the case. But this book is unique in that it actually follows Ellie's sister as she deals with the “ramifications” of her sister dating a Prince who also happens to be heir to the throne.
I loved all the snarky comments and banter between the characters in this one. Daisy is one of those people who says what she wants and will deal with the consequences later and I loved that about her. Even though she was shoved into this new life of court and royals, she still held true to her snarky self. I also loved how this was definitely more of a hate-to-love relationship. And I loved the group dubbed the Royal Wreckers in the book. They were this group of friends around the princes who were always up to something, but still looked out for one another.
While this is your standard contemporary romance, there were still unexpected discoveries and even a rare moment of who was actually going to end up with whom. It was definitely a feel good quick read. And it is definitely a great read for someone who always wishes they were royalty. I'm also interested to see where the sequel(s) take us and how Daisy's story evolves going forward.
Thanks to First To Read for an early copy of the book!
This book starts off weird especially because we are just thrown into these Queens lives without really knowing anything about them. But slowly we do learn. I definitely am a Arsinoe fan. But like Katharine and Mirabella as well. It was fascinating to see how each girl was brought up differently than the others and how each discipline uses their strengths to live. The ending of this was definitely shocking and now that I know there were definitely hints, but I missed them. I cannot wait to continue this story to see where it takes the Queens.
I decided to just power through and read the last half of this book in one sitting. And I'm glad I did. I got to incorrectly guess where everything was headed and how Jules and Mia were going to either get into trouble or get out of it. I'm now anxiously awaiting December and Undying to see how this story is resolved and what that cliffhanger was.
This was not was I was expecting but it was still enjoyable. There were a few character choices I disagreed with, but for the most part, the story was interesting. I love the magic system, because I love anything that has to do with the elements and controlling them. This book definitely set up a major standoff between the two sides and I'm interested to see where the next book takes us.
So I have read this book in its entirety. I held off on reading this when it first came out due to all the controversy surrounding it and just a general lack of interest as a result. I then decided it was best to listen to the audiobook rather than read it. That being said to me this book was a prequel. It was a lot of information dumping and attempted world building. We basically gained nothing in this book other than figuring out who the true enemy is.
This book heavily focuses on the two societies on the same planet. Especially considering Cyra comes from the powerful society whereas Akos is the peaceful side. The clear delineation between the two societies did bother me because no society is that black and white and while Roth attempted to show the diversity within each society, I think it was possible to do a better job. Looking back at the Divergent Series she did the same thing, each faction was very black and white in terms of their characterization, the only people who truly differed were Divergents in disguise which just adds to the almost cookie-cutter aspect of the societies.
I honestly do not think I would have been able to get through this book if not for the audiobook, the plot, if you can even call it that, drags in many places. The final few chapters are a rush of events that set up so many questions about what is truly going on and how the characters all fit together. I'll probably read the sequel eventually but it'll have to be the audiobook again I think. Hopefully the sequel has a better plot where I can see the purpose of characters actions and see how everything connects.
As soon as I saw this available on NetGalley, I knew I needed to read it. The Princess Saves Herself in This One was an amazing foray into poetry for me. I do not particularily like poetry, but I was able to connect on a deep level with many of the poems in that collection. So when I knew Amanda was going to have a “sequel” I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. That being said, this one fell flat for me. I did not have the same connection to the writing as I had with Princess.
This collection is all about female empowerment which is important and very timely. I unfortunately, was unable to make that connection with these poems to really truly enjoy this book. Many are going to read this an absolutely fall in love. It is another great collection of poetry, it just was not the collection for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the eARC
Since this was written by Leigh Bardugo, you know you are going to love the writing style and the character development. For me the ending seemed rushed and not thought all the way through. You can tell that Leigh Bardugo does not typically write standalone novels.
One thing you could really tell with this book is how much of a Wonder Woman fan Leigh is herself. It made this book so much more enjoyable since you knew she wanted to do it justice and you could see it in her writing.
I'm looking forward to the next installments of the DC Icons series, especially Catwoman's story!
This book was better than I was expecting. Marissa Meyer sometimes struggles when it comes to introducing characters and worlds. Cinder is nothing like the rest of that series and Heartless is a weak book overall, but I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to jump right into this world and these characters lives. Now that being said the so called “twist” at the end could be seen coming a mile away. I predicted it in the first 100 pages or so. But I'm totally here for the couple from opposite sides falling for each other. I'm interested to see how this one is tied up in the second book since this is supposed to be a duology.
3.5 Stars
So this one is difficult to review. I really struggled with the beginning of this book. I could not get into the story or the character's heads. It was not until we reached the Imperial Palace that every thing started to click and I could fully immerse myself in this story and that took a good 100 pages or so to happen. Now once I got over that threshold, this book became very enjoyable. I always love a book with a character you are supposed to hate but cannot help but love. In this case, it was more you understand where Xifeng was coming from and could relate to some of her wishes. This was not a Darkling situation where I love him as is. Xifeng was an interesting character. So many shades of gray to her character and her motivations. I'm really looking forward to what comes next, especially considering how this installment tied up so many things. I honestly have no idea where Julie C. Dao plans to go from here.
I did not enjoy this as much as Royally Screwed. I think I just liked Olivia and Nicholas better. I definitely am very similar to Sarah, but I just didn't enjoy reading about Henry. I also think the whole Matched: Royal Edition was not an intriguing aspect for me, especially since Sarah wasn't actually part of the show.
I'm just on a role right now fishing books since I'm actually on break from classes.
This book was very much a middle book in a trilogy. Yes it moved the story forward, but it was definitely just set up for the final book. This ended with a decent cliffhanger so I'm excited to finish the trilogy with In the Afterlight. I also am interested to see if Alexandra Bracken continues down the path of love triangle that she hinted at in this installment.
“When it came to parting ways, they sometimes said vas ir, which meant in peace, but more often they chose to say anoshe – until another day.”
It took me a very long time to start this book and an even longer time to finish it. But that is simply because I did not want to say goodbye to these characters and this world. V.E. Schwab has crafted this amazing world full of magic and daring characters. This book added a lot of new POVs which was “annoying” at times because I wanted to get back to Lila, Kell, Rhys, and Alucard, but I can see the importance of those POVs now that the trilogy is complete.
Knowing the Threads of Power trilogy is coming, I'm not sure exactly where Schwab plans to take this world but I know I cannot wait to be back in the world of Antaris!
As Travars.
I want to start this review off with just a simple checklist of what you can expect:
1. dragons, dragons, and more dragons – check!
2. political intrigue – double check!
3. mystery – check!
4. amazing diverse characters – check!
5. great friendships, both old and new – check!
6. unexpected twists and turns – check!
This book was so unexpectedly amazing. I went into it excited to finally read a Jodi Meadows book and intrigued by the idea of dragon trafficking. But this book is so much more than that. The world that Mira has come to know is actually entirely different, but she comes to know this as you do, which is a refreshing plot point. I love finding out about secrets and alliances as characters do rather than through off-hand comments to keep you as the reader in the loop.
Before She Ignites completely blew me away in terms of the level of detail that went into creating both the world and the political scene around it. I absolutely loved watching as Mira tried to navigate her changing world view with the political scene as it unravelled. It was fascinating to see how other characters dealt with similar situations and how Mira as our main character navigated the tricky situations she was placed in, politically, emotionally, and even physically.
I know Jodi Meadows is notorious for cliff-hangers and horrible endings making you regret reading book one before book two (or even three is available), luckily I did not find the ending to this book to be too bad. I obviously cannot wait for the next book as this one has become a new favorite, but it was not a cruel horrible ending.
I cannot wait to see where Mira journey takes her next, plus we obviously need more dragons!
Thanks to the publisher for an early copy
When I first saw what this book was about, before it even had a cover, I wanted to read it. The premise alone is amazing. A journey through mountains on a quest to find some ancient talisman that can save the world, sign me up! Especially when you add magic, ghosts, and witches. Then when the cover was revealed I was even more excited for this debut novel.
That being said, wow was this book a complete disappointment. I had to force myself to keep reading this book. I kept telling myself, eventually it will get more action and less walking through wilderness. Well that action occurred at roughly 90% into the book. And the big twist at the end, I probably should have been shocked and desperate to get my hands on the next book to see what happens next, but honestly I did not care one bit about it.
Now I've been super negative so far, and I don't want to be, but I really struggled with this book. I also think my expectations were way to high and it left me really disliking this book when it failed to meet expectations. If you are a fan of wandering through the woods looking for a special object while also having the risk of weather, ghosts, or witches killing you, you would probably love this book. I just found the constant walking through the forest or climbing ledges to be incredibly boring. This book had so much potential but was severely lacking. Even the ghosts and witches that are promised are not at all prominent in this world.
That being said, I had no issues with the writing and loved the scenery and the concept, I just think it was poorly executed and would have benefited from more action and less descriptions of the characters walking. My rating is solely based on how much I loved the concept of this book but also how much I disliked actually reading it. I'm sure they are people who will read this book and fall in love with the characters and the story. I'm just not one of them.
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for an early copy
“When someone puts their journey out there for you to watch, you pay attention- even if you know they'll die at the end”
I have not read an Adam Silvera book before. Now I can say I have. Everyone says his books are tearjerkers and never what you expect. The same can be said about this book. I was expecting a story about two teens on their last day alive, but this book was so much more than that.
Going into this book, the title itself is a spoiler, but not really. You do not know if Adam is actually going to kill off both Rufus and Mateo or if they both someone beat DeathCast and somehow survive. The concept of this book is farfetched and ridiculous since there is no way to predict everyone's death with enough accuracy to call them at midnight on their last day. But Adam takes this concept further by looking at the repercussions of knowing you are going to die and how you will spend your last day.
This book is filled with so many discussions on what it means to truly live and be in the moment. Our cast of characters come from a variety of situations and have their own views on what it means to live and how they have dealt with loss. While this book definitely has a strong focus on death and how cruel it can be when someone dies too soon (granted you could say every death is too soon), there were so many other points about living life to the fullest so you do not regret anything.
I really loved a lot of the stylist choices made throughout this book. First off the book takes place on September 5th, 2017 which is also publication day which was a nice touch. I also loved that we always knew what time it was. It was like watching 24 and knowing that there was only “x” hours left before End Day was over. Finally, I really enjoyed all the extra characters we got to follow and how their chapters always started by telling us whether or not they had gotten the call that morning that they were going to die. All the characters were deeply intertwined and I loved seeing how all the characters connected at some point in the story.
This was a story about life, love, friendships, death, and finding who you truly are amid the chaos of the world whether you know it is your last day or not.
Thanks to the publisher for an early copy of this
Ryan Graudin is one of those authors that has decent ideas but her execution of those stories is so flawless. She is able to pull you into the story and the characters' lives. I went into Invictus expecting just another science fiction novel with time travel and characters learning about the consequences of changing time. However, Invictus is so much more than that. I do not want to go into specifics for fear of spoiling anyone. But keep in mind this book is so much more than a time travel book.
The characters in this book are completely flushed out and I loved learning about each one and seeing them work together on the Invictus crew with Far. These characters already had relationships with each other so this book was focused solely on the adventure which I really enjoyed (Think Six of Crows when it comes to great group dynamics). It was refreshing to see both friendships and romances already in place rather than forming during the book. I liked watching the relationship evolve and strengthen between the characters.
This book definitely focuses on the story and the adventure. Since we are following a group of time-traveling thieves, there is a heavy focus on their daring adventures and how they accomplish their missions without also corrupting time. This is an action-packed adventure that kept me guessing until the end when everything wraps up. That is another unique aspect of this book, we get a standalone science fiction book. I did not feel at all like this book dragged or was rushed to get everything tied up. Graudin did an excellent job finishing the story arc in a single book.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of the book
It is no secret that I have a slight obsession with Sherlock Holmes retellings. There is just something about the Sherlock character and reading other people's takes on the iconic character that absolutely thrills me. William Ritter has taken a paranormal twist on the iconic characters plus maintaining a 19th century setting. Since this is the four and final book in the series I do not want to get into specifics in this review.
However, I want to reiterate how much I love this series and these characters. Jackaby is witty and always thinking and planning. Abigail is the pragmatic side kick who can always be counted on to ensure we are following the story and Jackaby. Then you have all the side characters like Charlie, Douglas, and Jenny. I really loved how in this series each book focused on one character and figuring them out. We had Abigail's personal growth, Jenny's story, and we also learn more about Jackaby.
This final book was incredibly well written and I'm sad the story is over. I would love to get more from these characters and see what they continue to get up to in the future. I also wanted a green Douglas cover! I cannot wait to see what William Ritter comes up with next and will definitely pick up other books he writes!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of the book
