laur gluchie
This book was just so... blah, for a lack of a better word. I felt like this story just dragged on and there was no point to some scenes. The romance felt off to me, which is strange since I usually love romance subplots in most books.
The one thing I did like about this book was the sisterly bond between Safi and Iseult. It was very warming and I believe this would've been enough to not include the romance.
To be honest, I considered not finishing this book many times while reading it. Although I do want to continue on with this series, or at least try to read the next book.
This review contains spoilers for books three through six in the series! You have been warned!
Random Shit I Wrote Down In My Notes While Re-Reading Heir Of Fire Because I Have Limited Internet Access Right Now:
• Why r we still calling her Celaena
• THERE HE IS!!!! ROWAN MY BOY :))))
• I still miss Tower Of Dawn Chaol :(
• AEDIONNNNNN
• MANON!!!!! I MISSED U
• Sorscha :((( I'm sad now
• All of the characters I missed are returning Merry Chrysler to me
• SJM's writing is so addictive like I literally had to force myself to stop reading for the night so I wouldn't fuck up my sleep schedule more than it already is
• FUCK U MAEVE
• Oh nooo I forgot Aelin and Rowan are distant cousins dear god-
• As much as I love Manon, I forgot how much I hated her POV chapters in this book ughhh
• ELENTIYAAAA
The first time I read Red Queen was in 2017; I was sixteen years old and finally ready to grow from Percy Jackson and Divergent into other popular books for teens at the time. I was given a copy of this book by my grandmother, and I was initially hesitant to read it due to the massive hate bandwagon this book had garnered. Needless to say, I blindly hopped on that bandwagon as I read the first two books. Now I'm back to see if it still holds true, like I did with The Raven Boys and Caraval.
Red Queen is a story I've read and seen many times before in different forms, with tropes that are overused— sometimes severely. However, it's not an entirely bad book. It's more well written than some books that are being published today cough cough Zodiac Academy, Lightlark, Sanctuary of the Shadow, someone stop me, though I'm not the biggest fan of the frequent chunky paragraphs that lessen the dialogue.
Mare Barrow is very much your typical Mary Sue female main character with special Chosen One powers. Cal is very much your typical forbidden love interest. The Red blood vs. Silver blood plot is very much your typical caste-based book plot. But the plot twist with Maven, despite remembering it from my initial read, is what bumps this up half a star. While it's technically somewhat predictable, it's still a well thought out plot twist and ending for an author's debut novel of a 2010s young adult series.
TL;DR: I understand why many didn't enjoy this novel, but I don't think that the hate train that this book received was completely deserved.
4.5 Stars
This review contains spoilers for books two through six in the series! You have been warned!
Random Shit I Wrote Down In My Notes While Re-Reading Crown Of Midnight Because I Have Limited Internet Access Right Now:
• This is my least favorite book in the series imho so I hope this goes quick so uh that was a fucking lie
• Could totally do without the over-descriptions of the body parts thanks x
• I genuinely think I hate Chaolaena more than Dorlaena
• There's no way every woman at the palace is simping for bland ass Chaol lmaoo
• Poor Kaltain :/ I mean she kinda deserves it but I also feel kinda bad for her y'know
• Mort laughing at Celaena's fake name will always send me
• LYSANDRA MENTION LYSANDRA MENTION
• Ooh Chaol was gonna finish the job himself ooh so scary
• At least the writing in this book is better than the writing in Throne Of Glass
• Dorian bro “would Aelin have been my bride??” no she's Rowan's bride my guy
• AEDION MENTION AEDION MENTION
• NOOO NEHEMIA :((((( I knew it was coming but it still hurts all the same
This review contains spoilers for books one through six in the series! You have been warned!
Random Shit I Wrote Down In My Notes While Re-Reading Throne Of Glass Because I Have Limited Internet Access Right Now:
• This is not as well-written as I remember. Not that I thought it was well-written the first time I read this, but compared to SJM's more recent works this is very poorly-written
• I'm reminding myself that (a) this is SJM's first work and she has a better editor now and (b) what comes in the next books is so worth it so I can get through this
• Why does SJM keep using exclamation points everywhere it's driving me nuts
• I literally remember nothing about this except for Celaena being in the mines and winning the competition
• I keep asking myself ‘Where is Rowan? When is Rowan coming?' only to be reminded of the harsh reality that he does not appear until Heir Of Fire :(
• Nehemia my luv
I bought this book at Target one day on a whim. I didn't know anything about this book, except that it was very outstanding on BookTube and the author was popular. While my mom ran other errands, I waited in the car and started reading it. I got a few chapters in, and I was bored. At the end of the day, I decided to leave it alone for a while and come back to it when I felt more interested. This book sat on my shelf collecting dust for approximately a year.
Earlier this year in my Latin II class, me and my more-experienced bookworm friend were talking about books and I said something around the lines of “I have a book on my shelf called ‘A Court of Thorns and Roses' but I haven't read it yet.” She starts freaking out and saying that I have to read it and that it's the best thing ever. So, of course, I trust her and decide to read it.
I read it in no time. I bought the sequel a week later, which I read in four days. I had to wait four months for A Court of Wings and Ruin. I was (and still am) OBSESSED. I have reread this series three times now and it is a huge reason for why I am still reading books to this day.
I think I love this book (series) because it shows that you can find happiness in the darkest places, and I think that message was what I really needed at the time of reading this series.
2ND REREAD: I skimmed about 75% of this because I can't be assed to read about Tamlines in the middle of a reading slump. Ugh. On to ACOMAF!
This book was a reread for me, and I enjoy it every time I read it. The Mortal Instruments is my favorite Urban Fantasy series and this book is such an amazing start to the world of the Shadowhunters. This book is filled with an action-packed plot, amazingly written and loveable characters, and it's a book that you won't want to put down. So go check out Cassandra Clare's books. They're magnificent.
I'M SO IN LOVE WITH THIS BOOK TBH WHICH IS WEIRD BECAUSE I DON'T USUALLY LIKE CONTEMPORARY BUT WHATEVER
This book is definitely one of my new favorite contemporaries. The concept and characters in the book were amazing and the imagery was so detailed that I was easily able to imagine that I was there completing the list with Emily myself (yes, even during the skinny-dipping part). Frank and Emily are my relationship goals, especially when they made up during the drive to South Carolina. (Also, I internally got all giddy when they mentioned NC cuz that's where I live!) This book deserves more recognition and I will definitely be reading more from Morgan Matson soon!
I have two things to say. First, holy shit. This book was more than I could've asked for. To sum this book up in three words: magnificent, spectacular, and enticing. While some may disagree, I believe this book was beautifully written. Second, the Darkling is a punk ass bitch. It's true. I was so on-board with shipping Alina and the Darkling but no. He sucks bootyhole. Either way, this book was fucking amazing. Believe it or not, I'm sat here beside my mom begging for her to buy me the next book.
I have to admit, I did not enjoy this book as much as I did the first one. This book honestly bored me. Unlike the first book, I was unable to read this book in one sitting. I kept getting distracted and wanting to stop reading this book. I didn't really get pulled into this book until the last 100 pages or so. Overall, this book was below average for me. Despite this, I want to read the next book soon!
As I am a person who loves the Twilight movies, I was very excited to read this book. I went into this book knowing barely anything and I truly wasn't expecting The Greatest Story In The World™. I have to admit that my first readthrough of this book was a DNF. The second time I read it, it turned out to be one of the first books I had ever read in one sitting. The story enthralled me to the point of where I literally couldn't put the book down! The characters were well written and the ending was a huge plot twist!! I love this book and I highly recommend it!
[Listened to the audiobook narrated by Pearl Mackie.]
Paused ~20%
I was interested in this because of the narrator, Pearl Mackie, who plays Bill Potts in Doctor Who. However, I didn't really have much interest in this story and it wasn't really drawing me in as I listened. I may revisit this if I feel like it though.
Pre-Reading Updates:
my friends' reviews are telling me i'm going to hate this and i should listen to them (but i never do and always end up regretting it cough cough zodiac academy)... but i'm so curious and i know i'm probably going to make myself mad lmao
I've received an Advance Reader's Copy of this book through a giveaway hosted by the publisher. This has not affected my rating in any way.
just impulse bought this at target don't know what it's about don't know if it's any good just saw pretty cover and sprayed edges and put it in my cart