Young adult thrillers are rarely "thrilling" because oftentimes they use a combination of recycled storylines, boring characters, and foreseen pl3 1/2
Young adult thrillers are rarely "thrilling" because oftentimes they use a combination of recycled storylines, boring characters, and foreseen plot twists. I admit my expectations were pretty low going into These Deadly Games simply because the synopsis screamed CLICHE! from a mile away. This review is not just a review, but an apology to Diana Urban because I was very, very wrong. This book, as flawed as it is, is beyond addictive.
What's funny is that this book didn't bring anything new to the genre. The writing was a bit awkward, the "reveals" were highly unrealistic, and yet this book was a drug. I don't remember the last time I spent hours reading for leisure. Something about the desperation and fear that devoured Crystal as the games went on resonated with me. Her every fear, became my fear- and her game was my game too. I loved the intensity and mystery behind the story, and watching the pieces come together was all the more satisfying.
loved seeing sansa's growth, it's hard to believe she went from being an annoying brat to my absolute favorite. i really hope the series ends with herloved seeing sansa's growth, it's hard to believe she went from being an annoying brat to my absolute favorite. i really hope the series ends with her on the throne, somehow. now, i love my starks but arya and jon's chapters continue to bore me. also thankful only a few chapters are spent on bran & co. because otherwise, i might have quit the book altogether. surprisingly, i, the #1 lannister hater, found tyrion and jaime's chapters to be some of the most interesting. i hate to admit it but mr. kingslayer sure is growing on me. my girl dany has lost her title of Fave Character because i can only read so many chapters of her marching around with her "children." how do you have three whole dragons and an army and still can't cross the sea??? call me when you figure it out. anyway, so many plot twists in the book, and none that i could have predicted. i'm still reeling from the shock. god, i hate george r. r. martin SO MUCH....more
Aside from the short chapters and fast-paced plot, The Inheritance Games doesn't have much going for
"Don't be sorry, Ms. Grambs. Be worthy of it."
Aside from the short chapters and fast-paced plot, The Inheritance Games doesn't have much going for it. The puzzles were simplistic, the twists were predictable, and the characters were, by far, the worst part of the book. I have absolutely no interest in cowboy motorcyclist Nash, cold bad boy Grayson, human fortune cookie Jameson, or hungry baby Xander. (Okay fine, maybe a little interest in hungry baby Xander.) Time and time again we are told how genius these Hawthorne brothers are but I found it hard to get over the fact that they seemed more like a bundle of teen-angst with Xander's occasional quips as the cherry on top. And if that isn't amazing enough, the ensuing love triangle is sure to make things better! On a positive note, I found the whole Emily-Rebecca-Thea aspect of the book interesting. I would have been far more invested if it focused on the Laughlins rather than the Hawthornes.
Maybe it's because I just watched Knives Out and my expectations are insurmountable, or maybe I couldn't focus on the story because of the annoying Hawthornes, but all in all, the book was very ordinary- and considering the synopsis was mind-blowing, ordinary is actually very disappointing....more
I've always been told I have my mother's eyes, and now I turn them to their old purpose- bending the men of the Gordan bloodline to their every cap
I've always been told I have my mother's eyes, and now I turn them to their old purpose- bending the men of the Gordan bloodline to their every capricious whim.
Similar to its predecessor, Vows of Empire has an incredibly slow build-up and spends over half the book repeating themes that have been long established. Furthermore, the scope of the war has grown so large that the much-needed detail about certain characters and events is no longer possible. With the trilogy coming to a close, I find that I still know very little about Gal, Ettian, and Wen, let alone minor characters such as Hanji and the Wraith squadron. These flaws are nothing new and have been holding the story back since the first book.
On the bright side, the last hundred pages or so were interesting enough that I stopped skimming. The action, plot twists, and ending were unpredictable which is always a good sign. Though it was still rushed, I prefer it to a story that drags on. Overall, a nice conclusion to a fun trilogy.
I can "fix" the kinks in my hair, but not the kinks in this whole system that hates me and Devon and everyone who looks like us.
A dark academia th
I can "fix" the kinks in my hair, but not the kinks in this whole system that hates me and Devon and everyone who looks like us.
A dark academia thriller so fast-paced, and so good I often look back at it and wonder if the whole thing was a fever dream. The entire search for the identity of Aces was beyond well-done, to the point that it felt as though no one could be trusted. The stress of it all made the stakes feel high and the anticipation for the conclusion was out the roof. While I wasn't particularly fond of Devon, I adored Chiamaka and the character development she underwent as the life she knew was torn apart and remade. Even the minor characters, despite their limited page time, were excellent in driving the plot forward.
I found the conclusion to be a little rushed, but still satisfying. The reveal of Aces was shocking, and even disappointing at first until I learned to view the book as a metaphor for systematic racism. Almost immediately, I recognized how much of a masterpiece Ace of Spades is. Simply put, a beautiful debut....more
"I might as well ask," he says with a wan smile, barely there, like a line traced by a finger on a watery surface, "will any murderers on boar
3 1/2
"I might as well ask," he says with a wan smile, barely there, like a line traced by a finger on a watery surface, "will any murderers on board please come forward?"
Despite the story taking place over the course of only a few hours, the plot of Bullet Train traverses at a speed only rivaling the train in which the entirety of the story takes place. So much action in such a small place with misfortune in store for all five assassins on board- and yet, the devastating impact of it all remains beneath the surface, unknown to the rest of the world. This is what makes Bullet Train genius. The wit of the characters, the series of comically failed schemes, and the plot twists all contribute to the uniqueness of this book- if it can even be called a book.
While it is obviously a book, something about it feels off. Maybe it's the shallowness of the story, or the fact that the characters- while motivated- don't have much depth to them. Or maybe, it's the fact that Thomas the Tank Engine was referenced 43 times (screw you, Lemon) and it made me want to jump off a bridge.
I haven’t picked up a paranormal/horror book in a while, so The Taking of Jake Livingston was an incredibly fun read, especially after all the te3 1/2
I haven’t picked up a paranormal/horror book in a while, so The Taking of Jake Livingston was an incredibly fun read, especially after all the tedious fantasy books I had pushed myself through in the past months. The pacing of the book is fast, making the story easy to become immersed in. However, it also resulted in a lack of background for both the supernatural sight Jake possesses and the world of ghosts that he lives in. Additionally, the characters proved to be uninteresting with the exception of Jake. Even Sawyer, the villain of the story, had a brief backstory which did not allow for his actions to be as impactful due to the confusion that arose surrounding his decisions. Nonetheless, I breezed through this book, and, despite its flaws, had a great time reading.
Anyone can be the master to a monster should their heart be wicked enough.
I've read Romeo and Juliet way too many times for school, and despite ro
Anyone can be the master to a monster should their heart be wicked enough.
I've read Romeo and Juliet way too many times for school, and despite rolling my eyes every time I open the book, I admit- it's pretty good once you use SparkNotes every other page. Reading These Violent Delights makes me grateful to have read Romeo and Juliet one too many times because let me tell you something: the book is twenty times better when you know the source material like the back of your hand.
Gong does an excellent job of incorporating scenes and quotes from the original Shakespeare play into her book without interrupting the fantasy action that defines most of the story. Everything from Tyler and Juliet's precarious relationship to Roma, Benedikt, and Marshall's light-hearted friendship was straight from the play, yet written with unique twists that made the dynamics all the more interesting. Though I loved understanding the Shakespeare references, I was also afraid I would end up being spoiled as I knew the fates of many characters, however, Gong strays from the source material at the perfect times, creating unpredictable plot twists which ultimately pushed this book from 3 stars to 4.
My only issue with These Violent Delights was the blandness of certain characters. While I absolutely adore Juliette's headstrong personality, I found Roma to be very boring which is unfortunate because he is 50% of the enemies-to-lovers relationship. Additionally, I wished that other characters like Kathleen and Tyler had more time to develop. Despite this, my favorite character remained Marshall, which is no surprise considering Mercutio was my favorite from Romeo and Juliet. GIVE ME MORE MARSHALL!!...more
"I know the stories say that your kisses are worth dying for, but how can they say that if everyone dies? Who wrote those stories?"
I refuse to bel
"I know the stories say that your kisses are worth dying for, but how can they say that if everyone dies? Who wrote those stories?"
I refuse to believe Stephanie Garber wrote Once Upon a Broken Heart because the steep decline in quality from the Caraval trilogy to this mess of a book is astonishing. I was never fond of Jacks in the previous books, but even I can tell his cunning nature and charm have been cheapened dramatically. Pairing him up with an oh-so-special magical pink-haired girl (a.k.a. Evangeline) does nothing for his character, and might actually be the reason for his decline in the first place. Evangeline is laughable compared to Garber's previous main characters, sisters Tella and Scarlett, and I am certain half of the whiplash this book causes would have been eliminated if they had been the main characters. Tella would have solved all of Evangeline's problems and taken over the throne in just five chapters! Unfortunately, we are stuck with flimsy Evangeline and Jacks' neverending cheesy dialogue, and traveling to random places that make no sense. I am still convinced there is no plot, and I still have no clue why the sudden addition of vampires was necessary. ...more
The true beginning was in the before times, when monsters roamed freely outside the veil that now separates them from mortals, and demons some
3 1/2
The true beginning was in the before times, when monsters roamed freely outside the veil that now separates them from mortals, and demons sometimes fell in love.
I'm thrilled that Marissa Meyer is back to writing retellings because it is clearly her forte, as evident by The Lunar Chronicles. Her ability to combine fairy tales with her own twists is magical, and her writing is gorgeous. The book's set-up was a little confusing, but the moment Serilda recounted the tale of the Erlking and his huntress paramour, I was mesmerized. The story was unique, well-written, and held so much potential. Unfortunately, as the plot progressed, the charm began to fade as Serilda's character grew predictable. Serilda and the Erlking's relationship reminded me a bit of Alina and the Darkling's relationship when they first met in Shadow and Bone, but the characters themselves are very different. I love how the Erlking has no humanity whatsoever because he makes for a genuinely terrifying villain. Serilda is sweet and clever and I admire her ability to get under the Erlking's skin. And yes, I know she was cursed by the god of stories but sometimes her stories are a little overkill.
The ending was surprisingly dark, and I was pleasantly surprised with how Meyer was able to wrap up the story so nicely. I feel that much of Gilded could have been condensed, but overall it was a nice change from your typical YA fantasy novel....more
An excellent fantasy debut by Gina Chen! I have a few issues with the novel, most notably the rushed storytelling, but I have high hopes that the3 1/2
An excellent fantasy debut by Gina Chen! I have a few issues with the novel, most notably the rushed storytelling, but I have high hopes that the sequel will overcome these flaws and deliver a satisfying conclusion.
The most surprising thing about Violet Made of Thorns was how easy it was to become invested in the story. I finished the book in about two sittings which is very rare for your resident distracted reader. Despite this, the hours spent reading the book consisted of reading and re-reading pages due to all of the confusing subplots that kept manifesting. I have an idea of what happened, but if you held a gun to my head and asked me to explain the whole Witch of Nightmares plot I would be lost. I have a theory that these superficial plots, as well as the dry characters, are a result of poor pacing. If Cyrus and Violet's relationship had been slowed down, if the history of the country whose name I have forgotten was explained better, and if Violet's character had been explored in-depth, I think Violet Made of Thorns would have been a solid four-stars, which in my book, is pretty great.
Though not quite as exhilarating as its predecessor, The Queen of Nothing still provided the much-anticipated climax o
By you, I am forever undone.
Though not quite as exhilarating as its predecessor, The Queen of Nothing still provided the much-anticipated climax of the conflicts faced by the Unseelie Court, and a very satisfying ending to one of my new favorite fantasy trilogies. It still blows me away how imperfectly perfect Jude is as the main character, how despite her flaws, you still love her to pieces. Taryn, Vivi, and Oak, are all such well-done characters, even though they don't get much page time. Cardan is Cardan, and I love him, even though I despise his tail.
I stayed up late last night finishing this book, and it was worth it. I hope Holly Black writes a book with just Jude and the gang eating pizza and watching movies because I'm definitely going to miss these characters. ...more
And we should all be free to show our love- because that's what it is. Love. And Love is the ultimate commandment.
Aside from the pretty cover and
And we should all be free to show our love- because that's what it is. Love. And Love is the ultimate commandment.
Aside from the pretty cover and title, there's not much I can speak of in a positive light.
One of the main aspects of a book that I find to be the most important as a reader are the characters. If a book has a weak plot, but strong characters that are well fleshed out and full of personality, I can overlook it. As a matter of fact, I have read plenty of books with cliched plots and average writing, but have enjoyed the book solely because I love the characters. This cannot be said with A Curse of Roses. In addition to the weak and slow-progressing plot, I could not bring myself to care about a single character. Yzabel, the main character, was annoying to me, mainly because her entire personality revolved around her excessive piousness and confused feelings for Fatyan. I get that this was supposed to be a large theme in the book, but it did nothing for making Yzabel a likable character. Ironically enough, the one character I found to be remotely interesting was Denis who showed strong character development throughout the novel. Other characters, such as Fatyan and Brites, are hard for me to judge because I barely feel like I know anything about them at all.
Characters aside, the plot was boring and not well-established. I kept waiting for the chapters to build up to something, but found myself disappointed. The ending especially caught me off guard because it was so vague and inconclusive. I hate to give a book with so much representation one-star, but I find it hard to rate it any higher.
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