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my rating |
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| 0525562028
| 9780525562023
| 0525562028
| 4.04
| 327,714
| Jun 04, 2019
| Jun 04, 2019
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it was amazing
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One of the most beautiful books I’ve ever read.
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Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 07, 2023
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Oct 15, 2023
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Jan 03, 2024
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Hardcover
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| 4.14
| 3,865,402
| Aug 02, 2016
| Aug 02, 2016
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it was amazing
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“There is no such thing as bad people. We’re all just people who sometimes do bad things.”
I am a mess. Torn. So, so goddamn conflicted. Broken ov “There is no such thing as bad people. We’re all just people who sometimes do bad things.” I am a mess. Torn. So, so goddamn conflicted. Broken over the what-ifs of this book. Filled with sorrow. Proud. I feel manipulated. Tricked. Heartbroken. Educated. Thankful. Mindfucked. It Ends With Us is nothing like I’ve ever read. It certainly isn’t like any other novel Colleen Hoover has written. The word ‘DIFFERENT’ is just etched into its very essence. I feel like Colleen put part of her story and her soul on a silver platter for us to observe and draw our own conclusions from it and this also became evident within the Author’s Note which, by the way, I wholeheartedly encourage you to read. Hell, no. Scratch that. I WHOLEHEARTEDLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ IT ENDS WITH US. Not because of the hype. Not because of the romance. Not because of Colleen’s awesome writing skills. But because of the message. I cannot guarantee you’ll love it. I’m definitely far from loving it and I don’t even think it’s Colleen’s best work. This is the second book that’s ever made me feel the ‘I-love-it-but-I-hate-it’ vibes, the first being Dusty. I rated that one with 3 stars because based on my logic 1 star equals hate and 5 stars equate to love so the average of 3 will do. But I rated IEWU with a full 5 stars rating because if there’s one word to describe this book, then it’s EMPOWERING. And WOMEN EMPOWERMENT deserves 5 stars any given day. Plus, its unraveling is perfect. Without being spoilery, I will say this: this book is heavy. This book knifes your heart and twists it until you bleed all your pre-conceived ideas about certain topics straight out the window. I loved Lily. I loved Ryle. But most of all, I loved Lily & Ryle. Their relationship is so complex and layered and I was overwhelmed with feelings at just how perfect they were together. I laughed, I smiled, I felt my heart catch wings and head into the clouds. And then I cried buckets. Then there’s Atlas, which I did not fall in love with, but he just fit the puzzle perfectly and after a while I found him so lovable as well. And yes, I loved Lily & Atlas too. They were like a weak but brilliant rainbow after a storm. “In the future . . . if by some miracle you ever find yourself in the position to fall in love again . . . fall in love with me.” Now, now, don’t rush and believe this is some love triangle. I just feel evil now and I will say that YOU HAVE NO FUCKING IDEA MUHAHA. *sobs* I’m not saying more because you should definitely head in blind with this one, as I did. Honorary mentions are needed, however: Alyssa, I swear, she’s the best friend I could possibly imagine; I cannot comprehend how difficult it must have been to say and do some things considering the unique dynamics of her with the other characters; Marshall was another great addition that simply showed how easily men can empower women too; and Lily’s mother is a glorious character. And I will share this: there was one particular scene that left me crying like there’s no tomorrow. The last hospital scene. That beautiful and so very ugly and just 100% gut-wrenching scene. Where decisions were made in the hopes of a better future. Where letting go was worth the love you’ve built piece by piece. Where the cycle of history stopped. Where I had to put the book down and start a sobfest. It gutted me, completely and utterly gutted me. “And as hard as this choice is, we break the pattern before the pattern breaks us.” I read this book in 5 hours. I finished it 24 hours ago. I still can’t stop thinking about it and my stomach is still churning like ashes have taken residence there. I’m an emotional mess. I feel unsatisfied, yet content. Enraged, yet peaceful. This book shows the good, the bad, the in-between. It shows life and love and hatred. It shows how love can become a poison. It shows how love can shackle and hurt, but also save and heal. Honestly, it blew my mind. It doesn’t matter that it made me uncomfortable or that it made me wish things ended up differently. This story needed to exist exactly as it is no matter how broken my heart feels. It is brave and bold. It’s an eye-opener. I realized upon reading that I might have been indifferent or dismissive or downright judgmental regarding some statistics (this sounds weird, I know, but you’ll get it once you read). I never fully grasped some scenarios or some perspectives, but It Ends With Us changed that. It changed me, undoubtedly. And for that, thank you, Colleen. Thank you, Lily. Thank you for making me a better person. [image] ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 15, 2016
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Aug 15, 2016
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Jan 09, 2015
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Kindle Edition
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| 0399171614
| 9780399171611
| 0399171614
| 4.05
| 179,941
| May 12, 2015
| May 12, 2015
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it was amazing
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“I love you, a thousand times over. And I will never apologize for it.”
The Wrath and the Dawn is, simply put, amazing. Breathtaking. Stunning. My “I love you, a thousand times over. And I will never apologize for it.” The Wrath and the Dawn is, simply put, amazing. Breathtaking. Stunning. My sappy, romantic heart was joyous with this love story, swooning and falling head over heels in love with the characters. Thrilling, seductive and incredibly enchanting, this book will have you devouring page after page filled with literary deliciousness. [image] One enigmatic boy-king, the caliph of Khorasan, takes a new bride every day only to have her killed at dawn. Madman, they call him. A ruthless, cold-blooded killer. But when Shahrzad, a sixteen-year old girl, volunteers to become his new wife, and afterwards manages the unthinkable of living the deadly dawn's arrival, things start changing pretty quickly. Especially when Shahrzad desires the caliph's head on a silver platter. [image] Shahrzad joined my personal squad of favorite MCs. She's a feisty, fierce, silver-tongued heroine. I adored her reckless demeanor, her passionate heart and her cunning, sharp mind. And her sarcastic personality was truly a joy. Strong-willed, stubborn (but endearingly so) and clever, she was a refreshing main character. Loved her to bits. “This dangerous girl. This captivating beauty. This destroyer of worlds and creator of wonder.” Khalid, the caliph of Khorasan, the King of Kings, was swoon-worthy. You probably figured out that there's a reason he's killing his brides and the motive is absolutely soul-wrenching. But Khalid is alluring. Mercurial. Enigmatic. He's every shade of intensity known to human kind and under his cold façade, he's broken and utterly alone. His way of loving is a force to be reckoned with, one that will pretty much leave you in a pile of goo at his feet, a blubbering mess or a hyperventilating fangirl. Regardless, you will feel goosebumps and butterflies in every scene he's in, just like Shazi (a testament of the author's writing skills). [image] “What are you doing to me, you plague of a girl?” he whispered. “If I’m a plague, then you should keep your distance, unless you plan on being destroyed.” The weapons still in her grasp, she shoved against his chest. “No.” His hands dropped to her waist. “Destroy me.” The actual romance was just wowza. Allow me to say it's been a while since I've read something so seductively dark in a YA book, but I'm glad this happened because HOTNESS OVERLOAD. These two transcended the enemies incognito phase only to reach the boundless state of mutual adoration, if you like. Because they end well past love and straight into worship land. Together, they're every bit of a royal couple, a tiger king with his queen ready to pounce on their prey. They're strong, daring and unique. Dangerous and sexy. Not to mention all-consuming. Perfect for each other and so so in love with one another that I could not suppress -- for the love of all things mighty -- a happy sigh whenever they were together. [image] “Love is—a shade of what I feel.” And oh my goodness, they're sizzling, smoking hot. You'll blush, you'll drool, you'll feel your heart going bazinga at some (actually, most) of their scenes. The award for best chemistry is, hands down, theirs. I know I basically gushed only about the romance, but there are some other elements in the story, equally enrapturing. There's a drop of magic that I really hope the author will continue to harness. Then there's the plethora of attacks at Shazi's life, just enough to put us on the edge and trigger some intriguing political repercussions. Captivating, magical and emotional, the story will pull at your heartstrings instantly and will keep you gripping the book at the same time. [image] Despite the attention on their peculiar relationship, we meet other characters that have key roles in the story's development. Tariq, for instance, is such a love-sick puppy it hurt, but lovable nonetheless. Rahim and Jalal were wonderful friends and also LOL-inducing characters. And Despina was just awesome in every possible way. “So you would have me throw Shazi to the wolves?” “Shazi?” Jalal’s grin widened. “Honestly, I pity the wolves.” The ending was something along the lines of OHMYGOD THIS ISN'T HAPPENING MY POOR BABY NOOO. I seriously don't know how the story will be continued -- since the series is a duology -- because all kinds of dangers are threatening Khalid, his relationship with Shazi and the kingdom he's ruling and I'm afraid they'll be too much of a burden. I can stomach all the heartbreak in the world if it means they'll get a HEA. “My soul sees its equal in you.” Renee Ahdieh crafted this amazingly well-written debut novel in a masterful manner. She used Arabian wonders to create lush settings. She used quick and short dialogue (the type I like the most) to create realistic banter. She used different POVs to expand the story to its vast potential. And finally, she used original elements to put a glorious new spin on A Thousand and One Nights. Her writing-style was truly spectacular and I cannot wait to see with what she astounds us next. “Get up, Shahrzad al-Khayzuran. You kneel before no one. Least of all me.” [image] I beg you to abandon your endless TBR and pick up The Wrath and the Dawn. Lose yourself in its mesmerizing tale, have your heart crushed in between its pages and witness Shazi and Khalid become the epitome of romance. I promise this exquisite and soul-wrenching story will be among your new favorites. Just don't kill me for waiting a year for the sequel -- I am agonizing by myself quite alright. ENJOY! <3 ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jun 30, 2015
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Jul 2015
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Nov 15, 2014
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Hardcover
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| 1476791457
| 9781476791456
| 1476791457
| 4.08
| 547,590
| Mar 10, 2015
| Mar 10, 2015
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it was amazing
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OMG. Oh my God. Oh em gee. Oh my goodness. Owen Mason Gentry. OMGOMGOMG. That's all I've got to say for now but it basically sums up my love for this OMG. Oh my God. Oh em gee. Oh my goodness. Owen Mason Gentry. OMGOMGOMG. That's all I've got to say for now but it basically sums up my love for this book. Bravo, CoHo. Bravo. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 15, 2015
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Aug 15, 2015
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Jul 06, 2014
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Paperback
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| 0765326302
| 9780765326300
| 0765326302
| 3.94
| 21,627
| Mar 29, 2011
| Mar 29, 2011
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it was amazing
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REVIEW: “Magic does that. It wastes you away. Once it grips you by the ear, the real world gets quieter and quieter, until you can hardly hear it at REVIEW: “Magic does that. It wastes you away. Once it grips you by the ear, the real world gets quieter and quieter, until you can hardly hear it at all.” I found out about this book on my never-ending quest in search for other books with the same vibe as The Grisha Trilogy, one of my favorite series. Since a lot of people mentioned it and made parallels between them, I said I might as well give it a shot. [image] And holy damn, what a sorrowful story within a story. Sometimes disturbing, Deathless gave me shivers and I still chose to continue reading it. It was equally terryfing as it was fascinating. “You will always fall in love, and it will always be like having your throat cut, just that fast.” [image] I won't say a lot about the plot, as I sometimes believe I didn't even fully understand it, but I'll say a few things about the overall impressions I had. Deathless is outstanding when it comes to the writing style. I think it's the first time when I can say that a book has lyrical prose. The metaphors, the repetitions, the magical words. At first, they were a bit too much, but as I delved deeper into the story, I grew to love them. They reminded me of the Shatter Me style, but in reality they're a hundred times more complex and captivating than anything I've read before. They suited the world perfectly. “Life consumes everything and Death never sleeps, and between them the world moves.” The world-building was another thing that had me wide-eyed most of the time. A country of life? Another of death? An ongoing war between those two? Houses made of skin and flesh and bone and hair. Talking horses. Imps. Firebirds. There was literally everything! Combine all the magical yet strange wonders of a place like that with the dead, mournful, cold atmosphere of the Leningrad city trapped in a time when living is a luxury and you get an amazingly captivating universe where nothing is as it seems. [image] Nonetheless, the story isn't light. It's complicated, dark, twisted and deliciously seductive. And I don't think it's YA either, because there are times when violence and explicit content are the main emphasis in the world Valente created. I have to confess I needed several breaks, because I felt my mind was going to explode from the confusing feelings and theories and thoughts. I was left reeling in shock, deeply disturbed and somewhat constantly scared. No question asked, this book was a complete mind-fuck. I mean it's the first time a book gave me shivers! *shudders* “When I say forever,” Koschei whispered, “I mean until the black death of the world. An Ivan means just the present moment, the flickering light of it, in a green field, his mouth on yours. He means the stretching of that moment. But forever isn’t bright; it isn’t like that. Forever is cold and hard and final.” [image] But the best thing of all was the characters. The main character, Marya Morevna, is a mistress of the devil herself and she was such an ass-kicking heroine I wanted to applaud her at her very step. She wasn't like that from the beginning, oh no, but she slowly grew into such a fierce and determined leader, a manipulative lover and finally a worthy queen to Koschei the Deathless. Sure, she was often infuriating, stubborn and impulsive, but I learned to trust her. [image] And speaking of the Tsar of Life, he's the epitome of all things evil and yet I still adored him. He has no redeeming qualities whatsoever besides his desperate love for Marya. He makes The Darkling from the Grisha Trilogy look like a lost puppy, for he is flawed, selfish, unapologetic and goddamn compelling. His love for Marya was so heartbreaking and his whole life and story just down-right sad. Imagine being ancient and alone, always losing your wife to a fool once in a few years, just because the story of your life repeated itself until the world ended and you have no way of stopping the betrayal of your lost one. Well, it definitely changed my perception about meant to be situations. “How I adore you, Marya. How well I chose. Scold me; deny me. Tell me you want what you want and damn me forever. But don’t leave me.” [image] Then there's Ivan, whom I liked but I wasn't really a fan of. Then the side characters: the terrifying and yet funny Baba Yaga; Viy, the Tsar of Death, the true antagonist (at least in my eyes) in the book; Marya's friends -- they were all such mysterious and lovely creatures. I honestly didn't know how the story would end, because every character slipped up on the evil side, so I was always at the edge of my seat, guessing and wondering if the villains would get some closure after all. Despite my worries. the ending was satisfying and fitting to the question between Marya and Koschei: who is to rule? “Koschei turned, gripped Marya’s chin, and kissed her—not on the cheek, not chastely or unchastely, but greedily, with his whole, hard mouth, cold, biting, knowing. He ate up her breath in the kiss. Marya felt he would swallow her whole.” With this book, I fell in love with Russian folklore. With this book, I learned to question the power of free-will until the very last word. And with this book, I learned that life can be as lethal as death. Deathless is unique, powerful and an emotional rollercoaster, unlike anything I've ever read before. If you want a wild fantasy with villains you can love, this book will blow away your expectations. “After love, no one is what they were before.” ENJOY!<3 PRE-READING: I want to read this. Like ASAP. I hope it will diminish my withdrawals for R&R by Leigh Bardugo. Koschei sounds Darkling-esque. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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May 29, 2014
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Jun 2014
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May 04, 2014
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Hardcover
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| 0374384738
| 9780374384739
| 0374384738
| 4.20
| 51,596
| Mar 29, 2016
| Mar 29, 2016
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it was amazing
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“Stories will get you killed.”
Brilliant. Gods-given, brilliant literature. I am forever in love with these books, because like any other final ins “Stories will get you killed.” Brilliant. Gods-given, brilliant literature. I am forever in love with these books, because like any other final installment, The Winner's Kiss had the power to shatter the story or to lift it to heavenly skies. And thank the gods, it was beyond beautiful. This is how you end a series. This is how you give readers a satisfying conclusion. And, most importantly, this is how you uphold the promise to your own characters -- you let them come alive. The previous book ended on a killer note, one that promised the plot to become even more intricate. Coupled with the fact that lovely Kestrel and dear Arin were broken in their entirety, this serves us sweet agony, tear-jerkers, despair and disbelief in the first quarter of the finale. I might have been emotionally deceased at a couple of scenes. [image] Then the war interweaved with the plot and the bloody dynamics between Valorian and Herrani we've all been expecting finally came into play in a marvelously clever manner worthy of Kestrel's and General Trajan's strategies. Its development had glorious political undertones due to the Dacrans' involvement and it was all so deliciously good. [image] Regarding the writing style, I could see it changed a bit -- such as fractured sentences, rapid successions of short-replies. It blindsided me at the beginning, but as I got used to it, I could realize it actually worked for the book -- the mental state of both narrators was transmitted, the pace felt progressive and my heart was pumping thanks to the tension created. Kestrel truly awed me. She has her own parallel journey that brings the whole notion of self-discovery to another level and we see her in a different light, frayed at the edges, but still wonderfully strong, fair, ingenious and compassionate. When you see how far she's come, how she pulled herself up from ruins, you instantly feel a sense of pride because Kestrel Trajan is the ultimate badass heroine -- one that fights with her brains, not with her swords. Her emotional specter puts her as a central piece in the chessboard of war and her legacy and mind forever changes the fate of the ill-fated Herrani. [image] “You talk about her as if she’s made of spun glass. Know what I see? Steel.” Arin, on the other hand, I was mad at in the beginning. He was quick to bury Kestrel at the bottom of his thoughts and that just gutted me considering how Kestrel was fairing in that particular moment. The double narrative built a thrilling crescendo for their dramatic -- and imperative -- reunion, but that did not lessen the fact I was internally happy about the remorse, guilt, self-hate Arin felt. His character-development is rather interesting, with a drop of Herrani myths woven into his persona, one that nuanced him as an ambitious, loved and courageous leader. However, the dynamics between him and Kestrel also painted him as a sick love-puppy and let's be honest, we all appreciate his romantic and swoon-worthy side. In one word, he is dreamy. [image] Other remarkable characters developed wonderfully. Roshar, for instance, was amazing. Humorous, strategic, loyal, the know it all type we all love in secondary cast. The bromance between him and Arin was gloriously happiness-inducing. And most of his lines offered the comical relief for the dramatic tension; I honestly laughed out loud countless times. He truly was the icing on the cake. Moreover, Risha brought an interesting spin on the story. Sarsine was great as always, Verex cute and lovable and the Emperor still a megalomaniac. Shocker, right? I especially liked the closure of Trajan's storyline, it seemed fitting to end it sort of halfway, to get revenge but still forgive. It illustrates how no matter what we try to tell ourselves, we'll always protect the people we love no matter how much they've hurt us. [image] “Sometimes a truth squeezes you so tightly you can’t breathe.” Without a doubt, TWK is now one of my all time favorites and certainly one of my favorite finales, right there along with Clockwork Princess by Cassie Clare, Champion by Marie Lu and The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa. I am sad we won't have more of Kestrel & Arin or more Roshar, but the joy I'm feeling now far outweighs any bitter remnants of literary desire. The Winner's Kiss is enchanting, romantic and masterfully told, a book that grips your heart and soul. Kestrel and Arin truly became the power couple I deemed them to be and they shine brightly. So much love for this series, this author and these characters. Go read it. Doesn't matter you just did -- you'll thank yourself for a re-read. “I want better choices.” “Then we must make a world that has them.” ENJOY! <3 ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Apr 2016
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Apr 04, 2016
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Apr 26, 2014
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Hardcover
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| 4.65
| 2,332,110
| May 03, 2016
| May 03, 2016
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it was amazing
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Rating: All the stars in the universe [image] "I needed not to be dead when I agreed.” “You needed not to be alone.” I don't really know what to Rating: All the stars in the universe [image] "I needed not to be dead when I agreed.” “You needed not to be alone.” I don't really know what to say in order to adequately express how stunning A Court of Mist and Fury is. How exquisitely beautiful. How slow-burningly sorrowful. How... joyous at the same time. I'm at a lack of words for describing how it truly made me feel -- because this book resonates with my soul and my heart and my mind so wonderfully, it just filled me with awe from within, leaving me drowning in an eternal swirl of emotions, a ruin because of a mere novel. “But then she snapped your neck.” Tears rolled down his face. “And I felt you die,” he whispered. Tears were sliding down my own cheeks. This book is a story about life and love and every gray shade in between. A story about the bleak days and the lovely winds of change. A story about hard-fought happiness and soul-wrenching sacrifices. And a story about a girl who finds herself drifting away into the fields of nothingness only to discover the stars and moon and night sky pointing towards her glorious rebirth. [image] Feyre, oh dear Feyre. I am so so proud of her and who she's become at the end of the novel. She's so exhilarating and vibrant and incredibly strong. But she was not like this in the beginning. The events in the previous book shredded her apart from the inside out, living only a shell of the brave young woman we cheered for. My heart ached for her. But she finds herself again -- her true self, her wild heart, her luminous spark of daring, fierce, brilliant dreams. And the heroine that emerges is coated with sheer determination, powerful bravery and astounding compassion. I was not a pet, not a doll, not an animal. I was a survivor, and I was strong. I would not be weak, or helpless again. I would not, could not be broken. Tamed. [image] I want to assure everyone that not one character, NO ONE , acts OOC. And besides Feyre, no one changes. You know what I'm talking about -- the alpha-males vulturing around Feyre. ACoTaR only showed us bits and pieces, but we mustn't jump to the wrong conclusions about certain people especially since the depth of ACoTaR felt (at least to me) similar to a Vegas wedding after meeting a guy in the hotel lobby, whereas ACoMaF was a reality check. Harsh and cruel and unyielding. This being said, I liked Tamlin. He was true to himself. Everything he does, he does out of love and of fear of losing Feyre. And we all know that people blinded by love can often make mistakes -- and Tam did. Many mistakes. A lack of understanding intoxicated him and an imperative need for control severed his perception. Paradoxically, we get to know him better even if he's not a present figure throughout the book. And perhaps, now that we've seen more of his layers and facades... perhaps we see him in a much different light. He has issues and I truly believe Amarantha messed him up mentally -- nowhere near the trauma Feyre endured, but still a haunting scar imprinted on his demeanor. Regardless, do not mistake all I've said as excuses in his defense, because they are not. They do not excuse his ultimate authority, his condescending attitude and his infuriatingly rash decisions for which he does need to suffer the consequences. (view spoiler)[I just cannot wait to see him get his ass handed to him by Feyre (hide spoiler)]. “He did—does love me, Rhysand.” “The issue isn’t whether he loved you, it’s how much. Too much. Love can be a poison.” Rhysand, on the other hand, was the epitome of damn. I might even have a confession to make... He might... *gulp*... have overthrown Will Herondale and Dorian Havilliard as my favorite book boyfriend!! [image] Rhys embodies the highest standards for fictional males. His bad-boy allure. His arrogance. His cunning mind. His elegance. His astounding power. But these are nothing compared to his internal beauty -- his selflessness, his nerve-wrecking intensity, his carefully crafted mask, his turmoil and his kindness. His self-doubt brought me to my knees, because he is such a precious cinnamon roll and he doesn't realize it. And holy shit his past was just too much -- I WAS (AM) AN EMOTIONAL MESS. “You think I don’t know how stories get written—how this story will be written?” Rhys put his hands on his chest, his face more open, more anguished than I’d seen it. “I am the dark lord, who stole away the bride of spring. I am a demon, and a nightmare, and I will meet a bad end. He is the golden prince—the hero who will get to keep you as his reward for not dying of stupidity and arrogance.” And you wanna know what? HE'S A GODDAMN FEMINIST. If that doesn't make you fall in love with him head over heels, I don't know what will. Plus Rhys is basically the hottest fictional guy ever created (Darkling + Warner + Dorian = omg). WHY ISN'T HE REAL??? *sobs* [image] “Tamlin won’t allow it.” “Tamlin isn’t your keeper, and you know it.” “I’m his subject, and he is my High Lord—” “You are no one’s subject.” *** “Maybe it’d be a mercy to be ended— A broad hand gripped my face—gently enough not to hurt, but hard enough to make me look at him. “Don’t you ever think that,” Rhysand hissed, his eyes livid. “Not for one damned moment.” *** "She wins,” Rhys breathed. “That bitch wins if you let yourself fall apart." Lucien remains clever and intuitive and even though his relationship with our heroine gets stranded, his only flaw is undying, blind loyalty and I cannot fault him for that. Moving now onto more serious topics -- the new characters. We have quite a lot, but by far the loveliest ones are Rhysand's Inner Circle. They're squad goals. Fierce Morrigan; strange and kickass Amren; sassy, arrogant and skilled Cassian; reserved and observant Azriel. All these, plus Rhys, entangle a dynamic that creates a family. I loved them to bits. Secondary characters, yet so wonderfully nuanced, three-dimensional characters that gut you with their own stories and make you shed a tear at how much they love each other. Plus, they cracked me up on a constant basis. And the respect and unflinching support they have between them was all kinds of wow and awwww. [image] Okay. Enough with the stalling. Let's venture into dangerous territory aka the romance. *deep breath* I want to start by saying there is no love triangle -- there's only a wonderful, all-consuming and healthy relationship that evolves naturally until it reaches paramount heights. I was constantly plastered with a stupid, goofy grin on my face whenever this couple interacted or was simply in the same scene. What makes them absolutely beautiful in my perspective is the mutual respect, honesty and support they have for each other -- it paints them with an empowering and downright heartwarming glow. Their amazing friendship, their sparking chemistry, their hilarious banter and their hot as hell tension had me repeatedly blessing the gods for Maas. [image] “He locked you up because he knew—the bastard knew what a treasure you are. That you are worth more than land or gold or jewels. He knew, and wanted to keep you all to himself.” *** “I’m thinking,” he said, following the flick of my tongue over my bottom lip, “that I look at you and feel like I’m dying. Like I can’t breathe.” Besides those strong traits of their relationship, I need to mention the steaminess and sexiness and overall HOTNESS. Because this book? It's hot. Like black-in-the-middle-of-July-in-California-hot. NA, after all. You thought ACoTaR was hot? YOU THOUGHT WRONG -- prepare yourself for hyperventilating, fangirling and swooning, 'cause SJM's writing skills slay in those scenes. “I heard every word between you. I knew you could take care of yourself, and yet … ” He went back to his pie, swallowing a bite before continuing. “And yet I found myself deciding that if you took his hand, I would find a way to live with it. It would be your choice.” I sipped from my wine. “And if he had grabbed me?” There was nothing but uncompromising will in his eyes. “Then I would have torn apart the world to get you back.” Oh oh oh but there are some other ships that get my blood pumping even though they're not sailing -- YET THEY SHOULD. They totally should. Mozriel and Nessian embody pure awesomeness. (view spoiler)[And Elain and Lucien will be so interesting to see play out! (hide spoiler)] What I enjoyed tremendously about this particular sequel is how it managed to expand the realm beyond its initial borders, in terms of world-building, depth and history. ACoTaR now seems like a small piece of a giant puzzle, the lovely but common retelling of Beauty and the Beast paling in comparison to ACoMaF which, while just teasing us with glimpses of the real deal that's to come, contained a sense of radiant and vast epicness. The most special and bewildering aspect is the lush and vivid portrayal of the Night Court. Enthralling and contradictory, it completely enraptures you with its seductive tone. So different from the Spring Court (and Summer Court which we get to visit!!). But I expected something disheartening and equally dark, and while this mysterious court has that vibe and then some, there is also such glorious light and normalcy and elegance that reside in its spectrum. The Court of Nightmares gave me goosebumps. The Court of Dreams, however, gave me breath and life. The book centers in Velaris and ohmygod this city ! I loved Velaris with all my being and if there ever was a fictional place or universe in which I'd want to live, then Velaris and the Night Court are it. [image] Plotwise, there isn't really much to say, honestly, besides the fact that the king of Hybern is the new big bad wolf (as expected) and he wants to bring chaos into this world. But his presence is subtle, his threat only looming on the horizon -- the finale will deal with him more. Yet we encounter intrigue and secrets and eye-opening side stories and tales that create the legacy of Prythan hand in hand with the world-building. It felt similar to Heir of Fire, a journey of healing rather than grueling war. However, as in HoF, the last few chapters left me breathless and white-knuckled as I gripped the book to read every single word. Betrayals, alliances, resurrections, magic and evil marvelously unraveled in an explosive punch, a mic drop of a sort. It leaves you craving more the very next instant. [image] We'll see more Nesta and Elain and Tam and Lucien in the next book, that's for sure. But the stakes are so high and the game of hide and seek between friends and enemies so dangerous that I cannot help but be in a continual frenzy until the sequel. It's going to be as much of a masterpiece as this one, certainly. A Court of Mist and Fury made me want to re-read it the second I've finished it -- and re-read again afterwards. It made me want to live in its universe. It made me want to be friends with the characters, tell them how much I adore them and just how precious they all are. It made me feel alive in so many ways that it also rendered me speechless. [image] [image] But you know where its absolute beauty resides? It's in the cleverness with which it was constructed. Sarah J. Maas outdid herself -- with the loose threads, with the vibe of Hades & Persephone and with the countless clues and hints that begged for a re-read of ACoTaR in order to pick them up bit by bit. No one can say she changed her creation to her whim, because it was all carefully planned out, mapped out ever since the first page of the first installment. [image] “You are my salvation, Feyre.” A Court of Mist and Fury is my new favorite book and I'll keep it close to my heart from now on. Enchanting, clever and masterfully written, it shattered my expectations and raised itself on a gold pedestal. I love it completely and I hope you'll do so too -- as fiercely as Feyre loves the night. [image] On a chirpier note though, I'll go drown myself into a hell of a long book-slump because nothing, absolutely nothing can come close to this glorious book while its remnants shine so brightly in my mind . ENJOY! <3 P.S.: My headcanon fanart for ACoMaF: [image] My Night Court photoset is a bit spoilery, so here's the Tumblr link. My ACoMaF inspired playlist -- The Stars Who Listen [image] [image] Listen here: 8tracks; YouTube. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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May 02, 2016
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May 03, 2016
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Sep 09, 2013
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Kindle Edition
| |||||||||||||||||
| 0374384681
| 9780374384685
| 3.95
| 111,392
| Mar 04, 2014
| Mar 04, 2014
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it was amazing
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I have a certain weariness when it comes to books that are all the hype and I tend to put them on hold for a while, because I've been burned by my hig
I have a certain weariness when it comes to books that are all the hype and I tend to put them on hold for a while, because I've been burned by my high expectations plenty times. Case in instance, The Winner's Curse, is not like that. It is freaking ah-mazing and the true definition of addictive awesomeness, so excuse me in advance for the overall fangirling! [image] I picked this up on a whim, constricted by my small variety of books I had on my phone. Once I started it at around 9 PM, I couldn't stop reading and ended up finishing it at 3 AM. I got all teary-eyed at some parts, I was sometimes stuck with a sappy grin on my face and I actually experienced butterflies in my tummy at the expanse of a fictional boy. Call me crazy, but I fell in love with everything about this book, including the so-called enemies. [image] “Isn’t that what stories do, make real things fake, and fake things real?” Kestrel, daughter of the most respect general in the Valorian military, ends up buying a Herrani slave at an auction. Little does she know that not only she brings a determined rebel into her home, but she's also clueless to her future love for him. And you see, love and betrayal we're never happy pals. “Arin smiled. It was a true smile, which let her know that all the others he had given her were not.” [image] I completely admired Kestrel. She has a cunning mind and she's a strong, realistic heroine. I understood her fears and insecurities and I loved her caring and artsy side. She's so talented and clever, beautiful and just the right blend of selfless and selfish -- I know it's weird, but you'll get it once you read the book. In addition to that, I really admired how she's able to look and analyze a situation objectively, not treating it as a black and white scenario and acknowledging that there are gray areas in every war and battle. And let's not forget that this girl is not helpless at all -- although she's not exactly warrior material, she's kickass at her strategy. There were three platonic relationships I loved that included Kestrel. First, the daughter-father one. It is so remarkably done -- the mutual support, respect, love. The desire to not disappoint Trajan on Kestrel's part and the ultimate wish to protect that drives her father. I loved her father and Rutkoski really managed to paint him in a good, kind and just manner, regardless of the side he was on. “It’s every child’s duty to survive her parents. My profession isn’t a safe one. I would like—Kestrel, when I die, do not mourn me.” She smiled. “You do not command me,” she said, and kissed his cheek.” Another relationship I loved was Kestrel's friendship with Jess. It was heartwarming and Jess brought a smile to my face whenever she entered the scene with her bubbly and spunky personality. There was such a stark contrast between her carefree and socialite demeanor and Kestrel's guarded and conflicted mentality, that I couldn't help than appreciate the speck of color she added to the plot. Sometimes ignorance is bliss. The third dynamic I admired was the one between our main girl and Enai, her nurse, caretaker and replacement for Kestrel's late mother. If anything, these two showed to their world and to readers that no matter what race you are, we're still human beings. And that if you have brains, a heart and, most importantly, a soul, then you'll have no problem coexisting -- a matter we should take under consideration even in our reality-based lives. [image] By this time, you might've noticed that I've avoided the subject of romance. The first reason is that there's a semi-platonic relationship between Kestrel and love-sick Ronan that actually saddened me. This boy is willing to do anything to earn Kestrel's love and respect as a true suitor, but most of the time she friend zones him or uses him. And that's what kind of bothered me, because Ronan is nothing but a handsome, clever and kind man that would've treated Kestrel as a princess, but he never got a shot to prove his worth (don't worry, I love you, Ronan). The second reason would be that the main love interest -- Arin -- although easy to love most of the time, is also merciless with his betrayals. We especially see this in the first part of the novel, when his walls are slowly torn down by Kestrel's intriguing persona, but when at the same time, he chooses to hurt the same girl with countless lies and scheming. [image] Putting my conflicting thoughts on his choice of behavior aside, I have to admit he's a strong-willed character. Complex in his own contradiction and inner battle between honoring his legacy and duty to his people and sheltering his blossoming love for Kestrel, he represents the winning combination of a fierce, calculated and just leader and a man who knows that true values remain in love. He's funny, gorgeous by any standards, intelligent and caring, but still young and deeply flawed (not to mention hurt). Yet somehow that's what makes him inherently beautiful. “He knew the law of such things: people in brightly lit places cannot see into the dark.” The romance of these two is as gorgeous as painful to watch unfold, because no matter how strong the feelings, secrets always come to light and shred everything apart. Forbidden, with worlds separating them, their love is not a guaranteed survivor given the fact that they also believe it. And I have to admit that even though Ronan would treat Kestrel like a princess, my gut tells me Arin would treat her like a queen. “My soul is yours", he said. "You know that it is.” [image] The world-building in this universe is fascinating and I'd love to find out more about the other countries and how Valoria came to be. I'd also loooove to delve deeper into the Herrani traditions and customs and experience more of their society. I guess I'll have my wish in The Winner's Crime, because after that ending, what's next will prove to be stellar. “I see things quite clearly.” “You don’t, Kestrel, even though the god of lies loves you.” This is my first book from Marie Rutkoski and I have to say I'll read anything she writes. In The Winner's Trilogy she created an exquisite, unique and complex fantasy that she mastered with a wonderful storytelling. Amazing characters, a seriously awesome couple and a rebellion threatening to destroy everything they've ever known -- it has everything!! [image] Long story short, READ. THIS. BOOK. The Winner's Curse turned out to be one of my new favorites and I'll be counting the days until the sequel, The Winner's Crime, comes out, which I'm sure will be a gorgeous follow-up. Fantasy, forbidden romance, political intrigue, a world full of secrets and betrayals -- the perfect ingredients for a top-notch story that Marie Rutkoski has written flawlessly. Bring on the fandom 'cause I'm a die-hard fan already! Squee! ENJOY! <3 P.S. Yes, that it Henry Cavill. And yes, you should stop drooling. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Sep 13, 2014
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Sep 13, 2014
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Aug 22, 2013
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ebook
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| 0373211120
| 9780373211128
| 0373211120
| 4.17
| 21,036
| Apr 15, 2014
| Apr 15, 2014
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it was amazing
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Freaking tears. Why do I have to cry even when I'm writing this not-coherent blubbering mess of words? Bravo, Miss Julie. I am in awe and in terrible
Freaking tears. Why do I have to cry even when I'm writing this not-coherent blubbering mess of words? Bravo, Miss Julie. I am in awe and in terrible agony now that I finished this new favorite series of mine, Blood of Eden, and I assure you that this story will stay with me forever. I read this whole series in less than 5 days. I couldn't get enough of this world and I couldn't stop reading. Any book that manages to keep me up at night deserves a 5 star rating from me, because sleep is well on its way to becoming my next hobby. Any book that manages to actually make me cry with full, ugly, kill-me-now-kind-of tears deserves the same rating, because I'm quite an emotionless reader -- at least on the outside. If a book is able to do both these things, then it's no question it's outstanding and deserves all the stars in the universe. And The Forever Song is just that kind of book, taking control of your thoughts until the final sentence, proving that life doesn't give you all for granted, that you have to fight for what you truly believe in and that, sometimes, a little hope in the darkness is the thing that will release us from the monsters awaiting within ourselves. [image] I don't know, maybe I'm biased, but this series made me realize how lucky I am. That I have a safe home, a family, friends and teachers. That I have a certain peace and that first-world-problems aren't so important. I'm not ashamed to admit that if I were living in Allie's world, I would be among the ones that would die first. And for this revelation that had me going to hug my sister, I will be forever grateful. Allie became the model I strike to be and I seriously hope I'll achieve just a tenth of her strength and determination. [image] I don't want to say too much about the story. Just reading the synopsis will clear you in everything you need to know -- but be careful and don't read it unless you know what happens in the first two books, cause this particular synopsis is dark and full of spoilers. All the characters reached their climatic point in their journey featured in this last installment. Allie succumbed to the darkness, but managed to crawl out in the end. She grew into something so wonderful, a vampire leader in her own right, yet clinging to pieces of her humanity with the hope that she won't become a monster. Determined, strong, stubborn to hell, she was a goddamn kick-ass ninja in disguise. Regardless of some dire outcomes that marked her past, she wants to live. Also, the need for vengeance keeps her falling off the edge. For goodness' sake, I don't thing I've ever been more proud of a character before! [image] “Still incredible, vampire girl,” he whispered, sounding almost like himself again. “Dangerous, beautiful and unstoppable. You haven’t changed.” Kanin was, hands-down, my favorite character. Patient, understanding, calm and unnerving, with his mysterious allure and great dedication, he was the one to keep the gang all-together, the glue between the cracks, the steady presence that would protect the others no matter what. Selfless and kind, he won my heart from the beginning and never let go. I loved how close he became with Allison, how much support he showed for her. He was the father that Allie never got the chance to have and that turned a broken girl into a powerful one. Christ, he may as well be my most beloved secondary character! [image] Jackal, oh, Jackal. I loved the guy. In my eyes, he found some redemption for what he did in the first book. I loved to see him bickering with his sister, I loved his arrogant and mocking facade that offered some comic relief and I loved how he slowly started to care for each of his companions. Wanted to shout in his face: "SEE?! You're not such a bastard, after all! You do have a heart somewhere waaaay deep inside you. Stop acting like you don't!" “Jackal snorted. “Sneak into my own city and skulk around like a sewer rat,” he muttered darkly, shaking his head. “Oh, heads are going to roll for this. I’m going to set up a special lane and use their skulls for bowling balls.” There was another character I can't say much about, but I adored him for his strength and ambition. He defied every odd against him and he was selfless and caring. I loved him as well. And, of course, there's Sarren. Psycho Vamp, insane weirdo, damned creature, bat-shit-crazy bloodsucker, take your pick, because he was all of those things. The acts he did were so cruel, so vicious you'll shrink back in horror. I wanted to make him my personal punching bag. [image] Julie Kagawa doesn't shy away from torturing our beloved characters, from peeling every bit of emotion of them, from taking them beyond despair. And that's why the character-development is the main focus in this story. Although there's a great deal of horror, action and an always-constant clock banging in the background, the relationships take precedent and they become the beacon of light in a world full of terrors. A world that, I might add, was gorgeously built by the author. “This asshole had better open the door,” Jackal growled, spinning his fire ax in a graceful arc as the horde came on. “I didn’t come all the way to Eden to be eaten at the damn gates. Some might call it ironic, but that just pisses me off.” I won't reveal anything about the plot, but I just want to say what a certain scene did to me. About 90% in the book, in Chapter 18, there was a touching and overwhelmingly emotional scene between Kanin and Allie that had me in tears, shouting at a snickering projection of Julie Kagawa nonsense like "NO, NO, NO! You evil monster!". After endless tears and cursing at miss Julie, I finally accepted that this was just the way it should have ended. Still hurt like a bitch though. *sniff* [image] “Kanin leaned forward, bent down, and very lightly touched his lips to my forehead. “I am proud of you, Allison Sekemoto,” he whispered as he drew back. “Whatever you decide, whatever path you choose to take, I hope that you will remain the same girl I met that night in the rain. The one decision for which I have no regrets.” This book was gut-wrenching, but perfect with its bittersweet final echo. It truly was a requiem that brought out swirling emotions. Emotions get the best of us. Emotions rule us. Emotions make the difference between monster and human, no matter if you're fictional or not. And this message was definitely delivered in The Forever Song. Heartbreaking, action-filled, fast-paced and all-around amazing, this last book offered the closure I needed and ended this story with a boom. I hope my applause will be heard over this peaceful silence that was sure to follow. Bye, guys! Love you all. “I love you, vampire girl,” he whispered as he drew back. “And forever is exactly what we have.” ENJOY!<3 P.S. I want moooore. A whole book with Allie and Jackal just bickering at each other. Or maybe a book with Kanin falling in love. Anything. Please? ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Apr 20, 2014
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Apr 21, 2014
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Aug 08, 2013
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Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 0698171721
| 9780698171725
| B00INIXPVW
| 3.87
| 138,489
| Oct 07, 2014
| Oct 07, 2014
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it was amazing
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This book wrecked me. [image] The Young Elites is nothing like I expected. Familiar with Marie Lu's style and a die-hard fan of the Legend series, This book wrecked me. [image] The Young Elites is nothing like I expected. Familiar with Marie Lu's style and a die-hard fan of the Legend series, I thought this new story will be along the same lines as Lu's prior works: action-packed, romantic, funny -- you know the drill. Only set in a fantasy world, of course, but nonetheless still cute on a basic level. That... Was a mistake, because The Young Elites is so far from cute you cannot imagine. Eons away from cute. Zero cuteness. “A newborn babe takes its first breath / and creates a storm that rains down death.” You wanna know how TYE truly is? It's edgy. It's dark. Thrilling. Awfully intense. Depression-inducing. Dare I say it, even sexy -- in no way romantic. But, most important of all, it's different and realistic in terms of characters. For once in my lifetime as a book addict, the book I read follows a heroine that has such great potential, but one that will inevitably step into the darkness. Meet Adelina Amouteru, a 16 year old girl that survived the fever which decimated the population. There were no adult survivors and the children that were affected ended up gaining unusual marks -- and some even dangerous powers. They were called malfettos and hated by most people, being treated as the gods' abominations and associated with bad fortune. That's another aspect I loved: the fact that the "special" ones aren't treated as kings and queens like in most books. They're cursed and killed without a second thought and it all makes for a fresh change in the sea of ever-glorifying the gifted characters (see Victoria Aveyard's Red Queen, Leigh Bardugo's The Grisha Trilogy and Josephine Angelini’s Trial by Fire). [image] “The gods gave us powers, Adelina, because we are born to rule.” Back to our main character. Adelina has no apparent powers until she triggers them on a fateful night, trying to escape her father and accidently killing him. She discovers she has the power of illusion and that she could very well be considered a young elite – a malfetto with abilities. In spite of fleeing her father’s estate, she is captured by the Inquisition Axis, the “police force” of this world, and is awaiting to be executed, only to be saved at the last moment (I know, I know) by a group of elites lead by an infamous malfetto – The Reaper. Adelina is taken under their wing and she finally finds out more about her inheritance, her limits and her saviors. [image] It might seem strange for you, especially if you read this book, but I completely loved Adelina and I sort of… clicked with her. She’s so ambitious and stubborn and I admired her desire for revenge, even if her decisions weren’t always the best. Forced to betray a lot of those close to her heart and abandoned in the end as well, she delves in a world of darkness and self-destruction that could’ve been avoyded if only someone had paid more attention to her insecurities. I actually cried a couple of times for the things she had to go through, because the heartbreak she must’ve constantly felt was saddening to no end. “Be true to yourself, Violetta once told me when I was trying in vain to win Father over. But that’s something everyone says and no one means. No one wants you to be yourself. They want you to be the version of yourself that they like.” [image] She truly cared about The Dagger Society – the bunch of young elites that saved her – and she was able to create wonderful altough fragile friendships with some of them. Unfortunately, the losses, the unimaginable power awaiting at the top of her fingers, the self-loathing and the deep fear of never belonging will take their toll on her. Add those to the overwhelming pull to hate and fear and her dark past when she met no acceptance and you’ll create a lonely, broken, desperate monster. She’s the Darkling’s female version and she’ll become a true and great villain -- her transformation will be amazing to watch (damn, I sound evil). “It is my turn to use. My turn to hurt. My turn. “You’re making a mistake,” I say. My voice emerges flat and cold. The voice of someone new. “By not killing me now.” Moving on from our anti-heroine, the rest of this literary cast is as mesmerizing as Adelina. No one is innocent, no one is honest and everyone has their own dark secrets. Firstly, The Reaper, aka Enzo. I adored him. It might have been for his emo personality and his overall badassery or for the fact that he’s pretty bruised up on the inside, but Enzo’s strong and intense existence won me over. Also, he might as well be the only one that put his faith in Adelina. Plus, he’s quite smoking hot – literally and not literally. [image] “Don’t cry,” he says, his voice firm. “You are stronger than that.” Then there’s Rafaelle, a courtesan who became Adelina’s best friend, but who didn’t return the feeling as honestly. I wasn’t exactly his fan, contrary to the fact that his character combined seduction, loyalty (for Enzo) and a cunning mind. He would’ve been perfect if not for his double-faced behaviour that helped Adelina’s downfall from humanity. [image] Teren Santoro, the most intriguing character of all. Hypocrite, manipulated and a naïve lovesick puppy, he’s the leader of the Inquisition Axis and the one in charge to capture her back. His hate for malfettos of any kind runs deep and he resembles a madman, ready to do whatever it is in his power to bring them all down, especially the young elites. But Teren’s not exactly a villain, nor is he an innocent puppet. He’s a combination of the two and when you find out his background and how he ended up being so hateful, you cannot help pity him. I seriously hope he’ll realise his worth in the next installments. Adelina’s sister, Violetta, was a big surprise and I was glad she was on Adelina’s side, despite the few big secrets she kept hidden. The rest of The Dagger Society’s members – Gemma, Michel, Lucent, Spider – were interesting and I would’ve liked to know them better. Oh, and I hated the Queen. [image] One of my friends, upon reading the synopsis, decided TYE is sort of like Shatter Me with a fantasy twist. I guess you could say that. I guess you could also say that it's a bit similar to Shadow & Bone. Or, as I did, you could get The Winner's Curse vibes for no reason at all -- I still don't know what triggered them. What I'm trying to say is that Marie Lu created a story that, if dissected, would probably ring a bell with tons of other famous fantasy books, but if analyzed as a whole, then you cannot help calling it an original idea. It's bits and pieces that trigger a small deja-vu, but the fact that the author managed to put them head to head and develop them with her own brilliant ideas only increased my love for this women's talent. “When the world was young, the gods and goddesses birthed the angels, Joy and Greed, Beauty and Empathy and Sorrow, Fear and Fury, sparks of humanity. To feel emotion, therefore, to be human, is to be a child of the gods.” [image] Marie Lu deserves a standing ovation for another gorgeously-written novel. While Legend will always have a special place in my heart, TYE brings a mean game as a last effort to change my 2014's best reads hierarchy -- and I think it succeeded in entering my top 5 from this year. Nothing is flawless, so I do have some minor complaints. Firstly, the world-building isn't exactly the main element of the story and I would've loved to see it a bit extended. On the other hand, I have a feeling my wish will come true in the next installments. Secondly, as much as I'd like to overlook its existence, some predictability was present in the plot. Still, it did not interfere with my overall enjoyment of the book. Let's talk a bit about the last third of the book that was, hands-down, the best part of the entire novel. It was the climatic ending I was hoping for, full of sacrifice, loss, humanity and power. I honestly didn't think that the author would take such a risky path, but I guess it was a success considering Adelina's villainess only increased -- despite my very very broken heart. [image] Anyway, I want the sequel. Or maybe I want a re-written version of this one. No no no, I still have hope that Lu will sew my broken heart back. Somehow. If not, I'm gonna curse that freaking epilogue to the moon and back, because that last pages filled my heart with hope and excitement, but weariness as well. Also, I realized that Adelina's story is just a small part of the malfettos' universe and I can't wait to discover it all. *bring on the awesomeness* This book completely and utterly wrecked me and I'm half excited to continue my journey with Adelina, and half scared to experience the same level of anguish and sadness all over again. All I know is there is still a lot -- like A LOT -- of time until I get my hands on the next volume. [image] “To love is to be afraid. You are frightened, deathly terrified, that something will happen to those you love. Think of the possibilities. Does your heart clench with each thought? That, my friend, is love. And love enslaves us all, for you cannot have love without fear.” From the Italian spin on world-building, to the constant rush, overwhelming feelings and original characters, The Young Elites blew away my expectations and delivered a story I honestly fell in love with. Not exactly perfect, but amazing in its own way. It was badass, it was gruesome, it was violent and it was the foundation for a new hit trilogy. My dark self was joyous at such a compelling read. Verdict? I loved it and I recommend you grab it next time you're at a bookstore. ENJOY!<3 ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Dec 14, 2014
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Dec 18, 2014
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Jul 24, 2013
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Kindle Edition
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| 4.63
| 823,233
| Sep 06, 2016
| Sep 06, 2016
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it was amazing
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Brilliance. Sheer, pure brilliance. This is what this book is. Everything I wanted and everything I didn't know I wanted. It's a whirlwind of emotions
Brilliance. Sheer, pure brilliance. This is what this book is. Everything I wanted and everything I didn't know I wanted. It's a whirlwind of emotions. Quite probably, the best in the series. Full review to come. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Sep 05, 2016
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Sep 07, 2016
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Jul 23, 2013
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Hardcover
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| 1619636107
| 9781619636101
| 4.70
| 697,716
| Oct 23, 2018
| Oct 23, 2018
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it was amazing
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Perfection. I am in awe and weeping, my remnants of a heart full. I was scared that this last book, through whatever course it took, might diminish my Perfection. I am in awe and weeping, my remnants of a heart full. I was scared that this last book, through whatever course it took, might diminish my love for the whole series -- but gods, was I wrong. It was a thing of beauty, satisfying and heartbreaking in all the right ways. Bittersweet. I cried and sobbed, I gasped, I screamed, I smiled, I felt my heart beating out of my chest, I shivered, I swooned. I don't think I'll ever be able to write a proper review, but I still feel the need to highlight some elements that marked me (slightly spoilerish gibberish ahead). Fenrys & Aelin's silent language. Aelin not knowing what's real and what's not. Aedion hurting and being an ass because of it. Lysandra battling without stopping. Elide sprinting towards death for love. Ansel's soldiers. Aelin's scars. Rowan's vision. Dorian's lack of self-worth and perpetual need to sacrifice. Aelin crying when seeing her second love walk. Aelin realising little gifts pay off greatly. Aelin grinning and swaggering. Chaol running towards his King. Dorian thinking about Sorscha. Manon and the three Matrons. A Queen of Witches with a crown of stars. Aedion thinking about dying like his childhood heroes. Abraxos. The Little Folk. Petrah Blueblood. Gavin. Kaltain. Manon stopping herself from thinking about Dorian. The Thirteen, the Thirteen, the Thirteen. A tribute to the fallen. Dorian adoring his best friend's wife. Dorian as an uncle. The gods. Nameless is my price. Elena's soul. Mala's gift. The fall through worlds and the help received along the journey. A lion and his cub, together. Yrene Towers being amazing every step of the way. A queen defending the walls. Evangeline melting an old man's heart. Cousins finding one another, two faces of the same coin. A letter from a mother. The original trio and their incredible love for one another. A broken curse. Brothers by choice. Saying hello from time to time. A prince becoming a lord. A warrior becoming a lord. A field of blooming flowers. Looking forward to tomorrow. A better world. No, I'm not crying, you're crying. All these things above broke me in different ways, ripped me apart, some mending my heart back together. I am so in love with this story, so grateful for this fictional world and these characters, that I cannot quite believe it is over. It should be illegal to attach so deeply to imaginary beings, because it goddamn hurts when reality seeps in and they're no longer around you. My favorite series, without a doubt, one that I’ll cherish forever. Thank you, Sarah J. Maas, for sharing them with us. It has been a joy. P.S.: Shoutout to my faves -- Dorian and Manon, I love you to the moon and back. P.P.S: Where the hell is Nox? ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Oct 23, 2018
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Oct 27, 2018
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Jul 23, 2013
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Hardcover
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| 1619630656
| 9781619630659
| 4.46
| 1,080,363
| Sep 02, 2014
| Sep 02, 2014
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it was amazing
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"Enemy. Lover. Queen." Heir of Fire is undoubtedly one of the best books I've ever read. It certainly will be my favorite book of the year. It is gl "Enemy. Lover. Queen." Heir of Fire is undoubtedly one of the best books I've ever read. It certainly will be my favorite book of the year. It is gloriously long and kept me occupied for an entire day (night hours included) making me crave to find out more, but also stop reading so that the book won't end just yet. You think you know Celaena from reading the first two books, right? Oh, but you're so so wrong. In this book we see her more than broken, relentlessly blaming herself for the fates and deaths of her beloved ones. She takes down her every shield, leaving nothing behind to shed her emptiness threatening to shatter her from the inside out. I believe this was her turning point, the true crossroad in her life, making her see, accept and embrace all that pain, regret and self-loathing she carefully kept hidden inside her soul, etched into her dire and gruesome memories. “You collect scars because you want proof that you are paying for whatever sins you've committed. And I know this because I've been doing the same damn thing for two hundred years. Tell me, do you think you will go to some blessed Afterworld, or do you expect a burning hell? You're hoping for hell--because how could you face them in the Afterworld?” [image] And gods, what memories and past. We are able to witness how she became Celaena Sardothien, how her life changed forever on that fateful night ten years ago. But by facing all that sorrow and darkness, she's making a stand. She's slowly becoming a queen, one more powerful and deadlier that you could ever imagine. Her character development is phenomenal, because through her new experiences she is stronger, wiser and more determined. Her fierceness was awe-inspiring and I loved that she's still the same stubborn, snarky and brave young woman, maybe with her ego a little bruised. She's not proud of who she's become, abandoning her kingdom and not fighting for rebuilding it for the past ten years, but she's ready to throw herself into battle to win back her land. To say that she's badass would be an understatement. [image] Celaena makes the transition from assassin to queen with the help of Rowan, a Fae Prince and my favorite new addition to the series. Not that he is so eager to help, but in order to find answers about the Wyrdkeys and how to destroy them, she has to be worthy of entering Doranelle, the land where Queen Maeve awaits her to answer her questions. May I shout something? I LOVE ROWAN WHITETHORN. In the beginning, he's infuriatingly patient and stubborn, brooding and secretive. But when he opens up? And when he actually smiles?!? Laughs?? Scrap me off the floor cause I am hyperventilating. [image] “Gods, he was brilliant. Cunning and wicked and brilliant. Even when he beat the hell out of her. Every. Damn. Day.” He's an alpha-male in all his glory, with the kickass moves that would bring Celaena's to shame. He's scary and intense, protective and defying, caring, but lethal when it comes to his enemies. Rowan is the no-nonsense type and I was glad there is finally someone who doesn't put up with Celaena's bullshit. She throws a verbal punch? He throws one that will leave her with a black eye for the entire week. But they develop a friendship and something so important on the intimate level (not talking about romance) that it will warm your heart to realize that our girl finally has someone to fully rely on. No secrets, no barriers, no judging left between them. They would die for each other, kill for each other, fight for each other. And when they work together, as a pair, as a team, they're astounding and terrifying. [image] “I claim you, Rowan Whitethorn. I don't care what you say and how much you protest. I claim you as my friend.” Dorian Havilliard is the same swoon-worthy, sentimental, humble (yet a bit arrogant as well) young prince. He will win your heart regardless of the "team" you're in, because in the end he stands up to his father in a glorious way that had me cheering for him. He is way more mature, weary of everyone and everything and you can see him becoming a true worthy king right before your eyes. A lot of heartbreak and despair was in store for him and I guarantee it will all leave you in a pile of overwhelming feels. [image] In addition to his wonderful character development, Dorian is moving on from Celaena. And I'm not sure I like who he's moving on with. Heck, I don't like that he's actually moving on. Makes the whole Dorian/Celaena shipping a bit harder. But truth be told now, as much as I was against his new lady Sorscha, I was glad he got a little happiness and support to fight his growing loneliness, worries and magic. And you want to know why? Because freaking Chaol Westfall pretty much abandoned his friend when he needed him the most. Yeah, you read that right. Dedicated, loyal, selfless Chaol was so unable to make up his damn mind that I was uncounsciously pulling my hair. I was very much irritated with him until the very end when he came to his senses. In the aftermath of Crown of Midnight, his friendship with Dorian is left in shambles and things don't get prettier in this book. They grow estranged, but I'll give it to the captain that he has only the prince's safety and freedom in interest. But keeping secrets, judging, not being able to accept Celaena's and Dorian's powers -- all these things make me wonder if he has any shot left at our heroine's heart, because whereas Celaena would always pick him, Aelin would not. “As for Celaena,” he said again, “ you do not have the right to wish she were not what she is. The only thing you have a right to do is decide whether you are her enemy or her friend.” [image] We meet awesome warrior Aedion Ashryver, Celaena's cousin and childhood best friend. He's all deadly smiles, muscles and wild behavior. Aedion is daring, clever and doesn't give a rat's ass about anyone but himself. Or so they say. But he's dead set on taking down the King of Adarlan from the inside. When he finds out Aelin is alive, he makes it clear that he would move mountains in order to see his true queen back in Terrasen. He's loyal, determined, skilled and I hope he reunites with Celaena sooner rather than later, because he is in a pretty bad place at the end of the book. "A cry went up from the witches, save for the Thirteen—¬who stayed cool and quiet. They did not need to cheer, for they ¬were immortal and infinite and gloriously, wonderfully deadly.” [image] Another addition to the newbie characters is Manon Blackbeak, heir of the Blackbeak coven of the Ironteeth witches and leader of the Thirteen. The witches play a big role in the King's newest and darkest plans by being the riders of the wyverns he has created and Manon wants nothing more than to lead them into battle as Wing Leader. She wants to prove herself and although she is a bloodthirsty, wicked creature, I completely loved her. She's by no means a villain, just a different kind of heroine, firm and unyielding, with great ambition. Her encounters and silent dialogues with Abraxos cracked me up, because in that moments you could glimpse (besides the wyvern's total awesomeness) how Manon starts believing there's a chance she has a heart and soul and that her grandmother's rules might not be the best to follow. [image] “Witches didn't need blood to survive, but humans didn't need wine, either.” The King of Adarlan is still the biggest bastard I've had the (dis)pleasure of reading. I loathe the guy with every fiber of my being. He is wicked to the core, manipulative and selfish to no end. No, not just selfish, but greedy. Greedy for everything and anything, exactly like a monster. And what he did at the end, to my poor baby Dorian, made me wish that once Celaena comes back -- because she will come back -- she won't kill him. Oh no, I want her to keep him locked in a basement, to visit him everyday and torture him until he breaks, only to do it all over again the next day, because killing him would be too much of a mercy for the deeds he has done. [image] The other secondary characters were very well developed: the Ironteeth witches, Ren Allsbrook, Emrys, Luca and Maeve -- they were a testimony to SJM's awesome writing skills. And I might add that for me the writing style was slightly different. Improved. Better. More realistic, if you wish. There was a certain ease with which she used words that enchanted you completely. Plus, the swearing. I don't mind it one bit, but am I the only one that noticed it appeared more often than in the first two books? Matured characters, matured world, matured language, I guess. [image] The atmosphere is darker and the pace is thrilling, allowing you to breath for a bit before another near-death encounter or epic battle starts. The world-building was another winner, as we were able to see Wendlyn, Doranelle, the Ferien Gap and Adarlan again. We learn about the past, we meet Queen Maeve (who's quite a manipulative bitch), we run from terrifying creatures and we accompany Celaena as she masters her powers. [image] There isn't so much romance in the air, besides Dorian's plotline, because it's the last thing in our character's mind. And honestly, I don't really know who Celaena is going to end up with. Chaol still has issues with her and Dorian is currently viewing her as his friend, but things could still drastically change since there are 3 more books. It seems that even Aedion, her cousin, might have a shot since he wouldn't deny anything his queen would ask of him. And then there's Rowan who I'm not sure will actually have a romantic involvement with Aelin, but it's worth hoping for -- they would be unstoppable. “He would not apologize for today, or yesterday, or for any of it. And she would not ask him to, not now that she understood that in the weeks she had been looking at him it had been like gazing at a reflection. No wonder she had loathed him.” In terms of plot, you could say it's action-driven, but I beg to differ: the character development plays a part as big as the twists and turns and fights. It sure keeps you at the edge of your seat, courtesy of Sarah J. Mass' amazing writing, and makes you shudder at some new evil creatures or at the violence, but I basically view Heir of Fire as Celaena's healing journey, one necessary to fully accept her legacy. [image] “So you’d save another land, but not yours. Why can’t your friend save her own kingdom?” “Because she is dead!” She screamed the last word so loudly it burned in her throat. “Because she is dead, and I am left with my worthless life!” [image] The Throne of Glass series slowly becomes a younger version of Game of Thrones (with less deaths, but keep in mind that there are worse fates than death...) and I couldn't be happier. With the same complexity, a gut-wrenching intensity and an amazing world, Heir of Fire brings out the big guns: twists, emotional punches, tearjerkers and amazing characters, not to mention the wonderfully built world. It's definitely the best one from the series yet and a total game-changer, so don't be surprised if it will keep you enthralled from start to finish. Fantasy to its finest, a story with heroes and monsters, Fae and humans, life and death. Read it the second it hits shelves, cause you won't be disappointed (unless you're the type that can't stomach the idea of enduring another year for the next book and to whom I recommend waiting a bit longer, because there is one hell of a cliff-hanger). If you're looking for anything ToG related then check out this Throne of Glass fansite. ENJOY!<3 ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jul 08, 2014
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Jul 09, 2014
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Jul 23, 2013
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Hardcover
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| 0670070297
| 9780670070299
| 0670070297
| 4.12
| 51,012
| Aug 28, 2006
| Aug 28, 2006
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it was amazing
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“From this distance everything is so bloody perfect.”
This will not be a proper review, because On the Jellicoe Road turned me into ruins. Quite po “From this distance everything is so bloody perfect.” This will not be a proper review, because On the Jellicoe Road turned me into ruins. Quite possibly, my favorite book of the year, because it is so unique and so gut-wrenching and so enrapturing it deserves the title. This book is not merely a reading experience; this book is a journey. One filled with two emotional plotlines, past and present, that overlap in places only to thread themselves together in a masterful and sad, yet agonizingly beautiful story. [image] This book is about finding yourself. About hating the world and cursing the universe for forcing you to exist when you're left abandoned by everyone else. About your whole life being a question mark. And about finally opening up to the world and embracing it to the fullest. “Hold my hand because I might disappear.” This book is about love, every kind of love. The one between siblings. The one that's so intense it's everything to you and leaves you dying when that love suddenly stops. The one that's as natural as breathing. The one that you try to bury beneath excuses. And about the love for life, for living, despite it continuously trying to shove you down. “It's funny how you can forget everything except people loving you. Maybe that's why humans find it so hard getting over love affairs. It's not the pain they're getting over, it's the love.” This book is about the ugliness of humanity. About serial killers. About drug addiction. About neglected children. About pedophilia and child pornography. About goddamn cancer. About abuse. About suicide. About car accidents. About being parentless. About loss and about death. “Is a person worth more because they have someone to grieve for them?” But, I believe, most importantly, this book is about friendships. I cannot find the words to describe how amazing the friendships portrayed in this novel are. They just filled me up with immense joy and plastered smiles on my face and gave me a sense of family. With their banter, their bromance, their love for mischief, their leadership, their honesty, their support for one another and their endless, boundless, eternal love. [image] Also, this book is about clever and magical storytelling. About how an author can enthrall you with some words on a page and make you cry like you lost someone dear to you. About how she can twist your heart and make you curse out loud for (fictional) live being so unfair. About how she can give you goosebumps and butterflies in your stomach and sighs and accelerated heartbeats. And this book is about me and how I have fallen in love with its every single character. I love Taylor. I love Jonah. I love Santangelo. I love Raffy. I love Ben. I love Jessa. I love Trini. I even love Chloe P. and Richard and Sam. And I adore Webb and Narnie and Tate and Fitz and Jude. They were the backbone of this book, its essence, its soul. And oh, Fitz, I just want to hug the poor precious boy. And oh, Narnie, I just want to destroy her numbness. And oh, Tate, I just want to hold her hand and be there for her. And oh, Jude, I just want to save him from the heartache. And oh, Webb, I just want to place him in the sky between the stars where he belongs because he is perfection. After I finished reading at 5AM, I kept asking myself: Why haven't I read this sooner? How much can a single person cry in one night? How much can you love a book? What to do with my life now? And so here I am, begging you to read this book if you haven't done so yet. Let it be a journey for you. “You just have to belong. Long to be.” I'll go back to my sobbing now, thank you. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 18, 2016
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Aug 19, 2016
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Jul 23, 2013
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Paperback
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| 0399256776
| 9780399256776
| 0399256776
| 4.31
| 222,895
| Nov 05, 2013
| Nov 05, 2013
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it was amazing
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None
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Notes are private!
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1
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Nov 05, 2013
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Nov 08, 2013
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May 20, 2013
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Hardcover
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| 0718157834
| 9780718157838
| 0718157834
| 4.26
| 1,682,793
| Dec 31, 2012
| Jan 05, 2012
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it was amazing
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“You only get one life. It's actually your duty to live it as fully as possible.”
Three words: read this book. I don't think there are proper words “You only get one life. It's actually your duty to live it as fully as possible.” Three words: read this book. I don't think there are proper words to conjure exactly what I felt while reading Me Before You. It's that sensation when you're crying with big fat ugly tears and someone makes you laugh and then you cry harder. It's that awful feeling that something bad is approaching, yet you take pleasure in the precious moments before the imminent collision. It's that overwhelming tendency to close the damn book and save yourself a load of sobbing, but coupled with an obsessive need to see how it all ends. Me Before You temporarily messed up my life and I'm eternally grateful for it. [image] Meet Lou Clark, twenty-six-years old unemployed small town girl content with her simple existence. She's got to be one of the most lovable characters I've ever encountered. Witty, humble and determined, she's got some spunk in her, although she's not frontpage material for a successful life. A bit childish on the edges, enough to paint her in a cute light, Lou resembled a beautiful, rare bird trapped in a gilded cage without her knowing it. But one six-month job contract as a carer for a quadriplegic changes the way she views the world. [image] “I know this isn’t a conventional love story. I know there are all sorts of reasons I shouldn’t even be saying what I am. But I love you. I do.” Meet Will Traynor, a 35 year old intelligent, funny and rich English man. He also happens to be confined to a wheelchair since a motorcycle accident shattered his life two years ago. Some might argue that he's weak, but I beg to differ. The strength with which he continued to stubbornly make sarcastic jokes, cultural inquiries and sometimes behave like a gentleman was astounding. If I were him, I would've cried 24/7 and succumbed to a bottomless depression. [image] Because, you see, he cannot move his arms nor legs. He's stuck in that chair and everybody but himself is making decisions regarding his future, because he's been stripped bare of free-will by that fateful accident. He loved nature and skiing and swimming and running and climbing and everything in between and he's suddenly not able to do those anymore. He was CEO at a powerful company, calling the shots, having a beautiful girlfriend and friends. And now Will Traynor is living his own version of hell, by masking those crushed dreams of freedom and hopeless despair with mood swings and funny comebacks, always in the shadow of possible infection and constantly having to bare incredible pain. Life, as the utter bitch she can be, slowly and ironically drained him of life. [image] “I just … want to be a man who has been to a concert with a girl in a red dress. Just for a few minutes more.” The relationship between these two characters was baby-steps based. There was hatred and mutual contempt. Then there was a sweet, heartwarming friendship. And finally there was such a delicate, bittersweet romance. But this development wasn't actually the thing that mattered the most. That one was the individual development they triggered in each other. Lou ensured Will an unexpected amount of happiness and joy, but Will spread her wings and taught her how to fly. He inspired her dreams, he became that push for extraordinary that no one else imprinted and he became a role model. From books and movies, to more in depth topics as career and life itself, Will opened her eyes to a whole other bunch of infinite possibilities and the process was oh so beautiful and magical. “You are scored on my heart, Clark” I need to mention some secondary characters, but only those that deserve recognition. Lou's family was a marvelous example of simplicity, but they were bursting with life. I loved the dynamics, the utter understanding and the glorious support everyone offered each other. They're by no means the perfect family, but they love each other unconditionally and that's what makes them remarkable. Katrina was a pleasant surprise, their Mother was pretty much the adorable mother-hen and their father was the absolute best thing ever. Seriously, that man has to win "Best Fictional Dad" immediately. “Jesus Christ,’ said my father. ‘Can you imagine? If it wasn’t punishment enough ending up in a ruddy wheelchair, then you get our Lou turning up to keep you company.” Nathan was another glorious character that delivered some much-needed realism (although sometimes crushing) into Lou's idealist ideas. I'm glad they developed a friendship, but that they also united fronts for Will's well-being. Camilla Traynor was another favorite of mine. I can't imagine how painful it must be to see your child live this tragic attempt at life. I'm not saying that her cold demeanor is truly okay, but I'm also not blaming her for coping in her own way. There was one scene in particular (the one at the airport for those who've read the book) that broke my heart for her. Add it to the chapter where the author granted us insight into her thoughts and you can basically call me her fan. She's polite, posh and unreadable, but in the end she's only a suffering mother. [image] The end of this book gutted me. I was expecting it from miles away, but it sure didn't lessen the overall impact. Tears pretty much made themselves at home on my cheeks, but I was surprisingly content. I understood why everything happened the way it did, I understood the reasons that drove our characters. That didn't deter me from coursing the unfairness of life and how it could be a total bitch, of course. Long story short, besides of a (realistic) miracle that is currently impossible, this ending, although bittersweet, was the best way to give this story closure. I haven't read other reviews yet so I don't know if the masses have the same opinion, but I admire Jojo Moyes for having the guts to write such a realistic, powerful and deeply touching ending. [image] “Be with me. Give me the end I'm hoping for.” Me Before You is the perfect read for a rainy summer day. This book is so sad, yet so full of life. Uplifting and soul-wrenching at the same time, I consider its message, its very essence, the most important aspect of the novel: that life is great as long as you get to live it on your own terms and that, at the end of the day, it's okay to put your own happiness on the first place. It's okay to put yourself before others. And for that lesson, I thank you from the bottom of my heart, Will Traynor. Now everyone go read this book so that we can gush over how Sam Claflin and Emilia Clarke are the perfect choices for the movie cast. *cue endless sobbing* [image] “Push yourself. Don't Settle. Just live well. Just LIVE.” ENJOY!<3 ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jun 23, 2015
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Jun 24, 2015
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May 02, 2013
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Paperback
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| 1476753164
| 3.99
| 585,738
| Apr 18, 2014
| Mar 18, 2014
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it was amazing
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I think if you'd made me choose -- like with a gun pointed at my head -- just a book from my favorites, it would most likely be one written by Colleen
I think if you'd made me choose -- like with a gun pointed at my head -- just a book from my favorites, it would most likely be one written by Colleen Hoover. This woman is off-the-charts with her writing skills! She mesmerizes me with every book and she completely breaks my heart time after time, only to sew it back together in the most beautiful way with her gorgeous happy endings. Maybe Someday is no different. It's one of her best books up to date and that's quite something since I adore every single one of them. This book is an exquisite blend of romance, drama and heartbreak and I couldn't stop reading. “Hey, heart. Are you listening? You and I are officially at war.” It starts abruptly in a moment where Sydney's life is crumbling before her eyes, but we're quickly transported two weeks prior to that date so we can understand what's truly happening. Sydney had a job, a roommate who was also her best friend, and a boyfriend. But she found a little bit of rest, peace and happiness on her balcony, listening to a guy across the complex playing the guitar. Soon enough, she starts writing some lyrics to his songs and he asks for them. He's whipped on spot. [image] When the disaster happens and she learns that her boyfriend had been cheating on her with her best friend, she's got nowhere else to go. But the guy playing the guitar comes to her aid and welcomes her in his home. Oh, and his name is Ridge *swoon* That's where I draw the line. I'm not saying anything else about the plot and story cause it's really amazing and should be experienced firsthand. “Nothing in my life has ever felt so good yet hurt so achingly bad.” But I'm gonna ramble about the characters a bit. Well, we've got Sydney. She's fierce in her own way -- she has a spark that has you instantly rooting for her. But she's flawed, just like a real person. Funny, responsible, witty and kind, she made an awesome main character and her journey more entertaining. “I don't want to be someone's second choice.” [image] Ridge. Whom I whole heartedly adore and worship behind any hope since he's, you know, quite fictional. But oh, he's had a hard life and my eyes just got misty whenever another piece of his story clicked into the bigger picture. He's kind and so goddamn selfless! He's intelligent and talented. Calculated and driven. Loyal, dedicated and ambitious. And, might I say, too hot and smexy for his own good. Add a funny and honest personality and you've got the perfect boyfriend. *sigh* “I...will never...regret you.” Warren was simply great. He cracked me up, but also made me swoon at his friendship with Ridge. And another fact that just added to his awesomeness was his evolving relationship with Sydney in the last part of the book. Maggie was a character I admired completely. She's so tough and independent and just top-notch in terms of sweetness and goodness. Hunter and Tori. They're not worth mentioning actually, but I just had to send them a message: you suck. [image] The romance between Sydney and Ridge was so simple, and I mean that in a good way! Their feeling, although some won't agree with me, were entirely pure. I adored how they just seemed to click. They supported each other. They worried about each other on a constant basis. And they always seemed to embrace their inner selves and real desires when they were together. Also, the honesty between these two truly bewildered me. It's not something you see these days and their no-filter relationship only amplified their bond. [image] “For her I bend, for you I break.” Also, Colleen Hoover, may I say you're just the goddamn queen of twists?! Because there were some I didn't expect at all -- especially the first one, which completely made me reconsider my entire life. It came out of nowhere and I was left doing a double-take on the same paragraph. Very sneaky... Maybe Someday made me uncomfortable at some point, but that's really the beauty of it. It gave me a story from another angle and that only intensified the line between good and wrong, black and white. Although this book is full of grayish areas. I know I don't make any sense, but after you'll read the book you'll totally get it. Oh, I almost forgot about something reallyyyy important. The freaking lyrics! They were so complex and intricate and matched the story of our couple so well! I was compelled to listen to the song over and over again, memorizing the words as I went. It was just the magical drop to achieve perfection. [image] To sum up, this is yet another gorgeous story by Colleen Hoover. The drama she delivers will make your heart ache, but you'll gladly accept it for some romance between Ridge and Syd. And it's truly different from anything else. The lyrics were awe-inspiring, the characters amazing, the story simply wonderful and unique. I cannot recommend this enough. ENJOY!<3 ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Mar 23, 2014
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Mar 25, 2014
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Apr 10, 2013
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Paperback
| ||||||||||||||||
| 1423176375
| 9781423176374
| 1423176375
| 4.02
| 23,757
| Aug 01, 2013
| Sep 03, 2013
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it was amazing
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Four words: I love(d) this book. I don’t even know what to begin with. All Our Yesterdays had so much awe-inspiring elements that now, right after I fi Four words: I love(d) this book. I don’t even know what to begin with. All Our Yesterdays had so much awe-inspiring elements that now, right after I finished the book, I’m struck speechless. I’m still in the world the author intelligently created, with her unique and original characters, trying to save the world from its destruction. The synopsis had me expecting a different turn of events, so I was really unprepared for the real thing. But, oh my God, it was beyond amazing! The alternative narrations were a top-notch way to reveal information. And the flashes from the past clicked pieces into puzzle and made me see the bigger picture and how complicated it was. Besides the well-built plot, the other awesome thing was the characters. Arghh, I don’t even know what to say about them and not spoil anything. I’ll try anyway. [image] Em was my favorite character. She’s such a brave young woman and the sacrifices she’s made are so worthy of respect and admiration. She’s truly a model heroine. Strong, but not merciless. Smart. Deeply caring about the ones she loves. The conflict between what she should do and what she wants to do is a tormenting thing to experience and I wished I could give her moral support and be BFFs from then on. Marina is the rich and spoiled, selfish girl type, but at the same she has this innocence that makes her naive. Regardless, I couldn’t help but support her and admire the way she fought for the ones she loves. Her relationship with James was amazing, not because they have wowza chemistry or they’re soul mates or other gibberish, but because it is based on trust and understanding. [image] And speaking of James, I have a confession to make: I’m so in love with him! It might seem odd for others that read this book, but this brilliant boy won my heart completely! He was no perfection, that I can agree on, but his wish to make the world a better place is noble. He’s lonely, sweet, troubled and a science geek: how could I not love him? *swoon* “I know you, Marina,” James says softly. “You can’t hide anything from me.” Finn was also a great character: he’s loyal, lovable, sweet, funny, cute and fierce! I really liked his witty lines that also played a part as comic relief in the grim atmosphere and his protectiveness. As I said, he’s just great. [image] “He presses his lips to mine so softly that I think he must be afraid this is a dream that will dissolve at the best part. His hands press tighter to my back, pulling me close, and for a second all my fear is drowned out.” The doctor, who’s the villain of this book, is a great example of how people can change when they have power. I was disgusted by him and angry at him. But in the end I felt just ultimately sad. The character development between the past and the future is really incredible and it offers the readers a great opportunity to fully understand the actions and sacrifices some of the characters make. They’re flawed and they make mistakes when they let their hearts get in the way. And that makes them real, like any other human being. “It’s just you’ve had that look on your face ever since you picked me up,” he says. “What look?” “The Marina-is-suffering-in-silence look, where you grit your teeth and pinch your lips together like something might escape you at any second and you’re trying to hold it back.” “I have no such look.” [image] The romance part is a bit tricky, because it’s approached differently than in other books, but it sure as hell is complex and complicated. And I’m not saying anything else. *wink* I’m a sucker for time-travelling novels, because the consequences of such an action are infinite and very dangerous and a read like this one actually makes you think. It puts your brain wheels into motion and engages you in the story, because if you change the past, you inevitably change the future and that’s when you’ll head into the unknown. I also liked how the author gave a perfectly logical explanation to the possibility of time-travel, which may as well not be realistic, but it sure managed to set the story in action. Physic laws. Mathematical equations. It made me wonder if time travelling could become reality in the future. Some of the first twists are easy to predict, but the plot has many hidden turns and jaw-dropping revelations that will leave you wide-eyed and shocked. All Our Yesterdays is a definite page-turner that will keep you constantly on the edge of your seat, devouring every word from the book, because the pace is thrilling and action-driven. As a matter of fact, I actually started this book at like 1 AM because I couldn’t sleep and I ended up staying until 4 AM, half-way into the book, cursing the gods for needing sleep to function, because I needed to know what happened with Em, Marina, James and Finn. “James reaches for my hand. “Just don’t leave me, okay, kid? Please don’t ever leave me.” I squeeze his fingers. “Never. You’re stuck with me, Shaw.” But don’t think this is just a thriller with lots of fighting. Definitely not. What is so amazing about this book is that it mixes emotional turmoil with all the action going on. And the result? It’s a damn excellent rollercoaster! You have romance, a whole different kind of love triangle (I’m not even sure we could call it that way) and a good amount of confusion and conflicting feelings just to mess with the characters’ minds. “The truth is, the world is a fucked up place sometimes.” But one thing is sure, there’s no good or bad. There’s only good and bad. We learn that when we’re faced with the villain from this book. [image] The end was unpredictable, at least to me. Sure, it entered my thoughts at some time, but I neglected it instantly, because it was heartbreaking and sad. Bittersweet. Nonetheless, it offered the best closure in this case. The fact that there is a sequel in work surprised me, because I thought the story was finished, but considering it’s about the same characters, who am I to say no to such a treat? Cristin Terrill wrote an ass-kicking debut and I’m one of her newest fans! So what more convincing do you need? I suggest reading All Our Yesterdays immediately. It’s a gorgeous piece of literature that blew away my expectations (and they were quite high, trust me) and it’s definitely one of my favorite reads of 2013. It’s a gut-wrenching story about love, friendship and the fine line between good and evil. ENJOY!<3 You can also find this review here: http://raftul-cartilor-vampiresti.blo... ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 07, 2013
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Aug 08, 2013
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Mar 13, 2013
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Hardcover
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| 0312642970
| 9780312642976
| 0312642970
| 4.41
| 380,271
| Feb 04, 2014
| Feb 04, 2014
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it was amazing
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I don't think there are many series that just get better with every other installment, but The Lunar Chronicles is definitely one of them. Cress is th
I don't think there are many series that just get better with every other installment, but The Lunar Chronicles is definitely one of them. Cress is the third book and it kept me glued to the pages and since we're talking about a 560-pages book, that's just hard to achieve. [image] Let me start with the plot. If you're new to the series, let me say a couple of things about the Lunar World: Luna, the moon, is inhibited by a human-like race that has the ability to control minds and Earth is on the verge of an incredible war with the Lunars. We're at the point were our characters are running out of time of dethroning Levana, the Lunar Queen, and stopping her wedding with Prince Kai which has the ultimate purpose of taking over the entire Earth. Of course, there is also the little tiny detail that our gang is full of wanted fugitives, intergalactic criminals and mutated monsters. Our crew is divided pretty early, but with the awesome chapters that alternate in POVs we got everything juicy in high definition style and we were able to follow every subplot and adventure, no matter how little that would be. Good gracious, the world-building is phenomenal! Marissa Meyer pays close attention to details and the result is just breathtaking. I was bewildered whenever new pieces started clicking in the story, realizing just how big and complex the plot is. [image] And now on the characters. Our heroines are just as fierce and complex as I expected. First, let's take our new girl, Cress! She's so incredibly adorable, confident and far too sweet for the world she's forced to enter. She evolves into an amazing, brave young lady, but she's still able to keep the same awkward, cute and innocent vibe I came to love. [image] "It's beautiful out there." A hesitation, before, "Could you be more specific?" "The sky is gorgeous, intense blue color." She pressed her fingers to the glass and traced the wavy hills on the horizon. "Oh, good. You've really narrowed it down for me." "I'm sorry, it's just..." She tried to stamp down the rush of emotion. "I think we're in a desert." "Cactuses and tumbleweeds?" "No just a lot of sand. It's kind of orangish-gold, with hints of pink, and I can see tiny clouds of it floating above the ground, like...like smoke." "Piles up in lots of hills?" "Yes, exactly! And it's beautiful." Thorne snorted. "If this is how you feel about a desert, I can't wait until you see your first real tree. Your mind will explode.” Cinder is just awesome. She's brave and conflicted, selfless yet sometimes subjective, determined but goddamn scared of her future. She's down-right kick-ass and I loved seeing her getting a hang of her powers and finally embracing her destiny. [image] “But … is she all right?” The question caught her by surprise and she couldn’t help a startled laugh. “Oh, yeah, she’s great. I mean, half the people in the world want to kill her and the other half want to chain her to a throne on the moon, which is just what she’s always wanted. So she’s fantastic.” Scarlet, oh my goodness. I thought her character will take a step into the shadow, but she plays a big role in the plot and let me tell you it's not all flowers and rainbows in her case -- she goes through some hardcore stuff that trigger both emotional and physical pain. But she's fierce and strong, so I'm confident she'll get out of this mess. (I know, I know, I'm bringing vague to a whole other level, but I don't want to ruin your reading experience.) Argh, I almost forgot my favorite android!! Iko cracks me up like no other and her personality is outstanding! In a few words: I love her! Iko was still hiding, hugging herself self-consciously. “Is he looking?” Kai raised an eyebrow. “He’s not looking,” said Cinder. A hesitation. “Are you sure?” Cinder gestured exasperatedly at Kai. “You’re not looking.” He cast his eyes to the ceiling. “Oh, for all the stars.” Also, we get our first real glimpse at the Lunar Princess, Winter, and our meet-and-greet shattered some of my theories of how the series could end. She's... different. Still, I'll bet her story is going to be exquisite and surprising. Ups, I totally forgot to mention the evilness incarnate and her little minion: Queen Levana and head thaumaturge Sybil Mira. Queen Levana is still the same self-centered, cruel and obsessed biatch we love to hate, but in the meanwhile we got to know Sybil Mira a little better and she's an all-going control freak. Also, she's really high on the villainess scale. Truth be told, they both deserve to die. All right, we're done with the ladies, so let's familiarize ourselves with the, ahem, men. *wink* [image] [image] Captain Carswell Thorne is our yummy treat in this installment. Not that he wasn't yummy in the first or second book. Still the same I-don't-give-a-crap kind of guy, hilarious and stubborn. His love for his ship knows no bounds and most of his lines cracked me up. But we get to see he's not very fond of his own persona, that he doesn't find anything heroic in him and we also see some character development. Another thing that truly surprised me was his sensibility around Cress. They're stuck with each other for a good part of the book and the chemistry between them isn't hot and racy; no, it's actually cute and sweet and incredibly funny. I got a lot of "Awww" moments with these two and I can't wait to see their romance evolve. [image] [image] “Captain?" "Yeah?" "Do you think it was destiny that brought us together?" He squinted and, after a thoughtful moment, shook his head. "No. I'm pretty sure it was Cinder.” Wolf goes through some rough times, courtesy of Scarlet being in those hardcore stuff I've mentioned above. And my heart broke for him. He's so sad and desperate, lonely and angry and goddamn hopeless. I want a happy end for this pair because they've been through so much and they really deserve rest and happiness. [image] “It's all right," said Wolf. "You loved her. I would have felt the same if someone wanted to erase Scarlet's identity and give it to Levana's army.” Scarlet stiffened, feeling heat rushing into her cheeks. He certainly wasn't insinuating.... "Aaaaw," squealed Iko. "Did Wolf just say he loves Scarlet? That's so cute!" Scarlet cringed. "He did not-that wasn't-" She balled her fists against her sides. "Can we get back to these soldiers that are being rounded up, please?" "Is she blushing? She sounds like she's blushing." "She's blushing," Thorne confirmed, shuffling the cards. "Actually, Wolf is looking a little flustered.” [image] Prince Kaito... Oh, man. He must be my favorite boyfriend from the series. He has so much responsibility on his shoulders, but he's soo young. I wanted to give him hugs and cheer him up, because in this book you could really see he's beyond desperate and that his only hope is stretched thin -- finding Princess Selene. Thorne and Wolf tried to sway me and make me change my mind and while they did manage to make me fall in love with them, I simply adore Kai! I'm like Iko. Every single scene with him got my butterflies going and I swooned a lot for his majesty. And chapter 61?? I was like: SQUEEEE! I've waited for that scene since the first book and I was so giddy with enthusiasm I didn't even realize I was happy-dancing. Ah, well, romance gets you like this. [image] We also got to meet and analyze Jacin, Winter's love interest and our future lunar boyfriend. I still haven't made up my mind about him. He's fiercely loyal, that one's obvious, but he's also sneaky and mysterious. I loved his sarcastic self and smug grins and I think he'll be quite the bad boy in the fourth book. Cinder and the rest finally get to Dr. Erland; he was a key-piece to the plot, because Cinder had first developed a plan to eradicate Levana that wasn't brilliant and had a lot of loopholes. [image] Thankfully, Dr. Erland makes her come to her senses and they make a plan that doesn't get them killed on spot. At the end of the book there's a particular scene regarding him and Cress that got me misty-eyed and heartbroken, courtesy of a big twist that came out of the blue and that could destroy the perfection on Luna. One thing I'd like to put emphasis on is the intricate web of relationships. I really love the friendship and banter between Cinder and Thorne, the support everyone's giving Cinder and the fact that Dr. Erland was a bit of a father-figure. This crew begins to look like a family, they're way beyond friends now (I'm not including the obvious romance factor). I love how they rely on each other and how they trust each other. [image] This author's writing style doesn't cease to amaze me. With her original retellings, she managed to create an incredibly action-packed, romantic and hilarious story that can suit every type of reader. It really stands out in the sea of dystopians and now I'm forced to endure a year until Winter is released!! I'm going mad. [image] Guys, The Lunar Chronicles is the perfect blend of sci-fi, fantasy, romance, action, heartbreak and humor and Cress surpassed my expectations! It set up the stage for what I'm sure that will be an epic conclusion. This dystopian world is truly unique and utterly compelling. I don't know what else to say to you, but pretty please: read these books. You'll be completely addicted. ENJOY!<3 ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Feb 05, 2014
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Feb 05, 2014
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Jan 11, 2013
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Hardcover
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| 2940016131375
| 4.22
| 30,623
| Dec 24, 2012
| Dec 24, 2012
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it was amazing
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Notes are private!
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1
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Jan 15, 2013
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Jan 17, 2013
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Jan 01, 2013
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Nook
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my rating |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| 4.04
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it was amazing
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Oct 15, 2023
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Jan 03, 2024
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| 4.14
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it was amazing
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Aug 15, 2016
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Jan 09, 2015
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| 4.05
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it was amazing
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Jul 2015
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Nov 15, 2014
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| 4.08
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it was amazing
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Aug 15, 2015
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Jul 06, 2014
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| 3.94
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it was amazing
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Jun 2014
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May 04, 2014
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| 4.20
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it was amazing
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Apr 04, 2016
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Apr 26, 2014
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| 4.65
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it was amazing
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May 03, 2016
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Sep 09, 2013
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| 3.95
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it was amazing
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Sep 13, 2014
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Aug 22, 2013
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| 4.17
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it was amazing
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Apr 21, 2014
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Aug 08, 2013
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| 3.87
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it was amazing
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Dec 18, 2014
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Jul 24, 2013
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| 4.63
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it was amazing
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Sep 07, 2016
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Jul 23, 2013
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| 4.70
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it was amazing
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Oct 27, 2018
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Jul 23, 2013
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| 4.46
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it was amazing
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Jul 09, 2014
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Jul 23, 2013
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| 4.12
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it was amazing
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Aug 19, 2016
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Jul 23, 2013
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| 4.31
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it was amazing
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Nov 08, 2013
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May 20, 2013
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| 4.26
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it was amazing
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Jun 24, 2015
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May 02, 2013
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| 3.99
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it was amazing
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Mar 25, 2014
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Apr 10, 2013
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| 4.02
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it was amazing
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Aug 08, 2013
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Mar 13, 2013
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| 4.41
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it was amazing
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Feb 05, 2014
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Jan 11, 2013
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| 4.22
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it was amazing
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Jan 17, 2013
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Jan 01, 2013
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