Tag: book review

~o~Rating~o~

“The beast raged; it punctured the air with its spite. But the girl was fiercer.”

Tea is different from the other witches in her family. Her gift for necromancy makes her a bone witch, who are feared and ostracized in the kingdom. For theirs is a powerful, elemental magic that can reach beyond the boundaries of the living—and of the human.

Great power comes at a price, forcing Tea to leave her homeland to train under the guidance of an older, wiser bone witch. There, Tea puts all of her energy into becoming an asha, learning to control her elemental magic and those beasts who will submit by no other force. And Tea must be strong—stronger than she even believes possible. Because war is brewing in the eight kingdoms, war that will threaten the sovereignty of her homeland…and threaten the very survival of those she loves.

~o~My Review~o~

First off, thank you so much to the publisher (Sourcebooks Fire) and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to like this SO BAD!! I don’t usually review books that I haven’t finished but I felt like I needed to explain why I couldn’t finish it. If I were to describe Bone Witch with one word, it would be boring. It’s uneventful, and I honestly could not tell you what the plot is. The book started off well too, we find out that Tea is a Bone Witch when she accidentally resurrects her brother. And then… nothing happens. It got so bad, I started reading this book when I couldn’t fall asleep at night. I only got through about 35% before quitting and calling it a day.

It’s clear Rin Chupeco put a lot of thought into building this world and some of the concepts are original with a lot of potential which is why I read as much as I did. But rather than easing readers into this world, there are massive information dumps to where I couldn’t keep up with the Fantasy elements. One of the concepts I really liked about the world though was the heartglass. The characters literally wore their hearts around their necks and heartglasses can give you a glimpse into a person’s personality and powers.

The book’s slowness also has a lot to do with the two different point of views: Tea is basically telling her story to someone else so half the chapters are from his point of view while the other chapters are her POV telling the story. That’s a good idea and props to the author for trying but it wasn’t doing well for me.

I love character driven stories and this was not one. Tea as a character has no substance and little to no emotion. She’s just plain (sorry for the repetition) boring. I could not connect to her at all.

Bone Witch gets two stars because of the originality of the world. And the writing itself is good even if the execution isn’t. (Also the cover fits in so well with my blog’s color scheme!)

Have you any of you guys read this yet? Is it on your TBR?

~o~Rating~o~

Warning: The following contains spoilers for both The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare.

Fans of The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices can get to know warlock Magnus Bane like never before in this collection of New York Times bestselling tales, in print for the first time with an exclusive new story and illustrated material.

This collection of eleven short stories illuminates the life of the enigmatic Magnus Bane, whose alluring personality, flamboyant style, and sharp wit populate the pages of the #1 New York Times bestselling series, The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices.

Originally released one-by-one as e-only short stories by Cassandra Clare, Maureen Johnson, and Sarah Rees Brennan, this compilation presents all ten together in print for the first time and includes a never-before-seen eleventh tale, as well as new illustrated material.

~o~My Review~o~

I finally picked up the Magnus Bane chronicles. It had to do a lot with the Shadowhunters show and I wanted to know Magnus’ entire back story. (Side note: season 2 of Shadowhunters is SUCH a great improvement than season 1. So if you gave up on the show after that horrendous first season, I strongly encourage you to try season 2. From the fourth episode and on, there’s a new writing team and they’re a lot better than the previous one).

Anyway, I really liked the compilation of short stories about Magnus. I feel like I understand him more as a character now. All my favorite characters make an appearance. I was most excited to see Will and Tessa and I was practically jumping with joy when they showed up.

There are eleven short stories in total and most of them were great. My favorites were #4 – The Midnight Heir about Tessa and Will’s son. And #6 – Saving Raphael Santiago about, obviously, how Magnus saves Raphael (this one was just so sweet! And I love Raphael now). And also #10 The Course of True Love (and First Dates) in which Magnus and Alec go on their first date and THIS WAS SO CUTE!

There were two stories I didn’t care much about (What Really Happened in Peru and The Rise of the Hotel Dumort). But Magnus’ sass and snark almost make up for it.

The stories themselves are all about fifty pages or so long and they go by really fast. I read this in under five hours which is unusual for me because I’m a slow reader. There’s action, romance, humor and heartbreak.

I recommend this to anyone who has read all the other Cassandra Clare books. These stories are wonderful additions to the Shadowhunters world.

~o~Rating~o~

The youngest daughter of a proud Celtic king, Fallon has always lived in the shadow of her older sister Sorcha’s legendary reputation as a warrior. But when Fallon was a young child, the armies of Julius Caesar invaded the island of Britain and her beloved older sister was killed in battle.

On the eve of her seventeenth birthday, Fallon is excited to follow in her sister’s footsteps and earn her rightful place in her father’s royal war band. But she never gets the chance. Instead, Fallon is captured by a band of ruthless brigands who sell her to an exclusive training school for female gladiators—and its most influential patron is none other than Julius Caesar himself. In a cruel twist of fate, Fallon’s worst enemy, the man who destroyed her family, might be her only hope of survival.

Now, Fallon must overcome vicious rivalries, chilling threats and the dangerous attention of Caesar himself to survive the deadly fights that take place both in and out of the arena—and claim her place in history among the Valiant.

Publication date: February 14, 2017

Goodreads| Amazon | Barnes & Nobles

~o~My Review~o~

“Are you a weapon or a target?”

What’s cooler than female gladiators? Not many things, I can tell you that.

Don’t let the not-so-great (to say the least) cover fool you. The Valiant is fast paced with a thrilling plot and a multi-dimensional main character who is developed well. Fallon, though a little impulsive, is likeable. 

It’s clear a lot of research was done for this book. The descriptions of the early Roman Empire during Julius Caesar’s rule and the different Celtic tribes were educational. I don’t have much experience with their history so I’m not the best judge of the accuracy but as far as I can tell, the setting was created respectfully.

A lot happens by the first few chapters to where it can be overwhelming to take in. I like fast pace books but it seemed too fast-paced to me. It seemed like the author was so eager for the setting to change from the Cantii island to the Ancient Roman Empire that she neglected the island setting a little bit. The pacing slows down once she is taken by the brigands and it’s less bothersome.

Something else that annoyed me was the author’s tendency to tell and not show, especially towards the middle of the book. We know Fallon is a trained fighter, probably the most skilled female in her tribe after her late sister, but a lot of times in the book, her abilities don’t come to show. We are told she is good but we are not shown her skills until much later. I understand her vulnerability was necessary as a plot point but it didn’t seem to connect with what we were learning about her from her past and from other characters.

My rating though is based off of my enjoyment of the novel. The plot itself was good: there were many twists – some expected and some unexpected – that kept me reading. I enjoyed the overall story very much and I recommend this book to anyone looking for a fast-paced adventure with a little romance thrown in there.

~o~Rating~o~

Lyra

From a distance, the Haven Institute, tucked away on a private island off the coast of Florida, looks serene and even beautiful. But up close the locked doors, military guards, and biohazard suits tell a different story. In truth, it is a clandestine research facility where thousands of replicas, or human models, are born, raised, and observed.

But when a surprise attack is launched on Haven, two of its young experimental subjects—Lyra, or 24, and the boy known only as 72—manage to escape. As they make their way through a new and menacing environment, they meet a stranger named Gemma, who has embarked on a perilous quest of her own. And as Lyra tries to understand Haven’s purpose, she uncovers earth-shattering secrets that will change the lives of both girls.

Gemma

Gemma has been in and out of hospitals her whole life. A sickly child, she has grown into a lonely adolescent whose life is circumscribed by home, school, and her best friend, April.

But after she is nearly abducted by a stranger claiming to know her, Gemma starts to investigate her family’s past and discovers her father’s mysterious connection to the secretive Haven research facility. Hungry for answers, she travels to Florida, only to stumble upon two human models, or replicas, 24 and 72—and a completely new set of questions. As Gemma tries to unravel the mysteries of Haven, she learnes terrible truths about herself and her family that will threaten to destroy everything she loves.

Two girls, two stories, one novel.

While the stories of Gemma and Lyra mirror each other, each contains revelations critically important to the other story. Their narratives can be read separately or in alternating chapters.

 Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Nobles

~o~Review~o~

I liked this book! I was worried because of the alternative format. But the format worked well for me. One side is from Lyra’s point of view and the other is Gemma’s, you can read their individual stories by itself or you can alternate between chapters which is what I did. I ended up really enjoying flipping the book after every chapter.

Replica was full of unexpected plot twists and turns that kept me surprised and engaged. Because I was reading the chapter alternatively, there were some repeats in dialogue but the two different perspectives brought unique insight into the story.

Even though the book itself is pretty big, since there are two different stories, it doesn’t feel like it’s 520 pages. There are only two perspectives but there are multiple main characters. It can sometimes feel like we aren’t able to be engrossed in the characters, especially the love interests, because Lauren Oliver was trying to give everyone a balanced screen time. Other than our two main girls, we didn’t have wholly developed personalities from the others. BUT the book takes place in the span of a few days and there are sequels so there is still high hope.

Gemma is relatable. A little chubby and awkward but stubborn and ready for an adventure. I loved watching her grow and become more comfortable with herself. Lyra is also relatable and complex. She goes through a lot of internal struggle of what it means to be human and whether or not her emotions and feelings are valid.

Character relationships were okay. The relationships that develop the most are the romantic ones which was fine with me but it left me craving more. I wanted Gemma and Lyra’s relationship explored more since they’re the main characters.

Overall, this was surprising and engaging. A good introduction to a new series.

Have you read Replica?

~o~Rating~o~

No one expects a princess to be brutal. And Lada Dragwlya likes it that way. Ever since she and her gentle younger brother, Radu, were wrenched from their homeland of Wallachia and abandoned by their father to be raised in the Ottoman courts, Lada has known that being ruthless is the key to survival. She and Radu are doomed to act as pawns in a vicious game, an unseen sword hovering over their every move. For the lineage that makes them special also makes them targets.

Lada despises the Ottomans and bides her time, planning her vengeance for the day when she can return to Wallachia and claim her birthright. Radu longs only for a place where he feels safe. And when they meet Mehmed, the defiant and lonely son of the sultan, Radu feels that he’s made a true friend—and Lada wonders if she’s finally found someone worthy of her passion.

But Mehmed is heir to the very empire that Lada has sworn to fight against—and that Radu now considers home. Together, Lada, Radu, and Mehmed form a toxic triangle that strains the bonds of love and loyalty to the breaking point.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Nobles

~o~My Review~o~

“Souls and thrones are irreconcilable” 

Vlad the Impaler re-imagined as a girl. Historical fiction and I do not usually get along but sometimes, some rare jems like this book present themselves and I just can’t help falling deeply in love. I’ve read a lot of mixed reviews about this book so I didn’t think I would love it as much as I did. Lada is vicious, manipulative, downright cruel and painstakingly AWESOME.

And I Darken is a perfect balance of real historical events with a creative outlook. I never felt like Kiersten White was being anyway disrespectful to the culture or to these historical characters who actually existed once upon a time. It’s clear she did a lot of research on the topic. Keep in mind though that I am in no way an expert on the Ottoman Empire and I’m not claiming to know all the history behind it but to my [limited] knowledge, the story was executed well.

This book is action packed but also very heavy in politics which can turn some people away but it’s one of the reasons I enjoyed the book even more. Political alliances, building connections, ruling empires, stabbing people, it’s glorious!

One of my favorite aspects of the book was the relationship between siblings Lada and Radu. Where Lada is violent, vicious, and unseemly, Radu is the opposite: he’s beautiful; sympathetic; and a little fragile. Their relationship was complex and held all the emotions of both sibling rivalry and loyalty.

My favorite character: Radu. Radu goes through the most transformation in this book. He goes from a scared little boy to a charming and (seemingly) collected man.

Overall, this book was the best YA historical fiction I’ve read. If you’re on the fence about reading this one, I VERY strongly recommend.

Have you guys read this? What did you think?

~o~Rating~o~

~o~Goodreads Synopsis~o~

Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.

Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.

When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.

This is an intense, gripping novel perfect for fans of Jay Asher, Rainbow Rowell, John Green, Gayle Forman, and Jenny Downham from a talented new voice in YA, Jennifer Niven.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Nobles

~o~My Review~o~

“Sometimes, Ultraviolet, things feel true to us even if they’re not.”

This was a good book. I know, I know, very articulate. Why am I a book blogger again?

I loved this book and didn’t love this book at the same time. Two troubled teenagers fall in love and help each other heal. It’s a familiar trope that has been adamantly explored in YA for years. In that aspect, the book was predictable but that didn’t stop it from being an emotional tear-jerker/heart-breaker that made me unable to study for finals because I needed to know what would happen even though I kind of already had an idea. Whew, that was a long sentence. The writing is also fabulous, very similar to John Green, with its existential dialogues and quirky main characters.

Theodore Finch is obsessed with death, more specifically suicide. He is constantly thinking about suicide. He knows all the random facts about suicide, the most common methods, chances of success, types of people who try, etc. He sometimes gets into one of these moods where he feels like he’s almost fading and that he’s just trapped in his body without having any control over it. And when he snaps out of those periods, he calls it the Awake.

He struggles with his family dynamic. His father left his mom and his two sisters and now has another family with a wife and another son. His mother works two jobs to keep them financially stable; the divorce hit her hard so she’s always tired and a little aloof. His father was/is abusive and Finch thinks a big cause of his condition is because of his “chemical make-up” referring to the genes he got from his father.

Violet Markey has just lost her older sister Eleanor a few months ago in a car crash that she survived. She has survivor’s guilt and has lost all motivation to do things she had previously enjoyed. She was a cheerleader, writer and blogger (a blog she ran with her sister).

On his good days, Finch is energetic, quirky and a little impulsive. Finch pushes Violet to live again, to not let the car crash keep defining who she is. He encourages her, gives her a gentle tug (and the occasional hard shove) towards life and happiness.

I don’t have first hand experience with either depression or profound grief but it’s important to understand these feelings and this book does a good job on expressing them. On the Acknowledgements page, Jennifer Niven says All the Bright Places is loosely based on her own life story, which explains how she conveyed these emotions so well. Although I felt like I couldn’t related to either of the two main characters, I understood them both. I understood what drove them to do things that they did.

Violet and Finch are not characters but people, two imperfect human beings with pent up anger and love and loss. And it’s when a character becomes a person in your eyes that you know they are developed well.

Why this book didn’t get a five star has to do more with me and less with the book. I loved this book but it didn’t surprise me, it didn’t make me curl up in a ball and cry in a corner, it felt familiar but not new.

Have you read All the Bright Places?

~o~Rating~o~

Warning: This is the conclusion to the Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo and the following contains spoilers for the first book.

~o~Goodreads Synopsis~o~

Kaz Brekker and his crew have just pulled off a heist so daring even they didn’t think they’d survive. But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they’re right back to fighting for their lives. Double-crossed and left crippled by the kidnapping of a valuable team member, the crew is low on resources, allies, and hope. As powerful forces from around the world descend on Ketterdam to root out the secrets of the dangerous drug known as jurda parem, old rivals and new enemies emerge to challenge Kaz’s cunning and test the team’s fragile loyalties. A war will be waged on the city’s dark and twisting streets―a battle for revenge and redemption that will decide the fate of magic in the Grisha world.

Goodreads Link

~o~My Review~o~

No Mourners?
No Funerals

I’m dead. I died. I cannot possibly write anything that will thoroughly justify this book. This was the best thing I’ve read this year, quite possibly the best thing I read since I finished The Darkest Minds trilogy and I adore those books.

The plot was complex. The characters were phenomenal. This book met all expectations and more. SO GOOD!

I had forgotten how much of a vicious, conniving and manipulative little devil Kaz was. Kaz is a mastermind. Crooked Kingdom gave his character a level of depth that was touched on in Six of Crows but not explored too deeply. That goes for all the characters actually, every one of their story lines were explored and advanced with such intricacy,

It was just so good! (I need some new adjectives).

I said this about Six of Crows, and I’ll say it again. Out of all the YA authors (who I’ve read), Leigh Bardugo is the absolute best at multiple POVs. All her characters have a distinct voice and a distinct personality that usually doesn’t happen with multiple protagonists. No one gets put in the background which seems to happen in most YA series. Everyone has a role and brings something to the table.

EVERY SINGLE SHIP! Every one of them are dynamic, and perfect. They all grew and emotionally matured and figured out what each of them wanted in a relationship.

Not only the romantic relationships but the character relationships in general were executed perfectly. The different friendships between the characters went more in depth in this book, Kaz/Jesper, Inej/Nina, Inej/Jesper, even Kaz/Wylan to a certain extent. Their relationships were complex and just felt authentic. Bardugo doesn’t just tell us they’re friends and expect us to believe it but she shows us.

Okay, much cannot be discussed in this review without completely spoiling you. So if you haven’t read the book, get it AS SOON AS POSSIBLE because you will be blown away to bits and pieces.

~o~Spoilers~o~

“They don’t know who we are. Not really. They don’t know what we’ve done, what we’ve managed together. So let’s go show them they picked the wrong damn fight.”

I pretty much loved all parts of this book and this is about to be a full on, semi-coherent rant. Without any logical order. Full of spoilers. So feel free to skip. 😀

“We were all supposed to make it.”

I didn’t think it would happen. I, like Jesper, fully believed that they would all make it out. I’ve been too coddled with other YA series. My poor Matthias. My poor darling Nina!

“You don’t win by running one game.”

Oh, Kaz. Just, where do I even start? Kaz is so amazingly clever, I am constantly in awe. And he’s just so manipulative I don’t know whether I want to hug him for his intelligence or stab him because he’s a horrible human being. I swear, every fifty pages, my thoughts were: Kaz is SO mean but I love him so much. 

“No matter the height of the mountain, the climbing is the same.”

Oh, Inej. Her faith in Kaz is seriously questioned, especially in the beginning. It’s so great to see how far this girl has come. After everything she’s gone through, her optimism towards her Saints is astounding.

Inej and Kaz are two very broken people who love each other and I have very high hopes that they will work out one day. Kaz is a better person because of her and Inej knows it. But she also gets that it isn’t her responsibility to “fix” him and she won’t try to.

Them holding hands in the end!! After I thought about it, it made sense that these two didn’t kiss. They both have long ways to go yet and they need to heal from their past first before they take a big step towards the future. But at-least we know they’re still working together and it’ll definitely happen someday (or so I choose to believe).

“A chemical weevil,” said Jesper, “But Wylan still hasn’t named it. My vote is for the Wyvil.”
“That’s terrible,” said Wylan.
“It’s brilliant,” Jesper winked. “Just like you.”

Oh, Jesper and Wylan’s relationship developed quite a bit. Many of their scenes were just pure comedic relief and then there were the deep profound ones that are still ringing in my head after a week of finishing the book. They helped each other and gave each strength when they needed  it. Wylan made Jesper  realize he shouldn’t hide his talent. And Jesper makes Wylan more confident in his abilities.

(One of my favorite scenes were when Matthias was watching Jesper flirt with Wylan and he sympathized with Wylan because he knew he was out of his depth just like Matthias was with Nina).

“I am grateful you’re alive”, he said. “I am grateful that you’re beside me. I am grateful that you’re eating.”
She rested her head on his shoulder.
“You’re better that waffles, Matthias Helvar.”
A small smile curled the Fjerdan’s lips.
“Let’s not say things we don’t mean, my love.”

Oh, these two! AFTER ALL THEY’VE BEEN THROUGH!!!! After how much Matthias had changed??? WHYYYYYYYYYY

From a logical perspective, Matthias’ death makes sense. If one of the six had to die, Matthias is the obvious choice because he was the most disliked character in Six of Crows. He was my least favorite too but that doesn’t mean I didn’t love him. It’s like how Half-Blood Prince is my least favorite Harry Potter book, least favorite doesn’t mean I don’t absolutely love the book, I just love it a tiny bit less than the others. Same with Matthias, I loved him but just not as much as the other five. But my first reaction to his death was just extreme sympathy for Nina. What would happen to her now? After everything these two have been through? Their relationship could’ve meant so much! They needed to get their happy ever after but instead, Nina gets to take her true love’s dead body across the ocean to his home country, full of people who hate her. That’s another thing! Their relationship would’ve been good for their two countries too! They could’ve been ambassadors of peace together or something of that sort. That whole scene was just completely depressing.

There were SO MANY memorable scenes in this book. 

All those scenes with Nina and Inej bonding. Their friendship in book 1 wasn’t really shown properly but it’s clear in this book that they truly love each other.

Wylan’s mom!! I was shocked when I read that part! And of-course Kaz knew, that conniving little snake.

Jesper’s dad was such a good sport throughout this book. That man had no idea what he was getting himself into.

Alys’ scenes were hilarious! Once she started singing, she just never stopped.

Nina can raise the dead! Oh my gosh!! The scene where she tried it with Matthias but she let go because she knew it wasn’t the same with his soul gone (insert crying gif here).

Kaz brought Inej’s parents to Ketterdam. Awww… And in the end when he asked if his tie was straight.

And many, many more that made this book one of the best I’ve ever read.