Tag: book review

Review: “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe” by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

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12000020~o~Rating~o~
4.5 tp

~o~Goodreads Synopsis~o~

This Printz Honor Book is a “tender, honest exploration of identity” (Publishers Weekly) that distills lyrical truths about family and friendship.

Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship—the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be.

~o~Review~o~

“Do you think we’ll ever discover all the secrets of the universe?”

I’m a mess right now. This was so good! (That’s my new favorite phrase, I’ve been using it too much lately. That’s not a bad thing though). I am in the middle of a crisis guys. I think I’m falling in love… with contemporaries. It just happened, okay? It happened because of books like this.

I loved the writing style of this book. It was simple in a good way. No extra description, not filled with metaphors and imagery, nothing too complicated but it felt real.

Both Ari and Dante are wonderful characters. They’re both kind of a loner but in different ways.

Ari was constantly plagued by thoughts of his older brother who was in prison. His parents never talked about him. Ari’s father is a war veteran of the Vietnam war and he is a secluded person who doesn’t like to talk about his life. Ari’s relationship with his mother is one of the best parts of the book though. She understands him and she knows how to get him to talk even though Ari would love to do anything but.

“I’m crazy about my mom and dad.”

Dante’s parents were another high point of the books. That is about the sweetest thing anyone could ever say. How many teenagers would ever admit that they’re crazy about their parents?  His parents are very sweet and they’re both hilarious (his dad especially).

I LOVED this book and the only reason I’m not giving it five stars is because I found a few typos that bothered me. Other than that, it’s definitely five stars worthy.

~o~Spoiler Alert~o~

I’m just going to put a bunch of my favorite quotes from the book down here because some of the lines were just fantastic.

“Words were different when they lived inside of you.”

“To be careful with people and with words was a rare and beautiful thing.”

“This is my problem. I want other people to tell me how they feel. But I’m not so sure I want to return the favor.”  (<— it’s scary how much I could relate to Ari at certain points).

“One of the secrets of the universe was that our instincts were sometimes stronger than our minds.”

“You can’t make anyone be an adult. Especially an adult.”

“Words were not things you could control. Not always.”

“Talking to myself in my journal qualified as talking to someone my own age.”  (<— my point exactly).

“I’m not into all this academic stuff. Too much analysis. What ever happened to reading a book because you liked it?” (<– agree completely).

Review: “Lady Midnight” by Cassandra Clare

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25494343~o~Rating~o~
5 tp

~o~Goodreads Synopsis~o~

In a kingdom by the sea…

In a secret world where half-angel warriors are sworn to fight demons, parabatai is a sacred word.

A parabatai is your partner in battle. A parabatai is your best friend. Parabatai can be everything to each other—but they can never fall in love.

Emma Carstairs is a warrior, a Shadowhunter, and the best in her generation. She lives for battle. Shoulder to shoulder with her parabatai, Julian Blackthorn, she patrols the streets of Los Angeles, where vampires party on the Sunset Strip, and faeries—the most powerful of supernatural creatures—teeter on the edge of open war with Shadowhunters. When the bodies of humans and faeries turn up murdered in the same way Emma’s parents were when she was a child, an uneasy alliance is formed. This is Emma’s chance for revenge—and Julian’s chance to get back his brother Mark, who is being held prisoner by the faerie Courts. All Emma, Mark, and Julian have to do is solve the murders within two weeks…and before the murderer targets them.

Their search takes Emma from sea caves full of sorcery to a dark lottery where death is dispensed. And each clue she unravels uncovers more secrets. What has Julian been hiding from her all these years? Why does Shadowhunter Law forbid parabatai to fall in love? Who really killed her parents—and can she bear to know the truth?

The darkly magical world of Shadowhunters has captured the imaginations of millions of readers across the globe. Join the adventure in Lady Midnight, the long-awaited first volume of a new trilogy from Cassandra Clare.

~o~Review~o~

“Every story is a love story.”

OH MY GOSH, OH MY GOSH, OH MY GOSH, THIS WAS AWESOME! I was feeling so hesitant to read yet another series by Cassandra Clare thinking it would again be the same recycled characters just with different names and different locations. I am so, so glad I picked this up because it completely exceeded all my expectations.

I never thought of Cassandra Clare as one of my favorite authors because her writing never struck me as something special. Her stories are fantastic, her stories are the reason I read these books, but her writing never really impressed me. Until now. From the first chapter of Lady Midnight, I could see how much the writing has improved. And her world building does not ever cease to amaze me. The way she connects everything and how much, whenever she introduces something new, it makes sense. Every aspect she creates always just adds more to this world and never contradicts.

This book also felt a lot more mature. In the other two series, everyone would always joke around every few pages no matter how grave the situation which was cut down on this book and I appreciated that a lot. It made the comic relief more effective.

Even though Lady Midnight is the first book, since it is set in the Shadow world, you should most definitely read the Mortal Instruments series and The Infernal Devices series before reading this. There are lots of references to old characters and story lines and the enjoyment of the book would just be better. I think I missed out on some stuff because I hadn’t read Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy which also connects to this book.

**Note: the following contains mild spoilers for the TMI and the TDI series. 

We see the Blackthorns and Emma in City of Heavenly Fire. I admit, I was annoyed at Clare for putting them in there when I was so anxious to find out what would happen to Clary and gang. But it was interesting going into Lady Midnight and remembering them from five years ago in CoHF and seeing how they turned out.

“The Law is annoying, but it is also flexible.”

-Emma Carstairs

Emma’s story isn’t like Tessa’s or Clary’s.  She wasn’t suddenly plunged into the Shadow world, not knowing anything about it. She grew up as a Shadowhunter, she fought in the Dark War against Sebastian Morgenstern, she’s already a warrior long before this story starts. I liked her a lot. A lot more than Clary, maybe more than Tessa (haven’t made up my mind yet). She is driven by her want of revenge against whoever killed her parents. She’s reckless, a little impulsive but will give up the world for her parabatai Julian.

And Julian is VERY different from the typical Cassandra Clare male protagonist (you know what I’m talking about: brooding, angst-ridden and full of snarky remarks about everything). I can’t believe I’m saying this but I think I might like him more than Will Herondale (SHOCKING, I know. I did say might). He’s gone through so much! Julian had to kill his own father at age twelve because Sebastian had turned him. His older sister Helen was exiled for being part faerie and Mark, his older brother, (also part faerie) was taken by the Wild Hunt. Julian basically became a parent to his four younger siblings at twelve. He would do anything for them. His little siblings became his kids. He learned to care and cook for them, he fixed their problems, stayed with them when they had nightmares. He loved them with the intensity of both a father and a mother. He has little time to care for himself. Clare has a lot of characters in her books who have gone through a lot, but Julian’s story was the only one that made me tear up. But, even though he’s so sweet with the kids, he would tear you apart if you threatened any of them or Emma.

This book also deals with mental health issues in the shadow world which was great. It explained why we never really see mentally ill Shadowhunters and the explanation made complete sense.

A lot of the characters from the two earlier series show up and every time they did, I would just start jumping up and down in my seat, muttering incomprehensibly (which is a problem when you’re in class and people start staring). But I loved seeing them and how they’ve been doing five years after CoHF!

Lots of spoilers ahead guys. Don’t read if you haven’t read the book yet. Unless of-course, you weren’t planning on reading it anyway which you really should.

~o~Spoiler Alert~o~

“Lex malla, lex nulla. A bad law is no law.”

Let’s just start with the Blackthorn motto. A bad law is no law. Now that is a motto if there ever was one. We can see from the start the Blackthorn family is not very fond of the Clave. I just thought this was hilarious.

The Blackthorn kids are absolute darlings! I became so attached to them and now I’m terrified something will happen. I’m so sure one of them is going to die and I don’t these poor kids to go through another huge loss.

Livia and Tiberius (both 15) are gems! I believe Ty falls somewhere in the autism spectrum, he thinks differently than the rest, but he is super smart and very resourceful. Livvy, his twin sister, is the one who understands him more than anyone, and she grounds him. I thought Livvy was great and she’s very protective of her brother. (And her weapon is a SABER. How awesome is that?) The twins are the Institute’s computer/research experts even though they’re technically not supposed to have computers. And they both worry about Julian and how they were keeping him from having a life of his own which I thought was very sweet.

Drusilla (Dru) is 13 (I believe) and she often finds herself not knowing where she fit with the family. Emma and Julian are always together and the same with the twins. That’s probably why we don’t really see her that much in the book and when she’s with the others, she’s usually the quiet one who listens. I hope we get more of her in the next book.

And Octavian (Tavvy) the baby of the family (he’s 7 or 8). Tavvy is the most adorable little creature! You can see a lot of Julian’s paternal instinct in all the scenes with him and Tavvy and I just wanted to jump into the book and give them both a hug every time!

Alright, so Mark comes back. He hasn’t aged in the Wild Hunt and still looks sixteen and after being away for so long, was having a hard time adjusting to the Institute. Especially seeing how his siblings had aged five years and he hadn’t been there to see them. I didn’t like him at first mainly because of the little arguments between him and Julian. Julian wanted his big brother to come back so much because then, he would finally get to rest and and share his responsibility. But Mark just ended up being another person Julian had to take care of.

And then comes Kieran. I don’t dislike him at all. I understand why he betrayed Mark, he wanted Mark to come back to the Wild Hunt and this was the only way he could think of. His plan backfired and I actually felt bad for him. I am fairly sure he will show up again some time in the series.

“For whither thou goest, I will go”

Alright, alright. Parabatai. We have known forever that falling in love with your parabatai is forbidden. We never found out why until now. And I keep saying this but the explanation makes so much sense! Being a parabatai makes you stronger, the closer your bond is, the stronger you are. So of course that means parabatai who are in love would be intimate and therefore stronger than any other. And according to Jem, that power would drive you mad. But I don’t want to believe that. I need to know how Julian and Emma get around this! I am so scared for them right now!

Random Thoughts:

Christina is AWESOME! I loved her!

I did NOT see the whole Malcolm Fade plot twist. I was so surprised because I can usually ALWAYS predict plot twists.

Alec and Magnus adopted two kids???? Where the heck was I??? (Max and Rafael)

I love how Emma talks to Clary about once every month. I’m so glad they kept in touch!

Clary and Jace run the New York Institute now!! And Izzy and Simon got engaged!! I AM SO HAPPY!

I was not very proud of Julian at the end about what he did to Nightshade. But like I said before, he really would do anything to keep his family together.

I wonder what happened to Cameron.

So… Kit is a Herondale. I’m guessing he’s a direct descendant of Will and Tessa. I wonder where Clare will take this.

Annabel woke up. She’s going to  be the next villain isn’t she? Maybe she’ll try to reincarnate Malcolm this time. Though are we sure he’s dead? I mean, he is a powerful warlock.

A big round of applause for Church! At this point, I’m pretty sure that cat is immortal.

Review: “The Sword of Summer” by Rick Riordan

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 ~o~Rating~o~
3 tp

~o~Goodreads Synopsis~o~

Magnus Chase has always been a troubled kid. Since his mother’s mysterious death, he’s lived alone on the streets of Boston, surviving by his wits, keeping one step ahead of the police and the truant officers.

One day, he’s tracked down by a man he’s never met—a man his mother claimed was dangerous. The man tells him an impossible secret: Magnus is the son of a Norse god.

The Viking myths are true. The gods of Asgard are preparing for war. Trolls, giants and worse monsters are stirring for doomsday. To prevent Ragnarok, Magnus must search the Nine Worlds for a weapon that has been lost for thousands of years.

When an attack by fire giants forces him to choose between his own safety and the lives of hundreds of innocents, Magnus makes a fatal decision.

Sometimes, the only way to start a new life is to die . . .

~o~Review~o~

“Myths are simply stories about truths we’ve forgotten.”

I tried, guys, I really tried. I mean, after Blood of Olympus, my expectations weren’t even that high. But… Magnus Chase really did just seem like Percy Jackson with a different name and heritage. The connection we felt with Percy in the beginning of Lightning Thief wasn’t there at all. Maybe this is just me being biased, since I pretty much grew up with the Percy Jackson books, but in comparison, Magnus Chase felt too predictable and boring.

Magnus’ character wasn’t developed very well. He keeps bringing up the fact that he was homeless for two years but it just doesn’t fit with his personality. I understand that Riordan uses humor as a teaching method but it was just too much. Towards the middle of the book, I ended up just skimming the pages because I couldn’t wait for the book to be over.

PROS:

Annabeth! I wish she was in the book more. I honestly only continued the book in the hopes of seeing her.

Finally a Muslim character in a Riordan book! One of the three stars up above is just for having Samirah. Even though some of the plot around her doesn’t quite add up (the fact that she is a Valkrye for Norse gods yet she’s Muslim. And that she takes off her hijab whenever she wants to in front of other men… usually, you either wear it or you don’t). But minor issues aside, the diversity made me really happy.

Review: "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir

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27774758~o~Rating~o~
5 tp

~o~Goodreads Synopsis~o~

Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free.

Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.

It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.

But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.

There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

~o~Review~o~

You are an ember in the ashes. You will spark and burn, ravage and destroy. You cannot change it. You cannot stop it.

I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED THIS BOOK! LOVED IT! Loved the characters. Loved the plot. Loved the setting. Basically, loved everything.

Okay, okay. How do people write all these well thought out book reviews on books they love? All I can think is

giphy

Books like these are part of the reason why I love reading. It was absolutely fantastic! The synopsis might sound like just another YA Fantasy/romance but it was so much more!

I loved that through most of the first half of the book, Laia is shown as a frightened and cowardly girl. Unlike other YA heroines, she doesn’t just suddenly find a well of hidden bravery within her and start killing people as she pleases.  She doesn’t have extraordinary intelligence or strength; she’s more of just a victim of her circumstance. She starts by taking baby steps as she gets more used to what she must do.

Elias is the Martial Empire’s top soldier but he hates being one. He was forced to join when he was young and now he is eagerly awaiting graduation so he can leave the Empire’s rules once and for all. He was also fantastic! He grew up in a tribe with a foster mother and was taken by the Empire at five. Because he didn’t grow up with other Martials, he sympathizes with the lower classes. He wants things to be different but instead of wanting to change it, he wants to escape from it.

I think they were both awesome characters! Neither have a hero complex and would rather save themselves than the world. But both are loyal to their friends and would do anything for them.

My favorite character though was Helene. She is Elias’ best friend who is also training to be a soldier. (The Empire only takes one girl soldier per year so Helene is the only girl in their year). She is loyal to the Empire, she believes in their rules and regulations even though she wishes things could be a little better. Considering she grew up with Martials in their society, I thought she was kinder than people give her credit for. And I loved her relationship with Elias!

The book kind of has a love triangle/square but not really. The book isn’t that focused on the romantic aspect so if you hate love triangles, don’t worry. It’s more focused on their two individual lives and it feels natural whenever their paths connect.

READ IT! RIGHT NOW!!

Review: “Glass Sword” by Victoria Aveyard

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23174274~o~Rating~o~
2 tp

Warning: This review contains spoilers for  the first book in the series Red Queen.

~o~Goodreads Synopsis~o~

If there’s one thing Mare Barrow knows, it’s that she’s different.

Mare Barrow’s blood is red—the color of common folk—but her Silver ability, the power to control lightning, has turned her into a weapon that the royal court tries to control.

The crown calls her an impossibility, a fake, but as she makes her escape from Maven, the prince—the friend—who betrayed her, Mare uncovers something startling: she is not the only one of her kind.

Pursued by Maven, now a vindictive king, Mare sets out to find and recruit other Red-and-Silver fighters to join in the struggle against her oppressors.
But Mare finds herself on a deadly path, at risk of becoming exactly the kind of monster she is trying to defeat.

Will she shatter under the weight of the lives that are the cost of rebellion? Or have treachery and betrayal hardened her forever?

The electrifying next installment in the Red Queen series escalates the struggle between the growing rebel army and the blood-segregated world they’ve always known—and pits Mare against the darkness that has grown in her soul.

~o~Review~o~

After being horribly disappointed with the first book, I don’t know why I continued reading this series. Actually, I do know. I just can’t stay away from people with cool powers no matter how tiring the story is. The first book had potential so I guess I wanted this series to get better. Where did that leave me? Horribly disappointed again. I don’t understand why people are so obsessed with these books.

Most of Glass Sword was just plain boring. So many new characters were introduced but none of them were given any depth. The descriptions were heavy and there was a lot more telling than showing. Details in a book are generally good but huge information dumps are just confusing and… well, annoying. Even the action scenes seemed to drag on to the point where I would just start skipping paragraphs of unnecessary description.

And then comes my hatred for Mare. It’s not even a strong dislike anymore: I seriously hate this girl. She’s a whiny brat who thinks she is the only person in the world who understands pain. She treats all her friends like background characters, using them when needed and leaving them behind when she didn’t. She doesn’t trust anyone but expects everyone to trust her to make the “right” decisions. She just makes me angry!

Unless I’m completely out of books, I will definitely not be continuing this series.

Review: "Fake ID" by Lamar Giles

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~o~Rating~o~
3 tp

~o~Goodreads Synopsis~o~ 

Nick Pearson is hiding in plain sight…

My name isn’t really Nick Pearson.

I shouldn’t tell you where I’m from or why my family moved to Stepton, Virginia.

I shouldn’t tell you who I really am, or my hair, eye, and skin color.
And I definitely shouldn’t tell you about my friend Eli Cruz and the major conspiracy he was about to uncover when he died—right after I moved to town. About how I had to choose between solving his murder with his hot sister, Reya, and “staying low-key” like the Program has taught me. About how moving to Stepon changed my life forever.

But I’m going to.

~o~Review~o~

This is going to be a small review. Hmm… I actually enjoyed this more than I thought I would. It’s been a while since I read a book with a sole male protagonist since most YA books tend to have female leads nowadays. Nick and his family are a part of the Witness Protection Program and they are accustomed to always changing their identity stay hidden. Stepton is their fourth change of location.

I think Nick is smart and resourceful. The romance didn’t win me over; it wasn’t necessary to the plot. But I liked Nick and Reya well enough not to be bothered by it.

It’s clear a lot of thought was put into the plot of the book. The connections of the characters were well planned. But… the characters seemed a little static. There’s nothing wrong with static characters of course but I felt that some of the secondary characters needed more… pizzazz?

It’s a good book though guys! Some parts are hilarious and the ending actually took me by surprise.

Review: "The Scar Boys" by Len Vlahos

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22318571~o~Rating~o~
4 tp

~o~Goodreads Synopsis~o~

Playing in a punk rock band brings peace to a bullied teen in Len Vlahos’s debut novel.

A severely burned teenager. A guitar. Punk rock. The chords of a rock ‘n’ roll road trip in a coming-of-age novel that is a must-read story about finding your place in the world…even if you carry scars inside and out.

In attempting to describe himself in his college application essay–help us to become acquainted with you beyond your courses, grades, and test scores–Harbinger (Harry) Jones goes way beyond the 250-word limit and gives a full account of his life.

The first defining moment: the day the neighborhood goons tied him to a tree during a lightning storm when he was 8 years old, and the tree was struck and caught fire. Harry was badly burned and has had to live with the physical and emotional scars, reactions from strangers, bullying, and loneliness that instantly became his everyday reality.

The second defining moment: the day in 8th grade when the handsome, charismatic Johnny rescued him from the bullies and then made the startling suggestion that they start a band together. Harry discovered that playing music transported him out of his nightmare of a world, and he finally had something that compelled people to look beyond his physical appearance. Harry’s description of his life in his essay is both humorous and heart-wrenching. He had a steeper road to climb than the average kid, but he ends up learning something about personal power, friendship, first love, and how to fit in the world. While he’s looking back at the moments that have shaped his life, most of this story takes place while Harry is in high school and the summer after he graduates.

~o~Review~o~

Don’t judge a book by its’ genre is a lesson I am starting to understand. I have only recently started reading more contemporary books and they’re actually not all that bad. I went into this book expecting it to be a two star, three at most. So when it ended up being four star worthy, I was joyous!

Harbinger (Harry) Jones went through a traumatic childhood experience in which he was tied to a tree during a lightening storm. On top of that being absolutely terrifying, he was literally and metaphorically scarred for life. His face was deformed and he was forever cast an outsider.

The Scar Boys is basically Harry’s story of how he became comfortable with himself. It’s about society and what being different really does to someone’s confidence. It’s about friendship and how much impact friends have on your identity. It’s a search for identity story told through a college admissions essay.

Short review, I know. Read it though!

Review: "Clockwork Princess" by Cassandra Clare

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~o~Rating~o~
5 tp

Warning: Clockwork Princess is the third book to the Infernal Devices

~o~Goodreads Synopsis~o~

Danger and betrayal, love and loss, secrets and enchantment are woven together in the breathtaking finale to the #1 New York Times bestselling Infernal Devices Trilogy, prequel to the internationally bestselling Mortal Instruments series.

THE INFERNAL DEVICES WILL NEVER STOP COMING

A net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute. Mortmain plans to use his Infernal Devices, an army of pitiless automatons, to destroy the Shadowhunters. He needs only one last item to complete his plan: he needs Tessa Gray.

Charlotte Branwell, head of the London Institute, is desperate to find Mortmain before he strikes. But when Mortmain abducts Tessa, the boys who lay equal claim to her heart, Jem and Will, will do anything to save her. For though Tessa and Jem are now engaged, Will is as much in love with her as ever.

As those who love Tessa rally to rescue her from Mortmain’s clutches, Tessa realizes that the only person who can save her is herself. But can a single girl, even one who can command the power of angels, face down an entire army?

Danger and betrayal, secrets and enchantment, and the tangled threads of love and loss intertwine as the Shadowhunters are pushed to the very brink of destruction in the breathtaking conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy.

~o~Review~o~

I finished the conclusion to the Infernal Devices and I’m still not sure how I feel about this book. Reading this book was definitely an emotional roller coaster. All in all, I think Clare did a wonderful job concluding this series. The ending, for me, was unexpected but I liked it

The book starts with Tessa preparing for her wedding with Jem. The threat of Mortmain is still hanging over the Shadowhunters but they haven’t heard of him in a while. I love books where you get to explore the minds of the side characters as well as the main characters because it gives them a certain depth. This is something I really liked in this book and this book series in general.

I am completely in love with this book! And if you haven’t read it yet, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

~o~SPOILER ALERT~o~

I don’t even know where to start. I think all the characters tied in to the story very nicely. I liked how Clare wrapped up the stories of the side characters. I felt the ending for the side characters were a little “too” perfect with Gideon ending up with Sophie and Gabriel with Cecily, but I didn’t mind it. I like happy endings, however cliche like. I thought Gideon and Sophie were really cute. I am also glad Charlotte was appointed Consul; she would be absolutely perfect!

Alright, *deep breath* to the trio. Like Tessa, I absolutely LOVE both Jem and Will so much! In most love triangles, the guys will do anything for the girl (which is still the case here) but I love how Will and Jem will also do anything for each other. They’re not just best friends, they’re brothers; they’re more than brothers, they’re blood brothers. Their souls are tied together.

I really liked the scene from Charlotte’s point of view when we see how Will and Jem first met when they were twelve. Jem is all Will had for five years, the one person he had allowed himself to show affection for because he was already dying. (Off topic but when I found out Will actually wasn’t cursed in Clockwork Prince, I felt so bad for him! For all these years he thought no one loved him and he pushed everyone away. Seriously, if I was a Shadowhunter the first I’d do is go after that stupid blue demon). Anyway, we get to see just how much Will and Jem mean to each other which was just so… touching (why can’t I think of a better word?).

After the fighting scene with the automatons, Tessa is kidnapped and Jem is very badly injured. Will, instead of going after Tessa immediately (which is no doubt what most other YA “heroes” would do if the love of their life was kidnapped by a psychotic witch), he sits besides Jem for hours because he knows Jem will need his strength from the parabatai rune. Yes he wants to go after Tessa but he couldn’t stand the chance of his best friend dying even though he had years to grasp that idea. Does that not want to make you bawl?!

Jem on his “deathbed” finally finds out Will was also in love with Tessa and tells him to go after her. Will hesitates because he knows Jem will most likely die without him but he goes anyway.

The scene in the stable when Will’s parabatai rune starts hurting and bleeding was so intense! Jem was dead, I couldn’t believe it! Honestly, I actually started admiring Clare at that point for killing off a well-loved main character. I had started grieving for Jem already. But then we find out, no, he’s not dead. He turned into a Silent Brother. Okay, I’m not going to lie, that did sort of make me roll my eyes. But I did get used to the idea pretty quickly.

I think the final battle between the Shadowhunters and Mortmain was short but enough to satisfy me. I liked that in the end, Tessa is the one who kills Mortmain. I think that was ideal. Her turning into her clockwork angel surprised me, I guess I was underestimating her power. Either way, I loved how she crushed Mortmain with “her” hand. Imagining that scene made me unusually cheerful.

Now, to the Epilogue. That Epilogue killed me, resurrected me with the resurrection stone, then killed me again.

As I understand, the epilogue was very controversial. Something I hadn’t spent a lot of time thinking about was how Tessa was immortal and Will was not. I knew that Will was going to grow old and die while Tessa will remain in her youth but I guess I didn’t really grasp the idea until I read the epilogue. One part of me really disliked Cassandra Clare for writing about Will’s death. I didn’t want to witness Will growing old and dying. But I do understand and I praise her for writing it. I don’t think I’ve ever thought reading about a death was beautiful, but Will’s death scene was BEAUTIFUL.

Jem sat down his bow, and came toward the bed, drawing back his hood, so she  could see his closed eyes and his scarred face. And he had sat down beside them on the bed and taken Will’s hand, the one that Tessa was not holding, and both Will and Tessa had heard Jem’s voice in their mind.

I take your hand, brother, so that you may go in peace.

Will had opened the blue eyes that had never lost their color, over all the passing years, and looked at Jem and Tessa, and smiled, and died, with Tessa’s head on his shoulder and his hand in Jem’s.

Wasn’t that just the sweetest thing?? I also love how Magnus comforts Tessa after Will’s death. He tells her that the first you love who dies is always the hardest. Poor Magnus, did I mention how much I love Magnus?

Jem finally finding a cure and ending his bonds to the Silent Brothers was understandable. He went to the Silent Brothers for Will and Tessa and because he wanted to live for them. If a cure was found, of-course he would use it. Jem and Tessa ending up together was nice. I believe Will would be happier than anyone else to see the two people he loved the most being happy together. I also feel very sorry for Tessa right now; Jem is now a mortal and he is also going to grow old and die. At-least she has Magnus; he’s someone who can understand her.

 

Review: "A Thousand Nights" by E.K Johnson

Published on by Shouni2 Comments

21524446~o~Rating~o~
4.5 tp

~o~Goodreads Synopsis~o~ 

Lo-Melkhiin killed three hundred girls before he came to her village, looking for a wife. When she sees the dust cloud on the horizon, she knows he has arrived. She knows he will want the loveliest girl: her sister. She vows she will not let her be next.

And so she is taken in her sister’s place, and she believes death will soon follow. Lo-Melkhiin’s court is a dangerous palace filled with pretty things: intricate statues with wretched eyes, exquisite threads to weave the most beautiful garments. She sees everything as if for the last time. But the first sun rises and sets, and she is not dead. Night after night, Lo-Melkhiin comes to her and listens to the stories she tells, and day after day she is awoken by the sunrise. Exploring the palace, she begins to unlock years of fear that have tormented and silenced a kingdom. Lo-Melkhiin was not always a cruel ruler. Something went wrong.
Far away, in their village, her sister is mourning. Through her pain, she calls upon the desert winds, conjuring a subtle unseen magic, and something besides death stirs the air.

Back at the palace, the words she speaks to Lo-Melkhiin every night are given a strange life of their own. Little things, at first: a dress from home, a vision of her sister. With each tale she spins, her power grows. Soon she dreams of bigger, more terrible magic: power enough to save a king, if she can put an end to the rule of a monster.

~o~Review~o~

I know, the synopsis sounds quite a bit like Arabian Nights (also known as One Thousand and One Nights) and the two concepts are similar but this story is nothing like Scheherazade’s.

To readers who are looking for typical YA books filled with action and romance: this is not for you. A Thousand Nights is a thought provoking, slightly eerie but beautiful book. It’s like an elegantly written folk tale.

The story is set in a Fantasy world which takes a few traits from the early Islamic era in the Middle East. In this world, djinns (more commonly referred to as genies) roam the earth. Lo-Melkhiin is the ruler of a desert kingdom. Every girl he marries dies; everyone knows this but no one has tried to stop him from marrying because his rule has brought peace to the kingdom.

None of the characters except Lo-Melkhiin have names which, in my opinion, fits the story very well. The book starts off a little slow and full of details but the details were necessary for later chapters.

The two dynamics between the men and the women were also interesting to see. The men of-course believe they hold all the power, not realizing the strength and complexity of the women characters.

The main character is witty, determined, and fiercely loyal. She beautifies herself so Lo-Melkhiin will definitely pick her as his wife and spare her sister. I thought she was a great character. Growing up in the harsh desert land made her strong and confident in her abilities. She has rightfully earned her place as one of my favorite YA heroines.

Review: "Red Queen" by Victoria Aveyard

Published on by ShouniLeave a comment


22328546~o~Rating~o~
2.5 tp

~o~Goodreads Synopsis~o~

This is a world divided by blood – red or silver.

The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change.

That is, until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power.

Fearful of Mare’s potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime.
But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance – Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart …

~o~Review~o~

“Words can lie. See beyond them.”

Like a lot of other people, I have very mixed feelings about this book. Standing alone, Red Queen isn’t a bad book, a pretty good one actually. But see, it doesn’t stand alone. Every new book I read, I automatically compare to every other book I have read because that’s how my mind judges books. And comparatively, this book seemed… unoriginal. Not because the plot wasn’t good but because so many books like this already exists. If you’ve read Pawn by Aimee Carter, Red Queen is basically that but with people with superpowers. Maybe mix a little of The Selection in there. It’s also being compared to Red Rising by Pierce Brown, which I haven’t read, but judging by the blurb it seems very similar to this book.

Red Queen combines a few popular tropes together. A Fantasy land with corrupt monarchs who don’t care about the lower classes. Lower class girl is somehow “special” and finds herself mingling with royalty and of-course falling in love with a guy from the upper class (in this case, the prince). And the inevitable rebellion in which, very conveniently, the girl becomes the face of.   

Mare as a whole seemed bratty and selfish. The type of selfish who doesn’t realize she is selfish nonetheless. Characters like Katniss know they are selfish. Characters like Mare have no idea and then get upset at the world for not liking her.

She’s also rash when it comes to big decisions, which isn’t unlike a lot of YA main characters, but it’s her reactions that bothered me. She takes a huge risk and when all doesn’t go according to her plans, she’s all “*gasp* what have I done?!” (This is not a direct quotation). What in all of HADES did she expect?!

And don’t even get me started on the love triangle/square. I disliked all three guys. None of them are appealing and I felt no connection whatsoever. The only guy I felt a bit of sympathy for was Lucas (the security guard).

However, there are pros to the book. The description of the world was well done. You could clearly see the contrast between the lifestyles of the Reds and the Silvers. And I liked the end scenes. The ending is why I’ll continue this series.

Give it a try, you might enjoy it.

~o~SPOILER ALERT~o~

Something that kept bothering me is the fact that Mare is supposed to be this powerful Red who makes electricity but she never had any inclination of it before. She can suddenly feel electricity buzzing wherever she goes but where was that sense when she lived in the Red village? She mentions once that she wasn’t around electricity much but that doesn’t mean she was completely without it. And since she had the ability to create electricity, wouldn’t that mean she could just create some? (I know she did that one time when the lights were off at her house but that was just once in what? Seventeen years?) Shouldn’t she have at least figured out she wasn’t completely normal? Just doesn’t make any sense.