Summer of the Mariposas is the story of 5 sisters, abandoned by their father, left to run wild by their well-meaning mother who's trying to keep the fSummer of the Mariposas is the story of 5 sisters, abandoned by their father, left to run wild by their well-meaning mother who's trying to keep the family afloat. The sisters find a body in the Rio Grande and decide to return it to Mexico. The story is a very classical quest plotline. The girls find the body, decide to go on an adventure, meet magical help, face magical adversaries, etc.
Their magical guide and helper is Llorana, known as The Weeping Woman. This is a very interesting choice to use as a magical guide. Llorana is known as the woman who drowned her children to be with the man she loved. Legend has it she kidnaps disobedient children (which the Garza sisters most definitely are). Rather than kidnapping the girls, Llorana serves as a guide offering them magical assistance and advice, maybe as penance for the death of her children.
This book isn't bad. I always find it interesting to venture into different folklores that I don't know much about. But the book is a little jumbled and drags in section. Even though I knew it was a fantasy it took forever to introduce Llorana, then near the end it took forever to get to the obvious conclusion.
I enjoyed that this book chose to follow 5 sisters and how important their bond was to the story. Outside of Odila the characters never really felt very developed though and I think the book suffered for that. Velia and Delia, the twins, were nothing more than the girly bossy sisters, Juanita was easy to forget about and Pita was just the little crier. I would've liked more characterization which is difficult with that many sisters.
The melding of Mexican and American culture, the insertion of just enough Spanish and the Mexican folklore were what made this book worthwhile. I know some readers don't like foreign languages in their English books, however I'm the opposite. I feel like just a dash of Spanish makes a book interesting. I think it's important for books about the children of Mexican immigrants to acknowledge the mix of Spanish and English that they use.
This book felt a little younger than YA to me. If the plot was tightened and the characters more developed it would really shine, especially for a middle grade audience....more
The Cranes Dance surprised me. I'd never heard anything about it before grabbing the audiobook at the library. I saw it on display at the end of the sThe Cranes Dance surprised me. I'd never heard anything about it before grabbing the audiobook at the library. I saw it on display at the end of the shelf and thought "Oooo ballerinas" read the description and went "Oooo crazy sister issues" and checked it out.
I didn't expect the slow moving, character driven story. Much like a ballet, it took it's time getting the story out, but did so elegantly.
At first I wasn't sure about the narrator. For the first few minutes her slow pausing speech worried me. But the more I listened the more perfect it became. It is the speech of a ballerina trying to keep control over her life. Kate Crane is the careful controlled sister. In her mind, her whole life is acted in front of an invisible movie audience. She tries to be as perfect as possible. The audiobook narrator took on this persona perfectly with her careful calculated speech.
Kate's sister Gwen is completely different. She's the golden dancer, beautiful and gifted in a way that Kate envies. But she's wild and not quite sane. Without actually being in most of the book, Gwen is a huge force. We meet her through Kate's memories. We get to know Kate by the way she compares herself to Gwen. She lives her life in the shadow of her sister. From taking care of her sister, trying to protect her from her demons, to comparing their dance careers, Kate cannot separate her life from Gwen's.
The story is slow. Near the end there are some scenes that felt unnecessary such as a sex scene that really doesn't advanced the plot. (Sex scenes in audiobooks are always so awkward. These are not things that are meant to be described out loud).
There's a point near the end, no spoilers, where I kept asking "Is the book really going there?" I didn't know how I felt about the direction it was taking. It worried me, made me nervous. But then I realized that mostly, it made me feel. Over the course of the novel, almost without noticing, I'd connected so much with Kate that during this section I felt emotional and a bit teary.
During the last quarter of the novel, there may have been some unnecessary parts but as whole the novel was quite good. Very few books can move this slowly, be almost completely internal dialogue yet work so beautifully...more
Tate and Indy Brooks aren't the luckiest kids. They don't live in the suburbs but they don't live in the bad part of town either. They live3.5/5 stars
Tate and Indy Brooks aren't the luckiest kids. They don't live in the suburbs but they don't live in the bad part of town either. They live in the buffer zone between the suburbs and poverty, not quite existing in either. Their father is a bit of a hard ass. He works hard and so should you. That's his mentality and he has trouble understanding any other perspective. Tate and Indy spend their days skating Under the Bridge, the local skate park.
Tate's a bit rough around the edges, always on the edge of a fight. Normally he's fighting for good -- standing up to bullies, getting repayment when someone breaks a friend's board, etc--but still fighting doesn't exactly make in a stand-up rule following sort of guy. But he's still a good guy, despite his tendency to throw punches.
His brother Indy is another story. He's intelligent but a screw-up. Where Tate at least tries to stay in the right, Indy smarts off, smokes pot and does whatever. He means well but does wrong.
The strength of Under The Bridge is Tate, who is a believable main character with a strong voice. I liked Tate and all his imperfections. Tate's self-awareness was endearing. He'd beat people up, then two days later apologize because he realized that even if he was partially right, he went about it the wrong way. He's a main character who wants to do good but doesn't always know how.
Under the Bridges biggest weakness is that it drags. It spends over 50% of the novel before really getting into the nitty gritty of the plot. Some of this helps build the characters and leads into the story, but mostly it's just too long winded and something needed to be cut.
During a typical family fight, their father kicks Indy out for disrespecting him and their mother. It's one of those heat-of-the-moment things. Their father loves them both, but his methods don't work especially where Indy is concerned. Living on the street Indy falls in with a bad crowd. Having already lost one friend to drugs, Tate refuses to lose his brother to that world. The heart of this book is Tate trying any way he can to save Indy. He tries on his own, he tries with help. He fights for his brother even when his brother doesn't deserve it.
I liked that story but think the book should've gotten there much sooner. I cared about Tate so in turn I cared about his quest to save Indy. Even though Indy was frustrating at times, Tate's brotherly love overpowers any misgivings so I had to root for Indy as well.
The ending went a little Disneyfied for me. Also I had trouble suspending my disbelief where law enforcement was concerned in this novel. But overall it's a good story with a lot going for it. I like the gritty urban setting and Tate as a main character, those two elements carried the novel for me.
I received an ARC of this book through Netgalley...more
When I looked at the goodread ratings I wasn't sure what to think about The Adoration of Jenna Fox. My friends loved it, my friends loathed it. NobodyWhen I looked at the goodread ratings I wasn't sure what to think about The Adoration of Jenna Fox. My friends loved it, my friends loathed it. Nobody seemed to agree. But the library had the audiobook, narrated by the incomparable Jenna Lamia, so I decided to find out for myself.
I was pleasantly surprised. A lot of the reviews mention the ending. So I went into the book expecting a horrible and terrible ending. What I got was abrupt and an epilogue, but I'd built up something entirely else in my head and was glad that it wasn't what occurred. The epilogue leaves a lot unanswered, skipping a lot of ethical discussions and leaves everything neat & tidy. But like I said, I didn't mind.
The story begins when seventeen year old Jenna Fox wakes up from a coma. She doesn't have any memories of who she was or her life before the accident. She doesn't know who Jenna Fox is and if she's even that girl anymore. This is a contemplative book. There is a plotline, but what this book is about is what it really means to be human. What makes us us? The book explores that topic as Jenna struggles with her identity.
Without spoilers this book is hard to review. It's science fiction without being focused on the science. It explains the science enough, especially considering that it's really a character driven novel, but that's not what's most important in this story. The science is meant to be a backdrop to set up the conversation about identity and the ethics of medicine. I liked having that conversation with Jenna and taking her journey of self discovery (even though some things were painfully obvious to us before they were to Jenna).
The narration by Jenna Lamia is perfect for this book. Her soft spoken, doubtful voice is perfect for Jenna, combining with the story to make for an excellent listening experience. I think my negative expectations helped this novel, I enjoyed it very much. ...more
In writing you hear the mantra "show and don't tell" all the time. But sometimes, just occasionally, writers break that rule and it works. 3.5/5 stars
In writing you hear the mantra "show and don't tell" all the time. But sometimes, just occasionally, writers break that rule and it works. Fitz is an example of that. This is not the type of book where you go on a grand adventure with the main character, or follow his struggles for months and years. Instead the book takes place over the course of one day. Fitz (the main character as well as title) is searching for answers about his past. And while these stories may be told through dialogue, they're nonetheless compelling.
Fitz is a believable narrator. I instantly bought into the voice of this novel. Fitz is confused. He feels like he's missing something vital in life. But he's a good kid--makes good grades, doesn't get into trouble, treats his mom well. Except on this one day, that's not who Fitz wants to be. Like a costume, he puts on a thuggish persona and sets out to teach his father a lesson.
The thing is Fitz has never met his father. He's been this distant unknown, his mother not even willing to tell him his father's name. All of that only makes Fitz more curious. Instead of just listening to his mother's stories, Fitz takes matters into his own hands, finding out everything he can about his mysterious father.
While his father may send the monthly check, Fitz knows it's no replacement for a relationship. What Fitz wants is time and answers. His mother refuses to give him the answers and his father has never given him any time. Fitz decides to take what he wants, kidnapping his father to force some father/son bonding time.
The voice in this novel is perfect. Sometimes Fitz tries to sound mean and harsh, but you can tell that he doesn't even quite believe it himself. He's not much of a bad guy, even though he's kidnapping his father. Fitz may wave a gun around but the reader never believes he's really capable of shooting anyone. This creates a strange sympathy for Fitz. Yes he's doing something stupid, but as the reader you really don't want to see him punished for it.
While the story is small what it means for one boy's life isn't. Sometimes things that don't seem important to you might be all consuming to someone else. That's how Fitz feels about finding out why his father left. As far as problems go, it might seem fairly minor. Except for Fitz it's the most important question in the world.
The epilogue undermines the rest of this book. It feels tacked on, like the author didn't really know how to end the story. So while the rest of the book was understated and impactful, the epilogue was too clean and simple to match the realism of Fitz's story. It's a bad way to end an otherwise great book.
I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley. ...more
I hate to do this to a Julie Kagawa book. Against my normal tendency, I really enjoyed The Iron Fey series, especially loving when she swit2.5/5 stars
I hate to do this to a Julie Kagawa book. Against my normal tendency, I really enjoyed The Iron Fey series, especially loving when she switched to the male POV with the last book. Then against normal tendency again I liked her vampire novel The Immortal Rules.
I was excited about her new book. Set in the Iron Fey world and with a male protagonist I felt sure I would love it. But I just couldn't connect with The Lost Prince. The first couple of pages, where Ethan is all brooding, moody and with a few piercings I was excited. Then as the book went on I became less and less invested. I've spent a few days trying to understand why this book frustrated me so.
For me the problems started when Kenzie was introduced. She's little, cute and spunky. Normally I like spunk. But this just felt like a "try too hard" spunky character. She's the intrepid reporter trying to interview the new troubled kid, everyone in school loves her, she's smart and always calls Ethan "tough guy." Really when all that's added together it feels a tad like a Mary Sue. Sometimes characters are just so perfect that they're more of a caricature than a person and that's the case with Kenzie.
Ethan is supposed to be this brooding troubled youth. But almost immediately when he meets Kenzie his heart starts fluttering. He continually talks about how small she is, how he wants to protect her, his slim body against his, etc etc. It just got obnoxious. I don't like the emphasis on Kenzie's petite frame or Ethan's need to protect her. Even though it's not instalove, the relationship doesn't have the build up or emotional resonance that it needed. It's just kind of there annoying me through the whole book.
The foreshadowing felt a bit overt in this book. There were "twists" that I picked up on almost immediately while Ethan spent nearly the whole book oblivious.
As always Kagawa writes some of the best fight scenes in YA books. That has not changed. The problem is the characters have. Maybe that's why the Iron Fey worked and this did not. It had a humor and levity brought by Puck. He makes an apparence in this book, but it's way too brief and too much of a reminder of why this book doesn't work. I know a lot of people will like this book. But Ethan and Kenzie fell completely flat for me. ...more
Amber Appleton is the Princess of Hope, despite being homeless, not having enough money for food, having no father and generally a sucky life. But sheAmber Appleton is the Princess of Hope, despite being homeless, not having enough money for food, having no father and generally a sucky life. But she knows that J.C. (Jesus Christ) is watching out from her and the eternally upbeat girl knows that as long as she's gotta Buddy Big Boy (her dog), her friends and her mom, things are alright.
I can see readers struggling with Amber Appleton in Sorta Like A Rock Star. She seems simply too odd and too happy to be realistic. However, for me, she feels like someone who could've been my bestie back in high school. My friends were a quirky group of girls with our own style, our own slang, who spent most of our times hanging out at Christian rock shows. (It was a good way to spend high school). So Amber would've fit right in with us.
Amber's hope takes a hit when she experiences a personal tragedy. She finds herself feeling hopeless, depressed and wondering why J.C. let's things happen and blaming herself. She's hurting in a way that feels unfixable. This book follows a group of friends, a school and a whole community that rally around Amber. Even when she's angry and lashing out, they want to give her what she gave so many people: hope.
This book hits on a lot of life experiences. It goes from funny, to sad without ever losing it's voice. It's hard to imagine that the spunky and fun start of the book could possibly weather a tragedy with it's humor and voice in tact. But it does and that impressed me. This book is definitely worth reading (or listening to, the narrator is superb). Hopefully it surprises you as much as it surprised me....more
As far as paranormal romances go, Florence is unobtrusive and unoffensive. But it feels just like same-old-same old to me.
Florence is your 2.5/5 stars
As far as paranormal romances go, Florence is unobtrusive and unoffensive. But it feels just like same-old-same old to me.
Florence is your typical misunderstood loner. For years she's been "new girl" and nobody really knows or cares about her. She' invisible to her classmates. However, everything changes on a school field trip when she's kidnapped by mermaids.
The mermaids take her to be Prince Kiren's familiar, something that is not really explained, but never mind she's deemed inappropriate. So I guess the whole reason for her abduction doesn't need a real explanation (except I'd really like one). After a short discussion about disposing of her, the young Princess Yolee begs to keep her as a friend. With only nominal objections, Florence is allowed to stay in Niemela.
Florence is a special human (haven't we all seen that before?). She can understand the merpeople's language and commune with animals. This is never explained or explored in the book. It's noted as an oddity. I kept expecting there to be some kind of big reveal but it never materialized. Florence just knows the language because otherwise the book couldn't exist.
This book is very slow to get to any kind of plot. The first half of the book is spent introducing us to the undersea world--the brightly colored mermaids, the Oceanarium where everything lives in harmony (which makes me wonder how the carnivore creatures survive) and everything is just sparkly, pretty and idealized.
When the book finally starts getting to the plot, rather than surprise you with twists the book switches point of views and blatantly shows you what's happening in the background. If the author had saved the twist, choosing to reveal it at a more dramatic moment it could've been interesting. But it was underwhelming.
The writing is actually not troubling. There were a few mistakes, and a few thesaurus-happy moments but overall it was pretty readable in that regard. The problem was the story itself, which was predictable and never really made me care.
Did I mention that this book all takes place in 6 days? Florence somehow becomes key to the undersea world, is accepted and eventually falls in love with a merman? For me that's hard to believe. However I feel like people who like most paranormals (despite their flaws) will enjoy this book well enough. The book reads quite young so I think the younger fans of paranormal will probably enjoy it.
I received a copy of this book from the author for review purposes.
It's hard to believe that Viva Jacquelina! is the 10th Jacky Faber book. At times this series feels like it's dragging on and on but on the other handIt's hard to believe that Viva Jacquelina! is the 10th Jacky Faber book. At times this series feels like it's dragging on and on but on the other hand I'm like "WAIT I've read TEN Jacky Faber books? Are you sure it's that many?"
I think many of us who love Jacky have intense yet confusing feelings about her. We love her adventurous spirit and flirty ways. Yet we feel like sometimes she takes the flirting too far and will never settle down with good reliable Jaimy, that maybe she loves the sea more than she'll ever love anyone.
Viva Jacquelina! felt like a solid book in the series. I can't say that it necessary moves the Jaimy/Jacky storyline forward, but it also doesn't go off on strange tangents. Instead the book follows a logical progression (well as logical as it gets where Jacky is concerned). Jacky is once again in the service of British intelligence. She goes off to war in Portugal, fighting the French and riding off with guerillas to gather more intelligence. When the guerillas are ambused, Jacky is seperated from her friends. In true Jacky fashion, she goes off on her own and finds new and exciting friends. By luck, she stumbles upon the house of master painter Goya, becoming a servant and model for his painting students. If that sounds like a strange chain of events then you haven't met Jacky Faber (Let me remind you when was randomly stolen away by a female pirate....).
In warzones Jacky is almost introspective, thinking about her own cowardice and fully aware of the harsh realities of war. This version of Jacky has actually grown on me. She's more grown-up, more aware of the consequences of her actions. She may not be as fun and flirty, but there are times for silliness and times for contemplation.
Of coures Jacky still flirts, but her flirtation (except for with Lord Richard Allen in the beginning) feels tamer than normal. She's actually aware of the effect her womanly ways have, especially on a younger boy named Cesar, and seems to hold back just enough to remain mostly loyal to Jaimy. There may be kisses but if anyone tries to get too close, Jacky pushes them away.
Some of the more recent Jacky adventures have felt random and disconnected for the series as a whole. They've felt like adventures that are meant to prolong the story. So I fully went into this book nervous, expecting disappointment. But by following real history, returning Jacky to her roots as a British soldier, this book managed to feel more like a planned novel and less like a divergence.
I was surprised by how much I liked this book. This book is very readable and very fun, without being stupid. There are some great moments, such as Jacky discovering hallucinogenic mushrooms, her posting for a very famous pinting (Maja denuda by Goya) and of coures I loved the interactions with Lord Richard Allen at the beginning of the book.
At the end of the book, Jacky and Jaimy are finally sailing in the same direction. Of course that could mean nothing. There have been plenty of books that ended with a grain of hope, then something happens before they ever land on the same continent. But I feel like that won't happen this time. Maybe I'm just overly hopeful, but the timing feels right for Jaimy/Jacky to meet again. After seeing so much war and death, how could they not run back to each other?
I'm giving this book a better rating than more recent Jacky books. However, if the next book just goes off on another tangent, all the potential for getting this story back on track will be lost and it won't deserve 4 stars. It's hard to know if my positive feelings are just hope, or if this series is actually heading in the right direction again. All I can say for sure is that I really enjoyed this book.
I received an Advance reading copy of this book (from a friend, not the publisher but putting the disclaimer in just in case
This review is Breakdown of a Heroine Style because I just love Ananna that much.
Who is Ananna? Ananna is the seventeen year old daughter of a pirate This review is Breakdown of a Heroine Style because I just love Ananna that much.
Who is Ananna? Ananna is the seventeen year old daughter of a pirate captain. She's been raised on a confederation pirate ship, knows her way around the riggings. She's handy with a sword and can find her way out of almost any problem.
Strength of Character Ananna is kickass in all the best ways. She can defend herself with a sword and knife. She doesn't hesitate to fight off evil. When she decides to learn navigation, she's a quick study despite her limited education. But that's not what stands out most to me. For most of this story Ananna travels with an assassin named Naji. He has a massive scar on his face. Whenever anyone tries to bully Naji because of his scar, she's ready to kick their ass. She can recognize a bully, sees how beautiful people get away with it and she's not having any of that on her watch.
Ananna's Storyline This book had one of the BEST opening chapter's I've read in a long time. Ananna's father has bargained with another pirate clan, offering Ananna's hand in marriage to create a partnership. Ananna is absolutely furious. Her father promised to teach her navigation and sailing. She feels completely betrayed. Ananna dreamed of captaining her own ship, not being a wife to some spoiled pirate's son.
So Ananna takes things into her own hands, running away from the marriage. Things go awry when the Hariri clan sends an Assassin after her. These are not your normal assassins, these are dark magician's who always kill their prey. Except, this assassin doesn't. Instead Ananna saves him life. By saving him, she accidentally enacts a curse that forces him to protect her. Whenever she's far away or in danger, Naji feels excruciating pain. Not being cruel, Ananna doesn't abandon him and they set off together, both running from the Hariri and searching for a cure for the curse.
Romantic Entanglements I want Naji to myself. Does that count as a romantic entanglement? The moment he sits there sullenly complaining about Ananna saving his life I loved him. Naji is scarred, literally, sullen, funny and he respect Ananna as a strong woman. Even though he's cursed to protect her, he recognizes and compliments her ability to protect herself.
There are hints of romance, always in the background to the story, and slow building. There is nothing unhealthy about it, instead it's a friendship that grows then begins blossoming, at least in the background. It's the adorable type of romance I like, where nobody realizes it's happening except the reader. But you'll find yourself cheering for it, believe me.
Conclusions I loved this book. 5/5 stars of love. Rarely do I love a book this much. Everything was just perfect for me. Ananna is everything I want in a main character - witty, intelligent, funny, feisty and believable. She's the type of girl I want to go adventuring with. From the first line, I was all in.
"Tarrin of the Hariri looked just like one of those paintings. Golden skin and huge black eyes and this mile that probably worked on every girl from here to the ice-islands. I hated him on sight.
Sometimes you love a book so much that it's hard to write a coherent review. Instead I just want to cuddle it and tell it how much I love it. That's not very useful to other readers though. When I tried to be the objective cool-headed reviewer and find the flaws in this book I couldn't. The characters won me over immediately, the pacing kept moving forward (I read this book quickly), everything pushed the story forward, it made me laugh, it made me feel and I just loved it.
For those who like fantasy with strong heroines and are looking for Tamora Pierce meets Jacky Faber, this book is perfect for you. In this book you'll find your next fictional crush (especially if you're into men who treat women with respect), a new fictional best friend and maybe event a favorite novel.
I received an advance reading copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley
The Chosen One is one of those stories that is heart-wrenching and feels like it could be a true story. It's not. However, Kyra's voice is so authentiThe Chosen One is one of those stories that is heart-wrenching and feels like it could be a true story. It's not. However, Kyra's voice is so authentic and she carries this novel. She's youthful yet wise, but not in a way that feels like an adult interjecting themselves into a child protagonist For Kyra, growing up in polygamist compound she's had to grow up fast. At thirteen, she's spent most of her life raising her younger siblings and being given adult responsibilities.
Even though her father is a good man and tries to protect Kyra, she's seen enough to understand the world around her. She's seen the young women married to old men, seen the women who fight-back ostracized. Yet Kyra is still hopeful. That's part of what makes Kyra both tragic and realistic. Like any child, she dreams of her own potential happiness. She wants to have a choice in life, to marry her crush Joshua, not to be a child-bride to an older man. She really believes that she might have a chance.
That is until the prophet has a "vision" of Kyra's and sees her marry her own uncle, an elder in the compound who already has six wives.
This story shines because it doesn't pretend there is an easy answer for Kyra. She's thirteen and faced with an unwanted marriage, or potentially running away and leaving the family she loves. On the outside it's easy to say Kyra should run. But Kyra struggles are more realistic. She loves her father, her mother and her gaggle of siblings. Just a child herself she can't imagine life outside the home she's always known.
This book navigates that inner conflict and the choices Kyra must make beautifully, without oversimplifying the problem. The Chosen tackles a difficult issue with rare respect and intelligence.
This audiobook is narrated by the wonderful Jenna Lamia, who captures the story perfectly. For a thoughtful and genuine book this is highly recommended....more
Midnight City is a book that frustrated me. It advertises itself as a dystopian, alien-invasion science fiction novel. And while it's most 2.5/5 stars
Midnight City is a book that frustrated me. It advertises itself as a dystopian, alien-invasion science fiction novel. And while it's most certainly a dystopian and there seem to be aliens, it's by no means a science fiction novel. Instead it's a melding of dystopian alien with fantasy, yet it refuses to acknowledge that.
Science is one thing. Magic is another entirely. I love them both but you have to know which one you are writing. Key to this novel are these things called"artifacts" that are made from "Strange Land" objects.
"It takes three types of artifacts to make the most basic combination," Mira began. "First you need a power source which is always two Strange Lands coins of the same denomination. The higher the denomination the power powerful the artifacts. Coins also determine the 'polarity' of the artifact combination. Placing them with the same sides facing out is 'negative'.
I'm sorry that's not science. It's not even believable fake-science.
"The artifacts were the closest thing the world had ever had to magic."
That's because they are magic. It doesn't matter if Mira studied them or if they use words like polarity, there is no other explanation for the artifacts. Yet the book continues to say there is no magic, or they don't believe in magic, when everything key to the book has absolutely no scientific explanation. Even the climax of the novel depends upon this shoddy science/magic and that frustrated me.
This is not the only problem with the book. I had trouble believing the characters as well. Holt Hawkin's is supposed to be this gruff, tough bounty hunter. For someone who's personal mantra is "survival dictates" (this phrase gets annoying) he's a bit of a pushover. For him to survive to age 20 (a rarity) in this post-apocalyptic world, especially being an experienced bounty hunter, it seems like he would need to be a little harder. The fact that a girl with pretty eyes can effect him so much makes it difficult to believe his backstory as a bounty hunter.
The writing is also lackluster and clunky. Take this phrase for example: ""Did you see them? They were red!" Mira yelled down at him from the tree on the incline." Placed plop in the middle of an action scene, it bogs everything down. It would be better with less words, especially since the tree being on an incline isn't necessary to the plot. It feels like the author is trying to force you to see the same image that's in his head even when it's not important.
There was time when this book got the pacing right and it was readable, but overall it just didn't feel worth it. When I read a science fiction book I expect science. New dystopians need to be GREAT because they are following in the footsteps of The Uglies, Hunger Games, Chaos Walking and everything that comes before. You need characters that sweep you off your feet or mind-blowing revelations or something special to make your novel stand out. This one just doesn't.
An advanced reading copy of this was provided by the publisher through Netgalley
Cassi aka Snow White
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