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| 3.46
| 31,511
| Oct 06, 2015
| Oct 18, 2015
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did not like it
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No stars. Disclaimer: I read to about 65%. Skim read to about 90% and read to the end. Also, this review will contain spoilers for the alternate ending No stars. Disclaimer: I read to about 65%. Skim read to about 90% and read to the end. Also, this review will contain spoilers for the alternate ending that are not in spoiler tags. Years ago, when Twilight was in its prime, someone told me that Breaking Dawn was never supposed to happen. That it was the book where Stephenie Meyer was given free reign to do whatever she wanted because the series was so popular, everyone would buy it regardless of quality, and rake in big dough-cheese for her and her publishers. I don't really know how true that assumption is, but dammit if isn't true for Life and Death. Take me for example: I own all of the Twilight books, have read Twilight (just the first book) a total of 4 times, 5 if you include this (and I do), written about some of the good that came of the series (I'm not always a fire-breathing bitch queen), made fun of it, enjoyed parts of it, loathed chucks of it and everything else in between. I also attempted to re-read the series back in 2012 for this little thing I started called Project: HindSight, and had so much fun reviewing Midnight Sun (I really wish she'd finish that), but by the time I got to New Moon (the book I dislike the most), I just couldn't continue on and abandoned the project. Over the past few years, I've settled on generally disliking everything Twilight stands for while holding onto a morbid fascination and, begrudgingly, bestowing some sort of respect for a series that put YA literature on the map. So when I heard of Life and Death, literally the day it released, I knew I'd buy it. No questions asked. I was hoping many of the issues I had with Twilight would be corrected with this version. It had so much potential to be great! I never expected there to be huge drastic changes to the story -- I did expect it to be pretty much the same as Twilight, so believe me when I say that was the least of its problems. I won't bother reviewing this book, because it's essentially the same as Twilight and I've already written a review for that. Just swap around the pronouns in your head as you read it. In the forward, Stephenie Meyer opens with this: "But I’ve always maintained that it would have made no difference if the human were male and the vampire female— it’s still the same story. Gender and species aside, Twilight has always been a story about the magic and obsession and frenzy of first love." I don't think she was very successful. There were times when I wondered what Meyer was truly trying to accomplish here. Was she trying to basically say her novel features an unhealthy relationship even with roles reversed? As in, "Hey guys, my book is horrible either way!" Or was her goal to further highlight how Twilight had a lot of instances of sexism, including sexual violence against women? Because if so, then I suppose, yeah, she was successful. Here's a general run down: Beau is your classic Gary Stu who falls for The Ultimate Manic Pixie Dream Girl, Edythe. He has no aspirations to do or be anything until he spots the love of his life in his high school cafeteria. Not much has changed with our young, desperate lovers except for their pronouns, but Edythe is still a jerk/control freak/stalker and somehow less creepy than Edward. And Beau is still a very weak character and as interesting as the dirt beneath my shoe. There is an alternate ending which is essentially a pathetic attempt to pack New Moon and Eclipse into a clusterfuck of info-dumping. But more on that later. What I really want to talk about is the treatment of the female characters. I don't know how this was even possible, but reading Life and Death actually made me hate Twilight even more than I originally did. This is mostly because it became shockingly evident that certain scenes (sexual assault) were purposefully left out in this version because the characters didn't have vaginas. Lovely. Bella's attempted rape scene has now turned into Beau's assault scene. If you remember, in Twilight, while Bella is getting lost in Port Angeles, she runs into a group of drunk men who attempt to sexually assault her. This is made clear by their jeers ("Don't be like that, sugar.") and Edward's later dialogue. But for Beau, his assailants are a mix between female and male and have the intention of beating him up because they think he is a cop. The section is entirely re-written with more dialogue, a gun and threats of death. Then there is Rosalie's rape scene, now changed to Royal's assault scene. Instead of Royal being raped, he's tricked during the wedding and beat up within an inch of his life. Now, one could argue the time period and say, "Well, that's happened back then. It's just how things were." And, maybe, before I read Life and Death I could have seen that point. But when the two biggest instances of female sexual assault are completely left out when you swap the genders, oy, that's an issue. Now that is not to say I wanted to see men get rape in Life and Death. It's just a glaring problem where I now see those scenes as "Literary Rape," used as plot devices to add depth and sympathy to Rosalie's character, and to give Edward a reason to look super heroic in the face of rapists. Maggie Stiefvater said it best in This is a Post About Literary Rape: "I’m talking about novels where the rape scene could just as easily be any other sort of violent scene and it only becomes about sex because there’s a woman involved. If the genders were swapped, a rape scene wouldn’t have happened. The author would’ve come up with a different sort of scenario/ backstory/ defining moment for a male character." That is exactly what happened here. One could argue that Meyer wrote a more progressive version of Twilight with Life and Death and that's partly true to an extent. Edythe does appear to try to make her relationship with Beau as equal as possible. But there are constant references to the gender changes as if Meyer is trying to prove something to the reader, and they only seemed to further resign me to the fact that Meyer has no idea what she's doing. (Bold is mine.) His straight gold hair was wound into a bun on the back of his head, but there was nothing feminine about it— somehow it made him look even more like a man. [image] I fumbled for my wallet. [image] She turned toward the cafeteria, swinging her bag into place. It was like Meyer was shouting me, "DO I IMPRESS YOU?!" And I kept going: [image] In the hands of a more skilled writer, this might have been pulled off flawlessly. I found the changes she made with Beau's narration interesting. Meyer mentioned in the Forward that Bella is more flowery with her words, where Beau is not. This is a complete understatement. The one thing Twilight actually had going for it, was the occasionally pretty quote. I say occasional, because the novel contains too many short, simple sentences than I usually like in my books. In Life and Death's case, the writing has been watered down so much that it feels on par with See Spot Run. And I don't necessarily think this is a gender thing. Just because a character is a boy, doesn't mean he can't be articulate or well-versed. “Bonnie, there’s something you didn’t know about me.… I used to smell really good to vampires.” Corny. So very corny. It's not uncommon to discover popular YA authors' inability to write convincing male POVs. *cough*Veronica Roth*cough* And I learned from Midnight Sun, that it's not exactly Meyer's forte either, but c'mon! This was really bad, even for her. The there's Beau's obsession with Edythe's unhealthy* body. Oh, god, I'm so disgusted with this part, and I don't really understand why it was included. "Her pale arms, her slim shoulders, the fragile-looking twigs of her collarbones, the vulnerable hollows above them, the swanlike column of her neck, the gentle swell of her breasts— don’t stare, don’t stare— and the ribs I could nearly count under the thin cotton. She was too perfect, I realized with a crushing wave of despair. There was no way this goddess could ever belong with me." Is this supposed to show Beau's unrealistic expectations of women's bodies? That only vampires can achieve this level of "perfection" that society constantly forces on us? Because there is no other explanation that works well here and I'm really trying to give Meyer the benefit of the doubt and throw her a bone. The issue with this theory is, there's no indication in the book that this is an unrealistic view. Actually quite the opposite happens later in that same scene: I had a new definition of beauty. Sigh. I don't think I need to go into why this is problematic, so I'll just leave that there for your critique. *Unhealthy, as in for majority of women, this is an unattainable beauty standard. Apologies if that came off as body shaming women/girls where that is their healthy. I'm speaking specifically about society's constant pressure on women and girls to be as thin as possible, many times to the detriment of their physical and emotional health. When Beau describes Edythe, he focuses so heavily on the sharp angles of her bones and it perpetuates the idea that these characteristics make her more beautiful than others. I find these descriptions irresponsible and feel there could have been a better way to describe her. So let's talk about the ending. This part will have spoilers beyond this point. This is your one and only warning. Yes, it's re-written -- horribly, if I'm being honest. During the scene with the ballet studio (which, BTW, Beau didn't take ballet as a kid because HE'S A BOY. *eyeroll*), everything is pretty much similar expect for the fact that Edythe can't suck out all the venom out of Beau's body, leaving him only one possible future: becoming a vampire super early and living happily ever after with his BAE, Edythe. I wouldn't have had an issue with the change if it had actually been written without the massive amounts of info-dumping. It reads like Meyer decided last minute that she wanted to only do 2 chapters of the gender swap (which she mentions in the Forward), realized she spent all of her deadline time on re-writing the entire book, and quickly wrote an ending hours before she emailed it to her editor. She crams the werewolf history, volturi history, rules of being a vampire, and Beau's human funeral altogether and it's just so goddamn messy. It also makes the insta-love look even worse because at least Bella had 3 other books and a pining Jacob to consider leaving Edward. It was just an overall hot ass mess that seemed so out of place. This is why I said they just let Meyer do whatever the hell she wants; half that stuff would have never flown with a debut novel or any novel that desired to actually be, you know, good. Would I recommend this and should you read it? Hard to say. My first response is, "Oh, god, no. Don't waste your money." $12.99 is an unacceptable price for an ebook (thank goodness for Kindle returns!). It doesn't really offer anything vital to the Twilight fandom/universe and is generally a horrible piece of writing that I want to fling stones at. But then the other half of me enjoys the suffering of my fellow book lovers and is considering purchasing this as a gag joke to both of my lovely co-bloggers. Because that's really all this trite, wish-fulfilling, wankfest of a re-imaginging is good for, and I really, really need to stop being so damn curious about everything. But anyway, I'm rambling when all I really want to say is... the ball's in your court now, E.L. James. I eagerly await your newest, [image] ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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not set
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Oct 09, 2015
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Oct 06, 2015
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Hardcover
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| 4.25
| 13,270
| Mar 31, 2015
| Mar 31, 2015
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did not like it
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Actual rating: 1.5 stars. The romance isn't too bad in this one if you forget the fact that it's an Insta love romance. It has a good amount of cringe Actual rating: 1.5 stars. The romance isn't too bad in this one if you forget the fact that it's an Insta love romance. It has a good amount of cringe worthy moments that'll make you vomit in your mouth, same amount of wish fulfillment wankery and moments of intense eye rolling. But this time with sexy times! Sex in a bed! Sex in a dirt hole! Sex against a tree! Whoo hoo, sex, baby, yeah! >_> So why did I read it despite disliking the first book? Answer: The narrator is pretty great and it was free on Kindle Unlimited. I was curious on where the story would go, so I decided to give it a chance, and I was entertained. I can see why people like the book even though it's not really my cup of tea. And yet, I'll probably end up listening to the last book, because at this point, why not? I almost gave Sea of Stars 2 stars because it is a better novel than the first. But thanks to that ridiculous plot twist at the end, I'm knocking off half a star. Review to come. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 05, 2015
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Aug 08, 2015
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Aug 05, 2015
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Audible Audio
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| B00RM5O2OG
| 4.20
| 19,912
| Dec 15, 2013
| Feb 03, 2015
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did not like it
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Welp. Another case of pretty cover and terrible book has struck me again. Kricket is a super special girl. She has special powers, special eye color, Welp. Another case of pretty cover and terrible book has struck me again. Kricket is a super special girl. She has special powers, special eye color, special hair color, special name and spelling of said name. She's really beautiful, but doesn't know it and every guy wants her body for himself... some as old as dirt! She's also The One at the center of a prophecy her super special mom prophesized long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away. Are you rolling your eyes yet? Never have I read a book with so many ridiculous tropes balled up into one novel. Not that there is anything inherently wrong with tropes because even I have a certain weakness for some. For example, I fall prey to the "girl and boy hate each other, but slowly fall in love through forced interaction" trope every time and I'm not ashamed to admit it. But Under Different Stars reads like a self-indulgent writing experiment with absolutely no purpose. While on the run from the department of social services, Kricket is abducted by a group of men who share the same violet eye color as her. They end up taking her to a different world, and surprise, surprise, she's an alien with powerful abilities that are highly sought after. She's immediately thrust into a world where females are valued as much as a prized show dog and whose vernacular verges on both corny and juvenile. Yet despite being born with a vagina and thus seen as lesser than her male counterparts, every male she runs into wants her. Whether for political gain, selfish wants or sexual conquest, Kricket is a highly sought after commodity, and much of the novel is a pissing contest between various man folk. One that seems interesting at first, but quickly losses its appeal with every new suitor. Though most of the novel takes place over the course of a week, possibly two if I'm being generous, Kricket manages to fall in love with one of her original captors, Trey. I can usually pick out who the love interest is from the very beginning and Under Different Stars didn't even bother making this remotely difficult, nor did it make an attempt to keep the lovers apart. As I previously stated, this novel is very self-indulgent and doesn't particularly care to stay the course of what was originally laid out in the beginning for the reader. At one point Kricket confesses her love to Trey only to be rebuffed and in her words "friend-zoned" due to his already established previous engagement to a childhood friend, something she was well aware of beforehand. Yet, imagine my surprise when while Kricket is yet again fawning over Trey, claiming her undying love, and he AGAIN telling her no, that he suddenly tells her that he's broken it off with his fiancé and wants to be with her. And then an argument over who loves who the most ensues, ending with her basically begging him to deflower her and he saying he wants to marry her instead. Because nothing else matters but their love, guys! Oh, kitten. Oh, honey. *makes out* [image] It's the first time I've ever read a scene that does a complete 180 with no warning whatsoever. To say this Under Different Stars has a bad case of wish fulfillment is a complete understatement since Kricket can, in fact, wish her way out of certain circumstances. Whatever Kricket wants, she has the power to get. Kricket doesn't want to marry someone? No worries, another male suitor will have him killed. Kricket wants Trey to be with her and ditch his childhood sweetheart? So it shall be done. I mean, the amount of wank that went into this novel is shocking. Kricket isn't the heroine of the story despite her situation. No, instead she is the heroine of the story because the world is setup to be terrible so she can be the shining ray of light. With so many male characters that belittle her and constantly want to control both her powers and body, Kricket is the stanch feminist who desires to be in control of her own destiny. While all the men attempt to mansplain to her, they later find out that she's actually a genius whose "brain lights up like a christmas tree" on a scanner. They frequently tell her how she can't defend herself and yet Kricket has the most powerful powers out of everyone. Everyone in the book is deliberately horrible, so she can look flossy as fuck. [image] To make matters worse, the ratio of male to female characters is nauseating. Only three, including Kricket, have lines in the book and I'm pretty sure I can count on one hand how many times they chatted with each other one page. Two other female characters are mentioned, one being Kricket's dead mother and the other Trey's fiancé. Everyone else is virtually male or just not mentioned. Ugh. (view spoiler)[Also, why is her name Kricket?! Why is she the only one with the super odd name? Why does she spell it with a K?? (hide spoiler)] A part of me is confused, surprised and disgusted with myself for continuing to listen to the audiobook even when I knew there was no way possible for it to redeem itself with me, but I'm such a stubborn reader with a pinch of masochism. Maybe under different stars I could have liked this book, but it's made up of too many of the things I dislike to have ever had a chance. Such a shame because I really do love those covers. More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 2015
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Aug 03, 2015
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Jul 08, 2015
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Audible Audio
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| 1250057086
| 9781250057082
| 1250057086
| 3.96
| 2,853
| May 12, 2015
| May 12, 2015
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it was ok
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My eye twitched after I finished Velvet. I rubbed it, it twitched again. Apparently, my eye didn't know what to make of Velvet any more than I did. Wa
My eye twitched after I finished Velvet. I rubbed it, it twitched again. Apparently, my eye didn't know what to make of Velvet any more than I did. Was it bad or was it good? Did I enjoy it or did I hate it? Is it possible to say yes to all of those questions? Just a heads up that this review is going to be even more convoluted that usual and skip around a lot. I regret nothing. At first glance, Velvet appears to be the same Paranormal Vampire Romance novel we've all read a hundred times. Girl moves into a new town. Girl meets Hot Guy who's never shown interest in any other girls in town. Girl almost dies, but Hot Guy saves her. Blah, blah, blah... romance. So if you are tired of this kind of set up, then prepare to be highly disappointed for the first 40% of the novel. That fact is, if Velvet had been published during the Twilight Era--let's be honest, it totally belongs there--it would have probably been a huge hit. But now, it has a lot working against it. Readers expect more from their PNR and the Twilight-esqe model is, frankly, played out. But moving on to what you actually really care about: was this any good? That is such a complicated question so, I will give an equally complicated response. Velvet is like an Oreo Cookie. It's not the best cookie you can have, but it will satisfy your desire for one. The end pieces are pretty terrible by themselves and the icing in the middle is just way too much high fructose corn syrup in one go. The cookie works okay when it's together, but still kinda leaves this weird aftertaste in your mouth. It's like your body subconsciously knows that you fed it a sub par treat and denied it a chocolate chip cookie. But at the same time, you find yourself reaching for another Oreo and your body is strangely okay with this. And after you've finished the entire pack, you end up craving a real Cookie. [image] The first 40% is an absolute struggle. It features a ridiculous premise (Adrian's demon, vampire father wants to impregnate Caitlin to produce more vampire babies for reasons), awkward dialogue (though some parts are chuckle worthy) and scenes that is sure to make your eyes roll. In fact, most of it is so unreal, that I often wondered what went through the author and editor's head when green lighting this. I really hate to say that because it sounds like an insult, but it was so bad to the point of hilarity, which made me wonder if I was reading actually reading a satire. If that was the case, then bravo to both West and her editor because they nailed it. Oh shit. That's totally what Velvet is, isn't it? West purposefully stuffed every overused cliché into Velvet to both poke fun at PNR and attempt to write a better one at the same time! AHHHH, the world just came full circle! Or maybe I just read it as a satire to actually make it through the book? Also a possibility. But I'm getting ahead of myself. I need to really tell you guys how ridiculous the first half is. Many would say Velvet is just like Twilight. That's true, but not true enough. Others would say Velvet is nothing like Twilight. I guess, in a way, that's true, too. But again, not true enough, in my opinion. Velvet has an explanation for how vampires came into existence and it's as confusing as all getup, but at least the attempt is there. Then the love interest, Adrian, is actually a decent guy. He respects boundaries and goes away when Caitlin tells him to hit the road. So, I'd say Velvet is like Twilight with manners, science and a ridiculous/frustrating/fascinating plot. [image] While I was reading Velvet, I found some parts so unbelievable, that I went to find out what inspired West to write it. What I discovered was something shocking... she was inspired by Twilight! She wanted to write a vampire novel with a slightly different spin and therefore, it is inevitable for this novel to be compared to its inspiration. Just like how we all love to compare Fifty Shades of Grey to Twilight. Oh damn, I just went there. Anyway, in many ways, she did improve on an existing Vampire Novel Template. She excelled where Stephenie Meyer didn't for me. And I can't believe I'm about talk about some things I liked about Twilight. WTF has this world come to? Twilight's beginning, while super slow, allows a good amount of build up for Edward and Bella to meet. I'm not referring to the insta love, because that definitely happened, but they had several interactions woven into Bella's boring life of cooking her dad dinner before things got started. Obviously, it goes downhill from there because the insta love arrives and sets everything on fire. On the other hand, Velvet doesn't have the same setup and it makes it harder for the reader to be thrust into the novel with no real introduction. As soon as the novel starts, suddenly, Caitlin is in trouble and Adrian is there saving her. "I nearly killed you, to keep you alive." HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. It was completely jarring to me because I was still trying to figure out who, what, when, where, why and WTF. And from then on there was a barrage of not-so-carefully constructed scenarios that forced the couple to be in close proximity. At one point the end up in a closet together and then a bed all in the same night. Yup. Adrian literally goes from not caring about any girl at the school to picking Caitlin up for school the next day. "You're here two days and he just offers to drive you home?" But of course, all these "happenings" are not without a purpose. I mentioned before that Adrian saved Caitlin from his demon vampire dad who wants to impregnate her. So it's his job to stay with her at all times to protect her. "What did you mean when you said you were my personal shadow?" As per the usual characterization of a PNR heroine, Caitlin brushes off the impending danger until she finds out what he wants. And if those quotes made you slow blink, feast your eyes on this gem: "He wants to impregnate me? Like, with a baby that kind of impregnate?" Because of course making someone want you, even when they actually don't, isn't rape. It's totally consensual! Like I said, the for the first 40% of Velvet, the struggle is REAL. [image] But then something strange happened when I hit the cream filling. I started to enjoy Velvet. My friends, who had the misfortune of being there when I decided to tell them every painful detail about the beginning, are convinced I suffered from Bookholm Syndrome. They say Velvet took my brain hostage and I started falling for my captive. But I think the real reason is, once West ditched the clichés and let the romance develop, it wasn't half bad. Unlike Twilight, Caitlin and Adrian's romance is very slow burn. For most of the novel, they aren't "together" and don't particularly want to be, but they do have an attraction. And I have to admit, it was nice seeing their banter and watching their obvious feelings growing. West never rushed it and therefore made me appreciate it more. The only thing I have to complain about with this was that the sexual tension got ridiculous. Once Caitlin and Adrian finally admit their feelings for one another, the spend the night as his place, in his bed, clothes off, cuddling. I just don't buy that. Another thing Velvet did right was female friendships. Caitlin's best friend is considerate and kind as well as the other girls in the novel. They hang out outside of Adrian's presence, have sleepovers and talk about topics other than boys or Adrian. Basically, what I'm trying to say here is that Velvet completely passes the Bechdel test and that's something I never expected. Even some of my favorite YA novels fail at this. All good things came to a swift end when the final conflict caught up with the plot. Unfortunately, I was let down. I went through the entire novel waiting to find out more information about why Adrian's dad sought out Caitlin in particular only to discover nothing. I was given virtually no new development! It just ends on the same note it began, but with more romance. It was so frustrating! It feels like it was a cheap attempt to get me to read the second book and goddamn it, I think it worked because yes I'll fucking read the sequel and I'm not happy about it. UGH! Where's a real cookie when you need it?! [image] I don't know if I'd seriously recommend Velvet to anyone. Well, that's a lie. I kinda do want some of my friends to read it because I'm super curious of what their face would look like while doing so. And now you all know what gift you're getting on Friendship Day. I'm an awesome friend. All jokes aside, I don't really know what to make of Velvet and I suspect its target audience is smaller than it would have been 5 years ago. If you are in the mood for cliché-filled vampire romance, double-stuffed with occasionally overly sweet, witty banter, smashed in between two, over baked, sad excuses for cookies, then this might be a good choice on a rainy day. Just remember, "C" doesn't just stand for Cookie, it stands for Crap, too. BAM! For you visual folks, here's a book talk video on Velvet. (Yes, I drew fangs on my picture. I had one job in photoshop.) [image] ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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May 2015
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May 22, 2015
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Apr 20, 2015
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Paperback
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| 0374384738
| 9780374384739
| 0374384738
| 4.20
| 51,792
| Mar 29, 2016
| Mar 29, 2016
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it was amazing
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Final books are hard. Readers dive in with so many expectations, hopes and fears, and let's not forget the ships. I suspect it must be at least a litt
Final books are hard. Readers dive in with so many expectations, hopes and fears, and let's not forget the ships. I suspect it must be at least a little daunting for an author to want to give their readers everything and stay true to their story. Friends, for me, Marie Rutkoski has done just that. This story has taken me on a remarkable journey, capturing my heart and and melting my emotions in one fell swoop. The Winner's Kiss is a perfect conclusion to an expertly crafted series. And as always there are many familiar reasons to love the final installment as much as its predecessors while containing quite a few twists that kept me anticipating the turn of each page. Our protagonists, Kestrel and Arin, experience a lot of growth as previous choices finally reach shocking, climatic consequences, many of which I was unsure how they'd move past. I definitely didn't expect the changes Kestrel underwent; she is both the same and vastly different, exploring physical and mental strength of female characters. You don't need to be gifted with a blade. You are your own best weapon. The unpredictability of this novel is its greatest weapon as Rutkoski clearly shows she's not afraid to make you beg for your favorites' survival. She's heartlessly brilliant like that. What I didn't expect was how much I enjoyed Roshar's character. I give his sarcastic, witty remarks an A++ and loved how he reminded me of a rougher version of Sturmhond from The Grisha series. It was smart for him to have as much page time as he did since The Winner's Kiss contains romantic tension to the max with a few scenes causing me utter desperation—moments where I was throwing buckets of water out of my ship, lest it sink, screaming "Noooooooooo!" fiercely at my ceiling. [image] I still admire the writing and how it manages to convey so much more than is actually written. It's made me re-think my stance on 3rd person narration, usually my least favorite. But the fact that I, too, now feel as though I can translate Kestrel and Arin's Epic Starring Contests, Roshar and Arin's Bromatic Body Language among a host of other tells, just goes to show you the quality of writing. No words are wasted, and always feel so carefully deliberate while still maintaining its raw honesty. Perhaps what The Winner's Kiss succeeds at the most is its ability to straddle that fine line between a character driven and plot driven novel. Neither side took over the other, out-shining or lacking in development. The relationships were given the proper amount of time and dignity. Not only is there a focus on Kestrel and Arin's, but also of another that's made very clear it's just as important, and maybe even more so. And, yes, in case you were wondering, this book does indeed pass the Bechdel test, something which I'm always pleased to see in a YA novel. The plot was excellent. Surprisingly detailed battle scenes, strategies and political maneuvers are at the front without making my eyes glaze over with confusion. And I loved that Arin's cultural religious beliefs along side Kestrel's disbelief was handled with a great amount of respect and love. It really highlighted an ongoing theme of tolerance and respect of others' differences, and that is so incredibly relevant. And, of course, I really enjoyed how the novel began and ended with A Winner's Curse, bringing the entire series full circle. Nice touch. I am fiercely in love with all things Kestrel and Arin. Their relationship struggle in the novel was so real. Finally a YA book where it's not the fantasy world keeping them apart, but actual real relationship bumps that plagues us all: break down of communication, acknowledgements of individual changes and growth, trust issues, accepting faults along with strengths, understanding personal struggles, guilt of hurting the one you love the most, forgiveness, and above all, mutual respect. Favorite quote: "He changed us both." She seemed to struggle for words. "I think of you, all that you lost, who you were, what you were forced to be, and might have been, and I—I have become this, this person, unable to—" It's sad for me to come to the conclusion of a favorite series, one that I never expected to adore so much. But I loved every minute of this ride and can't wait to revisit. Highly recommending. Excellent series is excellent. An ARC was provided by the publisher. No monies or favors were exchanged. More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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not set
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Jan 22, 2016
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Nov 24, 2014
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Hardcover
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| 0062235796
| 9780062235794
| 0062235796
| 3.86
| 47,239
| Sep 02, 2014
| Sep 02, 2014
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liked it
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I think on some level I should probably have disliked this book, but I ended up enjoying it quite a bit. It's a light read and I sped through pretty f
I think on some level I should probably have disliked this book, but I ended up enjoying it quite a bit. It's a light read and I sped through pretty fast and none of the characters irritated me too much. This might have something to do with the fact that books that explore a Reproductive Dystopian world fasciate me. I didn't really love the romance because it is on the "quick" side of things, but somehow that did not seem to bother me much. The plot seemed to more than make up for that, and The Jewel had good pacing and even better anticipation. One thing you might want to consider is that this book does have a terrible cliffhanger. It's the worst. I know I'll end up reading book two just for that alone. I only hope that book two either expounds on the romance or gets rid of it completely. I can't compare this to The Selection because I haven't read it, so if you are looking for me to do that, I'm not the best person to ask. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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not set
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Aug 30, 2014
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Jun 25, 2014
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Hardcover
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| 0399171703
| 9780399171703
| 0399171703
| 3.95
| 7,925
| Mar 24, 2015
| Mar 24, 2015
|
really liked it
| Life is full of sadness. It's part of being a woman. Our lives are lived for the sake of others. Our happiness is never factored in. I'm no Life is full of sadness. It's part of being a woman. Our lives are lived for the sake of others. Our happiness is never factored in. I'm not sure what I expected from Written in the Stars, but it definitely wasn't what I received. Naila's story of a forced, arranged marriage both shocked and horrified me to the point where I had to put the book down several times. It reminds me of how I felt while reading Little Peach, except I knew going into that one was going to be hard. I didn't expect the same level of anger and heartbreak as Naila's situation went from not-so-great to down right horrifying. Naila is hiding a secret from her parents: She's in love with a boy named Saif and if her parents were to find out, they'd be furious. The choosing of her husband is left to up to them, with no input from her. As a result, This may see like too much involvement for some, but for Naila culture, it's a deep level of trust and love for her parents that motivates her to accept this... kinda. The problem is that since she has found someone who she's fallen in love with, she no longer wants that for herself. But the worst does happen, and Naila suddenly finds herself whisked off to Pakistan, far away from the boy she loves and a life she wants. Written in the Stars really opened my eyes to the issue of forced marriages and arranged marriages. Before reading this novel, I personally couldn't understand why someone would be okay with any form of an arranged marriage, but Naila's story has really shown me that a forced marriage is NOT the same thing as an arranged marriage. I really loved Saeed's guest post at YA Highway, where she goes into detail about the different forms of arranged marriages and I encourage you to check it out and learn new things! Naila is coerced, drugged and imprisoned during her "courting process." She doesn't want the life that her parents are choosing for her and tries desperately to escape. This, obviously, is completely wrong and a form of abuse. There was a part of me that understood her parents' concern for Naila. I too grew up in a very religious household where I wasn't allowed to go to school events and parties or out with friends. Thankfully, I was given a lot more freedom and my parents became more understanding while I was in high school. So I understood why her parents were strict: they viewed it as a way of protection for their daughter. Unfortunately, they completely crossed the line and abused the trust Naila had in them by forcing her into a marriage she didn't want. They are a perfect example of having honorable intentions, but horrible, horrible actions through unreasonable justification. They fully believed that what they were doing was for the good of Naila and they viewed her relationship with Saif as a threat to her future. It also seemed like they were angry that Naila took away their "right" to choose her mate. There were just so many complex parts to their relationship. What I really enjoyed was the writing style. It's very simple in nature, which originally concerned me. But I grew to appreciate it more as the story went along because it allowed for Naila's vulnerability to truly shine through. There weren't any fancy prose or deeply metaphorical phrases to distract the reader from what was actually happening. Naila's circumstance was enough to completely captivate me from beginning to end. I also appreciated Saeed's Author's Note at the end that mentions forced marriages can happen in any culture, country or religion and is condemned by all. This was such an important distinction because there are some cultures and religions that get a lot of flack about arranged marriages in general. I love how she makes the reader aware that an arranged marriage is a loving arrangement between all parties and that no one should be forced to do anything they don't want. This is also why I think it was smart that Saeed left out mentions of any of the characters' religious beliefs. I know this may be a fear of some readers, but it was very tastefully done and Naila's religion is not blamed for what happened to her. The only blame placed is on the people that did this to her. To conclude, I'm so happy I read Written in the Stars because it's helped me understand so much more about arranged marriages and forced marriages. It's books like this that make me incredibly grateful for the We Need Diverse Books campaign to help put more books like this on the market. I'm really excited for what Saeed writes about next. ARC was provided from publisher for an honest review. More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Mar 02, 2015
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Mar 15, 2015
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Jun 15, 2014
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Hardcover
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| 1481439413
| 9781481439411
| 1481439413
| 3.00
| 1,554
| Sep 01, 2015
| Sep 01, 2015
|
it was ok
|
Actual rating: 1.5 stars Like most people, I have a strange and unexplainable fascination with all things Tudor, especially Anne Boleyn. Frankly, she w Actual rating: 1.5 stars Like most people, I have a strange and unexplainable fascination with all things Tudor, especially Anne Boleyn. Frankly, she was a badass in her own right and impacted English history so much even though this wasn't fully appreciated until many years after her unjust sentencing and beheading. Plus, I happen to love the Showtime TV series The Tudors for three very delicious reasons: Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Henry Cavil and Natalie Dormer. Meyers in particular was a spectacular Henry and it made my heart so happy. (Then I saw him in City of Bones earlier this year and had a sad.) So when I happened to see this modern day, teenage retelling of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, I was all over that thing like white on rice. I had some questions and reservations as a lot of peeps did, I'm sure, but I held out hope for something awesome. I shouldn't have. Mild spoilers ahead. This is going to sound really harsh, but I'm not sure how else to put it: Anne & Henry is a cheap, watered-down, trivialized, cliché-filled re-imagining of one of the most epic tragedies in English history and I wipe my hands of it. The really sad part? Anne & Henry started off great for me. I really felt like Anne's character captured Anne Boleyn's cunning and confidence perfectly. She was bold, in your face, unapologetic and had sass for days. I loved her character, even until the end. Her slow decent into despair over losing Henry's favor was the strongest point of this novel and the only saving grace, to be frank. Everything else kinda pissed me off like noting else. The biggest issue I had was that Anne & Henry's story just doesn't seem to translate well into a modern day, teenage-angst-filled contemporary. Let me set the scene for you: Henry is the president of his school's student council, an aspiring politician and belongs to one of the most influential families in that community. Anne, on the other hand, is from poorer beginnings, her mother marries into wealth and moves to Henry's community before the start of the novel. No one accepts Anne and her mother, naturally, but of course, Henry notices Anne immediately and can't seem to shake her from his head because she's not like the girls he's used to. >insert dramatic side-eye here< Oh wait... Meyers has a gif for that. [image] If you're familiar with what happened to the real Anne Boleyn, then you already know the bare bones of the plot. Henry's closest friends and confidants don't care for Anne and feel she poses a threat to him. So they conspire to set her up. This part of the book is true to history. But, as I said before, this is much smaller scale. In real life, many people disliked Anne because of her Protestant beliefs and because her relationship with Henry led to him annulling his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, his excommunication from Catholic Church and, eventually, the English Reformation. So how do you do this on a high school scale? Simple answer: you don't because you can't. In Anne & Henry, people dislike Anne because she simply "doesn't fit in" and isn't "the right girl" for Henry. She also is painted as a bad influence (she rides a motorcycle, drinks, is comfortable in her body [read: slut] and distracts Henry from his future goals of eventually becoming president) and gold digger. Anne doesn't dramatically change Henry's views or the school or the community. She registers as nothing more than a blip on a radar. There's no evidence to suggest ANYONE thought of her after the events in the book. (The only real similarity I could pick out is that favor of the people remained with Catherine throughout the book.) So it's in this way that I wonder what the point was of writing a re-telling? Take out all the historical names and I probably would have pegged this as a random YA contemporary with casual slut-shaming. [image] In many ways, the novel trivialized the real Anne's story because she had bigger problems other than just losing her teenaged boyfriend. I'm not usually a fan of YA novels that rely on the whole "even though I'm 16 years old, I plan to be with this teen boy forever and ever because I'm in love" trope. I get that those feelings exist, I do. But those stories fail more often than they succeed for me because I don't connect well with those relationships. And that's pretty much exactly what happens in Anne & Henry. The passion is fast and strong, which, unfortunately, didn't work well with the pacing and made it bodyrock onto the insta-love dance floor. And at one point, I was starting to get frustrated by the lack of sexy times because of all the sexual tension I was getting pounded with (hahah, puns). Thankfully, there is exactly ONE and it's your standard issued fade-to-black scene, and thusly, very anticlimactic. Actually everything about this novel was pretty anticlimactic and after the 50% mark and I struggled to stay interested. Even after the motorcycle accident, which was supposed to be the climax, zero fucks could be conjured. Meyers and I were extremely disappointed. [image] Then the last 75% descended into ultimate frustration because of Henry. Anne & Henry is told in duel point-of-view and we have the unfortunate calamity to be in Henry's head when he's at his worst and being a colossal dick. He blames Anne for their drunken motorcycle accident (because it made him look bad, not because he could have gotten hurt!); blames Anne when his best friend, who he knows she hates, is found in a picture kissing her; blames Anne for the entire Party from Hell even though he knows his friends purposefully got her drunk, set her up and took advantage of her. Then he held a mock trial to expel her from school, her charges ranging from cursing on school grounds to accidentally damaging school property. Such a catch, this one. I know the biggest question here is this: Does Anne lose her head? And to that I answer: yes and no. It's metaphoric and I think the only persons to really grasp the metaphor is Anne and the reader. So by the end, I was angry for Anne's sake because like history, Anne's trial was unjust and a heaping pile of dog shit, but as a modern day retelling, it doesn't conjure up the same amount feelings. Historians can look back at the real Anne's trial and see the holes, but I'd like to think with advancements in science, thinking and hindsight, that helped contribute to the finding of those holes. But Anne & Henry has the benefit of modern technology and hard evidence, most of which Henry had available to him and chose not to use just because and it completely conflicted with the kind of person Ius developed from the beginning. Perhaps the most frustrating part is that I was secretly hoping that Ius would break the mold and give Anne some sort of justice. But maybe the peace of mind comes from the fact that she did not, in fact, literally die in this retelling. Still, it would have been nice to see heads roll... Should you read Anne & Henry? I don't know. It's not a book I can put my seal of approval on, but I won't smack your hand if you were picking it up in a bookstore. I'd definitely say this is one feels like a library rental more than anything else due to the reduction of history's most iconic figures to high school stereotypes. But on the plus side, it's a fairly short read, so there's that. As for me, I'm going to do the same thing I did when I saw Jonathan Rhys Meyer's performance in City of Bones... [image] ...and pretend it never happened. ARC was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss. More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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May 08, 2015
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May 18, 2015
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Jun 15, 2014
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Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 0399171614
| 9780399171611
| 0399171614
| 4.05
| 180,698
| May 12, 2015
| May 12, 2015
|
really liked it
|
Actual rating is somewhere around 3.5 stars. The Wrath and the Dawn has all the elements of an amazing story. It has a strong heroine, intriguing plot, Actual rating is somewhere around 3.5 stars. The Wrath and the Dawn has all the elements of an amazing story. It has a strong heroine, intriguing plot, moral ambiguity, a complex cast of characters that inspire all sorts of internal emotional turmoil. Basically, set phasers to LET ME LOVE YOU. Even for those like me who haven't read A Thousand and One Nights, can appreciate the rich setting and visually stunning descriptions. And I can't tell you how happy I am to say that I really enjoyed The Wrath and the Dawn and I'm hoping many of my friends will give it a chance. Sharhrzad (Shazi), desperate to avenge her best friend's murder, decides to volunteer as tribute to be the next wife of the Caliph of Khorasan, Khalid. He's known as a ruthless ruler, who kills all his wives at dawn the day after he weds. Why is a mystery to everyone including Shazi, who really doesn't care either way, and I don't blame her. Of course, as the reader can surmise from the synopsis, there's something more going on than meets the eye. As Shazi gets to know Khalid, she learns he's not what she thought he'd be and is conflicted that she finds it increasingly difficult to hate him, and more importantly, to kill him. And while that is all going on, we have Tariq, who, for all intents and purposes, was Shazi's boyfriend/betrothed before she took on the suicidal task of killing the Caliph. He struggles with his own feelings of Shazi's impending death (really, no one expected her to live to see the day after her wedding night) and is determined to rescue her at all costs. Little does he know, Shazi falls in love with Khalid and things get a little... messy. Told in a 3rd person point-of-view, The Wrath and the Dawn seeks to cover a lot of story, which it both succeeds and fails at. I'm not usually a fan of 3rd person because it makes me feel detached from the characters and their feelings, but in this case, it worked out well for me. The reader is able to get a good feel on all the characters' intentions and struggles, and that's a feat consider how many characters are introduced over the course of this novel. The downside to this is that I wasn't able to fully connect with any characters on an emotional level, let alone the romance, because it simply didn't get much page time. For that reason, I would have preferred for this book to have been longer OR less page time for the supporting cast for at least the first half so that I could see Shazi and Khalid's interactions more. I didn't have enough build up to have the emotional response lines like these should have set off: “My soul sees its equal in you.” And... “Love is—a shade of what I feel.” Believe me when I say these were beautiful scenes, but I didn't swoon, and that makes me rather sad. Currently, the romance is getting huge praise from other reviewers, so your milage may vary, but, I felt it lacked a certain spark. The writing itself is very lovely and flows in a magical fashion befitting the setting of the novel. Ahdieh's set the perfect tone with her descriptions and the dialogue was both thought provoking and witty a good portion of the time. Some of my favorite lines came from Despina, Shazi's handmaiden: “We women are a sad lot, aren't we?" This is probably why 3rd person worked so well in The Wrath and the Dawn. The characters and their interactions always felt genuine and personable and not flat like cardboard. They weren't always likable, especially Khalid with his tug-a-war like personality, but he was consistently complex. I would guess that my feelings toward him mirrored Shazi's frustration at his lack of trust. He spends much of his time trying to atone for what he's done, but can't bring himself to fully trust her with his secret and the reason behind the deaths of his previous wives. Yet, while beautiful and lush in its own right, The Wrath and the Dawn is not without its faults. You do have your obligatory mentions of the love interest's eyes and how the female main character seems to be the only one to ever truly bring the love interest out of his broken shell. The former is what bothered me the most throughout the novel simply because I couldn't really see what it was about Shazi that he was drawn to. Was it her snarky bluntness? Her beauty? The fact that he didn't understand why she volunteered to be his wife, knowing what her fate would be? I have no idea. I was also a bit surprised (and disappointed?) that Shazi's only plan to survive the dawn was to tell the Caliph a story and deliberately end it on a cliffhanger as the sun rose to generate anticipation from Khalid. Well, okay. It certainly gives new meaning to stories having power, that's for sure. [Again, I haven't read A Thousand and One Nights] Then there were times when Shazi felt deliberately obtuse when it came to Khalid and his secrets. When there were multiple attempts on her life and Khalid himself jumps to save her and reprimand those who tried to do her bodily harm, she still continues to blame him for the attempts. That seemed odd and out of character for Shazi since she is written as very observant and sharp. To her credit, she does start to question happenings shortly after, but this misstep felt too contrived and forced. The final 30% is where this novel truly shined for me since all chips are laid out on the table and characters' true intentions are revealed. I admit to being pleasantly surprised and saddened by one in particular. The stakes will definitely be higher in the sequel, The Rose and the Dagger and I look forward to seeing things get complicated. Also, I'm really hoping for a magic carpet ride. All in all, The Wrath and the Dawn is a strong start to a promising new series. The pros in the novel far outweigh the small cons, which could admittedly be attributed to my cynical mind and lack of a functioning heart. Don't let that stop you from picking this up. ARC was received from the author in exchange for review. More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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not set
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Feb 16, 2015
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May 05, 2014
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Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 1470323974
| 9781470323974
| 1470323974
| 4.46
| 45,281
| Oct 23, 2012
| Oct 26, 2012
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it was amazing
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Perfection. Complete and utter perfection.
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Notes are private!
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1
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Nov 17, 2013
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Nov 18, 2013
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Nov 14, 2013
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Audiobook
| ||||||||||||||
| 1464005737
| 9781464005732
| 1464005737
| unknown
| 4.37
| 50,199
| Aug 30, 2011
| Oct 13, 2011
|
it was amazing
|
I love how Huntsalone goes HAM on all these characters.
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Notes are private!
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1
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Nov 15, 2013
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Nov 16, 2013
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Nov 14, 2013
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Audiobook
| |||||||||||||
| 1423118243
| 9781423118244
| 1423118243
| 4.32
| 53,320
| Sep 01, 2010
| Sep 28, 2010
|
really liked it
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None
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Notes are private!
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1
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Nov 10, 2013
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Nov 14, 2013
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Nov 10, 2013
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Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 0615846890
| 9780615846897
| B00E6VENSE
| 3.74
| 23,096
| Jul 27, 2013
| Jul 26, 2013
|
really liked it
|
Actual rating: 4.5 stars What the hell am I? I thought. Too old to be a real teenager, too young to drink. Old enough to die in a war, fuck grown me Actual rating: 4.5 stars What the hell am I? I thought. Too old to be a real teenager, too young to drink. Old enough to die in a war, fuck grown men, and be completely confused about what I was doing with my life. One of the most important points I see argued when it comes to the classification of New Adult novels is, where does it fit? The debate seems to be evenly spit with each side categorizing it as either YA or Adult with a smaller portion claiming it is of its own category. And I get, because it is a hard to place, especially when YA itself frequently blurs the lines. In the case of Unteachable, however, I think the above quote really nails down what some are trying to say. There is a time in our lives when people feel neither teenaged or adult, neither fully grown or child-like. Certain privileges are afforded to you, while others remain outside your grasp. Through it all, you struggle to find a way to fit into this small space that passes by in the blink of an eye. It would be a mistake to call Maise your average teenager, because she's far from that label with her drug dealing mom and broken home. Forced to grow up at an early age and take care of herself, she sees the world entirely differently than her classmates. But she also seeks out older male lovers to fill the void of a male figure in her life. Thanks, Dad, for leaving a huge void in my life that Freud says has to be filled with dick. Maise is blunt, unpredictable, hot-headed, strong-willed, independent, flawed, brave, passionate and insecure all in one. After a night of of passion with a guy she meets at a carnival, she finds out that he is her new film teacher. Instead of breaking things off like she probably should have, they explore the limits of their relationship. Secret meetings away from school and make-out sessions after class make up the most of their relationship. But things get complicated when other classmates start to notice Maise's odd behavior and familiarity with their teacher and the risks the couple start to take. My face lit up with dark glee. "I can be discreet. I can be Harriet the fucking Spy." Unfortunately for Maise, she was no Harriet the Spy. And if anyone remembers what happened to poor Harriet, she got sloppy and found out by the end. The moments when Maise did a few stupid things had me shaking my head. It was fascinating to see their relationship because Maise constantly wondered what it was about Mr. Wilke that attracted her. Was is a legitimate connection between two people? Or was it just the taboo of having private after school sessions her teacher? Is falling in love with someone twice your age gross, weird, amazing, or all of the above? The secrecy insulated me in a vacuum-sealed bubble. I could only ask myself, How does this feel? Is this good? Is this right? And the only answer I ever got was my own echo. I couldn't help but wonder if Maise was even emotionally ready for such a relationship when it seemed to turn into an obsession for her. Suddenly, keeping Mr. Wilke was all she could think about, she second guessed herself more, she got desperate for his attention and jealous. But at the same time Mr. Wilke displays uncertainty of the "rightness" of his actions and struggles with his feelings for Maise. "I can't hold on to you. You're like that shooting star. Just a trail of fire in my hands." I admit to being drawn to this book simply for the taboo factor. As much as I love YA, every once in a while, it's nice to branch out to something completely left field. I mean, realistically, there is only so much pent-up sexual frustration, coupled with teenaged wangst, I can take before my head explodes. So thank goodness that Unteachable was around to give me the sexy times and love in such a poetic, lyrical way. Part of falling in love with someone is actually falling in love with yourself. Realizing that you're gorgeous, you're fearless, and unpredictable, you're a firecracker spitting light, entrancing a hundred faces that stare up at you with starry eyes. What I loved best about Unteachable was Raeder's prose. I love how Maise is a pretentious protagonist without actually seeming unrealistic. *Cough* The Fault in Our Stars *Cough* I love how hard I could relate to her feelings of not truly fitting into her world or society. I love how she could infuriate me on one page, make me laugh on another and root for her fiercely by the last. I love how Raeder's prose wrapped itself around my brain like a blanket and set off fireworks in my mind. "I'm not pulling the age card, I swear. But there's something I believe. You should love something whole you have it, love it fully and without reservations, even if you know you'll lose it someday. We lose everything. If you're trying to avoid loss, there's no point in taking another breath, or letting your heart beat one more time. It all ends." His fingers curled around mine. "That's all life is. Breathing in, breathing out. The space between two breaths." And I love how by the end of this book I cared so deeply for the characters, my feels fell out of my eyeballs. [image] Very rarely do I see myself re-reading a book, but, guys? THIS BOOK. I would re-read the shit out of it. In fact, I would read anything Raeder wrote. Unteachable is a gem that gave me a bazillion happy sighs. It's lyrical, brilliantly addictive and passionate. HIGHLY recommended. *And since Unteachable had so many delicious sexy time moments and it's a Kindle lending title, I'm sending it to Kat for some Cuddlebuggery Reading Time. ;) More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog. -------- Oh wow. This book, guys! [image] ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Sep 13, 2013
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Sep 15, 2013
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Aug 13, 2013
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Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||
| 0805096779
| 9780805096774
| 0805096779
| 3.19
| 421
| Sep 01, 2012
| Jun 25, 2013
|
it was ok
|
This is going to be one of those rare times where my rating isn't very indicative of my personal feelings of the quality of a novel. (Savor this momen
This is going to be one of those rare times where my rating isn't very indicative of my personal feelings of the quality of a novel. (Savor this moment because I don't see it happening too often.) Here's the thing about Neptune's Tears: if you are a veteran Sci-Fi reader, chances are it will be lacking in complexity for you. However, if you are a noob to the genre or a younger reader or a reluctant reader, this novel may be perfect for you. Unfortunately, I don't fall in the latter category and I don't think I'm a part of the target audience for this book, but I can still see a lot of redeemable qualities for Neptune's Tears. The Good: - The writing isn't bad at all. Even though I mentioned I think this book would be great for younger readers, I didn't ever feel like Waggoner was talking down to the reader. This was especially evident with the science she used to set her world up and the descriptions. The world is described in a clear manner without info-dumping on the reader. -Neptune's Tears features a diverse group of characters. One thing I really love is when a book has other nationalities or cultures present. So many times in YA lit it's the usual all white cast with the occasional token character. But this book takes place in London and has a variety of nationalities present. In fact, the main character even travels to Indonesia later in the book. It's apparent that Waggoner wanted her book to be more of an accurate representation of the world in the future, and the best way to do that was to actually include the rest of the world. - The plot moved along swiftly and the twist wasn't predictable. Looking back at my reading experience, I'm a little surprised that I didn't see the plot twist. There were a few times when I wanted to DNF Neptune's Tears, but I was very interested in seeing what David's big secret was, so that kept me reading until the end. What didn't work out for me: - The pacing was entirely too fast. There were times when I long stretches of time had passed by, but I didn't realize it because the story moved at such a rapid pace. This caused the most issues with the romance. One minute Zee and David are meeting and the next they are falling in love. At first, I thought it was insta-love and I HATE insta-love 99% of the time, but then I realized a few months had gone by later. I felt like the book could have used better transitioning and been smoothed out more in that department. Also because the pacing was so fast, there were pages where it should have been interesting but weren't because the scene felt like it was stuck on a weird Fast Forward type setting. It was like I was skim reading a book without skimming. That, in turn, led to boredom. - The world building wasn't very complex. This is a personal preference, but in order for me to be fully sucked into a world, I need a lot more details. Neptune's Tears gives the reader the basics, but I don't feel it fully tapped into its potential. I would have liked more info on what it meant for Zee to be an Empath. How did this skill emerge in the future world? (Speaking of the future world, I would have like more info on that in general.) If falling in love was so discouraged if a person was an Empath because it negatively affected their job, why was Zee and David's relationship seemingly the exception? There was so much that was left unsaid and the author generally stuck to things that only pertained to Zee. And that would probably be fine for some readers, but I require a little more. - I couldn't relate to the characters. I'm not sure what it was, but these characters did nothing for me. I think this might go hand in hand with things not being as fleshed out as I usually prefer, the characters included. Everything was strictly on a need to know basis as it pertained directly to the story and plot with very little wiggle room. I never really felt I got a good sense on who Zee was as a person. What were her likes besides her job and David? What did she like to do for fun? For me, there was no real substance. There were simply these characters and they live in this world and, oh hey, here is the plot. Bam, wham, thank you, Sam. The bottom line? I really believe this novel could have used an extra 100-150 more pages and if things had been more detailed, I could have really loved this one. That being said, I do think Neptune's Tears would be perfect for reluctant readers. It's short, has a decent plot and not overly complex. ARC was provided by the publisher. Thank you! More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jun 06, 2013
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Jun 09, 2013
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May 25, 2013
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Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 0373210914
| 9780373210916
| 0373210914
| 4.09
| 15,676
| Sep 04, 2013
| Oct 29, 2013
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really liked it
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You know what? Julie Kagawa is an evil genius. If that wasn't evident with the ending in The Iron Queen or even with The Immortal Rules, she definitel
You know what? Julie Kagawa is an evil genius. If that wasn't evident with the ending in The Iron Queen or even with The Immortal Rules, she definitely drove the point home with The Iron Traitor's ending. I'm a little stunned this time around because I'm left wondering how she'll manage to end this thing in the next book. You'll have to excuse me if this review seems a little scattered, but the last few pages blew my little socks off into next Tuesday. It's interesting that I'd have such a strong reaction to this installment because for the majority of the novel, I didn't feel it was as strong as Kagawa's previous works. The tone is more subdued, the witty banter is not as frequent and the overall novel just feels, for a lack of a better word, low. In hindsight, I guess that all makes sense because THAT ENDING. But it's also more than that, I realize. I knew this novel carried heavy implications for the characters. The title itself clearly gave that away as did the foreboding mannerisms of the original trio: Ash, Puck and Meghan. However, even going in knowing this, I'm still impressed that Kagawa went there. Brutally. I realize that this review is not being very helpful, so allow me to backtrack and give you a little something about the book. But it's probably not a good idea to read the rest of this review if you haven't read The Lost Prince. What I loved: As usual, Kagawa writes fun, relatable characters. I always know when I pick up one of her books that I'm going to laugh and fall in love with her cast. It's unavoidable and lovely. Ethan just wants a normal life with his girlfriend, Kenzie, the girl who is dying. He'd like nothing more for the fey to leave him and, more importantly, Kenzie alone. But Kenzie wants to live the rest of her life free from restrictions and craves the adventures the Nevernever provides. After trying his hardest to keep her away from Their world, they set out to look for Keirran, who has not returned to the iron realm after their last adventure. As always, there is a prophecy involved that neither Ethan or Keirran is aware of, one that has the potential to bring an end to everything. Ominously awesome, right? I loved Keirran especially. He's mysterious, broken, tortured and b-b-bad to the bone. Well, not really that last one, but I just wanted an excuse to say that. That is, unfortunately, the impression that he gives everyone, including Ethan, who internally struggles with his feelings of both resentment and family duty. The dynamic between Keirran and Ethan allowed for two deeper messages in the storyline, more so than I remember in Kagawa's other novels. 1. How far do you go to help out a family member? There's no doubt that Ethan has the most to lose and little to gain from helping Keirran. Ethan blames Keirran's existence for the reason why he lost his sister Meghan to the Nevernever. Interestingly, while he remains deeply bitter about the ordeal, he always comes through for Keirran when he needs the help, even against better judgement. 2. How do you let the one you love go? What I didn't expect to find in this spin-off was the underlying message of letting loved ones go. Ethan and Keirran aren't so different. They are both outsiders and in love with girls who are terminally ill. It's a terrible situation to see one character in, let alone two. (In case you missed it, please refer to my second sentence: Julie Kagawa is an evil genius.) The difference between the two guys is their readiness to let their love interests go. I'm not entirely convinced that Ethan is ready, but there are certain lines he has made clear he won't cross, even if that means prolonging Kenzie's life. The same can't be said for Keirran, who would destroy the world if that meant he could spend just an hour more with Annwyl. There's no doubt in my mind that the next book will make me cry a river, but I'm left wondering: At whose loss? How can any of this possibly end well? At least with The Iron Fey series, you had an idea of how things could conclude, though, of course, Kagawa didn't go that route. But with The Call of the Forgotten, I'm mystified and worried because THAT ENDING. There's only one thing left I can do: Hold out until the next book and hope my heart can take whatever Kagawa decides to dish. *ARC was received from YABC and the HarlequinTeen. Thank you! No monies or gifts were exchanged for this review. I am genuinely a Kagawa fangirl! More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Dec 03, 2013
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Dec 13, 2013
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Apr 05, 2013
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Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 0374384673
| 9780374384678
| 0374384673
| 3.95
| 111,733
| Mar 04, 2014
| Mar 04, 2014
|
it was amazing
|
A year ago when I first heard about The Winner's Curse, it was during the Fierce Reads tour where I had an opportunity to interview a few MacKids auth
A year ago when I first heard about The Winner's Curse, it was during the Fierce Reads tour where I had an opportunity to interview a few MacKids authors, including Marie Rutkoski. It was a lot of fun and remains one of my favorite interviews I'd ever conducted. I really enjoyed The Shadow Society, Marie's YA debut novel, and loved her writing style, so I knew I'd be more than eager to check out any of her future works. I asked what she and the other authors where working on and she mentioned The Winner's Curse, which I mistakenly called in my mind "The Winter's Curse." When she explained the premise, I was instantly intrigued. Later, when Kat and I were offered the opportunity to be early readers, we were both honored and delighted but, admittedly, hesitant. A novel exploring a relationship between slave and master can only go one of two ways: really awful or amazingly well. And for us, there's always that fear of disliking a book written by an author you like personally. Our fears were unnecessary. I remember it being well after midnight when Kat texted me saying she had finished the book. In one sitting. The same day we received it. She immediately demanded that I finish so we could gush. Gush? That was all the incentive I needed to carve out a few hours of the next day for reading. Me, being the slow reader that I am, sat reading all day and into the night. When I finished, it was late, my house was quiet and I was alone on my couch. It was the perfect opportunity to have a good cry. Kat and I FaceTimed and chatted about our favorite parts, swooned over Arin, admired Kestrel's tenacity and wit, discussed the intricately woven theme of Bite and Sting, fangirled over Marie's prose and cried together over the heartbreaking ending because parting from this book and characters was such sweet sorrow. We knew this book was special so we did what any self-professed book nerd would do when they read an amazing book: We leveled up to Book Pushers and, as Gillian from Writer of Wrongs would say, started flinging this book at any and all of our blogger friends' faces. Many of them have loved it just as much as we did and have reviewed it to the point where I'm not sure what else I could say about it. So here I am, a year later, after reading The Winner's Curse twice and listening to the audiobook. Anyone who's chatted with me over the years would know that I don't re-read books at all. I don't have the time or usually the inclination, but I made time for this one because it really did a number on the feels, yo. I'm going to give you five reasons why you should read this book and even consider giving the audio a chance. 1. The narrator, Justine Eyre One word, guys: BOSS. The accent that she did was fantastic. It really put me in the rich setting of the Valorian society. My reality faded away as I listened to her describe the clothing, the buildings and the people. She has this gritty quality to her voice, that perhaps may turn some off, but for me it was perfect. It held so much emotion, especially when she did the dialog for Arin. When he talked to Kestrel, I could feel his heart breaking, his sorrow, his regrets, his resolve wavering. And when she did Kestrel, I could feel her resolve, her uncertainty, her sadness, her wavering loyalty between Arin and her people. I was really, really surprised with it because I'm picky when it comes to narrators. Everyone knows a narrator can make or break an audiobook, and for me, Justine Eyre enhanced a novel I already loved. In fact, I come out feeling like I loved the audio slightly more than the print. 2. Arin & Kestrel's relationship This isn't your usual romance. Theirs is a complex love that doesn't blossom overnight -- yay, no instalove! -- but it also sneaks up on you in a way. You get a sense that they have grown fond or used to each other, but you don't know if or when it's ever going to manifest into something else until it does. The problem comes with the issue of slavery. While they have these feelings for each other, the question remains on if it's real if the other doesn't have the true freedom to choose. Can you really love your master? They both know that a relationship between them won't be true unless they are both equal. Unfortunately for them, neither of their societies don't see them as such. What I really loved about the book was that even though at the heart of the story it's a romance, neither Arin or Kestrel allows their relationship to dominate their common sense. In the midst of their feelings, there's a war and it is a very real threat. Both have high stakes in this game of love and war: family members, friends, loyalty to one's country. It's complicated. It's not so easy for them to run away from their responsibilities to be with each other, and that's what makes their relationship so fascinating and complex. There's no right or wrong answer and, as a reader, it makes it more unpredictable. 3. The Setting I love how The Winner's Curse feels both Fantasy and Historical at the same time. The women wear gowns equipped with daggers, are allowed to fight in the army and have influence. The society lives for lavish balls, duels, high social gatherings and gossip. They are in no way technologically advanced since they rely on lanterns and horse or boat travel. It's one of those books where I'm not exactly sure what genre it would fall under. Let's shelve it on the Awesome Shelf, shall we? Because that's essentially what it is and that's the only thing that matters to me. If you've read other reviews that mention the world building a little lacking, it's true. However, this did not bother me and I think it's less apparent with the audio version. I got such a great feel for the culture, that didn't get a sense that I was missing anything. It seems to me, based on how The Winner's Curse ended, that that'll be elaborated more in books 2 and 3. So I'm not too worried in that respect. There's was enough going on without having the geographical locations of all cities thrown into the mix. 4. Kestrel Kestrel isn't your usual heroine. She's not a Katniss or a Rose or even a Tris because she's not a fighter. That's not to say she is weak by any means, but she's different. She, instead, is one of the smartest heroines I've read about. What she lacks in fighting skills, she more than makes up with her mind. She is sharp and even her father, a high official in the army, notices her tactical mind. He urges her to enlist and use her talents to help her country. However, Kestrel doesn't have any interest in joining the army and is faced with marrying, another choice she dreads making. One of my favorite scenes with Kestrel involves a duel that she wins not by strength, but with strategy. She's cunning and the type of character you'd want in a game of chess. Or if the zombie apocalypse came, Kestrel would be the one to come up with the plan to get to the safe house. She might not do you any good protection wise, but the plan would be solid. She's also fiercely determined. Kestrel knew her limitations, but still, she didn't let that stop her from her goal. She would find unique ways around her problems that didn't require brute strength or violence. 5. The Pier Scene The first half of the novel may read slow to some, but then you hit the climax and everything from then on is pretty fast paced. It's where Arin and Kestrel's feelings for one another truly shine through despite the problems that arise. The tables turn and Kestrel finally understands Arin better, and because of what Arin went through for years, he doesn't want the same for her. And the feels, the feels, the feels! [image] The Pier Scene, and even the one before when Arin sings to Kestrel, was easily my favorite scene in the book. I don't even think there is much dialogue at that part, but wow. When Arin looks at Kestrel with that longing and she him with want, but resolve. It really emphasized how complex things were for them and it was so hard for me to read. I wanted one thing, but NHFHDJDBJFBFLFKDMGVDJBHJJVH!!!!! [image] Man, spoilers, I tell ya. I can say no more! But by the end it was like my soul was hurting from the emotional turmoil. Marie, why did you make me feel these things? [image] It's no secret I loved this book, guys. I'm not sure what else to say but: THIS BOOK, READ IT. Enter over at my blog to win the audiobook of The Winner's Curse, donated by Marie Rutkoski! ============================ PRE-REVIEW: So amazing! This book had everything I wanted. It's much too early to put a review up, but trust me, YOU WANT THIS. It had some of this: [image] With a little of this: [image] And romance between two of the best characters that made me go: [image] And then my feels all went and 'sploded all over the place and made me feel something like this: [image] And with that ending just smothered in perfection, I'm not ashamed to admit some of this happened after I realized I'd have to wait until 2015 for the sequel: [image] Basically, I'll be re-reading this book soon and that's pretty much the highest praise I can give it. ============= Disclaimers: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher for review. I also received the audiobook for review. However, I ended up purchasing the audiobook with my hard-earned cash money, so there's that. No monies or favors were exchanged for my review and high praise. I loved it all by my lonesome. More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Mar 07, 2013
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Mar 13, 2013
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Mar 07, 2013
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Hardcover
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| 4.09
| 43,169
| Feb 20, 2012
| Feb 21, 2012
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liked it
| Actual rating: 3.5 stars Usually I don't like reading novellas. I find that I have a harder time connecting with the characters with such few pages. So Actual rating: 3.5 stars Usually I don't like reading novellas. I find that I have a harder time connecting with the characters with such few pages. So I was surprised that by the time I read the last page of Shadows I found myself missing Dawson and Bethany. Perhaps it's because I devoured Shadows right after completing Obsidian. I'm not sure. Or maybe it's because despite Dawson and Bethany's absence thus far in the series, I can still feel that they play a much bigger role than perviously realized. Whatever the case, I found this novella to be entirely bittersweet. If there is one thing that I take away from reading Shadows it's the reasons behind Daemon's interactions with Katy in Obsidian. Don't get me wrong. That doesn't make his actions okay in any shape or form. But it does give the reader better insight. Basically, it's nice to know Daemon wasn't just being a complete jackass just for the hell of it (though, I do think he enjoyed tormenting Katy at times and she him). What's interesting was seeing the almost the exact same events that happened with Daemon also happening with Dawson; something Daemon tried very hard to prevent. Going into the novella, I already knew the general story behind what happened to Dawson and Bethany since it's referenced a bit in Obsidian, but to actually see it play out was a different story. Dawson is the kinder twin of the Black family, so it was relatively easy to grow attached to him and root for his determination at staying with Bethany despite the obstacles in their relationship. Unfortunately, I didn't have the same feelings for Bethany as I did Katy. She wasn't a bad character and I didn't dislike her, but I don't feel I got a good feel for her. I think it's because most of the events were focused around Dawson than Bethany. And not to mention I was still riding my "Katy high" when I dived right into Shadows. I did like Dawson and Bethany together. And I usually don't like "love at first sight" stories, but there wasn't any insta-love to be found, just instant attraction that later turned into something more, which is perfectly realistic. If fans are looking for a more action packed story, this one probably isn't it since it does focus mostly on Dawson and Bethany's first meeting to their getting-to-know-you's and dates. It's a much slower paced book than its processor and less witty. I thought that was appropriate considering the novella carried a certain level of foreboding from the first page that demanded seriousness. All throughout the novel you are watching them go through the motions, attempting the impossible, all the while heading for the inevitable. I wanted to reach out and tell Dawson to not go to that movie theatre that night, but alas, the book was already written. *sigh* All in all, this was a very good novella and I will definitely be continuing with the rest of the series. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 23, 2012
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Aug 25, 2012
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Aug 23, 2012
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ebook
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| 0374349053
| 9780374349059
| 0374349053
| 3.85
| 4,278
| Oct 16, 2012
| Oct 16, 2012
|
liked it
| These days every time I go to pick up another Paranormal Romance I know I'll end up with some form of vampire, werewolf, zombie or ghost. And while th These days every time I go to pick up another Paranormal Romance I know I'll end up with some form of vampire, werewolf, zombie or ghost. And while there is nothing wrong any of those types of characters, it tends to get a little "tell me something I don't know, would ya?" I wanted something different, creative and imaginative. So when I first discovered The Shadow Society, I was really excited to read a novel that featured an entirely new Paranormal creature: Shades, children of the shadows (badass tagline, right?). Now even though in my bio it says I love reading Paranormal Romances, I am so picky with that genre because it has the biggest habit of falling into tropes that either annoy me or disturb me. At first I thought that would be The Shadow Society's fate as well. When our main character, Darcy, an orphan with a mysterious past, meets the new boy at school, Conn, they lock eyes and she finds herself thinking about him from that point forward. Do you see where this could have gone? Straight to my Did Not Finish list, that's where. But then I noticed something. Darcy and Conn started spending good, ol' fashion time together, getting to know each other without claiming their undying love. And just when I thought this would be a simple cutesy novel, betrayals, revelations, and mysteries ensue and I found myself wrapped up in the plot. If there is one thing that I have to commend Rutkoski on, it's how the novel is crafted around one real life story involving a knife and a fish tank. When Darcy discovers that she is really a Shade from an alternate dimension and that her kind are terrorists, she is heartbroken. All her life she has wanted to know about her past she couldn't seem to remember, but the longer she spends in the alternate division the more she discovers that it's filled with more that just shadows. I could easily sympathize with Darcy and loved how the book was told through her point-of-view. She doesn't always make the best decisions in the novel, but unlike other heroines, I have to give her credit for trying to fix her mistakes. The highlight of the novel is easily the secondary characters. They were hilarious with vibrant personalities, especially Jims. I LOVED him so hard. I only wish I could have seen a lot more of him and Darcy's friends. Conn, the love interest, was a confusing character for majority of the novel. It's understandable given his role in the plot (which I won't spoil for you even if you beg!), but it made it harder to connect with him. However, I did enjoy the romance and readers can rest assured that insta-love is absent from The Shadow Society. And while it is an important factor in the story, it never drove the plot, which I liked. Of course, this isn't a perfect novel. There were a few times where the story did slow down significantly and while I wasn't bored, it could be an issue for other readers. I also found the third boy's romantic interests in Darcy a bit unnecessary. She already had two admirers, one who reminded me of Blake from Onyx (if you've read Onyx, you'll know that isn't a compliment to that character), and Conn, the good guy. And no, there wasn't a love triangle. Then there was the issue of the friends somehow finding the alternate dimension and making a life there in such a short amount of time. But when Jims referred to himself as "Daddy," I quickly let that little issue slide. LOL. And finally, I felt that the ending's resolution ended a little too swiftly for my liking after so much build-up. If someone were to ask me if I'd recommend The Shadow Society, I think I would tell them to sample the first few chapters first. The Shadow Society gives me the same feelings Throne of Glass did in that it's very readable with an interesting premise. It won't change your life, but being a standalone read, it works well for one of those rainy days where you want to read something a little lighter with a satisfying ending. ARC was provided by Macmillan. Thank you! Want to enter for a chance to win the ARC? Visit Cuddlebuggery Book Blog. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Sep 05, 2012
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Sep 13, 2012
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Jul 29, 2012
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Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 0374379912
| 9780374379919
| 0374379912
| 3.68
| 7,872
| Feb 28, 2013
| Mar 05, 2013
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it was ok
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Be warned: This review does contain mild spoilers. You know that feeling when you are expecting one thing out of a book and it completely delivers some Be warned: This review does contain mild spoilers. You know that feeling when you are expecting one thing out of a book and it completely delivers something else, and not for the better? It's the kind of situation where you expectations completely sabotage your reading experience. That's what happened with Unremembered and I. Technically, there isn't anything wrong with the story. I fairly enjoyed the writing style and the characters, but in the end it's not very memorable. It reminds me a lot of a few other sci-fi novels I've read recently: Origin and Eve & Adam. They all feature people created by science in some way or another, each with varying degrees of complexity. I'd situate Unremembered somewhere in between the two. The premise is what really drew me in. Seraphina is found at the scene of a plane crash with no memory of how she got there or anything from her past, including her name. As the novel wears on, the reader and Seraphina learn more and more about her past thanks mostly the Mysterious Boy that she feels drawn to. In the beginning, I was really enjoying it because it was intriguing. However, once the romance manifested and consumed the plot, the original excitement I had began to die off. There is a scene where the love interest, Zen, is more focused on her remembering him instead of other memories I felt were a bit more important given her situation (AKA, bad guys are after her and she doesn't know why). Apparently, he didn't feel that was important, which struck me as odd. Sure, he told her the basics, but his main priority was her remembering their love. Yes, this is me rolling my eyes. The other thing I took issue with was the whole, "Zomg! Science is evil! It will destroy our love!" (view spoiler)[One plot twist reveals that they time back to Shakespeare's time because they wanted to be in a time period where Evil Science couldn't taint their love. (hide spoiler)] The whole Evil Science is something some reviewers took issue with Jessica Khoury's Origin. I didn't because I felt like Origin only addressed the evil of what a few particular scientists were doing, whereas Unremembered lumps all of science in as evil. So if you had issues with Origin, it might be best to skip this one. And let's not forget these are teenagers claiming their love transcends all things a la Romeo and Juliet. It's the whole, "They won't let us be together, let's run away" plot, when what you think you're getting is a novel that is more than just a tragic love story. Zen is the only boy Seraphina meets. Her life experiences are severely limited because of what she is and most of their romantic interactions take place through brief flashbacks. This made it really hard for me to believe in their love and connect on that level. Not to mention, external forces are not the only things that complicate relationships and are generally not what tear couples apart. Unremembered creates this illusion that their love would be perfect if it weren't for Evil Science. And my final issue? Predictability. I had almost the entire plot figured out in the first 25%. I knew exactly why Seraphina ran away. I knew exactly where she ran away to (that one was incredibly obvious). I knew where she was from. I knew what she was. (BTW, what's with the purple eyes? I thought it would be relevant in some way, but it seems it was thrown in just for kicks to make Seraphina even more speshul than what she already is. But all it did was paint a gigantic Mary Sue marquee on her forehead.) The not-so-subtle plot twists helped to kill any left over excitement to finish the book. But I did, and was equally as underwhelmed with the ending. In the end, I find myself agreeing with Emily where she says Unremembered would be best suited for newer YA Sci-fi readers. It's swift and fairly action-packed, making it an easy read. It just doesn't do it as well as other sci-fi novels. ARC was received via Macmillan in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Feb 28, 2013
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Mar 10, 2013
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Jul 18, 2012
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Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 0316134074
| 9780316134071
| 0316134074
| 4.12
| 111,744
| Apr 17, 2014
| Apr 08, 2014
|
really liked it
|
I enjoyed this finale much more than I did Days of Blood and Starlight. There’s just something about seeing Karou and Akiva steal away precious moment
I enjoyed this finale much more than I did Days of Blood and Starlight. There’s just something about seeing Karou and Akiva steal away precious moments in the midst of impending death. However, I wasn’t completely satisfied with the ending. Taylor chose to introduce new characters and it felt a bit jarring for a final book. Out of nowhere, characters who I’d just met suddenly became extremely important to the plot when all I really wanted was more Karou and Akiva. The sexual tension and want between those two was through the roof and I JUST NEEDED THEM TO KISS ALREADY. What I find interesting is how with Daughter of Smoke and Bone I quickly labeled this series as PNR, but now that doesn’t feel accurate. Sure, there is a love story at its root, but has become so much more than that. It feels more Fantasy and less PNR by the end, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t left craving more of that romantic spark I felt in Daughter of Smoke and Bone. A part of me wants to read a straight PNR from Taylor just so my feels can burst into flames. Overall, I loved this book and this series still remains a favorite. (There better be a spin-off planned, because I smell a spin-off.) ====== This cover... This cover... oh my gosh! [image] ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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not set
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Apr 05, 2014
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Apr 29, 2012
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Hardcover
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my rating |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| 3.46
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did not like it
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Oct 09, 2015
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Oct 06, 2015
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| 4.25
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did not like it
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Aug 08, 2015
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Aug 05, 2015
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|||||
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| 4.20
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did not like it
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Aug 03, 2015
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Jul 08, 2015
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|||||
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| 3.96
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it was ok
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May 22, 2015
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Apr 20, 2015
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| 4.20
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it was amazing
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Jan 22, 2016
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Nov 24, 2014
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|||||
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| 3.86
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liked it
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Aug 30, 2014
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Jun 25, 2014
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|||||
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| 3.95
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really liked it
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Mar 15, 2015
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Jun 15, 2014
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|||||
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| 3.00
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it was ok
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May 18, 2015
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Jun 15, 2014
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|||||
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| 4.05
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really liked it
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Feb 16, 2015
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May 05, 2014
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|||||
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| 4.46
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it was amazing
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Nov 18, 2013
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Nov 14, 2013
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| 4.37
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it was amazing
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Nov 16, 2013
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Nov 14, 2013
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|||||
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| 4.32
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really liked it
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Nov 14, 2013
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Nov 10, 2013
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|||||
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| 3.74
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really liked it
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Sep 15, 2013
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Aug 13, 2013
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|||||
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| 3.19
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it was ok
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Jun 09, 2013
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May 25, 2013
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|||||
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| 4.09
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really liked it
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Dec 13, 2013
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Apr 05, 2013
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|||||
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| 3.95
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it was amazing
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Mar 13, 2013
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Mar 07, 2013
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|||||
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| 4.09
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liked it
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Aug 25, 2012
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Aug 23, 2012
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|||||
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| 3.85
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liked it
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Sep 13, 2012
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Jul 29, 2012
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|||||
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| 3.68
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it was ok
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Mar 10, 2013
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Jul 18, 2012
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| 4.12
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really liked it
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Apr 05, 2014
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Apr 29, 2012
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