I don’t know how I’ll be able to write any objective thoughts once I review this series bc it has been so immersive that I feel like I’m just along foI don’t know how I’ll be able to write any objective thoughts once I review this series bc it has been so immersive that I feel like I’m just along for the ride. So good. So unique. Also this sequel made me cry. Thanks Jemisin. ...more
I needed my heart broken and then pieced back together, and this book did just that. I’m so glad I randomly came across a Reddit comment recommending I needed my heart broken and then pieced back together, and this book did just that. I’m so glad I randomly came across a Reddit comment recommending this book because it was exactly what I was looking for at the time. Aly Martinez is now a potential new favorite romance author, especially for when I’m in need of a heart-wrenching friends-to-lovers romance. ...more
I'm going with a tentitive 3 stars for this one. I'll hold off from doing a full review until I finish the rest of the trilogy, but here are a few genI'm going with a tentitive 3 stars for this one. I'll hold off from doing a full review until I finish the rest of the trilogy, but here are a few general thoughts for this one:
> The first part was great—I loved the ATLA energy of the school portion.
> The fantasy aspect was so interesting! Definitely unique.
> A lot happened that seemed to be there just for shock value and had no real impact to the story.
> Rin's characterization was sooo inconsistent. I feel like I don't know her at all after having her as an MC this entire book.
> Most characters were irrelevant and kind of flat, but we did have ones I genuinely loved (Jiang and my boy Kitay!!). I grew to love Nezha by the end, too.
> Gruesome war and drug use aside, this still reads very YA. The characters all felt so young, bc of the way they thought and spoke.
> I thought the ending was intriguing (view spoiler)[post-final-genocide (hide spoiler)]. Will be looking forward to the next books!
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Does anyone know if this is getting any kind of adaptation bc I would watch the fuck out of that. Also I think this book broke my brain so I'm going to have to think on the rating. (Will definitely continue the trilogy though!)
94% (Chapter 24): AAAAAAAAAAAAA
80% (Chapter 21): What the fuck
65% (Chapter 16): My stress levels are currently off the charts. ...more
OKAY. Okay. I have MANY thoughts. Not all are positive, but not all are negative, either. This book is an interesting read if you just take it at faceOKAY. Okay. I have MANY thoughts. Not all are positive, but not all are negative, either. This book is an interesting read if you just take it at face value. I'm leaving my series rating at a 3 for now until I can write a full series review.
General thoughts: ✅ Surprisingly very easy to read ❌ Poorly edited (though this book was self-published, so that makes sense) ✅ Interesting back story ✅ Actually made me THINK (both about the mystery aspect, and about politics and morals) ✅ Logan for the first 4 books <33333 ❓ Logan at the end ❓ Lana ✅ We finally have a couple where the flirting between them was so clear and straightforward (no beating around the bush!) ✅ Distinct side characters ❓ The ending ❌ The reveal for the original killer felt kind of random ❌ This little detail at the end: (view spoiler)[Having Josh and Hadley be threesome enjoyers just because they were bisexual felt so weird and toxic (bc it also felt so out-of-character for them, i.e., it felt forced just bc of the stereotype). (hide spoiler)]
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First chapter's already making me question MY morals ...more
This dark, haunting, magical tale will leave you bewitched.
If you're interested in magical card decks, monsters living in people's minds, and that oneThis dark, haunting, magical tale will leave you bewitched.
If you're interested in magical card decks, monsters living in people's minds, and that one bloodbending episode from Avatar: the Last Airbender... then you're going to love this.
My expectations for this duology were pretty high going into it—I've been looking for more dark fantasies lately, and I've heard nothing but amazing things about these books. While One Dark Window didn't necessarily blow me away, Two Twisted Crowns completely shattered my expectations!
The Shepherd King duology tells the tale of a kingdom choked by dark magic and ruled by an oppressive monarchy, and a compelling cast of characters who just want to make things right.
The world-building is brilliant—the atmosphere was eerie, with a constant ominous feeling. I loved the lore behind the Providence Cards and the history of how magic came to be in this world. The explanations for the Cards did feel a bit info-dumpy at times in book one, but everything else is smooth-sailing once you get past that.
The story was actually high-stakes and thrilling. You're not necessarily wondering who the real heroes and villains are or anything, but you're always going to speculate on what their next moves will be. The twists were genuinely shocking and were well thought-out.
The grumpy-sad-sad-sunshine(?)-grumpy cast of characters will steal your heart.
Elspeth—sad1. Elspeth was a pretty decent character, though she felt more like a plot device rather than a main character. Everything she did was just to move the story along, or to help another character develop. She herself never felt like the main act.
Ravyn—grumpy1. I made fun of the name Ravyn and couldn't take him seriously for the entirety of the first book, then we got his POV in Two Twisted Crowns and I was basically in love. He had a lot of depth to him, was very thoughtful and mature, and was overall a menace (I'm saying this lovingly).
Elm—sad2. I would love a spinoff with just Elm's POV. I would marry this guy. He's sweet, funny, loyal, and has a heart of gold. He's not the most mature character out there, and he can make some stupid decisions, but he's just so pure that I was still all over him. It doesn't get more Golden Retriever Boy than this. ...more
All of my feelings about this book contradict each other. The story was unique, yet the flow was ordinary. The characters had some depth, yet I felt nAll of my feelings about this book contradict each other. The story was unique, yet the flow was ordinary. The characters had some depth, yet I felt no attachment to them. The beginning was slow, but the ending was rushed. I'll try to break things down as best as I can.
✅ GORGEOUS world-building and lore I'm not familiar with Slavic folklore at all, so this was a fresh dive for me. The mythology was so interesting, and I loved learning about the creatures, the magic, the world. I can't vouch for this book at all in terms of accuracy of anything, so we'll have to look to other reviewers for that. But from a newbie's perspective -- love!
❓ Okay main characters with lots of trauma Objectively, our main character Liska is great. She's kind but cunning, afraid but determined. The Leszy, I feel, could be a hit-or-miss as a male lead. He's your typical uber-powerful, cold magical boy with white hair. I get that most readers find this type of character to be sexy and attractive, but I'm personally more of a smiley boy type of reader. ANYWAY. On paper, I appreciated both characters, but I didn't really feel any strong connection towards any of them.
✅ Lovable side characters!! Now, the side characters, on the other hand... LOVED them. I was really interested in their personalities... I mean, we have a sentient house, a couple of spirits, a kid that's not really just a kid... a fun cast with distinct personalities. I wish we'd gotten a bit more of their backstories, but the bits and pieces that we got were definitely interesting.
❌ Pacing isn't great The story was incredibly slow for the first 70%, then BAM everything hits you right in the face. There was a lot of build up in the beginning, which is fine, but then the climax was much too rushed in comparison.
❓ Ending is crazy! The ending was impactful and emotional, albeit a little predictable, but also kind of perfect for this book? While not completely satisfying, I feel like any other ending would have felt off or inappropriate. Anyway, prepare your hearts!
Favorite Quotes
Look toward the light, she reminds herself. Then you will not see the shadow behind you.
“What is fate but an excuse to surrender responsibility?”
“There is a thing we do, where we rearrange ourselves, cutting off pieces here and there to fit a mold that was never meant for us. [...] If the world has not prepared a place for you, you must take up a hammer and chisel and carve one out for yourself.”
I told myself I didn't need to write a full review for this one since I'm sure everyone's going to read this book anyway, but I couActual rating: 2.5.
I told myself I didn't need to write a full review for this one since I'm sure everyone's going to read this book anyway, but I couldn't stop once I started. So here you go. ...more
3.5! The opening and the ending were fantastic. Everything in between was nice. I think the romance would have felt more organic if we got more of Rom3.5! The opening and the ending were fantastic. Everything in between was nice. I think the romance would have felt more organic if we got more of Roman's POV, though.
Right and wrong. Sin or virtue. Monstrous and holy.
This book was incredibly flawed and often read like fanfiction… but I ATE IT UP! The vibes were
Right and wrong. Sin or virtue. Monstrous and holy.
This book was incredibly flawed and often read like fanfiction… but I ATE IT UP! The vibes were Battle of the Labyrinth meets The Hunger Games, with a sprinkle of yearning, a dash of religious critique, and a cast of autistic characters.
☀ The story was A LOT. The pacing might throw you off because the story starts out really simple with a clear goal and a clear way to get to said goal, then suddenly, towards the end, there are a bunch of "twists" (I'm putting this in quotes because personally, I wasn't too surprised by any of it) that do get kind of crazy. By that point I was already invested in the book enough that the sudden bombardment of events didn't dampen my enjoyment of the book.
☀ The setting? The monsters? Yes yes yes. When I started reading this book, I was picturing the bright sun over a quaint hill where the heroine was, well, fighting a fish-man-monster, then a couple of chapters later, we're literally thrust into hell and I was ALL for it. The atmosphere was dark and gritty, and I had such a blast reading about all of the deadly creatures (should I be saying this?) our MCs encountered.
☀ The characters truly made me love the book despite all of its flaws. I loved being in both Alesta's and Kyr's heads. While they (mostly Alesta) were difficult to like at some points, they were both realistic and relatable characters. Both of them were both weak yet strong, unsure yet determined, selfish yet righteous. It was empowering to see them battle with their own thoughts (and, well, monsters that were physically there) and try to come to terms with who they are.
“We live in a terrible time. An era when the truth is a crime. And there is nothing we can do about it—”
♡ A Crane Among Wolves is dark, gripping,
“We live in a terrible time. An era when the truth is a crime. And there is nothing we can do about it—”
♡ A Crane Among Wolves is dark, gripping, and heart-wrenching. The main story is based off true events from Korea's devastating history, and Jane Hur doesn't shy away from showing us the heinous deeds of King Yeonsan.
I often found myself reflecting on the story and its similarities to events from both of the cultures I associate with (Filipino and Chinese). I'm sure every nation has experienced (or is currently experiencing) ruthlessness, selfishness, and unjustness from people in power. This story highlights how these gruesome times should not be forgotten, and how there are crimes that should never be forgiven.
There's a lot of sub-plots woven into the story as well, including the planning of a secret coup, the mystery of a murderer, and the pining of two young characters. Fair warning: If you're looking for something fast-paced and action packed, this isn't for you. This book focuses a lot more on the bigger picture rather than the individual events that were going on.
♡ Iseul and Daehyun are likeable characters, and I was definitely on this journey with them, the whole way through. Neither were perfect by any means, but they both fit perfectly into this story.
Iseul. Iseul's character goes through a lot of character development. She starts off as a spoiled (but self-aware) girl who has no choice but to grow up and toughen up when she realizes how cruel the world can be… even to young girls like her.
Daehyun. He's very much the poster boy of a Historical K-drama — a tad stoic, very mysterious, and overall just the good guy. I would have loved to get to know him more (his chapters were half as short as Iseul's), but a liked his character well enough. He had this honesty to his character that I really appreciated.
Tomorrow, the kingdom could sink into the sea. Tomorrow, all the elders we trusted could betray us. Tomorrow, the fog might consume everything we loved. But I had him today. And he had me.
♡ Iseul and Daehyun together?This was enemies-to-lovers done well. I found their relationship to be slow and realistic. We got a few he's-touching-me-and-that's-making-my-stomach-tickle-but-idk-why scenes before we got the I'll-scarifice-my-life-to-keep-you-safe scenarios. I don't think you'd get attached to their romance at first (at least I didn't), but by the end, you'll feel your heart just bursting for these two. The angst and the yearning were so good.
“In dark times, every mother becomes your mother, every child your child, every sister your sister… and every stranger-in-need a friend.”
♡ Iseul and Daehyun also have a gorgeous found family in the side characters. The side characters were all well-written, and I definitely grew to love them. (Special shoutout to my favorite character, Wonsik!) They all had specific roles to play in the story, and I enjoyed watching our main characters grow bonds with them. Like with Daehyun, it would have been nice to have a liiitle bit more of a background for them, but overall, we have a pretty solid cast here.
“History moves its course, but it is the youth who point the current in its direction.”
♡ The writing style definitely leans a bit serious for this one. It's not the easiest read in the world (i.e., the writing is far from casual), but it adds to the ambiance. Trust me, if anything, you will feel like you're in 1500s Joseon. The writing also just makes the story deeper and more impactful.
♡ I'm going to leave this review with my favorite thing about the book: the ending is something I will think about and reread over and over again. (In fact, I've already reread it three times!) It's perfect. It's the best way to get off the emotional rollercoaster that is A Crane Among Wolves. No spoilers from me, though, so you'll just have to read it for yourselves.
TLDR: If you're interested in some fantastic storytelling about politics and power, featuring a team of unique characters (and an angst-y romance between the two MCs), please do yourselves a favor by picking this book up....more
I think one of the main problems with this book was that it was trying way too hard to be three things at once: a fantasy, a mystery, and a romance. NI think one of the main problems with this book was that it was trying way too hard to be three things at once: a fantasy, a mystery, and a romance. Normally, I would love a combination of these three genres, but Blood and Moonlight threw so much information and intensity from all three subplots that this one ended up turning into a pile of word mush, especially towards the end.
The first half was pretty great, when it was just a murder mystery with a tinge of magic. When the main love interest came around, the plot just lost focus entirely, and the second half went WAY downhill. It turned into a reverse-harem, murder non-mystery, fantasy info-dump. I'll elaborate on all three aspects.
The Mystery The murderer was obvious around halfway in. We essentially only really had two solid options. IMO, the main character had no place in this mystery -- she oddly always just felt like an outsider trying to peek in. Maybe this would have been an enjoyable read if it was from the main love interest's POV, WITHOUT the main lead. I enjoyed the gore, though.
The Fantasy The fantasy aspect was definitely only used as a plot device. The bits and pieces that were hinted at in the beginning of the book were so naturally incorporated that I looked forward to more of it, but it soon turned into an info-dump that was hard to absorb. The idea was definitely unique and interesting, though.
The Romance *breathes in* Ah, the romance. This was complete insanity and I wish it wasn't part of the book. The romance between the two MCs was definitely insta-love-y, and their connection wasn't at all fleshed out. Other than that, it seemed like every fucking man in this book was interested in Catrin, and for no good reason, either. It's not like she's the most captivating woman in all the land -- quite the opposite, actually. She made horrible decisions, put people's lives at risk, and was overall unlikable.
In conclusion, I wish this book chose one aspect to really highlight and focus on. It could have been a creepy mystery with a little bit of fantasy and a hint of romance (or, you know, no romance could be good for YA sometimes!), rather than being a novel with too much information but no solid direction.
Key points: Predictable twists, cringe reverse-harem romance, gorgeous integration of magic, boring male lead (with slight second ML syndrome), interesting political and religious commentary
A lot of my recent reads have been misses for me, and the things I hated in those books were the things I loved here.
Lara was a fantastic heroine, intA lot of my recent reads have been misses for me, and the things I hated in those books were the things I loved here.
Lara was a fantastic heroine, intelligent and fierce. But she was very human, too, and I really enjoyed seeing her vulnerability in this book. The other characters were great as well, with the hero being so sweet and loyal. I was on the edge of my seat wondering how the romance would pan out.
Not sure if this is a spoiler, since it's pretty much expected, but: (view spoiler)[Lara's siblings were great! I'm curious about them, and hope to see more of them in the future books -- I think the next two books are on Kerin's story, which is great. (hide spoiler)]
Action, politics, adventure -- this book has it all. I flew through this book because of how curious I was about how the story would play out... And it didn't disappoint. Every step made sense, and it was like I couldn't think of any alternatives for any of the plot points. Brilliant.
Bonus thoughts on the ending alone: that was crazy intense, but in the best way possible. I wish we had more! I miss Lara and Aren already. I can't wait to read the rest of the follow up stories once they're complete so I can binge!
When I say I want to read a high fantasy book, this!! is!! what!! I!! mean!!
The world-building was so rich that I was hardly bothered by how juvenileWhen I say I want to read a high fantasy book, this!! is!! what!! I!! mean!!
The world-building was so rich that I was hardly bothered by how juvenile the heroine sounded for a good half of the book. But! I loved the storytelling so much that it was worth it in the end. Bonus points for having the sweetest male lead to ever exist, too.
If anything, though, read this book for the story! The twists were fucking insane.
It's been a long time since I cursed in a review, but I have to put it out there: Sadie fucked me up. It left me pretty hollow, but I guess that's what the author's trying to accomplish. Remember when Courtney Summers wrecked me with All the Rage? Well, she decided to come back for part two with Sadie.
"And it begins, as so many stories do, with a dead girl."
☎ Sadie is about, well, Sadie, who's looking for the man who killed her little sister. She grew up as Mattie's mother figure, so when Mattie's body was found dead, Sadie set off on a dangerous mission to bring justice down to the killer's door. This book was about Sadie's journey to seek closure for her sister's death, at whatever cost it took.
☎ There aren't a lot of characters in this book, which is okay. We get to focus on Sadie, who is a character with so much depth. She's always had to mature faster, since her mother wasn't the best mother out there. This made her incredibly strong, and her love for her little sister was off the charts. I had so much respect for her, and I don't know how I would've handled being in her situation--plus she also had a stutter, which made it hard for people to take her seriously.
That being said, it was so hard for me to really get into Sadie's head. I probably wasn't in the right mood when I read this, but I felt detached from her somehow. Or maybe it's because she herself felt detached from the world when she lost her sister. I can't really say, but this made it hard for me to really fall in love with her and her story.
☎ We don't just read from Sadie's perspective! Half of this book is told via a podcast, narrated by West McCray. It was incredibly interesting seeing an outsider's perspective on everything, and it made the story that much more real and modern. (If you love audiobooks, I do highly recommend listening to this book for a more 3D experience!)
☎ This book is so raw and totally relevant. Courtney Summers is basically the Queen of Heavy Themes Done Right. There's no sugarcoating in her books. (TW/CW) In Sadie, we dealt with pedophilia, child abuse, sexual assault, and murder--but we focused more on Sadie herself, and her struggle for justice. It was about fear, regret, and recklessness.
☎ The ending left me broken. I don't want to talk much about it to save you from spoilers, but let's just say that it really worked with the rest of the book.
"Everyone goes through shit, and there's always someone somewhere who has it worse. It doesn't make what you're feeling any less real or any less s
"Everyone goes through shit, and there's always someone somewhere who has it worse. It doesn't make what you're feeling any less real or any less shitty."
Reading The Cheerleaders made me both excited and scared at the same time. I mean, hello, a book about cheerleaders suddenly found dead days within each other? Anyway, safe to say, this book did not disappoint.
🎀 The heroine? Raw and honest. She's not always very likable, but that's okay. She's lost; she feels like everything's falling apart, and that no one has her back. But she's also driven, and determined, and won't stop at nothing to find out the truth.
🎀 The family dynamics? Realistic. We have a few flashback scenes from her sister Jennifer's POV, where we find out that they didn't always get along--they annoyed each other constantly, like any other pair of siblings. They both love and are loved by their mother, who is genuine and caring. They also have a step-dad, who, unlike step-parents in YA, is involved and protective.
🎀 The friendships? Truthful. Monica didn't want her friends to be involved in her search for her sister's murderer, to the point where she felt herself drifting apart from them. In fact, she felt more comfortable talking to her colleague, Ginny, with whom she forms a new friendship with. Ginny's sweet and soft, and we get why Monica opened up to her so quickly.
🎀 The writing? Easy to get into. Take note that I'm not as big of a thriller reader as others might be, but I found Thomas's writing to be really smooth and natural. It kept me turning pages, never needing to stop in confusion (or, like in some other cases, irritation).
🎀 The most important thing? You'll be kept at the edge of your freaking seat. I promise! You won't know who to trust. Who's innocent and should be handled with love and care? Who's the cold-blooded murderer you need to stab with a thousand pitchforks? Take a good guess--you could be on point, or you could be dead wrong.
1. Sympathy - This book is about a girl who goes under a heart transplant, and I ached for her so muchFEELINGS THIS HEART OF MINE MADE ME FEEL
1. Sympathy - This book is about a girl who goes under a heart transplant, and I ached for her so much! You can clearly see the struggles she has to go through, the daily (never-ending) maintenance, and the anxiety. The author's note also says that this story is true-to-life, and I think my own heart just died a little reading it.
"Mom and Dad have been pushing me to get out some. Socialize."
2. The awww! feeling I felt this because of the beautiful family dynamics and friendships in this book. Because of her condition, Leah's parents are overprotective--but in a sweet, not-overbearing way. She also has an amazing female best friend who stays with her through thick and thin. They have fights and misunderstandings, but their genuine love for each other prevails in the end.
3. Boredom There's a mystery in This Heart of Mine regarding the heart donor Eric's death. After a bit of foreshadowing, you can easily put two-and-two together. It was way too predictable for me, and this book would've been a hit without this aspect.
"But my grandmother used to say it was okay to see someone in a beautiful dress and think, I want a dress like hers. But it wasn't okay to think, I want a dress like hers and I want her to have a wart on her nose."
4. Admiration Like I said, our heroine Leah goes through so much in this novel, yet she stayed strong through it all, and pushed herself to do things she wouldn't normally have done. Aside from little life goals like getting a kiss from her long-time crush, Leah goes through way more. She puts herself in danger for others, constantly fights for her life, and still generally is a good friend and daughter.
5. Confusion I'm not sure how I feel about the romance part of the book! There are some parts where I totally ship Leah and kind-hearted Matt, but there are also times where I kind of just want them to separate. What I mean is, there are a bunch of cutesy and sweet scenes between the two, but sometimes the romance was too overly-done.
aimee (aimeecanread)
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