This is not a perfect book— for one, the sex scenes are a little too “animalistic” for me.
But hot damn I don’t remember the last time I was 5 Stars
This is not a perfect book— for one, the sex scenes are a little too “animalistic” for me.
But hot damn I don’t remember the last time I was so completely engrossed in a book. This is fun. The characters are great. Feyre is vulnerable and fierce and her whole character arc is beautiful.
The settings? The ships?? The magic twists??? That ENDING????
I can’t talk anymore— I’m looking for the next book ...more
This book isn’t perfect but it’s been two weeks and I cannot get it out of my head.
Hannah and Garrett were delightful characters with their own story This book isn’t perfect but it’s been two weeks and I cannot get it out of my head.
Hannah and Garrett were delightful characters with their own story arcs and passions. Their banter was top notch and this whole this was an emotional fun ride
”Whatever you are physically,” he said, “male or female, strong or weak, ill or healthy—all those matter less than what your heart contains
4 Stars
”Whatever you are physically,” he said, “male or female, strong or weak, ill or healthy—all those matter less than what your heart contains. If you have the soul of a warrior, you are a warrior.”
Pros:
Okay dammit. Everyone loves Jem and Will and I’m no different.
Jem’s a precious soft boy who seems to genuinely care....I would drag myself through broken glass to see him get a happy ending. Bi-racial, empathetic, been-through-hell AND STILL SMILING... why isn’t this series named after him?
Will is that bad-boy-with-a-heart-of-gold archetype teenage me was obsessed with. But it actually works ....maybe because he talks about being bad all the time but does many good things?? His sarcasm and deflection levels were perfect. There just better be a good reason for all this jaw clenching and steely gazes.
IN THIS HOUSE WE LOVE AND RESPECT THE MOM FRIENDS OF THE WORLD. Which meant I related to and loved Charlotte. All the other side characters were interesting, but she was my fav.
The setting is handled really well? Both in the stylistic descriptions and physical setting, but also the way the time period affects Tessa’s perception and how she grows out of it.
Overall Tessa is a really fun protagonist. She’s tenacious, learns quickly, and has interesting abilities. I’m kind of hoping she gets more of a GOAL next book because her she just kind of seemed along for the ride. But she’s already years ahead of Clary
Cons:
Disability isn’t a bad word. There’s a section here where it’s perceived as something of an insult, and that made me a little comfortable.
I’ve only really only read City of Bones but does this whole anti-Downworlder thing ever get addressed? Because it seems like each book says “we don’t think all downworlders are bad!” But then the shadowhunters act like each downworlder they meet is pure evil.
Why is Jessamine so casually racist and it’s never addressed. Like I get that it’s supposed to be part of the time period and her character is very into stereotypes... but what did this add?? Why am I supposed to sympathize with her?
“But home isn't where you land; home is where you launch. You can't pick your home any more than you can choose your family. In poker, you
4 Stars
“But home isn't where you land; home is where you launch. You can't pick your home any more than you can choose your family. In poker, you get five cards. Three of them you can swap out, but two are yours to keep: family and native land.”
This entrancing and haunting tale focuses on Roy and Celestial, who are still settling into married life when Roy is wrongly convicted and imprisoned. From there, the dual narrative follows both Roy and Celestial and remains an introspective, slow-burn.
This story works so well because it uses complex, thoughtful characters to create an unfathomable dilemma. Roy’s a sweet-talking, hard-working man who’s perception of masculinity and marriage vary greatly from Celestial’s independent and ambitious nature. Both characters are flawed and complex and the way they navigate the mess of their lives is engrossing. Somehow you feel for everyone involved, even though there seems to be no easy solution.
One of the most fascinating things about this story is how air-tight it is. There’s not much of a set plot, but every scene feels purposeful. There’s so much discussion about modern marriage, race perception, the American Dream and all of it was really thought provoking. The only reason this isn’t a five star read for me is a few places where Roy and Celestial’s letter’s seemed a little hokey. And also a spoilery reaction I didn’t care for.
In Conclusion:
I’m a sucker for character driven, introspective stories with big themes....more
“Why did everyone no longer a teenager automatically dismiss any feeling you had then? Who cared if he’d grow out of it? That didn’t make it
5 Stars
“Why did everyone no longer a teenager automatically dismiss any feeling you had then? Who cared if he’d grow out of it? That didn’t make it any less true in those painful and euphoric days when it was happening.”
Sometimes a book comes into your life at the perfect moment and that was this for me. I read Mrs. Dalloway a month-or-so ago, so it was still fresh on my mind when I started this book heavily inspired by Woolf’s work. This book follows a day in Adam’s life as, like Mrs. Dalloway, he prepares for an explosive party that evening.
Adam is a gay-teen living under the control of his evangelical father, preparing to say good-bye to his ex-boyfriend and best-friend, and navigating his own perception of himself. This story beautifully explored the nature of identity and family in ways that made my chest ache.
“They're your parents. They're meant to love you because. Never in spite.”
All the Great Things:
Adam and his best friend (who sometimes swings towards girls) Angela have a conversation about labels and how for some people labels are comforting and for other restrictive. So many books sort of fall on one side of the other instead of acknowledging both are true. This was SO great??
So the side-plot with the dead-girl and the spirit faun thing is confusing and strange.... but it was so interesting. And it ties with Adam’s story so fantastically well? I adore magical realism even when it means I don’t always get answers so maybe that’s why I feel this side-plot is almost magical-realism.
This has the best discussion of sex I’ve ever seen in YA. The sex scenes were explicit, but they weren’t designed to titillate. These scenes highlight the power of choice and the way we treat ourselves, our bodies and those we love. This important discussion is still rare for teens at all, but it’s especially hard to find for queer teens.
This book also includes a nuanced discussion of sexual harassment. This is so important— especially for teens working crappy part-time jobs, as the constantly-in-flux nature of retail and corporate power-imbalances often hide assailants. This story directly tackles those practices as well as the further complications that arise for teenage boys, toxic masculinity and victim blaming.
Linus is the softest theater gay who wears bowties and looks out for his boyfriend and I loved him a lot.
Adam’s struggle with himself and his self-worth was hella-relatable.The overall theme is about acceptance and love, but never manages to seem hokey. Instead, it felt intensely real for someone who was raised where religion is used as a tool to make you hate parts of yourself.
This story also emphasizes the importance of found family. Being blood-related doesn’t always mean someone’s love is unconditional, and this portrayed that in all its devastating nuance. It’s the family Adam chose and the support system that chose him back that held actual power, and this is so important.
In Conclusion:
I’ve read exactly two Patrick Ness books and I’ve five-starred both of them, so excuse me while I run out and buy everything this man has written....more
It’s been 87 years since I read this book, but I just want to chime in and say if you are looking for adult fantasy that not only features wome4 Stars
It’s been 87 years since I read this book, but I just want to chime in and say if you are looking for adult fantasy that not only features women but treats them as characters… this is one of the good ones.
The first book fell into some genre-specific pitfalls with their female characters, but as Stavely expanded the world here, new character is came into focus and the old one’s were expanded on.
This is overall a strong fantasy series. The protagonists are interesting, the magic system enticing, and the world unique. Each book seems to be about pushing these characters to the limit and seeing if they break or go stronger—meaning it’s sometimes a hard read, but very good.
But a year after I read it, one of the things I immediately remember about this book is SO many women. Women allowed to swear, kick ass, be feminine, act in politics, be sexual, be reserved, or any combination thereof. I hate when there is one type of woman in a fantasy series, and this book strayed from that trope.
(Even though Adare is stupid and makes bad, infuriating decisions)
"People kill to get power, they kill to keep power, and they kill if they think they might lose it, which is pretty much always. Even if you and I both stay out of it, even if we both die, whoever came after us will keep coming. They’ll find the next threat, the next worrisome voice, the next person with the wrong name or the wrong skin."
I love, love, love the amount of research put into the science. As a bio nerd, I love that it built off possiOne of the rare times the movie is better
I love, love, love the amount of research put into the science. As a bio nerd, I love that it built off possibilities and expanded into something intense and thrilling.
But the characters were a little one-dimensional? Like they just existed to push the plot forward? And maybe it’s just because the movie handles tension SO well... this didn’t seem to? (You don’t have to stop and explain the science WHILE the Raptors are attacking, mkay?)
——————- It’s possible I procrastinated reading this for my monthly bookclub and need to binge-read it before the wine-mom’s judge me...more
Don't judge me for this one. (I needed a comfort read, okay?) My heart still has a soft spot for the movie, and my mind remembers how often child me oDon't judge me for this one. (I needed a comfort read, okay?) My heart still has a soft spot for the movie, and my mind remembers how often child me obsessed over it.
This adaptation lacks some of the charm of the original, but it's still a light, fun and exciting story. ...more
“I would have come for you. And if I couldn't walk, I'd crawl to you, and no matter how broken we were, we'd fight our way out together-kni
4 Stars
“I would have come for you. And if I couldn't walk, I'd crawl to you, and no matter how broken we were, we'd fight our way out together-knives drawn, pistols blazing. Because that's what we do. We never stop fighting.”
It took me a million years to read this book. (Just like it took me a million years to write this review, tbh) Because as much as I loved the first one, I wasn’t ready for it to be over? I love these character’s so much... I didn’t want my time with them to be over.
But curiosity won out, and Bardugo’s polished writing and excellent plotting sucked me in before I knew it. Honestly, this has some of the strongest twists, reveals, and overall scheming I’ve ever read? I never knew what was going to happen, but I loved the ride.
The only reason this isn’t five-stars is because there's a lot. SOC was very focused on the heist; it set a goal early on and we spent the rest of the book getting there. This one starts one place and quickly advances somewhere else and then there's another goal and just so many. It all flowed well, it just felt like a lot and I missed the intensity of the first. But I also read this over the span of several weeks, so that may be the reason it felt lengthy?
Inej
“When the world owed you nothing, you demanded something of it anyway.”
- Still the group-linchpin everyone would die for - I’m just in love with her agency and how determined she is to pilot her own future - Pointed, honest, aware of what she wants - I love how she’s not trying to ‘fix’ Kaz. She’s not trying to change him or force him to be different, but she also won’t accept less than she deserves - I love how she’s allowed to be afraid. I love how it doesn’t negate her strength, and actually further illustrates how courageous she is.
Kaz
“I don’t hold a grudge. I cradle it. I coddle it. I feed it fine cuts of meat and send it to the best schools. I nurture my grudges, Rollins.”
- So much development holy dang - Still one devious mofo - I loved getting a more in-depth look at his weaknesses and flaws. He’s simultaneously aware of them and ignoring them? It was an interesting conundrum and played out well - I got a little tired of the “I’m-Kaz-Brekker-and-I’m-so-evil-everyone-knows-me” tbh
Wylan
“But they were his first friends, his only friends, and Wylan knew that even if he'd had his pick of a thousand companions, these would have been the people he chose.”
- My love. My son. Light of my life. - His struggle with self-worth and moving on from his abusive family was heartbreaking and handled with sensitivity - He’s so smart and special and I will drop-kick anyone who tells him otherwise - I ship it so hard.
Jesper
“Jes, I've thought about this-" "Thought of me? Late at night? What was I wearing?"
- My little hilarious-but-kinda-messed-up renegade - I. SHIP. IT - His relationship with his family was really unexpected and poignant - I still love seeing a character who revels in a fight, after seeing so many world-weary protagonists - But I also loved how he finally starts facing the consequences of his actions
Nina
“ Nothing about us will ever be proper,” she said. She tilted her face up to his. So close now it was as if they were already touching. “Not the way we met. Not the life we lead. And not the way we kiss.”
- Still my favorite, if I’m being honest - She’s still recovering from the ending of the last book (but who isn’t let’s be honest) - Her whole arc is amazing and I support her in all things - Would follow into battle with just the promise of waffles and being allowed her presence - Body positivity, confidence, and snark wrapped up in one bad-ass package - I kinda feel like her story isn't over???
Matthias
"I am already home.”
- He’s come along way since the first book and I’m proud of him - I love how his central conflict revolves around discovering himself after a strict upbringing. It’s relatable and powerful - I am not okay - The freaking wolves man. The wolves
Overall:
I still loved it. I didn’t love it quite as much as SOC, but these characters and stories linger in your head and I'm not sure I'll ever over them....more
“When you look back, it won’t be mercy you regret.”
Taking place in a near-future where mankind discovered a habitable planet 4.5 Stars
Overview:
“When you look back, it won’t be mercy you regret.”
Taking place in a near-future where mankind discovered a habitable planet, a corporation creates a challenge to send young-adults who will mine a mysterious new element known as Nyxia. Ten teenagers are recruited into the program, though only eight will make it through.
Scott Reintgen’s debut is a wonderfully introspective story that puts great twists on tropes made popular by the Hunger-Games-esque dystopians that surged a few years ago. It’s an awesome start to a series, and I need the next book now!
I received an ARC of this through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, thanks to Crown Books for the opportunity! (Quote not final)
Buddy-read with my favorite Sana! (Who is taking forever to read this and I may or may not have left in the dust)
Pros:
The. Characters.
This has an ensemble cast of characters with different races, sexes and backgrounds. There’s literally ten characters introduced in the first chapter, and it is honestly overwhelming at first. It took me a little while to to keep everyone straight, but I very quickly I loved them all.
As the book builds upon this training program, you slowly learn about the characters and it is awesome. Each of them seems like a fleshed-out person and it made their interactions so powerful. We have:
• Emmett- Our MC is a black male from Detroit who hasn’t grown up with a lot of privilege, outside of his loving family. Has an extremely powerful character ARC regarding anger and one’s agency.
• Kaya- From Japan, bringing with her an assortment of books and a brilliant tactical mind.
• Jazzy- A southern belle from Tennessee with a ton of charm and outside-the-box-thinking.
• Bilal- Just a ball of sunshine. From Palestine originally, he seemed to live a difficult and isolated life before joining the program. Everyone’s favorite, including mine.
• Azima- A badass warrior from Kenya. Has a very interesting relationship with femininity and ‘expected’ gender roles.
• Roathy- A detached young man who fights with a desperation. (I don’t think he ever reveals where he is from)
• Isadora- Brazilian with a mysterious tattoo and a cold, calculating demeanor.
• Jamie I honestly wanted a little more from this Swiss competitor. But as the only white male in the group, he opens up interesting conversations about race and perception.
• Katsu- Kind of just comic relief, tbh. But with hints of a dark side?
• Longwei- A Mongolian who is immensely talented when it comes to competition, but seems to define himself by his ranking.
Also, gender roles were thrown out the window? Women kicked ass alongside the men. And men cried when leaving their families. I really loved all the diversity in the cast, and think it was handled very well.
This is a slow-build plot (which is my favorite!) with several twists and turns. Though I understand complaints about the amount of training sequences, I think it was necessary to show the characters develop and further build the word. I really enjoyed the pace set here, and it cultivates perfectly.
I personally hate when teens are thrust into some role of importance (usually in a dystopian society) without proper training or reason. Here, there was a decently believable reason, and lots of the focus on training these kids despite their age.
Nyxia itself is fascinating. I swear it was almost a character itself, and I’m really interested to learn more about it.
Cons
There’s one random chapter in the middle that changes POV, for no reason? I still don’t understand why it was there.
There’s also a scene where a character seems to make some comment about having the ability to see auras or “colors” of other people? And I’m not sure if I just completely misunderstood the scene or it was random AF.
I didn’t dislike the sort-of-romance thrown in at the end. I just don’t understand why it was necessary? As slow as everything else developed, I wish this hadn’t been so quick.
In Conclusion
This is fantastic start to a series. Everything builds slowly and is completely drive by the characters, but also establishes such an interesting world, I can't wait to see where it goes....more
“When everyone knows you’re a monster, you needn’t waste time doing every monstrous thing.”
You know that moment when you’re readin 5 Stars
Overview:
“When everyone knows you’re a monster, you needn’t waste time doing every monstrous thing.”
You know that moment when you’re reading and you come across a line so good you have to put the book down for a second? And sort of go:
[image]
That was me about every chapter.
How is it possible Bardugo’s writing improved this much? I just finished the Grisha trilogy, and didn't care for it. This takes place in the exact same world, but it’s expanded upon so much
For a series called “The Grisha Trilogy” the Grisha were startlingly underutilized. (Probs cause most of the focus was on Alina being distraught) Here, there’s much more diversity in their powers and the culture, and their powers aren't wasted.
This plot is tightly wound and executed brilliantly. From the first chapter, Bardugo slyly builds expectations only to completely unwind them. There were several times I thought I understood a character dynamic or plot point, only for it to be thrust into a new light with the revelation of new information. And this somehow never felt forced.
THE. CHARACTERS.
Just bear with me here, because I have no idea how to talk about how much I loved all these characters. The third-person POV works perfectly. It matches the plot pace step-for-step while still featuring some of the most dynamic characters I’ve ever read.
Nina
“It's not natural for women to fight." "It's not natural for someone to be as stupid as he is tall, and yet there you stand.”
-Probably my favorite if we are being honest - She’s incredibly powerful, but still feels so human She’s confident in her skills because she is good at what she does, but she acknowledges her weakness and still gets overwhelmed sometimes. - Her relationship with sleep is relatable AF - She’s not fearless, but she is brave. - Considers toffee an essential
Matthais
“They fear you as I once feared you," he said. "As you once feared me. We are all someone's monster.”
-I really didn’t want to love him, but I did… - As a druskelle, he has some beliefs that are really ingrained. Raised and trained all his life to hunt Grisha, that shit runs deep. I loved slowly seeing his thought process and his struggles with this. It made for fascinating conflict - Speaking of conflict… he and Nina were like 80% angst and I am here for this. - “My ghost won’t associate with your ghost.” - He can try to hide it, but he fit in this crew very well.
Kaz
“There was no part of him that was not broken, that had not healed wrong, and there was no part of him that was not stronger for having been broken.”
-One of the most hyped characters ever, tbh. - Soooo morally-gray, and it’s sooo great. - Seriously, it’s been a long time since I read a YA character who does the things this guy does-- let alone does them without flinching. - His backstory is fascinating and appropriate, adding a whole new depth to the character - There’s really something enjoyable reading about a character so competent with the ability to be vicious. -“He needed to thank her for his new hat.” I. SHIP. IT.
Inej
Inej had once offered to teach him how to fall. "The trick is not getting knocked down," he'd told her with a laugh. "No, Kaz," she'd said, "the trick is in getting back up.”
- The group’s favorite, and they are less-than-subtle about it. - Her backstory broke my heart a bit, as well as her revelation it cultivates into. (I 200% want her to achieve all her hopes and dreams) - Bardugo brilliantly interlaces Inej’s struggles and emotions, with the use of food-based-adjectives being applied to her physicality. The way Inej bristles at terms such as “caramel” or “creamy” was an incredibly powerful motif and subversion of an antiquated trope. - The master of her own fate.
Wylan
“Always hit where the mark isn't looking" "Who's Mark?" asked Wylan.”
- My baby. My son. - He’s precious and eager. - But he’s also inventive, surprisingly cunning and smart. - The role he plays in the ending wasn’t so much a twist as a brilliant conclusion. (But still took me completely by surprise) - “Just girls?” I. SHIP. IT.
Jesper
“Take good care of my babies,” Jesper said as he handed them over to Dirix. “If I see a single scratch or nick on those, I’ll spell forgive me on your chest in bullet holes.”
- My other baby - His sense of humor is hilarious, and his dialogue super witty. - There’s a lot more depth to his character than I first suspected, and it was interesting seeing it play out. - He feels real. His struggles humanize him and I think he’s more self-conscious than he’d admit. - I’m so used to world-weary protagonists, it’s great seeing a character embrace the adrenaline rush that comes with fighting.
Cons:
The one thing that bothered me is something numerous others have already highlighted-- these characters feel much older than they are. Kaz especially has a such a striking reputation, and has done so many things, it doesn’t seem possible he’s only 18.
In Conclusion:
I’m kind of intimidated to head into the sequel, as I’ve heard really mixed reviews. But I loved this too much not to see how the story ends. Fantastic characters interlaced with a well-executed plot. ...more
“Anoshe was a word for strangers in the street, and lovers between meetings, for parents and children, friends and family. It s
4.25 Stars
Overview:
“Anoshe was a word for strangers in the street, and lovers between meetings, for parents and children, friends and family. It softened the blow of leaving.”
Okay, I know my rating is picky and oddly specific, but it’s true. I enjoyed this more than AGOS (making it my favorite of the series) but it's still just shy of 5 stars.
In fact, that's what I rated it in a blind-emotional fury immediately after I finished. Because there was a lot I loved. ...But also some stuff I didn't.
Another BR with Sana. (Even though she hated AGOS, smh.)
Pros:
I need to read another Schwab book like now. This series was my first experience with her writing and I love it. She utilizes crisp sentences and sensory details so I can completely visualize the scene. She expertly lets the scene rise and fall and is a master at setting tone.
Listen and let me tell you about my two new children: Rhy Maresh and Alucard Emery. I JUST REALLY LOVE BOTH OF THEM OKAY.
Rhy especially has a ton of character development. I laughed with him at the beginning and here my heart broke for him. He has to step up so much and really come into his own as a leader and I just love it.
Alucard and Kell bickering like old women is my new aesthetic. I could have honestly read a whole book about this, I swear. (But I also loved getting to see more of Luc’s backstory and taking him more seriously)
The ending works very well. No spoilers, but everyone ends up in believable places and there’s certainly ramifications.
Speaking of which, the villain here is kind of awesome. Not quite the direction I was expecting for this series, but it works very well and I loved getting inside his head.
There are certain scenes the whole series seemed to be building towards and they are tense. Very well done and some of these really blew my mind.
Yes, hello it is I. Still loving Holland and just silently weeping in the background. Just such a dynamic character with such a strong presence on the page.
Cons:
At almost 700 pages, this is a little long. Places seemed overstuffed while others seemed off-topic, and there just some major pacing issues. The first 100 pages or so take off right after the explosive ending of AGOS, but then everything veers one direction and then another and sort of clambers together by the ending.
I really liked a lot of these elements, but couldn’t help by feel they were a little random? This floating market idea was super cool and I loved the way it played out, but it literally came out of nowhere.
There were several characters who were expanded upon here—the king, queen, visitors from neighboring cities and others. While I really enjoyed their perspectives and how they impacted the story, it felt a little out of place to just now learn about these characters. I wish a lot of this started in the second book.
Listen: Lila is a fun character, but she has no development.
She seems almost exactly the same here as she did at the beginning of ADSOM. She definitely is fun, and I love how capable she is. But at some point the narrative switched to continually telling me what a bad-ass she is. She felt ridiculously over-powered. Why did the second book include a whole plot about magic having consequences and Kell warning her about her recklessness if nothing comes of it???
(It actually averaged out to like 3.2 but I loved some of these so much I’m rounding up)
The Keeper
4/5
This story focuses on Michelle Benoit a 4 Stars
(It actually averaged out to like 3.2 but I loved some of these so much I’m rounding up)
The Keeper
4/5
This story focuses on Michelle Benoit and her role in saving Princess Selene; all things referenced in the original series. However, I really enjoyed seeing how it all played out, and young Scarlet was a delight.
Glitches
2/5
Young Cinder meeting her new family (and of course, wicked stepmother) was actually really boring. We’re already aware of how awful Ardi is. We’re aware of Cinder and Peony’s friendship. This was all stuff we’d seen before. Some of the backstory and explanations for Cinder’s cyborg pieces were interesting, though.
Queen’s Army
5/5
Baby Wolf Ze’ev is precious. This was a really interesting character study I wish had been explored more in the initial series. I liked seeing the pack dynamics, and I still think it’s weird Ze’ev’s brother isn’t even mentioned outside of Scarlet. This expanded upon their relationship and I found it really interesting.
Carswell’s Guide to Being Lucky
5/5
I’m Thorne trash #1, so did you really expect anything different? He’s such a fun character, even when scaled back to an obnoxious 13-year-old. I enjoyed seeing the Kate incident as it actually was, instead of both the versions Thorne and Cress painted in Cress.
After Sunshine Passes BY
2/5
I was really, really, really bored. I like Cress’ character—I really do! I think she’s crazy smart and funny, and I enjoy seeing what she brings to the table. But baby-Cress’ childhood was lonely and boring. I knew this already, I didn’t need to see just how boring and lonely it was.
The Princess and the Guard
3.5/5
Winter and Jacin are just great. I love their dynamic together and seeing how it evolved from childhood. Winter especially is a really fascinating character to me, and seeing how she became the crazy mess we met in Winter was great. My main problem is it implies Jacin gave up on his dreams for Winter—when that’s not how it’s painted in the original story? Wasn’t Jacin supposed to start an internship, and Levanna forced him into being a guard? Did I completely misunderstand that?
The Little Android
1/5
This was soooo long. And sooo boring. It tried to create a whole new world and cast of characters in order to incorporate The Little Mermaid into this universe. But it needed to be it’s own story so it had time to develop, instead this felt really overstuffed and I didn’t care about anyone. Plus, this whole book is supposed to be filled with extra’s from TLC… and this featured none of the characters or anything about it?
The Mechanic
2/5
Two stars for Kai because he is precious. No stars for seeing the exact same scene I’ve already seen before. I didn’t think this scene was particularly interesting the first time around. They way Kai and Cinder’s relationship develops is great, but the beginning is so cliché-Cinderella… I just don’t care for it.
Something Old, Something New
5+/5
*screaming*
I NEED LIKE SIX SEQUELS TO THIS PLEASE.
IT’S SO CUTE AND EVERYONE'S DEVELOPMENT AND RELATIONSHIPS ARE GREAT. IT’S SO MUCH FUN AND EVERYONE IS SO STRONG AND HAPPY AND I’M STILL HAVING A LOT OF EMOTIONS.
“She would be brave. She would be heroic. She would make her own destiny.”
*high pitched screaming*
This was seriously so much fu 5 Stars
Overview:
“She would be brave. She would be heroic. She would make her own destiny.”
*high pitched screaming*
This was seriously so much fun and I just want to go on more adventures with these characters.
*more screaming*
Pros:
This all came together so well. Everything that’s been building the last three books comes to a well designed climax. All the characters are in the same place, the fighting actually happens, plots rise and resolve. It felt like the final piece in a puzzle and it works.
This is over 800 pages, so I was expecting a lot of filler or for it to seem long—and it didn’t? The pacing is fantastic. Everything felt necessary and, again, came together really well.
All the references to the original fairy-tales were perfect? None of them felt like fan service, and instead they all blended seamlessly into the story and made it more enjoyable. Red-Riding Hood with her hatchet, Snow White’s poison apple, The Huntsman, Cinderella’s shoe… they’re all classic symbols and used really well.
SO. MUCH. FRIENDSHIP. There ARE so many fun characters and their interactions together are all splendid. Everyone cares for and supports each other regardless of romantic interest. In particular I love Cinder and Thorne’s interaction (SO MUCH SASS) but the dynamics between Cress/Wolf, Winter/Scarlet, Thorne/Kai, Iko/Everyone were also super fun!
…I just really love all of these characters, okay? I could write and essay about them all. It’s a problem. Scarlet and Thorne are still my favorites, and both have open invitations to marry me.
But for real, everyone’s character arcs were spectacular. Even Winter and Jacin, who we just are really introduced to here, have fully-formed arcs with fantastic development at the end. I was so bored of Kai and Cinder in the first book, but I loved them here. Cinder especially really comes into her own leadership skills and is a badass.
Okay…I ended up loving all the romances?
-Scarlet/Wolf are still my fav (though Wolf was a little dramatic in the beginning and I think talked about her every sentence) ad somthing about their interaction is just fantastic.
-Cinder and Kai being badass awesome leaders together is my new favorite thing.
- I literally loved Winter and Jacin right from the beginning and the way they accept eachother completely is beautiful.
- And I didn’t think I liked Cress and Thorne but they were so friggin cute throughout this?? (I still kind of feel like his feelings for her came out of nowhere… but I’m strangely okay with it?)
But everyone’s separate character arcs blended so well with their respective romances and it all works. Basically this was me at the end of the book.
[image]
Cons:
The only real issue I had is the choppy transition at the end. The narrative jumps straight from the final battle (right when it’s getting real intense) to someone talking about the aftermath. It was a little disorienting.
In Conclusion:
Clinging to Stars Above right now because I’m not ready for it to be over....more
Then he cupped my cheek, his thumb tracing my lip."You are all I've ever wanted," he said. "You are the whole of my heart.”
[i 2 Stars
Overview:
Then he cupped my cheek, his thumb tracing my lip."You are all I've ever wanted," he said. "You are the whole of my heart.”
[image]
^My face right now.
Let me preface this roast by stating-- my problem isn’t the love triangle. (If you can even call it that.) I’m not upset things didn’t turn out like I wanted, I’m frustrated the conclusion was a hot mess of nonexistent plot and unwinding character development. (Though I do obviously hate one of the love interests with all of my soul)
In my review of Siege and Storm, I theorized there were two possible outcomes for this trilogy—One where Alina embraces the Grisha society and uses her powers, and another where she rejects them and reverts to a ‘simple’ girl. I was kinda right? Mostly wrong
My main problem is how weak a character Alina becomes. She had a fantastic amount of development in the first book, when she discovered her powers and started to believe in herself. The second book introduced a theme of greed, and hinted the way she used her powers would inevitably corrupt her. It’s probably the driving conflict of this whole book.
But it just flip-flopped back and forth before reaching a cop-out solution? It all works out spectacularly and everything is great, we can forget the past three books even happened????
Seriously, there was even the introduction of a third love interest so everything is even more complicated, and Alina has to choose between three entirely different lives. But somehow she hardly makes any decisions the whole book.
Pros:
Genya and David were beautiful. Baghara as Alina’s quasi-yoda was also a nice touch.
Nikolia’s humor and bravado was fantastic as always, and he was truly a bright-spot in this depressing book.
Bardugo’s writing is still very enjoyable. I flew through this, as the narrative flows easily and seems much improved from the first book.
The Darkling is super fascinating. Learning more about his backstory was one of the absolute highlights of this book, and his commanding presence made the pages he appeared 20x more interesting. He’s incredibly manipulative and cunning and there’s something so striking about his confidence in his actions.
I’m not discrediting his awful and abusive nature (and I do NOT support that romance) but he works brilliantly as an antagonist.
Cons
Mal was better, I guess? I still hate him with the passion of a thousand suns. He’s still outrageously ‘perfect’ and always says something mushy or has a completely selfless reaction to everything. He just doesn’t feel real to me. Even though he never noticed Alina before, he’s going to act like he’s always loved her and that his every action revolves around keeping her safe.
There’s something really icky about the fact that he can’t accept her with her powers. Why did Alina keep making herself smaller for this guy?? It was like we were supposed to swoon over all the ‘sacrifices’ Mal made for her, though he spent the past three books whining about how much stronger she was than him?
What even was Nikolai the second half of this book, and was it necessary?
The pacing here was just… off. So much of this was filler or the characters standing in a circle talking about their course of action. I enjoyed the team-dynamic to an extent, but it cut a lot of tension out of things, in my opinion. Everything barely moved along, interlaced with a few dramatic scenes, before reaching a very rushed ending.
A very rushed ending that magically solves almost everything, undoes almost all the character development and was just… really lackluster?
Loading...
