this was much better than i thought it would be. it takes a lot of talent to do what marie lu did honestly. she is beyond spectacular with her writingthis was much better than i thought it would be. it takes a lot of talent to do what marie lu did honestly. she is beyond spectacular with her writing and i am 100% impressed. i did have a problem with the ending but that's normal with me and series honestly.
so...that was overhyped this was incredibly flat. the whole story was one dimensional and predictable. i expected so much more and it just didn’t deliso...that was overhyped this was incredibly flat. the whole story was one dimensional and predictable. i expected so much more and it just didn’t deliver in the slightest.
I went through a few different stages while reading The Wicked Deep. My first stage was immense interest, despite what I found to be mediocre writing I was super curious about the plot. Then the book hit a snag with the romance and I was suddenly guessing everything correctly, which led me to be incredibly bored. It makes this book incredibly difficult to talk about and it seems as if I’m the only one who hasn’t fallen for the hype. I just had some serious problems with some stuff at the end that I can’t get past, some of which made me feel a bit icky (for lack of better word).
The Wicked Deep is about Penny Talbot who lives in the town of Sparrow. She cares for her mum, who has been struggling to cope since her dad went missing one summer and never returned. Nor was a body found. Her grief-stricken mother has simply stopped doing any, which has left Penny struggling to decide what to do in her future. That doesn’t matter though, because the town of Sparrow is about to have its yearly drowning season.
Sparrow is an interesting one, the history of the town has basically meant it doomed itself. In the past, the town drowned three young women for courting married and single men. The town believed these women to be witches simply because no woman could attract that much female attention. The women are drowned in the ocean. However, Sparrow did not see the last of the Swan sisters that fateful day.
For two centuries the Swan sisters have come back once a year for around a week, putting themselves in the bodies of the young girls of the town. It’s in these girls’ bodies that they drown the young boys of Sparrow, pulling them into the depths like the people of Sparrow did to them. They aren’t picky in what bodies they choose or who they drown but it all changes one summer when Hazel, the youngest of the Swan sisters, falls in love while in the body she has chosen.
Honestly, it rubbed me the wrong way. Especially with events in the book – there’s a sex scene mentioned while Hazel is in the body of the girl she chose and he doesn’t know. It just felt wrong? I honestly don’t know if it is wrong, which is super naïve of me but I can’t find anything online so I apologise, I just wanted to mention it since the girl Hazel is inhabiting is not in control of her body.
Anyway, whatever, there’s the plot. Probably the best plot description I’ve ever done. Ya girl is growing. Let’s jump into those pesky likes and dislikes.
L I K E S ✗ THE PLOT OF DREAMS
The storyline was interesting. Who doesn’t want to read about girls getting their revenge for centuries on a town? I know I do, which probably makes me a little twisted. I was just so excited for what I was going to read. It seemed too good to be true and unfortunately in this case it was. However, that doesn’t mean the storyline wasn’t interesting. It was going places, it really was, and it was one of the most twisted and intricate stories I’ve read.
✗ MORE PAST, LESS PRESENT
If this book had been 100% the Swan sisters extracting their revenge on the town it would have been better, or, if it had simply focused on the past. The inclusion of Penny Talbot ruined the story for me, so I guess that makes sense as to why the backstory was my favourite part of this book.
The backstory that focuses on the Swan sisters preferably, because you also get flashbacks throughout the book to continue building suspense and allowing you snippets of things that the characters don’t even know.
✗ WHY DID IT ALL FALL APART?
For 50% I was basically glued to my kind and desperately wanting to get to the end of the book. Once the big ‘plot twist’ dropped I was ready to DNF and put my kindle down. It seems I hate myself though because I dragged myself through the end of the book. Don’t get me wrong, I really do get why people enjoy this book. It was a dark, gritty tale that focuses on witches. For some reason, I thought it was mermaids, but that’s my fault for not reading blurbs (as usual).
D I S L I K E S ✗ ROMANCE IS A NO FROM ME
I hated the romance. It makes my skin crawl at the idea of it. Why did no one think to take it out? Why is everything done for ‘love’? It’s literally so annoying and I wanted to rip my eyeballs out of my head while reading it.
I haven’t mentioned him at all, but the love interest in Bo Carter. A mysterious stranger who comes to the town not knowing anything of the drowning secrets. He does harbour secrets though, as does literally everyone in the book.
✗ YAWN FEST FROM PREDICTABILITY
I guessed it from about chapter two, and I was so disappointed when it turned out I was right. I wanted something different in this book to make it exciting, but it didn’t. I really can’t say much without giving away spoilers, hence the weird way I’ve phrased things in this review. It really isn’t a surprise though. Though, I am curious. If you’ve read this book were you surprised?
✗ MEH WRITING
It was just bland, honestly. It lacked the magic I wanted from a book about witches and drama and murder. It was just pretty straightforward and nothing exciting. It read almost like every book I read before. On top of that, sometimes the dialogue was not how teenagers talk at all.
✗ STOP GIVING ME APOLOGIST ARCS FOR BAD PEOPLE
Blah, I’d rather not. If you’ve drowned men for centuries you don’t suddenly get forgiven because one summer you’ve decided to change your mind for a guy. No thanks. I would have really preferred that the character remained one that didn’t get forgiven. She really didn’t deserve it so it doesn’t make any sense as to why at the end of the book I was meant to believe Hazel was the best thing since sliced bread.
She’s not, by the way, nothing even comes close to sliced bread anyway. If you want to create morally grey characters please stick to them and stop trying to make me forgive them when they’re bad people.
Overall, The Wicked Deep wasn’t a bad book despite all my complaining. I just wanted more and I think that is fair of me to say because the romance was a mess. A straight up mess. Plus apologist arcs aren’t necessary so please stop including them, bad people can just be bad people. I would still probably recommend this book since I gave it three stars for that first half but also I want to drown a copy of this book.
What are your thoughts on The Wicked Deep? Have you read it? Are you going to read it? Tell me below, I’m super curious about your thoughts....more
I am trying to look at this book as a completely individual series from the Percy Jackson series. A couple reasons for this; it is not even published by Rick Riordan’s publishing industry and this book is about Indian fairytales. I know it is so easy to compare middle-grade novels that are urban fantasy to Rick Riordan but you can’t with this. Why? Mainly because this is all own voices.
Now, into what I thought about everything. The Serpent’s Secret was a book I didn’t know what to expect from it. In the classic Amber fashion, I hadn’t read the blurb. I simply jumped into the middle-grade novel in hopes of finding a new favourite. Unfortunately, I didn’t, but I did enjoy the ride this story took. It was fun.
The Serpent’s Secret by Sayantani DasGupta is a delightfully unique story. I have never read anything quite like this, or even seen anything represented in the media. This book incorporates so many parts of Bengali Indian culture. This is definitely not an area I am educated enough to speak on, so I’ll move on. On Kiranmala’s twelfth birthday everything goes wrong. She goes from being a regular sixth grader to having a demon smash through her kitchen and take her parents. This leads Kiranmala on a journey of discovery, with two charming Indian prince’s tagging along, to find her parents while also realizing that everything that they have told her in their stories is true. There are countless extra tasks thrown in that make it harder for Kiranmala, but that’s what keeps the book interesting! Kiranmala leans to be proud of her heritage throughout the novel. With the fast-paced novel, it is easy to fit all this into 368 pages.
I’ll jump into more about what I liked and dislike about The Serpent’s Secret now.
L I K E S ✗ GREAT FAIRYTALE EXPLANATIONS
I love learning about different myths, fairytales and cultures while reading. I feel that’s how I learn the most. The Serpent’s Secret is no different. As Kiranmala learns what is real and what isn’t, via interdimensional travel, the reader does as well. It felt so important to become educated on these stories while reading. These are stories I have never heard and they were detailed and amazing. I truly wish these myths and fairy tales were incorporated into mainstream media more – obviously written by own voices writers.
✗ CHARACTERS ARE ACTING THEIR AGE
I feel this is very important. Characters acting their age, when they’re young, feel so rare in books. I feel that characters are typically aged up in their personality though on paper it says they’re twelve. DasGupta really managed to capture the youth of Kiranmala. It was raw and truthful in so many elements, despite the book being an urban fantasy. It was truly refreshing.
✗ IMAGERY IS BEAUTIFUL
This is a super simple thing I liked about The Serpent’s Secret but the imagery is mind-blowing. DasGupta created such beautiful scenes with her writing that truly brought me into the book. The added illustrations throughout were incredibly enjoyable as well, definitely welcome additions to the story. Definitely, something that would entice a young reader as well!
D I S L I K E S ✗ KIND OF UNCOMFORTABLE HUMOUR
It’s not that it was uncomfortable but at times the humour felt as if it was trying too hard. Not all of it came under this category but I really was struggling to get into the characters, especially since a lot of the humour was due to the characters, not understanding Kiranmala. I also get these characters are twelve but I just felt like the humour was an element that could have been removed from the book.
✗ TOO FAST PACED AT TIMES
I believe this book is a debut? Correct me if I’m wrong, please, so this I can understand. At times this book felt pretty choppy, with characters moving between scenes in a confusing way that left me rereading paragraphs trying to find the connection. It had me struggling to get through this book in that way.
Overall, this has been a hard review to write. I don’t want to step on any own voices reviewer’s toes but I do want to promote this book for its beautiful imagery and storytelling. I know I have to stay in my lane but I really do recommend this book to everyone, especially if you have younger children in your life because I feel like education at a young age on different cultures is so important. The Serpent’s Secret was ultimately a very enjoyable book. It was fast and it was silly and it was fun. I know I keep using the word fun but it’s true. This book was super fun to read. Definitely, add it to your TBR’s if you don’t mind a little middle grade in your life!...more
The Wren Hunt was a book I was pretty excited for. Unfortunately, I hadn’t read the blurb and had no idea what this book was about. Or maybe I had and my view simply got warped way off track of what this book actually is about. The Wren Hunt is a book full of mystery and magic, set in an urban environment. I typically love urban fantasy. For me, you can do no wrong if it is urban fantasy. However, I just didn’t fall in love with this. Almost everything about The Wren Hunt fell flat for me. From the characters to the pacing, to the world building, it just wasn’t there. It’s really unfortunate because this story would have been enjoyable, otherwise.
Mary Watson’s The Wren Hunt follows the story of Wren. I honestly don’t even know how to describe the plot because it’s…strange. I believe Wren and her family can see the future? It’s difficult to explain when I don’t even understand the story myself. Wren runs away from a group of boys (Judges) every year, they run through the woods and they always take something from her when she is caught. It is strange, for lack of better description. After one of these frightening runs through the forest Wren/someone she lives with sees the future (has a vision? Becomes That’s So Raven?) that requires them to infiltrate the Judges lives.
Trust me, it’s just as weird to read about and I truly don’t know how much more in depth I can get without confusing myself more. So, I’m going to jump into what I did and didn’t like about this particular story. Be prepared, there are a lot more dislikes than likes.
L I K E S ✗ INTERESTING STORYLINE
The storyline was strange but interesting. I don’t even know how to describe it. I was reading this book by a pool and honestly, it was enjoyable to an extent. The story moves along and Wren faces many struggles, primarily of the boy and romantic feeling kind.
Again, not much I can say because no matter how interesting the storyline was it is still one of the most confusing books I have read to date.
D I S L I K E S ✗ SAME CONVERSATIONS ON THE SAME PAGE
This annoyed me a lot. Wren and several other characters repeated almost everything they said. When I noticed it, I couldn’t stop. It felt that whenever a useless conversation was happening it had to be repeated over the spread of two pages at least twice. It was annoying. Especially since this book leant too much into romance for me. I wanted urban fantasy fun, instead, I got a Romeo and Juliet style love story. Boring.
✗ WORLD BUILDING WAS NONEXISTENT
Honestly, it was nowhere. We are thrown into this world in which two groups of people are at war and given nothing. You’re left to work out things as the story goes and I didn’t enjoy that. I truly wanted something more from the story and it seemed that wasn’t going to happen at any point.
For my next couple points, I’m just going to leave the heading and not put anything under them. Why? Because I really can’t be bothered. I barely remember anything from The Wren Hunt and I have other reviews to write so I don’t have time to flip through the book and find why I didn’t enjoy these things.
✗ CONFUSING + POOR EXECUTION
✗ LACK OF CHARACTER DEPTH
✗ EVERYTHING HAPPENS TOO FAST BUT ALSO SLOW AF
Overall, this book is forgettable. I read this book almost a week ago at the time of me writing this review and I can barely remember anything. It was a mash of strange events that were never explained. The weak characters couldn’t carry the depth of the storyline the author was trying to push either. It was, overall, an incredibly weak execution on an exciting storyline premise. I will not be reading the second book....more
Sometimes you have to stick with a series to the end for it to be worth it. Shatter Me is this series. Ignite Me was everything and more than what I wanted or expected. It was honestly such a shock, I can barely format the words I need to describe it. This series, and book, in particular, are the definition of character development. I’m aware I’ve said this in like every book for this series, but I just can’t not. It is so well done that I want to read everything this author has ever put in the world. I obviously had some problems but I really feel as if this book is deserving of the five stars I’ve given it. I mean, I’m so damn excited for the fourth book to come out in the next few days (possibly already out when this review goes live).
Ignite Me is where shit gets real for Juliette. It’s where the climax happens and she takes charge. I honestly can’t say much about the plot without spoiling the entire book, so I’m going to try and keep this brief. She faces problems with romance; obviously, due to Adam being the turd he was always destined. The action in this book is fast paced (which, I’ll get into later in this review). There’s a lot of moments that left me with my jaw dropped, unable to believe what was happening. I was blown away, honestly. This is the conclusion to end all other conclusions.
I really didn’t talk about the plot for Ignite Me at all. So, let’s just jump into a more descriptive list of my likes and dislikes of this book. If you’ve read this book, let me know your thoughts in the comments too! Did you enjoy this series?
L I K E S ✗ KENJI IS MY FAVE
Honestly, Keni is amazing. I’ve been meaning to talk about him in my other reviews but around my love for Warner and hate for Adam I kept forgetting #oops. However, I feel like he was really spotlighted in this book. He also had the best power in my opinion, the ability to go invisible is up there for me (I mean, Violet was my favourite in The Incredibles). He doesn’t hold back and is Juliette’s best friend. It is always enjoyable to see a platonic boy/girl friendship in fiction as well, especially where neither one is interested in the other romantically. I really hope we get more of his backstory in Restore Me because I am so interested. I’ve also been seeing theories that he will be queer and I am 100% into this possible storyline.
✗ WARNER SPITS SOME TRUTH
A lot of this series has been people coddling Juliette. She hasn’t been forced to make decisions or known a lot of the information. Everyone seems to tiptoe around her in order to make her feel safe and unafraid. Which is all nice, but man does it feel like a weak main character in some parts. Warner thankfully saves the day in Ignite Me and spits some truth. He says things I’ve been thinking since the first book and it felt so good to see it on paper (well, screen, I read on my kindle). I also loved hearing that my theory was right. I love it.
✗ OK BUT REAL TALK THIS IS UP IN TOP TEN COVERS
Not much to say on this, just how fucking gorgeous is this cover? Man, I finished this book and just stared at the cover for like twenty minutes it was so beautiful. What are some of your favourite covers?
✗ JULIETTE IS MY QUEEN
Juliette reached the level of one of my ultimate favourite female characters to exist. I’m as shocked as you are. Considering it took me three reads of the first book to even get here I wasn’t expecting this at all. However, I am pleasantly surprised and not mad at all. Juliette hits all new levels in Ignite Me. She really comes into herself. She really makes decisions for herself and she really becomes the hero so many young adults need. Someone combating PTSD, anxiety and depression has the ability to be a hero and I feel like that’s important. She is honestly such a powerful young adult this series and I will not tolerate any slander against her.
✗ WARNER AND JULIETTE
I don’t think this is a topic I have to say much on either. I feel as if this is an obvious one that would have a wink wink, nudge nudge attached to it. These two have hit my ultimate OTP lists and I am absolutely in love with the pair of them together. The chemistry and the love written on the page is so clear. No matter how creepy I still think some elements are, I can definitely swoon over this OTP.
✗ WARNER DEVELOPMENT
This could also be viewed as lack of development. Warner both changes as a character and doesn’t. The changes happen through him revealing information about himself – which makes me think this story is very character driven, something I am not usually interested in – not him actively changing himself. He shares pieces of himself with Juliette and changes how we look at him, not actually changing how he thinks. Which, I think is a really interesting tactic that I appreciate the author using. It’s not one I see a lot in books.
✗ I LOVE THE POWERS
This is kind of irrelevant but I love the fantasy element of powers being added, making it urban fantasy. It reminds me of The Darkest Minds which I love. Though in a similar way it kind of feels as if everyone in this book has powers as well. Would have been interesting if someone didn’t have powers.
✗ MENTAL HEALTH DEVELOPMENT
This particular point is super important to me as someone who has a mental health issues. I’m really talking about this as what happens over the course of all the books too. There are so many issues represented throughout the text and it really does shock me. I feel as if the main three are what I presume Juliette suffers with – PTSD, anxiety and depression (as I mentioned before). I feel like seeing these in the text and with Juliette’s growth I really feel empowered. I have all three of these particular mental health diagnoses and I feel they were represented beautifully throughout the entirety of Shatter Me. The ascension from a quiet girl into someone who cannot be silenced is a journey I have taken myself and it’s not an easy one, which I feel like is well represented in this series.
✗ CANT WAIT FOR RESTORE ME
I straight up can’t wait. Someone get this book in my hands now. I wish I had timed this more perfectly with the release, but I guess I just get more excited in the waiting period.
D I S L I K E S ✗ ADAM IS A TURD PART THREE
Honestly, no redemption arc for Adam, please. It is all I want in the world. Truly. I hate him so damn much and to see him suffer would be great. I love James, but Adam can be a turd elsewhere. I feel as if Ignite Me really solidified this as well. He just really switched and become one of those ‘nice guys’ who lose it when they’re rejected. It was just lowkey uncomfortable and had me thinking he was basically waving warning flags all over the place. Boo hoo, you didn’t get the girl. There’s a war going on you, dickhead, protect your brother and stop acting like someone ate the last tasteless blob in existence.
✗ IT IS ALL OVER SO FAST
Within a few pages and chapters, all the action is over. I was left feeling like ‘what?’ It felt like there was so much build up and there should have been more. I understand it was to show how powerful Juliette had become but I really just wanted more from the final scenes but nope. It’s all over so fast and it is so damn easy. I really feel like there should have been more suspense.
✗ NOT ENOUGH GIRLS ARE THEY ALL DEAD
I think the weird heading things I use says it all. There was a total of five females who had dialogue in this book – including Juliette. How ridiculous is that? There was like five men in the first chapter alone. I would love to see Juliette get a female best friend in Restore Me.
Overall, this series sincerely deserves the hype it has received. I’m so glad I finally forced myself to push through because I am so thankfully shocked and happy to have been apart of this ride. The Shatter Me series is a heartbreaking series in which no one actually really dies. It is a complicated world in which grows over each book and has such a powerful message in the end. I never thought I’d say this but I recommend it....more
Unravel Me was 100 times better than Shatter Me. You know how sometimes a middle book can be a drag and you want to cMY UNRAVEL ME REVIEW IS ALSO HERE
Unravel Me was 100 times better than Shatter Me. You know how sometimes a middle book can be a drag and you want to completely give up while reading it? Unravel Me is not that. It was exciting, it had developed, and it had Adam taking a backseat. This series contains action, love, and heartbreak. I have some issues; mainly with obsessive and borderline abusive behaviours from the male characters, but this series really improved within one book. I wish I had gotten to it a lot sooner.
This particular book takes a look at Juliette learning her powers and growing stronger by herself. Obviously, in the last book, she relied on Adam a lot and I even wrote about it in my review because I hated it. This book, however, she really comes into herself. At Omega Point she learns how to socialize with others and really become a member of society, rather than secluding herself away from everyone in favour of Adam. Which, I think is important. The story has Warner come in, and basically fuck shit up, but I love Warner so I am okay with it. Throughout Unravel Me the overall message is power. Power within yourself and using your power and voice. Everything goes to shit numerous times in this book but man, did I love seeing Adam not get the girl. It filled me with a sick sense of joy and I am not ashamed of it.
So, before I bitch about Adam too much I should probably just jump straight into what I did and didn’t like about this book. Considering I gave this book four stars and the first two, there are a lot of things I did enjoy.
L I K E S ✗ JULIETTE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
I love a girl who can rely on herself and no man. Thank God this is what happens in Unravel Me. Juliette becomes a woman who can rely on herself, can trust herself and can develop as an individual in a free environment – something she has never had the opportunity to. I really feel like Juliette comes into her own throughout Unravel Me and if that doesn’t get you excited, I don’t know what will. Her representation of anxiety and depression is so realistic and the stand out part of her character. I really can’t wait to see where her character goes in the final book of the trilogy (before Restore Me comes out).
✗ FEMALE CHARACTERS GET A LARGER ROLE
It’s literally only two female characters, Sonya and Sara, but I will take what I can get. I mean seriously, I will take whatever small scraps I can get. This is a big thing in fiction anyway, I swear authors just refuse to put in supporting female characters and it is very hard to imagine a girl just surrounded by men being all good. Obviously Juliette remembers the world from before, especially since most of the shit happened while she was in isolation, and she didn’t have any friends so it makes sense why she attached herself to Adam (aka the first boy who called her pretty, or in this case could touch her). I just wish Sonya and Sara got more page time.
✗ LOVING THE VILLAIN LINE
I feel like in books I typically always hate the villain storyline. I’m never curious about it, I just want the characters to kill the antagonist and be over with it. However, I find myself really curious about the world and villain in the Shatter Me series. It’s not so much that it’s complex; I just always find it interesting how corrupt governments get in dystopian (lmao basically the government we have currently). I just want to find out more about Anderson and what he is doing, what his ultimate goal was, and how he came to his position. I can’t help it. Hopefully all is revealed in Ignite Me.
✗ WORLD DEVELOPMENT
This is a point I don’t have much to say on. I feel like Unravel Me had incredible world building that brought everything from the first book together. I found myself a little lost about the world in the first one, since Juliette is confused and doesn’t really understand, but in this book it really felt like the writing was more together and as if it put the world in concrete.
✗ WRITING REMAINS AMAZING
You can fault the author on a lot of things but her writing oh my God, what a gift. At some parts I’m like what? But, it is all just so beautifully descriptive and highlights the mental health issues that she wants to include so well in my opinion.
✗ WARNER X JULIETTE HAS SO MUCH MORE CHEMISTRY
The love triangle is falling and I’m the one governing the tank that is firing at it. I am so on board this ship. Fuck yes, give me this shit. I knew this couple was going to happen because I have been on the Internet and book community for a while and I am not mad. I also follow Whitney from WhittyNovels and that girl is always screaming about these two. I can understand why now. The chemistry between the two characters is so much more than the chemistry between Adam and Juliette. It feels like Warner actually understands Juliette whereas Adam has wanted Juliette for so long that he does not care who she is as a person. Which is pretty shitty, lets be real. I mean, Warner still gives me some weird vibes but I can vibe with it much more than Adam. Plus a love triangle ending is the reason for my happiness.
D I S L I K E S ✗ ADAM CAN GTFO
That’s it. Adam can exit stage left and I will be fine. No redemption arc. Let him burn. Someone shoot him. I have no idea, I just hate Adam. I can’t put it in many other words than that, weird ass possessive, jealous tool. I ain’t here for this toxic masculinity.
✗ STILL NEEDS MORE FEMALE CHARACTERS
I beg. Give me more female women so it is not just one in the role. It kills me.
Overall, I really didn’t hate that much. Trust me, I’m as shocked as you are. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. However, I will admit it is trash. Honestly, it is cheesy and definitely, a guilty pleasure read. I ranted about the book for like half an hour to a friend on the phone but I can’t say I didn’t enjoy it. Especially since so many things I hated in the first book have left. Hopefully Ignite me is perfect and has no Adam....more
I think I’ve made it pretty clear over time that I am a big fan of Rick Riordan. I love mythology and I love learning through his books. When Riordan announced that he was going to publish own voices authors take on mythology I was beyond excited. Aru Shah and the End of Time was no exception of this. I fell in love, fast. One reason was that it was a female lead, something we don’t typically see in Riordan’s work. An Indian female lead is something that holds incredible importance, and just to see Hindu mythology accurately represented.
12-year-old Aru Shah has a habit of telling lies. She lies about basically everything to the people at her school so they don’t look at her as weird, the joys of being middle class in a rich school. One day she’s caught out in the lie when three people from her school come to where she lives – she lives in a museum, like how cool is that?! Things turn pretty nasty quickly with one of these three kids recording Aru as an attempt to get her to tell the truth. Instead, she decides to light a lamp that, as her mother says, is cursed. Unfortunately for Aru, the lamp is cursed. A powerful individual is let free and everyone around her is now frozen in time. With the help of a pigeon guide, Aru discovers she has the soul of the great Pandava brothers. Along the way, Aru meets one of her sisters (because there are no brothers in this generation) and must go on a quest in order to stop the powerful individual she let go free. Simultaneously she must come to terms with being a demigod and how much her mother has hidden from her. Oh, and the best part? Aru must do all this in her spider-man pyjamas as if that isn’t a look.
I really loved Aru Shah and the End of Time. It was such a thrilling tale of mystery, surprise and, my favourite, humour. The writing of this particular story came across as pretty flawless. I also know, that if anyone reading this is like me you’re expecting this story to be basically identical to Percy Jackson. I’m here to say you’re wrong. This book completely holds its own and, dare I say it, is even better than Percy Jackson in some ways. It was truly such an important book and I am desperately waiting for book two!
Anyway, let me jump into a more detailed version of what I did and didn’t like about Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi.
L I K E S ✗ HINDU GODS > GREEK GODS
Hear me out, I grew up learning about the Greek gods in school. When I picked up Percy Jackson for the first time I had a big understanding of all the variations. It made it a little boring for me, honestly. I know nothing about Hindu gods. This particular topic wasn’t taught in my schools (I went to 9 over 13 years, as a little fun fact). I know own voices books don’t exist to teach the public anything but I really did love learning about the Hindu gods. I have been deeply curious about the mythology for some time and I don’t trust Google, so it was just great to read something that I was unfamiliar with.
Also, the Hindu gods weren’t as big of jerks as the Greek gods in Rick Riordan’s books, also a positive for me.
✗ THE CHARACTERS ARE HILARIOUS
The humour in this book is amazing. I was giggling and smiling almost the entire book and I’m not even the target audience. It was just such a fun journey that I can’t screech and rave about this book enough. The humour was similar to that of Percy Jackson, dry and most of the time from the main character being unable to shut up, but I just feel as if this particular style was better suited for the target audience. It felt like I could give this book to one of my cousins and she would be laughing along with me.
✗ I LOVE BOO
Boo is the pigeon guide that Aru and her Pandava sister Mimi are given. He’s not exactly the best guide nor does he really have the patience for two young preteens, but man was he hilarious. His character really brought Mimi and Aru together, and just the whole idea of a pigeon leading two girls on a quest makes me chuckle. To be fair though, I despise birds so the fact I even found this amusing shocks me a little.
✗ FEMALE FRIENDSHIPS
If you’ve known me for a little while you know I am a big pusher of female friendships in books. I live for them. I love when two girls support one another rather than tearing each other down. Mimi and Aru gave me this. The two are young and it would have been easy to write two girls that hated each other but Roshani Chokshi didn’t, and I loved it. The girls obviously bickered and struggled at some points, but they’d also only just met and been informed they were sisters which can put a strain on any time making friends.
2018 is the year of supportive friendships and I’m here for it.
✗ CANT WAIT FOR BOOK TWO
Do I have to elaborate on this? After the ending of Aru Shah and the End of Time, I desperately have grabby hands for book two. This series will also finish when I’m 24 and if you don’t think I’m going to read every single one, you’re wrong. I am here for this series.
D I S L I K E S ✗ I FELT ARU SOMETIMES STEPPED BACK IN THE STORY AND HER VOICE GOT LOST
I’m really just nitpicking here, but it did feel as if Aru got lost at points. Obviously this a big quest and a whole bit about discovering who you are but I just wanted more. It did seem at points that Aru was morally grey but in truth, she is simply a preteen trying to find her place in the world and her identity. I’m interested to see if she does become morally grey throughout the course of this four book series. I stand by the fact though there should have been a little more focus on Aru’s feelings and emotions at some points.
Overall, Aru Shah and the End of Time blew my socks off. I was not expecting anything that this book delivered and I’m slightly annoyed that it took me so long to even pick this up. The hype really stands true for this book, it is well deserving of your money and your time....more
Thank you so much to Hachette Australia for sending me a copy of Tempests & Slaughter in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own and reThank you so much to Hachette Australia for sending me a copy of Tempests & Slaughter in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own and receiving a copy of the finished book does not affect what I think.
Tempests & Slaughter took me a long time to get through. It wasn’t even the biggest book I have read but due to the info dumping of the content, it really felt like a drag in some parts. By some parts, I mean a large part of this novel. It had some beautiful touches, like diversity and seeing a character grow up, but it really did have large periods of time where we just watch the main character study. The story itself reads like it is Arram Draper’s diary. It details almost every activity he does in the most excruciating detail. Which, at times, is great and other times I wanted to scream at the plot to get a move on since it was dragging.
I have never read one of Tamora Pierce book. I feel maybe I missed something that was leading up to this that is in her past books. I’m not sure. Maybe this was really just a high fantasy book and my brain wasn’t in the right headspace. I really think this was a case of ‘its me not the book’. So, anything I say shouldn’t be taken too seriously. I know this is a duology, so maybe once I’ve read the second book in this series I will dive into Tamora Pierce’s other books, so hopefully, this book will eventually come together better for me.
Arram Draper is studying to be a mage. Tempests & Slaughter follows his journey through his studies. However, we literally do follow his journey through studying. I wish I was kidding. We go to Arram to like every single class. We see him studying his magic and having basic interactions with his friends. There are a few events throughout that make it seem like the story will finally hit the climax but unfortunately, it never happens. I had so many theories of what may happen and I was just really disappointed. The story was so flat. That being said, there were things I liked that I’ll get in to. There really isn’t too much to say about the plot as a whole. I’m really hoping the second book binds this together.
So, I guess, let’s jump into what I did and didn’t like.
L I K E S ✗ BEAUTIFUL STORYTELLING
The storytelling of Tempests & Slaughter is beautiful. Tamora Pierce has a way with words and it creates such beautiful imagery throughout the novel. I know it seems like I’ve complained about this story feeling stagnant in some areas, but I really thought the writing was what did keep me reading. I honestly can’t fault it. It had elements of humour throughout and really dove into topics that are sometimes shied away from. It was interesting to read about most of the time and I really hope I get the chance to read more of Tamora’s writing in the near future. It really makes the story.
✗ GREAT CHARACTER DEPTH
There are a lot of characters throughout this novel but there are three that stand out – the three main characters. Arram, Ozorne, and Varice are three best friends who do everything together. Hell, Ozorne, a prince, has plans for them after they all graduate from the academy. It was an interesting friendship to see grow over the series. You could see the group drifted apart at times but always came back together. All three characters are meant to be extraordinary and it is shown through the book.
✗ MIDDLE GRADE MIXED WITH YOUNG ADULT
Someone commented on one of my updates saying that the blurb for this story sounded very similar to Harry Potter. I have to disagree. I feel like whenever there is stories involving three young wizards/mages people always start comparing to Harry Potter. This series had a much different feel to it than Harry Potter. It stood on its own two legs and held it’s own. The main thing was that this wasn’t a middle grade book. This in no way felt that way. It was very clearly mixed with young adult in so many ways. It was definitely a combo I was unfamiliar with and took a little bit to get used to. I mean, this did take me longer than usual to read (five days).
✗ HIGH FANTASY AS HECK
Really, it’s high fantasy as heck. There is so much info-dumping as we learn the world that I kept getting overwhelmed. I’ve put this in the likes category of my review though because despite my complaint, I actually did enjoy the high fantasy element to this book. I don’t read a lot of high fantasy because of how much time it takes me to read it, but I really did enjoy where this book went and how Tamora Pierce built the world.
D I S L I K E S ✗ VERY DULL AT TIMES
So. Damn. Dull.
I said earlier in this review that the book read like Arram’s diary. If you have ever read the diary of a ten-year old I’m sure you know it’s not interesting. Considering how brilliant Arram is, I really thought there would be some more interesting things throughout. But, Arram is happy to be quiet and listen, whether that be to his friends or his masters. It really had the story feeling like it was a standstill for around 80% of the book. The few exciting moments we got kept me hooked, but there really wasn’t enough for a book of this size.
✗ VERY MUCH SETTING UP FOR EVENTS IN THE SECOND BOOK
I think that’s what Tempests & Slaughter was mainly doing. Setting up for the events of the second book. This book we just see Arram grow and learn, I think he’s around 16 when this book finishes? It seems it is all leading to something more, especially with certain events in this book. It just seems like there is something more and I really hope it is something incredible and dangerous (possible murder please). I have some theories, but after this book, I’m not even sure I should trust myself.
Overall, Tempests & Slaughter wasn’t a bad book. It just wasn’t a really a good book either. It had points of interest and some major points of disinterest. It was a bit of a struggle to read and I’m not even sure how to rate it. Some parts of the book fall under a four-star and others a one star. For now, I feel that a three-star is the perfect rating....more
R E V I E W I’m not sure how I can across Every Heart A Doorway. I think it was because I saw people giving out five star ratings to the third book in the series and got incredibly curious. As usual. It wasn’t that Every Heart A Doorway was bad either. It just wasn’t that great. It really did fall flat, which is fine but a tad frustrating.
There are definitely highs and lows in the book, and there are definitely some great characters. However, I think my main issue with the book was Nancy. Who happens to be the main character, so, not really helpful.
The book starts with an explanation of the school. A school for kids who have been places and seen things no one else has. It a school for kids who have stumbled through doors that can never be found again. Nancy happened to have fallen through one of these doors and was seduced by the Lord of Death. She is able to stand completely still and slow her heart rate down to a minute due to this world. However, like all the other kids, Nancy was sent home and told she would return again. Which very rarely happens. The school is full of kids with similar experiences, but most of the worlds that children fall into are happy. A certain few have gone to more aggressive worlds and wanted to return. A mystery element is added to the book to push it along but it really didn’t help the story too much.
L I K E S
✗ DIVERSITY
Well, to start off there is a trans-man in the book and Nancy is an asexual. Which is always a great start in my opinion. Obviously, these things don’t further the story too much but they’re just great inclusions to have in the text and to show how seamlessly they can be slotted into a narrative without drama being caused. There is some transphobia in the school with comments made that could make some people uncomfortable.
✗ MYSTERY ELEMENT
I really enjoyed the mystery element. I think I’ve made it clear in my reviews that I don’t read blurbs. I don’t know why. But, whenever I do read a blurb once I’ve finished a book I always find it spoiled something that I enjoyed discovering myself. It’s a strange mix. So, I didn’t know that Every Heart A Doorway would contain a mystery at all. I was definitely excited to discover it. However, at times it only felt like it was in place to push forward the plot. Also, the killer was incredibly obvious from the beginning. Which meant the mystery was a tad disappointing. Doesn’t take away from the fact I enjoyed it though.
✗ VERY FAST & EXCELLENT WRITING STYLE
That being said this book is fast. It is less than 200 pages long and the writing style really does draw you in and keep you on the edge of your seat. It all flows excellently together and the author does manage to include mainly things that other authors struggle to do in longer ones – create a concise mystery and a motive in a short time period being one of them. I was able to finish this book in under two hours too which I definitely appreciated.
D I S L I K E S
✗ MAIN CHARACTER? YAWN
As I mentioned before I didn’t like Nancy. She lacked personality and depth throughout the whole book. Honestly. I felt like I was reading about a cardboard box. Not a single hint of personality is put in the text which was a tad frustrating due to the fact the writing felt very monotone in parts. It was also very hard to identify when the POV changed – which it did twice – due to nothing being made clear and the fact that Nancy herself did not have a clear tone in her voice. I really don’t have much to say about Nancy herself because we really didn’t learn a lot. We found out more about the side characters and their goals rather than what the main character herself wanted or how she behaved. There is no information at all and it really was annoying.
✗CONFUSING CONCEPT
It’s not that the concept was confusing; it was just really poorly explained in some parts. I could obviously work out the general gist of what was happening but even writing this review a few days after I read the book, I’m still confused about what went down. The ending itself was really confusing and felt slightly reminiscent of Harry Potter was a bit weird to me.
I really just struggled with falling into this book and loving it. It was pretty mediocre in terms of concepts as well. I’m pretty sure I read something similar when I was younger.
✗ NO WOW FACTOR
This was the big one. There really was no wow factor. Nothing that would make me stand in the rafters of the Empire State Building shouting praise. Nothing that would make me give this book as a gift to my friends. Just nothing that really made this book highly original and enjoyable to me.
Overall, it really just fit the Goodreads rating of three stars that means ‘I liked it’. I didn’t fall in love with it and I really didn’t hate it. I was curious and I am curious enough to read the second book but Every Heart A Doorway itself was definitely not falling under the hype for me.
I actually have goosebumps. Oh my God. I was expecting something terrible from the low rating but nope. New favouriGuys. This. Is. So. Fucking. Good.
I actually have goosebumps. Oh my God. I was expecting something terrible from the low rating but nope. New favourite. I just realised this wasn’t a series and now I’m so sad.
R E V I E W The Hazel Wood was a memorising book. I was unable to put it down and I was truly so involved with the plot that I was gasping almost everyR E V I E W The Hazel Wood was a memorising book. I was unable to put it down and I was truly so involved with the plot that I was gasping almost every page. If you enjoyed Caraval (which, I hate but I can see how these two connect) or The Raven Boys I truly believe you will like The Hazel Wood. It has such a dark fairytale vibe to it that throws you into the world where nothing is truly what it seems.
I went in with some pretty low expectations, I had been seeing some mixed reviews around the place and that always makes me a tad cautious. This book blew those low expectations right out of the park. I was so shocked by the writing, the mystical style and the fact that this was actually an urban fantasy. I was expecting a high fantasy, but nope. I absolutely love urban fantasies too, so this made me happy beyond words.
Actually, my favourite thing was just the fairytales. I absolutely loved the writing style of the few that were included. They left me itching for more and re-reading the pages to try and find hidden messages that would be added to the plot.
One of my favourite things about The Hazel Wood is how unlikeable the main character, Alice, is. She doesn’t give two shits if it doesn’t concern her or her mother. It doesn’t matter to her. It’s always just been Alice and her mum, something I related to considering my family is just my sister, mum and I. The pair have been running for years from bad luck. The bad luck follows them no matter how far they drive or how many houses they live in. They can’t get away. Until Alice’s grandma dies and her mother believes they can finally relax. Finally, escape the cursed fairytales she wrote about. Until Alice’s mother is kidnapped. Teaming up with the help of one of her classmates, Finch (hate that name, too many flashbacks to All The Bright Places), she goes on an adventure to find her. Along the way, she makes many discoveries that change her to the core. She never loses that sense of self though and remains quite unlikeable throughout the whole novel, with her anger and ability to isolate herself. I felt like she grew on me though, like a fungus of sorts.
My only dislike is that we didn’t get a lot of the fairytales, which from the small snippets we did get I wanted more. However, looking at the Goodreads page I presume they’ll be getting released as a novella when book two in this series is released.
Oh also, I hated the lack of parents. They’re only 17 and I mean, yes Alice’s mum has been kidnapped and yes, Finch’s parents don’t like him and he’s mind-blowingly rich. It just seemed like all the parents disappeared though and it was a little annoying because why is no one kicking these kids asses for missing school?
Overall, I loved The Hazel Wood. It was such an interesting read that brought out the darkness involved in fairytales and really highlighted it. It even reminded me of Inkheart, a book I loved when I was younger. It was truly just magical....more
A big thing about me is that I love middle grade. Percy Jackson is one of my favourite series ever and I adore Harry Potter. So, with Nevermoor being marketed as ‘Harry Potter meets Alice in Wonderland’ I was pretty excited, obviously. When I went to buy the book the lady who served me told me how the author had grown up and went to school in an area I had lived during my younger years. My mum actually taught at the swimming pool that is next to the high school of the author.
That’s all irrelevant though. I was just really excited to read this, especially after all the marketing I saw for this book. Thankfully, it wasn’t a letdown. This is a wunderous (little book joke) book that kept me gripped every page. It was magical and it was hilarious. It has the magic elements from Harry Potter and the humour from Percy Jackson. I was stifling giggles every other page. It was honestly a shock since the main character is eleven in this book.
There are of course tropes featured throughout this book, but I believe they’re executed well and in a way that leaves you giggling. It’s important to take into consideration that this is a middle-grade novel, and a lot of my readers I presume are out of that age bracket so this book isn’t exactly targeted towards you. Whenever I read books like Nevermoor I’m always careful to picture I am one of my younger cousins reading this.
I really think this book will be the next Harry Potter. Big claim, but it truly is the Harry Potter of the upcoming generation. I may be a tad bias though, the author is Australian and I’m doing my best to support Australian authors!
P L O T
Morrigan Crow is cursed. That may seem like an exaggeration, but nope, she is straight up cursed. Ultimately meaning that any shortcomings that happen to anyone in her particular town are blamed on her almost instantly. In addition, her father tends to treat her quite terribly due to the amount of money he has had to pay in order to right Morrigan Crow’s wrongs.
The thing with cursed children though is that when their 11th birthday rolls around they die. It’s pretty damn morbid. Morrigan’s 11th birthday is fast approaching when it is suddenly her time up, a bit early too. Thankfully, at the right moment, an offer appears and an opportunity within a quirky man named Jupiter. Jupiter takes her to Nevermoor and has given her the opportunity to fight for a prestigious position in The Wunderous Society.
The plot was crazy. Honestly, there wasn’t a dull moment. I found it paralleled Percy Jackson in that way. I read a few reviews saying that was similar to Harry Potter, but there were certain parts of Harry Potter I personally found dull. Nevermoor never had me once feeling that way! The twists and turns that Jessica Townsend managed to incorporate left me shocked and having to lift my jaw from the ground.
C H A R A C T E R S
#M O R R I G A N C R O W
Morrigan Crow, our main character, was damn hilarious. The girl didn’t know when to hold her tongue and came out with the most hilarious things. I am basically speechless with how much I enjoyed her character. I really found her similar to Percy Jackson (I know the book isn’t even compared to Percy Jackson in the marketing, but oh well) with her snark which I definitely enjoyed since I’m just itching to do another Percy Jackson re-read.
Her reactions were so genuine as well. Her childlike glee and confusion were very well written, if not a tad obvious due to the book being a debut. I am honestly so excited to see how she ages and grows throughout the series, especially since we’ll be seeing this particular series on the big screen soon.
It is important to remember throughout the book that she is eleven and that her decisions may seem childish because…well…she’s a child. Super shocking, I know.
O V E R A L L
Overall, this may not be the book for you but you may have a young child in your family who is just getting into chapter books and this is the book for them. Pick it up as a Christmas present for them and maybe give it a quick scan, you may be surprised by how much you actually enjoy it!
R A M B L E A friend of mine read Devils & Thieves in a day. She loved this book (check out her review here). She describTHIS REVIEW IS ALSO ON MY BLOG
R A M B L E A friend of mine read Devils & Thieves in a day. She loved this book (check out her review here). She described it on her Instagram story basically as a sexy urban fantasy. Since I was in between books and hadn’t unpacked any of my books yet, I figured I’d download the eBook and give it a try. This book and I did not mix. First up, my big problem was Jemmie. I should also briefly mention I have some big problems when it comes to alcoholism and self-medicating in books due to things that have happened in my own life. This obviously makes me sensitive when they’re included in a book. I basically had three panic attacks reading this book because of this and I read the book in a day. Anyway, Jemmie, our main character. I have never read a more Mary Sue main character in my entire life. Move over Clary Fray because you’ve been dethroned. I’ll talk more about this in my character section but simply she was so naïve and angry. I think angry is the best way to describe Jemmie. Mix that with the fact the girl trusted absolutely everyone without a second thought, you’re going down a destructive road. Another thing that frustrated me about Devils & Thieves was the world building. It had a lot of potential. Magic and urban fantasy are two of my favourite genres (well, magic isn’t a genre just an inclusion but still). However, the further I read the more confused I got. Again, this could be my fault because I was still moving and busy while trying to read a book in a day (no Internet seems to be good for this). There were so many words for this particular word that didn’t feel completely developed to me I was let skipping back pages and hunting for a reason why that particular thing made sense. I just really didn’t mesh with this book. The romance made me mad and there was absolutely no chemistry for me. The whole possessive alpha love interest is kind of boring to me at this stage of reading and I really wanted more. However, you don’t get that at any point of the book. Crowe (yep, that’s his name) doesn’t change throughout the book and basically orders Jemmie around. The real kick? She does whatever he says.
P L O T For about 50% of the novel, there is a lot of world-building and character development (none of which I would say is good). You learn about Jemmie’s past, her powers, why she doesn’t use said powers and basically get to listen to her not shut up about Crowe. Then the plot. The motorcycle gangs (I really have no idea) are fighting (no seriously, I have no idea if this is right) and Crowe’s little sister and Jemmie’s best friend (same person) gets taken by someone. However, no one is confessing to it. My favourite part had to be right after the friend/sister goes missing and they go to her house to find something to do a locator spell with and Jemmie is thinking about that time she made out with the brother about a year ago (he’s ignored her since then, what a charmer). Really I can’t tell you much of what else happened in the story because I got so bored. My eyes rolled back into my head and I couldn’t deal. I basically skimmed about 30% of the book? It really didn’t get better for me though, so it was probably best that I did that.
C H A R A C T E R S #J E M M I E I’ve already started this rant on Jemmie, but trust me, I didn’t even get started. This girl was the definition of a special snowflake. A power that is rare (honestly, no clue on this) but wait she can smell power. Trust me, you didn’t just read that wrong. Our main girl, Jemmie, can smell and see when power is being used it. In case you didn’t think you read that right it’ll be mentioned about six times a chapter, so don’t worry! The other part of the chapter will be filled with how hot Crowe is and how much he sucks!!!! Because!!!! He!!! Kissed!!!!! Jemmie!!!! And!!!!! Ignored!!!!! Her!!!!!! For!!!! A!!!!! Year!!!!!! Straight up wanted to punch her in the face for the entire novel. Apart from the fact the only person she’s told about her weird smelling magic = not being able to use it without fainting is Crowe (literally, why?)…actually I don’t know where I was going with this point I just wanted to say how dumb it is the only person she told her big secret to was to a boy after he’d ignored her for a year. Maybe this is why I give bad boy advice, I just tell everyone to forget and dump their asses to avoid this dumb shit. However, my biggest problem with her was definitely the self-medicating. She seemed to get angrier every time she would drink too, I’m not sure if that was done on purpose by the author or simply accidental but with my past and life I wasn’t really able to handle that. #C R O W E I’m not going to write much here because wow, what a piece of shit. Crowe wasn’t the type of guy I think we should romanticise in YA (thought this did feel more NA to me). He’s the type of guy we should be telling girls to kick in the balls when they see to avoid being punched in the face. Again, these are my life experiences talking but Crowe reminded me of too many men my mum had introduced me to and then proceeded to have them abuse her, me and my sister. Truly. Crowe was trash to me. I see his relationship with Jemmie as slightly abusive too, hence why I added the trigger warning.
O V E R A L L Overall, this was a pretty trashy urban fantasy and it honestly wouldn’t have been bad if I was in the mood for trashy urban fantasy. However, I had just finished Dear Martin and Devils & Thieves did not live up to that reading high I was on. ...more
Thank you NetGalley for sending me an eARC in exchange for review
DNF @ 10%
It's been a while since I've had a DNF. Like, a really long time. However, Thank you NetGalley for sending me an eARC in exchange for review
DNF @ 10%
It's been a while since I've had a DNF. Like, a really long time. However, Runebinder really wasn't the book for me. I feel as though I may have DNF'ed it a little early but when the word 'lust' is mentioned twice within a page I can't help the gag that leaves my body and forces me to drop my phone. Can't deal.
I also was struggling with the writing style. I'm not sure if it was just the eARC version but it was formatted a tad strange that let to me getting lost, quite a bit. I really couldn't deal. Not only that, but I feel like you're just expected to know what's going on in this world. It's an urban fantasy mixed with a dystopian from the seems of it but nothing was explained by 10%, something that frustrates me because it leaves me wondering if I missed something pages back.
I'm sure the diversity through this is great, but I just really couldn't get into the writing. I may come back at a later date when I can purchase a physical copy, but for now its a no....more
Very rarely am I left speechless. I am someone who always has something to say. Most people find it annoying but I just have a lot of opinions. Muse of Nightmares has left me speechless. Laini Taylor has outdone herself. I read Strange the Dreamer last year and was blown away by the intricate world. Muse of Nightmares has done the same thing. I truly struggle with character-driven stories on a good day, but the lyrical writing style in this particular series just makes me so damn happy. I have no words, truly.
Muse of Nightmares starts and finishes with a bang. It picks up directly where Strange the Dreamer finished and we’re thrust straight back into a conflict. Minya is the enemy and Lazlo, Sarai, Sparrow, Ruby and Feral just want the best for everyone. Preferably without murder. The five godspawn are truly doing their best, but when a new enemy arises it is difficult to make the correct choices to succeed.
At the same time apart of this story is featured in the past, before the godspawn we love had even been thought of. Nova and Koya were sisters who had been dealt a hard hand. Their mother had been taken due to her great gift and the pair were left with a vicious father and stepmother. When the time comes for the girls to be tested for gifts themselves only one succeeds in being chosen, the other’s gift so powerful that it scares the gods into leaving her. However, these two sisters have a bond so powerful. They will not quit and they will be together. The sister left behind journeys far and wide in order to get her sister back. I really enjoyed the addition of this story. I was left anxiously waiting for the part of the book to change in order to get another glimpse at the past.
I was a bit cautious that the original godspawn would be the only storyline of this particular story, but I was blown away by what was added. This story features so much depth. Honestly, it is mind-boggling. The amount of trauma that is given representation throughout this novel and the way that the story ultimately comes together is what makes Laini Taylor’s writing the spectacular piece of art it is. I must say, I had incredibly high expectations for Muse of Nightmares. Those expectations were thankfully surpassed.
I want to start with the problem I had with this book, though. I know, I’m someone who always has something to whine about. Muse of Nightmares is solely character based. There is plot sprinkled through but honestly, it’s lacking. However, with a book that is focused solely on the characters relationships, I feel there should be more character development. We get some development with one (maybe three but those other two are more side characters) character but I feel that was a given. Every other character remains kind of stagnant though. No romances move forward, no change in personality, they just are. It was pretty frustrating and made the story a little boring in some places.
I also didn’t enjoy the fact Lazlo just knew how to use his powers. I really wish there had been more of a transitional period here not just a ‘lmao hey guys I have a great power and I have it completely harnessed’ just saying. That is just me being picky though, I guess.
The history that is revealed throughout this novel is amazing. When I finished Strange the Dreamer I had more questions than answers. I didn’t understand what had happened really and I truly was searching for what the fuck had actually happened. Thankfully, with Muse of Nightmares, all my questions were answered. I mean, hell, I think I cried like six times throughout this book for no other reason than I am soft and fragile. It happens.
I’m trying to talk about these things in the best way that I can without spoiling anyone since I do think that it is best to go into this novel just not expecting anything if you’ve read the first book.
Sparrow really had a bigger role in this book too. I loved that. Due to her power being mostly plant based it is difficult for her to do a lot when it comes to fights and arguments. I mean, hell, in the last book I felt like her biggest role was to pine over Feral and get mad at him and Ruby. However, the way that she interwove into this book was spectacular. Again, not going to say a lot because we aren’t out here to spoil y’all.
To be honest, though, my favourite thing about the Strange the Dreamer series is the world building. Laini Taylor creates a unique and spectacular world that I want to dive straight in to. The brutality and real human emotions that come across through the world building is something that I absolutely adore. I truly am still blown away in sheer amazement at the world. If she could just set every book in this particular world setting I would be happy for the rest of my days.
Overall, Muse of Nightmares was everything I wanted and more. For me, it is definitely not on the same level as Strange the Dreamer, but it was a nice conclusion. I am anxiously waiting to see if maybe we will get a spin-off series, it really felt like the epilogue hinted at that and I need...more
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