Magic isn't always high fantasy and witches. Sometimes it's in the smaller things of life, in seemingly random coincidences and miracles. And maybe a Magic isn't always high fantasy and witches. Sometimes it's in the smaller things of life, in seemingly random coincidences and miracles. And maybe a little bit of fantastical magic, too.
I wanted to love this book. It's about love and family, about loss and companionship. It needs more of this magic the title declares, but that itself is a more of a side plot. The characters are charming and come together well, but the whole thing is a bit uneven in the end....more
Reading is the act of listening and speaking at the same time, with someone you've never met, but love. Even if you hate them, it's a loving thing to
Reading is the act of listening and speaking at the same time, with someone you've never met, but love. Even if you hate them, it's a loving thing to do.
It's the tale of a 12-year-boy, the "weird kid" who looks different and eats smelly food. It's a story of growing up in a foreign land that sounds like a fantasy, in a house with glass walls and an ancestry of royalty. And it's all true.
Taking cues from 1,001 Nights, the story is weaved from memories and stories passed down through generations. It references the "patchwork memory of a refugee," proven by how often it jumps around from the past to the present and back.
It's beautifully written, chronicling a journey from wealth in Iran, to a refugee camp in Italy, to a broken-down apartment complex in Oklahoma. It's about pain, love, and learning. I will recommend this book to everyone. It's clearly a labor of love, and a story that was a long time coming.
everybody is dying and going to die of something. And if you’re not spending your life on the stuff you believe, then what are you even doing? What is the point of the whole thing?
I was really into this world - the Great Disruption splintered the world into different time periods (the "Ages"), and there are now explorers and carI was really into this world - the Great Disruption splintered the world into different time periods (the "Ages"), and there are now explorers and cartographers set on discovering the new world. Maps aren't just geographical, either. They contain memories, places; anything you want to map, the master cartographers will create it.
I was also extremely confused - the premise is unique and fun, but you quickly get lost in the details. By the end, I had no idea how any of this worked, and the characters themselves admit that everything is a mystery. Seems weird, but fine.
I enjoyed the travels of Sophia and Theo as they learn about the wider world, and learn how to trust each other (and others they encounter along the way). It's very much Sophia's coming-of-age tale, in addition to her discovery and learning of the other Ages.
I'm doubly confused by the target audience - it's supposedly for 10 and up, but I don't know how kids can follow everything going on. It also has unsettling details on human torture and a lot of made up words I can't pronounce. It's more for "adults who like reading middle grade," it seems....more
Cassie wakes up disoriented, on a different planet, and immediately meets an alien species. A very cool start to the "teenagers in space" I had anticiCassie wakes up disoriented, on a different planet, and immediately meets an alien species. A very cool start to the "teenagers in space" I had anticipated after reading book 1. And we get not one, but two alien species, who have been trapped in a war for untold ages.
It bounces between who's good and who's bad, so you're never sure which side is truly good. You feel Cassie's near-hopelessness, the teenager who is the only hope for them to not blow up each other—and everyone else. It's a very cool and engaging plot, though a little hard to get into. The real drama starts about 1/3 of the way in, and then you need to keep going.
There's a little too much emphasis on humans being evil, how we're destroying our planet, etc., while at the same time marveling over how beautiful Earth is from space. But the alien tech is cool, and Earth's tech is just advanced enough that it could realistically be the near-future. I adored the alien languages, too, and how they weren't just another kind of written speech with weird characters. Honestly, I'm mostly here for the world(s) building and science. The ending was fine, but I just want to go back to space....more
I devoured the first two-thirds of this book. Evil villain backstory? Sign me up.
It wants you to feel bad for future President Snow—a wealthy Capitol I devoured the first two-thirds of this book. Evil villain backstory? Sign me up.
It wants you to feel bad for future President Snow—a wealthy Capitol family that lost that wealth in the war, but tries to hide it. He's just a kid with bad luck, trying to work his way back to the top without anyone knowing why he must. It's not exactly innocent. It's incredibly selfish, and though he seems to be good on the surface it's a gradual downward spiral into looking out only for oneself. Even when he starts to fall for his assigned tribute, Lucy Gray, his love didn't feel genuine.
But I lost interest in the conclusion. It's where Snow really starts to resemble who he becomes, but the character development was rushed, the moral decline a little too forced. And I didn't really care for the story surrounding it; the first half of his story was fleshed out much better.
Still, an enjoyable read, and it was interesting to see the Hunger Games start to develop into what it would eventually become....more
Admittedly, I read book 1 of this series seven years ago, so I don't remember a lot of the details. But I remembered the characters right away. Twins Admittedly, I read book 1 of this series seven years ago, so I don't remember a lot of the details. But I remembered the characters right away. Twins Matt and Em are getting the hang of their Animare abilities, though each are honing their skills just differently enough to annoy the other. The twins, and their Guardians, balance each other, but a string of events forces them to work independently.
This ends on a doozy of a cliffhanger, so we don't know just how much this affects them yet. But with an Animare mother, and a Guardian father who's gone bad, there's no telling what will ultimately happen to them.
There's a lot of back and forth between time periods, how events and changes in the past effect the present. The connections between the two are slowly apparent, with no resolution yet... but enough intrigue to continue on with book 3....more
Why would I suffer through book two when I barely survived book one? Listen, I already owned a copy, and I can't leave a book on my shelf unread.
Lord Why would I suffer through book two when I barely survived book one? Listen, I already owned a copy, and I can't leave a book on my shelf unread.
Lord of Shadows, though, mostly makes up for Lady Midnight. Here, we get real battles, more character development, and a sense of caring what happens. The previous book left us with an intriguing cliffhanger, and it resolves in ways I never expected.
Within the mass of characters (despite knowing them all through previous series, it's too much to keep track of), there are a few standouts: Kit, who hates Shadowhunters but also hates that he wants to stay with them; Livvy, who develops into more than just "the other twin"; Gwyn of the Wild Hunt, who you never expect to have an emotion for. Even Kieran, the faerie you love to hate, is somehow now loved more than hated.
"We fear things because we value them. We fear losing people because we love them. We fear dying because we value being alive. Don't wish you didn't fear anything. All that would mean is that you didn't feel anything."
It ends on a plot twist even more evil than the previous book, so naturally I have to continue the tale....more
The whole Shadowhunter world was always a guilty pleasure. I recall fondly Clary, Isabelle, Jem... fiercely independent characters with their own charThe whole Shadowhunter world was always a guilty pleasure. I recall fondly Clary, Isabelle, Jem... fiercely independent characters with their own charms. By the time we get to Lady Midnight, though, it's starting to loose it oomph.
Emma is a fine character, but not very unique—where Clary had fiery red hair, Emma's is... Gold? Blond? whatever it is, she's always shining—and everyone is vaguely described by either hair or eye color. The latter is pointless in a family where everyone has eyes the color of the ocean (?? what does that mean). There's a lot crammed in here: forbidden love, dark magic, faeries, a new warlock, a kid raising his siblings... it didn't have to be this complex, and it's often difficult to keep characters and storylines straight.
Speaking of the story, not much happens until the end. The whole crew is investigating murders, so much of the time is spent browsing the Internet (thrilling!) or catching up other characters on what we just learned. There's a lot of lazy writing, and metaphors that don't make sense, and this could've been more interesting if edited down to half the size....more
Here is a true utopia: mankind has achieved all knowledge, crime is virtually nonexistent, and disease is eradicated to the point that people never diHere is a true utopia: mankind has achieved all knowledge, crime is virtually nonexistent, and disease is eradicated to the point that people never die. Of course, with the population now out of control, the scythedom is created to keep it at bay.
This is a really interesting premise, and it starts right away with Citra and Rowen—two reluctant scythe apprentices. While the scythedom appears to be a well-oiled machine, there are always exceptions (and bendings) of the rules. It's a coming-of-age in the most unusual of ways, in learning how to "glean" the population while also discovering truths about yourself and the world itself.
There's a whole lot of twists and turns, plus frustrating plot twists that you're dying to know how they're resolved (many being in unexpected ways). Take what you know about good vs. evil and throw it out the window, because even the whole concept of gleaning itself teeters that line.
After the flood of the same old YA dystopia time and again, this is a breath of fresh air....more
This book has a rough start. Though I am very interested in things having to do with time—in this world, time is literally money—it felt nonsensical aThis book has a rough start. Though I am very interested in things having to do with time—in this world, time is literally money—it felt nonsensical at first, and the details hard to follow. But once I understood what was going on, and how it worked, I devoured this.
It's a world where blood is traded for time. The poor bleed themselves to pay rent, and the ultra-wealthy consume it to extend their lifespans. It's not even known how old some of them are. Especially the Queen, who's been around for centuries.
Admittedly, it's shaky in spots. You don't get why Jules constantly throws herself into danger, besides it being a feeling she has to. She and her father escaped Everless when she was a girl, and there's no good reason for her to return. There's also little character description, so keeping everyone straight within the estate is sometimes a struggle.
But once secrets are revealed and the story twists unexpectedly, it gets good. Jules's vague childhood memories start to piece together, combined with strange goings-on with time and memory. After a while you can’t tell if it's real or hallucination, or who (if anyone) you can trust. The deeper you go into the story the more unsettling it gets, and leaves you on a wonderfully frustrating cliffhanger....more
Kids with magical abilities? A secret academy? A reluctant hero? Count me in.
This book has a rough start. It's so eager to jump into the action that tKids with magical abilities? A secret academy? A reluctant hero? Count me in.
This book has a rough start. It's so eager to jump into the action that there's nearly no exposition. Who are these kids, and why do I care? It's a little cheesy, a little eye-roll-y, but once the action starts, there's no end to the unexpected twists and turns.
Jack is the supposed hero, but he has no apparent magical ability, so how the heck was he recruited to a place like Hadley? As the story continues, his tale—and those of his new Hadley friends—gets more and more complex, even as Jack isn't evolving into the hero everyone expects him to be.
It's a classic fight between good and evil. Even with the subtle religious tones, you don't know who's going to win. Do the good guys win the war, or is the world supposed to be destroyed by evil? Who's on which side, anyway?
If there's ever a second volume (please), I'm definitely picking it up....more
A satisfying conclusion to the trilogy! This makes up where book 2 fell short, and answers a lot of questions: foremost being, what's the deal with thA satisfying conclusion to the trilogy! This makes up where book 2 fell short, and answers a lot of questions: foremost being, what's the deal with the mechanical prince? Why go through all the trouble to find his makers? Wildwood Imperium doesn't forget its roots, and brings back some familiar characters that wraps it up nicely.
It looses a little magic with the Unadoptables, who spend most of their time in the Industrial Wastes rather than Wildwood itself. If you're reading a series like this, you're probably not here for a political revolution. While it introduced some memorable characters, I found myself yearning to return to the Woods themselves. And eventually we do, with a battle for the fate of Wildwood itself.
Overall a good series, with a lot of memorable characters, and magical storytelling that you expect from Colin Meloy....more
I'm giving this 2 stars only because I gave the first book 3, and I wasn't into this as much. As with most series, it would've been fine with only oneI'm giving this 2 stars only because I gave the first book 3, and I wasn't into this as much. As with most series, it would've been fine with only one book. I do enjoy revisiting old friends and the oddities of the Wood. But strangely enough, there aren't many Woodian oddities here. The "under Wildwood" parts, which should be the whole focus given the title, seemed unnecessary. It was included just to reveal Important Information, but didn't flow as nicely as the rest of it.
It does explore the effects of book 1, like what happens after the kids had gone mysteriously missing. Stories usually ignore the parents or write them off, but these kids are aware they have caring families. It's a nice touch. And there are morally dubious characters whose side you're not sure you want to be on, which I always appreciate (good vs. bad shouldn't be clear-cut). But it doesn't have the same charm as book 1....more
Prue's life is wholly ordinary, until her baby brother is abducted by a murder of crows. Thus begins an adventure in the seemingly impassable forest, Prue's life is wholly ordinary, until her baby brother is abducted by a murder of crows. Thus begins an adventure in the seemingly impassable forest, and a whole new, magical land is unveiled. I had high expectations for one of my favorite songwriter's debut novel, and it didn't disappoint. Talking birds and rabbits? Woodland magic? Count me in!
What starts as a mission to save her brother turns into a grander mission to save Wildwood itself from those who plan to control it for their own. There are so many unexpected twists and turns, victories from the evil side that you see no way to get out of. It doesn't shy away from hard trials, including the temptation to walk away from it entirely.
It's a charming tale, but could use some editing. The beginning is sharp, but the second half is wordy drag. I was eager to pick it up again to see how the story unfolds, but there's a lot to dig through. (Pet peeve: "She shrugged her shoulders." It's redundant!) It's supposedly middle grade, but has dark themes and images, and words I'm not sure how to pronounce. Maybe it's more "for adults who enjoy middle grade."...more
I'm conflicted on this. The world-building is great. There is some nice character development, and I appreciate a good "take back our land" story. ButI'm conflicted on this. The world-building is great. There is some nice character development, and I appreciate a good "take back our land" story. But overall... it was fairly boring.
A lot of the story, especially in the latter half, is simply told to us. Instead of us being part of the story, we're witnessing it from the outside—characters tell each other what's happening, without any of the accompanying action. I also found the religion hard to follow, even though it's supposed to be a central theme. I still don't know the difference between Sagrami and Lagrami, even though it was explained several times. It wasn't memorable because we didn't see it.
Finnikin himself was bland, but I liked the other characters. Sir Topher is the kind of level-headed master you want, and Trevanion is both brawn and brains. At times there's too much "girls rule and boys drool," but I appreciate a good strong female character.
It was a fine read, and I did want to know how it ended, even though it was predictable. But I won't be reading the rest of the series.
edit: Several weeks later, I found myself thinking of this plot and decided I was too hard on it. Bump up to three stars. A very interesting world, even if I didn't understand some of what was going on....more
I needed a pallet cleanser after finishing Le Mis, so this little story fit the bill.
It's Fangirl lite, a cute little tale of camping in line for fourI needed a pallet cleanser after finishing Le Mis, so this little story fit the bill.
It's Fangirl lite, a cute little tale of camping in line for four days for the new Star Wars film. It's a little dumb, which Elena recognizes, since tickets are easily purchased online. But it's about the experience, but ends up not fitting her dreamy vision of what "waiting in the line" means.
There's some good character development given its barely 60 pages. You don't have to actually know or care about Star Wars, but instead you mourn with Elena over this pathetic attempt at nerdy camaraderie. The ending is predictable, but still a bit of fun....more
This promises a mashup of Pretty in Pink and Groundhog Day, and doesn't disappoint. Andie is forced to relive her first day of school at a new school This promises a mashup of Pretty in Pink and Groundhog Day, and doesn't disappoint. Andie is forced to relive her first day of school at a new school over and over again, which provides for amusing and cringe-worthy antics. Just what I expect for a new kid desperately trying to fit in.
Just like a John Hughes movie, it's a bit predictable, but that's part of its charm. Though inspired by his films, it doesn't push the metaphors into cheesy territory too much. (Despite our protagonist being Andie, but she knows full and well where her name comes from.) She interacts with different people and cliques throughout her numerous "first days of school," breaking down our predetermined stereotypes and showing that we're all real, individual people.
The only way to break the curse, she determines, is from true love's kiss (like in every single movie). But she learns there's a lot more to life, and other people, than that one spell-breaking moment....more
It's been five years since I read book two. Before starting this conclusion, I flipped through the last few pages of Insurgent to remember what happenIt's been five years since I read book two. Before starting this conclusion, I flipped through the last few pages of Insurgent to remember what happened. Oh yeah! We were about to learn about the breaking point of this dystopian society!
Except none of that mattered. As the cover copy says, "old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless." As in, the first two books of this series. As in, all that development is dumped down the drain for this "plot twist" that was... incredibly boring. In the end, none of the factions or the character development or the entire society itself mattered, and I'm annoyed.
It would've been more interesting to witness the breakdown of society from within the society, rather than outside. Dramatic things happened that could've been good if this whole "outside world" subplot-turned-plot didn't exist. I liked the ending despite its gaping plot holes, but that was helped by pretending the rest of the book was different....more
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