[Review] Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Throne of Glass
Sarah J. Maas
[Throne of Glass #1]
YA, Fantasy, Romance
Published: May 2013 (Bloomsbury)
Format: digital
Pages: 404
Rating: ★★★★☆
 

In a land without magic, where the king rules with an iron hand, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She comes not to kill the king, but to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she is released from prison to serve as the king's champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien.

The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. But something evil dwells in the castle of glass--and it's there to kill. When her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena's fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival, and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world.

Warning: spoilers!

I have tried to start this book so many times and I regret it taking so long. I wasn't completely blown away, but I figure this is a pretty good start to a series. It set up well for future books that I can't wait to dive into!

First off, we have the characters, whom I really liked. They are all rather distinct, though could use some more fleshing out.

Celaena is a really sweet character and I like that she's feminine while still being strong willed and an individual. At times she can be very pretentious and arrogant, but I can see the reasoning. I like that she thinks of herself as beautiful because we need more people like that. The only problem I had was that, though she was stated as being the best assassin in the world, I have no clue how she got that status. The way she acts is not cautious enough for her title. She ate candy from a mystery person without a thought. She said she was a light sleeper and would wake up if someone approached her, but multiple times, that was not the case. I think if we had more backstory on her and her thoughts on her targets in the past, this wouldn't have bothered me as much. If the author showed me the person Celaena is said to be and not just told me about it, that would have been lovely.

Also, I hope that she can learn to like females more. At one point she said that she had learned to dislike them because of their actions. She has a variety of interactions with men and a few of them are not the best, so I don't understand why she wouldn't dislike men as well. She does a little bashing on other females and, outside of Nehemia, she doesn't interact with them often. I think she is judging them too quickly. The other females usually dislike her automatically because she is pretty and with the prince. I hate that trope.

Dorian is a bit on the cliche side of being a prince, but when we see his thoughts, he is more loveable. He is very flirty and charming, which I like as a foil to his father. He's easy to like, but I hope to see more uniqueness come from him. His relationship with his father is the best thing coming from him and I hope that the king can influence him in some interesting ways.

Chaol is more mysterious than Dorian and his thoughts are usually hidden. I like that he tries to keep his distance from Celaena and does his best to protect Dorian. I want to see more interactions between the two boys, to show off their relationship. I like what I've been given so far! Bonding between friends is one of my favorite things to read. I wish it happened more in YA books.

Nehemia is a really strong character and her voice came through really well even though we never read from her PoV. She is interesting and witty. I can't wait to read more about her.

There is a love triangle, which I thought was handled rather well. It wasn't sudden. There was a nice simmering of feelings, but even so, I still wish it hadn't happened. I liked it as I read it, but now that I'm finished, I wish it could have been put off for awhile. There are more books in the series and to focus so much on love already is disappointing. It is common, though, so I will overlook it, especially since I enjoyed the slow build.

The story itself was interesting. I didn't expect it to take a mystery turn, even though I didn't think it was that hard to figure out. I wished there was more focus on the Tests and that they were harder, but I get that the Champion-to-be was supposed to display their skills. The writing was very nice. It flowed easily and was pretty without being purple, which fit best for this sort of story. I also prefer 3rd person, so I always enjoy that. The world building was pretty good without being info dumpy, so that's a plus! I felt that most background information was relevant.

TL;DR

Good:
+ plot and mystery
+ variety of characters
+ world buiding
+ writing and detailing
+ subplot

Neutral:
/ love triangle (slow build)

Bad:
- Celaena's character needs revamping
- not enough focus on being an assassin

Final Rating:
★★★★☆

[Review] A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray

A Thousand Pieces of You
Claudia Gray
[Firebird #1]
YA, Sci-fi, Romance
Published: November 2014 (Harper Teen)
Format: digital
Pages: 368
Rating: ★★★☆☆
 

Marguerite Caine’s physicist parents are known for their radical scientific achievements. Their most astonishing invention: the Firebird, which allows users to jump into parallel universes, some vastly altered from our own. But when Marguerite’s father is murdered, the killer—her parent’s handsome and enigmatic assistant Paul—escapes into another dimension before the law can touch him.

Marguerite can’t let the man who destroyed her family go free, and she races after Paul through different universes, where their lives entangle in increasingly familiar ways. With each encounter she begins to question Paul’s guilt—and her own heart. Soon she discovers the truth behind her father’s death is more sinister than she ever could have imagined.

A Thousand Pieces of You explores a reality where we witness the countless other lives we might lead in an amazingly intricate multiverse, and ask whether, amid infinite possibilities, one love can endure.

Warning: Possible spoilers

I've never read a "time travel" story before, not that it is technically time travel. It's dimension hopping and it works pretty well, I think. I like the build of the world and the explanations as to why this dimension hopping works. It all flows rather naturally.

I liked the different worlds that Marguerite travels to. These different versions of the world are my absolute favorite thing! They are different and I would love to see so many more! From underwater worlds to the Russian Empire taking a different turn, you never know where Marguerite will end up. These new views are probably why I continued reading the book, if I'm being honest. They really fascinated me in a way that the plot itself didn't.

The plot it rather simple, which isn't a bad thing. Easy to follow, for one. Meg goes into the multiverse with intentions of killing her father's murderer. But of course nothing is as it seems and everything she thought she knew isn't always true. So through a series of events, she winds up helping certain people and there is a twist that I thought was pretty obvious, but needed.

The notion that a person's soul is connected throughout different dimensions is sweet and makes the book less of a sci-fi action and more of a romance. So please don't read this if you want action as a constant. At some point it takes a backseat, which is a shame, but if you read this book as a romance, you'll end up hating on it less. Even so, the plot still develops and the villain turns out to be someone with a lot of potential as a villain. It's not really a surprise, but I like what it turns into.

The characters are probably the hardest part for me to get into.

Marguerite is smart and artistically inclined, and I love the differences she notices between her art style and another Merguerite's. But for all her smarts, she can be really quick to jump to conclusions and find the wrong answer. She does some things that I don't agree with, and in the end she winds up regretting her choices and is more slow to the draw. She learns from her mistakes. But if she had thought it through to begin with, she wouldn't have anything to be sorry for. I like the relationship that she has with her parents. They are both extremely important to her and they are both their own vibrant characters. None of that generic YA parent junk here.

Paul is a very different sort of character for a young adult book. He is shy and not much of a talker. He's blunt, but not because he's trying to be mean. I liked him as a character when he was more fleshed out, but he wasn't fleshed out enough for my liking.

Theo is more the sort I think of when I think of a YA love interest. He's flirty and laughs a lot. He's a little full of himself, but not in a annoying way. He's basically perfect, and yet has his downfalls. I liked him and disliked him in a constant turntable the entire book. I just never knew how I felt about him (which has it's reasons).

In the end, I didn't really like any of the characters. They all felt so boring, which is a shame. Hopefully this is remedied in the second book.

There was a love triangle, and even though Marguerite made her choice fairly quick, it was still unnecessary, in my opinion. I didn't add to the story at all, but it's whatever.

Ohh, there was actually sex, and even though it was glossed over, it still happened. I liked that. Usually YA books have a blushing girl that will just die at the thought of a kiss or, gosh, holding hands! That is so unrealistic to me. Not every person is like that. At some point her period was mentioned as well. I just- Yes! Thank you!

TL;DR

Good:
+ pacing
+ variety of worlds
+ interesting concept
+ good villains
+ family relationships
+ overall premises

Bad:
- needs more action
- love triangle
- characters need development/seemed flat

Final Rating: ★★★☆☆

[Review] I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

I'll Give You the Sun
Jandy Nelson
YA, Contemporary, Romance, LGBT
Published: April 2015 (Walker Books)
Format: digital
Pages: 429
Rating: ★★★★☆
 

Jude and her twin brother, Noah, are incredibly close. At thirteen, isolated Noah draws constantly and is falling in love with the charismatic boy next door, while daredevil Jude cliff-dives and wears red-red lipstick and does the talking for both of them. But three years later, Jude and Noah are barely speaking. Something has happened to wreck the twins in different and dramatic ways . . . until Jude meets a cocky, broken, beautiful boy, as well as someone else—an even more unpredictable new force in her life. The early years are Noah's story to tell. The later years are Jude's. What the twins don't realize is that they each have only half the story, and if they could just find their way back to one another, they’d have a chance to remake their world.

Warning: Spoilers!!
(Go to the TL;DR section for a spoiler free short review)

This story is one unlike I've ever read and maybe that stems from my low count of contemporary books, but one I ended up enjoying immensely. When I picked it up, I really wanted to do it for the high concentration of metaphors to make fun of the writing, but that plan slapped me in the face when I got involved in the story. Then I ended up liking it, dare I say loving it. Maybe I won't go that far yet. But guh!
(●´⌓`●)

I want to dive into the character of Noah first. He was such a different specimen. At first, I hated reading his point of view because of all the try-hard writing and his whining. It was so desperate to be different and purple, but after I thought about it for a long time, I decided this was the best way to go for his character. It really reflected the way he saw things, especially since he was an artist. I, myself, do not claim to be an artist; I feel that the crazy way he saw things and experienced them directly reflected the way his mind functioned. He was a prodigy and he wanted so much more than he had. He wanted to be the best he knew he had the capacity to be. I felt bad for judging him as dismissing him as arrogant and selfish. I had to remind myself of his age multiple times and how that factored in to the way he acted. In the end, I felt that all of him rolled up into a bundle was messy and imperfect and I loved him. I loved his relationship and cared about what happened to him.

Jude, I feel, was an okay character. I didn't dislike her or like her, really. I didn't enjoy her love story at all. I felt it entirely unnecessary. It was too sudden and chalked up to reasons that didn't make sense to me. I did like that she consoled herself with the idea of her grandmother. She was always seeing her and talking to her and I suspect this is a coping method. It seems plausible to me. I didn't understand how her mother was the one breaking anything and making Jude's life difficult. That seemed a bit silly to me, but overlookable. Jude as a character in her own skin was interesting. She was fearless and I loved to see that Jude reemerge. I dislike how her character seemed wasted on some lame love story with some lame guy, she had so much more potential. Her art skills were the most interesting part for me. It seemed to be a passion that she didn't feel comfortable pursuing, and at some point one she wouldn't let herself indulge in.

The writing! Woah! If you noticed up there, I complained about all the flowery prose and metaphors. Well, I am going to eat my words and say that was something that made me stick with the story. If you know me, you know that I love overdone writing. Usually I don't go for metaphors, though, I go for details. This probably was part of my problem to begin with. Some quotes were hard hitting to me and I really related. I even jotted a few down for safe keeping to look at when I want a brief admittance to the characters (Noah) again. I found that the writing depicted the mood extremely well and made you really feel what the character was feeling.

The pacing and flow was really nice. Every time the PoV would change, I'd find myself disappointed because I wanted more. The reveling of important details was never too early or late. The only time I find myself complaining is the ending of the book. It felt too rushed. I feel more pages would have sufficed. The ending also seemed too perfect and this really bummed me out. I like bittersweet endings with openings for thought to fill in.

Overall, I would recommend this book to all the disbelievers. I was one myself and now look at me. ٩(๑❛ワ❛๑)و

TL;DR

Good:
+ writing, dear lord! the writing!
+ compelling characters
+ feels, so many feels
+ progression
+ art is a big deal
+ words depict mood well

Bad:
- ending parts
- Jude's love interest (no offense)

Final Rating: ★★★★☆

[Review] Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Cruel Beauty
Rosamund Hodge
YA, Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance
Published: January 2014 (Balzer + Bray)
Format: digital
Pages: 342
Rating: 3 of 5
 

Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

Warning: Spoilers!!

Nyx was a fun character - snarky and determined, but when you really look at her, she was so confusing. She could never make up her mind and didn't try to infiltrate at all like she was supposed to. She trained basically her whole life to marry Ignifax and then when she finally is married to him, she allows her anger to take over her multiple times. She doesn't try to hide her rage. I found her to be a weak and immature girl that tried her best to act strong but simply couldn't control her emotions. It do find it endearing that Ignifax could look past her faults and still love her.

Shade was the shadow of the Gentle Lord and bound to him. He was a captive of a curse and due to this, Nyx empathized with him. She found herself to be rather drawn to him and this feeling of companionship caused her to kiss him in a moment of thoughtlessness. I mean, that's all good and well. I don't particularly commend the idea of kissing random men, but I get it. But the problem arises when Nyx starts to read into it. She deceived herself into the idea that Shade loved her and she loved him. I seriously doubt that she did, I suspect that the lack of emotional support she received in her life drove her to believe this.

Ignifax, the Gentle Lord, was much better to me, but that could be because we weren't in his head. He had experiences with people that made him dislike humans for their pettiness. But he seemed to understand how corrupt the people that wanted to make deals with him were and thought they deserved what came to them. I honestly agree with him. It was their own foolishness that caused them problems. Past his initial characterization of being sort of a jerk, Ignifax turns out to be a charming and intelligent man that wants companionship.

The love triangle aspect was sorta annoying, but I forgave it for reasons that are revealed at the end.

I did feel that the relationships between the characters could have been expanded upon. It felt like they were glossed over and left to a time skip to say, "they spent time together." I did like how all the lust was called "lust" and not sugar-coated with the word "love" for a long time. I seriously wish that this was a New Adult or Adult book because I would have loved more of the "steamy" scenes. At the point in the story where Nyx and Ignifax were in a relationship, it really bothered me because she would hit Ignifax a lot. I know it didn't hurt him, but the emotional implications behind her actions can hurt more than the actual act itself. She did apologize at one point, so there's that. One other thing that bothered me, though, was when Nyx returns home and her sister tells her that if she truly loved her, she would kill her husband. Nyx was so quick to agree and I really hate that. Her character seemed so much more than that and I feel that maybe this could have been accomplished in another way.

The writing itself was very lovely and I will probably be reading Hodge's other books. The pace was alright. The beginning was boring and full of information, but it was important to read. The middle had parts that dragged and were repetitive. The ending was... I don't know how to describe it. It was trippy and I still don't really understand how it worked. I know what happened, it's just I don't get why it worked out like it did.

The world building, though, was odd and confusing. I liked the mixture of Roman/Greek mythology, but it was mentioned so often. I don't know why it would be as it didn't add anything to the actual story at points. I feel that it could have been less defined, especially since I don't really know that much about it and it just served to confuse me for a brief moment and didn't add much to the story. The magic element was also confusing to me. I just think it was badly explained at first, but as the book went on, I started to understand how it worked a little bit more. This take on Beauty and the Beast was new to me and I really did enjoy it, even through all of my complaining. I enjoyed how Hodge seemed to mix together more than one fairy tale, as well.

TL;DR

Good:
+ unique twist on fairy tale retelling
+ mixture of multiple fairy tales
+ complex characters
+ lovely writing
+ lusty scenes were spot on

Bad:
- Nyx couldn't decide what she was doing and feeling half the time
- magic was confusing and explained badly, imo
- overkill with mythology references
- can start to drag at points
- love triangle/insta-love vibes
- confusing ending
- character relationships were lacking

Final Rating:
3 of 5

[Review] Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor

Days of Blood & Starlight
Laini Taylor
[Daughter of Smoke & Bone #2]
YA, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Published: November 2012 ( Little, Brown Books for Young Readers )
Format: digital
Pages: 517
Rating: 4.5 of 5
 

Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a world free of bloodshed and war.

This is not that world.

Art student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is—and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it.

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Karou must decide how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, secrets and impossible choices, Days of Blood & Starlight finds Karou and Akiva on opposing sides as an age-old war stirs back to life.

While Karou and her allies build a monstrous army in a land of dust and starlight, Akiva wages a different sort of battle: a battle for redemption. For hope.

But can any hope be salvaged from the ashes of their broken dream?

I was quick to dive back into the story of Karou and her companions after I finished Daughter of Smoke and Bone. Admittedly that may have been part of the reason it took me so long to finish. Sometimes I get tired of reading the same characters and their struggles. At some point, though, I started to pick up pace with the help of a few fan mixes.

The story picks back up pretty close to where it left off, but, wow! So much happened in this book! There were so many twists and turns of the plot. It always seems that nothing ever works out right for our poor MCs, which always makes for an interesting read. The plot advancement in this went all crazy! I don't even know how to explain it. You just have to read it. Just do it. And, as always, Laini Taylor has a nice way with words even if she makes me have to look a few of them up.

The character of Karou developed so far in this book. She's such a strong character, not only in all of her strengths but also in all of her weaknesses. She never backs down from what she feels is right no matter how difficult the journey will be. She bares so much weight on her that I'm surprised that she can handle it. She could simply leave the chimaera and return to her old, easier life, but she never does.

The return of Zuzana and Mik was a nice one. I dislike when authors make these side characters to just forget about them and they never reappear in the story. But that's not the case at all in this book! The bond that Karou and Zuzana have was shown to be important to both of them. The love between Mik and Zuzana is always a little awkward for me to read. They are so touchy in that love-sick mushy way, but it's not really a complaint.

And of course, Akiva. He also shows a lot of growth in this book. He's not just around to love Karou, he makes himself useful in his own world with his family. It's good to see that they can be without each other. Sometimes I feel that characters become too much of one another and they cannot exist freely. I mean, of course that doesn't mean that they don't think about the other. Akiva is pretty set on loving Karou and Karou is pretty set on trying to hate him.

The Wolf aka Thiago was such a mighty character to see return from Karou's past. He was always trying to use Karou for his own benefit and he makes for an upfront villain. He's asserting and wants what he wants without caring for the good of everyone else.

The relationship between Karou and Akiva was so strained and emotional that I really started to care about it. The past they have and the reasons they can't be around each other are hard to read because you don't want that to be the reality of the situation. I feel that Karou is justified in her thoughts because of what Akiva did to her.

TL;DR

Good:
+ character development like woah!!!
+ numerous side characters
+ plot advancement
+ writing
+ characters can exist on their own
+ relationships are top notch material

Bad:
- a bit longer than necessary but c'mon, that's not really that bad

Final Rating: 4.5 of 5

[Review] Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor

Daughter of Smoke & Bone
Laini Taylor
[Daughter of Smoke & Bone #1]
YA, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Published: September 2011 ( Little, Brown Books for Young Readers )
Format: digital
Pages: 418
Rating: 4 of 5
 

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grows dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real, she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands", she speaks many languages - not all of them human - and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.

When beautiful, haunted Akiva fixes fiery eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

The world building in this was fantastic! Like, I cannot stress enough how well done it was. There was lore shoved in there and things I didn't know I wanted, but I got them. The myths of how the angles and chimera came to be were interesting and I like how each race had their own view of it. The settings were a nice change from the typical American, as well.

The characters were fun to read. What's not to love about a girl with blue hair? Karou was interesting. Being her friend would be an adventure every single day. Her knowledge of languages and her drawing abilities is just the surface. She was always trying to protect, but her curiosity would often get the better of her. I love her relationship with her best friend, Zuzana. They had a nice thing going, which is another reason why what I'm going to mention later disappoints me.

Then there is Akiva, an angel that was compelled to follow the girl with the blue hair. Honestly, I hate using the word angel to describe his race of people. It is merely a placeholder of a word. It implies that he works for a god, but in reality the idea of "angels" as we know them are completely different in this book. It's really interesting and I prefer this to what my mind conjures up when thinking the word. His role was to seal off the doors to Brimstone's (Karou's mentor and friend) shop, which plays a very large bit in the ending of the book. Akiva was ridden with inner anguish that is explained and justified. I really liked this. In books that I've been reading lately, all the main male characters seem to want to be a hero. They always want what's best for the MC right away with no hesitation. But Akiva expresses doubts and reservations about telling Karou about things she should know to make it easier on himself.

The problem I had between this pairing is that it was instantaneous love. It really hampered me from fully enjoying the story because it felt like it was such a cheat. I understand the reasoning behind it, in the case of Karou and Akiva. (spoiler!!!) But in the past, the love between Akiva and Madrigal seemed to pop up out of nowhere and then they even had intimate relations. I understand infatuation, falling prey to it myself on the occasion, but I cannot excuse these spur of the moment love declarations. Getting over this, the relationship between them was alright. Very full of butterfly moments, which gets a bit tedious to read after a while.

The writing was lovely. The sentences were woven together in a way that most YA books don't bother to take a hand at. There were a lot (a lot is an exaggeration) of random words I didn't know, which would interrupt my reading pace a bit, but I suppose expanding my vocabulary is a good thing. I also really like the way this was written, with the flashbacks unfolding the story. I like when movies jump around like that and the same with books. It could be confusing to read if you put it down, though, so there's that.

The plot is hard for me to describe because at one point there is a certain point where the story is going, then it changes. At least that's how it seemed to me. I could be wrong.

I think I've mentioned everything without giving too much away. I would recommend this book if only because of the way Taylor writes. It is so nice to read. Seriously.

TL;DR

Good:
+ writing!!
+ interesting and quirky characters, including side characters
+ strong female relationship
+ lore and legends
+ world building

Bad:
- insta-love
- special snowflake syndrome

Final Rating:
4 of 5

[Review] World After by Susan Ee

World After
Susan Ee
[Penryn & the End of Days #2]
YA, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Published: November 2013 (Skyscape)
Format: digital
Pages: 314
Rating: 3.5 of 5
 

In this sequel to the bestselling fantasy thriller, Angelfall, the survivors of the angel apocalypse begin to scrape back together what's left of the modern world.

When a group of people capture Penryn's sister, Paige, thinking she's a monster, the situation ends in a massacre. Paige disappears. Humans are terrified. Mom is heartbroken.

Penryn drives through the streets of San Francisco looking for Paige. Why are the streets so empty? Where is everybody? Her search leads her into the heart of the angels' secret plans where she catches a glimpse of their motivations, and learns the horrifying extent to which the angels are willing to go.

Meanwhile, Raffe hunts for his wings. Without them, he can't rejoin the angels, can't take his rightful place as one of their leaders. When faced with recapturing his wings or helping Penryn survive, which will he choose?

Warning: Spoilers ahead! Advert eyes!

So, after blazing through Angelfall I picked up World After. To me, this book falls into the category that a lot of second books in trilogies do. It is used as filler, with bits happening up until the end result that will eventually lead into the third book. And I get it. I don't seem to mind so much as other people do when a book is used to set up the next one. This results in the plot being slower than the previous book. The action packed parts are around the end of the book, well past the 50% mark. I am all for a slow build up, so this is not considered a weakness for me.

The suspense of Raffe not being around was also killing me.

Penryn had plenty of time in this book to find herself and learn some new things about the Raffe's sword. There were a few cop out parts, such as dream training but it gets by since the sword has a conscious and abilities without Penryn having to do anything. Otherwise, Penryn herself doesn't change all that much. She has a few moments of "maybe I should save humanity and not just my family" but it's not long before she's back to saving her family foremost. Once he reappears, Raffe is the same stubborn and selfish guy he was before. His standoffish attitude is fun to read. I almost wish that the love that is inevitably going to take a hold of him wasn't around. It seems so off for the character the author is trying to go for. Especially after a millennium of telling himself to never fall for one. It was basically, "give him a few days with a human, he'll break," and I find this unrealistic.

The thing I didn't like about World End is that the basic building blocks of the book are structured the same as the previous book. A lot of parallels happen. Even with this, though, the book still makes for a good read with enough differences that it's not that big of a deal.

The world building wasn't as high end as it could have been, but at some point I believe I can imagine it quite clearly, if only for the reason that the destruction is laid out well and I have previous knowledge of what California looks like. Still, it is better than in Angelfall, so I count it as a bonus.

And once again, I still feel that the writing is drab. I will reiterate myself and say that is my personal choice and not the author's fault.

Overall, I enjoyed everything this book was dishing out. The characters are still fabulous and the plot itself is interesting. The side dish of love is happening and...well, it's happening, whether I like it or not. When I think about it without thinking about it (whatever that means), I like it and that's enough for me.

TL;DR

Good:
+ Build up and suspense
+ Good setup for last book
+ Characters are still great!
+ Love is not main focus
+ World building

Bad:
- Love is sorta unrealistic
- Writing is ehh

Final Rating: 3.5 of 5

[Review] A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Thorns and Roses
Sarah J. Maas
[A Court of Thorns and Roses#1]
YA Fantasy Romance
Published: May 2015 (Bloomsury Children's)
Format: digital
Pages: 416
Rating: 5 of 5
 

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

Warning: Spoilers!!

With all the hype surrounding A Court of Thorns and Roses, I was sure deep in my bones that I was going to dislike it. If you know me, you know I hate unwarranted hype. How wrong I was. Although, due to this unsettling I had, it allowed me to go into this with low expectations. I was prepared for a typical fairytale retelling. Nothing all that special.

And yet, here I sit, my love for this book off the charts.

Also, a secret: I love fae books. I don't have many in my arsenal, but I soak them in when I read them.

The writing of this book is so beautiful. I wish I could do it justice by talking about it, but alas my words are nothing to amount to the great detail that went into every shining sentence that fills the pages of aCoTaR. I have a thing for flowery writing, but don't let me scare you. There is a perfect balance. It's never too much and never too little. Sarah J. Maas found the thin line between "please give me more" and overboard. The fact that this is a retelling hardly seems to matter. The parallels between the original Beauty and the Beast and this are vastly different from each other. I find more similarities with East of the Sun, West of the Moon, in all the best ways possible!

The characters within A Court of Thorns and Roses are all very diverse from each other. Fayre is strong willed and stubborn and a leading heroine that I began to really like. There were moments that had me shaking my head at her actions and her stupidity. She didn't seem to regard other people's advice when it would best benefit her, but she dealt with the consequences. Overall, though, she struck me as someone that thought about others before herself. She was selfless and tried her best to do the right thing and this is something I always appreciate in a main character. As for Tamlin, he embodied the idea of a warrior turned noble. His anger was quick to rise, but under it all, his intentions were pure. He was complex in nature. Any mysteriousness that he had, I don't blame on him. He wasn't allowed to talk about his curse, so it stopped him from saying a lot of things. The other characters were all their own sort. Everyone had their own reasons and motives to drive them. Nobody felt flat.

The love between Fayre and Tamlin was intense, like a blazing fire that was slow to burn. The gradual increase up to their love was fun to read and the way they would slowly reveal to each other parts of themselves was endearing. Through it all, it was obvious that Tamlin wanted what was best for Fayre and did all he could to make her happy and comfortable. I have myself worried that Rhysand was going to be a love interest. I am not going to be happy at that point, if it happens. It will make the love between Tamlin and Fayre seem shallow and the sacrifice that she made all be for nothing.

I honestly appreciated that the "real" plot didn't get speed until about half way through the book. It was supposed to be hidden from Fayre and it wasn't her world to think about. Her resolve to help Tamlin was one of the only reasons she was involved at all. I have to say that I liked the world building as well. There wasn't an information dump thrown at you, for the most part. There were two parts that had my head reeling from everything I was reading, but after reading through it again, I found I comprehended it fairly well. The variety in fae creatures was interesting. Some creatures I recognized from other things I have read or games I have played, which makes me wonder where everyone is getting this information on magical creatures. I want in. (Not that I've looked very hard)

Overall, I would highly recommend this book. Like, you should be reading it right now. I want to reread it already. (sidenote: I painted my nails red in honor of the cover)

TL;DR

Good:
+ Characters!! Very diverse and unique from each other
+ Fairytale retelling w/o falling into the same storyline
+ Beautiful writing
+ Believable love progression
+ Pacing of plot

Bad:
- future book scares me

Final Rating: 5 of 5!!

[Review] Angelfall by Susan Ee

Angelfall
Susan Ee
[Penryn & the End of Days #1]
YA Paranormal Urban Fantasy
Published: August 2012 (Skyscape)
Source: Recieved from publisher
Format: paperback
Pages: 284
Rating: 4 of 5
 

It's been six weeks since the angels of the apocalypse destroyed the world as we know it. Only pockets of humanity remain.

Savage street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night.

When angels fly away with a helpless girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back...

Warning: Spoilers

Disclaimer: I recieved this book from the publisher for review, but this in no way affects my thoughts and opinions.

Going into this, I wasn't sure what to expect. I have never read an angel book before and, to make matters worse, paranormal books aren't exactly my forte. Although, I have to imagine that the image that the word "angel" brings up isn't exactly what happens to be in Angelfall.

The character of Penryn (whose name I love, btw) is a sharp and snarky girl whose sole thought is the survival of herself and her family, which consists of her crazy mother and her disabled sister, Paige. The fact that her sister is in a worse off state, since she can't walk, weighs heavily on Penryn's mind. She constantly thinks of her sister and what is best for her. When her sister is stolen away by an angel, she vows she will do anything to get her back. This is where Raffe is entered into the mess. A fallen angel whose wings were ripped straight off his back, he has bigger things to worry about than this human girl pestering him about a sister that's probably dead. This noncommittal behavior from Raffe makes it interesting to read. It seems he could leave at any moment. Also, the banter between Penryn and Raffe was fun to read. The love spark between them doesn't happen until pretty late in the book, but I personally could have went without it. It was light, but unnecessary. I am sorry, but I am biased. Some people will love it, but I am not one of those people.

As for Paige, she had a kind of innocent thing going on with her. She didn't have very long to fit in the character building, although I have to say that she survived the angel's experiments at all shows she is much stronger than Penryn seems to give her credit for.

One thing I really liked about this world was that it seemed very open world, I suppose. If you have ever played Fallout: New Vegas, this is what I mean. The going ons of characters are not directly related to what Penryn is doing. She isn't a part of the resistance that wants to save the world, all she wants is her family. The actions of the other characters do not stop simply because the main character isn't around. The world building was well enough. I felt it was a supple amount and that it can be filled in more in the other books. The plot is quick paced and survival is always a key feature at the back of Penryn's mind. I appreciated this consistence.

The writing is where I have to say the book was lacking for me. It was easy to read, but there was nothing that stood out to be as amazing and unique. I am very picky about that sort of thing, so it's not really the author's fault that I do not like her personal style. Also, there were some moments that had me rolling my eyes. Like,when they go to the angel party and Raffe calls Penryn beautiful. I did enjoy the moments of suspense, though. The emotions of the characters are conveyed very clearly (or not so clearly, if you know what I mean) and they are fluid with the personalities they have.

TL;DR

Good:
+ Characters are great, with awesome side characters
+ Interesting and unique take on angels
+ Very mood heavy
+ Open world
+ Light on the love

Bad:
- Writing is lacking
- Some moments are silly to read

Final Rating: 4 of 5

[Review] Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda
Becky Albertalli
YA Contemporary Romance
Published: April 2015 (Balzer + Bray)
Format: ebook
Pages: 303
Rating: 3 of 5
 

Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.

With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.

Warning: Spoilers and all that jazz

So, to start off, this book was cute and fun. It was light and nothing too, too dramatic was happening. The references to popular culture was nice, although if you somehow didn't get them, then that sucks. The obsession with Oreos was, uhmm, cute. But at the same time, I was like, "Shut up. Oreos aren't that good." I feel like a lot of what I didn't like was because I don't really relate well, while I understand that other people would relate better and enjoy that more than me. I found the reference to anime and manga interesting, but the moment she said Fruits Basket, I was like, "Noooo, not that one!" Which once again makes the relating thing hard. (I'm sorry to anyone I offend b/c I don't like Fruits Basket and/or Oreos =p)

One thing that bothered me was that Simon didn't know his friends. Is he just a selfish person? I don't understand how they can have a deeper relationship if he doesn't know anything about them. I get that he was trying to make up for that, but still, c'mon Simon. Get with it.

The love interest was obvious enough, but if you just forget about it for a while and try to stop guessing all the time, I think you'll have a better time. It makes the reveal a lot cuter and shocking. 

There are things I liked, like that the characters were all different from each other. I think that made them realistic. The little dramas that sprouted up among the friend group. So real. My friends did that all the time. The writing was very appropriate for the voice of Simon. It was very teen-esque.

The relationships between the side characters made for a nice subplot. It wasn't finished off or completed in a full way, which I like. Life doesn't just come to a close, it keeps going on and shaping.

The one major problem I had with the book was that it was too cute and light. It will be easy to forget. I don't think I wanted more, I just don't handle these types of stories well. I like character building and focus on their relationships, so you'd think I'd like this one more. But really, in the end, it wasn't enough for me. I wouldn't stop you from reading it, I would really recommend it. Just bear these things in mind.

Final Rating: 3 of 5

[Review] Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
Benjamin Alire Sáenz
YA Contemporary Romance
Published: February 2012 (Simon & Schuster)
Format: Ebook
Pages: 368
Source: Bought
Rating: 4 of 5
 

Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship—the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be.

Warning: Spoilers ahead. Like, for sure.

To start off, I need to get it out in the open that I seriously loved the way this book was written. The dialogue took over a lot of the characters interactions, leaving some room for personal interpretation during scenes. I can understand how this could be unlikable to some, but my personal preferences make it a good point.

The characters: Ari is a very fleshed out character. In some ways he reminds me of Holden from Catcher in the Rye. (please don't hate me) His uncertainty is powerful to read, the changing ways he views his parents, and the way he obsesses over certain things. Dante, on the other hand, is a ball of energy. Always the one that branches out and explores. At first I thought that his character was more 2D than Ari's, but after I rethought it I realized that he had his own struggles. His discomfort at being what he is, he doesn't really accept himself. He is an emotional creature and I can empathize with this.

I love that the characters actually have a relationship with their parental figures. In too many books, the parents are skipped over and the importance of the internal functions between parent and child are lost. Not only that, but the parents all had their own personalities and pasts and problems. They felt real.

The plot: I understand that there isn't one, in a traditional sense. This I don't mind. In fact, I encourage it because I am that kind of person. I don't really read to get somewhere, I read to enjoy the characters. I want to feel them and their emotions. I could read a whole book dedicated to the details of someone's home so long as you can feel the attachment and stories.

The writing: Beautiful! Simple, but sometimes it would hit me hard. I loved that small hints would be included where Ari would feel something more towards Dante. Subtle, but necessary and not overly obvious. The lack of romance in general is pleasing to me. I mean, I love fluff and all, but it's so refreshing to feel the characters beyond just "I love this person." More raw emotion with proof of their uncertainty and wavering thoughts, that's what I want. And this book did it.

The downfalls:
• The cliche of the conflict. When Dante is beaten up for kissing a boy. I understand, I really do. But it also feels like a cop out and I feel cheated.
• I felt that Ari accepted very quickly that he is in love with Dante after his parents told him that. I mean, yes it was obvious that he was, but I also thought he would have a harder time taking that in. It was all this build up to it and maybe I would have preferred not to have a definite love relationship. Either that or show more of his confusion towards his feelings for Dante. I don't know, maybe I'm asking for too much.

Overall: I really enjoyed this book. A hard 4 on the scale. This coming to terms sort of thing is something I really enjoy, a delving into the life of the character. It's a whimsical sort of thing and one that I enjoy immensely. It was a quick read and one I'd suggest to most people.

Final Rating: 4 of 5

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