The entire premise of this book was perfect for me. I LOVE pirate books. I LOVE rocks and gems. I read this in one sitting, and I haven't done that inThe entire premise of this book was perfect for me. I LOVE pirate books. I LOVE rocks and gems. I read this in one sitting, and I haven't done that in a long time. SO GOOD!...more
Now THIS is how to end a series (unlike, ahem, Ruin and Rising). I laughed. I cried. I savored every minute. Every part that Ruin and Rising got wrongNow THIS is how to end a series (unlike, ahem, Ruin and Rising). I laughed. I cried. I savored every minute. Every part that Ruin and Rising got wrong, Crooked Kingdom got right. So perfectly, deliciously, heart-wrenchingly right.
Some of these characters are in serious need of a spin-off. I'm not ready to let them go!!...more
First of all, I LOVE THIS SERIES. However, this book was...a slogfest to finish and a bit of a disappointment. The writing just felt self-indulgent anFirst of all, I LOVE THIS SERIES. However, this book was...a slogfest to finish and a bit of a disappointment. The writing just felt self-indulgent and in need of an editor chop about 150 pages. So much about how perfect Aelin is, how utterly awesome Rowan is, how amazingly good-looking everyone is...it just got old after the first hundred or so pages. The ending was good because Maas always writes captivating endings, but it was quite similar to her other book released this year.
And then all that sexual content. I love Sarah J. Maas' romance. I HATE her sex scenes. They're melodramatic, overwritten, and unnecessary. The book felt way too much like her other series, which is more for the new-adult crowd. More nuance and fewer explicit details would serve Maas well, like how she wrote Calaena and Chaol's relationship in Crown of Midnight.
And poor Chaol. I get that Maas' has permanently demolished my Calaena/Chaol ship, but for him to not even get an appearance in this book?? This series really feels like it's divided in two--the BEFORE Rowan books (which I enjoyed more) and the AFTER Rowan books.
I get that Maas wants me to love Rowan like she loves Rowan, but I just haven't bought in. And until I've bought in, it appears Maas will hit me over the head with a hammer repeatedly telling me how amazing Rowan is....more
2016: SO MANY FEELS. Rutkoski nailed it big time. THIS is the way to write a last book.
2015: LOVE THIS TITLE. There was an unbearable lack of kissing in2016: SO MANY FEELS. Rutkoski nailed it big time. THIS is the way to write a last book.
2015: LOVE THIS TITLE. There was an unbearable lack of kissing in The Winner's Crime, and I'm counting on Marie Rutkoski to rectify this big time. Epically. These are some seriously star-crossed lovers.
Lucy Maud, you did it again! I had no idea your other books were just as magical as Anne. You were definitely before your time. The ending of this is Lucy Maud, you did it again! I had no idea your other books were just as magical as Anne. You were definitely before your time. The ending of this is so deliciously sweet. I read the last 20 pages three times....more
There was an awful lot of smirking in this book. I wanted to love it, but it took me FOREEEEEVER to finish it. The pace was so slow, and the characterThere was an awful lot of smirking in this book. I wanted to love it, but it took me FOREEEEEVER to finish it. The pace was so slow, and the characters were super moody, even from sentence to sentence.
And frankly, I didn't really like Mare. At all. There, I said it....more
This book, in a word: DEVASTATING. It tore my heart in pieces and stomped on them a few times for good measure. The only thing more agonizing than thiThis book, in a word: DEVASTATING. It tore my heart in pieces and stomped on them a few times for good measure. The only thing more agonizing than this book is waiting for book 3....more
The first half was three stars, but it was a full five stars for that ending! I took a month to read the first 300 pages and then burned through the lThe first half was three stars, but it was a full five stars for that ending! I took a month to read the first 300 pages and then burned through the last 100 pages in an hour. Brandon Sanderson knows how to end a book!...more