I really enjoyed this, though I wish I hadTW: blood, confinement, death, injury/injury detail, kidnapping, physical abuse, slavery, torture, violence.
I really enjoyed this, though I wish I had liked it just a bit more.
There were so many incredible things about this book, such as the seamless inclusion of West African mythology and the way the author wove in aspects of 'The Little Mermaid'. I am always on the look-out for books with mermaids, and the Mami Wata were fascinating to read about. The mythology was definitely my favorite part of the story.
With that being said, there were some things that fell flat for me.
The characters all felt extremely one-dimensional and the connections between them extremely sudden. This was a fairly short book so that might have had something to do with it, but I couldn't help feeling like I was missing something. Similarly, when something sad or dramatic happened, it was almost done as if this was the last book in a series and I was expected to have a deep, emotional connection to characters that I knew very little about.
The plot seemed to mirror this, as I felt like very little happened for a very large portion of it (lots of travelling) and then it ended so abruptly that I was actually shocked for a moment that it was over.
Overall, I still liked this and I definitely recommend it to anyone with a love of mermaids and/or mythology. ...more
TW: animal cruelty, animal death, blood, body horror, child death (graphic), death, death of a parent, gore, pregnancy (view spoiler)[(unplanned) (hidTW: animal cruelty, animal death, blood, body horror, child death (graphic), death, death of a parent, gore, pregnancy (view spoiler)[(unplanned) (hide spoiler)], sexual content, violence.
I'm going to pretend I didn't read this, because that's preferable to realizing I just gave a Marissa Meyer book one star. ...more
Though, I will admit, this is the first book I've read on this subject so I can't really say whether or not it added anytThis was pretty interesting.
Though, I will admit, this is the first book I've read on this subject so I can't really say whether or not it added anything new. The writing style was a bit blunt - more of a collection of facts than an actual fluid version of telling the stories, but I didn't mind.
Overall, I learned a bit and I definitely have a few historical figures I want to do more research on now, so all things considered, I'm glad I read this one. ...more
I was hoping for a warm, feel-good book and instead I got 200+ pages of someone who A.) was trying way too hard to souWell... that was disappointing.
I was hoping for a warm, feel-good book and instead I got 200+ pages of someone who A.) was trying way too hard to sound like Bridget Jones and B.) was offering a "less commercialized alternative to Hygge" and then... described Hygge but... pretentious and quirky?
Every time I started to find any form of enjoyment in the book, the author would say something off-putting in an attempt to sound relatable (I.e. comparing watching a candle to taking off a bra.) which would jerk me right out of the book again.
This is all personal taste and I'm sure someone else might have found this endearing. But for me, it just came off as try-hard and tasteless. ...more
TW: blood, bullying, car accident, death, death of a parent, grief, prejudice, racism, rape, sexism, slavery.
I've decided not to rate this. The authorTW: blood, bullying, car accident, death, death of a parent, grief, prejudice, racism, rape, sexism, slavery.
I've decided not to rate this. The author is incredibly talented, but this story didn't work for me, personally. I don't believe the book's average rating deserves to suffer for what is nothing more than personal taste.
There were so many wonderful parts of this book! It was unique while also feeling like an older YA, which was nice. I wish we would have gotten this book during the time that some of these tropes were popular, but I'm happy it was published now. The author's discussion of race and the south's dark history was uncomfortable and painful, as it should be. She included it in a way that was seamless and never felt out of place in the story.
With that being said, I still had technical problems with it. I won't list them here because I don't feel like they're important, but I will say, I wish Bree had been a bit older. I don't know, maybe it was my older sister instinct kicking in but sending a grieving 16 year old to a college campus alone seemed like such a bad idea. I was kind of pulled out of the story every time her age was mentioned. (I will say that her father was insistent on checking up with her and I appreciate that.) I just wish we could have aged her up even two years. It wouldn't have changed the story at all, but it would have been more believable.
Overall, I wish I would have liked this more than I did and I can see why so many people love it. It deserves all the attention it's getting and I wish the author nothing but the best. ...more
TW: body horror, confinement, death of a parent, emotional abuse, infidelity, sexual content, sexual assault.
This was okay. I can see why it was as loTW: body horror, confinement, death of a parent, emotional abuse, infidelity, sexual content, sexual assault.
This was okay. I can see why it was as loved as it was when it came out and there were several things that I believe it did quite well, but that's all I have to say about it.
It was the kind of story where the atmosphere had been really well developed and there were so many unique aspects, but it was a disappointment just the same. The love triangle was just... odd, though I understand why she (the author) made the choices she did. Nyx's decisions and her further indecisiveness was borderline insufferable to read, and that's not even mentioning how painfully predictable this story was.
The best part was Ignifex and honestly? That might have just been because my brain managed to visualize him as The Picture of Dorian Gray era Ben Barnes... so... do with that information what you will.
I'm not saying this book was awful because I have definitely read way worse, but I'm not saying it was good either. If you're the kind of person that's easily bothered by overused YA tropes and annoyed by indecisive heroines, I'd probably steer clear of this one....more
“Heroes don't get happy endings. They give them to other people.”
TW: blood, confinement, death, death of a parent, emotional abuse, murder, sexual con“Heroes don't get happy endings. They give them to other people.”
TW: blood, confinement, death, death of a parent, emotional abuse, murder, sexual content, violence.
I'm conflicted on exactly how to feel about this.
Was it a perfect book? No. Was it lightyears better than both Legendary and Finale? Yes.
In the end, while I had (quite a few) problems with this book, I can't say I didn't enjoy my time reading it. Despite any qualms I have with the stories themselves, Stephanie Garber's writing style remains one of my favorites. The imagery her writing evokes is just incredible every time. And Jacks.... I didn't get why people liked him so much in the original trilogy, but he grew on me so much throughout the book. (view spoiler)[The part with the fox is literally one of my favorite scenes I've read this year. (hide spoiler)]
And even though I saw the end coming, was I still kind of hoping it wasn't? Maybe, but that's beside the point entirely lol.
Overall, I'm still not sure how I felt about this story as a whole. I can say I really liked parts of it and really disliked others, but I don't know which part wins out. That said, I'll probably continue on with the series because I genuinely like Evangeline and want to know how her story ends. ...more
TW: animal death, blood, child death, death, death of a parent, kidnapping, miscarriage, torture, trafficking, and violence.
I'm too tired to write a gTW: animal death, blood, child death, death, death of a parent, kidnapping, miscarriage, torture, trafficking, and violence.
I'm too tired to write a good review right now but to briefly sum up my thoughts: I was hesitant to read this after being let-down by the Remnant Chronicles, but I'd heard so many good things about this that I wanted to give it a try and I'm so glad I did. It improved on many of the things I disliked about the Remnant Chronicles, while somehow actually making me nostalgic for the original trilogy? I'm confused myself lol.
But anyway, definitely enjoyed this (even though it wasn't perfect) and I look forward to reading the sequel.
TW: animal death, blood, bodyshaming, child abuse, death, death of a parent, kidnapping, sexual content, suicide, torture.
Man, this has just not been TW: animal death, blood, bodyshaming, child abuse, death, death of a parent, kidnapping, sexual content, suicide, torture.
Man, this has just not been my reading month. I respect what the author was trying to do with this one, but it didn't work for me.
There were some really well done parts of the story; unfortunately, I felt they were overshadowed by all of the other issues with this book. I'm minorly curious to know how the story ends, but not enough to carry on with the series.
Also, please note that this isn't YA, even though it's usually categorized as such. It's NA as far as the ages of characters and the content that it explores.
Overall, this was an interesting story and there were definitely redeemable qualities, they just weren't enough for me to overlook everything else I had qualms with....more
I'm particular when it comes to YA contemporaries anyway, but there were just some thTW: death of a parent.
This was cute, if a bit cringey at times.
I'm particular when it comes to YA contemporaries anyway, but there were just some things that pulled me out of the story. Such as lines like: "I'm her boyfriend,"[Blank] says, towering over us."And I've got a bunch of Twitter threads to prove it."
Which was meant to be serious? And uh... yeah.
That aside, there were some really cute moments in this and I flew through it, so I can't really complain. Would definitely recommend if you're looking for a light, cute, YA romcom type book. ...more
This was very 2014, but still enjoyable- especially if you're already a dragon lover. It was different tTW: gun violence, violence.
Actual Rating: 3.5✶
This was very 2014, but still enjoyable- especially if you're already a dragon lover. It was different than I was expecting and not altogether in a bad way. The discussion of the flaws of both systems was my definitely my favorite part of the book, no surprise there.
Even though I'm not rushing for the next book in the series, I still plan to carry on and see how the story plays out. ...more
ARC provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
TW: eating disorder.
Alternate Title: "A Christmas CarolARC provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
TW: eating disorder.
Alternate Title: "A Christmas Carol But It's Just Emotionally Cheating Teenagers"
Yeah, no, this wasn't for me. There were cute moments of Christmassy fluff, but - for me - they were completely overpowered by the insufferable main character and his complete lack of care for anyone other than himself. Even when Sarah (his best friend since third grade) starts showing signs of an eating disorder, he only cares whenever it affects him.
And then, you know, he doesn't even wait two days in the alternate universe before objectifying another girl because she was wearing a skirt. The book literally tells us we can only see her knees, but that Graham feels it's far too risqué. Even going so far as to warn her away from other guys that will get the wrong idea from her outfit.
When the only guy we see getting suggestive ideas from her outfit is our "hero".
I don't know why so many YA books I've read lately (written by women) have written the male protagonist to be such sexist, objectifying douchebags but I'm over it. There's a line between being extremely physically attracted to someone and hmm, I don't know, acting like she's asking for it by wearing a knee high skirt.
Super bummed out I didn't enjoy this one. I appreciated the Christmas vibes, but that's really all this story had going for it. ...more
This was the book equivalent to a cozy, well-loved blanket. It was the kind of story that immediately transported me back to the days when I discovereThis was the book equivalent to a cozy, well-loved blanket. It was the kind of story that immediately transported me back to the days when I discovered my love of reading, between the pages of books like The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and The Guardians of Ga'Hoole series. It was a love-letter to books and to readers, which was exactly the kind of thing I was looking for.
Despite some pacing problems that began at the mid-point and some personal problems, I really enjoyed this book. I would recommend to anyone that needs something light and cozy, no matter their age. Especially if you want to be reminded of the magic of these books we love so dearly.
(view spoiler)[With all the being said, Tilly's father being Captain Crewe threw me for a loop. I had already guessed he was fictional, due to all of the secrecy and lack of detail, but Ralph Crewe?*
*This seems like a good moment to admit that I've never read A Little Princess, but I did grow up loving the Shirley Temple movie adaptation. Which might have contributed to my shock at finding out Captain Crewe is apparently permanently dead in the book??? Queen Victoria doesn't help little Sara get to her father? What kind of sicko kids' book is this?
...I digress...
Point being, I haven't been this weirded out by a character's parentage since I read the Nephilim book where the girl's father was Michael the archangel. Or Gabriel. I don't remember which, but you get the point. (hide spoiler)]...more
TW: blood, death, death of a parent, drug use, fire/fire injury, murder, physical abuse, violence.
Really enjoyed this one!! I decided to pick it up afTW: blood, death, death of a parent, drug use, fire/fire injury, murder, physical abuse, violence.
Really enjoyed this one!! I decided to pick it up after hearing so many great things and I was not disappointed. It was a unique, surprising fantasy filled with plot-twists, magic, and two main characters that you can't help but root for. (Koffi and Ekon are both precious and I love them.) It was a bit dark at times, so I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to younger/more sensitive readers.
I'm also super impressed that this is Ayana Gray's debut! This was such an immersive, well-written read, especially for being her first (published) book. I look forward to reading whatever she writes in the future.
Now, please excuse me as I process that cliffhanger and (im)patiently await book 2....more
ARC provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Note: I've decided not to actually rate this book as I ARC provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Note: I've decided not to actually rate this book as I believe the author is self-published and I don't want to drop the average rating simply because I didn't enjoy it.
I don't have much to say about this one, other than the fact it was just kind of there. I can tell the author clearly is passionate about her writing and I always want to love any books with dragons at the forefront, but I just couldn't connect with the story. Part of that was because this felt far less about dragons than it was about witches. For most of the story, you could have thought Gilda - the dragon - was a human, if not for the occasional mention of scales and wings.
My other main qualm with this book has to do with the writing. I know that the advice "show not tell" has been overused to the point of abuse, but this story could have used it. 3/4s of all exposition and worldbuilding comes through dialogue, which can be done, but in this case it just pulled me out of the story. This aspect, however, could make this story better suited for younger readers, especially those just discovering YA. The content is suitable for most preteens, I'd believe, as there's only one gruesome scene that I can remember and zero romance.
Overall, I can see this story finding its perfect audience, that audience just wasn't me. ...more
This was like if there was an Eloise videogame that jumped from one knowledge related task to the next, which Really cool idea, really odd execution.
This was like if there was an Eloise videogame that jumped from one knowledge related task to the next, which somehow sounds more coherent than the book actually was.
I read this to see if it was something my younger siblings would enjoy and I can't see it holding their attention. The story was disjointed and cluttered in a way that might keep younger readers from fully connecting and older readers from caring.
Definitely don't think this is a bad book and I appreciated the way simple facts were woven into the story, it just - as far as I'm concerned - wasn't what it could've been. ...more
TW: animal death, blood, body horror, death, death of a parent, fire/fire injury, gore, religious bigotry, violence.
Yeahhhh, this was just not my kindTW: animal death, blood, body horror, death, death of a parent, fire/fire injury, gore, religious bigotry, violence.
Yeahhhh, this was just not my kind of book. There were some well-done aspects, but it wasn't enough to redeem the story (or my discomfort with certain parts of it.)
Ignoring my personal and moral issues, there were so many glaring technical problems. Next to nothing happens for most of the book and when things do finally happen, not only are they predictable but also so absurdly abrupt that it feels nearly laughable. The pacing was incredibly off. The characters were all such hollow, lifeless archetypes- and not in a Grimm's fairytale-esque meaningful sort of way but rather a: these-characters-check-every-2012-YA-box way.
Again, this isn't mentioning my moral issues like the fact I didn't think having the kids be naked and covered in blood was necessary - especially more than once - even if you were trying to prove a point. There are ways to go about that without crossing certain lines that kept being crossed for little more than shock value or to make the story darker.
I need to stop trying to put my thoughts about this book into words because I'm just getting more and more irritated. I love retellings and really wanted to enjoy this one, but it just left me annoyed and uncomfortable....more