**spoiler alert** I feel like I was hit in the head twenty times. Definitely a brick of a book but there’s literally so many major events and blossomi**spoiler alert** I feel like I was hit in the head twenty times. Definitely a brick of a book but there’s literally so many major events and blossoming plot lines still- I can’t comprehend it.
The storm. Orion. The clone. The coup. The parasite. Alexander. Sefi. Lysander that motherfuckin LEECH you’re so delusional and entitled and kooky. I still don’t understand the whole Mind’s Eye thing but it’s just giving me flashbacks to Bran the Broken and GOD KNOWS I’d rather shoot myself than relive his ending on the Iron Throne and his weird ass mind games. Maybe Pierce Brown did draw too much inspo from Game of Thrones for calling the ending "the Long Night," too. But hopefully that means Darrow will live (but not suffer such an unsatisfying fate) as as Jon Snow ...more
I’m a bit conflicted about this, though objectively this was a pretty fire exposition to this second half of the series. The switch to four POVs and iI’m a bit conflicted about this, though objectively this was a pretty fire exposition to this second half of the series. The switch to four POVs and introduction of the new storylines really threw me off (lowkey bored me for awhile) but by the end, I grew really invested in each of them. Except for Lysander cuz he pisses me OFFFF.
I’ll admit I wanted to see a lot more of Darrow here (can you blame me for getting attached) though I understand that the story is bigger than him now. He lowkey was pissing me off but his moral complexity is what makes him so interesting, and I wouldn’t find it realistic if he just ended up being a normal and emotionally available after all the shit that happened in the first three books...more
OH MY GOD WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?? It’s 2:00 am and I just had a heart attack from that ending twice over. Yet somehow the conclusion was everything I nOH MY GOD WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?? It’s 2:00 am and I just had a heart attack from that ending twice over. Yet somehow the conclusion was everything I needed it to be (still with room for more). I was worried about the ending of this insane buildup but now I can safely say Red Rising absolutely ATE from start to finish. Pierce Brown I hope both sides of your pillow are COLD TONIGHT!!...more
This is sci-fi dystopian glory at its BEST. I blasted through this in one sitting (albeit on a long haul flight) but I was absolutely enthralled from This is sci-fi dystopian glory at its BEST. I blasted through this in one sitting (albeit on a long haul flight) but I was absolutely enthralled from start to finish. Darrow is a such a deeply complex and unpredictable character, and I appreciated how the small scope of the story was still able to capture the sense of uneasiness that permeates the plot and the weight of the intergalactic class system as a whole. All the while setting up for an all out war in the coming books. Mind. blown....more
Short, quite loony, but honestly so cool. The premise is fascinating and Anderton propels the plot at a nonstop pace. The matter-of-fact prose added tShort, quite loony, but honestly so cool. The premise is fascinating and Anderton propels the plot at a nonstop pace. The matter-of-fact prose added to the sense of strangeness and how far off yet plausible this reality is to ours. Phillip slayed with this one!...more
I can't even BEGIN to explain what's going on here but it was phenomenalll. Crasedes was such a hypnotic and mysterious character that I could not getI can't even BEGIN to explain what's going on here but it was phenomenalll. Crasedes was such a hypnotic and mysterious character that I could not get enough of— whenever he came into the scene I knew I was about to see some mind bending chaos. Not sure how the final book is gonna wrap all this up because this ending was so explosive but I'm so curious......more
Last read of 2021! This was such an action packed, fast paced novella. Alanik was a fantastic protagonist and the storyline was quaint yet fleshed outLast read of 2021! This was such an action packed, fast paced novella. Alanik was a fantastic protagonist and the storyline was quaint yet fleshed out. Definitely more informative and important than the first novella, so if you want to you could definitely just skip Sunreach and read this since everything important from Sunreach is explained here too....more
I'm pretty bummed to say this didn't live up to my expectations :( Don't get me wrong, it was very entertaining, but I found the scarce interludes to I'm pretty bummed to say this didn't live up to my expectations :( Don't get me wrong, it was very entertaining, but I found the scarce interludes to be my favorite part.
I mainly missed reading about OG squad and setting. Although the new characters were fantastic, they (along with Starsight's characters) don't pack as much grit and emotional investment into the story as the original Skyward Flight since their bonding and fighting as a team was already done before; even though this functioned as a parallel to the OG squad, it just cheapens the significance to the reader. I also think a multi-POV narration would've been more entertaining since we've been alone in Spensa's head for two consecutive books where (in jarring contrast to the first book) everything and everyone is extremely mysterious.
Spensa going solo for not one, but two consecutive books felt redundant. Though this is an expansive intergalactic saga, the new worldbuilding and characters felt like a lot given that the initial ones have essentially been left in the dust. The plot was also lowkey Starsight 2.0. The ending become somewhat convoluted when it really didn't need to be, given how straightforward the plot has been so far in the series.
Cytonic feels like the tense setup for the final battle so I'll cut it some slack. I still see potential for redemption in the final book... now I just gotta wait two more years for Defiant to come out ...more
This was essentially Guardians of the Galaxy + Ready Player One but YA and more gay. It’s jam packed with a ton of fun tropes and checked all my boxesThis was essentially Guardians of the Galaxy + Ready Player One but YA and more gay. It’s jam packed with a ton of fun tropes and checked all my boxes surprisingly ...more
"We step out of our solar system into the universe seeking only peace and friendship – to teach, if we are called upon; to be taught, if we ar
"We step out of our solar system into the universe seeking only peace and friendship – to teach, if we are called upon; to be taught, if we are fortunate."
what a charming novella! this compact story was speculative, endearing, and somewhat wistful. surprisingly, there were multiple well developed characters and engaging scientific concepts.
overall a really short and enjoyable read, i can't wait to check out Chambers's other works :)...more
(Reread 12/30/21): I LOVE IT EVEN MORE. I rarely ever reread but I needed to refresh my memory before diving into Cytonic. Now it’s exactly midnight a(Reread 12/30/21): I LOVE IT EVEN MORE. I rarely ever reread but I needed to refresh my memory before diving into Cytonic. Now it’s exactly midnight and I should probably sleep but since I have no self control, I’ll probably start rereading Starsight right now. I didn’t enjoy Starsight as much as Skyward, but I can’t wait to dive back in and see how my thoughts might change!
Also, I will most likely be back for another reread before book 4 comes out because my memory is worse than M-Bot’s and I just love this series so much so let’s just see how long this review gets by then lol.
FIRST READ: this was one of the BEST YA books I have ever read. It's also one of my first Sanderson reads, so it holds a special place in my heart.
Skyward is a fairly unique take on YA sci-fi that wasn't romance-centered and had a brazen protagonist that did not annoy me! Spensa's brashness was justified and surprisingly not irritating.
The plot and prose were straight forward (fitting for YA) but still kept me engaged, had fantastic pacing, and actually unpredictable plot twists. If you guessed it, please tell me your tricks.
I will say that this book will be hard to top but I'm sure Sanderson will make the third book even better since the second book was slightly underwhelming for me....more
This made brain hurt. . . in a good way. If you liked the book/movie Annihilation then this is right up your alley.This made brain hurt. . . in a good way. If you liked the book/movie Annihilation then this is right up your alley....more
We follow the journey of Talin, a young refugee-turned-warrior ("Striker"), who originates from Basea but now fighThis was good. Not great, but good.
We follow the journey of Talin, a young refugee-turned-warrior ("Striker"), who originates from Basea but now fights for Mara. Mara is the last nation standing against the oppressive Karensa Federation, but they are inching towards defeat; that is until one day, a mysterious man stumbles into their path and completely alters the course of the war.
I found this fairly decent, despite being so generic. It honestly doesn't stand out among similar books. It's almost like (dare I say) another version of Warcross but with dystopian elements?
Look me in the eye and tell me that Red and Hideo aren’t the same person. That’s right, you can’t (They’re both bland but I love them both ...more