I was surprised at the way this kept me on the edge of my seat just as much as the last two.
At first, it seemed like it would be a dystopian slice of I was surprised at the way this kept me on the edge of my seat just as much as the last two.
At first, it seemed like it would be a dystopian slice of life novel. I've never seen that done before, and I'd wanted to see how it could be done and wondered for a while if that genre actually existed.
In a way, it kind of still is. There's no way that things can get better, or that the world isn't going to end. I've read a lot of books where space is the next option, but that won't be the case here.
I really liked the suddenness of this one along with the matter-of-fact-ness in which Susan Beth Pfeffer tells the story from Miranda's point of view. Of course this is the world they live in now, so of course all these things could happen.
I was a little disappointed that this wouldn't be a dual perspective novel between Miranda and Alex, since I enjoyed both of their voices in the first book. However, I think it had to be the way it was. Miranda and Alex had to be circling around their own realities. However, it was interesting that this is set up so the reader (presumably if you've read the series in order) knows everything that Alex is holding back. This style grew on me throughout the book, and now I realize the dual perspective wouldn't have worked.
Now I will say I liked the matter-of-fact-ness but not throughout the whole book. I didn't love the way death was handled, as if it just happens and then you move on. In some ways, I feel like it has to, but at the same time, there could be a little more feeling from the characters; more of an immediate reaction from losing a loved one. I felt so removed from the characters, probably because I'd never see this story if this ever did happen. I would be long gone by then, and the question remains - who are Miranda's diaries actually for?
I'm looking forward to seeing how the last book wraps up the series, because I feel like this was an ending that could have worked. Now, it just seems like stuff keeps happening. It's reminiscent of Hitchhiker's Guide, a little bit....more
This one took me forever to finish, and I'm glad I'm finally done with this series. 3.5 stars for the book, but the series was an overall 4 stars, so This one took me forever to finish, and I'm glad I'm finally done with this series. 3.5 stars for the book, but the series was an overall 4 stars, so I will give it that.
This series was a wild ride. There was so much going on that sometimes I had to let things go as a reader. There were often too many characters and overlapping plots. Somehow, though, everything came back on itself in a way that made sense.
However, I will say that with this last installment especially, there were a lot of things that were just filler and lead-up to the big events. Those events were such that you could blink and miss them. I didn't love all the jumping around and the long spaces of seemingly nothing happening.
I will say I enjoyed the final ending. It was similar enough to what I had suspected would happen, without being exactly that. It was a good ending for the series that made sense.
I do think four books was a little excessive for this series. It could have dragged on less if the first two were combined. On the other hand, if each book wasn't as long, I think it would have been fine. But I didn't like the length of the books and/or the series. It made it really hard to concentrate on the important aspects and characters.
I don't know if I ever want to reread this series. It seems like a good series to be done with. I don't know if it would be easier to read it as a print or ebook, or if it would drag on more. Maybe that's a question to answer in a few years....more
Once I finally attempted to finish this, it was shocking how fast I wanted to read it. I think I listened to it on 1.3x speed the entire time and I reOnce I finally attempted to finish this, it was shocking how fast I wanted to read it. I think I listened to it on 1.3x speed the entire time and I regret nothing.
Once again, I'll keep this short so I can forget things later and reread.
This one had so many twists, and One Dark Throne seems chill in comparison. I'm glad this took the queens out of the island and the status quo. Sometimes in this type of series, that takes too long to happen. But in Two Dark Reigns, the reader is truly able to see just how many sides there are to the island and its secrets.
I don't like the title for the last one. Five Dark Fates? Why is it five? Who is the fifth character, or what is the fifth element we should care about? The island? The Mist? Emilia?
After my lukewarm feelings toward Girls of Storm and Shadow, I was nervous going into this series finale. But I'm really glad to say that the former wAfter my lukewarm feelings toward Girls of Storm and Shadow, I was nervous going into this series finale. But I'm really glad to say that the former was just middle book syndrome at its finest. Girls of Fate and Fury managed to redeem the series and more.
I loved that we finally get Wren POV after everything. It was definitely the right time to include it after everything from the previous two books. It wouldn't have made as much sense in the earlier books, but it definitely did now.
Throughout the entire book, both Lei and Wren had to carve their own way in a world that wanted to dominate them and force them into roles, and far more than in the previous two books. I loved seeing them play out the trope that when two characters are separated, they aim to be more like each other. Both Lei and Wren definitely needed this shift in perspective.
The feminism in this one was so strong as well. I loved seeing the ways women across all castes managed to overcome those boundaries and stick up for and protect each other. It reminded me a lot of Cinderella Is Dead, especially going into the ending and all the reforms that needed to be made.
When I was reading Girls of Storm and Shadow I thought that this probably wouldn't be a series I'd feel any need or want to reread, but after Girls of Fate and Fury I'm rethinking that. While I loved Allison Hiroto's narration, I also wouldn't be opposed to reading this one on paper, and I don't think visual reading would take away from the experience the way it might with some other audiobooks I've read. Girls of Fate and Fury was easily my favorite in the series, and I loved how much all the characters grew....more
This was an amazing ending to an amazing series and beyond.
Spoiler alert: this will mainly be a review for Maggie Stiefvater's Raven Cycle and DreamerThis was an amazing ending to an amazing series and beyond.
Spoiler alert: this will mainly be a review for Maggie Stiefvater's Raven Cycle and Dreamers series and as such, may contain spoilers for previous books in these series, though none for Greywaren.
I first came into The Raven Boys as a newcomer to Maggie Stiefvater and my initial memories of the first book were that it was okay, not great. On a reread, however, I wanted to devour the entire series. Then I read the second one as an audiobook read by the talented Will Patton and there was no going back, I was beyond enthralled by this series.
When I heard about the Dreamer trilogy, I was on the fence. I don't usually love spinoffs, although I was excited to learn more about Ronan and his dreaming, especially since this was set so soon after the events of The Raven King. I'm really glad I picked up the Dreamer trilogy when I did.
I loved all the new characters we met in this one. The warring aspects of Hennessy and Jordan as separate and yet similar entities playing into each other's lives and pasts was one of my favorite parts. In a way, it was like a coming of age twin story, except that one of the twins had dreamt the other into existence, and the other one could not survive without the first. I enjoyed watching them discover the life and relationships they wanted throughout the series. I loved the way they discovered themselves as artists, and their own powers within and outside of dreams. I really enjoyed the way the Sweetmetal arc played out with them as well and as part of their self-discovery.
I also really appreciated seeing the story of the Lynch brothers play out. While we had seen a fair amount of Ronan and some Declan POVs in the original series, it was important to see them as separate entities in the same way as it was important to see Hennessy and Jordan that way. I loved getting to know Matthew as a dream creation especially, because there was a lot that was left out about him in the original series. I also really enjoyed Declan grow as a person, especially through his relationships with Matthew, Ronan, and Jordan.
I'm also glad that this one was a lot less convoluted than the previous Mister Impossible. I love the way that Maggie Stiefvater comes out of left field with things we as readers had all but forgotten about from previous aspects of the books, leaving no plot hole unfilled. In this book, I felt like there was exactly the right amount of that, as well as flashbacks and history, to make the story flow well but not too much as to completely confuse readers, or even more so, listeners.
The Raven Cycle and the Dreamer trilogy are only the second series I've listened to entirely on audio (past the first book), as my first time reading the series. Will Patton took a little while to grow on me, but his readings have become an integral part of the series for me. I loved how no voice was the same in his reading of 20+ characters throughout the whole two series, and every one of them fit the character perfectly. I also love the way Patton made the series his by adding his own touches to the books, especially the singing. The audiobooks also contain original musical compositions written and performed by Maggie Stiefvater herself, and these were interesting to hear throughout. They always fit with the content of the book.
I would love to have a boxset of both of the series to reread and look back at whenever I want to, though I do wonder whether some of the magic would be lost without Will Patton's narration. Either way, I am definitely putting both of these series on my reread list, and I want to spend more time with Steifvater's other works as well (although I'm disappointed that if I choose the audio route, the narrator won't be Will Patton for her earlier works)....more
I think Mister Impossible fell prey to second book syndrome in a similar way that The Dream Thieves did. There was a little too much going on, and eveI think Mister Impossible fell prey to second book syndrome in a similar way that The Dream Thieves did. There was a little too much going on, and everything seemed to detract from everything else.
The easiest parts to follow were definitely the Declan and Jordan (and Matthew) parts. I love the way their relationship is progressing and seeing a lot more of Declan beyond his hard exterior in general. The way he's portrayed in this series, and especially this book, is a strong continuation of his character in The Raven Cycle.
The Hennessy parts are pretty confusing, especially when it's hard to tell where they're coming from when they get jumbled between Hennessy and Ronan. Ronan, on the other hand, definitely degraded himself in this one. There's a lot that seems out of character for him, though at a closer look at the previous book he was always a follower, and not being able to trust, but it does kind of make sense. I don't love how little we saw of him in this one compared to everything that was going on around and affecting him.
Like when I read the original series, a lot of this book is running together with the first one, especially since I've been listening to them in quick succession but also took more than a month to finish this one. I think I'll read Greywaren but then distance myself a little bit and come back to this after I have all three books in print.
I did enjoy this one but there's something missing in my enjoyment....more
As a follow-up to The Raven Cycle, I have to say it didn't go where I expected it to.
Ronan and Adam seem to have changed a lot even from Opal, and I As a follow-up to The Raven Cycle, I have to say it didn't go where I expected it to.
Ronan and Adam seem to have changed a lot even from Opal, and I don't know if I like what seems to be happening with Adam especially. On the other hand, I do appreciate the stronger relationship Ronan has with his brothers in this one, although I don't like that a lot of that mending and building of their relationship happened behind the scenes. I especially enjoyed seeing Declan's growth into a real three-dimensional character rather than just a difficult brother. I especially liked him in relation to Jordan.
I did also appreciate more strong women in this one. I loved the relationship between Jordan and Hennessy, and I liked seeing the way dreamers and dreams interact beyond Ronan and Opal. In the same way, the things that happened with Matthew in this one were super interesting, although I'm still putting the blame on Declan over Ronan for keeping things secret.
Then there's everything with Carmen. Like all the villains in the original series (except maybe for Colin Greenmantle, who was an asshole from the beginning), it's hard to tell what side she's really on. I have a feeling she's going to grow into a character I appreciate in this one.
I do want to see more of Blue and Gansey in the next one beyond just texts. I'd really like a cameo. And I still don't really understand what's going on with Ronan and Adam. But definitely rooting for Jordan and Declan all the way in this one.
As I'm writing this, I've already started Mister Impossible and I'm very much enjoying this series....more
I thought her growing consciousness and her observations of the "animal world" as opposed to the dream world she comeDid Opal actually need a spinoff?
I thought her growing consciousness and her observations of the "animal world" as opposed to the dream world she comes from were interesting. Having her learn about the hard and fast rules of the real world added a nice touch. I expected more conflict, although I realize there's only so much you can do in 38 pages, unlike the main books in the series which were around 400.
It was interesting to see the world from Opal's perspective too. I liked her description of the Fox Way women who "drank tea and read tarot cards." And who was the woman who came to the Barns? I hope this is touched upon more in the Dreamer series.
In general, I never saw Opal with much personality, and I'm sorry to say I never really thought she needed one. She's very different from all the other sentient things Ronan created.
I do like how this may be a bridge to the Dreamer series, which I will be reading later in the month....more
I loved everything about this. I feel like everything that was hanging over the series as a whole, including aspects intOMG what an end to the series!
I loved everything about this. I feel like everything that was hanging over the series as a whole, including aspects introduced from the very beginning, were wrapped up so perfectly and all major plot holes were closed, although not completely in ways you would expect.
There was so much going on in this. Like, first of all, Adam and Ronan. Their's could have been the kind of relationship that you read too much into, and it was impossible to tell where it was going until they just kind of went for it, and I loved that. It was somewhere between a slow burn and all at once, somewhere between enemies to lovers and friends to lovers, keeping the tropes and breaking them at the same time. I also appreciated that their story wasn't a coming out story, and the shock wasn't that two guys were together, but that they got together. There was no questioning about sexuality, there was no labels, there was just them. Also, what a way to give Adam a rebound and end the love triangle with Gansey and Blue.
Then there was Henry Ching. I can't recall many books where a single person is integrated in an already established friend group through their own actions after the story and the friend group itself are pretty much set in stone. This was a fresh break from a lot of modern fantasy, and from a lot of friendship and found family novels in general. Although I do wish that it had been a girl instead of another boy. Though I can't imagine what this would look like, because Henry is so essentially Henry.
Then there was the whole piece with Gansey and Noah and Glendower. I won't say too much so as not to spoil it, but that all wrapped up in a very interesting way that I did not expect.
Once again, Will Patton went above and beyond with the narration and the different voices for every single character. It almost makes me not want to read the print books someday as a reread, because those expectations would be lowered so much. The only thing I will say about listening to the different voices is that sometimes it ruins the surprise when you're not supposed to know who's speaking initially, but the sheer depth of the voices in general makes up for the lack of that element of surprise. In general, listening to all the books in quick succession also made the series run together for me somewhat, and in some ways that coherence was really good because I could allow myself to just be there. I'm hoping this listening experience hasn't cast too much over-expectations on all other audiobooks, because this was pretty amazing.
I'm not sure whether I plan to ask for the other three books for Christmas, because at some point I would like to read them as well as just listening to them, but I'm definitely going to revisit them. I'm also not sure if or when I'll read Opal, the follow-up book, though it will probably be soon if it is an audiobook (especially if by the same narrator). It might take a while for me to recover from this series in general, though. ...more
I really appreciated the stories in this. I enjoyed the mix of before, after, and during the events of the Scythe trilogy, and how it wasn't linear. LI really appreciated the stories in this. I enjoyed the mix of before, after, and during the events of the Scythe trilogy, and how it wasn't linear. Like the rest of the series, Gleanings kept me on my toes.
I also appreciated that there were stories that had to do with the characters we've grown to love (and hate) as well as stories that served to give us a stronger sense of worldbuilding and/or provide more of the history. The Scythe trilogy definitely introduces a rich history of a near-future dystopia, and I love that Gleanings explores this further. There's so much I had questions about, and this companion to the series answers some of those through relevant stories rather than just giving us the backstory as a lot of information on a website (note to a certain fantasy author whose books I will always love but who I will always have a lot of issues with, and this is definitely one of them). Neal Shusterman creates a world that lives on in these stories, and answers questions about the world in the best way it can, and in the way the world was built . As such, it is consistent to the story established in the trilogy.
Overall, Gleanings was definitely a good addition to the trilogy, and I wish more fantasy and science fiction books would do this - a single book of short stories that addresses the worldbuilding in the context of the stories and characters we already love....more
This one was probably my favorite in the series so far.
For starters, there was a lot more coherence between both the events of the first book and the This one was probably my favorite in the series so far.
For starters, there was a lot more coherence between both the events of the first book and the events of the second than there had been between the first and the second. I appreciated the broadening of POVs in the last one, but I enjoyed the narrowing back to certain more relevant perspectives in this one.
Relationships and dynamics I love and want to see more of:
Blue and Noah - they fit so well together. Noah seems the most alive when he's with her. I'm curious to see how this will affect their request from Glendower.
Blue and Ronan - this one surprised me. He is coming around to her more in this book, especially now that the reader knows him and his motivations going forward. I'm impressed by the way Ronan has changed after the events of the previous novel.
Ronan and Noah - this one is good comic relief, and I feel like Ronan also amplifies Noah in certain ways.
Blue and Adam - at first I didn't agree with their relationship in this one or in general after (view spoiler)[they broke up (hide spoiler)], and there was a while when I didn't like Adam much in this one, but he does seem to have come around, especially after discovering himself and (view spoiler)[his powers with and via Cabeswater (hide spoiler)]. He's grown into a really strong friend for Blue.
Blue and Gwenllian - this one has a lot of potential as long as it is done right. I'm curious to see where it goes (also definitely appreciate this name in audio, as I would be lost without that pronunciation - GWEN-the-in or GWEN-tle-un; as Blue says, "She wasn’t saying it right- the double lls were not said anything like they looked.").
Ronan and Adam - please let them get together romantically. I love what they're able to do with combined powers and knowledge.
Ronan and Gansey - I haven't seen much, but I want to see more.
Blue and Gansey - actually I love this, maybe because it's fated, but they work well together.
Relationships and dynamics that annoy me:
Gansey and Adam - please let this power struggle be over and done with
Blue and Gansey and Adam - this is one example where a love triangle DOES NOT WORK. Also, quite a bit more communication is needed.
Overall, I really liked this one and I'm definitely excited to finish the series....more
I'm so glad I finally picked up with the rest of this series as the third one was coming out, after rereading the first one for years and years, sinceI'm so glad I finally picked up with the rest of this series as the third one was coming out, after rereading the first one for years and years, since it came out. This most recent (final?) installment was truly amazing.
I was surprised that there were multiple journeys in this one (at least two) instead of one big one leading up to a final battle the way there had been in the first two books. I've always had a bit of trouble with fantasy series where the villains change, and I was even worried about that after the battle in the first book, even after five rereads (maybe why I was so hesitant to pick up Akata Warrior for such a long time). But that one did have a good setup for Akata Woman that both hinted at what was to come and also ended one story arc on the right note.
All of this sets up for a lot more guesswork and surprises on the part of the reader than I feel the first two did, although it's hard to tell from Akata Witch since it is one of the few books I am so familiar with after so many years and rereads. I really like books that keep me on my toes, and Akata Woman definitely does this.
The character growth in this was also excellent. I was surprised that another two years had passed since the events of the previous novel. In a way, though, I really like how not everything is back-to-back, and we have to do some guesswork and filling in the blanks about previous events between the books. It also makes things feel less mundane. I've never seen this style before, but I really like it. It sets up for the books to grow with their readership, considering the time gaps between publication. All four major characters have gone through a lot, both together and individually, and it really shows. Then there's the whole Sunny and Anywanyu thing, which it still takes a while to wrap my head around, and I think I'll have to reread both Akata Warrior and Akata Woman to wrap my head around all of that.
I don't know whether there will be a fourth book, and I'm of two minds about whether I want one. On the one hand, I'd love to see how they deal with things in the real world along with the Leopard world (view spoiler)[Akata Virus has a nice ring to it (hide spoiler)], but on the other hand I think this was an okay stopping place. Plus, with all the worlds they've traversed, where else can they go? Regardless, a series reread, especially if I can do it all at once, is definitely something necessary for this series, probably more than once.
Now that I've finished this series, I plan to dive into the Binti trilogy as well, and maybe also read After the Rain this year, making Nnedi Okorafor my most read author through different series over the same year (and maybe ever). I have definitely found a new favorite author....more
Review 6/19/24 I actually think The Toll might be my favorite book ever, and definitely my favorite series finale. Definitely my favorite series rereadReview 6/19/24 I actually think The Toll might be my favorite book ever, and definitely my favorite series finale. Definitely my favorite series reread too.
There's so much that I paid more attention to the second time around, and in a lot of ways, this is like reading something completely new. I loved rediscovering everything I loved about this. There's so much foreshadowing and Chekhov's gun that I'm never going to catch it all, and I hope I forget how much of this I really have to pay attention to, so it always blows me away just how much there really is.
As with many other series rereads, I had worried that I would find this lacking compared to the first time. But I am in love with this world, if I'm being honest.
One of the best things is definitely the characters. The conflict with and complement each other in so many amazing ways. This was even more noticeable the second time around. Many times, books with as many POVs as this series (4+ main ones and 4+ occasional ones at any given time) have some that are lacking or that you just want to skip past, but Neal Shusterman makes you care about every single one, in a way that isn't too complicated to follow.
I hope that the next time I reread this, I can forget enough to fall in love all over again. -------------------------------- Review 7/16/21 Warning, this review may contain spoilers for the previous novels in the series, but not this book. Read at your own risk.
This book, this series, deserves far more than the five stars I can give it.
The first time I read Scythe I thought 4 stars was a stretch. With my second reread, it was a solid 5. If the first book was powerful for me, the second knocked it out of the park.
This third one was an interesting way to wrap up all of my feelings from the first two.
I will admit that I found the format in the first two parts difficult to contemplate. There were frequent time jumps and POV changes that introduced new characters too rapidly. It was hard to follow, and hard to tell how all the stories would connect.
This technique of omniscience zeroing in until it becomes limited POV of the beloved characters from the previous installments isn't exactly something I've seen done well in the past, but Neal Shusterman handles it masterfully. Somehow, Shusterman still makes us care about all the characters he introduces. I think, in a way, this symbolizes the ideal vision of the scythedom as it is written in his novel, before it became corrupted. By this, I mean the idea of gleaning with compassion and without bias. Like the scythes, we don't know all the side characters and how their lives converge. However, also like the honorable scythes, we come to care about all the characters just the same.
As the novels went on, these points were illustrated in a way that reflects the political environment of 2015 - 2018, or the Trump years. I saw a lot of similarities regarding ideas of democracy, people versus power, and other issues that have come to light more clearly for the intended audience of this series, older teens and young adults. Aside from the compassion messages, there are also underlying messages about science denial and historical coverups that don't fully come to light until the end, but that are building up all the way through the series. I love the light in which Shusterman looks at these issues as still very present in the future.
I especially like the idea, that is stressed more and more in Thunderhead and The Toll, of a benevolent and conscious AI. AI in this type of dystopia usually bothers me because of the potential, but Shusterman addresses this with input from the artificial controlling consciousness, making the Thunderhead much more of a central and sentient character.
As for the other main characters, Shusterman creates a strong and powerful group to root for, especially in this last installment. It was interesting to see how he introduces more and more main characters throughout the novel, instead of all at once. They also become more diverse as the story goes on. This is incredibly eye-opening because it gives a lot of insight on what a futuristic "perfect" world with distinct and celebrated differences could like.
I've talked a lot about the characters, because for me the characters always define the novel, but the plot of this specific novel is also important to mention. While the plot twists were a bit more obvious sometimes, it was still a shock to realize how much foreshadowing had gone into the bigger picture, especially regarding Goddard's involvement in the distant past, and how that shaped the events of this trilogy spanning six or seven years. I'm sure there's a lot I missed this read that I'd need to pay more attention to in order to get the full picture, and I definitely do plan to reread this series.
This trilogy invoked a lot of emotions I wasn't fully ready to deal with. Along with the confusion, there was annoyance when things weren't quite fitting together, anger and other intense negative feelings when things were going badly for our team of heroes. The shocking conclusion brought tears to my eyes, especially in the decisions the main characters were forced to make.
This will definitely be a series I revisit more than once, and I'm putting Thunderhead and The Toll on my wish list for physical books (I already have Scythe). I know when I read this again, I will discover new aspects, especially in terms of foreshadowing, and I'm really happy I took the chance to rediscover and finish this series this summer....more
I am disappointed to say I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first one.
One thing I will say is that I was very glad to see as much of Ronan as we dI am disappointed to say I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first one.
One thing I will say is that I was very glad to see as much of Ronan as we did. I liked him in the last book, but we were never in his POV. In The Dream Thieves his POV scenes were definitely the ones with the most depth and story to them. I appreciated learning more about Ronan's past as well, as there was definitely more to be explored there.
Adam and Blue, on the other hand, bothered me quite a bit. With their storylines, and for a large part with Gansey's, there was definitely an unnecessary love triangle created for the sake of creating a YA fantasy love triangle. I feel like there's a lot of other ways the relationships could have gone.
In general, we also see a lot less of Blue and Gansey in this installment. Most of the book centers around Ronan and Adam as they come to grips with their own identities both surrounding and apart from Gansey and Glendower. I feel like I really enjoyed Adam's POV chapters in The Raven Boys, but here he becomes almost flat, and is harder to read, especially since so much of his perceived identity seems to revolve around his relationship with Blue.
In general, all characters' relationships, except for any of Ronan's, seem overdone. Again, Ronan's POV chapters are the exception here. Maybe it's because he's a fresh character who we haven't seen, but I really enjoyed his character arc. I appreciated how he was able to stay grounded in his principles even when things were pulling him in many different directions.
I will also say I appreciated the story of the Gray Man that unfolded. This was another fresh perspective that was welcome amidst the forced love triangle, and his story gave us more insight on both Ronan and on Blue's family. While I did enjoy seeing more of the family, I don't know how I felt about the romance, but I think most of the interactions there were done well.
I listened to this as an audiobook, and though there's a lot going on that should be followed pretty closely, I found that I actually was able to follow the story even while working, or at least to get the most important aspects. Ronan's story was generally easier to follow than any of the others', but I expect that would have been the same or potentially even worse if I had visually read this.
I didn't appreciate Will Patton's narration at first. I originally thought he sounded a little too much like a certain orange politician, but as more characters were introduced, this went away and I began to highly appreciate the ways he did different voices. I especially liked the voices he did for Persephone, Calla, and Kavinsky. I think these voices helped me pick up on more of the nuances within the story. I've noticed that the Raven Cycle books do have a lot of description of voices, so I think Patton's take on these voices do a good job of enhancing the story with this aspect. I feel like he captured a lot of the mood that Maggie Stiefvater was attempting.
The way the book ended was more of a cliffhanger than the previous book, and I'm looking forward to continuing the series, probably as an audiobook format so I can read at work....more
Geekerella introduced me to the convention world. The Princess and the Fangirl made me want to text by online best friend (who I met through fanfictioGeekerella introduced me to the convention world. The Princess and the Fangirl made me want to text by online best friend (who I met through fanfiction) and make plans go to Leakycon. And luckily I looked it up and this year's is in Chicago, right near me. Leakycon, here we come!
Everything about The Princess and the Fangirl was magical. At first, I had a hard time liking Jess or Imogene (or the audiobook readers who voiced them). However, they quickly grew on me, especially Jess. She has so much depth once she can figure out how to go beyond her desires of being a "big-name" actor. I really like how that part unfolded.
I loved seeing the cameos of everyone from Geekerella a year later. I love strong side characters, and Darien and Elle work great as side characters as well as main characters in their own story. Darien is especially great in this one, the way he's willing to help without really "getting" it. I also enjoy seeing how everything in his life played out a year later. I was also happy to see Sage and Cal (and the adorable Frank) at the side character forefront once again. They absolutely made the last book, and I love seeing how involved they've become in the Starfield community after just a year.
I liked the new side characters as well. Imogene's perceived competition with Milo, as well as Milo and Bram's relationships and willingness to be there for both Imogene and Jess were special additions to the story. I don't often see this kind of story with a focus on positive sibling relationships, and I love to see it here. Then there's Ethan and especially Harper. Harper reminds me of my online best friend who I also met through fanfiction - although I could never imagine doing this to her at our first time meeting and hurting her this much from the get-go. That part frustrated me quite a bit.
At first, the plot seemed very similar to the first one - leaks of important information, a vengeful ex... however, this took on a life of its own as it was a lot more closely related to the main plot of Jess and Imogene's swap. I enjoy how this forced them to let each other in.
I did love the references to the "impossible universe" that Elle defined in Geekerella It's almost a bit of fourth wall-breaking with a subtle reminder from the author that this is, for all intents and purposes, realistic fantasy. At the same time, I love that all the characters recognize this and define it the same way.
The romance in this one took a lot longer to build up, and the ending relationships were less final-seeming than those in Geekerella. I like that contrast between the two books. I especially enjoyed the end scenes in regards to this.
I started off with low expectations for this one since Geekerella was so magical, but The Princess and the Fangirl blew me away. I'm hoping that I'll feel the same way about Bookish and the Beast when I get to it, as I am not looking forward to reading Vance the conceited dickwad's story (even if Beauty and the Beast retellings are often my favorite). Looking forward to that one as well....more
I'm glad I waited to get into this until I was truly done with the semester, because it sucked me in.
I never know how to feel after I finish a good boI'm glad I waited to get into this until I was truly done with the semester, because it sucked me in.
I never know how to feel after I finish a good book, and the Fairytales of Folkshore series exemplifies that perfectly. The three main characters have all been relatable in different ways, and I've seen parts of myself in Ada, Bonnie, and now Ella. Beyond the ideas of discovering new worlds that you get to be a part of, each of these girls reminds me of me in different ways.
I love a good plot twist also, but the way Lucy Tempest executes these in her writing are always centered around the women in the story, and how they discover their place in Folkshore and Faerie.
This story is the best so far in terms of plot twists. I keep expecting all of the Folkshore novels to be fairly standard fairytale retellings, and then they just blow me away, but Princess of Midnight went beyond all that. I went into this thinking I was starting a Cinderella retelling, but it also mixed in Frozen (not really the story of the original Snow Queen, this had a much lighter outlook), as well as elements from Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and the Wizard of Oz.
As always, Tempest also does a great job of leading on to the next story, or the next few. I really want to know who this Snezhana is, her name seems familiar from the Cahraman trilogy but I'm not sure. I am also eagerly anticipating a reunion between the main characters, and I wish we would see more of Ella's story, enough for her to learn that Bonnie and Ada did actually care about her.
Unsurprisingly, I have already bought Dreamer of Briarfell but will probably wait until January to start it. I can't wait to see how my favorite characters factor into Fairuza's story....more
I definitely enjoyed this, especially in the first part when we meet the new characters Bo, Nita, Hiro, and Merrin (who we met briefly in the first book). They add a lot to the story that we didn't necessarily get with the Paper Girls as characters. I liked the interactions between Bo and Merrin and how they finally came to appreciate each other, which made the first death all the more tragic.
But the later part Girls of Storm and Shadow, made me angry. It's hard to see the characters I've grown to love turn into what they become. While I am aware that this is what happens in war, I don't know if I've read a book where the acts of violence are this brutal on the light side. It's really good writing because of the way everything is slowly revealed and it's hard to see anything coming, and as character development I like it. However, it makes me angry at the characters in the context of the story arc.
I feel so bad for Lei in particular, being pushed into this. Perhaps it wouldn't feel as rough if Lei saw things the same way Wren and the others did, with the sacrifices as necessary, but her feelings make everything harder to read. Again, a mark of good writing that this makes the feel so deeply angry, and at the same time understand the various angles the characters are coming from.
There were a lot of jumps and twists in this one that I did enjoy, especially as each character revealed their true self. However I will say that by the end it got a little hard to follow what was going on, especially with all the battles and betrayals (although the latter were actually fairly easy to follow and trace back to earlier points in the story).
I read Girls of Storm and Shadow as an audiobook. Narrator Allison Hiroto helps make the story come alive. I appreciated all the authentic pronunciations, although at some points I had trouble differentiating some of the characters by their names. The character Qanna was pronounced as "Chenna," which struck me as odd at first (until I learned the spelling) because there was already a Paper Girl named Chenna. I like that an Asian narrator was chosen for this, it amplifies the own voices nature of the book and helps a lot for me to form images of what's happening.
Looking forward to listening to Girls of Fate and Fury starting later this week. Somehow, though, I suspect this will be a one-and-done series read for me, and I won't feel a need to have physical copies of the books for rereads....more
Review 11/23/22 There is no truly original story, all writing is built off of other writing and myth throughout history. The best books are the ones thReview 11/23/22 There is no truly original story, all writing is built off of other writing and myth throughout history. The best books are the ones that can take those stories and turn them into something new that doesn't feel overused, something completely their own. Girls of Paper and Fire does exactly this. Some of the elements I see include themes from The Selection and Scythe trilogies (although it's hard to tell with this later one since the publication date was the same year as Thunderhead, which is where I see some similarities). Personally, I love seeing the way popular themes play out when they're done well across books and even across genres.
One thing that's different about this one is the demons (animal forms) and humans that all have the same DNA. I'd like to know more about the evolution of this world. I have some trouble picturing the demons even with the descriptions, which are a good combination of detailed but also leaving a lot to imagination. I imagine the characters as looking like something from Zootopia, but I have a hard time seeing the human features in the demons when picturing them this way. I hope this is explored more over the next two books, although I kind of doubt it will be.
I enjoy reading about the inner workings of rebellion, especially when not all parties know what's going on. I saw a lot of parallels between this and the Seven Realms series as well. I'm really interested to see what happens with the rebellion now that it is well and truly under way.
I'm conflicted between finishing this series or another one first right now, but I definitely plan to finish this series by January at the latest. --------------------------------- Review 7/16/20 Things that are missing from popular fantasy today, even as it grows more inclusive: 1. Asian (not just Middle Eastern) representation and voices. 2. LGBT women, specifically.
First of all, the premise is fascinating. It turns the trope of the "princess search" (as in The Selection series) on its head from the very beginning. I have to admit, I love that type of book, and this start of what is shaping up to be an amazing series takes it to unexpected new levels.
One of the things I loved is the way both girls explored their sexuality and interest in one another. They both know they don't want to play into the Demon King's plans or be his lovers, but it takes them a long time to see that they want each other. Honestly, Wren carries this book, and as a non-POV character she's one of the driving forces of the story, somewhat even more than Lei. I've always wanted to read a book where the main character is the sidekick in some ways, and I think I've found it in Girls of Paper and Fire.
Also, I loved how there was no male MC or sidekick, any driving force in the plot who was a protagonist (view spoiler)[except maybe Kenzo, but he's still not a non-POV MC (hide spoiler)], unlike so many of the female-centered fantasies I've read. It's kind of like Ruth Bader Ginsburg said, “When I'm sometimes asked when will there be enough [women on the Supreme Court] and I say, 'When there are nine,' people are shocked. But there'd been nine men, and nobody's ever raised a question about that.” I can think of so many stories in the fantasy or adventure genres that don't have a driving female character, so it's well beyond time that we have a strong novel with only female protagonists.
This goes hand in hand with the Asian representation in the story. I could clearly see how girls in this were from different parts of Asia, or maybe even different parts of China, and I loved the representation of tons of different cultures.
This was a really impressive book and I'm hoping I like the sequel just as much. I think I'll need to change my reading plans again to find it....more