One of my most anticipated reads of 2025, and it did not disappoint.
This book really felt like the missing piece between the pervious prequel and the One of my most anticipated reads of 2025, and it did not disappoint.
This book really felt like the missing piece between the pervious prequel and the main series, it really works very well with both. There was a moment I was a bit frustrated it didn't seem to fit with what we know of Haymitch' games from the original trilogy, but then that was kind of the point.
If you're a Hunger Games fan I'd try to go in as blindly as possible and keep an open mind. It's a really good book....more
This book was a bit of a disappointment after the first one. It was fine, but I now feel like it would have been stronger as a stand alone. I didnHm.
This book was a bit of a disappointment after the first one. It was fine, but I now feel like it would have been stronger as a stand alone. I didn't love the ending, it felt muddled and messy. The change in perspective also hurt the story, in my opinion. The setting was interesting in the last book and this time we were in a completely new (and less interesting) place.
This book was a difficult one to get through. It's also a difficult one to rate. I can't say I absolutely loved it but it did leave a big impression oThis book was a difficult one to get through. It's also a difficult one to rate. I can't say I absolutely loved it but it did leave a big impression on me. I also really did enjoy the way the world was built and how the story developed.
About halfway through I stopped reading it for a while because I had trouble picking it back up and being invested, but the end made it a lot better again. I also think me having to pause it had to do with me not being in the right mindset for it. It's not a light book.
If the premise intrigues you I do suggest you pick it up. I think you'll see soon enough if it's a book for you or not....more
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. The premise seemed interesting, but I heard mixed reviews about it. I was surprised by how much I enjoyedI wasn't sure what to expect from this book. The premise seemed interesting, but I heard mixed reviews about it. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the book, I liked the way things were built up and how the world was set up by the author. I did guess the twists, but it didn't make it a less enjoyable read.
2 stars for the first half of this book, 4 for the second.
This book was so slow and I swear it could have been half as long with the same result. I th2 stars for the first half of this book, 4 for the second.
This book was so slow and I swear it could have been half as long with the same result. I think I get what the author was trying to do, but there was just too much going on. All the conflict that hinged on miscommunication or not communicating at all was frustrating, and the character's actions seemed illogical at times.
I think this series had a very strong start and a fairly strong end, but things got a bit too convoluted in the middle. I'm still curious to read the sequel that came out a few years ago, and will probably do that. But if you read the first book and thought it was okay but not great, I think you might not enjoy the rest too much.
EDIT: Realized a few days later I don't actually have that much of an interest in the sequel. I'll leave this series here....more
This book didn't grasp me as much as the first book, it wasn't even close. If I wasn't invested in the characters from the first book, I feel like I wThis book didn't grasp me as much as the first book, it wasn't even close. If I wasn't invested in the characters from the first book, I feel like I wouldn't have liked this one at all. Even now, I considered giving it two stars, but in the end i liked it enough for three. It just felt a little pointless at times, and I don't know if I even remember much of the plot.
There were new characters introduced, but I don't feel like they got enough screen time early on for me to get an attachment to any of them. So anything emotional that happened didn't really make much of an impression on me.
I enjoyed it, but it did suffer a bit from middle book syndrome I feel. I'm very curious where things will go in the third one....more
I enjoyed this book, and I give it a solid four stars. EDIT: Thinking it over more, I think I enjoyed being in this WORLD a lot, but not necessarily tI enjoyed this book, and I give it a solid four stars. EDIT: Thinking it over more, I think I enjoyed being in this WORLD a lot, but not necessarily the story itself. So now that I have reflected on it a bit more, I'm lowering my rating to 3 stars.
There are things I didn't like so much, and it definitely doesn't hold a candle to the original Hunger Games books, but I think it wasn't bad at all. My biggest complaints are the length and the pacing, as it seems like the same story could have been told a lot faster and with a lot fewer pages.
But overall, I enjoyed the story. My favorite part was seeing more of this world, as the worldbuilding in the Hunger Games has always been fascinating to me. And Suzanne Collins does a wonderful job creating a totally different time in this book. It doesn't feel like it's just the same world without any changes. What I enjoyed was seeing the early stages of the Hunger Games, and how unpolished and a bit directionless it was in the early years. I do wish a bit more time had been spent on the Games themselves, they started late in the book and ended fairly early as well. But due to the way it was organized early on, it does make sense for it to be shorter. (view spoiler)[ You can clearly see that the Hunger Games weren't the spectacle they would become yet. With the war more recent, the people of the Capitol were happy enough to know the kids were being punished without needing the extra incentive to keep watching. But even then, after a decade it had started to lose the initial appeal. I enjoyed how these games were the start of a lot of traditions we see in the Hunger Games books. The changing terrain, the drones and sponsors, the betting. And I liked seeing Snow's influence on it all. (hide spoiler)]
I wasn't thrilled when I learned who the main character would be, and I still don't know if it was the choice I would have made. But I tried to see this book as a separate thing, and not project my wishes for other Hunger Games books onto it. I personally wouldn't have chosen a book about Snow, but for what it was, I thought it did a good job. It wasn't always fun to read from his point of view, but I enjoyed seeing him change throughout the book.
Spoilers for near the end: (view spoiler)[ A lot at the end was a bit rushed, but I personally find him turning completely on Lucy so quickly not very unbelievable, as I have seen people say. I don't think he ever truly loved her, just the idea of her. The moment they ran off together in the woods and he realized he would have a future without glory and power, those feelings evaporated because it was no longer something he wanted. I'm not surprised with how he turned on her. (hide spoiler)]
The last third of the book felt a bit slow, though. Until the end, where everything was perhaps a bit too rushed. But overall, I enjoyed it. I just don't see myself picking it up for a reread as I do with the original books....more
I think the whole premise of this book is great, there are a few very thought-provoking aspects of it that really stood out to me. But that said, the I think the whole premise of this book is great, there are a few very thought-provoking aspects of it that really stood out to me. But that said, the story itself just fell flat. I think the author could have done so much more with the whole idea of this story.
What bugged me most about Vox is how weird the world felt. It wasn't that the ideas presented in this book were too outrageous or unbelievable (Though a few got near that line), but it was for me that the world felt incredibly small. How is every important person to the plot also someone the main character knows intimately? How is she this close to the most important people of the country? It just felt like the only people this tragedy was affecting were also in close proximity to the main character, which made the problem feel strangely small instead of something that affect the whole country. I can't put my finger on how, but it really made it feel unrealistic to me.
All in all, an interesting concept that could've had a better execution. ...more
Objectively, I can say this series is very very good. But it's not one of my favorites, nor one I would probably pick up for a reread. It's a very denObjectively, I can say this series is very very good. But it's not one of my favorites, nor one I would probably pick up for a reread. It's a very dense story, with a lot happening and a lot of complexities. I felt like I was missing things quite often, and feel like I probably couldn't do a satisfying job of explaining what exactly happened in this novel.
But I did feel invested in the characters and their journeys, even if I didn't understand everything. This book adds new flashbacks to the mix, which added to my feeling of confusion, but also added to my comprehension of the world.
I find these books hard to review. They're good, even if they're difficult for me. I would recommend them, but it's not going to be a light read. ...more
This series is so tough because I constantly feel like I'm not entirely getting it, but I am enjoying it a lot at the same time. The ending of this boThis series is so tough because I constantly feel like I'm not entirely getting it, but I am enjoying it a lot at the same time. The ending of this book confused me a lot, but I think it maybe is supposed to? If not, I hope I start understanding things in the next book.
Beautifully written and very complex. I won't say these books are easy reads, but they're intense in a very unique way. I feel like I would appreciate them more on a second, or even third read. But I also feel like they're not too easy to get through, even on a first read.
I feel very similarly about this book as I did about the first. Though looking back, I am surprised at how much the plot was moved forward and how many new things we actually learned in these pages.
I am really curious how this series will end. ...more
I loved the first two books in this series, so my expectations for The Toll were very high, and they were definitely met! I loved this book a lot, andI loved the first two books in this series, so my expectations for The Toll were very high, and they were definitely met! I loved this book a lot, and really want to reread this whole series sometime to get the full picture.
What I liked most about The Toll was that it explored the world of the Scythe series more, much like Thunderhead. I like Rowan and Citra a lot, but I didn't mind that this book focused a little less on them and more on the world as a whole. For me, the Thunderhead is the most interesting part of this universe, and I was glad to get more focus on it in this book. I also really like Greyson Tolliver and his relationship with the Thunderhead. I think that is my favorite relationship in the whole book for me. I also just love the way this series shows an AI in a completely different way (view spoiler)[ I'm so glad there was no 'twist' about the Thunderhead secretly being bad, I was dreading that possibility. I love an actually good AI.(hide spoiler)]
The reveals (view spoiler)[ about the previous attempts to live out in space (hide spoiler)] were so good. I love it when something is foreshadowed early on, without being incredibly obvious.
The ending was a little surprising and a little strange, but I didn't mind it. I do hope for a bit more in this universe, but I'm satisfied with where this story ended too....more
Trigger warnings: sexual abuse, incest, child abuse.
This book was bleak, but at the same time very fascinating. I was constantly torn between wantingTrigger warnings: sexual abuse, incest, child abuse.
This book was bleak, but at the same time very fascinating. I was constantly torn between wanting to read on and know more, and wanting to run away screaming. There was something almost claustrophobic about the experience of reading this, as I felt trapped on the island along with the girls.
I really admire how the author tackled the heavy topics in this book. I feel like she did a great job telling us exactly what was happening without really going into any explicit detail. It was terrifying at times, to see how normal the most horrifying things were to the people living on this island, but it was also very well done. I enjoyed the main characters a lot, each of the girls strong in their own way (Janey is my favorite, though, if I have to pick)
All in all, I definitely don't recommend this book for anyone. It's not a light read and it covers a lot of very disturbing things. But at the same time, I'm glad I read it. I know it will stay with me for a long time. (view spoiler)[ One thing that I don't love is the ambiguous ending, though. I'm never a big fan of that. After reading all of the book, I just want to get some answers, dang it. (hide spoiler)]...more
Don't read this book without a glass of water nearby at all times.
Dry is a really affecting book. It drew me in right away, as the premise was a very Don't read this book without a glass of water nearby at all times.
Dry is a really affecting book. It drew me in right away, as the premise was a very horrifying one but also really not that unrealistic. I feel like the strength of this book is in that premise, and in the way the authors manage to make it feel real. The descriptions of what people do, and how more desperate they become, really felt realistic and that's what kept the story so interesting. I enjoyed seeing both the good and bad in humanity during a crisis, and feel like it really captured the panic that would grip people in this situation.
That said, I felt like the weaker point of this book was the characters. I didn't feel as invested in them as I tend to with books I like, but in this case I didn't mind it too much. They felt more like a vehicle to tell the story of the drought, rather than the main focus on the book. (Though, by the end I did feel pretty invested in them, which made the end affect me more.)
All in all, a good book that will get you thinking (and drinking)....more
Review to come, holy crap. --- This book was even better than Scythe, I think it did everything a good sequel I don't know how to deal with any of this.
Review to come, holy crap. --- This book was even better than Scythe, I think it did everything a good sequel should do. It expanded the world in new and interesting ways, it showed the characters we know and love in new situations and it introduced new and interesting characters. This book was a wild ride, and the ending was absolutely amazing. I couldn't stop reading once I got past a certain point.
I think it's really impressive how much I started caring about new character Greyson Tolliver almost immediately. I think it takes a good author to make you care so much about a new character right away. Seeing more of the Thunderhead's perspective was great too. The idea of an AI that isn't shown as a malevolent force really fascinates me, and that's partly why I like this universe so much. It's really unlike anything else I've ever seen.
Now I have to wait for the next one, argh. ...more
I didn't love the direction the third book went in, and I think that made me not love this one. I mostly just wanted to see how the series ended, Meh.
I didn't love the direction the third book went in, and I think that made me not love this one. I mostly just wanted to see how the series ended, but it felt like it dragged out a bit. I think I just wasn't as invested in this story anymore, which is why my personal enjoyment wasn't that great. I just felt a bit detached, which made a lot of the more emotional scenes feel almost melodramatic.
If you still feel like you love this series and are invested in the characters, I'd pick this up. If you, like me, had forgotten a lot of details and weren't a big fan of the third book, I'd read a summary of how it ended. I could tell it was well-written and there were times I was invested, but overall... it was just meh for me. Which is unfortunate. I just didn't really like the supernatural direction the books went in, and this book definitely continues on that path. ...more
I ended up liking this trilogy more than I expected, but I did feel like this book was a little weak compared to the previous ones. It wrapped everythI ended up liking this trilogy more than I expected, but I did feel like this book was a little weak compared to the previous ones. It wrapped everything up nicely and in a mostly satisfying way, but there were some pacing issues I ran into. I'm going to put most of it in spoiler tags because it is all pretty closely related to the plot. (view spoiler)[The part where they get captured and had to try to escape felt like it took forever. It was literally so slow! I started to feel like the author was drawing out the plot just to fill enough pages. It was starting to bore me after a little bit. (hide spoiler)]
The ending was pretty good, but it did feel a little rushed. (view spoiler)[ And I feel like it was a little confusing what happened to Cinder. Because he had simply disappeared (instead of dying and leaving a body for Perry to find) I kept expecting him to pop back up. It just didn't feel like a death to me, and I kept waiting for him to make a surprising return to the story until the last page. (hide spoiler)]
All in all, a fun trilogy with a (mostly) satisfying ending. But the story did feel slow at times. I feel like the second book was definitely the best one in this series....more
You know how some series suffer from second book syndrome? I almost feel like this series invented something else: first book syndrome. While I struggYou know how some series suffer from second book syndrome? I almost feel like this series invented something else: first book syndrome. While I struggled a little to get into this world while reading the first book, this second one went a lot more smoothly. I think it was because I'm now used to how this world works, even though I still don't like everything about it, and no longer have to get used to the weird superpowers or the fact that Aria has them too suddenly. Instead I could focus on the characters and their conflict.
I also think I just like Aria and Perry more when they're apart. The two had separate story lines in this book (moreso than the last one) and I think it developed them both really well. It allowed them to have their own problems, struggles, and relationships with other characters.
Since I didn't love the first book that much (I liked it but it didn't wow me), I'm surprised I liked this one more. It makes me hopeful for the conclusion!...more
That's how I feel about this book and about this series. It's not the most positive thing one can say about a book, and that is because Finally done.
That's how I feel about this book and about this series. It's not the most positive thing one can say about a book, and that is because it was a struggle for me to get through them. Looking back, I'm really not sure how I feel about this series. Is it good? Undoubtedly. Did I enjoy it? Not really. I put down this book for long periods of time just because reading it was just hard to get through. Reading it almost felt like a battle with the words on the page, even though I was invested in the story .
I'm having a hard time rating this book, as you can probably tell from the review. I just can't get myself very enthusiastic about it. The constant switching of POV, the constant fighting, (view spoiler)[ the very confusing Spackle POV chapters (hide spoiler)], it just didn't quite work for me. But I can also see it had a very interesting and unique story, but it just couldn't grip me the way it should. I think it didn't help that this book was almost all action. I wanted to see more of the characters. I also wan't the biggest fan of the ending. It felt very sudden, though that could also be because I was rushing to get to the end of the book at that point. ...more
This book was a little bit of a disappointment, though the ending was very good. It was just everything beforehand that seemed to drag on forever, andThis book was a little bit of a disappointment, though the ending was very good. It was just everything beforehand that seemed to drag on forever, and that took me out of the story.
I think this book's problem for me is the three perspectives competing for my attention. Sometimes, this can really work in a book, but in this one it just highlighted how much more I cared about some characters than others. Elias's point of view was not as interesting to me as either Helene's or Laia's. So whenever I came back to his chapters, I just felt a little disappointed. The other two story lines were better, but also had some issues keeping my attention. The story just feels slow, partly because there's really three different stories all developing at once.
But like I said, the ending was really good, and it made me excited for the next book all over again. I'm giving it three starts only because I had some trouble getting through the first 75%, and I don't really like the direction Elias' story is going in....more
When I was about to start this one, I was not looking forward to it. The story from the first book had sort of Man, these books are so hard to review.
When I was about to start this one, I was not looking forward to it. The story from the first book had sort of faded from my mind and I really was tempted to just stop reading this series instead of tackling this one. Because one thing I did remember from book 1 was that while it captured my attention, it wasn't exactly a pleasant read.
And book 2 was no different.
Yet, I'm still glad I read it, because it was also freaking good. The tone of this book was very dark, and a lot of bad things happen in it. It makes it tiring to read, but it also makes it incredibly interesting. (view spoiler)[Seeing Todd and Viola on opposite sides was fascinating. And I find it incredible that the author managed to make their very questionable actions feel believable. Also, he's very good at turning your opinion of a character around completely. Davy :( (hide spoiler)]
I find these books hard to read and hard to rate, but they're definitely really good stories....more