emma's Reviews > Daughter of Smoke & Bone
Daughter of Smoke & Bone (Daughter of Smoke & Bone, #1)
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by
emma's review
bookshelves: fantasy, ya, 2-stars, unpopular-opinion, eh, beautifully-written, reviewed
Jul 30, 2019
bookshelves: fantasy, ya, 2-stars, unpopular-opinion, eh, beautifully-written, reviewed
Do not listen to what anyone tells you about this book. Except me. Because I am right.
I understand this is biased advice, and also advice I would give to anyone about anything at any time because I am my own biggest supporter, but just trust me on this one.
Because other people might want to tell you this is “YA fantasy” or “urban fantasy” or “supernatural / magical / paranormal fiction,” and all of those people would be wrong.
This is a romance.
Barely even a paranormal romance, at that.
I don’t have anything against the romance genre. I really don’t. I swear I don’t think I’m too good for them or something dumb like that (books are books). I read a lot of them, actually, and yes, I rate a lot of them poorly, but that’s true of me in any genre. I’m dead inside, after all.
However.
Do NOT - I repeat, DO NOT - hand me a romance book and tell me it’s an atmospheric, unique, beautifully written fantasy unlike anything I’ve ever read or will ever read.
Because when it comes down to it, this is just a young adult fantasy from 2011 that completely f*cks up the adventure to romance ratio.
Like every single young adult fantasy from 2011.
I really liked the beginning of this book, when I was still under the devastatingly false impression that I was going to get what I wanted from it. I was excited about the Prague setting, which did feel atmospheric. I was excited about the prose, which was beautiful. I was excited about the world, which seemed promising.
But then some handsome bozo with a pair of wings showed up, and our firmly not-like-other-girls blue-haired protagonist had a VERY difficult time thinking of anything else.
Which made me have a VERY difficult time eking out any enjoyment of this book.
In fact, from that instalove-y point forward, through smitten conversation and eye contact that was roughly the gushiness equivalent of two heart-eyes emojis staring each other down, I got little to no enjoyment from it at all.
More on the “no” side, if I’m honest.
Bottom line: The best thing about reading this? I don’t have to be disappointed, because I got my copy for free from a neighbor and am under no obligation to continue reading this series.
------------
pre-review
once upon a time, there was a girl who picked up a book hoping for action and magic and fantastical adventures. instead, she got instalove, and her heart wept.
(that book was this book and that girl was me.)
review to come
------------
currently-reading updates
i have owned this for two years and this is the first time i've even opened it.
--
buddy read with nadhira
I understand this is biased advice, and also advice I would give to anyone about anything at any time because I am my own biggest supporter, but just trust me on this one.
Because other people might want to tell you this is “YA fantasy” or “urban fantasy” or “supernatural / magical / paranormal fiction,” and all of those people would be wrong.
This is a romance.
Barely even a paranormal romance, at that.
I don’t have anything against the romance genre. I really don’t. I swear I don’t think I’m too good for them or something dumb like that (books are books). I read a lot of them, actually, and yes, I rate a lot of them poorly, but that’s true of me in any genre. I’m dead inside, after all.
However.
Do NOT - I repeat, DO NOT - hand me a romance book and tell me it’s an atmospheric, unique, beautifully written fantasy unlike anything I’ve ever read or will ever read.
Because when it comes down to it, this is just a young adult fantasy from 2011 that completely f*cks up the adventure to romance ratio.
Like every single young adult fantasy from 2011.
I really liked the beginning of this book, when I was still under the devastatingly false impression that I was going to get what I wanted from it. I was excited about the Prague setting, which did feel atmospheric. I was excited about the prose, which was beautiful. I was excited about the world, which seemed promising.
But then some handsome bozo with a pair of wings showed up, and our firmly not-like-other-girls blue-haired protagonist had a VERY difficult time thinking of anything else.
Which made me have a VERY difficult time eking out any enjoyment of this book.
In fact, from that instalove-y point forward, through smitten conversation and eye contact that was roughly the gushiness equivalent of two heart-eyes emojis staring each other down, I got little to no enjoyment from it at all.
More on the “no” side, if I’m honest.
Bottom line: The best thing about reading this? I don’t have to be disappointed, because I got my copy for free from a neighbor and am under no obligation to continue reading this series.
------------
pre-review
once upon a time, there was a girl who picked up a book hoping for action and magic and fantastical adventures. instead, she got instalove, and her heart wept.
(that book was this book and that girl was me.)
review to come
------------
currently-reading updates
i have owned this for two years and this is the first time i've even opened it.
--
buddy read with nadhira
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Reading Progress
March 5, 2017
– Shelved
July 30, 2019
–
Started Reading
August 1, 2019
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-50 of 102 (102 new)
message 1:
by
Chelsea
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rated it 3 stars
Jul 30, 2019 12:29PM
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gasp! a spiritual buddy read!!
DOOOOO IT
DOOOOO IT"
i am doing it and i am having a blast
approx 25% of the way through, my thoughts are: I DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING BUT I THINK I LIKE IT
hmmm!!!
i don't usually do book a thons but i know there are a lot of goodreads groups dedicated to them!! thank you omg
i am liking the flowery writing...other things i'm not so sure about
those are fun i agree
it is not horrible. it is sometimes even fun (and then it stops being fun)
i'm suffering
this is my first book by her but i agree
💔
once upon a time those two girls were suffering twins yay!
Rachel wrote: "I did the same thing as Jamie, I just couldn’t get into either of them. I was so disappointed since everyone else seems to love Laini!"
honestly i like the wordiness!! it's the...everything else that gets in the way
YES EXACTLY!!! it was so promising!!! what happened!!!!!!
YES EXACTLY!!! it was so promising!!! what happened!!!!!!"
Yup. I was so looking forward to a really good Fantasy, and instead I got a mediocre Romance. Sigh.
I really wish publishers would stop mis-marketing books.
YES EXACTLY!!! it was so promising!!! what..."
i know...or stop thinking every YA fantasy has to contain a romance that overwhelms the actual, you know, plot
it's a travesty
the buddy read of a lifetime
i do like the prose but by the end that's the last thing i was thinking about
I think people either like this one or don't. Personally, I loved this series (and the writing)... but I know there are lots of people who feel the exact opposite!
ugh yeah i won't be continuing
the fairest ever
i do love you and think you're always right
soulmate!
E X A C T L Y
I think people either like this one or don't. Personally, I loved this series (and the writing)... but I ..."
for me the problem w instalove is that i just don't like reading it. so yes the explanation made sense but i don't enjoy it as a preference. it's a bummer b/c i love the writing!