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Review: Heartless by Marissa Meyer

Oct18

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Heartless by Marissa MeyerHeartless by Marissa Meyer
Published by Feiwel & Friends on November 8, 2016
Pages: 416
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
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three-stars

Long before she was the terror of Wonderland — the infamous Queen of Hearts — she was just a girl who wanted to fall in love.

Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland, and a favorite of the yet-unmarried King of Hearts, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, all she wants is to open a shop with her best friend and supply the Kingdom of Hearts with delectable pastries and confections. But according to her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for the young woman who could be the next Queen.

At a royal ball where Cath is expected to receive the king's marriage proposal, she meets Jest, the handsome and mysterious court joker. For the first time, she feels the pull of true attraction. At the risk of offending the King and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter into an intense, secret courtship.

Cath is determined to define her own destiny and fall in love on her terms. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans.

This book was an intriguing and imaginative take on the classic that fans of retellings will love! The writing and world are gorgeous, but that’s a given since this is Marissa Meyer! The characters are wonderfully reimagined – I love Meyer’s take on how certain characters got their starts and how they came to be as they are in present-day Wonderland.

I really liked Catherine. It was so interesting to see the infamous, feared Queen of Hearts as a young girl, kind and carefree. It was great seeing the way she evolved and how she came to be a true Queen. I also loved the way Meyer explained the origin of those chilling words – “Off with their heads!” And I loved her friendship with Mary Ann, but the way things ended made me sad panda.

The Joker was hilarious, kind and wonderful – if not slightly deceitful for keeping so many things from Catherine. Their story could have ended so differently had he been honest from the beginning. Even still, I did NOT expect his fate to be what it was. And the things his fate set into motion? Unbelievable!

There were SO many other characters that I could discuss, but we’d be here all night. This book has a huge cast of characters and they’re all interesting in their own right. Some are new to the story, like Jack (who was an ass) and Margaret (who was horrible) and others were beloved characters from the classic, like the white rabbit, Mr. Caterpillar and and the King of Hearts. But in true Marissa Meyer fashion, whether they were secondary characters or tertiary characters, they were incredible, multi-dimensional characters who you wanted to know more about!

One of my favorite things in Alice in Wonderland retellings is the Mad Hatter and his tea parties. And in that respect, this book did not disappoint! I LOVED Hatta and the way Meyer portrayed him and his story. However, I never fully trusted him. He reminded me of scheming, self-serving, devious Morpheus. I also loved the Cheshire Cat – another favorite of mine when it comes to Alice in Wonderland Retellings. I actually would have liked to see MORE of Cheshire, though, and would have loved to learn more about his backstory.

I definitely think this is the kind of retelling where, if you haven’t read the original classic, you’re fine and can follow along without an issue. BUT.. If you HAVE read the original, you definitely catch more. Meyer brings in a lot of elements from the classic, including certain elements of Wonderland and certain quotes from the original text. There are mentions of the Tulgey Wood, the Jabberwock, the Vorpal Sword, the Looking Glass maze, the foods that make you shrink/grow, the Hatter and his mad tea parties, etc.

Unfortunately – and it pains me to say this – I did have a few issues with this book. It’s a stand-alone, as far as I know, so it was a long book because it needed to tell a complete story. However, at times, it felt too long and dragged out. It also had a very slow start. Don’t get me wrong, the entire book was fascinating, but the beginning was just slow. I had to read nearly half the book to get to a point where things really started to pick up. But I also think this is because I put this book on a HIGH pedestal. I expected a LOT from this book and maybe I put too much pressure on it and maybe my expectations were unrealistic. It really was a great book, but I just wanted MORE – expected more.

Overall, though, this book was incredible. Marissa Meyer is an incredible story teller. She creates these amazing worlds and characters and you can’t help but fall head first down the rabbit hole (see what I did there?!?) and into the story. I HIGHLY recommend this book for fans of Marissa Meyer and fans of retellings!

three-stars

Review: Circle of Jinn by Lori Goldstein

Jun30

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Circle of Jinn by Lori GoldsteinCircle of Jinn by Lori Goldstein
Series: Becoming Jinn #2
Published by Feiwel & Friends on May 17, 2016
Pages: 400
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
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four-stars

Being Jinn is Azra’s new reality. As she grants wishes under the watchful eye of the Afrit council, she remains torn between her two worlds—human and Jinn. Soon, secrets spill. Zars are broken. Humans become pawns. And rumors of an uprising become real as the Afrit’s reach extends beyond the underground world of Janna.

Straddling the line becomes impossible. Aware of her unique abilities, Azra must not just face but embrace her destiny. But when the role she must play and those she must protect expand to include a circle of Jinn greater than her own, Azra will be forced to risk everything. A risk that means there’s everything to lose, and at the same time, everything to gain—for herself and her entire Jinn race.

In this dramatic sequel to Becoming Jinn, Azra’s story comes to a heartfelt and thrilling conclusion.

I finished this book over a month ago and I still haven’t been able to review it. I really enjoyed it, so I’m not sure why except that I’ve been in a bit of a blogging slump this year. Better late than never though, right? Still, its been awhile since I read this, so I’m a little fuzzy on the book’s details, but I remember enough to give you guys a general sense of the story. I’ll also keep this short and sweet, so I don’t ramble!

I truly enjoyed this book. I’m sad it’s the conclusion, as I was under the impression this was a trilogy, but I think Lori Goldstein did a wonderful job of wrapping things up. She also did a great job recounting what happened in book one while avoiding info-dumps. I didn’t feel totally lost, which was awesome (I’m sure it also helps that I read book one pretty recently!).

I loved the character growth in this book. Azra has definitely come a long way since book one when she didn’t even WANT to be a Jinn. She really embraced who she is and her destiny and I really liked the way her story ended. Yasmin, too, has grown a lot since the first book. I also loved the new characters we were introduced to – mainly Zak and Matin. I loved who they were, their backstories and their personalities. Matin, especially, was hilarious! I’m still not sure how I feel about the Henry and Nate situation… I love both guys, so it’s hard to decide if I’m happy with the way things went or not.

This book was intense with a lot of twists, turns and revelations. The ending was insane and epic! I don’t think it could have ended any other way! I couldn’t read this book fast enough and I didn’t want to put it down! Though I’m sad the series has come to an end, I’m so glad I read it – I loved it and I’m really satisfied with the way it ended and the way everything wrapped up for each character. I also adore Lori and can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!

four-stars

Review: Firewalker by Josephine Angelini

Mar8

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Firewalker by Josephine AngeliniFirewalker by Josephine Angelini
Series: The Worldwalker Trilogy #2
Published by Feiwel & Friends on September 1, 2015
Pages: 352
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
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three-stars

“I’m a witch, and witches burn.”

Lily Proctor has made it back to her own universe, and she’s ready to start a new life with Rowan by her side. True, she almost died in the pyre that fueled their escape, and they must hide her new magic or risk endangering the world, but compared to fighting the monstrous Woven and leading armies in the alternate Salem, life is looking good.

“You think I’m a monster, but…my choices, as ruthless as they seem, are justified.”

Unfortunately, Lillian, malevolent ruler of the 13 Cities, is not willing to let Lily go that easily. Lily is the closest version of herself she’s ever seen in all her worldwalking, and Lillian’s running out of time. If she can’t persuade Lily and Rowan to return to her world, she’ll have to find a way to make them come back.

Picking up right where Trial by Fire left off, Firewalker is another sexy, fast-paced thrill ride from author Josephine Angelini!

Well. This book surprised me. After the disaster that was Trial by Fire, I went into this with carefully controlled hope. I had my fingers crossed it would be better, but I wasn’t keeping my expectations high. Though there were some moments that were just as bad as they were in Trial by Fire, this book was otherwise MUCH improved. The plot was more intriguing, the pacing was better, the characters were more dynamic and likable and the offensive things from Trial by Fire were mentioned less in Firewalker (though, when mentioned, they were still offensive).

Let’s start with the characters. Though they still had their faults, they definitely improved from Trial by Fire. I still like Lillian more than Lily. Lillian’s story is much more intriguing. She’s the character you love to hate, who you know should be the villain but you just can’t see her like that. I loved that we saw more of her world and her backstory. I’m still a big Juliet fan, no matter what world she’s from.

I still don’t like Rowan. He improved for awhile and then his behavior at the end of the book made me hate him again and this time, I don’t think I can forgive him. Lily’s Tristan really grew in this book and I really started to like him. I think Lily forgave him way too easily, but I also liked them being friends again, so I was willing to overlook that. I HATE how his story ended, though. I really liked Una and Breakfast and their dynamic with Lily and Tristan, though the whole story surrounding them felt way to convenient – but again, I liked it, so I’m willing to overlook it.

I liked Rowan’s Tristan and Caleb, but we didn’t see a lot of them this time around and I wish we had. Also, the two Tristan thing was confusing! I still can’t stand Carrick – he did some exceptionally evil things in this book and I know he was working on Lillian’s behalf, but I feel like he also did certain things without her permission, so he’s a rogue warrior and beyond redemption.

The pacing in this book was WAY better than the pacing in Trial by Fire. Except things started to slow down after page 200 and I struggled to finish reading. I don’t know if that was the book or just me, as I’ve read several meh books in a row and was so disappointed with Trial by Fire and just wanted to be done with Firewalker. I think it was a little of both, honestly.

I also want to mention that, whenever someone shares a memory with Lily, Josephine Angelini writes the memory in first person (as opposed to third person). And I must say, her writing is much stronger in first person and I really enjoyed those parts! I think she should write in first person more often!

The racist remarks used to describe the Outlanders were fewer in this book, but still offensive when mentioned (specifically, when they were referred to as savages). Again (as I mentioned in my Trial by Fire review), I don’t feel I have the authority to say more on this, as a white woman, but I just found it very offensive, so I can’t imagine how those who identify as Native American and POC feel.

The over-sexualized willstone stuff was still there, but not mentioned as much. However, Lily’s time in the oubliette with Carrick and Carrick touching her willstones was compared to rape (with Lily saying what happened was her fault and Rowan calling her a survivor). This was offensive and frustrating.

So, overall, this book was MUCH better than Trial by Fire, but it still had plenty of faults. At this point, I’m still going to read the third book, Witche’s Pyre, because I want to see how the series ends. But I’m not going to get my hopes up for an epic ending to this meh trilogy. The end of Firewalker was kind of weird and they killed off some of the only characters I truly liked. So while I’m definitely reading book three, I’m not jumping for it or dying to read it. And I don’t know if I’d recommend Firewalker or not. Maybe if you enjoyed Trial by Fire or if you adore Josephine Angelini? But if you weren’t a fan of Trial by Fire, then I’d say think carefully before diving into Firewalker. It was better, but not by much.

three-stars

Review: Trial by Fire by Josephine Angelini

Mar7

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Trial by Fire by Josephine AngeliniTrial by Fire by Josephine Angelini
Series: The Worldwalker Trilogy #1
Published by Feiwel & Friends on September 2, 2014
Pages: 374
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
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two-stars

The exhilaratingly seductive new series from the author of the bestselling Starcrossed series

Love burns. Worlds collide. Magic reigns.

This world is trying to kill Lily Proctor. Her life-threatening allergies keep her from enjoying many of the experiences that other teenagers take for granted...which is why she is determined to enjoy her first (and perhaps only) high-school party. But Lily's life never goes according to plan, and after a humiliating incident in front of half her graduating class Lily wishes she could just disappear.

Suddenly Lily is in a different Salem - one overrun with horrifying creatures and ruled by powerful women called Crucibles. Strongest and cruellest of all the Crucibles is Lillian . . . Lily's identical other self in this alternate universe. This new version of her world is terrifyingly sensual, and Lily is soon overwhelmed by new experiences.

Lily realizes that what makes her weak at home is exactly what makes her extraordinary in New Salem. It also puts her life in danger. Thrown into a world she doesn't understand, Lily is torn between responsibilities she can't hope to shoulder alone, and a love she never expected.

But how can Lily be the saviour of this world when she is literally her own worst enemy?

PLEASE NOTE: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS. Because I need to rant and I can’t rant without spoilers. You’ve been warned.
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I think I read this out of some twisted sense of loyalty to Josephine Angelini because I loved her debut trilogy, Starcrossed, and because I LOVE the Salem Witch Trials. But this was PAINFUL to get through. Angelini was so focused on world-building that the plot was lost along the way. The characters were impossible to connect with. And the parts of the story pertaining to the willstones (I’ll explain later on in the review) were so over-sexualized, it was actually uncomfortable (and I’m no prude, but I’m telling you, it was uncomfortable). And the racism (Native American’s being called savages, etc) was disgusting.

I don’t even know where to start, to be honest, so I guess with the few things I did like? I actually liked the world-building in the beginning. I didn’t realize this was a multiple universes/parallel universes kind of thing – what even do you call that? What’s the difference? – and I’m not sure how I feel about it; however, the world Lily was pulled into was intriguing. At first.

I really liked Lillian in the beginning. We had barely even MET her and I knew liked her more than Lily, at least. She’s the villain who has your sympathy. I found myself drawn to her and her story and wanting to know more. I also liked her world better than Lily’s (as I mentioned above). And I liked Juliet – one of the few characters I really, truly liked. There were some moments that made me chuckle and smirk (dialogue between characters, in particular), but they were few and far between. The one thing I loved beyond a doubt was Angelini’s writing – her writing is what dragged me into Starcrossed and what had me dying to dig into Trial By Fire. I will say that the ending held promise for book two.

Now the things I didn’t like. Except for the few moments when I liked Lillian and Juliet, I really didn’t like these characters. They were flat and one dimensional and didn’t grow a lot over the course of the book. The men in this book, in particular, were basically all jerks and worse names that I’ll refrain from using. In particular, I couldn’t stand Lily’s Tristan and I couldn’t stand Rowan, Gideon or Carrick. Caleb wasn’t as bad as the others, but we got to know him the least.

I couldn’t stand the stuff with the willstones. The willstones were like a combination of the source of a person’s power and an amplifier of their power. And everything to do with the willstone was sexualized in the weirdest, most awkward and uncomfortable way. When a witch claims a willstones, the process is compared to/described as being birthed. And touching someone’s willstone can either be painful to them or positively orgasmic – seriously, that word wasn’t used but it was implied. And all the stuff with the mechanics being claimed by witches made them seem like objects, not people. Being claimed by a witch was akin to having sex.

Like, these are actual quotes:

“After dinner, Lily claimed Tristan.” = And… No one thought that sounded problematic?

“Fondle a witches willstones…” = … Umm… I…

“So it’s like sex?” = Like, Lily ACTUALLY straight-up asks this

“Well, I’ve never done this with a girl.” = I’m not kidding, this is said in relation to a claiming.

Also, Lily had to get naked in front of Rowan and Tristan for a certain spell. Umm.. Why? Why did she have to be naked??

A potential or implied date rape also happened. WHY?!?!? THIS IS THE SECOND BOOK I’VE READ IN A ROW WITH THAT! WHY WHY WHY?!?!? SOMEONE TELL ME WHY!!! AUTHORS, STOP DOING THIS!!!!

There were also a lot of racist remarks when it came to the Outlanders, who were described often as being Native Americans, savages, mixed races, darker colors, etc. And, of course, they were the non-citizens who were forced to live unprotected outside the cities, but who could still be jailed, tried and executed for breaking the laws. Because of course. I don’t feel I have the authority to say more on this, as a white woman, but I just found it very offensive, so I can’t imagine how those who identify as Native American and POC feel.

I don’t know if the pacing itself was off or if it was just all the problems I had with this book, but the pacing was sooo slow. Again, I loved the world-building (in the beginning and for the most part, that is), but I think the plot got lost in all the world-building and that made me question what the point of this book even was. So that made it even harder to push through it.

Despite all that, the ending held some promise and I will still be reading book two – if only because I foolishly bought it, assuming I’d LOVE book one. Because I loved Angelini’s first trilogy and I love the Salem Witch Trials, I assumed this book was an instant 5-star read. Boy, was I wrong.. *head desk.*

two-stars

Review: Becoming Jinn by Lori Goldstein

Dec21

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Becoming Jinn by Lori GoldsteinBecoming Jinn by Lori Goldstein
Series: Becoming Jinn #1
Published by Feiwel & Friends on April 21, 2015
Pages: 384
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
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four-stars

Forget everything you thought you knew about genies!

Azra has just turned sixteen, and overnight her body lengthens, her olive skin deepens, and her eyes glisten gold thanks to the brand-new silver bangle that locks around her wrist. As she always knew it would, her Jinn ancestry brings not just magical powers but the reality of a life of servitude, as her wish granting is controlled by a remote ruling class of Jinn known as the Afrit.

To the humans she lives among, she’s just the girl working at the snack bar at the beach, navigating the fryer and her first crush. But behind closed doors, she’s learning how to harness her powers and fulfill the obligations of her destiny.

Mentored by her mother and her Zar “sisters”, Azra discovers she may not be quite like the rest of her circle of female Jinn . . . and that her powers could endanger them all. As Azra uncovers the darker world of becoming Jinn, she realizes when genies and wishes are involved, there’s always a trick.

I loved Becoming Jinn! I finished it in TWO days because I couldn’t put it down! I’m so sorry I didn’t read it sooner! The world of the Jinn, the magic and the rules – the way there are serious consequences to wish granting – are all intriguing. The characters are awesome and the life lessons are relatable. Lori Goldstein is a great writer and she really sucked me into her story. I had some minor issues with it, but overall, it was a wonderful read!

Azra is a bit tough to like in the beginning. Though I loved having an MC who refusec to sit back and accept their “destiny” (Because, really, not EVERYONE wants to be a vampire slayer, a chosen one, or the only one who can save the world); however, at times her attitude was awful and she could be really mean and dismissive to those who were close to her (her mom, her Zar “aunts” and her Zar “sisters”). I was really torn between feeling bad for her, for this destiny that was forced on her, this destiny that she doesn’t want and really just hating her attitude. I definitely think she grows a LOT by the end of the book. I was incredibly intrigued by the revelations about her and her family and I can’t wait to see what it means for her in the sequel.

I really couldn’t stand Yasmin for the majority of the book. She was so terrible to Azra – but then again, Azra wasn’t exactly nice to her or the other Zar sisters, either. But the more I read, the more I felt for Yasmin and her situation, especially by the very end. I understood where she was coming from and why she did the things she did. I really liked Laila, though, from beginning to end. She was one of my favorite characters! I felt very bad for her at one point and I hope she and Azra can reconcile!

As for the other three Zar sisters, – Hana, Mina and Farrah – well, they kind of faded into the background. I couldn’t really tell them apart from each other and I don’t really have much to say about them. The same can be said for the mothers: While I have many thoughts on Kalyssa, Samara and Raina (the mothers of Azra, Laila and Yasmin, in that order), I don’t really have much to say about the other three. They sort of faded into the background and weren’t as integral to the story. As for Kalyssa, Samara and Raina, they were so frustrating! I hated how cryptic and secretive they were. If they’d just TOLD their daughters the truth, maybe things would have turned out differently.

I really liked both Henry and Nate. Henry definitely had some odd moments, though, where he seemed a bit immature. I definitely felt for him and his family situation though. I definitely got the friend vibe from him and I hope he and Azra remain friends because I really enjoyed their friendship (And YA could use more female/male friendships). I liked Nate and Azra together, though, and I really hope things can work out for them! Poor Nate dealt with a LOT in this book and I’m (morbidly) curious to see what happens next for him.

Also, I really can’t stand the Afrit. Like, not at all! And we haven’t even officially met them. but they make me REALLY angry!!!! :(

Something really interesting about this book: Though it was about Jinn, it had a major contemporary feel to it. I really, really liked that because it made it more relatable. It’s not a book about a Jinn who also happens to be a teenage girl – it’s about a teenage girl who also happens to be a Jinn. It’s Azra trying to live her normal life while dealing with this huge family obligation – something many teens can relate to.

The ending was really crazy, with a ton of revelations and intriguing things. It was also sad and heartbreaking. But it sets things up nicely for the next book – which I just read the synopsis for and it’s also the conclusion!!! For some reason, I thought this was a trilogy and it’s actually a duology and that makes me sad panda :( But that also means the next book will be epic and intense and I can’t wait!!!

Overall, this book was really an amazing read. Though I had some minor issues with certain characters, as well as some pacing issues near the end, I really enjoyed the majority of it. I’m really happy with the character development and growth and, as I mentioned, the world and the Jinn magic and rules were really epic! If you love stories about Jinn, Genies and magic, I definitely recommend this one! And if you aren’t a huge fan of Jinn/Genie stories (which I wasn’t, really), then I also definitely recommend this book because, as I said, it really has a contemporary feel to it and the lessons learned are really relatable! Lori Goldstein is a great writer and I can’t wait to see what she does next!

four-stars

Review: Fairest by Marissa Meyer

Dec1
Review: Fairest by Marissa MeyerFairest by Marissa Meyer
Series: The Lunar Chronicles #3.5
Published by Feiwel & Friends on January 27, 2015
Pages: 222
Format: Hardcover
Buy on Amazon
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three-stars

In this stunning bridge book between Cress and Winter in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles, Queen Levana’s story is finally told.

Mirror, mirror on the wall,
Who is the fairest of them all?

Fans of the Lunar Chronicles know Queen Levana as a ruler who uses her “glamour” to gain power. But long before she crossed paths with Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, Levana lived a very different story – a story that has never been told . . . until now.

Marissa Meyer spins yet another unforgettable tale about love and war, deceit and death. This extraordinary book includes full-color art and an excerpt from Winter, the next book in the Lunar Chronicles series.

Fairest was an intriguing read. I didn’t really know what to expect from it when I started reading, though I hoped for Levana’s backstory and answers to some burning questions – and that’s exactly what I got. Fairest didn’t make me like Levana any more or less than I already did; however, it definitely made me feel bad for her after learning all that she went through.

Young Levana was hard to grasp. She was still evil, but she had these odd moments of kindness mixed in with the evilness of the present-day Levana that we all love to hate (and hate to love). It was easy to see why she was so cruel – cruelty is all she ever knew. Channary was cruel and her parents didn’t love her, Channary or each other. So how could she be expected to express love and kindness when she never experienced it? Aside from loving Hayle, that is. And even that was more of an obsession than love.

Speaking of Channary.. Wow, considering how wonderful, kind and brave Cinder is, Channary was just cruel beyond words! I never expected Cinder’s mother to be so heartless. I can’t remember if this was hinted at in any of the books previously (though I’m fairly certain it was), but it still really threw me off my guard. It was so bad, Channary actually made Levana look like the nice sister! You know it’s bad when Levana is the sane, kind one…

I mentioned this in my Winter review, but it’s worth repeating: The scary thing about Levana is, she actually thinks her actions are justified. Her mind is so twisted, her sense of right and wrong so warped, she doesn’t even realize she’s doing bad things. And that makes her even more insane and dangerous. It also makes her an epic villain. While Channary was cruel just because she could be, Levana was cruel without even realizing she was being cruel. She completely convinced herself that her actions would lead to the betterment of Luna.

A lot of things made more sense after reading Fairest. Pieces of the puzzle slowly fell into place and I found myself saying, “Ah, so that’s how that happened!” a lot. Things that were mentioned in Cinder, Scarlet, Cress and Winter – whether they were hinted at or fully discussed – were finally put into context. That was probably my favorite part of this book – as was seeing Cinder as a young Princess Selene, playing with little Princess Winter. Those things made Fairest a worth-while read!

Overall, if you’re a Lunar Chronicles fan, this is definitely a must-read. You might not end up liking Levana any more or less than you did by the end of Winter, but you’ll understand her and her actions more. Fairest really fills in the blanks. And again, seeing young Princess Selene, young Princess Winter and young Jacin (!!!) is really fun!

three-stars

Review: Winter by Marissa Meyer

Nov30
Review: Winter by Marissa MeyerWinter by Marissa Meyer
Series: The Lunar Chronicles #4
Published by Feiwel & Friends on November 10, 2015
Pages: 827
Format: Hardcover
Buy on Amazon
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three-half-stars

Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.

Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won’t approve of her feelings for her childhood friend—the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn’t as weak as Levana believes her to be and she’s been undermining her stepmother’s wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that’s been raging for far too long.

Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters?

This book, you guys… I don’t even know where to begin! There were parts that were beyond epic and there were parts that were meh. It pains me to say that, but sadly, it’s true. The characters were mostly their usual epic selves and Marissa Meyer is forever the most beautiful story-teller I have ever encountered. She pulls you into the story to such a degree, you almost forget you’re reading a fictional book. However, on the flip side, the pacing was off in a major way and it severely impacted my feels.

I still love Cinder. She’s still my favorite of the four heroines. She’s come such a long way since Cinder. She’s grown, matured and embraced her destiny – which she did in Cress, but really did in Winter. She’s fierce, brave, loyal and overall awesome. Sadly, though, my Cinder/Kai Ship crashed and sank. Hard. No, this isn’t a spoiler because I’m not telling you whether or not they ended up together. This is my personal opinion on their relationship. After everything that went down between them, and though I still like Kai as a character, I just don’t ship them anymore.

Scarlet was still my least favorite character, though she definitely grew on me. She played a bigger role in Winter and I liked seeing her separate from Wolf a little bit. I’m still also not completely a Wolf fan, either.

Cress and Thorne were, by far, my favorite couple in this book and this series. I’d even go as far as to say they’re my Lunar Chronicles OTP. Cress was my second favorite of the four heroines and Thorne was my favorite of the guys, way above and beyond the others. I loved their stories, the progression of their relationship and their chemistry. Cress might not be able to hold her own in a fight the way the others can (though she certainly got better with this in Winter), but she’s able to contribute in so many other ways. And I love the way Thorne is her complete opposite. They just work so well together! I’d LOVE a spin-off with Thorne and Cress aboard the Rampion, with all their adventures and traveling.

I was really looking forward to meeting Princess Winter. Though I loved many things about her, I think my expectations were a bit high, so I was a little let down once we met her. But I still completely adored her and she’s my third favorite of the four heroines. Her mind is so warped and she views things so differently. Everyone tries to write her off for being “crazy,” but I think she thinks more clearly than any of the others at times. Aside from Cinder, Winter had the most to lose if they didn’t defeat Levana. Winter was brave and fierce in her ability to stand up to Levana, despite knowing what was at stake should they fail. I also loved Jacin. I had a lot of trouble trusting him, trying to determine who’s side he was actually on (especially after this one thing he did that made me rage… a lot…). But I never doubted his feelings for and loyalty towards Winter. I also loved the weird, crazy friendship that developed between Scarlet and Winter (probably the only times I actually liked Scarlet, period).

I completely and 100% ship Iko and Kinney. That is all. No, but really.. We saw a lot more of Iko in this book than we have in previous books and I just completely adore her. She’s an epic character and I’d so petition for a spin-off with her and Kinney. Or just her in general. I’m not picky!

The scary thing with Levana is, she actually thinks she’s being a kind, fair ruler, loved by her people. Her mind is so twisted, her sense of right and wrong so warped, she doesn’t even realize she’s doing bad things. And that makes her even more insane and dangerous. It also makes her an epic villain – my favorite kind of villain, honestly. I still wanted to smack her a LOT for how evil and twisted she was. But I also kind of felt bad for her. It was a REALLY strange juxtaposition of feelings.

My biggest issue with this book was how long it was. And I’m probably in the minority with this opinion. But.. Man, this book did NOT need to be 800+ pages. So many scenes were unnecessary. So many scenes were dragged out beyond necessity. So many scenes became repetitive. I just ended up getting really bored. I think, if Meyer REALLY felt she needed 827 pages to finish the story, then it should have been divided into two books. That, or they should have found a way to shave at least 300 pages off. Because they could have and the book would have been even better! Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind long books – when it’s needed. But with Winter, I just don’t think it was needed. But again, most people LOVED the length and don’t agree with my above opinion, which is okay! I totally understand and respect that. But for me.. It just didn’t work.

I will say, though, the last 200-ish pages REALLY picked up! And once things picked up, they never slowed down! Well.. Not until the last chapter or so. Because at that point, the ending (like, the VERY ending) felt a bit anticlimactic and sort of.. Unfulfilling. Which, guys.. It hurts my heart to say this! I’ve LOVED this series. But… Sigh.

Overall – length, pacing and anti-climatic ending aside – this was still an epic read. I still love these characters. Worry and fear for them kept me on the edge of my seat. Meyer is still a gorgeous story-teller, as well. I was so pulled into this world, sometimes it felt weird when I put the book down and had to adjust back to “real life.” I wish it had been a bit shorter and more streamlined. And I wish the ending had felt more fulfilling. But I’m happy to have gone on this journey with these characters. I’m mostly satisfied with how their stories ended, though I’m eager for Stars Above and hoping it gives us a little bit more closure.

If you loved the first three books in the series, you’re almost guaranteed to love Winter. If you haven’t read Cinder, Scarlet or Cress yet, I highly suggest you do! (Also, WTH are you doing reading this spoilery-ish review?!?!?!)!!! And if you’re a fan of fairy tale retellings, then I, again, definitely recommend this series and this book!

three-half-stars

Review: Shutter by Courtney Alameda

Jan29

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Shutter by Courtney AlamedaShutter by Courtney Alameda
Published by Feiwel & Friends on February 3, 2015
Pages: 384
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

Horror has a new name: introducing Courtney Alameda.

Micheline Helsing is a tetrachromat—a girl who sees the auras of the undead in a prismatic spectrum. As one of the last descendants of the Van Helsing lineage, she has trained since childhood to destroy monsters both corporeal and spiritual: the corporeal undead go down by the bullet, the spiritual undead by the lens. With an analog SLR camera as her best weapon, Micheline exorcises ghosts by capturing their spiritual energy on film. She's aided by her crew: Oliver, a techno-whiz and the boy who developed her camera's technology; Jude, who can predict death; and Ryder, the boy Micheline has known and loved forever.

When a routine ghost hunt goes awry, Micheline and the boys are infected with a curse known as a soulchain. As the ghostly chains spread through their bodies, Micheline learns that if she doesn't exorcise her entity in seven days or less, she and her friends will die. Now pursued as a renegade agent by her monster-hunting father, Leonard Helsing, she must track and destroy an entity more powerful than anything she's faced before . . . or die trying.

Lock, stock, and lens, she’s in for one hell of a week.

Shutter is pretty much everything I could want in a book and then some. From the second I learned the premise, I knew I had to have it and I couldn’t wait to read it! It has demons, demon hunters, Van Helsing descendants, Dracula mythology and some amazing characters! I really loved the world that Courtney Alameda created, as a whole.

Micheline was a tough-as-nails, pro-active heroine. One of my favorite quotes from her is, “He couldn’t do this to me, couldn’t lock me away and expect someone else to save my life.” Honestly, this line completely describes Micheline’s personality. She was head-strong, refusing to sit on the sidelines while others fought her battles. She didn’t want to wait for someone else to save her. But her stubborn personality also meant she was wreckless at times, often getting herself into worse predicaments than if she had just been patient and waited for – or asked for – help. Still, I liked her leadership and how protective she was of her “boys.”

I really loved Ryder. He was such a great character. He was very loyal to Micheline’s father and wanted to follow all the rules, yet he broke the biggest, most important rule of them all. He was a strong fighter and he and Micheline worked well together. I completely shipped them!!! There was one moment where I was so terrified for him, my heart was ponding a mile a minute. I literally had to stop reading and scream “NO!! THAT DID NOT JUST HAPPEN!!!!!”

Oliver was one of my favorite secondary characters. I loved his backstory – well, what we learned of it – and his role in the group. I really would have loved to get to know him better. Like with Ryder, there were several moments where I feared for Oliver and his safety. I really loved Jude, as well. He seemed to have the most tragic back-story of the three boys and I just wanted to reach into the book and give him a hug. He tried so hard to be tough, but I could tell that underneath all of that, he was just a nice guy who wanted to do his job right and protect his friends. I definitely think Micheline’s protectiveness rubbed off on me; I was constantly panicking over the boys, praying they were okay and alive and panicking when they were hurt, injured – or worse.. And Gemma… Sigh.. :(

Kennedy was an awesome character! For some reason, he kind of reminded me of Finnick from Hunger Games. He was a good little soldier who just wanted to do what was right. And even though I 100% shipped Micheline and Ryder, there was a small part of me that could completely see Micheline and Kennedy together. Another character worth mentioning is Bianca. She was one tough cookie and I wish we could have learned more about her.

Obviously, I couldn’t stand Micheline’s father, though I think he had his reasons… Maybe.. I hope.. And obviously I could’t stand Luca. I knew, right off the bat, that Micheline shouldn’t trust him.. I was completely shocked by his identity reveal, though. I mean, I guessed something close to what it really was, but I never imagined it being what it was. It was a bit cliche but also completely perfect

The camera aspect of the book was really intriguing and unique, though some of the technical stuff went right over my head. It definitely added to the story and I don’t think the book could have worked without it, but I just had trouble understanding some of it. The idea of the soulchain curse was so interesting, though! It kind of reminded me of the old AOL days when you’d send chain mail to all your friends, “Send this to 15 people within the hour or you’ll be cursed with bad luck for the next 20 years.” I don’t know if anyone else felt that way … Or if I’m dating myself here and half of you don’t even know what AOL is…. But it’s all I could think about as I read!

The ending was crazy intense. The Obscura was creepy and reminded me of the Netherworld in Rachel Vincent’s Soul Screamers books. I guessed who the entity was fairly early on, but my theories on the entity’s motives were only half right. Still, even with guessing the big twist early on, I still loved the ending and how crazy, intense and epic it was.

I only had a few minor issues with Shutter. The pace slowed down a lot in Night Three. I had to really push myself to read this section. However, Night Four really picks up in speed and intensity. As I mentioned earlier, some of the technological mumbo jumbo with the cameras went over my head, though the camera aspect was awesome and I loved how it made the book unique. Finally, I’m a horror buff and I had heard Shutter was seriously creepy. I’m a tough nut to crack when it comes to horror. Not much makes me jump, so I wasn’t as creeped out by Shutter as I’d hoped to be. There were definitely some disgusting scenes that made me shudder and the cover for sure creeps me out. So, I would have liked to see.. more, but again, I LOVE horror and not much creeps me out. I’ve spoken to others who couldn’t even read Shutter at night because it creeped them out so much!

Overall, not only did Shutter meet my expectations, it exceeded them. I loved the characters, the world, the explanations/mythology and pretty much everything about this book. I had a few slight issues, but they didn’t effect my feelings on the book or my rating at all. I’m crossing my fingers this is a series because I’m desperate to explore this world more. I want to learn more about the various species of necros and I want to learn more about the characters. I want to see more of the back-story and discover more about Luca and what his presence means for Helsing Corps. Really, I just want to read another Courtney Alameda book. I definitely think she’s an author to watch out for. I can’t wait to see what she does next!

four-stars

Review: Mortal Danger by Ann Aguirre

Aug23

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Mortal Danger by Ann AguirreMortal Danger by Ann Aguirre
Series: Immortal Game #1
Published by Feiwel & Friends on August 5, 2014
Pages: 372
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
three-half-stars

Revenge is a dish best served cold.

In Ann Aguirre's Mortal Danger, Edie Kramer has a score to settle with the beautiful people at Blackbriar Academy. Their cruelty drove her to the brink of despair, and four months ago, she couldn’t imagine being strong enough to face her senior year. But thanks to a Faustian compact with the enigmatic Kian, she has the power to make the bullies pay. She’s not supposed to think about Kian once the deal is done, but devastating pain burns behind his unearthly beauty, and he’s impossible to forget.

In one short summer, her entire life changes and she sweeps through Blackbriar, prepped to take the beautiful people down from the inside. A whisper here, a look there, and suddenly . . . bad things are happening. It’s a head rush, seeing her tormentors get what they deserve, but things that seem too good to be true usually are, and soon, the pranks and payback turns from delicious to deadly. Edie is alone in a world teeming with secrets and fiends lurking in the shadows. In this murky morass of devil’s bargains, she isn’t sure who—or what—she can trust. Not even her own mind.

TRIGGER WARNING: This book can be considered a trigger book. Meaning, if things such as depression, suicidal thoughts and suicide upset you, you might not want to read this book; therefore, you might also want to skip reading this review, since I discuss the main character’s experience with bullying and suicidal thoughts/tendencies in relation to the plot.

I’m very conflicted over how to review Mortal Danger. On the one hand, it was amazing! Creepy, bullying gone wrong, revenge taken to a deadly level. On the other hand, parts of the book were morbid, upsetting and borderline emotionally traumatizing. Not to mention the fact that it took me 18 days to finish it – In the beginning, that was totally me and not the book. But near the end? It was definitely the book. Certain sections dragged, certain sections felt like filler and the pacing slowed down a lot.

Edie was an… interesting character. But for the most part, I liked her. She wasn’t a strong, take-charge character in the beginning. She was ready to end her own life, to end the bullying she had experienced – the truly horrible and and heinous bullying. And then she makes a deal with the devil to take back her “life” and even the score with her tormentors. And, of course, this doesn’t end well for anyone involved – and even those not involved. As the story goes on, she gets a little bit stronger and more confident, but she still isn’t very take-charge. I can understand why, given the circumstances, but I hope this changes in book two. I have the feeling Edie is a fighter.. She just hasn’t shown us that side of herself yet.

Despite all that, Edie was definitely a relatable character. For the most part, everyone experiences bullying in some form or another at some point in their lives. It’s easy to picture yourself in her place and wonder, “What would I have done?” Edie goes through some truly horrifying things and she DOES some truly horrifying things in the name of revenge. You never want to think you’re capable of any of the things she did. But in her shoes, it really makes you wonder.

Edie’s relationship with Kian was confusing and hard to grasp. One minute, she loved him and the fact that he loved her before her “changes.” The next second, she’s questioning his loyalty. Five seconds later, she’s swooning over him. I know a lot of people hated this back-and-forth. For the most part, I was fine with it. It felt realistic that she was conflicted. Honestly, I’d be concerned if she HADN’T been conflicted. But near the end, after suffering through almost the whole book with her indecision, it did start to grate on my nerves. I didn’t like going back-and-forth, wondering if I could trust him or not. It distracted me from the story. It especially sucks because I LOVED their chemistry in the beginning, but it just unravels throughout the whole book.

Kian himself.. Meh. I found myself swooning over him in the beginning, but then he got dull and weird. Plus, Edie constantly questioning him made ME question him, which made me not like him as much.

It became very apparant very quickly that Edie was in over her head. It was so easy for her to condemn those that had bullied her. She literally sold her soul to get back at them. But just as they didn’t know her, she didn’t know them. She didn’t know what was going on in their lives to make them behave that way… Everyone has a story, even bullies. You just never know and can never assume. It doesn’t make it right and it’s not an excuse.. Not at all. But still. This was the case for almost every member of, as Edie called it, the Teflon circle. And as the story went on, Edie learned this lesson the hard way.

There were a LOT of secondary characters in this book, so I’m just going to touch on some of them briefly. I loved, loved, loved Vi, Ryu and Seth. I really liked Davina and Jen, though I never completely trusted Jen and I don’t feel like we got any resolution on that – Hopefully we will by the end of book two! I wanted to bitch slap Allison and Brittany. I REALLY wanted to punch Cameron and Russ a few times. Some of the characters, though… I wouldn’t wish their fates on my worst enemy.

The last sixty or so pages were really hard to read for so many reasons. Honestly, if it hadn’t taken me almost three weeks to read and if I hadn’t been so close to the end, I would have DNF’d the book. There were two twists that weren’t shocking or twisty at all. I could see them coming from a mile away. And while I usually don’t mind that – I love having my hunches validated – in this case, I felt really annoyed and let down. It was SO predictable, it wasn’t even fun to get that confirmation.

Overall, I still recommend this book. I had a LOT going on in my personal life, which is the main reason it took me so long to read it. And I’m sure that’s also why some things hit me really hard, emotionally. I still loved the book, despite everything. What annoyed me may not annoy other people. I will warn you again that this can be considered a trigger book so be cautious if you’re easily upset by the previously mentioned trigger warnings.

Basically, this book ripped my heart out and stomped on my feels. If you’re looking for a semi-scary/creepy/horror-type book, then I definitely recommend this. Though I had some issues with it, I’m still excited for book two and can’t WAIT to get my hands on it!

three-half-stars

Review: Broken Hearts, Fences and Other Things to Mend by Katie Finn

May15

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Broken Hearts, Fences and Other Things to Mend by Katie FinnBroken Hearts, Fences and Other Things to Mend by Katie Finn
Series: Broken Hearts & Revenge #1
Published by Feiwel & Friends on May 13, 2014
Pages: 352
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

Summer, boys, and friendships gone sour. This new series has everything that perfect beach reads are made of!

Gemma just got dumped and is devastated. She finds herself back in the Hamptons for the summer—which puts her at risk of bumping into Hallie, her former best friend that she wronged five years earlier. Do people hold grudges that long?

When a small case of mistaken identity causes everyone, including Hallie and her dreamy brother Josh, to think she’s someone else, Gemma decides to go along with it.

Gemma's plan is working (she's finding it hard to resist Josh), but she's finding herself in embarrassing situations (how could a bathing suit fall apart like that!?). Is it coincidence or is someone trying to expose her true identity? And how will Josh react if he finds out who she is?

Katie Finn hits all the right notes in this perfect beginning to a new summer series: A Broken Hearts & Revenge novel.

Broken Hearts, Fences and Other Things to Mend was such an amazing book, I don’t think I can wait until 2015 for the sequel! Revenge, forgiveness, betrayal and lies. Those four words sum this book up pretty well!

Gemma was both an amazing character and a character I just wanted to yell at. At times, her actions were so frustrating, I just wanted to slap her or shake her silly until she listened to reason and common sense. In the beginning, I definitely thought she was a bit bratty and self-absorbed. She was also really immature in her relationship. Honestly, in the beginning, when she suffered certain embarrassing situations, I actually felt she deserved it. I lost some respect for her near the middle-end, but she sort of redeemed her self when all was said and done – what she did took a lot of guts. I would have liked to see more character growth in Gemma (maybe that will happen in the next book?), but despite all my complaints, she was still a (mostly) likable and fun character.

Of all the characters, I actually really loved Hallie. If I had to pick a character I could relate to the most, it would be Hallie. She was basically bullied and picked on by the girl who was supposed to be her best friend. Her life was almost ruined – her family’s whole reputation, in fact. I don’t blame her for being hurt and angry and upset. I even found it believable that she held a grudge for five years. If I’m being honest, in her shoes, I would have, too! I STILL look back to when I was in elementary school (and that was a LONG, long time ago) and I still wish I’d handled things differently with the girl who bullied me. Sometimes, I imagine that I stood up for myself back then and got back at her enough that she left me alone. Other times, I try to imagine what I would say if I saw her today. So I definitely found it believable that Hallie would still be angry after all this time.

I would actually love to see some scenes from Hallie’s POV in Revenge, Ice Cream, and Other Things Best Served Cold (Broken Hearts & Revenge, #2). She really did end up becoming my favorite character!

Now, I know we didn’t see a lot of Teddy… But I hated him and never liked how he treated Gemma. But Josh… I LOVED Josh. Until the end, of course, but I think he’s redeemable! But Josh was a gentleman, a hero, adorable and hilarious. He was a bit cheesy sometimes, but I just wanted to crawl into his lap and cuddle! Or… Uh.. Can we pretend he’s 18? No? Okay… Then… I wanted to stalk him from afar! He was just.. perfect. One scene in particular.. I don’t want to spoil you guys… But he was amazing, calm and collected, considering!

I knew, almost from the very first “incident” that someone was behind it… And I had a feeling I knew who that was. I also had a hunch about who a certain person was. And I also had a feeling a certain person knew more than they were letting on… And I know that’s all extremely vague and I’m kinda rambling. But my point it, I totally guessed all the twists in this book, starting around page 45. And every hunch I had? I was right! Now, I always have the same issue when this happens – I’m both excited that I was right and a little let down that it was so predictable. But in this case, with this particular book, I was REALLY excited to be right!

Overall, though I wasn’t a huge fan of Gemma or certain elements of the story, I really enjoyed this book. I found I couldn’t put it down and, when I did have to, I could think of nothing else but picking it back up! I was DESPERATE to know who was behind the “embarrassing situations” Gemma found herself in (though my hunch was correct!). I’ve never finished a book and been THIS DESPERATE for book two! Like.. I need it now, please and thank you! Katie Finn is an amazing writer and I’m definitely going to check out the rest of her books, including the ones written under her alter-ego, Morgan Matson! And I HIGHLY recommend this book, in case that wasn’t clear!

four-stars