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Alyssa Susanna has commented on (17) products
Spectacle
by
Rachel Vincent
Alyssa Susanna
, May 30, 2017
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Spectacle by Rachel Vincent Book Two of the Menagerie series Publisher: Harlequin MIRA Publication Date: May 30, 2017 Rating: 3 stars Source: eARC from NetGalley Summary (from Goodreads): In this riveting sequel to New York Times bestselling author Rachel Vincent's acclaimed novel Menagerie, Delilah Marlow will discover that there is no crueler cage than the confines of the human mind… When their coup of Metzger's Menagerie is discovered, Delilah and her fellow cryptids find their newly won freedom brutally stripped away as they are sold into The Savage Spectacle, a private collection of "exotic wildlife." Specializing in ruthless cryptid cage matches, safari-style creature hunts and living party favors, the Spectacle's owner, Willem Vandekamp, caters to the forbidden fetishes of the wealthy and powerful. At the Spectacle, any wish can be granted—for the right price. But Vandekamp's closely guarded client list isn't the only secret being kept at the Spectacle. Beneath the beauty and brutality of life in the collection lie much darker truths, and no one is more determined than Delilah to strip the masks from the human monsters and drag all dark things into the light. What I Liked: Let me say two things before I start my commentary: (1) This book is not bad, and I think it will be very successful and a good addition to the series. Please read my full thoughts before jumping to the conclusion of "Alyssa gave the book three stars so it must not be good!". (2) This review might be shorter than usual because my thoughts and feelings on this book are not going to be an accurate reflection of the book's quality. Usually I write my reviews based on technical aspects and categories (character development, plot, world-building, etc.), but I don't think I can construct a fair review based on those items, based on my physical reaction to this book. You'll see what I mean. Actually, this review is going to be somewhat similar to my review of Menagerie. I thought that book was good, well-written, but I suffered as I was reading it. Like Menagerie, there are cruel and disgusting aspects of this book. Unlike Menagerie, or compared to Menagerie, the cruel and disgusting aspects get worse, in Spectacle. In essence, Delilah and the Menagerie gang get kidnapped and forced into the Savage Spectacle, which is different from the Menagerie. The Savage Spectacle is cleaner with better conditions... yet, worse conditions. Each cryptid is outfitted with a collar that has needles that go directly into the spine, which can sense neural and hormonal impulses. Every impulse, action, even thought is controlled. Worse - the Spectacle is all about private engagements and satisfying clients with cryptid fetishes. Yep. Reread that again and imagine what I'm talking about. Vincent did an amazing job with this story - I can't imagine it having been easy to write. Every disgusting act, every choice taken away, every forced action - I hated all of it but I can't deny that everything was well-written and not without its place. I adored Delilah, and Gallager, and the crew. I hated what was done to them, but I loved seeing their strength and self-preservation win out. No romance in this book, though there are some... odd things that happen. In general, it's a sequel that will rip you apart and hurt you, but it is a good book. What I Did Not Like: There are so many things wrong with this story, I can't even begin to list them even if I wanted to (but I won't, because of spoilers). Notice I'm talking about the story and not the book (note the distinction). Vincent is shining a light on some gruesome and horrible topics, and I take no issue with that. Sort of. I think my problem is that I hated everything that happened in this book, and I didn't - couldn't - enjoy the story. There are no trigger warnings, nothing to help someone decide if this is a book for them. Let me just say: there is rape in this book. There is lack of consent. There is sexual abuse and sexual harassment. Wills (willpower) are taken, choices are taken, freedom is taken. A person's body is not their own, physically, mentally, or in a reproductive way. Loss of memory, loss of control, loss of the ability to communicate - the story is filled with these things. Can you imagine? I needed warnings. Put yourself in the shoes of a rape survivor, or sexual abuse survivor. This book is disturbing and horrifying - as it is meant to be! - and I could not enjoy it. I do not begrudge anyone their high rating or praise of this book, but I couldn't enjoy this story. I recognize that it is not the book itself that should be put down - but I'm being honest here: I hated the story. Three stars, because it's not the book, it's the actions and behaviors that exist in this world and should not be ignored. But, three stars, because I could not stomach this story. Call me whatever name you want, but I couldn't do it. Yes, I finished the book. Yes, I know, all of the things in this book exist (in some way) in real life. In Menagerie, I sort of got used to the "disturbing" aspects of the story. In Spectacle? Everything was one hundred times worse. Menagerie seemed just barely disturbing compared to Spectacle. So there was no way for me to "get used to anything", to become desensitized. Would I Recommend It: I do not recommend Spectacle. I do not recommend Menagerie. These are not easy books to read, and honestly they get worse and worse in terms of graphic content. Worse NOT in terms of the quality of the storytelling, but worse in terms of what the characters have to experience and face. Call me a snowflake, call me fragile, I don't care - these books are not for everyone. Definitely (unfortunately) not for me. I thought I could handle it with Menagerie, but clearly I was wrong with Spectacle. I can't finish this series. I can't think about how bad book three will be. Don't take my word for it though, if you've already read Menagerie and you're really interested in this book. But if you haven't read Menagerie, think about what you'll be reading before you start the book. Message or email me with questions, if you want. Although I have to say, I'm going to be trying really hard to forget what I read, in both books. Rating: 3 stars. I honestly don't know how to rate and review this book, because it's me and my thoughts/opinions that I'm writing about, and not necessary technical aspects (writing, world-building, character development, etc.). I rarely write this type of review (based on my thoughts/opinions alone), but I'm so shaken and unsettled, and I really don't know how to write this review any other way. Hopefully I've conveyed something useful to any reader of this reviewer. I'm not trying to tear down the author or this book - but I am trying to warn any reader who, like me, shouldn't be reading this book but don't know that they shouldn't be, because they don't know enough information about the book (see above, about warnings).
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When Dimple Met Rishi
by
Sandhya Menon
Alyssa Susanna
, May 30, 2017
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon Publisher: Simon Pulse Publication Date: May 30, 2017 Rating: 4 stars Source: eARC from Edelweiss Summary (from Goodreads): A laugh-out-loud, heartfelt YA romantic comedy, told in alternating perspectives, about two Indian-American teens whose parents have arranged for them to be married. Dimple Shah has it all figured out. With graduation behind her, she’s more than ready for a break from her family, from Mamma’s inexplicable obsession with her finding the “Ideal Indian Husband.” Ugh. Dimple knows they must respect her principles on some level, though. If they truly believed she needed a husband right now, they wouldn’t have paid for her to attend a summer program for aspiring web developers…right? Rishi Patel is a hopeless romantic. So when his parents tell him that his future wife will be attending the same summer program as him—wherein he’ll have to woo her—he’s totally on board. Because as silly as it sounds to most people in his life, Rishi wants to be arranged, believes in the power of tradition, stability, and being a part of something much bigger than himself. The Shahs and Patels didn’t mean to start turning the wheels on this “suggested arrangement” so early in their children’s lives, but when they noticed them both gravitate toward the same summer program, they figured, Why not? Dimple and Rishi may think they have each other figured out. But when opposites clash, love works hard to prove itself in the most unexpected ways. What I Liked: When I first saw this book I thought, Indian rep written by an Indian author? YES PLEASE! I'm Indian and I often have such a hard time reading YA books with Indian protagonists or set in an Indian setting or based on Indian culture or folklore - because these YA books are often written by white authors, and I'm often incredibly disappointed by those stories. This YA contemporary romance is so fun, lighthearted, and it struck a chord in me. Dimple Shah is off to Stanford at the end of the summer, and she can't wait to start her college career in technology and coding. But first, she is going to attend Insomnia Con, a summer program for aspiring web developers. Rishi Patel is also going to Insomnia Con, but he has a goal in mind: woo Dimple Shah, his future wife. Dimple has no idea that Rishi's parents and her parents have put Rishi up to this, and so color this girl surprised when she and Rishi first meet and he says something about them getting married. Though Dimple has no intention of getting married anytime soon, she doesn't mind starting a friendship with Rishi - especially when they are partnered to work together on the project for Insomnia Con. But Dimple does not expect to fall for Rishi, and Rishi doesn't expect to fall for Dimple. They may have had a rocky start, but they are meant for so much more. This book is written from both Rishi and Dimple's POV, which I loved. Dimple is clueless to her parents' arrangement with Rishi's parents, and she thinks that her parents are simply sending her to Insomnia Con because she wanted to go. Rishi, on the other hand, knew everything, and thought that Dimple did too. Their first meeting is hilarious! Poor Rishi. Anyway, I liked getting the chance to read from both of the characters' POV. Dimple was both completely relatable and yet sometimes not. I understand her so well; she feels stifled by her parents' traditions and culture, and she feels 100% American. And yet, she doesn't quite fit in. Dimple has always preferred computers to people, and she is adamant about not getting married and started a "domestic" Indian life. At times, Dimple was hard to relate to, because she was mean to Rishi, and in a cruel way. BUT I think this was all very well written, because we could clearly see her character development, from start to finish. She goes from selfish and cruel and recluse, to more open, considerate, and understanding. I adored Rishi, much more than I liked Dimple (don't get me wrong, I did like Dimple). Rishi is the opposite of Dimple - he holds tight to his culture and heritage and traditions, and he wants to please his parents in every way possible. He is a good boy, a sturdy and steady presence. Honestly I'd prefer a Rishi to a "bad boy" any day - give me a nice, dorky guy with a fantastic sense of humor and a lot of confidence that doesn't seem like arrogance, and I'd be happy. Seriously, Universe, I'm waiting for my own Rishi Patel. On a personal note, this book made me so happy. I feel like I'm a perfect mix of Dimple and Rishi - I'm a first-generation American and I'm American (like Dimple), but I try so hard to hold on to my culture and traditions (like Rishi). I also loved all of the Indian food, the Hindi, the clothing, the Bollywood movies/references, and the other subtle touches of Indian culture that Menon infused into this story. So much of it was recognizable to me, even though I am much like Dimple and Rishi (not straight from India, but still Indian). Another thing I loved about this book was how Menon explored social and socioeconomic themes. There are many stereotypes when it comes to Indian people - we're cheap, traditional, over-the-top flashy, good with computers. In this book, Rishi's family is super rich, and Dimple's family is middle-class, sort of on the lower end. You can see this social divide very clearly, with Dimple noticing Rishi's expensive accessories and him paying for expensive food. I liked that the author subtly included a socioeconomic/social class undertone in this story, because it felt important to discuss, especially in the context of Indian families. So I adored Rishi, and I liked Dimple. As a couple, they are so cute. They butt heads at first, and Dimple is so rude to Rishi. But Rishi is a kind and sweet guy from start to finish - too good to be true, honestly. I didn't love how Dimple treated him initially, but I like how she felt bad about it and made efforts to starting over with him. The progression of their friendship is gradual but very fun to watch. And the progression of the romance is even more fun! They are an adorable couple, and there are some cute moments, and steamy moments. Insomnia Con is always in the background, and it is very important to Dimple. Rishi also has a passion that he hides - creating comics. This becomes an important part of the story, because Rishi's plan was to attend MIT and study engineering. College, parental relationships, friendships, and self-identity are such vital themes of this book. Menon did a great job of weaving all of these into the story, without making the story too heavy. There is a little drama in the last 10% of the book, but it is resolved in a satisfying way. Both characters own up to their mistakes (not just one or the other). I love seeing both characters swallow their pride (and not just Rishi, for example). The ending is a lovely, perfect ending! What I Did Not Like: I already mentioned this but I didn't really love Dimple at first! She is callous and rude to Rishi, and irrationally so. BUT. This is all part of her character development, and she definitely grew on me. So, just as heads up! Would I Recommend It: I highly recommend this book to my fellow South Asian friends (especially Indian), especially if you're first-generation American. This book will (hopefully) resonate with you, like it did with me. I felt parts of myself in both Dimple and Rishi, and that really struck me. This is so important, and it's so subtle - this book isn't a statement book (in terms of the self-identity aspect). And yet, that subtle part of the story was so important to me. And of course, in general, if you're looking for a fun, cute YA contemporary read, this is definitely a great read. Lots of swoons, a little bit of angst, and so many warm and fuzzies after finishing the book. You won't regret it! Rating: 4 stars. It took me entirely too long to crack this book open! I regret not reading it sooner. I am so pleased with this story, and though I think I love it differently compared to other readers, I am glad that I love it in any case.
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Dark Breaks the Dawn
by
Sara B Larson
Alyssa Susanna
, May 30, 2017
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Dark Breaks the Dawn by Sara B. Larson Book One of an untitled duology Publisher: Scholastic Press Publication Date: May 30, 2017 Rating: 3 stars Source: ARC sent by a fellow blogger Summary (from Goodreads): On her eighteenth birthday, Princess Evelayn of Eadrolan, the Light Kingdom, can finally access the full range of her magical powers. The light looks brighter, the air is sharper, and the energy she can draw when fighting feels almost limitless. But while her mother, the queen, remains busy at the war front, in the Dark Kingdom of Dorjhalon, the corrupt king is plotting. King Bain wants control of both kingdoms, and his plan will fling Evelayn into the throne much sooner than she expected. In order to defeat Bain and his sons, Evelayn will quickly have to come into her ability to shapeshift, and rely on the alluring Lord Tanvir. But not everyone is what they seem, and the balance between the Light and Dark comes at a steep price. In the first book of a remarkable duology, Sara B. Larson sets the stage for her reimagining of Swan Lake -- a lush romance packed with betrayal, intrigue, magic, and adventure. What I Liked: I didn't hate this book, but I didn't love it. Words that everyone hates to hear, because they don't really mean a whole lot. Was this book really good until the ending? Was it a mix of positives and negatives? Was there one or two big things that threw everything off? In this case, there were positives and negatives. And I suppose the ending was pretty terrible (cruel), though it's so dramatic and ghastly and it leaves room for so much to happen in book two. I've read Larson's debut trilogy (Defy, Ignite, and Endure), and I enjoyed the series. I have been pretty excited about this new book of Larson's for quite some time. I don't know much about Swan Lake, but I didn't care about that because the book sounded great, and I'd had good experiences with Larson's books in the past. This book, while fairly intriguing, was not Larson's strongest. Princess Evelayn has just turned eighteen and gained full access to her power. She is thrust into ascending the Light throne when her mother is killed in battle, fighting King Bain of the Dark Kingdom. Evelayn manages to keep control of the Light, but she must quickly come up with a plan to defeat King Bain and his sons. But Evelayn is under a lot of pressure, especially to hone her abilities and to shapeshift. With the help of her trusted General, her best friend, and Lord Tanvir, Evelayn sets out to defeat her Dark enemy and restore balance with his heir, or die in the process. It took a little while for the story to grow on me - and Evelayn as well. The story moves at a very slow pace initially, and I can't say I was all that interested. I think things started to pick up for me when Evelayn and Tanvir's relationship started to pick up. I'll get to that. Anyway, the story starts and follows Evelayn's ascent to the throne, and how she handles the pressure. It's so much pressure, to be thrust onto the throne without being able to grieve, to be thrown into the middle of a war, to be expected to be strong and without fear or weakness, to be expected to bind to a male and produce an heir. So, yeah, the story wasn't interesting at first, but then it really began to shape up with all of Evelayn's duties and worries and plans. Evelayn seemed distant and cold to me at first, and I didn't really like her. But then I started to understand her better. She takes on an enormous amount of pressure, and the author makes perfectly transparent how much Evelayn struggles with it all. But Evelayn becomes a much stronger, commanding leader, as the story goes on. This book is written in third person, and there are multiple POVs. We read from Evelayn's, Tanvir's, Ceren's, and even Lorcan's (the heir of the Dark Kingdom/son of King Bain). Evelayn's POV dominated, but Tanvir's was sprinkled throughout, and Ceren's (Evelayn's best friend). Lorcan's POV was the most boring. Lorcan has no affection or pity for the Light Kingdom, but he also hates his father. Lorcan is cold and sly, and an interesting but merciless villain of the story. I adored Tanvir. He's just so good, and kind and noble and sweet. Don't get me wrong, he is also fiercely protective and war-hardened. He's the High Lord of a set of lands, but he is also a soldier and and very good with his power and his skills in fighting and battle. Tanvir almost seemed to be too good to be true, with his kindness and gentleness with Evelayn, but I rolled with it. I like him too much, and it's not hard to see why. The romance is sweet. At first I thought it developed too quickly, but weeks pass before things really progresses. Time moves quickly in this novel, but we don't get to see each and every day. Tanvir and Evelayn are a great couple, and very good for each other. I like that Evelayn kept questioning why Tanvir wanted her, and I like how persistent and yet respectful Tanvir was. While this isn't a favorite romance of mine, it is a cute and shippable one. I also liked Ceren's budding romance with the son of an important lord. So cute! The ending is pretty cruel and I don't love it, so I won't really talk about it. But it's a cliffhanger. So I may read book two, especially since this is only a duology series. What I Did Not Like: There are a bunch of things that I didn't really enjoy about this book. I've already mentioned that the pacing of the story is slow. The beginning is dreadfully boring. You know it's bad when you don't even care that an important character just died (Evelayn's mother). I really only started to get interested when Evelayn's feelings for Tanvir start to progress. This story is kind of cliche. The girl magically comes into her powers when she turns eighteen. There is a Light Kingdom and a Dark Kingdom (i.e. some kind of balance). They are at war. There is always a war. The King of the Dark Kingdom is an evil caricature. Honestly, this book is full of cliches, and they weren't necessarily welcome ones. I didn't mind, but I also didn't like them. I'm also very confused about the species of these people. They aren't human - they are Draíolon, and I have no idea what that means. It would appear that some of them have blue skin and lavender hair and strange-colored features? I'm not really sure. I couldn't get a handle on the physical aspects of the Draíolon, or anything about them, really. They are magical, immortal, and there is a balance of them. That's about it. I'm very confused about what they actually are though. Honestly the world-building in general is a little confusing for me, or just completely absent. It seems like a typical, cliche YA fantasy world, and yet, I really couldn't get a good grasp of the world. There were so many strange things that seemed out of place. Maybe I'm missing something? I'm not all that convinced that there won't be a love triangle! I love Evelayn and Tanvir and I ship them so hard, and there is no hint of a love triangle in this book. But because Lorcan and his brother Lothar also have POVs in this book (in addition to Evelayn and Tanvir - and Ceren too, not that she is part of this), I'm a little nervous. Lorcan seems like an off-his-rocker kind of villain, but Lothar... I could see the author somehow working Lothar into Evelayn's path. They have never met and she has never seen him before, but I just have this feeling. You know? I want to write off Lorcan altogether but somehow, Lothar... he has too much pity and sympathy for Evelayn. Despite not knowing her and her never having seen him before. I'm just not convinced. I don't know though. The ending! How cruel! Will it stick? I highly doubt it (on several aspects), but how knows... the author has blown the story wide open, which is great if you're the author, but not great if you're the reader. I am not a fan of the ending but I do respect the author for going for such a risky ending. Would I Recommend It: I can't say I fully recommend this book, even if you are a YA fantasy fan. It's an interesting concept - a Swan-Lake-inspired fantasy tale about a girl who has loved swans all her life and has taken on the difficult task of ruling the Light Kingdom. This book wasn't totally impressive though, and it wasn't always fun to read (sometimes I was bored or just didn't care). I'd either wait until the second book publishes, since this is part of a duology, or skip the series altogether. While I enjoyed some aspects of the story a lot, I can't say that this is a new favorite or a life-changing story. Rating: 3.5 stars -> rounded down to 3 stars. It's an okay book, but not great, and certainly not worth gushing over. I really wish I was gushing over the book because I was very prepared to be doing so, but ultimately, I'm a little disappointed. I think I will still read the conclusion though!
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Forbidden Promises
by
Katee Robert
Alyssa Susanna
, May 30, 2017
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Forbidden Promises by Katee Robert Book Four of the O'Malleys series Publisher: Forever Publication Date: May 30, 2017 Rating: 4 stars Source: ARC sent by the publisher Summary (from Goodreads): All Sloan O’Malley ever wanted was a simple life—and now she’s finally got it. She’s left everything behind in Boston—her family, her money, even her name—and set herself up in a tiny seaside town in Oregon. What she doesn’t plan for? Her mysterious and painfully attractive neighbor, Jude. Jude MacNamara has been many things in his life—pampered son of a prestigious family, only surviving heir to a lost legacy, hit man—but now he’s out for revenge on the man responsible for the death of his father and brothers—Colm Sheridan. He’s tracking Colm’s sister when he encounters Sloan living with her in her beach house. He’s a patient hunter and he’s willing to sit back and wait for his prey...he just doesn’t expect for this woman to give rise to emotions he hasn’t felt in years. He doesn’t want to see Sloan hurt, but in order to protect her, he will have to turn his back on the one thing he’s spent his life pursuing—revenge. Even then, there’s no guarantee either one of them will make it out alive. What I Liked: From the start, I knew that this would be a very different book compared to the previous three. I loved The Marriage Contract, and enjoyed The Wedding Pact and An Indecent Proposal. The books have been incredibly engrossing, entertaining, and sexy. This book was all of those things, and yet it is distinct when compared to its predecessors. I loved Jude and Sloan's story - I think theirs is my second-favorite of the series now! Sloan O'Malley, the fifth O'Malley child in a brood of seven, has finally gotten out. With the help of her older brother Teague, she has fled Boston and is neatly ensconced in a small seaside town in Oregon with an old woman - Sorcha Sheridan. Everything is new and interesting to her... especially her next-door neighbor. Little does she know, Jude MacNamara has been watching her new house. He has been tracking Colm Sheridan's sister for a long time, for revenge. And now he has found her, but he didn't expect Sloan O'Malley to appear. Sloan doesn't know at first who Jude really is, but it doesn't matter: one looks is all it takes. Jude and Sloan can't keep away from each other. But it's not long before the dangers of Boston catch up with Sloan, and Jude's own deals catch up with him. Jude will have to choose between his plans of revenge and his growing feelings for Sloan, and Sloan will have to decide if Jude is worth it. This book had a bit of a different tone, compared to the others. Maybe because most of the book is far-removed from Boston, and all of the crime stuff in Boston? Not that the crime stuff doesn't come up - remember, Jude is very much involved in all of that (not that Sloan knows, at first). But the crime and the Russian mafia and all that aren't physically present in most of this book. Which makes the story a little more about our couple, especially in the first half. I always felt bad for Sloan in the previous books, but I didn't love her, necessarily. She seemed a bit bland to me, and not outwardly strong as her older sister Carrigan, or her sister-in-law Callie. She isn't as stubborn and rebellious as her younger sister Keira. She's just Sloan. young and innocent and desperate to get out of the crime that surrounds her life. Right? Well. Sloan is much tougher than she outwardly appears, and she is her own brand of strong. Jude is a rough, gruff, no-nonsense hardened man who is the last of a dynasty - the MacNamara's. He is bent on revenge and wants nothing in his way, so he isn't quite sure what to do with his instant attraction to Sloan, at first. But he is also a man of action, and he likes to have all of the control. Jude has made himself believe that he is a cold, merciless, heartless man who isn't worth more than his revenge, but that isn't true at all. This book is as much about Jude's self-worth as it is about Sloan's. The two of them together are incredibly hot! The attraction and lust are there from the start. The sex starts off very early, which I don't always love, but I was fine with it in this book. The first half of the book is very focused on Jude and Sloan's physical attraction to each other, and there is a loooot of sex. The second half of the book deals more with their growing emotional connection, and the growing threat of Dmitri Romanov. But back to June and Sloan's chemistry - so hot. Jude is 100% alpha, and Sloan is... well, she isn't a meek and submissive innocent, but she is innocent and she likes it Jude being controlling and demanding, when it comes to sex. The two of them fit perfectly together and in so many ways. So the physical attraction started off very quickly, but the emotional connection took longer. I liked seeing Jude and Sloan slowly trust each other and lean on each other. They don't know each other for very long before they have to make several decisions about Sloan's safety. But they begin to trust in their feelings for each other, which was sweet to see. There is one trope that appears in this book that I usually hate - but I found that I did not mind it at all, in this book. The presence of this trope makes sense to me, and its purpose is something I understand. I love how the author switches up romances and relationships and keeps things original or at least on shuffle. Don't think that this is purely a romance novel! It's dark romance, and the crime aspect of this series does not disappear at all, don't worry. The second half of the book really picks up speed with several crime-related plots, both back in Boston and in Oregon. The ending is pretty explosive! In terms of crime, and in terms of Jude and Sloan's relationship. Not in a bad way! I love how we don't just get Jude and Sloan's POV. Occasionally (very rarely), we read from Aiden's, and Dmitri's. While Aiden has definitely grown on me, it is Dmitri who I have really gotten to like. I can't wait to read his and Keira's book (O'Malleys #6)! The snippets in this book between him and Keira are downright tantalizing. I'm going to wrap this up and end with saying that I really enjoyed this book. It's my second-favorite, or possibly my favorite, tied with The Marriage Contract (I don't know that any of these books will touch Teague's - though maybe #6 will!). This book was different compared to the rest of the series, and so, so good. What I Did Not Like: Nothing specific that I can think of! Though this book is not getting a five-star rating. Would I Recommend It: I highly recommend this book, especially since it's one of my favorites of the series! I've not read a series like this one, but I can say with confidence that no one writes crime/dark romance like Katee Robert. In my opinion. I highly recommend this series in general! Rating: 4.5 stars -> rounded down to 4 stars. I am looking forward to reading Undercover Attraction (Aiden and Charlie's story)! But more so, Dmitri and Keira's, which publishes in February 2018. This series is easily one of my favorite adult romance series of all time!
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The Gauntlet
by
Megan Shepherd
Alyssa Susanna
, May 23, 2017
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** The Gauntlet by Megan Shepherd Book Three of The Cage series Publisher: Balzer + Bray Publication Date: May 23, 2017 Rating: 3 stars Source: eARC from Edelweiss Summary (from Goodreads): The Maze Runner meets Scott Westerfeld in the final novel in the gripping and romantic Cage series, about teens abducted from Earth by an otherworldly race. Cora and her friends have escaped the Kindred station and landed at Armstrong—a supposed safe haven on a small moon—where they plan to regroup and figure out how to win the Gauntlet, the challenging competition to prove humanity’s intelligence and set them free. But Armstrong is no paradise; ruled by a power-hungry sheriff, it’s a violent world where the teens are enslaved and put to work in mines. As Nok’s due date grows closer, and Mali and Leon journey across space to rescue Cassian, the former inhabitants of the cage are up against impossible odds. With the whole universe at stake, Cora will do whatever it takes, including pushing her body and mind to the breaking point, to escape Armstrong and run the Gauntlet. But it isn’t just a deranged sheriff she has to overcome: the other intelligent species—the Axion, Kindred, Gatherers, and Mosca—all have their own reasons to stop her. Not knowing who to trust, Cora must rely on her own instincts to win the competition, which could change the world—though it might destroy her in the process. What I Liked: The Gauntlet is the final book in Megan Shepherd's second YA trilogy. I read and neither loved nor hated her debut trilogy, and I had high hopes for this series. Overall, I liked this science fiction trilogy more than I liked her historical fiction trilogy, but I wasn't completely impressed by this conclusion novel. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either. It was a decent conclusion though! Cora and the gang have escaped from the Kindred and have made it to Armstrong, a small moon that is supposed to be safe. But when they are stranded there and captured by the Sheriff of Armstrong and her ruthless human army, Cora fears that she will not be able to run the Gauntlet. Meanwhile, Mali and Leon attempt to rescue Cassian, who sacrificed himself to let Cora and the others escape. With a little help, Cora and the gang escape on Armstrong - and Cassian escapes from the Kindred, with Mali and Leon. It all comes down to the Gauntlet. If Cora succeeds, an evolutionary jump will boost humans' natural abilities and help them overthrew the powerful species that is hunting them. If she fails, she'll die, and so will all of the other humans, and the Kindred too. It's do or die, and it all comes down to the Gauntlet. “The wolves are strong. But the rabbits are clever.” That line is my favorite of the book, and probably the series in general. It speaks to me on so many levels. Anya needs to hear it several times throughout the story, and it really is good encouragement. This line holds true for the duration of the book; the wolves are the Kindred, the evil humans, the Axion, and the rabbits are Cora and the other humans who are trying to escape. Like the previous books, this one is written in third-person limited, with POVs of various characters. Cora's POV is the most important and the most common, but we also get to read from Rolf's and Leon's (and maybe Mali's too, if I remember correctly). Cora has shown a lot of character growth from book one to this book, as did Leon, and Rolf, and Nok. Nok surprised me by becoming one of my favorites of the "original" band of humans, from book one. I also adored Leon and his heroic self. Cassian isn't present for about half of this book, and I definitely wanted him to be around more than he was, but I liked his stable presence in the second half of the book. Cassian is a good man and a very important player in the series. I wish the author wrote chapters from his POV though - he's easily the most interesting guy of the cast, but he seems one-dimensional sometimes, because of his mechanical, distant nature. But Cassian is so complex and interesting, and I think chapters from his POV would have the story even more intriguing. In terms of the romance, there are several romances and no love triangles. Rolf and Nok are a solid couple, and despite their current circumstances, I like how they grow to love each other even more. Leon and Mali are adorable together - they're both combative, which is funny to watch. Cassian and Cora are my favorite pair, and I really wish there were more scenes featuring them, in this book. There is a looooot of good science in this book. When I say "good", I mean interesting, noteworthy, and thought-provoking. It's not just the planet-hopping or the space travel or the advanced intelligent species with supernatural abilities. Shepherd includes a variety of scientific issues worth discussing - the treatment of animals, the evolution of humans, mining resources. The setting of this book is purely fictional, but the scientific basis behind it is fascinating. As far as conclusion novels go, the plot of this one wasn't bad. In fact, there was a good amount of action and the stakes were incredibly high. I wasn't bored or uninterested for the most part, though I did start to lose a little interest as the Gauntlet dragged on. The Gauntlet begins around the three-quarter mark (or thereabout), and it seems like it drags on. More on that below. In any case, the first half of the book was gritty and harsh, and the second half of the book was heart-pounding and yet a little predictable. The ending of the book was bittersweet and I didn't particularly love it. But it's not a bad ending. What I Did Not Like: I can't say I was bored while reading this book, because that wouldn't be true, but my interest definitely slowed down as the end got closer. It felt like the closer Cora got to the Gauntlet, the less interested I became. And then the actual Gauntlet course took forever! I started flipping the pages a little faster. The predictability of the ending was a little annoying too. We all knew what was going to happen with the Gauntlet! Why not shake things up a bit? The ending of this book, in terms of the Gauntlet, was very obvious and probably the easiest way out. A little cliche though. Also, you know how at least one main character has to die at the end of a trilogy? In my opinion, the wrong one died. Just my opinion. It wasn't Cora or Cassian, I'll tell you that. But the wrong character died. Speaking of Cora and Cassian... they were hardly together in this book! As in, they didn't really even see each other until the last quarter of the book or so! And when they did finally see each other - man, I was expecting some swoony times! Sexy times! Anything! These two barely even kiss once! I can't help but feel a little disappointed. Cassian and Cora share some borderline steamy moments in The Cage and The Hunt - but the author gave us nothing, in this book. Also, the ending in terms of Cassian/Cora did not leave me happy at all. Just saying. I need an epilogue in which Cora changes her mind of something. I'm trying to be vague, but gah! I'm annoyed and disappointed in the ending (in terms of Cassian and Cora). The ending in general is not bad. Though I did find it a little underwhelming - but I found the entire climax underwhelming. Would I Recommend It: I liked the series overall, definitely more than Shepherd's debut trilogy. I think this series is a good science fiction series, but it's not a life-changing series in general, you know? I do recommend it if you enjoy YA science fiction, but I don't necessarily recommend it in general. However, I recommend this book if you've read the previous books in the series, or even if you've only read the first book. Finish the series! It's a fairly good series, and definitely worth finishing. This conclusion novel wasn't a great finish, but I loved the second book (The Hunt). Rating: 3 stars. I'm disappointed in myself, because the last two books I read were YA science fiction, and both got 3 stars from me! I love science fiction and I fully expected to love both books. Maybe it is my mood - though I don't think so! Any have Summer/Fall 2017 YA science fiction recommendations for me? Pre-published is preferred!
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Seeker
by
Veronica Rossi
Alyssa Susanna
, May 23, 2017
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Seeker by Veronica Rossi Book Two of the Riders series Publisher: Tor Teen Publication Date: May 16, 2017 Rating: 4 stars Source: Review copy sent by the publisher Summary (from Goodreads): New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Veronica Rossi's new fantasy adventure in the Riders series—Seeker . When Daryn claimed she was seeing visions during her sophomore year of high school, no one believed the truth. She wasn't losing her mind, she was gaining the Sight the ability to see the future. If she just paid attention to the visions, they'd provide her with clues and show her how she could help people. Really help them. Daryn embraced her role as a Seeker. The work she did was important. She saved lives. Until Sebastian. Sebastian was her first and worst mistake. Since the moment she inadvertently sealed him in a dark dimension with Samrael the last surviving demon in the Kindred guilt has plagued her. Daryn knows Sebastian is alive and waiting for help. It's up to her to rescue him. But now that she needs the Sight more than ever to guide her, the visions have stopped. Daryn must rely on her instincts, her intelligence, and on blind faith to lead the riders who are counting on her in search of Sebastian. As they delve into a shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems and where Samrael is steadily amassing power, Daryn faces the ultimate test. Will she have to become evil to destroy evil? The very fate of humankind rests in the answer. What I Liked: Last year, I read and absolutely loved Riders. It was a little slow, and it took me a bit to really get into the story, but I ended up loving it. Seeker has been a highly anticipated sequel/conclusion for me, and I'm so happy that I liked it even more than I liked Riders. This book did not disappoint! Seeker picks up months after Riders finishes (I think? I can't remember exactly where Riders finishes). Eight months has passed since Bas was taken, Gideon's hand was cut off by Samreal, the epic showdown went down, and Daryn disappeared. But Gideon never stopped looking for Daryn, or Bas, and he and the Rangers find Daryn. With or without help, Gideon, Daryn, Marcus, and Jode are going into the Rift and finding Bas. But finding Bas and bringing him back are two very different tasks, and with Samrael looking for something from Daryn, nothing goes as planned. Bringing Bas home has never been easy, but Gideon and Daryn find out just how far they'll go to find Bas. One of the best things about this book is that the pacing is faster than the pacing of Riders. I will be the first to say that Riders has a slow start, nearly to the middle of the book. But Seeker starts off quickly and really takes off. Gideon and the gang catch up with Daryn and everything starts rolling. I appreciated the change of pace, and the amount of action this plot had. I didn't remember a lot of specific details about the ending of Riders, but I remembered Bas's disappearance, and Gideon's hand. I sort of forgot about Daryn, and so when I started reading this book and realized that she had run from Gideon and the others, I was surprised! But things started to make sense fairly quickly. That's another good thing about this book - Rossie brings you up to speed effectively, so even if you're like me and don't remember everything from the previous book's ending, you won't be lost! Daryn has felt extremely guilty, about Bas's disappearance and Gideon's loss of hand. She blames herself and this is why she ran from them and has been in Wyoming for eight months. But when they catch up with her, she realizes that she has to stop running and she has to actually start trying to do something to save Bas. She and Gideon have a strained relationship, but that's mostly her fault. It was good to see her work out what she wanted with Gideon and how she began making conscious decisions to trust him with her past and her fears. Gideon! Book boyfriend for life. Seriously, he is so great and definitely my type. He's one of the tall, strong, warrior types, but he is also confident and commanding, a born leader. According to Daryn, he has "bearing", which is very true. He is very clever and perceptive, and he is fiercely loyal and protective. Even when he is angry with Daryn, he is caring and attentive. I actually love his temper - temperamental boys seem to be my thing. Gideon is actually sort of an easygoing temperamental guy, which is an oxymoron, but roll with it. I adored Jode in this book! I can't remember specifically how I felt about him in Riders, but I liked his humor and his tenacity in this book. Marcus is a quietly deadly guy that I adored as well. The camaraderie between Gideon, Jode, and Marcus is so endearing. I love how solid their friendship is. Even Daryn's relationship with the guys as a whole is so solid and fun to watch. That's a big part of this book - friendship, and brotherhood. As important as I think friendships are, I think the brotherhood type of friendship is even more important. The romance was sweet with just a little angst in the beginning. Daryn is ashamed and guilty (because she blames herself for the loss of Gideon's hand). Meanwhile, Gideon thinks that Daryn thinks his prosthetic hand is disgusting and shameful and that she regrets her feelings for him. The two of them skirt around each other, but then they hash things out and the romance is incredibly strong from that point (around one-fourth into the book). Lots of sparks fly between Gideon and Daryn! They're a combustible - and adorable - couple. I loved the Four Horsemen aspects of the book - the horses, the boys in their armor and weapons, how obvious it is that they embody their title (War, Conquest, Famine, Death). This aspect isn't as big in this book as it was in Riders, but it is still the backbone of this story. I don't want to say too much about the journey - finding Bas, confronting Samrael, navigating the nightmarish Rift - but it's very intriguing and a little spooky sometimes. Rossi has you questioning everything that you read: was that real? Was it an illusion? And so on. The stakes get really high at the climax, and it seemed clear that something bad would have to give. The ending is a very good one! Almost a little too good, in terms of Samrael (I didn't really buy that aspect of the ending at all - too neat), but in general, it was a good ending. I will tell you that several characters got a nice (but open-ended!) HEA. Which is good! I liked the ending a lot. What I Did Not Like: Like I said above, I didn't totally love the aspect of the ending involving Samrael. It seemed too deus-ex-machina-like, and convenient. I wasn't really buying it, you know? Obviously you'd have to read the book to know what I mean. This one aspect was the only thing that really stuck out to me, in this book! That's always a good sign. Would I Recommend It: I recommend this sequel, especially since it's book two of a duology! It is an even better follow-up than its predecessor, and it will leave you content. I recommend the series in general! A fictional take on the Four Horsemen? Good stuff! Rating: 4 stars. I loved this book! I think I loved Gideon the most (he is definitely on my book boyfriends list!), but this whole book was pretty great. I highly recommend any of Rossi's YA books - she is a very talented storyteller. I can't wait to see what she has in store for us next!
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Traitors 01 Traitors Kiss
by
Erin Beaty
Alyssa Susanna
, May 09, 2017
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** The Traitor's Kiss by Erin Beaty Book One of the Traitor's trilogy Publisher: Imprint (Macmillan) Publication Date: May 9, 2017 Rating: 3 stars Source: ARC sent by the publisher Summary (from Goodreads): An obstinate girl who will not be married. A soldier desperate to prove himself. A kingdom on the brink of war. With a sharp tongue and an unruly temper, Sage Fowler is not what they’d call a lady―which is perfectly fine with her. Deemed unfit for marriage, Sage is apprenticed to a matchmaker and tasked with wrangling other young ladies to be married off for political alliances. She spies on the girls―and on the soldiers escorting them. As the girls' military escort senses a political uprising, Sage is recruited by a handsome soldier to infiltrate the enemy ranks. The more she discovers as a spy, the less certain she becomes about whom to trust―and Sage becomes caught in a dangerous balancing act that will determine the fate of her kingdom. What I Liked: This is probably going to end up ending the most mixed of mixed reviews of all time. I feel both extremes of the spectrum, with this book. On the one hand, there were parts of the story that I really enjoyed. On the other hand, there were parts of the story and the book in general that I abhorred. I recognize some problematic content, but mostly it was the boring quality of the writing and storytelling that dragged my enjoyment - and the rating - straight down. Sage Fowler was taken in by her uncle, a nobleman, at a young age. Now sixteen, she is not marriageable, and she becomes apprenticed to a matchmaker. Sage detests matchmaking, but Mistress Rodelle - Darnessa - is extremely astute and a master manipulator when it comes to making matches. Sage learns how to be crafty and astute from Darnessa - more than she already was. Sage isn't working for Darnessa for very long before she, Darnessa, and a bevy of eligible noble ladies begin the journey to nation's capital for a large event to see the noblewomen married. Escorting them are highly trained young soldiers, led by Captain Alexander Quinn. Alex has a secret undercover mission to accomplish while escorting the ladies, one that Sage must not know about. But he decides to recruit Sage when he realizes how clever and observant she is. Navigating the web of deceit and scheming that surrounds them proves critical, because they uncover a plot that is on its way to toppling the kingdom. This book is written in third-person, limited to several POVs. There is Sage's, and Alex's, and several others', though Sage's and Alex's are the most important. The chapters do not alter between characters. I personally really enjoy third-person narratives (most of the time), so this worked for me. Especially with all of the deceit going on (on both Sage and Alex's part, to the world and to each other). Speaking of deceit, it was cleverly done, by Beaty - this very particular thing that she did that I won't talk about more specifically. She had me fooled for a little, but I figured it out long before the major hints were dropped. Mostly it was hope, and not quite "figuring it out". You'd have to read the book to see what I mean! I had a hard time caring about Sage (and I'll take about her in the next section), but I did like Alex a lot. Alex is the first son of the General, and he is already a captain, at twenty-one years old. He is young but very mature, intelligent, clever, and selfless. He commands the attention and respect of everyone who meets and knows him, and with good reason. He kind of reminds me of Brigan (from Kristin Cashore's Fire, a.k.a. my favorite book of all time). He's quiet, alert, calculating, and perceptive, and he is brave and selfless and always concerned about protecting and accounting for everyone else. Alex is a good man and a good person, and I am in awe of all of the clever planning and scheming he did throughout this book. The politics and the scheming were a lot to handle at times, so I commend Beaty on doing a fairly decent job of packing so much of it into a YA book. To be honest, I'm going to complain about how boring this book was in the next section, and that boredom is partly due to the amount of political "stuff" the author has going on (maybe too much). But on the other hand, it was cool that she went so far with everything political. What else... I guess I liked the romance. No love triangle, and the romance is kind of neat, if you think about it (I won't say too much). I liked how little drama there was - especially since there was potential for A LOT of drama towards the end of the book. Again, no love triangle, and probably no love triangle in the future, though I don't want to speak too quickly. This latest crop of YA debut authors reaaaaaally seem to like introducing love triangles in book two. The book ends very well, though one could argue that most book ones of a trilogy end really well. It's a good ending, and I liked it! In general, I liked the story, though it's not super original. Once I got past the first one hundred pages or so (maybe one hundred and fifty), I got a little more invested in the story and I wanted to know more. But I also had issues with the book - see below. What I Did Not Like: Ohhhhh boy. This might take a while. Or it might not. It's 2:30 AM and this review should have been posted two and a half hours ago, so, this section might be brief in comparison to how much I really want to discuss. The beginning of this book was incredibly boring. Friends, I usually muscle through anything. I power through boring like nobody's business. Slow start? No problem! I will keep reading because I believe in you and your book and I want to give it a fair shot. Slow starts are the worst (or one of the worst) but they almost never deter me. But, friends. I almost stopped reading this book, after about one hundred pages. Most of you know me well by now - I don't stopped reading. I don't DNF. I always finish books I start. And yet, I was so close to setting this one aside (and arguably never coming back to it, because who has the time for that). The first one hundred pages are so incredibly boring! My goodness, they are the reason why I am writing this review so late! I didn't care for Sage, or her tragic backstory (which doesn't really add up to me, by the way), or her pity-party in which she doesn't want to get married or be forced to do blah blah blah. I also didn't really care about whatever scouting mission Alex was on, because it was a real snoozefest. Things started to look up when Alex and his soldiers begin escorting the caravan of ladies to the Concordium in the capital, to hopefully become brides of lords and nobles. Then things start to get a little more interesting - though still boring. I think I was fully invested when they reach a duke's home, because that is when action actually starts to happen. Is this a slow-burn type of story? Maybe? But it took way too long to get to any type of "good stuff", especially for a YA fantasy novel. Sure, Sage is supposed to be some great intellectual, and Alex is supposed to be a very clever soldier, so you'd expect a lot of mind games and internal action happening. But there was too much thinking and politics and it was incredibly boring. Keep in mind, I usually love the intellectual mind games and the politics. But in this book? Snooze. Also, the fact that this book is a YA high fantasy baffled me a little, mostly because I had a hard time grasping the world-building. I could barely keep track of the names of the countries, let alone figure out who was an enemy country and who wasn't. The author did a poor job of conveying the world to readers. I don't even know what nation Alex is from and is serving! Demora? I don't think it's Kimisara because I'm 80% sure Kimisara is the enemy country. Maybe? See! The author also had me a little lost when it came to the skin tones and physical descriptions. I think she was trying to be purposefully vague AND make sure we knew that she had some diversity going on, in her book. But I was just so confused. So is Alex some sort of golden/tanned-skinned guy? Mixed heritage? Sage is pale? The enemies are "dark"-skinned? It bothered me how often the author used the same word to describe skin tone (dark, dark, dark), though I suppose there isn't anything flagrant about the word. I didn't really like Sage - well, I liked her sometimes, and other times I didn't. I didn't like her at all, in the beginning. She is incredibly stuck up! She grew up with poor parents who let her run around in the forest and become one with nature (I'm exaggerating, but you get the idea), so when her uncle of genteel birthing takes her in with his wife and small children, Sage is not amenable to the domestic lifestyle and refuses to get married. What's more, she really looks down on the ladies that are sent to the matchmaker to get married. Who are you to judge young ladies who want a matchmaker to help them secure their future? Who are you to judge whether they are frivolous or shallow because they like gorgeous dresses and looking pretty? Sage is such a snob! Look, I have nothing against girls who don't like what are known as typically "girly" things (dresses, hair, giggling about boys, whatever), but I also have nothing against girls who DO like those things. Sage could be a little less judgmental? Read: a lot less. But she sort of grew on me, as the story went on. She is so nosy and way too intrusive for her own good, but I don't deny that she is smart and occasionally capable, and realistic in many cases. Like, she knows she isn't suddenly an expert in defending herself after having one lesson in fighting. Originally, this book was pitched as a Mulan retelling. Now I think they're pitching it as some sort of Jane Austen inspired novel. In any case, the Mulan retelling aspect is garbage, and I don't know why the author and publisher were selling this one as that. Helllooooooooo, whitewashing! And I'm really not understanding the Jane Austen pitch (and yes, I've read enough Jane Austen to know). Tl;dr - the book was boring and not just in the beginning, though mostly in the beginning. There are problematic aspects, there are annoying aspects, and I didn't always like the female protagonist. And I was confused about the world-building. Would I Recommend It: I'm going to go ahead and say no, I don't recommend this book. Who even knows what kind of mess the author will make, in book two? There was NO HINT of love triangle in this book, but I'm pretty much going to just brace myself for the introduction of some mysterious hot prince or something, who will fall in love with Sage (and of course she'll return those feelings even though she has found her one and only, in this book). This book wasn't impressive, it wasn't a big hit like I expected, and it's a trilogy written by a debut author. Yeah, I don't recommend it. Rating: 2.5 stars. I think I'll round up to 3 stars because there were aspects of this book that I really liked (Alex, the romance, the general story, the amount of insane deception going on). But it really wasn't anything special, and there were enough problems to irritate me. I might read the rest of the series? I might not? I think I need to see the synopsis of book two to make that decision.
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Avenged
by
Amy Tintera
Alyssa Susanna
, May 05, 2017
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Avenged by Amy Tintera Book Two of the Ruined series Publisher: HarperTeen Publication Date: May 2, 2017 Rating: 5 stars Source: eARC from Edelweiss Summary (from Goodreads): In the sequel to Ruined, the romance of The Selection and the epic stakes of Red Queen come together in a story of revenge, adventure, and unexpected love. Emelina Flores has come home to Ruina. After rescuing her sister Olivia from imprisonment in rival kingdom Lera, Em and Olivia together vow to rebuild Ruina to its former glory. But their fight has only begun. Olivia is determined to destroy everyone who acts against Ruina, but Em isn’t as sure. Ever since Em posed as Prince Casimir’s betrothed in Lera, she’s started to see another side to this war. And now that Cas has taken the throne, Em believes a truce is within reach. But Olivia suspects that Em’s romantic feelings for Cas are just coloring her judgement. Em is determined to bring peace to her home. But when winning the war could mean betraying her family, Em faces an impossible choice between loyalty and love. Em must stay one step ahead of her enemies—and her blood—before she’s the next victim in this battle for sovereignty. What I Liked: I thought Ruined was great, but Avenged? Probably even better. I really didn't think I would like this book better than Ruined (mostly because I loved Ruined, but also because YA sequels tend to tank). I was pleasantly surprised! This sequel had no trace of sequel slump! Also? Ignore those comparisons (The Selection, Red Queen). Both of those series are not really comparable to this series. And the romance in this series isn't as messy and as confusing as the romances in those two series. Before I begin my review, everyone should check out my emoji review on Twitter! I did one for Ruined in March 2016, and there's my one for Avenged in April 2017. Follow Alyssa Susanna @Alyssa_Susanna I did one for Ruined so I guess I should do one for Avenged: 🏃♀️👑👑🗡️🤴❤️😍💔🐎🕵️👀🏰🤴🗡️🗡️🐎🏰🗡️🗡️💣❤️😍❤️🐎🗡️🤴🏰🗡️😱😱 (cc: @amytintera @EpicReads) https://twitter.com/Alyssa_Susanna/status/709546631746732033 … 10:17 PM - 2 Apr 2017 2 2 Retweets 9 9 likes This sequel starts not too long after Ruined finished. Olivia and Em are back in Ruina with the Ruined, but it's obviously not home like it used to be. What's more, Olivia as become ruthless and cold, and enjoys killing for fun. Em is a fighter, but she's a politician. Olivia proposes a diarchy, in which Olivia and Em are equal queens of Ruina. Meanwhile, Cas is struggling to keep hold of his kingdom, with his cousin trying to take him out of the picture. He is poisoned and leaves the fortress, only to be found by Em. Olivia and the Ruined don't want Cas with them, so Cas leaves after he recovers. But betrayal follows Em, Olivia, and the Ruined, and an ally turns on them. Cas and Em both want a truce between Lera and Ruina, but everyone must consider the kingdom of Olso, and Cas's homicidal cousin Jovita. It's kill or be killed, but identifying enemies and danger might not be as easy as Cas and Em think. From the start, this book has a tense and yet adventurous tone to it. There is constant action from all ends - with Em/Olivia, with Cas, coming from the warriors, and Olso. I'll admit that the first 10% of the book was a little slow COMPARED to the rest of the book - but none of this book is really slow. I love how the plot is both action and plotting/scheming. Both war and politics. This book is told entirely in third-person, but limited to Em's, Olivia's, Aren's, and Cas's POV. Em and Olivia are both in the same space for the first half of the book (in Ruina), with Aren. Aren is like their second in command - he is an old friend of Em's (no, there is no love triangle there), and the second most powerful Ruined (behind Olivia). Cas, on the other hand, is in the fortress, trying to garner the support of his advisers, who are turning to his cousin Jovita with each passing day. Until, of course, he is poisoned, and flees the fortress. I liked Em a lot in Ruined, and I liked her in this book. She has a strong sense of duty and puts her people first. At first, this irritated me slightly because I thought her sense of duty would come between her and Cas. But then I thought, would I put my happiness aside for my people's safety, if I were queen? Yes, yes I would. And THEN I thought to myself, what if things worked out such that Em wouldn't even have to put her happiness over her people... Anyway, Em has all of my respect. She isn't Ruined like Olivia - she's useless (that's the term for a non-Ruined person of Ruined parentage), and she doesn't have the Ruined's support. But she is incredibly smart and astute, and good with tactics and strategies. She is physically strong and capable (girl can wield a sword!), but she is also intelligently strong. Em impressed me many times in this sequel. I also liked her resolve in terms of her feelings for Cas - she never wavered in her affection of him, not even when she pushed him away (briefly, and for good reason). Em is a strong and kickbutt heroine, but she is also kind and sweet (especially compared to Olivia, who is bloodthirsty and cold). Cas is tied with Em as my favorite character of this series. Of all of the characters, he undergoes the most character development in this book. He struggles to retain hold of his kingship, and when he is poisoned, he pretty much gives up as his loyal guards and friends get him out of the fortress. When Em finds him, he is weak, defeated, and not motivated to go back. By the end of the book, he recovers his spine and plays a pivotal role in the now fully-fledged war. Cas becomes more of a king than he ever had been, at any point yet. Cas is so honorable and reasonable and kind, but he is also intelligent and fierce. He is definitely a man I'd love to have in my life. Olivia is such an interesting character. She is ruthless and deadly, and laughs in the face of death - death brought on by her. She enjoys killing innocents and slowly torturing people, and yes, that is all kinds of messed up. Olivia is an incredibly powerful Ruined, and she knows it. We get to read from her POV throughout the book, and we can see how she thinks and her reasoning for everything. She is a bit insane and very dangerous and unhinged, but she is also a very interesting character. I adored Aren in this book! By the way, he is not in love with Em (and Em isn't in love with him) - their relationship is strictly a long-time platonic friendship. Which, yay! Their friendship is very strong and healthy. Aren grows a lot in this book too, in good and bad ways. He is a good man, and I'm happy about the direction of his character development. I'm also happy to see him develop feelings for a certain lady (again, not Em). Him and his lady are so cute together! Okay, I'll talk about the romance. There is NO love triangle. None. Trust me on this. You'll start to see something that might appear to be a problem for Em, but it is resolved very swiftly and efficiently. There are only feelings involved between Cas and Em. Cas and Em don't share any pagetime in the first 20% of the book, but then they are reunited (when Em finds Cas half-dead from the poison). They are adorable together; they always seem to find their back to each other. This isn't one of those sequels in which the couple spends the entire book apart. Their reunion happens fairly early in the story. Yes, they separate again, but then they reunite again, and again, and again, and basically there were enough Cas/Em scenes and interactions (romantic and non-romantic) to keep me satisfied. Their relationship gets kicked up a notch. It's all Cas and Em (neither have feelings for anyone else and have no intention of not being together). There are other romances (Aren and his lady, for example). I am a fan of those other romance! I already talked about how I liked the story's tense and adventurous tone. The pacing is not slow but not incredibly fast, and it worked for this story. There was constantly action or some wrench in plans, or something like that. I was never bored, and I couldn't seem to read fast enough. What's more, this book's story seemed to build and build until the climax, and even then, the story kept building. Tintera does a really good job of setting up everything for the finale in book three. Totally worth pointing out that this book is full of diverse characters! There is an LGBT couple, and many Ruined are dark-skinned, like Aren. Good on Tintera for including many variations of diverse representation, and in (what I think was) a fairly natural, non-forced way. There is a cliffhanger, unfortunately, and it is somewhat similar to that of Ruined's. Like the ending of Ruined, it isn't horrible and crushing and heartbreaking, but it's a cliffhanger nonetheless. I am so anxious for Em, and for Aren, and Iria, and Cas! Olivia is like a ticking time bomb... I can't wait to see how everything goes down, in book three! What I Did Not Like: Nothing really major to complain about. Of course I would have loved less of a cliffhanger, and more Cas/Em scenes, but I don't mind the cliffhanger too much, and I have a feeling we'll get more Cas/Em scenes in book three. Would I Recommend It: I highly recommend this sequel! It is even better than its predecessor - full of action, scheming, betrayal, and tender romance. So much swoon in this book (Cas/Em swoon, that is). Plus, I really liked how this book is told (Cas/Em/Aren/Olivia third-person POVs). Usually so many POVs would be annoying for me, but I think so many really works for this story, and the author employs this method of storytelling well. Did I mention swoony tender romance and no love triangle? Because, well, yeah. Cas is kingly, book boyfriend material, y'all. Em is queen material. (She is a queen!) Rating: 4.5 stars -> rounded up to 5 stars. This is only the third book of 2017 that I've given a 5-star rating (out of 48 books read for the year so far)! I absolutely loved Ruined but I think I loved this one even more, even with a few aspects that I wasn't sure would be resolved or worked out in this book (but they were!). A job really well done by Tintera. If you were hesitant to start this series, I highly recommend you go ahead and pick up Ruined, or make this a top-priority series to binge-read in 2018, when book three publishes!
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Beneath the Shine
by
Sarah Fine
Alyssa Susanna
, April 18, 2017
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Beneath the Shine by Sarah Fine Publisher: Skycape Publication Date: April 18, 2017 Rating: 4 stars Source: Review copy sent by the publisher Summary (from Goodreads): In a future United States where those who control technology control the wealth, seventeen-year-old Marguerite’s viral video propels a populist candidate to presidential victory on a platform of “tech for all.” But as the mouthpiece of the new leader determined to break the elite stronghold, Marguerite finds herself on the opposite side of the divide in a new high school full of technocrat teens. When the enigmatic Percy, with his flamboyant fashion sense, sharp wit, and tragic past, takes an interest in her, she is suspicious. But with everyone against her, she needs an ally. Percy is drawn to Marguerite’s passion for the cause, but the legacy of his murdered scientist parents prevents him from letting her get too close. Soon terrorists strike the capital and technocrat leaders begin turning up dead, and the two must work together to protect both their families and the country. With everyone literally plugged into technology, total domination will take only a flip of the switch. In order to preserve their freedom and the future Marguerite envisions, she and Percy may be forced to pay the ultimate price. What I Liked: It's not secret that Sarah Fine is one of my favorite authors. Her books - both Young Adult and Adult - really work for me. I've never rated a book of hers with less than three stars (only three of her books got a three-star rating - the rest were four- and five-star ratings!). Pretty impressive, considering this is the fourteenth book of hers that I've read. She is an amazing storyteller! Beneath the Shine is a standalone YA novel following Marguerite, a teen whose impassioned rant went viral, and boosted a populist presidential candidate's campaign. The candidate won by a landslide, and in no small part due to Marguerite. Now, she uses her voice for the President, and she going to be attending an elite school in D.C. A school filled with technocrat teenagers who supported the opposing candidate, and doesn't want specialized tech to be available to everyone (which is something the President campaigned for). The teens at this school are rich, entitled, and incredibly rude to Marguerite - all but a few. Percy Blake is one of them. He seems charming and full of humor and fashion sense, but there is something more to him that he doesn't share with the world. There is something about his appearance of shallowness that makes Marguerite suspicious, and intrigued. But Percy isn't the only one with secrets. What is Marguerite is supporting a monster? Terrorism strikes the capital, technocrat leaders and their children are killed, and Marguerite is being manipulated. But by whom? She'll have to trust Percy, who isn't all that he seems. It's been so long since I've read a dystopia novel! I read entirely too many of them four or five years ago, and I haven't read too many since. This book is an excellent and refreshing dystopia novel! Probably because it hits really, really close to home, especially with today's current events. Yes, we have the cliched story of teens trying to unveil corruption and overthrow the government. But the story is so much more! For example, the extreme use of technology. There are robots and basically closed humans (who are robots) everywhere, and these robots (called "cannies") have taken so many jobs. Poverty is at an all-time high, because so many jobs no longer need humans. What's more, many of the elite (humans) have Cerepins, which are basically like computers in your brain - think of it like your smartphone is inserted into your brain, and you can watch videos and go on Instagram and do whatever, via the Cerepin inserted in your forehead. So, the world-building of this book is pretty great! I love how imaginative and inventive all of Fine's stories and worlds are. This book is entirely a dystopia, and highly futuristic, but some of the politics and corruption sounded so familiar, like some modern-day politics we are witnessing. This book is told from Marguerite's first-person POV, but also Percy's first-person POV, which was a nice surprise. They don't switch off every other chapter - it's rather sporadic, the switches in narration. But not distracting. Fine knows exactly how to move the story along within the correct narration to do so. I liked Marguerite from the start. Yes, she seems almost brainwashed, given how passionate she is about the President's campaign and commitments. People think she is greedy, selfish, a whore (some think she slept with the President), a social climber. But Marguerite is none of those things. She is kind, down to earth, even selfless. She lives her life like she knows her every move is being recorded, everything she says is public, and she represents something bigger than herself. Marguerite is a strong girl for all that she goes through, but I liked seeing her evolve as the story went on. She started to question things - and people - and she started to wonder about the right things. Marguerite is very smart and a good person. Percy, on the other hand, is very smart, very charming, very witty, and very deceptive. He is hiding behind a shallow mask, hiding his true self. He has a thing for fashion and posts videos of him showing off clothes, makeup, tutorials, the works - but he is actually the son of brilliant scientists who were murdered, and he wants to know why. Percy is extremely clever and deceived everyone for so long about who he really is. I adored Percy, for all of his flamboyance and deception. He starts off being a little on the selfish side, only wanting to find out what really happened to his parents. But he becomes more aware of something larger at play, and he realizes what he could - and should - be doing, with his knowledge and skills. This book was incredibly engaging and interesting to read, and there were a lot of tense moments that had me biting my nails for fear of either Marguerite or Percy. The story moves rapidly and never lets up, until the end. There are a lot of moving parts to the story - it's not just about the terrorism, the murders of elite technocrats, or Percy trying to uncover the truth about his parents' murders. Everyone is looking for a bad guy - the President? The CEO of the company making Cerepin? A combination of the two? Marguerite will find out the hard way. This book doesn't mess around, and there isn't a lot of time spent on some relationships, but they exist. For example, Marguerite has a broken relationship with her mother, who hasn't been the same since Marguerite's father died. Everyone hates Marguerite at her new school, except a few people who take a chance on her. I liked seeing Marguerite make friends with Anna, the daughter of a powerful opponent of the President. That was unexpected, but you could tell both girls were trying to be genuine. And then there is Marguerite and Percy. What if I told you that there was no Marguerite and Percy? Well, there isn't really any romance in this book. You can tell that Marguerite is interested in Percy and Percy is interested in Marguerite, but nothing romantic really happens, and there is no intense tension or anything like that. I mean, the characters are too busy trying to save lives and uncover some dangerous truths - and they don't spend a ton of time occupying the same space. In fact, Marguerite doesn't find out who Percy really is until around the climax of the novel. I like that Percy had his agenda and Marguerite had her own, and they didn't really work together until the climax of the novel. This book isn't a romance, and it doesn't need one. Of course, I would have loved more from the "romance", but this book didn't need one. Still, I'm very happy with the ending and the direction of Percy and Marguerite's relationship. This book ends well, after all of the heart-pounding action that ensued throughout the story. The climax is exactly what you would expect it to be (a showdown with most of the important players of the story), and not everyone emerges unscathed. I liked the ending. It seemed fair to me, even if everything wrapped up a little too neatly. I'm quite pleased with this book! What I Did Not Like: I already stated that I think this book didn't need a romance, and definitely functioned well without one. Well, Marguerite and Percy are definitely into each other, but nothing happens and no feelings are professed (not until the end, kind of). And while I liked this book, romance-free and all, I also wouldn't have minded if there had been some stolen kisses or breathless moments. Just saying! Would I Recommend It: I do recommend this novel, whether you like dystopia books or not! I used to love them but then I got sick of them. This book was a nice change of pace (I've read a lot of fantasy lately), and it's honestly really timely (with the politics and corruption it involves). And while there is a hint of romance, this book is great for those that don't like romance to be at the forefront. But it also appeals nicely to those that do like romance, because a romance exists. Rating: 4 stars. In general, I think the author did a great job addressing issues that appear today in society (distribution of wealth, corruption of leaders, rise in technology). She also did a great job in telling an excellent story. I'm impressed with her storytelling, as always! I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.
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Given to the Sea
by
Mindy McGinnis
Alyssa Susanna
, April 11, 2017
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Given to the Sea by Mindy McGinnis Book One of the Given series Publisher: Putnam's Childrens Publication Date: April 11, 2017 Rating: 2 stars Source: ARC sent by the publisher Summary (from Goodreads): Khosa is Given to the Sea, a girl born to be fed to the water, her flesh preventing a wave like the one that destroyed the Kingdom of Stille in days of old. But before she’s allowed to dance – an uncontrollable twitching of the limbs that will carry her to the shore in a frenzy – she must produce an heir. Yet the thought of human touch sends shudders down her spine that not even the sound of the tide can match. Vincent is third in line to inherit his throne, royalty in a kingdom where the old linger and the young inherit only boredom. When Khosa arrives without an heir he knows his father will ensure she fulfills her duty, at whatever cost. Torn between protecting the throne he will someday fill, and the girl whose fate is tied to its very existence, Vincent’s loyalty is at odds with his heart. Dara and Donil are the last of the Indiri, a native race whose dwindling magic grows weaker as the island country fades. Animals cease to bear young, creatures of the sea take to the land, and the Pietra – fierce fighters who destroyed the Indiri a generation before – are now marching from their stony shores for the twin’s adopted homeland, Stille. Witt leads the Pietra, their army the only family he has ever known. The stone shores harbor a secret, a growing threat that will envelop the entire land – and he will conquer every speck of soil to ensure the survival of his people. The tides are turning in Stille, where royals scheme, Pietrans march, and the rising sea calls for its Given. What I Liked: I've read four of McGinnis's books (this one being the fourth), and it's a shame to say that I really haven't enjoyed anything I've read. On the one hand, all of her books have been very well-written and so unique. On the other hand, all of her books (that I've read) have not been for me. And therein lies the distinction - her books just don't seem to be for me. I thought I'd give her books another shot because Given to the Sea is her first fantasy novel, and fantasy is my favorite genre. But not even my love of fantasy could save me. This book is told in four different points-of-view, though there are arguably five protagonists. Vincent is the prince of Stille and third in line for the throne. He doesn't want to become king, but he is destined to claim the throne in the future. Khosa is the Given, the female child who has been groomed since birth to choose a mate, bear a child, and then sacrifice herself to the Sea, to keep the sea calm and restful. Dara and Donil are the last Indiri, a race that is magical and ancient. They are adopted royal children, and they grew up with Vincent like brothers and sister. And finally, Witt, the Lithos, deadly leader of the Pietra. The Pietra rise against Stille, and look to destroy them as they also destroyed the Indiri. Strange events are occurring - the Given washes up on the shores of Stille, but she is not pregnant nor did she have a child. The sea levels are rising, though it may not be due to the lack of Given. And the Pietra are coming for the people of Stille, who are wholly unprepared for war. If there is one thing that I can say McGinnis does consistently well, it is her world-building. Every book of hers that I have read has had a very well-constructed world and setting. Her books are so unique because of the varying worlds she has created. This world, with Stille and Pietra and a vast, unpredictable sea, is strange and entirely its own. McGinnis has written a very strong fantasy world, one that is dangerous and rigid and unforgiving. I didn't love all of the characters, and there were some that I didn't care about, or flat-out hated. But I really liked and connected with Vincent from the start. He is the only surviving child of Prince Varrick, and only grandchild of the current King, who is a good man. But that King dies in this story, and Vincent's father becomes King. Vincent does not want the throne, which is evident throughout the story. I really felt for him, because he has no options. Vincent is a good man with a soft heart, though not soft enough that he wouldn't defend his mother, or the twins, or Khosa. What else did I like about this book... I'm drawing a blank. Vincent somewhat redeemed this story for me. He was the only character I was rooting for. Not even the ending of this book, while slightly satisfying on the surface, could change my opinion of the book. What I Did Not Like: This book was a bit of a mess (for me). The romance, the characters, the plot, the treatment of women... there were a lot of things that just didn't sit well with me. I'll start by going through the other four protagonists that I didn't talk about. I already said how I liked Vincent. But I didn't really care for the other four (or just didn't like them). For example, Witt, the Lithos. I didn't hate him or dislike him - I just didn't feel much for him. His chapters were always extremely short (1-3 pages long) and not very interesting. I bet I would have liked him more if his chapters were longer and he had more action in his life. Next, Khosa. I didn't dislike Khosa, but I also didn't like her. She is a weak, spineless girl who has always accepted her fate as the Given. She knows no better than to accept the fact that she must choose a man, have sex with him until she gets pregnant, give birth, and then throw herself into the sea to die. Barbaric, right? Khosa never fights this, not until towards the end of the book. So I didn't really care for her. The thing that made me dislike her was the romance. It would appear that she doesn't like to be touched by anyone - any touch brings her physical revulsion. But not Donil's touch - Donil is the male Indiri twin, and his magic is all about life (think: sex). So after Donil touch's Khosa hand for the first time, all she can think about is his potent touch. Buuuuut, she is in love with Vincent. She can't stomach Vincent's touch, but it would appear that she loves Vincent. I'll get to that in a second. The fourth character is Donil, and I didn't like him. In fact, he was probably my least favorite character. Yes, partly because I didn't want him with Khosa. Yes, because I see him as the "other leg" of the love triangle. But mostly because I find him sleazy and his actions and words towards women make me uncomfortable. He flirts with all of the girls, and his magic calls to girls (life = sex, remember?). So even though they are willing, it's a subconscious call that he has, that makes them want to have flirt and have sex with him. That bothers me a lot. And yes, you could say that he can't help his power. I still don't like how he wields it. I still don't like him. He claims he would never let a woman come between him and Vincent, and yet, he lets it happen. And finally, Dara. I almost felt bad for Dara. She's been in love with Vincent, and he's never been in love with her. Until one day, her magical power leaks a little, and it's like a flip switches in Vincent, and he sees her in this brand-new (and very sexual) light. But that pretty much disappears, because Vincent is pretty smitten with Khosa. Because who isn't, at this point? Literally everyone wants in this girl's vagina. I kid you not. It's kind of disconcerting, and disgusting. But I'll get to the treatment of women. Back to Dara. I almost felt bad for her because she has to deal with unrequited love. But Dara is so annoying too. Because Vincent doesn't love her, she goes around acting like the world owes her something. She isn't a good person, and I would never want Vincent to end up with her. She seems selfish and cruel, and as kickbutt and tough as she is, I can't root for her. You can probably tell by now, but the romance is so frustrating. It's this weird love triangle/cycle thing. Let me break it down for you: Vincent loves Khosa, but his touch repulses her. Khosa seems to love Vincent but his touch repulses her. Khosa is very physically attracted to Donil, and it's possibly that she feels affection for him. His touch is the only touch she can bear (because again, his magical abilities are rooted in "life", which is rooted in sex). Donil is attracted to Khosa, and I'm assuming he has feelings for her. Dara has feelings for Vincent. Vincent has never had feelings for Dara not has he ever been attracted to her, until this one random moment in the book. Confusing, right? I hate confusing romances. I hate messy attractions and broken hearts. I hate seeing two men who are like brothers fight over a woman. They LITERALLY fight over Khosa at one point. They literally fight over Dara at one point (not in the same way as Khosa though - Donil is looking out for his sister, and Vincent is not happy with Donil). I don't enjoy books love triangles, and so this love... cycle is an actually nightmare for me. I will say, believe it or not, that no one has sex with anyone, in this book. Khosa kisses Donil once. That's pretty much all of the sexual action that happens in this book, which is funny because the characters do a lot of fighting over each other. Sex is clearly on all of their minds, though no sex actually happens. The treatment of women - ugh, this world is frightfully patriarchal and it seems like there are no women's rights. Now, here me out: this is obviously intentional and McGinnis is showing us a world with retracted women's rights. I get it. It still disgusts me. Men in this book talk about having sex with an unwilling female (i.e. rape), or their sexual encounters, or putting a seed in Khosa, and it really set my teeth on edge (that's putting it mildly). Vincent's father is the most unfaithful man to ever exist, and Vincent's mother is naively still hoping that he'll come around and love her. And then there is Khosa, who probably enjoys being bounced between Vincent and Donil, in terms of their affections, but has no real power. This book made me want to scream! But again, I'm sure this is very intentional (all of the negative treatment of women's rights). It still makes me mad though. Basically, I think the horrible romance is what tipped the scales and made me rate this book down. I hate messy romances, I hate love triangles, and I really hate whatever is going on in this book, in terms of the romance. It's weird and pisses me off a little. The ending! Was! Terrible! I can't say why, but I'm furious. It's hastily done, and it ruins the romance further, and I'm just beyond frustrated with the book at this point. Not enough to go all the way to one star (though I'm thinking...), but definitely enough to consider expelling this one from memory. In general, the story wasn't great, romance aside. Two countries are going to war - great! There wasn't anything super original about the story, if you take away the part about the Given and the rising seas. Given how romance-driven this story was, part of me isn't surprised. But then, I would have rather read a much less romance-driven book than dealt with the irritating romance that was presented. Would I Recommend It: I hate to say it, but I don't recommend this book. It's a really gritty fantasy novel, and if I wanted to read a gritty fantasy novel, I'd dig out an adult fantasy novel written by a middle-aged man who seems to think murder, rape, torture, and mutilation are good things to have in fantasy stories. Well, not the type of fantasy stories I like to read. This is a frustrating, irritating, and confusing fantasy story. There aren't a ton of redeeming qualities, besides the very strong world-building and the one really likable protagonist (out of five though? That's sad). Definitely do not read this book if you like linear, obvious romances. Don't read this book if you want a happy ending. Don't read this book if you a story with a clear issue or journey. Don't read this book if you want action or adventure or a plot that moves at a healthy pace. (I starting skimming at certain points.) Rating: 2 stars. I wanted to love this book so badly, and I got so invested in wanting to love it so badly, which is why, when I finished it and didn't love it, it hurts so much that I'm giving it 2 stars. I almost wish I had cared less about loving this book, because then I might have given it 3 stars and moved on. But this book wasn't "meh", it was painful and frustrating at times; therefore, 2 stars it is. Will I read the sequel? I don't know - I have a feeling I'll be disappointed in any of McGinnis's books, given my track record. I think I need to accept the fact that her books just aren't for me.
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Blacksouls
by
Nicole Castroman
Alyssa Susanna
, April 11, 2017
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Blacksouls by Nicole Castroman Book Two of the Blackhearts series Publisher: Simon Pulse Publication Date: April 11, 2017 Rating: 3 stars Source: eARC from Edelweiss Summary (from Goodreads): Nicole Castroman brings the dangerous pirate ports of the Caribbean to life in this vibrant sequel to Blackhearts—the reimagined origin story of history’s most infamous pirate, Blackbeard. Edward “Teach” Drummond is setting sail to the Caribbean as first mate on the most celebrated merchant ship in the British fleet—until he rebels against his captain. Mutiny is a capital offense and Teach knows it could cost him his life, but he believes it worth the risk in order to save his crew from the attacking Spanish ships. Sailing on the same blue waters, Anne barely avoids the Spanish attack, making it safely to Nassau. But lawless criminals, corrupt politics, and dangerous intentions fill the crowded streets of this Caribbean port. Soon, Anne discovers that the man entrusted to keep the peace is quite possibly the most treacherous of them all—and he just happens to hold Teach’s fate in his terrifying hands. Life and death hang in the balance when Teach and Anne are given a dangerous mission. It’s a mission that will test their love, loyalty and devotion, forcing them down a path neither one could have ever imagined. What I Liked: Over a year ago, I read Blackhearts and enjoyed the story, but hated the ending. At the time, no sequel had been contracted. This weighed somewhat on my rating of the book. Months later, a sequel was announced (just one). Who wasn't excited?! I think this was a good sequel, and probably as good as the first book, for most readers. But I personally wasn't feeling it, didn't love it, and that's how the three-star rating is showing up again. I fully admit the fact that most readers will probably love this book. I didn't. I didn't hate it either though. Blackhearts left us with a terrible, horrible ending. This book picks up nearly where its predecessor left off (give or take a few days, maybe weeks? I can't remember). Anne is on a ship to Nassau, but she has made friends with Cara and Coyle, who offer to let her stay with their uncle at Nassau. Anne and the rest of the ship arrive safely in Nassau, and she begins to work for Alastair in his tavern. Teach is on another ship, bound for Nassau as well. But when Teach arrives, he is arrested by Governor Webb and given a merciless decision: find the pirate Easton, or hang. The politics of Nassau are filthy and corrupt, and there is nothing that Teach and Anne can do about it, except flee. Teach sets out to find Easton, with Anne stowed away. But they will discover what they feared about Governor Webb, Lord Pelham, and other men of power at Nassau. I adored Teach in this book. His character development is subtle and something you don't actively notice, but from the start of this book to the finish, you can see how much he has grown. He is less of a lovesick boy and more of a hardened, fierce, loyal man. He assumes a captain's role of more than one ship, and it suits him. I liked seeing him become even more of a leader, and a smart one at that. He never thinks of himself alone, always of his crew, and Anne, and Anne's loved ones. Anne, meh. I didn't really care for her in this book. I'll talk about her in the next section. But, meh. There is a much more adventurous tone in this book, especially since much of the book is set at sea of near a ship. I liked this change of pace, because the story moved a little faster. I was still bored (which I'll talk about later), but at least the story seemed more lively than in Blackhearts. Not that Blackhearts was super boring, but I like the more pirate-y feel to this book. Some of the secondary characters are awesome! Teach's best friend John is a wonderful friend and good first mate. Reva, a sly and cunning pirate, is so kickbutt and admirable. Alastair, Cara, Coyle, and Beth (Alastair's lady) are supporting and loyal people who are so good to Anne (too good to be true?). Even Easton was a character I grew to like! Though we don't really meet him until the end. No love triangle, though there are some things that annoyed me about the romance (see below). Teach and Anne's relationship is really strong, and nothing comes between them or their feelings for each other. It's the author that likes to play games with the romance (again, see below). In general, this was a good sequel. Don't necessarily be fooled by the rating - I can definitely appreciate how well-written and satisfying this sequel was. Just... not for me, maybe? I have a feeling of meh in my head. What I Did Not Like: I didn't really care for Anne, in this book. I didn't hate her but I also wasn't really rooting for her. She doesn't really think things through and is always shoving herself into places and businesses and things that she doesn't belong in. I hate how she was constantly trying to justify herself and her presence when she really needed to just not. Look, I get that all the authors are trying to make all the female characters more "kickbutt" and fierce. But on Anne, it seemed fake and forced. I was rolling my eyes at Anne during the entire book. She needed to take a seat and stay put. I'm not really an advocate for "sit back and let the men do the work" but Anne isn't the smartest girl so... given how she just rolls right into trouble, I wouldn't let her get into business she doesn't belong in. Especially when she tries to act like she's a perfect shot and she can fight, after "learning" how to shoot a pistol for like, two days? Girl, please. Take a seat. But of course, everything magically works out for her when she does join a battle or enters a fray. Because of course. *cue eye-rolling* I can't stand that type of fake female protagonist. Moving on. The romance. Yes, Teach/Anne are a solid pair. But the author threw in Coyle, who loves Anne (Anne cares for him as a brother, don't get too upset). This was... unnecessary? Annoying? Irrelevant? WHY was it necessary to the plot, other than to send Teach's blood pressure up, and mine? What purpose did having Coyle love Anne serve? Why couldn't they be platonic friends? (Well, Anne certainly thought they were.) And then there are all of the lewd comments that some of the male sailors/pirates made around Anne when she was discovered on Teach's ship. This, I found more believable, but really? What, is this girl Helen of Troy? Does she have sort of magical essence that makes all men attracted to her? Literally every other attractive male sailor/pirate? Again, nothing came out of this, the romance is all Teach/Anne, there are no feelings or kisses or anything except between Teach and Anne. But it's so unnecessary! And let's be real - this kind of thing is annoying on so many levels. How about the author drop a hot, attractive female in Teach's direction, and let that female throw herself at Teach. He's an attractive guy, and a captain. Nothing love-triangle-y, but something annoying and irritating, like Coyle, and those male pirates. Is that going to happen? NO! Because that would literally be the end of the world and we can't upset Anne (or the female protagonist in general)! Could authors just not? Again, no love triangle. It's just the author being irritating. She's probably trying to show how much Teach cares about Anne by how jealous and possessive he gets. Hey Castroman, how about you go the other way around now, huh? Parade some hot ladies in front of Teach, let's see Anne's jealousy, let her get possessive and fight for/over her man. *cue eye roll* I was bored for the beginning of this book. I admit, I did a good amount of skimming and fast-paced reading. The tone of this book is much more adventurous than that of Blackhearts, but I was feeling kind of meh about this story. It's good! I was bored though. It could have been my mood. Would I Recommend It: Yeah, I'd recommend this book, because it is a good sequel and a well-written book. But also no, I don't recommend this book, because there is no contracted book three, and the ending of this book kind of demands a book three. No ridiculous cliffhanger (i.e. like Blackhearts), but the ending is so unresolved and wide open, in a more general direction (not just talking about Teach and Anne anymore). So maybe don't bother with this one until you know for sure that there will be a book three? Because, at this time (March 26th, 2017), there is no third book contracted. Rating: 3.5 stars -> rounded down to 3 stars. This was a very quick read for me, and while I was bored and sometimes irritated, I'm glad I gave this book a chance. Don't be fooled by my rating and the dislikes section - it's a good book overall. Maybe I'm getting too caught up in the details (I probably am). I personally felt a little meh about this book and I can't quite pinpoint why, but it could very well be my current mood!
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Duels & Deception
by
Cindy Anstey
Alyssa Susanna
, April 11, 2017
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Duels and Deception by Cindy Anstey Publisher: Swoon Reads Publication Date: April 11, 2017 Rating: 4 stars Source: ARC sent by the publisher Summary (from Goodreads): Miss Lydia Whitfield, heiress to the family fortune, has her future entirely planned out. She will run the family estate until she marries the man of her late father's choosing, and then she will spend the rest of her days as a devoted wife. Confident in those arrangements, Lydia has tasked her young law clerk, Mr. Robert Newton, to begin drawing up the marriage contracts. Everything is going according to plan. Until Lydia—and Robert along with her—is kidnapped. Someone is after her fortune and won't hesitate to destroy her reputation to get it. With Robert's help, Lydia strives to keep her family's good name intact and expose whoever is behind the devious plot. But as their investigation delves deeper and their affections for each other grow, Lydia starts to wonder whether her carefully planned future is in fact what she truly wants… What I Liked: It is no secret that I adore adult historical romance novels. Tessa Dare, Elizabeth Hoyt, Caroline Linden, Katharine Ashe... you name it, I've probably read it or heard of it, one of the two. Historical fiction set in the 1800s isn't super common in YA fiction, especially since when there is a YA novel set in the 1800s, it's usually of a story with paranormal or steampunk aspects - basically, not a purely historical fiction novel. Cindy Anstey's books are exceptional: they are YA historical fiction novels that anyone who loves adult historical romance will love. Duels and Deception is a standalone novel, not related to Love, Lies and Spies in any sense (not a companion novel, not a sequel). It begins with Miss Lydia Whitfield meeting Mr. Robert Newton for the first time, in which Robert comes to Roseberry Hall (Lydia's home) to discuss important legal matters with Lydia and her uncle. Robert is the apprentice of the Whitfield's solicitor, Mr. Lynch. Lydia and Robert discuss mundane things like replacing the estate manager, and figuring out what to do about Lydia's greedy uncle... oh, and drawing up Lydia's marriage contract. Lydia has always know that she won't marry for love, and marrying her equally reluctant neighbor, Lord Aldershot, will suffice. So, the marriage contract is drafted. But while in town, Lydia and Robert are kidnapped, and only barely escape. And then someone starts threatening Lydia. Someone is trying to ruin Robert and extort a lot of money from Lydia - and they must find out who, before irreparable damage is done. I am seriously in love with this book! I loved Love, Lies and Spies, which had been my favorite Swoon Reads book to date. Has anyone else been disappointed by the books published by Swoon Reads? They are hit-or-miss for me, mostly miss. But Cindy Anstey's books give me hope. Maybe it's because I love adult historical romance so much, maybe it's because her books have such swoony and undiluted romances, but Anstey's books are easily my favorite of the Swoon Reads line, and the best I've read by far. Lydia is such a lovely young lady. She is clever and kind and selfless. Perhaps in the beginning she comes across as too selfless and agreeable - she puts her family first in everything, and puts up with so much. She stands to inherit everything when she comes of age (which is shortly, since she turns 18 soon), or marries. Her uncle, aunt, and two cousins live with her, since her father died. So she lives with them, her mother, and her sister, and she gives in to a lot of their crap, Lydia is so sweet and honestly a better person than I'd be. Family is so important but sometimes, family needs to be put in their place. I loved seeing the development of this character - Lydia becomes more vocal as the book goes on. In many ways, she was assertive to begin with - she is a bit of a control freak, which is why she is arranging her own marriage and drawing up the paperwork with Robert. Robert! I love Robert. This book is writing in third-person limited POV, switching between Lydia and Robert. So Robert is equally as important in this story, as it is shared between him and Lydia. Robert is a new book boyfriend for sure! He is intelligent and hardworking and such a sweetheart. He's a gentleman to a fault, and always looks out for Lydia in a protective, loyal, sweet way. He's not an overly aggressive alpha type, but he is commanding and authoritative in a distinct way. He is an apprentice to become a lawyer, but he's also the third son of a nobleman (earl, I think?). Basically he is a good man and I want one of him! I'll take the excellent manners and kind but protective disposition any day. The world-building is so flawlessly written. At no point did I feel like I was reading anything but an 1800s England story. The towns, the peerage, the mode of dress, the language/phrases, the customs and norms of society... Anstey has really done her research, because this world was created so well and so unshakably. I usually read and seek out anachronisms in historical fiction novels, because they're pretty common if you really look. But with this book, I'm not sure I found any! Or perhaps I was so captivated that I missed any. I loved the light, fun tone of the book, with the sense of adventure, even with the terrible kidnapping and the harm that came to Robert and Lydia (Robert especially). The overall tone of the book was incredibly lighthearted and warm, which is so refreshing. YA books can be so grim, you know? This book was fun, and incredibly enjoyable. I was hooked from start to finish. The romance made my heart so happy! I finished the book with a serious case of the warm and fuzzies. Yes, it might seem like there might be some sort of love triangle or something, with Lydia drawing up a marriage contract for her and Aldershot. But they're not engaged, and Aldershot is enamored with someone else, and Lydia doesn't care for him - she sees marrying him as duty. When she meets Robert, this changes, and the more time she spends with him, the more seriously she considers not marrying to preserve family honor and such. Trust me, there is no love triangle. The romance between Robert and Lydia is so adorable and swoony. Once they meet, you can clearly see how much the two of them want to be in the other's company. Eventually it gets to the point in which they are always thinking about each other, which is so cute. There are so many swoony moments in this book, even though there isn't a ton of actually touching going on (I mean it's 1800s England, what do you expect). I loved watching these two fall for each. And I loved the ending! It's perfect! You might wonder how there could be some sort of ending, with Lydia being a rich heiress, and Robert being an apprentice (though he is the third son of an earl - I think it's an earl). But the author pulls it off really nicely. The ending is excellent and the whole story is wonderful - trust me! What I Did Not Like: I don't really have any dislikes! Maybe more kisses? Every book needs more kisses... Would I Recommend It: I highly recommend this book especially if you love adult historical romance! It's a very "clean" version of an adult historical romance novel, like Tessa Dare's or Elizabeth Hoyt's. And with the wonderful characters and swoony romance, I think any YA reader would enjoy this book. Rating: 4.5 stars. I'm trying to decide if I want to round up or down, so I'm going with down for now! This book and Anstey's debut novel, Love, Lies and Spies, are so brilliant, and probably Swoon Reads's best books (in my opinion). I really hope Anstey writes more YA historical fiction for Swoon Reads, because I am impressive and dying for more!
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Toward a Secret Sky
by
Heather MacLean
Alyssa Susanna
, April 04, 2017
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Toward a Secret Sky by Heather Maclean Publisher: Blink/HarperCollins Publication Date: April 4, 2017 Rating: 4 stars Source: ARC sent by the publisher Summary (from Goodreads): Shortly after 17-year-old Maren Hamilton is orphaned and sent to live with grandparents she’s never met in Scotland, she receives an encrypted journal from her dead mother that makes her and everyone around her a target. It confirms that her parents were employed by a secret, international organization that’s now intent on recruiting her. As Maren works to unravel the clues left behind by her mother, a murderous madness sweeps through the local population, terrorizing her small town. Maren must decide if she’ll continue her parents’ fight or stay behind to save her friends. With the help of Gavin, an otherworldly mercenary she’s not supposed to fall in love with, and Graham, a charming aristocrat who is entranced with her, Maren races against the clock and around the country from palatial estates with twisted labyrinths to famous cathedrals with booby-trapped subterranean crypts to stay ahead of the enemy and find a cure. Along the way, she discovers the great truth of love: that laying down your life for another isn’t as hard as watching them sacrifice everything for you. What I Liked: It's been quite some time since I read a YA angels/demons type of story. Years ago, there were plenty of them, and I read many of those books/series, and I got sick of them. I'm honestly not into the whole angels theme. But sometimes an author will surprise me. I'm going to be honest - this book surprised me. I didn't realize that it was an angels/demons type of paranormal story until after I received a galley, so my expectations fell a little, when discovering that. But I found that I enjoyed the book! I really hope there will be at least one more to follow. Maren Hamilton never thought she'd meet her father's parents, let alone live with them. She never knew her father, and her mother recently died, and Maren has no one else to turn to. Moving to Aviemore, Scotland is a huge adjustment... especially when Maren discovers that both her mother and her father worked for a secret organization tasked with fighting demons. Demons are real, and so are humans who fight them - and angels are real too, which Maren pleasantly discovers. But things aren't quite pleasant in Aviemore, with demons poisoning humans with something deadly. Maren and her handsome Gaelic tutor Gavin must find the antidote, following Maren's mother's clues, before someone dies. I'm going to start off by addressing the elephant in the synopsis - there is NO love triangle in this book. The synopsis does a pretty slick job of implying the presence of one, right? Well, it is overkill. Gavin is the one love interest. In fact, I think Maren physically interacts (like, talks to) Graham maybe twice? There is nothing remotely triangular about the romance. If anything, the romance is extremely insta-love-y and soul-mate-y, between Gavin and Maren. They fall in love with each other really, really quickly. In any case, there is no love triangle. It took me a bit to actually feel something towards Maren. She seemed very flat at first. But eventually she grew on me. She is stubborn and insistent and tough, but often a little misguided and irrational. She thinks she can look out for herself, but she definitely can't. She doesn't handle the grief of losing her mother well (totally understandable), and she is so lonely in Scotland. But she grew on me, as she started to interact with others (especially Gavin). I didn't completely love Gavin - he's a great love interest and an interesting supporting character, but he also came off as a little flat. Maren describes as super hot and dreamy and honestly, she is obsessed with him. But he is a genuinely good guy, and I liked his protectiveness and loyalty. He's definitely someone I'd want on my side, and theoretically, a very swoony love interest. I love the setting! The setting is probably one of the best aspects of this story. You don't find many YA books set in Scotland, especially with some sort of permanence. I've read plenty of adult Scottish romances, which are awesome. The author has done a very good job of writing the Scottish setting but also crafting this fantasy world within the setting. The world-building is well-written too. This is a very paranormal/fantasy type of story - with angels, demons, dimensions, and something very different about Maren herself... The first half of the book seemed to deal more with Maren and her grief, her adjustment to moving to Scotland, and her acclimatization to all of the information about angels and demons and The Abbey. The second half of the book picks up the pace, dealing with demons poisoning humans, and Maren trying to find this mysterious place that holds the antidote. Maren and Gavin go to find the antidote in London, in hopes of their hunch being correct. There is a lot that I'm leaving out (like who Gavin is, who Graham is, what The Abbey is), and I'm doing it intentionally! You'd have to read the book to find out everything. The ending is very heartbreaking and cliffhanger-y, and I really hope there is a second book to follow. Currently there is no sequel listed on Goodreads, but I'm holding onto hope. What I Did Not Like: I already mentioned how I thought both Maren and Gavin were somewhat flat, one-dimensional characters. Like, I didn't feel particularly passionate about them? I wasn't 100% rooting for Maren (sometimes I just didn't care), and I wasn't swooning over Gavin. He's cool, but I think there was more "tell" than "show". We keep reading over and over how Maren thinks he is so hot and wonderful and perfect... I would have preferred more swoony scenes between them, or some steamy scenes. There is like, one kissy scene! ONE! Insta-love, ah! I don't hate insta-love, but this novel is rife in it. Maren and Gavin meet once, and Maren is practically in love with him from that point on. Not lust, not a crush, but love. Which is odd to me? It seemed too rushed and more like an obsession, but it wasn't one-sided. Overall, the romance is cute and I like them together, but the insta-love is so strong in this book. Also, the synopsis really could drop out Graham. Graham appears a grand total of TWO times in the book (before the climax), and he plays NO part in finding the antidote, or anything. That implied love triangle doesn't exist, and it kind of pisses me off that the author (or publisher) is specifically trying to deceive readers like that. Thank goodness there is no actual love triangle! The ending! It is so heartbreaking. I'm not a fan, but I can see the author making up for the ending in a second book. It's very "fixable"! Also, I understand that this book is set in Scotland. But there is no diversity in this book. Write what you want, write what you know, whatever - but this book has no type of diversity in it. Would I Recommend It: Yes, but also no. I do recommend this book if you like fantasy/paranormal novels set in modern times in a European country. The author clearly did her research in terms of Scotland and language and history and whatnot. However, do bear in mind that I have no idea if there will be a book two (and the ending is really heartbreaking). This book is perfect for fans of Lauren Kate's Fallen series, or Becca Fitzpatrick's Hush, Hush series. Though again - no love triangle. But, this isn't a new favorite and it's not a must-read. I could recommend a slew of other paranormal or fantasy YA novels that are "better" (in my opinion). But this novel was refreshing, cute, and interesting. Rating: 3.5 stars. I'm rounding up for now. This wasn't a bad novel and I'm glad I decided to read it, even after discovering that it's about angels and demons (which aren't my thing)! I'm hoping this is the first book of a duology or something, because I am completely unsatisfied with the ending, for several reasons. I'd love to see Maren kick some serious butt!
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Letters to the Lost
by
Brigid Kemmerer
Alyssa Susanna
, April 04, 2017
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens Publication Date: April 4, 2017 Rating: 5 stars Source: eARC from NetGalley Summary (from Goodreads): Juliet Young always writes letters to her mother, a world-traveling photojournalist. Even after her mother's death, she leaves letters at her grave. It's the only way Juliet can cope. Declan Murphy isn't the sort of guy you want to cross. In the midst of his court-ordered community service at the local cemetery, he's trying to escape the demons of his past. When Declan reads a haunting letter left beside a grave, he can't resist writing back. Soon, he's opening up to a perfect stranger, and their connection is immediate. But neither Declan nor Juliet knows that they're not actually strangers. When life at school interferes with their secret life of letters, sparks will fly as Juliet and Declan discover truths that might tear them apart. What I Liked: I've read all six of Kemmerer's previous novels (and some of the novellas too), and for the most part, I enjoyed all of what I read. Kemmerer has a way of writing broken teens who are trying to find their way. But I think Kemmerer is at her best, with this book. This, to me, is her best work. This book split me open and made my heart hurt - in the best of ways. I wouldn't say that I get emotional over books, but this one made me feel some feels. This is Juliet Young's and Declan Murphy's stories, which becomes one story. Juliet's mother died in a hit-and-run car crash, and she has been grieving ever since. Juliet used to write letters to her mom since her mother was often overseas, as a photographer in war zones and such. And so Juliet continues to write letters to her mom, but leaves them at the grave site. Declan Murphy has community service, which involves mowing and lawn of the cemetery. He finds one of the letters at a grave site, reads it, and writes back. An exchange of letters occurs, and then it becomes emails. Juliet and Declan have no idea that they are reaching out to each other and helping each other through their grief and pain. But in real life, Juliet misjudges Declan, and Declan misjudges Juliet. Both are not the other's biggest fans; but when one finds out that the other is the letter writer, will it matter? I sat down with this book with the intention of reading only half of the book, and saving the other half for the next day. I started reading really late into the night (after 9 PM) and had no intention of finishing. But hours went by, my family went to bed, and I didn't even notice. I was so engrossed in this book, and I couldn't stop reading, and the next thing I know, I've finished it. It was that wonderful, and heartbreaking, and thought-provoking. Usually when there is a YA book with dual, first-person POVs, I adore one of them, and feel so-so about the other (I don't have this problem with adult books, which is a relief). With this book, I liked both characters a lot. I think I liked Declan more, and I really connected him more (for some reason - it's not like I have a stepparent or a father in prison or a shred of the problems he has). Declan is so misjudged, and by everyone. Everyone labels him as a thug and a criminal, and when someone says something bad about him, no one comes to his defense. If he is anywhere near a bad situation, it gets blamed on him. He and his stepfather practically hate each other, and his mother is so passive and doesn't even talk to him. His sister is dead, his father is in jail, and he has to work off ninety hours of community service for one very bad decision. But... Declan isn't a bad guy. He has an attitude and he doesn't hide his anger, but he isn't a terrible person. He has a strong sense of morals and he is very intelligent, But again, misjudged. Even - and especially - by our heroine, Juliet. Juliet is overwhelmed with grief. Her mother's death is still fresh, and even the thought of getting rid of her mother's cameras makes Juliet break down in tears, or panic. Juliet hasn't had an easy year, but she isn't alone. She misjudges Declan badly, and slowly, she starts to realize that. Juliet is a good girl, though at first she is a little judgmental (towards Declan). In general she isn't... but to him, she was. She was to the point where she was afraid of him, which I thought was silly. To me, it's a testament to Kemmerer's talent as a writer, how she can characterize these two teens so well, and bring about those fears and angers and pain so well, such that the reader is incredibly aware of them. There wasn't a chapter that went by that I didn't distinctly feel Declan's fury and his hurt, or Juliet's panic and grief. Such good writing, in terms of the development of these two characters. The letter-writing aspect of the story was so wonderful. At first it was odd - Juliet was furious to find out that someone wrote on her private letter to her dead mother. But then the letter-writing turned into something more meaningful and necessary. Both characters had a lot of pain and hurt to work through, and the anonymous letter-writing really helped. Imagine being able to lay out your big problems, your little problems, your crappy day, to someone who knows exactly nothing about you. Someone who knows nothing, and yet everything. Letter-writing isn't new in YA (P.S. I Like You by Kasie West, Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum...), but it's a concept that I adore so much. This is YA contemporary with a lot of "tough issues" explored. Declan's relationship with his stepfather, with his mother, Juliet's relationship with her father, Declan's crime and his community service, his anger, Juliet's grief, Juliet's judgment of Declan... there is a lot to unload and handle, in this book. The most meaningful (or one of them) was Kemmerer's message about misjudging people - someone like Declan will get blamed and beat down because people already expect him to be a bad person, a thug and a criminal, but that isn't fair and it isn't right. There is romance and it's both there and it's not. Letter-writing Declan and letter-writing Juliet definitely fall for each other through letters - their connection is very powerful. In-person Declan and in-person Juliet have more of a slow-burn, hate-to-love romance. They bicker and fight nearly every time they see each other, and they constantly snipe at each other and misjudge each other. But their relationship changes a lot. There is a lot of chemistry between them, but it's often off the page. I liked the romance, despite the "physical" side of the romance not really being there. There were a lot of wonderful secondary characters in this book! Rev, Declan's best friend, who has a heartbreaking past but a positive outlook on life. He is an amazing friend and I loved their bromance. He's one of my favorites, and I can't wait to read his story next. Rowan, Juliet's best friend, who is so supportive and such a good best friend. Then there is "Melonhead" (his name is Frank), who is Declan's community service supervisor. He actually plays a huge and very positive role in Declan's life, and I'm glad he is in the story. Same with Rev's parents. Positive role models - not like Declan's mother and stepfather. Ugh, to both of them. The ending is perfect! Things work out well for Declan in many areas of his life. It's not like all of his problems are fixed overnight, but he takes a lot of baby steps in the right direction. Same with Juliet. And of course, same for the two of them, in terms of togetherness. Although, I have to say, we need an epilogue, or a loooooot of cameo appearances in Rev's book. There is a distinct lack of physical swoon that needs to be made up for, in Rev's book! What I Did Not Like: The only thing I wanted more of was the thing I just mentioned - more physical swoon. I shared a snippet of this book on my latest Swoon Thursday post, and notice how it isn't a kissy swoon! Yeah, there could have been more kissy scenes. A lot more. Would I Recommend It: YA contemporary fan or not (I'm not one), I recommend this book. It is such a meaningful and thought-provoking book. Also, I can't remember the last time I got that swept up in a story, to the point where I unintentionally finish it or stay up really late without being aware. (I stay up late reading books all the time but it's always intentional). There are a lot of tough topics explored in this book, but it's not overwhelmingly heavy. This is an excellent story that is powerful beyond it being a YA contemporary story about two teens who meet in more than one way. Rating: 4.5 stars -> rounded up to 5 stars (a rare 5 stars from me!). I am incredibly excited to read Rev's book next year! So far I'm seven for seven with Kemmerer's books and I have yet to be really disappointed. While I certainly do recommend her Elemental series, I recommend this book even more so!
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Forgetting
by
Sharon Cameron
Alyssa Susanna
, October 06, 2016
***Full review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** What an incredible book! I'm going to be honest - I knew very little about this book before reading it. I didn't even read the synopsis. I saw that it was a Cameron book and I added it to my to-be-read list without a second thought. I loved The Dark Unwinding, A Spark Unseen, and Rook, and I knew I would like this book too. And I loved it! I love how Cameron weaves this story. There are so many sub-stories that tie back in to the main story, and everything meets at the climax. This book is told from Nadia's POV, in first person, but you get a clear sense of the subplots in this book. Nadia's older sister's dalliance, Nadia's crazy mother, Nadia's father's behavior, Rose's significance... there are so many little seeds that Cameron plants everywhere, that spring forth towards the climax of the book. Brilliant! I feel like I could gush about this book for days! And knowing me, I probably will. I highly recommend this book to science fiction fans, but I feel like anyone who likes YA books with a lot of depth would enjoy this story. Cameron has such great writing, and all of her stories are so perfectly woven and fashioned. I recommend all four books of Cameron's! Read the rest of my review on my blog, The Eater of Books! - eaterofbooks DOT blogspot DOT com :)
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Six of Crows
by
Leigh Bardugo
Alyssa Susanna
, January 01, 2016
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** For anyone looking for an adventure (yay Bilbo), definitely give this book a chance! Make it your first Bardugo read. I personally think it's Bardugo's best book to date, but I know others really, really enjoyed the Grisha trilogy. Shadow and Bone was my favorite of that series, but I think Six of Crows is better. It's a fantasy novel with a lot of action, high stakes, developed and fun characters, and well-placed humor! Rating: 4 stars. A huge thanks to Kel from Booked Til Tuesday for passing her ARC to me. If you all get a chance, give this book a shot! If anything, the cover is gorgeous and would look great on your bookshelf! Read my full review on my blog, The Eater of Books! - eaterofbooks DOT blogspot DOT com :)
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Orphan Queen
by
Jodi Meadows
Alyssa Susanna
, August 06, 2015
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows Book One of The Orphan Queen series Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books Publication Date: March 10, 2015 Rating: 4 stars Source: ARC sent by the publisher Summary (from Goodreads): Wilhelmina has a hundred identities. She is a princess. When the Indigo Kingdom conquered her homeland, Wilhelmina and other orphaned children of nobility were taken to Skyvale, the Indigo Kingdom’s capital. Ten years later, they are the Ospreys, experts at stealth and theft. With them, Wilhelmina means to take back her throne. She is a spy. Wil and her best friend, Melanie, infiltrate Skyvale Palace to study their foes. They assume the identities of nobles from a wraith-fallen kingdom, but enemies fill the palace, and Melanie’s behavior grows suspicious. With Osprey missions becoming increasingly dangerous and their leader more unstable, Wil can’t trust anyone. She is a threat. Wraith is the toxic by-product of magic, and for a century using magic has been forbidden. Still the wraith pours across the continent, reshaping the land and animals into fresh horrors. Soon it will reach the Indigo Kingdom. Wilhelmina’s magic might be the key to stopping the wraith, but if the vigilante Black Knife discovers Wil’s magic, she will vanish like all the others Jodi Meadows introduces a vivid new fantasy full of intrigue, romance, dangerous magic, and one girl’s battle to reclaim her place in the world. What I Liked: Holy guacamole. This book. The ending. Oh my gosh. I literally just finished the book, so bear with me as I write this review. So... my review might not be thoroughly coherent. It might just be a bunch of flails. I might not even make it through the entire review. OH GOSH MY HEART. Wil is an orphan, a princess - orphan queen - of Aecor. She and a ragtag group of orphans from Aecor are trying to take back Aecor. To do so, she and her friend Melanie masquerade as destitute nobles of Liadia, so that they can have refuge in the Skyvale Palace... and get information about Aecor, the armies of the Indigo Kingdom, anything useful that could aid the Ospreys (Wil and her group) in their attempt to reclaim Aecor. But little go as planned with the presence of wraith, Black Knife, and a danger against which even Wil cannot guard herself. I love fantasy. I love epic fantasy. I love high fantasy. Basically, I love fantasy (if you couldn't already tell). It's my favorite genre, and I can't ever seem to get enough. I especially love fantasy in YA literature, because it's amazing and creative and wonderful, but not heavy and boring (like in adult fiction - in my opinion). Jodi Meadows masterfully creates the world in this book. Her writing is lush and rich, and her world-building is very thorough and imaginative. I had no problems picturing the towns, palace, and other locations in my mind. Wil is a very likable heroine. It was easy to root for her throughout the book, it was easy to see her side of things, it was easy to like her. She is brave and fierce, selfless and intelligent. I liked the way her mind works, the way she thought through things. She stood toe-to-toe with Patrick (the Aecor boy who saved her and other Aecor orphans), challenging his ruthless decisions. She never threw her title in any of the Ospreys' faces, but she always commanded authority when she felt necessary. She fought with Black Knife (the vigilante who has actually been killing wraith creatures, which is pretty noble). She pretended to be a dead noble for weeks, and did an excellent job of it. I really liked Wil, and I hope I continue liking her in this series! There are so many amazing secondary characters in this novel! Wil's best friend, Melanie, accompanies her to the palace, also a dead noble. I liked Melanie, though I definitely questioned her loyalty and her being at times. There was Black Knife, a masked vigilante who is curious about Wil, and always seems to find her. There is James, the prince's cousin and guard, who is a great friend to Wil. He's hilarious, and very flirtatious and sweet. There is the prince himself, who is (as Wil says) "sour". I liked him though. The Ospreys - the orphans from Aecor who are helping Wil reclaim her kingdom. So many well-written, three-dimensional characters that I loved. This book is broken up into three parts. Wil goes to the palace with Melanie, to obtain necessary information for their plans. But there are things that Wil is curious about, like wraith in Liadia. Wil goes to investigate the fallen Liadian barrier, hoping that no one at the palace will question her feigned illness. I love that there is more than one plot in this book, more than one story. Wil needs to sneak around the palace, to get information. Wil is trying to find out more about wraith and the wraithlands. Wil is also leaving the palace at night, and sometimes tangles with Black Knife (meaning they fight and threaten each other, and possibly kill wraith creatures every now and then). There is a lot going on in this book, so you can't get bored... you might get bored with one part of the story (probably not though), and there is another part of the story to pick you up! There IS romance in this book. I'm purposefully not saying much about the specifics, who is who. But I will say that I LOVE the romance. It's complicated, it's twisted, it's difficult - and what's new, when it comes to romance in fantasy novels? But there isn't a love triangle, there is no insta-love, and I have high hopes for the romance (though I probably should be more wary, for certain specific reasons). The ending is AWFUL. Awful as in awfully heartbreaking. I hate the ending, but it definitely adds to the story, and I see why the author chose to end this book in such a way. It's cliffhanger-y, so if you hate those, perhaps you might be better off waiting until closer to book two's publication (in 2016?!). But then, we'll probably have to wait for a book three... reading and waiting for books is so difficult! ****EDIT: the author confirmed that there will only be two books in this series - a duology! So, not too much waiting. What I Did Not Like: This book loses an entire star from me because of the ending. The cliffhanger is so mean. Like I said above, I get it, but... it's a heartbreaking ending. And so this book gets one less star. Sorry not sorry. Would I Recommend It: I TOTALLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO EVERYONE! Fantasy lovers especially, but anyone who enjoys a well-written story (so like, all readers?). Just beware of the ending - it WILL break you. You might be better off waiting for a completed series (see my edit above though - there are only two books to this series!). But hey, I'm not trying to make anyone's decisions for them. I obviously couldn't wait to read this one, so, I'll just suffer quietly. Rating: 4.5 stars -> rounded down to 4 stars. Because of that ending. I love/hate it. I love this book though. It's definitely a favorite so far (despite not earning a 5-star rating), and I can't wait to read the novellas, and the sequel novel! In 2016. Ugh.
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