Ugh, I don't know. I mean, I liked this, but the characters and the romance felt way underdeveloped. And with that ending, I'm not exactly sure why twUgh, I don't know. I mean, I liked this, but the characters and the romance felt way underdeveloped. And with that ending, I'm not exactly sure why two more books are needed about Talia and Bran. So I'm withholding judgment until I read Sideswiped.
Merged review:
Ugh, I don't know. I mean, I liked this, but the characters and the romance felt way underdeveloped. And with that ending, I'm not exactly sure why two more books are needed about Talia and Bran. So I'm withholding judgment until I read Sideswiped....more
I wish I would've just DNFed this one in the beginning, because it was not worth finishing. The whole deal with this book was so unbelievable. The reaI wish I would've just DNFed this one in the beginning, because it was not worth finishing. The whole deal with this book was so unbelievable. The reasons for what was happening and who was doing it were ridiculous, and I was expecting so much better with a story that involved the Salem Witch Trials. Also, I didn't like the main character, but I think most of that just had to do with the weak writing. A lot of this story was cliche (new girl in school, mean girls, befriending a boy who OF COURSE finds her attractive even though she doesn't think she's beautiful, etc.). The only difference being that everyone hates Sam because she's Cotton Mathers' descendant, and they think she's cursed them all after Things happen. ALL of the characters in this book are flat. They have no personalities. The love that "developed" between Sam and ghost boy was laughable because I don't get how it went from he's dead and mean and rude to I will die without him??? The dialogue was always so awkward (between everyone, actually), and ghost boy was pretty controlling and demanding toward her, so like, it was NOT a swoony romance. Just. Ugh. The only reason I kept reading was because I wanted to see how it would end. But now I'm left knowing that DNFing would've been the better choice. ...more
I was very surprised by how much I liked this book. I'm not a huge fan of zombie and undead tales anymore. They don't really interest me, so it took mI was very surprised by how much I liked this book. I'm not a huge fan of zombie and undead tales anymore. They don't really interest me, so it took me awhile to actually get into this story. And I did have problems with the MC. She was very selfish, never satisfied with her life (which I could understand a bit because she was super curious about the world outside of the village), and I didn't always like her choices. Especially concerning the love triangle. But I did like that it added a realness to the story, to make it more relatable. I was also very interested in knowing more about the Return and how the village came to be, so it makes me want to read the sequel for MORE ANSWERS....more
*Review copy kindly provided by Madeline Freeman via NetGalley. *Review can be found at The Fox's Hideaway.
My Review! I'm going to admit this, but I tot*Review copy kindly provided by Madeline Freeman via NetGalley. *Review can be found at The Fox's Hideaway.
My Review! I'm going to admit this, but I totally read this book just because it had an orange cover. I probably would have kept putting it off if I hadn't read it for this challenge. But I'm so glad I did read it! Although I was a little annoyed with the romance and the lack of answers, Awaking had a unique concept that I found intriguing.
It also had a pretty sassy main character, Morgan Abbey. I really liked her in the beginning especially, because she didn't conform to the standards and she told fortunes to her classmates for money. However, she lost that boldness throughout the novel, that sassiness. She didn't question anything, she didn't press for answers. I thought she'd be more skeptical, more questioning. I didn't think she'd take everything at face value. There were times she was incredibly dense too. Morgan was also kind of portrayed as a bit of a Mary Sue. The one who's special, who is above all of the nonsense of high school. The one who can do no wrong and who is always morally right. The one that all the guys want.
Speaking of guys, the romance in this book left a lot to be desired. We meet so many characters, especially guys. There were at least two love interests (one who is creepy and misogynistic and ihatehimsomuch) one who was supposedly a friend but apparently not after that ending. I don't know where they all came from, or why they were all needed. There is a prophecy that explains two of them having a presence, which could contribute to romantic feelings. But none of them felt that believable, because Morgan's relationships with all of them were not that developed. I was left wanting there to be a clear love interest, and a focus on that relationship. Not all of this back and forth, confusing feelings in the main character. I don't think I would have minded it so much, if I had felt genuine chemistry between any of them and Morgan.
The concept, which didn't have as much focus throughout the book as I would have liked, was intriguing and different. It just didn't have that much development. Sure, we find out in the beginning what's going on and what Morgan is. But after that, the main character acted like it was all normal. There was no questioning, even when the people were not forthcoming with information and were being deliberately evasive. The plot lost me a little bit in the middle but then it picked back up once truths come to light and Morgan realizes that the people who told her that she was one of them might not be the ones who should be trusted.
Awaking was not the strongest beginning, but I'm curious about the sequel and what's going to happen to the characters next.
The only reason I went on with the series was because of a reading challenge. But I just...cannot. I liked the first book okay, bDNF @ 50% because no.
The only reason I went on with the series was because of a reading challenge. But I just...cannot. I liked the first book okay, but not enough to want to continue, especially not to read something I don't give a shit about. And that's just it. I don't care. I'm not invested in the story, or in the characters. But it's not that anything is wrong with them; it's that I find them so bland and a little annoying. I liked Talia as a character though because she showed a lot of strength and maturity, but I felt that her OCD was completely brushed over, and I was upset that nothing was happening with it. I was bored reading this, and I was so annoyed with the romance. They had some great banter, but most of this was back and forth arguments. Not to mention, Bran kept calling her kid, and I wanted to punch him. Dude, she's not a child. And I still don't believe in them as a couple. If this were real life, I don't think they would actually work out.
Also, I totally just read the ending and I KNEW that would happen. I'm glad I didn't go through even more shit just to find out something that was inevitable anyway....more
So very predictable, the characters were one-dimensional and underdeveloped. A positive point? It was really fast-paced for me, so I didn't mind finisSo very predictable, the characters were one-dimensional and underdeveloped. A positive point? It was really fast-paced for me, so I didn't mind finishing it (two of my friends DNFed it within a day of each other, so I wanted to know how it would end. Haha). However I did know how it would end, because like I said, it was predictable. And okay, it's not like this is a terribly bad book. But I just didn't care about anything happening. At all. I didn't care about the characters, which was prominent when one of them was dying and I just shrugged it off. I felt no emotions reading this. It was so bland and nothing that hasn't been done before in the genre.
Maybe a proper review to come later, but I don't know what more I have to say honestly. Sadly, this was a huge disappointment. I even liked it a bit in the beginning, and it was easy for me to read even though I didn't feel a strong connection with the MC. It definitely had a more modern feel than a historical one, though. But then it just grew so damn disappointing, and I hated the underlying girl hate (the only other girl besides Elizabeth is a mean girl, a bitch who doesn't give her a fair chance, until she's suddenly nice and they become "friends." All the guys, of course, are nice and kind and looooove Elizabeth). The action did pick up in the second half, but not enough to turn everything around or make you forget about the stupidly easy-to-guess plot (because the MC is completely oblivious to everything around her).
I tried to give this a fair shot, and I feel like I succeeded in that (though I could also have been a bit influenced going in, I'll admit that). But you know what's worse than a book completely pissing you off and making you rant about it? One that evokes no emotions in you at all. And that was The Witch Hunter for me. I have zero interest in the sequel....more
*eARC kindly provided by Flux via NetGalley* *Review can be found at The Fox's Hideaway.
My Review! You know those horror films where you know something *eARC kindly provided by Flux via NetGalley* *Review can be found at The Fox's Hideaway.
My Review! You know those horror films where you know something is going to happen but you can't stop it? You know that the characters are walking straight into danger and you can't warn them but you want to? You just have to sit there, knowing full well that the shit's going to hit the fan, but no matter how much you yell at the characters to turn around and dear God go back the way you came you idiots, you have to let it happen. That's pretty much how I felt while reading Creed. It was like a B rated horror movie, with the dumbass teenagers who do everything possible to put themselves into danger when you know that none of this would have happened if they'd listened to their instincts and used common sense in the first place.
It's not like this book was bad. In fact, it was extremely creepy, but more so in the beginning. And it's a "horror" novel, so it's not like I expected a different outcome. It wasn't supposed to be about smart teens who know which path to choose that won't destroy their lives and possibly kill them. It was an entertaining read that just reminds me why I should listen to my gut when it comes to signs of danger. And no matter how much I cringed at the stupidity and ridiculous theatrics, I couldn't stop reading it.
This book had me completely gripped in the beginning. It sunk its claws into me, with an interesting main character and two boys who probably shouldn't have been making the decisions. I was sucked in by the writing style and the way Dee was telling the story. At first, I found her to be a balanced mix of strength and vulnerability, but where that strength and courage went throughout the story, I have no idea. She was tough, in part because of her "tragic" childhood (which should make me sympathize, but honestly it was hard to connect with her). But I wanted more character development. Since this was such a fast read and more about what was happening, it left all the characters and their relationships barely developed. And that's okay, considering what type of story this was. But I did want more from them. I think that would have made the direction this story went have more of an impact on me. Because the way everything played out just made me not really care what happened to the characters.
I think that's mostly in part to how all of it played out. Like I said, this was so creepy in the beginning! I was completely tuned into the scary factor of the story and I couldn't help but be intrigued as the characters made their discoveries and found this little town in the middle of nowhere with a population of 150. But after that, once the characters started coming out of the woodwork and the evil "Elijah Hawkins" showed up, I was less than impressed. I was mostly just outraged by his ridiculous notions and what he did, not scared or even creeped out. And honestly the plot was all over the place and left me feeling disconnected from the characters and not even that concerned about them. There were a few sad parts, but they didn't really impact me.
And although I liked the book, I hated that ending so much. I'm sorry, but that was just ridiculous and felt way out in left field. It made what happened seem trivial, there was no resolution, and the main character totally lost all of her development that she'd had before the start of this book. It left me feeling underwhelmed, annoyed, and angry because I wanted the ending to be more resolved. I didn't care if it wasn't a happy one; I just wanted it to make sense. And it didn't to me.
I think Creed could have been a great horror novel/thriller, but somewhere along the way, it lost the scary factor due to ridiculous theatrics and a story-line that seemed to go nowhere.
Ugh, just ugh. I've heard mixed things about this series, but I love fantasy, and it's an NYT bestseller so I thought it would be good. But dear God, Ugh, just ugh. I've heard mixed things about this series, but I love fantasy, and it's an NYT bestseller so I thought it would be good. But dear God, I just about hated everything in this book. It was laughably predictable, the twist was not a twist at all, all of the characters (save for one or two) were extremely one-dimensional. The political discord felt so unbelievable, and the direction this story went makes me wonder how in the world the author is going to make 6 books out of this fantasy land. I think the only thing I liked about this was the magical elements, though there weren't enough of them.
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