Wildfire, the latest (and hopefully not last) book in Ilona Andrews’ Hidden Legacy series has been out for about a month and it has already proven to Wildfire, the latest (and hopefully not last) book in Ilona Andrews’ Hidden Legacy series has been out for about a month and it has already proven to be an enormous success. It debuted on New York Times’ and USA Today’s bestsellers lists and it’s been getting nothing but gushing reviews from both professional reviewers and fans. However, it’s likely that you already knew all that. What you perhaps didn’t know is that I consider Wildfire to be one of the best books this extraordinary pair has ever written, and one of the best urban fantasy works in general.
Wildfire picks up exactly where White Hot left off, with Nevada and Rogan back from their brief escape. Their vacation is cut short by Nevada’s grandmother, a merciless, dangerous prime who’ll stop at nothing to save her family name. Nevada’s mother doesn’t agree with her choices, which is yet another hurdle she must overcome. Nevada fights battles on all sides, but she has allies to help her navigate the perilous world of primes.
The colorful Baylor family finally comes into the spotlight. They all fight for their freedom in Wildfire, and they all use their magic. It’s hard to choose favorites, they are all fully fleshed out and so very interesting. I noticed some potential for a spin off with Catalina and a certain Italian gentleman, and I’ll keep my fingers crossed for that in the future.
Aside from the family issues, Rogan’s ex-fiancé shows up on their doorstep asking for help, and while it sounds like a recipe for disaster, things don’t go as one would assume. Ilona and Gordon don’t do romantic drama if they can avoid it, and they usually manage to avoid it just fine. I appreciated the true partnership between Nevada and Rogan, their mutual understanding and communication. They stuck together even when they disagreed, which wasn’t all that often to begin with. I love couples that are true teams, and Ilona Andrews just hits the right note for me every time.
After the initial success of Wildfire, I have no doubt that more books will be coming. They wisely left some things open, more than enough to intrigue readers. Whatever their plan for future installments, we have more fabulous books ahead of us, and that’s reason enough to celebrate.
The first thing you need to know if and when you decide to read Revenge and the Wild is that it will be the most fun you’ll have in ages. Ent4.5 stars
The first thing you need to know if and when you decide to read Revenge and the Wild is that it will be the most fun you’ll have in ages. Entertainment is pretty much guaranteed, regardless of your usual reading preferences. For a book that refuses to be labeled or in any way categorized, Revenge and the Wild is pretty universally lovable. I challenge you to be grumpy while reading it.
The second thing you need to know if you’re a curious sort of person is that you need to throw your expectations right out the window. With a 16-year-old one-armed alcoholic for a heroine, you’ll certainly be in for a few surprises. And when I say alcoholic, I don’t just mean a drink here and there at parties – I really mean nasty, belching drunk prone to fits of rage and unseemly behavior.
For all the entertainment it provides, Revenge and the Wild offers a surprisingly deep characterization and great emotional moments. Westie was left alone as a child when her family (and her arm) were eaten by cannibals. She was saved and adopted by a famous inventor, who created a mechanical arm for her and raised her as his own. Westie has never given up on finding the cannibals who killed her parents so when they show up in her small, protected town pretending to be rich and civilized, it’s a pretty big challenge for her family and her addictive personality.
Revenge and the Wild is a fantastic blend of paranormal steampunk with elements of horror. There’s something in it for everyone, and yet it doesn’t seem crowded and it works surprisingly well. Modesto pulled out all the stops with her worldbuilding by creating a colorful setting that can be enjoyed from the very first page. The only thing missing were dragons, everything else was already there. She did the same with romance, which seemed honest from the start, despite many roadblocks. I love romances that develop from years of friendship, especially those that are a bit weird and quirky on top of that. Westie and Alistair seemed perfect for each other from the start.
Overall, Revenge and the Wild is quite a surprise and perhaps not entirely suitable for readers with delicate sensibilities. Since I most certainly am not one of those (the nastier the better, as far as I’m concerned), I’ll be keeping my eye on Michelle Modesto, hoping to get another one of her wonderfully wicked adventures very soon.
Even before its release, Three Dark Crowns, the first in Kendare Blake’s new series, is proving to be a highly polarizing book, with readers either loEven before its release, Three Dark Crowns, the first in Kendare Blake’s new series, is proving to be a highly polarizing book, with readers either loving or hating it and very few (if any) falling somewhere in the middle. Three Dark Crowns offers all the things Kendare is known for: the dark moments, the vivid imagery, the shocking, almost grotesque violence, but it lacks her usual rich plotting and regrettably falls behind her other works.
Three Dark Crowns starts off promisingly, with poison flowing, dangerous elemental magic and cruelty wherever we turn. Readers have been describing it as dark, but it goes a bit beyond that. With Blake’s work, devil is always in the details, and she is known for the gruesome and memorable images she enjoys planting in our heads. Snakes, scorpions, tables full of poisoned food, islands shaking and human sacrifice, all promise us a read we won’t soon forget.
It quickly becomes evident, however, that images are all this book has to offer. With no plot to speak of and very little significant characterization, even blood and gore lose some of their entertainment value. The three sisters meant to kill each other for the throne all seem like weaklings in the hands of stronger political forces. There isn’t a true queen among them, not one a reader could choose to support and wish to see on the throne. They are, all three of them, best described as anti-heroines, and fairly unlikeable ones at that.
The plot, such as it is, is extremely slow to develop. We spend most of the time meeting the three queens, familiarizing ourselves with their friends and enemies and pondering their many challenges. Their respective love interests develop slowly and some are more interesting than others. I have to say I enjoyed Pietyr and Katherine more than any other couple and I found their honesty very refreshing. The lack of plot is made somewhat more tolerable by Kendare’s gorgeous writing, but after a while even that isn’t enough to keep us engaged.
It needs to be said that Kendare Blake’s writing is vivid and impeccable. Technically, she is unparalleled in her ability to paint elaborate scenes and then drown them in blood. As a reader and a fan, I will never give up on her work because she gives me something I so rarely find – elegance in horror and images that haunt me for a very long time. She is allowed one slip, especially one where I can still admire all those things I like most about her writing.
As a big fan of Amy Tintera’s debut duology, Reboot, I was beyond excited to read her first foray into the world of YA fantasy. It’s my preferred genrAs a big fan of Amy Tintera’s debut duology, Reboot, I was beyond excited to read her first foray into the world of YA fantasy. It’s my preferred genre and the one I’m most selective about, but I trusted Tintera to create something thrilling and never before seen. Sadly, while Ruined was exciting and pretty decently written, nothing about it was as original or daring as it should have been. If anything, Ruined is a collage of themes and tropes we’ve seen many times before with just enough novelty to make is seem better than it actually is.
Ruined is told alternately from Em’s and Cas’s points of view. The two belong to countries at war with each other, with much history and bloodshed already between them. Although the narration is fairly divided, it was clear from her first chapter that Em would be the one to carry the book. It was important to Tintera to make her the strong, merciless and isolated heroine, a girl considered useless by her people because she didn’t possess the magic like the rest of the Ruined. When it comes to creating heroines, Tintera clearly knows what she’s doing. I liked Em’s independence and bravery, I loved that she always expressed her opinion, even when it wasn’t prudent to do so. She never came across as whiny or incompetent as so many heroines often do.
The downside of her excellent characterization was the shadow she cast over Cas. In contrast, his character was poorly done, and while it could be argued that he was too young, he didn’t have the personality fit for a future king. Cas was almost too agreeable and forgiving, he let his family, and even Em, walk all over him, and when Em failed to warn him of danger and practically betrayed him, he just forgave her like it was nothing.
That brings me to romance, which was obviously somewhat disappointing. I felt very little chemistry between Cas and Em as his impostor wife and while I didn’t see it as instalove as some readers complained, I also saw no reason for their infatuation. I have no idea where the story will take them or how they might change and evolve, but as it is, there is nothing substantial between them.
I have to give credit to Tintera for her excellent dialogues. As a huge fan of dry humor and sarcastic remarks, I enjoyed all the banter between her characters. Em’s personality came through loud and clear in every random comment and especially those things she muttered to herself in response to something someone said. In addition, it’s clear that Tintera is a great writer with an excellent sense of pacing.
While I might not continue this series (I doubt I’ll even remember the details by the time the second book comes out), I’ll keep an eye out for Tintera’s next project, hoping it will be something I’ll enjoy just a bit more than I did Ruined.
The Assassin’s Heart is hands down one of the most exciting debuts I’ve come across in ages. The fast pacing leaves very little time to breathe, but wThe Assassin’s Heart is hands down one of the most exciting debuts I’ve come across in ages. The fast pacing leaves very little time to breathe, but with such an exciting story in hands, breathing becomes secondary anyway, and all you care about is the fate of the characters. Sarah Ahiers has an excellent sense of her characters and knows just what to do to keep us at the edge of our seats. I loved several things about her debut, but more than anything, I loved how it enveloped me completely, to the point where I refused to go to bed until I finished it.
Lea is an assassin for the Saldanas, one of nine prestigious assassin Families in the kingdom of Lovero. With the law of the kingdom and the goddess of death behind her, she kills quickly and efficiently to earn money for her Family and to keep them in their goddess’ good graces. Her Family is the strongest of the nine, with only one serious rival – the Da Vias. Being in love with Valentino Da Via, Lea hopes for the impossible, a resolution of their conflict and a marriage. But her world comes crashing down in fire and betrayal, and pretty soon she’s all alone, with neither money nor status to keep her alive.
Although the Assassin’s Heart is exciting from start to finish, it’s certainly not without its flaws. On the contrary, it has many. Some of the things about Ahiers’ world made little sense and the social structure required a major suspension of disbelief. It made no sense that people could pay an assassin legally to kill someone over petty grievances. With so many assassins working in such a small country, there would be no people left in a matter of months. I’ve also noticed how often in YA characters that are described as competent and practically invincible in the beginning turn out to be less than capable as the story progresses. At the beginning, Lea was presented as one of the best clippers (assassins) not just in her family, but in all the rest as well. The more challenges she faced, the more it became clear that she’s really just a girl, and she herself used the word sloppy to describer her actions on several occasions. I can understand characters losing when facing overwhelming odds, but to have them lose repeatedly because of sheer stupidity really grates on my nerves.
Nevertheless, I found myself enjoying Lea’s story even when she racing toward another stupid mistake. I liked her determination and those occasional bursts of wisdom that made me want to get to know her better. I also truly enjoyed all her companions along the way, including her grumpy, long lost uncle.
According to Goodreads, we should be getting a sequel eventually (although I’ve found no mention of it elsewhere). Be that as it may, this book functions perfectly as a standalone with its beautiful story arc and a more than satisfying ending. While I’m hoping for a sequel, and a very good one at that, I feel great about where we’ve left these characters.
The opening chapter of The Mystery of Hollow Places promises a story filled with paranormal mysteries and excitement. It’s one of the best
[image]
The opening chapter of The Mystery of Hollow Places promises a story filled with paranormal mysteries and excitement. It’s one of the best prologues I’ve read in a while and it easily made me want to read the rest in one sitting. I adore atmospheric, creepy mysteries, and I was hoping this would be one. The rest of the book, however, continued in a very different tone.
That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy what came after. Mostly I liked it because of Imogene Scott, a main character that carries the book easily with the depth of her personality. I wanted to know more about Imogene from the very beginning. She is an unusual girl, a bit of an outsider, with only one friend she seems to trust. After growing up with her father’s forensic mysteries and his struggles with bipolar disorder, she’s very mature and she can be a bit odd and closed off sometimes. When her father disappears, Immy has a single goal – to find him, no matter what it takes. Influenced by his mysteries and his main character, the forensic pathologist, she thinks it’s her job and hers alone to find out where her father has gone. But the mystery of his disappearance is wrapped up in her mother’s abandonment, so Imogen first has to find a woman she doesn’t even remember, and uncover the truth of her parents’ relationship.
The Mystery of Hollow Places is in many ways a strange book. It goes in many different directions and it’s difficult to determine what it’s really about. There were several things I enjoyed thoroughly, starting with Rebecca Podos’ subtle and beautiful writing. I loved how she weaved her story with seeming ease. Nothing about it seemed artificial or forced, and I admire the deep understanding behind each sentence. Characterization is what makes this book strong and memorable, starting (but not ending) with Immy Scott.
Aside from the characters and the writing, though, nothing about this book stood out. The mystery itself was mild and fairly uninteresting. I didn’t read to learn the truth, I read to learn about Imogen and her fascinating thought process. So if you take this book as a mystery of any kind, you might be disappointed, but if you appreciate a very well done coming of age story and mature, beautiful characters, this might just be the book for you....more
I must confess that I’m one of maybe seven bloggers in the world who haven’t read the famous Hush Hush series, and I think it’s safe to say
[image]
I must confess that I’m one of maybe seven bloggers in the world who haven’t read the famous Hush Hush series, and I think it’s safe to say that for me, Becca Fitzpatrick’s switch to the YA mystery/thriller genre certainly paid off. I am a huge fan of thrillers, be it adult or YA, and this is an author who knows how to write true page-turners and give us so much to think about along the way. I considered Black Ice to be a huge success with its morally ambiguous characters, heart-stopping danger and a romance that maybe wasn’t for everyone’s taste, but that definitely worked for me. Dangerous Lies might be better suited for a larger audience, but the things I loved about Black Ice, the bones of the story, are still very much present.
We meet Estella as she goes in the witness protection program. She is separated from her boyfriend and her self-destructive, addicted mother and forced to live in a small town with a hardened ex-cop. Stella feels betrayed by her mother and desperate for her exile to end as soon as possible.
It isn’t always easy to like Stella. In fact, she is purposely written as rebellious and self-centered, but even as we're trying to come up with various punishments for her behavior (from a purely parental standpoint, of course), we fully understand how she came to be that way and what went wrong along the way. She is a girl who practically raised herself under very difficult circumstances, a girl who has never been properly loved by anyone. I was afraid, for a time, that there would be no saving her, no easy way out, that she was just too hardened for a regular life.
As a character, Chet provides a nice counterbalance to Stella. A reformed bad boy with secrets and regrets who is trying his best to live a different, honest and responsible life, Chet is perhaps one of the best characters I’ve stumbled upon lately. He more than made up for the uncomfortable feeling Stella caused and he gave me someone to support and root for at all times.
The mystery part was well done, even though it was a tiny bit predictable. Still, I had no idea how things would play out and I was incredibly tense the entire time. I loved that Fitzpatrick didn’t fall back on a cliché with Becca’s boyfriend and that she gave us a realistic, entirely credible solution to that problem.
Overall, Fitzpatrick is proving to be a truly wonderful YA mystery author whose next work I’m anticipating with much excitement.
A copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher for review purposes. No considerations, monetary or otherwise, have influenced the opinions expressed in this review....more
After a fairly long absence, Seven Black Diamonds signifies Marr’s return to the fae world, albeit in a somewhat different setting. Her debut series WAfter a fairly long absence, Seven Black Diamonds signifies Marr’s return to the fae world, albeit in a somewhat different setting. Her debut series Wicked Lovely was about the fae and it was extremely successful. I can only assume it’s where she still feels most comfortable. Those who’ve read both Wicked Lovely and Diamonds claim that there are many parallels, which I can neither confirm nor deny. I can only say it wouldn’t bother me if both were successful, but Seven Black Diamonds is a far cry from Made For You, a paranormal thriller and the only one of Marr’s books I’ve truly enjoyed.
Seven Black Diamonds offers so many different points of view in such a brief time that it’s difficult to keep track of all of them and their stories. I felt so confused throughout the first half and I was forced to go back and look up some details just to confirm I wasn’t going crazy. It’s difficult to get attached to any of the characters when so many are pushed in front of you at once. To be honest, most of my focus was on trying to figure out who was who and what might be their agenda.
This was so obviously the first in a series, a ‘meet the characters’ sort of deal. There really wasn’t much of a plot, nothing structured or tangible at least, and all of it was mostly about establishing complicated relationships. There was supposed to be one big revelation, but it was clearly visible from a mile away and it failed to bring any excitement into it. The weak love triangle that really wasn’t a love triangle at all (which made it all the more unnecessary) further complicated things.
I can’t really find much praise for Marr’s writing this time either. We could perhaps blame it on so many brief chapters told from different perspectives, but the narrative didn’t run smoothly and it lacked any real emotions. I wish I could have believed any of it, but it just wasn’t convincing. Seeing as I am a fan of at least one of her books, I can honestly say that Melissa Marr can do much, much better. Perhaps it would help to stick with one or two characters in the future, preferably Lilly and Eilidh (and just btw, it drives me crazy that they routinely call a heavily scarred girl Patches). Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll pick up the sequel and find out.
3.5 stars Extraordinary Means by Robyn Schneider is a well-written contemporary young adult novel that will surely find its place in the hearts of many3.5 stars Extraordinary Means by Robyn Schneider is a well-written contemporary young adult novel that will surely find its place in the hearts of many. It’s a deliberate tear-jerker perfect for those who are chasing a few moments of catharsis.
When a book is repeatedly described as the love child of Looking for Alaska and The Fault in Our Stars, the reader pretty much knows what to expect going in. What’s more, an experienced reader can safely predict the beginning, the middle and the end. The similarities between the three books are undeniable. Schneider rarely strays far from John Green’s proven model, and even when she does, it’s for something that’s hardly important.
Robyn Schneider, thy name is not John Green. But it might as well be.
So does this book bring anything at all to the table, and if yes, what? Well, for one, there’s the quality of Robyn Schneider’s writing, which is excellent. She does sometimes push the profound a bit too far – I’ve found a few passages that were surely meant to be deep, but that made me laugh instead, and not in a good way. But those were rare, and for the most part, Schneider’s style was gentle and elegant.
As far as characters go, they were well thought-through, but they didn’t really jump out for me like they should have. There were some good sides, though. Although she’s a bit of a rebel, Sadie is a far cry from a manic pixie dream girl, which I actually liked. The simplicity of her character made her seem more real and accessible. Lane is a bit more complex, an overachiever, too serious for his actual age and seemingly socially awkward, at least at first. There’s a bit of history between him and Sadie, an old misunderstanding he was unaware of, but the brief past encounter makes their romance seem less abrupt and far more realistic.
The incurable strain of tuberculosis was a nice touch and a great way to isolate characters. The purpose of this disease and Latham was obvious, but still wonderfully done. For me, that was what made Extraordinary Means worth reading, not the potential heartbreak and not even the romance. But I’m sure both will appeal to so many other readers and with good reason. This is already Schneider’s second novel, but she’s already a force to be reckoned with. I just wish she would find her own, wholly original path.
Prisoner of Night and Fog, Anne Blankman’s incredible debut and part one of her duology, seemed at times too good to be true. Extensively researched, Prisoner of Night and Fog, Anne Blankman’s incredible debut and part one of her duology, seemed at times too good to be true. Extensively researched, clever, and deeply emotional, it explored a time some would rather leave forgotten, the darkest time in Germany’s history. Blankman gave us front row seats to Hitler’s rise to power, seen through the eyes of one of his darlings, a young girl he’d taken under his wing and treated as a favorite niece. But the events in Prisoner of Night and Fog took Gretchen away from the man she knew as Uncle Dolf, and in Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke, the two are bitter enemies, and Gretchen is sure she’d be killed on sight.
Forced to leave her comfortable life in Oxford and return to Germany with Daniel, Gretchen is forced to face the demon from her past, the man she once loved deeply and trusted implicitly. This time, with her eyes wide open, she hopes to uncover the Nazi Party’s many conspiracies and stop Hitler’s rise to absolute power.
Unfortunately, with the distance between Gretchen and Hitler, the book has lost some of its allure. We still see actual historical events, but this time we view them from afar, as would anyone else. We are not privy to insider information, not anymore, which means that we’ve lost our chance to learn more about the deterioration of his psyche. There’s still plenty to admire about the book, but that part, the part I admired most in Prisoner of Night and Fog, is all but gone.
Of course, the events in 1933 Berlin are still thoroughly researched and presented in a wonderful blend of fact and fiction, which makes this book highly educational as well as entertaining. The work Blankman has finally put before us is impeccable. She did her job and she did it well, finding the perfect balance between history, fiction and character development.
We left Gretchen and Daniel in a very good place last time, but while life seemed to be looking up for Gretchen, Daniel has had a far more difficult time. Although he was safe, Oxford hasn’t been kind to him as everything that made him the extraordinary boy Gretchen fell in love with was roughly taken away. Friendless and unable to be a proper journalist, he spent his days in sadness and loneliness, but was determined to hide it from his girlfriend. Goying back to Germany brings light to their difficulty, and in Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke, their uncertain future causes a substantial rift between them. Nevertheless, our two darlings never turn their back on each other and they constantly work in perfect sync to bring down the Nazi Party.
Minor faults aside, Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke is a perfect conclusion to this story. Blankman set the bar pretty high, but she was more than up to the challenge. I can’t wait to see what she’ll give us next.
3.5 stars Fans of Throne of Glass, Snow Like Ashes and other popular YA fantasies have much to look forward to. Victoria Aveyard took a much proven for3.5 stars Fans of Throne of Glass, Snow Like Ashes and other popular YA fantasies have much to look forward to. Victoria Aveyard took a much proven formula, twisted it and turned it until, at least on the surface, it became something new. At first glance, Red Queen seems to be exactly what a successful novel in this genre should be. It’s exciting, emotional, highly addictive and it leaves you begging for more.
You’d be hard pressed to find anything original about it, though.
We’ve read this story one too many times, it seems. A poor but resourceful girl suddenly becomes very important in her society. She gets accepted to court under false pretenses and has to secretly learn to be a lady in order to survive. The king and the people around him are cruel and unforgiving. Poor Mare has to watch her people suffer while she’s enjoying all the luxury – even if she is sacrificing herself for the greater good.
Ahh, but the story wouldn’t be complete without a handsome prince or two! Oddly enough, the love triangle (Rectangle? Pentagon? Whatever.) didn’t bother me nearly as much as it did in other similar stories. This is probably due to the fact that the romance itself never struck a chord with me. Other emotions were far more important, like the feeling of hopelessness, abandonment and overwhelming fear. Mare was all alone in a world where everyone was her enemy. Romance wasn’t at the forefront of her mind most of the time, and the same applied to me. Perhaps things will develop in the next installment, but I’m quite happy with the way they are now.
I’ve always had a soft spot for stories that involve individuals with superpowers. X-men is kind of my thing, and so is Hunting Lila and other stories that follow the same path. Red Queen follows along as well – in Mare’s world, people with silver blood rule over those who bleed red, and the Silvers all have some special ability, whether it’s pyrokinesis, mind reading or anything else of the sort. The different powers were by far the best part of this book. Even though they were used time and time again, Aveyard found a way to make them her own, especially when it came to Mare.
While this wasn’t the perfect book for me, neither was Throne of Glass, so please take my opinion with a grain of salt. The story is very promising and I have high hopes for the sequel. I’ll definitely be reading it when the time comes.
Here’s a fair warning: don’t start reading Liars Inc. right before bedtime or when you have other, more important things to do. That will not end wellHere’s a fair warning: don’t start reading Liars Inc. right before bedtime or when you have other, more important things to do. That will not end well. This book is a thrill ride that demands your attention non-stop from start to finish, and what’s more, it absolutely deserves it. That’s not to say that Liars Inc. is free of flaws, but for the life of me, I can’t force myself to care. The important things are covered: a wonderful, believable protagonist, a well-built story, an interesting and most importantly different romance – all skillfully written and fabulously paced.
It needs to be said that Paula Stokes has an impeccable sense of pacing. Writing a story that progresses so rapidly, but also runs smoothly is a rare talent indeed. I must confess I was thoroughly impressed by her storytelling abilities.
The mystery was surprisingly well crafted. There are so many red herrings along the way, and they are so well placed that it’s almost impossible to tell which one of them is the real threat. More than anything, though, it was the romance that kept me glued to my gorgeous new reading chair (see how I casually threw that in?). From the start, Parvati seemed to be the perfect girl for Max, but there were ulterior motives behind everything she did. She was also the only one willing to help him when things really got tough. She seemed honest on one page and deceitful on the next, which made seeing what was real almost impossible.
There are so many lies told in this story and even more truths to uncover. Good YA thrillers are truly rare, but Paula Stokes definitely knows how to write them. Liars Inc. is not the most memorable of books, but it’s undoubtedly fun. I highly recommend it.
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda is the most adorable book in the history of books ever. (Seriously, my heart is currently a puddle on the f4.5 stars
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda is the most adorable book in the history of books ever. (Seriously, my heart is currently a puddle on the floor.) But this book is much more than just quirky and cute, it is also necessary, very important even, because it (finally) brings much needed diversity into YA fiction. In the sub(sub)genre we usually refer to as coming-of-age contemporary fiction, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda shines like the brightest star.
Simon is just a regular, smart boy from a regular, loving family. He leads a regular life and has regular friends, he participates in regular activities and likes all the regular things. He also happens to be gay. Simon has yet to reveal that secret to anyone. He doesn’t fear that his family will reject him, he doesn’t think his friends will turn on him, but it’s still a pretty big secret to keep and he simply doesn’t feel ready to share. It’s the first thing I liked about this book, it approached the process of coming out as exactly that, a process which everyone should approach at their own pace, even when there’s no danger of being ostracized for it. Being emotionally mature enough to handle declaring yourself different from most people isn’t something we all reach at the same time, and seeing Simon’s process was both endearing and exhilarating.
Realistic male voices are still far too rare in Young Adult fiction. It’s not often that we get someone like Simon, such an authentic character, completely true to life. The geekiness, the awkwardness, the adoration of Harry Potter bring us closer to this boy who is perhaps a bit different, but paradoxically same as everybody else. Other characters were just as fleshed out, which made it easy for Albertalli to take us straight to Simon’s world and make us live that exciting time right alongside him.
"White shouldn’t be the default any more than straight should be the default. There shouldn’t even be a default."
The pacing was admittedly a bit of an issue, especially around the middle where the story dragged and felt somewhat empty, but overall it’s a minor flaw that can easily be overlooked. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda is a story you need to read and recommend if you haven’t already. It will warm your heart in the best way possible.
I hope we’ll get more from Albertalli soon. Judging by her debut, we’re in for a treat.
3.5 stars This time last year, I was singing Sara Raasch’s praises to anyone willing to stop and listen. When Snow Like Ashes came out, I wa
[image]
3.5 stars This time last year, I was singing Sara Raasch’s praises to anyone willing to stop and listen. When Snow Like Ashes came out, I was so sure I finally found another fantasy series to worship, something I could love as much as I loved The Girl of Fire and Thorns, The Graceling Realms and all my other favorites. (Not Lumatere, though, nothing quite compares to Lumatere.) Needless to say, when the reviews for Ice Like Fire started trickling in, I grew very nervous indeed. Slow, aimless, essentially plotless… were just some of the words thrown around by my most trusted reviewers. But do I agree, now that I’ve finally gathered the nerve to actually read it? I do, to a point, but not entirely.
I don’t mind slower pacing when the writing is good and I enjoy being in that particular world. I especially don’t mind it in fantasy, I actually enjoy having events slowly unfold while I familiarize myself with the surroundings. The pacing in Ice Like Fire was a bit slower than expected, but it never got in the way of my enjoyment. I would disagree about it being plotless as well. There is a fairly decent plot that might suffer from the middle book syndrome just a tiny bit, but that is exciting and engaging nevertheless.
My main problem with this book doesn’t stem from the writing itself, or the pacing, or even the plot. My biggest grievance is with Meira, a heroine that, for the most part, isn’t a heroine at all, but someone who stays quiet while people walk all over her. Until the very last part and her awakening of sorts, she just stands there while other people run her kingdom, while they tell her what she can and can’t do, while they allow or don’t allow her to carry weapons and act a certain way… She never for a second leaves the impression of a queen and a magic conduit, of someone powerful and aware of it. I realize that there has to be room for growth, but I would have liked her more if she didn’t start quite so low.
Do you remember those pointless love triangles that drag out and torture us for ages without any sign of remorse, and yet we know in our hearts the entire time who the heroine will end up with? Yeah, this is not one of those. We’ve been thrown back and forth already and at one point, I thought I knew how things would end up, but now I’m not sure of anything anymore. What’s more, the struggle and the changes of opinion seem well founded and realistic.
As most reviewers pointed out already, the last part more than makes up for any issues we might have had. It’s exhilarating, fast and the stakes are incredibly high. While I didn’t like Ice Like Fire nearly as much as I’d hoped to, the ending left me desperate to get my hands on the next book which promises to be the most exciting of the three. We’ll just have to wait and see.
A copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher for review purposes. No considerations, monetary or otherwise, have influenced the opinions expressed in this review.
There is nothing even remotely new or original about this book, but that’s not a reasonable expectation within the (paranormal) mystery genre4.5 stars
There is nothing even remotely new or original about this book, but that’s not a reasonable expectation within the (paranormal) mystery genre. The important thing is to find a perfect balance between suspense, character development and a well-built mystery, and Marr achieved this to absolute perfection.
Marr is excellent at building tension slowly but steadily. The constant promise of senseless violence combined with Eva’s horrifying visions keeps us wide-eyed and at the edge of our seats, fully convinced that the killer is coming for everyone, Eva included, and that they stand very little chance of actually stopping him. As expected, there were a few red herrings along the way, and they were pretty easy to recognize as such, but the identity of the killer remained a mystery to me until it was casually, brilliantly revealed at just the right time.
Eva approaches the world with refreshing honesty and directness. The willingness to say exactly what’s on her mind at any given time is her most admirable quality by far. With one understandable exception, she expresses her thought and feelings with candor we all wish we could achieve, but aren’t brave enough to actually try. In a town where status is everything, she is the uncrowned princess, daughter of the richest, most powerful family in the tight little Southern community. But Eva, while well-aware and respectful of her position, approaches it with a healthy dose of self-irony and makes it impossible for us not to admire her for it.
The romance also worked well, even though the timing could have been better. I liked the idea of two childhood best friends finally coming together, and I liked Eva’s behavior toward Nate tremendously. For his part, Nate took his time in finally admitting his feelings, but when he did, there was no doubting his honesty and devotion.
In the end, while the well-built mystery certainly helps, for me it all comes down to Eva herself. The story is told from multiple perspectives, rules this book like she does her small community – gracefully, convincingly and by making smart decisions the entire time.
4.5 stars YA fantasy is one of my favorite (sub)genres, but it’s also the one I’m most picky about. There are examples of almost flawless series everyo4.5 stars YA fantasy is one of my favorite (sub)genres, but it’s also the one I’m most picky about. There are examples of almost flawless series everyone seems to love but me, and then there are some I practically worship and reread all the time. When Snow Like Ashes started being compared to Throne of Glass, I have to admit I was worried. Throne of Glass is one of those books (and even series) that makes me feel like the odd one out –I appreciate it, but I don’t feel compelled to read the next book at all, and even when I do, I tend to be annoyed with the characters and their actions.
While Snow Like Ashes is similar to Throne of Glass in that it’s YA fantasy and that everyone seems to like it, for me, that’s where the similarities end. I had some trouble starting this book (mostly because of my preconceived notions and misgivings), but once it pulled me in, the experience was beautiful and unforgettable. I not only want to read the second book, I would sell my soul to get my hands on it as soon as possible.
The world Raasch created doesn’t have the intricacy of Cashore’s world or the precise beauty of Lumatere, but it is well done and it has so much potential for further development. Eight kingdoms divided into two group of fours – the Seasons and the Rhythms – are ruled by kings and queens with special conduits of magic. Only Winter has no conduit, not since Spring destroyed the kingdom, killed their queen Hannah, and enslaved everyone but a small group of refugees.
Meira is among these refugees, and so is Mather, the rightful heir to the throne. Their small group has been trying to get their conduit back for over 15 years without success, until Meira takes things into her own hands. From the start, Meira is a character we can easily admire and cheer on. She is capable and more than ready to defy authority when needed, and she doesn’t hesitate to put herself in danger if it can somehow help her kingdom. She is one of those heroines that think for themselves at all times, and she doesn’t allow anyone to influence her or tell her what to do. Even when cornered, she finds a way to take control of her own life as much as possible, and this balance she always tries to achieve is what made me like her instantly.
Meira, of course, has been half in love with Mather her whole life, and not only because he’s the only boy her age around. I saw this infatuation as something childish, caused more by circumstances than everything else, and was thrilled when she seemed to outgrow it and let go. There is another boy, of course, a much better boy for our Meira and it is my hope that the story will further take her in his direction and away from childish fantasies.
The pacing of this story is absolutely brilliant. Raasch’s writes like a seasoned author and rarely gives us time to breathe. I can’t even imagine what comes next for Meira, Theron, Mather and the rest, but whatever it is, I’m confident it will be written flawlessly.
As a reader, I have this overwhelming need to connect deeply with the characters I’m reading about. Even when I’m dealing with anti-herDNF - no rating
As a reader, I have this overwhelming need to connect deeply with the characters I’m reading about. Even when I’m dealing with anti-heroes, there’s always something (usually humor, no matter how non-PC it might be) that keeps us firmly linked. No matter how hard I tried, forming that or any other kind of connection with Anderson’s three characters proved to be impossible for me.
It was all intentional, of course. The overall coldness and detachment wasn’t an accident at all. If anything, it was proof that Anderson is a very skilled writer, one capable of creating the exact atmosphere she desires. Based on the few reviews I’ve read, the distance between the reader and the characters is not without its purpose – it’s simply a deal breaker for me personally.
I gathered from those same few reviews that the story doesn’t end on a positive note. As much as I hate to admit it, I’m a closet romantic at heart. I like my stories to have hopeful endings, perhaps to make up for the fact that I don’t really believe in HEA in real life. Being denied both the emotional connection and a reason to smile in the end seemed like as good a reason as any to give up on this book and find something else to read.
I’m not telling you not to read this book. I’ve seen plenty of enthusiastic reviews so I’m pretty sure some of you will absolutely love it. Perhaps just read a sample first to see if this type of prose works for you.
4.5 stars Sometimes, though not nearly often enough, a book grabs my attention from start to finish and refuses to let go. Rites of Passage is one of t4.5 stars Sometimes, though not nearly often enough, a book grabs my attention from start to finish and refuses to let go. Rites of Passage is one of those books that make you experience and react strongly to everything that happens, but also forces you to realize some harsh truths about yourself, truths you could have kept hidden and unacknowledged otherwise.
In other words, it made me face the fact that I’m a wuss.
Watching Sam McKenna go through hell at the military school she chose to attend on a dare – not only physical hell, but emotional as well – made me realize that I might just be a quitter somewhere deep inside. However, while I can’t finish a year (or even a day) of training at DMA, I can certainly finish a book in one sitting. Or, you know, several. Hah! Take that, Mac! You can do a gazillion push-ups, but I can turn those pages like nobody’s business.
And turning the pages frantically is exactly what I did. Unexpectedly… shockingly even, Rites of Passage was very emotionally draining. It had been a long time since a book really made me cry, but watching Sam being ostracized, completely rejected not only by her peers, but by her dysfunctional family as well, broke my little heart into a million pieces. I admired this girl’s bravery and persistence the entire time. She never once faltered, not even when she was left all alone, beaten and abused.
I was also more than a little surprised by the quality of Hensley’s writing. Her language is simple and clear, but the level of emotions that permeate every sentence of her narrative is extremely high. I have, unfortunately, learned not to expect much when picking up something entirely unfamiliar, but my low expectations made this whole experience that much more thrilling.
The ending, however, was less than satisfactory, which broke my heart in a different way altogether. This was going to be a perfect five-star read until things started to unravel. When they did, they went in two different directions: some were resolved far too neatly and suddenly, and some felt completely unfinished. The romance especially, after a whole lot of build-up, didn’t leave me with a warm and fuzzy feeling like I expected and needed it to after the emotional turmoil this book put me through. There is talk of a sequel, however, so hopefully things won’t be left like this permanently.
Maja (The Nocturnal Library)
>
Books:
edelweiss
(51)
Loading...
