This was a gorgeous book with extremely realistic characters and situations. I hope to reread this in the future when I'm not in such a rush to read. This was a gorgeous book with extremely realistic characters and situations. I hope to reread this in the future when I'm not in such a rush to read. Seriously, some of these characters aren't really that great of people, but the best stories show the good and bad in people. Nobody is an angel, and even they aren't perfect. I actually own Marra's first novel, A Constellation of Vital Phenomena, and am looking forward to reading that in the future, but probably not the near. ...more
As my first Agatha Christie novel, I liked this very much! There were passages I did have to read a couple times to understand, but that comes with thAs my first Agatha Christie novel, I liked this very much! There were passages I did have to read a couple times to understand, but that comes with the time period. I forgot that this would be like a Sherlock episode - there would be a lot of tiny things that would amount to one whole big thing, not a mystery that I could easily guess. I ate The Body in the Library up, especially since today was a lazy sort of sick day. I recently found out that my mother owns one of her mother's Hercule Poirot stories, so I just might read that, after I finish this stack of library books!...more
Illuminae was really a 4.5, but I didn't have the heart to give it a 4 star marking.
Well, for once in a seemingly long while, I've finally read a trulIlluminae was really a 4.5, but I didn't have the heart to give it a 4 star marking.
Well, for once in a seemingly long while, I've finally read a truly engrossing book! The format was interesting and creative, the worldbuilding was well-said without hitting the reader over the head to catch up with technology or anything, and I physically covered my mouth in anxiety and anticipation about 3/5 in. My only problems with this book can be dealt with, especially with the format. What was the company that owned Kerenza? That name was not said nearly enough. Also, I wish Ezra would have had more character development, but I know you could only do so much with that format, so I'll wait for the next book for that. Another thing would be some more descriptors of the characters. That would have been great to see what could have been done with that in the security footage sections. Overall, this book really grabbed my attention! I'm really glad that I got to read it....more
Nimona is the first proper graphic novel I've read, and boy, has it set a standard for the rest to come. The characters were hilarious to read, the arNimona is the first proper graphic novel I've read, and boy, has it set a standard for the rest to come. The characters were hilarious to read, the art was beautiful and the plot believable. Couldn't ask for anything better!...more
For Wednesday of Booktubeathon, I'm reading 3 short books, first of which was In Real Life. I read this whole book without letting go of it, which actFor Wednesday of Booktubeathon, I'm reading 3 short books, first of which was In Real Life. I read this whole book without letting go of it, which actually wasn't that much of a feat. Anda is a gamer girl who just moved to a small town in Arizona. On her first day of school, an Australian gamer named Liza comes in and challenges all the girls in the class to join Coursegold online, a major MMO game, as female characters, and if they kick some ass, they get to join her guild. Anda then meets Lucy, or "Sarge," who goes on paid missions to kill gold farmers. Anda actually talks to one of the gold farmers and finds out his working conditions. In an attempt to help improve his position, Anda accidently gets him fired. Afterward, she works with the other gold farmers that worked with him, and eventually the boys go up to their boss and demand better working conditions. And of course, she gets to join that awesome guild.
It was a cute story, and I had no idea that gold farming was even a thing, which really opened my eyes to something new about MMMORPGs. On top of that, the art was beautiful and sometimes pretty clever.
I really enjoyed this sequel! I feel like this is one of the series (...? dualogy? can a dualogy be a series?) where you can't compare the installmentI really enjoyed this sequel! I feel like this is one of the series (...? dualogy? can a dualogy be a series?) where you can't compare the installments. Everything flowed so well! I really appreciate Jenny Han's writing, how everything feels like it's in a tumblr filter. Lara Jean is just a sweet character, and following her life has been a pleasure! A must read for every fan of contemporary....more
For the Monday of Booktubeathon, I read The Young Elites. It only took me a couple of hours total, and boy, did I enjoy it. The world was well-establisFor the Monday of Booktubeathon, I read The Young Elites. It only took me a couple of hours total, and boy, did I enjoy it. The world was well-established, the powers were amazing, the characters deep and the plot riveting. I really don't have much more to say other than I really loved this one and am looking forward to The Rose Society!...more
This was a pleasant break from all the fantasy I've been reading lately! . The synopsis of this book is that an over-achieving, popular Southern girl naThis was a pleasant break from all the fantasy I've been reading lately! . The synopsis of this book is that an over-achieving, popular Southern girl named Harper Jane Price is going to put on lip gloss for prom when she finds her janitor on the floor if the girl's bathroom, bleeding to death. Fun, right? Well, then he gives her super ninja powers. One of her teachers then comes into the bathroom and attacks her, and then she murders him with her shoe and then breaks down. Harper then runs into David, this boy she despises, and he helps her out, despite said hatred. Turns out, she now has to use her ninja powers to defend David against evil doers because he's special! Yay! . Now for the spoiler-y part: I felt like this book was very well-paced, as well as smartly written. One of my biggest book pet peeves is when a girl has a boyfriend at the beginning of a book, they'll be broken up before the end. If another guy's name is on the jacket, he'll be making out with her after the aforementioned break up. Despite this, I think the break up and the Harper-David relationship was paced well. Ryan and Harper stayed together even though they knew it was ending, and she didn't throw herself at the next boy available. I was delightedly surprised when Ryan was chosen as the new Mage. I should have guessed it, considering I figured out that Saylor was going to hit the chopping block, but I figured maybe Bee was going to get that honour. The humour in this book was well placed and I smiled and even giggled a few times in the middle of a silent classroom. The southern sass in this was overwhelming. Speaking of southern, this book does take place in the south. Another one of my bookish pet peeves is southern accents. In real life, it's fine in moderation. Usage of "y'all" in books is annoying usually (considering I'm from the south) and unnecessary. However, the author did a good job of keeping the dialect from interrupting the story. Overall, I really enjoyed this nearly-magical-realism book and I'm looking forward to Miss Mayhem!...more
I kind of felt like the beginning of this was like a bad fanfiction. However, the ending got pretty thrilling. Can't wait to read the next one!I kind of felt like the beginning of this was like a bad fanfiction. However, the ending got pretty thrilling. Can't wait to read the next one!...more
**spoiler alert** I absolutely love, love, LOVED the conclusion to this magnificent series.
Here are some incoherent thoughts on this awesome book:**spoiler alert** I absolutely love, love, LOVED the conclusion to this magnificent series.
Here are some incoherent thoughts on this awesome book: (view spoiler)[The scenes where they were being dropped into the demon realm and they all experienced what the demons thought was what they wanted in life was interesting and very creative. Clary's was just heartbreaking. So was Max in Izzy's. Sebastian's death was absolutely PERFECT. There couldn't have been a better way to do that. This book took way too long to read. Now I am a few books behind schedule. Yay! The sass in this book was just off the charts. I lost count of how many times I showed my friends a funny part where Alec or Magnus or Jace or Simon (wow, are all the guys just sass masters?) just gave the best answer to anything. The scene where Alec, Jace and Simon were talking after Alec caught Simon and Izzy making out was hilarious Literally my favorite part: "'WHY DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING?'...'WHY CAN'T YOU GO SOMEWHERE ELSE TO DO THESE HORRIBLE THINGS? MY EYES.' ... 'Straight people,' Alec declared. 'Why can't they control themselves?'" Speaking of Alec, I used to not really care about him outside of Malec, but this book gave him so much heart and I loved it. Simon is my favorite character. The saddest part of this book was when his memory got wiped. I knew Cassie was going to fix it, but that didn't mean I wasn't upset. Also, I thought the demon FED on his memories. Like, ate them. So, why can Magnus get them back? Don't really want to question this but whATEVER. I forgot how much I missed TID's old-timey speak until now. I want to buy all of these books before the new covers replace them on the shelves. I'll probably re-read this series when the TV show comes out. SO EXCITE.
Anyways, I can not wait to read Lady Midnight! Up next: Rebel Belle or Dreams of Gods and Monsters! (hide spoiler)]...more
2021 Reread Review: Following the events of Days of Blood and Starlight, Jael has taken command of the Dominion forces and the seraphim have taken to e2021 Reread Review: Following the events of Days of Blood and Starlight, Jael has taken command of the Dominion forces and the seraphim have taken to earth to take advantage of their religious appearance. Karou and Akiva must try against all odds to form an alliance between their people to fight their common enemy and forge a better world for Eretz.
I'm not going to star rate this reread! By its very nature I already knew what was going to happen and I can't be entirely objective. At the beginning of this book, I was beginning to doubt my love of it, but as I went on, it hit me just as hard. I genuinely believe that the origin story is one of the best things I've ever read. The opportunities it leaves are so incredible. I always love Taylor's writing style. I love how touch is so important to her stories; physical contact is described with such a reverence as to be holy. I completely forgot the whole plot with Eliza and that blew me away. The entire last 200 pages or so were perfect to me. My few gripes were that Zuzana got a little tiresome (she is described the exact same way every time she appears) and the beginning was a bit slow, but it's slow because Taylor takes the time to visit multiple perspectives of the same event, which is really unique and I admire, and only gets more well-done in the Strange the Dreamer series. I love Laini Taylor. I love this story. I love how every scene makes me want to draw. I really need her to publish more books because it's been way too long :)
Original 2015 Review: I will do a proper review later - but seriously, this book was DELICIOUS....more