The conclusion to A Memory Called Empire, Mahit has returned home and is still in danger. But when she and Three Seagrass are reunited, her prioritiesThe conclusion to A Memory Called Empire, Mahit has returned home and is still in danger. But when she and Three Seagrass are reunited, her priorities have to shift because they've been assigned with the impossible task of communicating with an alien race to stop a war. Meanwhile, fleet captain Nine Hibiscus is trying to keep her subordinates from starting a genocide, and Eight Antidote is doing spying of his own.
This was a good follow up, but I'd be lying if I said that I didn't like the first one more. I really enjoyed the alien communication plot as Mahit and several others are actively trying to make progress with understanding these creatures who are monumentally different from humans in biology and culture. I also liked the discussion about how colonizer propaganda deeply infects the minds of the colonizer and colonized, even when the person is aware of it. Generally the anti-colonial themes were great and built upon book one. However, there were a couple things that made me like this one a little less. This one does feel a little bit slower in pace because Mahit isn't constantly running away from being attacked. Instead, we have a war on that could turn for the worst at any time. Also, I didn't love how much time we spent away from Mahit - we spend so much time in other perspectives, which, I get why in terms of the plot that was done, but it made me less connected that we were away from the characters I cared most about. Also, I thought there were like 30 more pages of plot and it turns out it was just bonus content! I wouldn't have hated more resolution/epilogue stuff.
Overall, this was a solid conclusion to this duology. It really built on the themes of the first, but I wasn't as invested as I was in that one....more
Iris is a romance author and artist who has been burned by romance enough times that she knows it's not for her. Stevie is an actress with crippling aIris is a romance author and artist who has been burned by romance enough times that she knows it's not for her. Stevie is an actress with crippling anxiety whose 9 year relationship ended recently. After the two have a failed one night stand and Stevie fibs to her friends that they're dating, they get cast as romantic leads in a show together. They decide to fake date in front of Stevie's friends and otherwise teach each other how to have intimate and romantic relationships respectively.
I read this in a vlog! I read a bunch of LGBTQ+ books from different genres for Pride Month. Watch it here: Queer Books Vlog
Well this seems like it's going to now be one of my favorite romance books. This was maybe the least interested I was in any of the Bright Falls books, but I'm so glad I trusted Blake because this is the best, in my opinion.
Our two main characters are both so well-characterized. I loved following from both points of view to see how each of them saw each other and themselves. I really liked their banter together, but more so the amount of care they put into the other person from the very beginning, even before they acknowledged their feelings to themselves. This makes it so easy for the reader to root for them. Individually, each had personal life conflicts that are very relatable to anyone trying to pursue a creative career nowadays. I also loved that, while this implements some popular tropes here and there, it doesn't lock itself into those tropes. It deviates and evolves away from them when it makes sense, which too many romance books nowadays don't do at risk of being redundant. Maybe my favorite part of the book is when they decide to do away with the fake dating and just date for real well before the end of the book.
What this did most successfully was the third act breakup, the hardest part of a romance book to nail. Blake's last two books had conflicts that felt rushed and the stakes felt way out of proportion. In this one, the conflict is caused by an external source but makes them confront the parts of themselves they need to work on to be in a relationship. Stevie avoids getting into conflict by burying the problem; Iris avoids conflict by leaving at the first sign of it. They have a lot of similar anxieties, but deal with them in opposite ways, which creates realistic conflict that doesn't make them incompatible (like a lot of romance books do). The conflict takes place over an appropriate amount of pages and is paced well with the rest of the book, still leaving room for a HEA that doesn't feel too short or cheap or fake.
There were a couple things that I thought could've been nudged to make this perfect. First, the previous couples appearances in this book - getting together has sapped away all the personality of these previous protagonists. Every person in a relationship talks the exact same way (regardless of previous behavior) and acts like they can't breathe without their partner. If my friends were like this, they wouldn't be my friends. Also, I could've used a little more expansion on our MC's personal lives. Iris' life felt a little cluttered, where some things (hobbies/job/family) felt like they would get more development and didn't. I was interested enough in Stevie's life and friend and Much Ado that I'd have liked to see a bit more there as well. I get why all that was cut down, though.
Overall, I think this is objectively Blake's best romance yet. So excited for her holiday release this winter!...more
Following the events of Daughter of the Moon Goddess, Xingyin is living peacefully with her mother. But the fight's not over yet - there's still battlFollowing the events of Daughter of the Moon Goddess, Xingyin is living peacefully with her mother. But the fight's not over yet - there's still battles brewing and personal grudges between powerful people.
DotMG is one of my favorite books I've read this year, and possibly one of my favorite fantasies ever. I was looking forward to this sequel so much, but I couldn't have been more disappointed. This doesn't feel like it is the same series, same characters, or even the same author. Anything that I truly liked about this book were things that were leftover from the first book - I like the set up of this society of immortals, I love Li Wei. However, so many things I adored turned sour from the very first pages of this story. The stakes of the plot are remarkably lower that in book one: we went from several battles to mostly people just talking to each other. Where's the giant fight between kingdoms, while our characters are astride dragons? There's also not as much of the magic shown (in innovative ways). The resurrection of a character who was called dead by the whole world and a LITERAL GOD and then there being no repercussions for it (e.g. him not being who he said he was, etc.) was such a missed opportunity and made it seem like nothing mattered. There seemed to be foreshadowing for a twist, but it was entirely dropped. The love triangle, which I lauded in the first book, goes from interesting and mature to cliche and juvenile within the first chapter of the book. We go from two men who respect her and her love for them both, to the plot twist at the end of book 1, to this book becoming Xingyin deciding between "bad boy with a heart" and "boring good guy" - the set up of every boring love triangle. Possibly most atrocious of all is the degradation of Xingyin's character. In book 1, she's honest and honorable and puts everything on the line for those she loves. In this book, she's a compulsive liar who takes things from other people in need. Needless to say after all this, I couldn't have been more let down by a sequel.
Overall, I wish I hadn't read this book and will tell everyone that this series is just a standalone!...more
Over the course of years, we see the results of the Kaul siblings' power over the No Peak clan and the city of Janloon.
Of the books in this s4.5 stars
Over the course of years, we see the results of the Kaul siblings' power over the No Peak clan and the city of Janloon.
Of the books in this series, this one is by far the greatest accomplishment. The clans have shifted their strategies and are playing long games, which is reflected in the narrative. We go over years as these young people we met in book one have shifted into full-grown adults that are tired of violence and want peace. They are parents now, and we get to see each of their children as they grow up - or don't get to grow up. I struggled through the first portion of this as we were very zoomed out and I felt disconnected, but as the book went on, Lee showed the true colors of this story individually, and of the series as a whole. I loved seeing the evolutions of these characters into middle age. Several times I got my heart ripped out - I can really appreciate when an author doesn't pull punches. Especially in this installment when sometimes we are lulled into a false sense of security. We also see the evolution of Kekon's international relationships, particularly with Jade. There's so much going on in this book - in the best way possible - that I hardly think I could do it justice. Just know that this series deserves all the hype and all the awards it's been getting. BRB, off to make a Hilo doll for my Etsy :)
Overall, this was an incredibly impressive conclusion to this series that took the themes and characters to a new level, now viewed on a large scale. The time scale definitely takes some getting used to, but it's all for the best. Objectively, this is the best book of the series even if I had the most fun with book 2....more
Thank you so much to Tor for gifting me with a physical ARC and an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 stars
In the sequel and conclusion to SheThank you so much to Tor for gifting me with a physical ARC and an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 stars
In the sequel and conclusion to She Who Became The Sun, more forces than ever are vying for control of the empire. The eunuch General Ouyang is struggling to keep command of his army and is driven to harm himself. Zhu is intent on destroying others who would take the throne for themselves. Baoxiang is infiltrating the empire, not through military force, but by pretending to be its loyal servant and pulling threads from within.
This series is such an impressive debut. If the first book was about suffering and then grabbing power because of it, this book is about grabbing power and suffering for it. We follow so many depraved characters willing to do whatever they believe they need to secure their power - and everyone goes about it in different ways. Not only that, but they all have parts of them that humanize them, making you empathize with their struggles... and they turn around and commit war crimes. For example, Madam Zhang does some horrible things, but she also severely dissociates from her body because of the sexual and physical violence done against her; then she in turn puts herself in those positions to get hurt again because she sees that as her only way to establish power - with her body. All of these characters are so well-fleshed out and dark and thoughtful in their own ways. Each sentence they say or movement they make has several layers of thought behind it. The discussions around gender and sexuality and the performance of each were so thoroughly and expertly explored. The book is well-plotted and -paced, with lots of violence and hatred and tragedy: Parker-Chan does not pull any punches. Still, I would have liked to see more from Zhu's perspective proportionately. The shift away from her made it feel less personal, or maybe less tied to the first book. That also meant that my favorite character, Ma, got very little screen time. I also would've liked to see somewhat of an epilogue, especially because Zhu is based on a real-life historical figure.
Overall, this series promises a long and celebrated career to come for Parker-Chan. The unnumbered layers of this story make me so excited for their books to come!...more
Following the events of Royal Assassin, almost everyone who's ever known Fitz thinks he's dead. Saved from execution by the very magic he's hated for,Following the events of Royal Assassin, almost everyone who's ever known Fitz thinks he's dead. Saved from execution by the very magic he's hated for, he has to relearn how to be human. He's determined to do two things: kill Royal, and save Verity, still on his search for the Elderlings to save the realm.
Let's recap my thoughts on the previous books. Book 1 skipped through Fitz's childhood, which I thought gave a good foundation but made it hard to ground oneself since it was lots of anecdotes strung together. Book 2 was more focused on a specific plot, built on the magic system, and deepened the characters. Still wasn't a favorite, but I enjoyed it much more. Book 3... let me down.
First of all, and most egregiously, this book is arduously, ridiculously long. Hobb goes into painstaking detail of the redundant Deathly-Hallows-Part-One-feeling misadventures of Fitz. The first 100 pages or so are very engaging, with Fitz having to survive a major trauma and then planning an assassination attempt. The last 100 pages or so finally give a few answers, with the final battles and resolutions of every single character being shoved into the last two chapters. Everything else? Fitz runs somewhere in the woods, get injured and nearly dies, whines about all the people he knows, and then gets hit on before running somewhere else and repeating the process. The pacing is absolutley bogged down - focusing on everything EXCEPT the interesting parts. We also spend the majority of the book away from the most beloved characters of the series, which made it way harder to want to continue. We previously had interesting female characters with diverse personalities, but now we spend no time with those characters; the only women we do see (except for one old woman) are women trying to sleep with Fitz. We mostly follow Fitz by himself, being more infuriating than he's ever been, refusing help from anyone and isolating, but also endangering everyone by Skilling. All the characters we do see, new or old, are annoyingly vague in their interactions with Fitz, which made it feel like they might as well have not been there. Theres a few good things that this book did. It has what is probably the strongest writing of the books. It also broke lots of genre expectations/cliches. However, because of the inbalance of the pacing, these moves that could have been brave come across as disastisfying and rushed. It's like a terrible series finale that breaks up all the people you came to love.
Overall, the longer I think about this book, the more disappointed I am in the potential this avoided like the plague. I originally gave this a three star, but it may have to dip lower....more
Following the events of These Violent Delights, though the disease and monsters have been defeated, a new and more present threat has arisen: the NatiFollowing the events of These Violent Delights, though the disease and monsters have been defeated, a new and more present threat has arisen: the Nationalists. Juliette is trying to win her father's favor over her usurping cousin, and Roma is still reeling over the "death" of his friend.
I listened to the audiobook of this, and I wouldn't recommend it compared to the physical version. Some of the narrator's voices and the lack of equalizing took away from the experience. I feel like I was also paying attention to the prose and plot less.
I don't have too many thoughts on this one. Firstly, why is this still categorized as fantasy? This sequel really didn't have that many - if any - fantastical elements. Should this not be shelved as historical fiction instead? The monster/disease elements of the first book were some of the strongest parts as well. While our main conflict is now a more realistic and possibly dangerous threat (and is based in historical fact), I didn't feel like it was as engaging as the first book. While I can't say that I liked the relationships more in this book than last, it was certainly what was pushing me to finish this when I was otherwise disengaged. Having both Roma and Juliette in the same room and communicating successfully was cathartic, and whenever they go crazy thinking the other one's dead I was rooting for them to know the truth.
Overall, I just wasn't as into this sequel as I was the previous book. I don't plan on reading the sequel series as following those characters doesn't interest me. Given how I felt about Immortal Longings, I'm unsure I'll be picking up from this author again....more
In the conclusion to the Dreamer Trilogy, the unsteady fate of the Lynch brothers is decided.
Very few sequel series are as good as the original, execuIn the conclusion to the Dreamer Trilogy, the unsteady fate of the Lynch brothers is decided.
Very few sequel series are as good as the original, executing on the promises it gave. In the first book, I believed that this series might be the exception. The second two books, however, let me down.
I found it difficult to pay attention to this book. The magic that we all wanted answers to in the first series lost its way. I found it hard to care about the characters I previously cared about. My enjoyment at any stage was found from my enjoyment in past installments of the book. I did like the peeks into the brothers' parents. I loved the art world as always. Some resolutions to the character's lives I liked. I wish we had more interactions between our beloved characters. Much of this will leave my mind soon after reading it. I wish I had something better to say for a continuation of one of my favorite series, but alas.
Overall, this series will be one that I mostly forget, while I remain in love with the first series....more
The third and final book of the Themis Files, Only Human opens ten years after our protagonists and Themis disappeared onto another planet - this timeThe third and final book of the Themis Files, Only Human opens ten years after our protagonists and Themis disappeared onto another planet - this time, they have reappeared on Earth just as suddenly. Now that humanity has had time to deal with the realization of their connection to Themis and her creators, the world has changed beyond recognition. Rose, Vincent, and Eva have to figure out how to keep themselves and the entire human race alive.
Unlike the first two books in this series, I listened to this installment on audio. In my mind, that is by far the best way to experience this series. There is a full cast giving great performances, which really elevates the story off the page. I cared more about these characters in this book than the others almost surely because of the performances of the cast. Vincent in particular stood out among the cast. I liked that there's not always right answers in this series, particularly so in this alien society the characters find themselves in in this book. I also enjoyed the two different timelines we bounced between as we see what happened on Esat Ekt in the ten-year time jump. I liked the action that we did get, but there was definitely less of it in this book than the others. And Katherine as a villain was definitely lackluster; she did not feel realistic at all.
Overall, I'm glad that I decided to finish this series out since I had considered DNFing it. Listening to the audiobook gave me a greater appreciation for this sci-fi series as a whole....more
The sequel to Meg and Jo, we now follow the younger of the March siblings. Beth is now touring with her big-time country star boyfriend as h3.75 stars
The sequel to Meg and Jo, we now follow the younger of the March siblings. Beth is now touring with her big-time country star boyfriend as his songwriter, trying to ignore her discomfort with the spotlight by controlling her food intake. Amy is trying to grow her purse business in NYC while trying to get over her lifelong crush on Trey, Jo's ex. Now Jo's getting married, and everyone's returning to North Carolina for the event.
This duology has given me a good amount of serotonin. Regardless of how anyone would feel about any updates to the plot or liberties this book takes, it truly does feel like a return to the characters of Little Women. Amy's plot was fun, with a strong romance plot as she is getting with Trey but not compromising on being mistreated or put second. Beth's plot was so heartbreaking as she is actively suffering - being in a predatory relationship and having an eating disorder - and working hard so that nobody notices it. She's the supporter of the family, not allowing herself to be the center of attention. I did really like that her plot did not hinge on having a romance. I think that her ED was discussed well, and we could have had even more direct conversations with Beth of how she doesn't deserve to suffer. I also really enjoy that this is set in North Carolina, which is where I'm from; it did feel very homey, as a Little Women story should. I thought it was interesting to have the mom be a perspective character here and showing how the parents are interacting with each other and possibly working through their problems, without necessarily wrapping it up in a bow - a marriage is very hard work, especially when someone's been absent. My main wish for this book was that we'd have more interactions between the sisters. We do have some family gathering scenes toward the end, but some more one on ones between the sisters to connect them could have taken this book to the next level. I generally think that adding more pages to flesh everything out between all the mini-plots could have done the same.
Overall, this duology has been a sweet treat between heavier books. Fans of the original book will definitely have fun with this....more
Following the events of Raybearer, Tarisai has successfully struck a deal with the Underworld: she has risen to become the first Empress Redemptor, alFollowing the events of Raybearer, Tarisai has successfully struck a deal with the Underworld: she has risen to become the first Empress Redemptor, alongside her raybrother Emperor Dao, and must anoint her own circle of thirteen before descending into the Underworld to appease the spirits of the wronged spirits of Redemptor children past. While attempting to turn political rivals into raysiblings, Tarisai is being haunted by Ojiji spirits who tell her she's not doing enough, that it will never be enough...
I heard middling reviews of this duology conclusion, and for what? This was just as solid as book 1. We focus on different things than in book 1, where this is more introspective as Tarisai can't stop obsessing over what she needs to do to make things right and shirks any help from her siblings. Everything was really intentional, especially that! Tarisai struggles with severe anxiety and guilt and is in a large decision making position. I think the messages that Ifueko is giving teen readers are all so important and well done: lessons about anxiety, showing an ace mc and a mc that doesn't want children, talking about the harm of imperial governments and the compounded struggles of those that are oppressed, etc. I thought this wrapped up absolutely perfectly as well, tying up all the plot loose ends and giving just enough of an immediate epilogue to be satisfying without the whole unrealistic HEA everyone got married thing. A lot of YA duologies have let me down, but this one felt necessary, had the same feel and stakes of the first book, and wrapped up conclusively. On the other hand, just like last book, I wish we would have seen some more from the siblings. I think an adaptation of this might have the room to give some life to more of them! I also think there could have been a bit more in the action department, but when there was action it was great.
Overall, this exceeded my expectations based on what other people said and met my expectations based on the quality of the last book. Really solid YA duology that I'll be recommending to fantasy fans!...more
In the conclusion to the Crazy Rich Asians series, the many clans of the Young family descend upon Tyersall Park as their matriarch is on her deathbedIn the conclusion to the Crazy Rich Asians series, the many clans of the Young family descend upon Tyersall Park as their matriarch is on her deathbed.
These books are such summery reads. The satirical nature of these books is definitely reminiscent of Austen at times. It's always fun to read about the absolute extravagance shown by these characters. The thing about this series is that the style in which it is written - where we pass between a ton of family members and plot lines so we don't have one focal point - makes it so it's really difficult for me to get invested in any of the characters, even the good guys. I mean Kitty is somehow the character I get most invested in reading just because she's so outlandish. Is this another case of Written-by-a-man syndrome? Possibly. But it's been nice to have had a reliable series to go when I want to switch my brain off to read. Also, I absolutely love the fate of Tyersall Park; it was definitely the best answer. I wish we would have seen a bit more of Su Yi's backstory, but I enjoyed what we got.
Overall, this series was a fun romp to get through over the years. I really need to watch the movie now!...more
Following the events of Cytonic and Skyward Flight, Spensa has finally been returned to Detritus - even if Detritus isn't where it used to be. The SupFollowing the events of Cytonic and Skyward Flight, Spensa has finally been returned to Detritus - even if Detritus isn't where it used to be. The Superiority is closing in, and humanity and its allies are going to put up a final stand.
Cytonic was the weakest in this series by quite a bit, so I was worried going into this one. Luckily, I think this returned to the quality of the earlier books - I'm partially referring to how isolating Spensa, while it had its purposes, really took away from Cytonic. Getting the gang back together, even in this different capacity, worked really well. I think that possibly the strongest part of the book was the hero's journey arc that Spensa goes on throughout the quartet. I love seeing how Spensa is reflecting on her past and her people given her new life experiences. My favorite conversation that we had was about how Spensa hasn't had the privilege to walk through life cautiously, unlike a lot of other people in her life - something that she's constantly criticized for that isn't really her fault. There was a genuine plot twist I absolutely didn't see coming near the end, but a lot of the plot points along the way hit exactly the beats I expected. Except maybe the g3n0cide (iykyk) ... that was crazy and emotionally rough to read. I liked the new developments that we saw of the world and the "magic", but I could tell that Sanderson was holding back so that more reveals could happen in the next series.
Overall, this was a solid ending to the series; I'm glad I continued on despite not really enjoying Cytonic. This isn't my favorite of Sandersons by a mile, but it's still something I find myself recommending fairly frequently....more
In the third and final installment in The Daevabad Trilogy, Ali and Nahri find themselves stranded and far away from home at the worst possible time. In the third and final installment in The Daevabad Trilogy, Ali and Nahri find themselves stranded and far away from home at the worst possible time. Meanwhile, Dara has become Afshin to a new leader who does not have the best intentions at heart. Can our three heroes come together once and for all to save their beloved city?
I put off both of the sequels in this series, and I wish that I hadn't. I think that if I hadn't waited so long I'd have enjoyed the series as a whole a little bit more. I remembered the main characters and the main conflicts pretty well, but the side characters faded from memory.
This was super solid. I listened to this as an audiobook and the narrator did an amazing job. I love Nahri as a character so much - first of all, she's a healer, which is a trope we don't see in main characters nearly enough. Her healing magic is the best part of the series. She's also clever and prickly but is always doing the right thing for the greater good. Her relationships are also a highlight, with Ali, Dara, Muntadhir, and Jamshid. I really like that the whole world is based around Islam, and we see religious characters in a fantasy who find fulfillment through their God. The epilogue section was pretty perfect. I do have a couple of things I would have liked more of. For one, I really didn't absorb some of what was happening with Dara, particularly with his subordinates. I never knew who those people were lol. For another, and I hate that I have to say this for yet another series conclusion, but the end battle/fight needed to be longer. Show me that the big boss is as dangerous as you've made them out to be.
This was a good one to end the year with, especially because it went toward my goal of finishing out more series! Here's hoping 2022 will be a good one....more
Normally, I fully review a book. However, with this one, I wasn't able to focus while listening to this audiobook. I really don't have anything to sayNormally, I fully review a book. However, with this one, I wasn't able to focus while listening to this audiobook. I really don't have anything to say about it. I did like the ending though. I recommend this series to people who are interested in Black fantasy & environmental fantasy & climate justice....more
Following the events of Crier's War, Crier faces her impending wedding to evil Scyre Kinok while Ayla is headed to Varn to try to find her brother in Following the events of Crier's War, Crier faces her impending wedding to evil Scyre Kinok while Ayla is headed to Varn to try to find her brother in Queen Junn's court. When Crier discovers a darker secret and runs away, she is forced to flee the country and pose as a human orphan. When Ayla arrives at court, she is immediately taken in as an honored guest instead of needing to spy. Now in reversed roles, the girls must fight for a world in which the two Kinds can live in peace.
If you don't want spoilers for my vlog in which I read this (coming some time in August, once I get my hands on the last book I'm reading for it!), don't read ahead!
Crier's War got me out of a slump last year after I was going through some emotional slump and I will never forget it for that. It was easy to get through and fun, with a great mutual pining relationship to root for and a really interesting world that's a combination of fantasy and sci-fi. This had a lot of the elements that I liked of the first book, but unfortunately wasn't quite as enthralling.
Crier and Ayla are a super cute couple. You gotta love WLW "wait does she like me? do I like her?" angst. The two of them are also distinct from each other in their thought processes and actions, which is often something that debut authors miss entirely. I really like the historical inserts/ letters/ documents that get put in between the chapters, I think they really expand the world and it's one of my favorite things in a fantasy book. I liked the Shadows, where we see the outcome of using Nightshade. However, this was just not as well structured as the first one, particularly for a finale. This series definitely could have been three books if you really needed to separate the two of them AND have a "war." They don't meet up until halfway through the book, which sucks because the strongest part of the series is the relationship. The plot, which was super interesting in the first book, just wasn't as strong in this one. The pacing was a bit weird and it felt like the evil was too easily defeated. That said, I still had a fun time reading this and it was super easy to get through. I can't wait to see what Varela comes up with next, even if this wasn't my favorite yet of hers....more
Anna Sun is stuck in a rut. Since going viral in a video showing her playing violin, she can't play like she used to. Her family calls it laziness, buAnna Sun is stuck in a rut. Since going viral in a video showing her playing violin, she can't play like she used to. Her family calls it laziness, but she can't put it behind her like her perfect sister does. Then, when her longtime boyfriend suggests an open relationship, she decides to try out a one night stand to get revenge - but panics and fails. But the guy, Quan, seems super nice, and is willing to try again, and again after they fail again, and soon he's more involved in her life than she thought he would, and at a time when two huge changes come to change her life forever - and not all for the better.
Helen Hoang, I love you forever. Truly. The Kiss Quotient was one of the first romcoms I ever read and it was the first I ever loved and still considered it my favorite; it was the book that convinced me to try out romance books for real. I'm not sure if this has just tied or surpassed my love for the first book, but I definitely think it will have the widest appeal - not least because of the very real, very personal heartbreaking storylines that accompany the romance.
At first, I wasn't entirely sold on their relationship, but it didn't take long for me to change my mind on that. There really wasn't anything I didn't love about this book. Anna is such a wonderful protagonist who is in such a hard place in her life that she can't get out of. Seeing her get diagnosed with ASD was so cathartic as she started to realize how her behaviors aren't simply laziness. Quan is possibly the ideal boyfriend and he's not even my type. All he does is care about Anna and his loved ones and it is so unendingly sweet. His straightforward communication - and his determination to get Anna to be the same way so she can be happy - was so wonderful. You're really an adult when you think good communication is the hottest thing about someone (or maybe I'm just demi). Their relationship seemed to flow really naturally. Also the spicy scenes were possibly her best, and narratively there was a lot of reward with the characters working through their own insecurities to be with each other in the way that they both want.
The plots outside of the romance were so well-done. Anna is going through a stressful time that Hoang herself had to go through recently enough that The Bride Test hadn't been published yet. The strain put on her family by this tragic situation is so upsetting to read because it feels so real. Anna herself is already hurting but that hurt is compounded by not being understood by her own family. She needs to care for herself and can't bear to. Quan being her life raft was so sweet to read. They say that you only know you love someone for sure if you've seen them through illness, financial trouble, or grief, and we see that here. I also think that this plot allowed Hoang to finally stick a landing; I've thought her last two were too sudden, but this one felt realistic and well-deserved.
Overall, this was such a great book: a great romance and a great story. This possibly might have unseated The Kiss Quotient as my favorite romance, but either way, Helen Hoang has officially solidified her place as one of my favorite authors ever (per my 3 standalone/2 series rule). Her entire heart, both the love and the pain, were put into this book, and it shines through so brightly....more
Years after the events of book 2, the new-wave Scythedom has more control than ever over the world, and the Thunderhead is doing everything in its (noYears after the events of book 2, the new-wave Scythedom has more control than ever over the world, and the Thunderhead is doing everything in its (now limited) powers to stop them from destroying humanity.
My original review was deleted, so I'll be more brief! Book 1 is one of my favorite books, I thought it was very mature and thoughtful for a YA book. Book 2 was a letdown in my opinion and lacked a lot of what I liked about the first. Luckily, I think this was a return to the first book's maturity, even if the plot is a departure.
The best part of this book is the expansion of the world. We are less focused on Citra and Rowan than in the previous two books as we - much like the Thunderhead - bounce around from disparate character to character to put the whole puzzle of this story together. There are lots of moving parts, and the timeline can definitely get confusing because it's not entirely linear, but I believe it pays off. The Thunderhead makes a surprise decision for humanity, an option which has been ruled as impossible because of various Scythe conspiracies, and it made the book turn very differently than I expected, but in a good way. While it is a more scifi answer, it made more logical sense with the political happenings. I liked that since the definition of race has been changed in this series, in this book we address the definition of gender as well. I love this series' exploration of death and how the meaning has shifted by this society. The Scythes show that human hatred is a force that must always be combated, and how privileged people try to use that hate to their advantage through systemic means, from small laws to eugenics.
Overall, I think this series does a great job introducing teen readers to more complex storytelling and serious horrific discussions found in dystopias and the real world....more
The third and final installment in The Poppy War series, Rin must try to defend the starving Nikara from the looming Hesperian forces after the fallouThe third and final installment in The Poppy War series, Rin must try to defend the starving Nikara from the looming Hesperian forces after the fallout of The Dragon Republic.
I read this for my readathon, Friendathon, for the prompt to read a book in a series that your friend has completed. Both of my friends, Brooke and Jasmin, have finished this series, so this was appropriate!
Even though there was a lot of hype around it, I didn't have high expectations for this book. I hadn't loved the first two books as much as other people had, so I anticipating feeling lukewarm about it. However, Kuang improved in her writing with each book in this series, leading this to be the best of the trilogy. There's lots to comment on here: colonialism, internalized racism, justice, the atrocities of war and the difficult decisions made during it. Kuang has no holds barred. This book is graphic, and on purpose. Rin isn't a perfect messiah character, and on purpose. Seeing how her mind worked and the priorities she held, especially in comparison to those around her, was so fascinating and even occasionally painful. The focus on the gods/magic system was really up my alley; I had been waiting for the focus to come back to that for a while. The ending of this was extremely fitting; it was the only one that really would have properly closed out the story (and I'm proud to say that I called it). What stops me from giving this a five star is that I just wasn't as connected to the characters as I'd like to have been. That's likely a to-each-their-own thing, since I wasn't as much of a fan of the first couple of books, instead of something inherently wrong with this installment.
Kuang truly has a gift for realistic war-based fantasy and I look forward to what she comes out with in the future. ...more
The Hero of Ages is the third book in the Mistborn trilogy, which is about a world where a mist covers everything, ash is always falling, and the sun The Hero of Ages is the third book in the Mistborn trilogy, which is about a world where a mist covers everything, ash is always falling, and the sun burns red in the sky. A thousand years ago, The Hero of Ages defeated a dark force and took control of the Final Empire as the Lord Ruler, becoming a tyrannical immortal dictator. In the first book, we follow a crew of Allomancers, or people who gain supernatural abilities from the consumption of different metals, all trying to take down the Lord Ruler and free the skaa, a large cast of people enslaved by the nobility. Vin, our main character, is a skaa orphan who is adopted by this crew when they believe she may be the powerful type of Allomancer, a Mistborn.
Unpopular opinion? I think that The Well of Ascension is the best book in this series. All the books are clearly part of a whole and each has its own merits and demerits, but overall, that one stood out to me. Part of my liking this book a bit less may be attributed to me having a small reading slump, but I generally felt less invested in this story than the other two. Let's get into what I liked and didn't like.
My favorite part of this book BY FAR was the excerpts at the beginning of each chapter. Even from very early on, so many important and fascinating worldbuilding things were dropped in those excerpts (more in this book if memory serves than the others) that I was often turning the pages just to read the next one. Learning what Rashek did to make the sun red and etc. blew my mind. This book shows how much of an excellent long-term plotter Brandon Sanderson is. So many reveals about how this world works were being built upon from events in the first book. Nothing ever seems like a cheap reveal in this series because everything is laid out for you and is logical; suddenly the pieces just fit instead of giving a nonsequitur. It's no surprise that the many, many reveals and resolutions in this book were stand-out. The new primordial forces were fun. The conversations surrounding religion were something I really appreciated; I know that Sanderson himself is religious (I am not) so it was really cool seeing his thoughts. The original fantasy races were fascinating to see and then later expand upon in unexpected ways. The tone of this was also very strong, how you could feel how close to losing our heroes are, and the consequences of "losing" in this book are much graver than ever before.
However, I still didn't like this as much as the previous installment. In Well of Ascension, I thought the body was strong and the ending was weaker and the opposite about Hero of Ages. I was still in for the ride because I am invested in this world and particularly in Vin, but I felt this book contributed less to most of the characters, with a few notable exceptions. I wouldn't even argue that Vin was the main character of this book, which I wasn't a huge fan of. In regards to the body, I thought that a lot of the chapters felt redundant, particularly with Sazed. His parts get better as we go further, but I could have sworn some sentences were copy-pasted. There was also an aspect of the end that I didn't like but I agree with, so I don't know where in my review that should go, ha.
Overall, I loved this series. I cannot believe I DNF'ed The Final Empire two or three times and I'm so glad that I picked it up again last year. Sanderson is a new favorite author for me and I can't wait to continue in the Cosmere. Next up for me is probably Warbreaker!...more
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