i can't not give this book five stars because it was SO good but i'm surprised that this ending was so weak? it felt like it needs 100 more pages, andi can't not give this book five stars because it was SO good but i'm surprised that this ending was so weak? it felt like it needs 100 more pages, and everything wrapped up so... as expected. it's very unlike victoria, so i finished it a little confused. i was expecting to be a sobbing mess because this series has been top of mind for me for the past few months as i read them all back to back, but it ended in a place where it's almost like i should expect a fifth book.
i guess that just means i need to dive into the novellas and see what i missed!...more
This book gave me too much power. Reading this with my bestie Bonnie, I was stopping every other sentence to declare I KNOW THAT'S RIGHT!! every time This book gave me too much power. Reading this with my bestie Bonnie, I was stopping every other sentence to declare I KNOW THAT'S RIGHT!! every time the book talked about how women were previously the most powerful gender in society. I liked some chapters in this book more than others, and sometimes the sentence structure could be so long and convoluted that the author's message was lost. But her tone was so hilarious and it made me really interested in picking up more books on this subject.
As a book from the 1990s there were a few things I think could've been modernized if the book were rewritten today, like a bigger focus on non-Western/white societies and better intersectionality. The N word was used in the last chapter, and it was in bad taste to cite white authors talking about abolitionism and civil rights rather than Black writers. My rating more reflects the first half of the book where I highly enjoyed learning about women's roles in society previous to modern times and before industrialization....more
yall were right. it's really good. i have nothing else to add. it was just very good.yall were right. it's really good. i have nothing else to add. it was just very good....more
I remain convinced that this is one of the best and most underrated YA series of all time. What thiOriginal rating: ★★★☆☆ Reread rating: ★★★★★
June 2022
I remain convinced that this is one of the best and most underrated YA series of all time. What this first book lacks in speed and depth, the rest of the series make up for it twofold. I was weeping while rereading this just from the sheer fact of knowing how it ends, so all the foreshadowing and flashbacks were that much more impactful. I can see why I rated it 3 stars the first time around because it keeps you in the dark on some things that end up being very significant, but over the course of the series I grew to love these characters so much and now any subsequent rereads are going to be 5 stars, no matter what. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this series.
March 2020
Thanks Sourcebooks for the review copy!
3.5 stars
During the first half of this book, I was convinced I would give it 4.5 stars. I was really liking it, and my vlog footage matched that same excitement. but the last 100 pages of this book lost so much steam, it's like the author got tired of writing it and just flung her characters into situations without thinking whether it's realistic or explained enough.
The main character Eliana reminds me so much of Lou from Serpent & Dove. She lives just to survive, so she'll switch to any alliance or do whatever's necessary to protect her friends and family. This made her interesting.... but also seemed a little like a Celaena wannabe at times. Still, I liked her banter with the Wolf and I thought she was smart--again, excluding the final 100 pages.
The biggest disappointment here for me was how the plot points didn't really fall into place. This book was trying to be an assassin book, an elemental magic book, (view spoiler)[a time travel book, (hide spoiler)] and an angel book all at once, and it just got confusing and underexplained. The plot point about angels should have been cut, in my opinion.
Also I'm a little upset about the rushed romance--or not even romance, but just how the Wolf went from being a great stoic character to randomly a smitten jokester. His development was so lazy and I didn't understand the shift from "you're terrible i hate you" to "i would bow on my knees to you, my life is dedicated toward you."
So many small pieces of this didn't fall into place for me, so I'm gonna try out book two and see if it solidifies anything. But I did like that this book was a dual POV and had a really steamy scene for it being a YA book....more
THIS BOOK SAID TALL GIRL RIGHTS!!!! THIS BOOK SAID BISEXUAL RIGHTS!!!!!
Don't let this book fool you and let you think it's just another author trying THIS BOOK SAID TALL GIRL RIGHTS!!!! THIS BOOK SAID BISEXUAL RIGHTS!!!!!
Don't let this book fool you and let you think it's just another author trying to capitalize off of having the word "Thorns" in the title to appear like a Sarah J. Maas knock-off. This is my favorite book of 2019, and Sarah J. Maas should be SHAKING right now. I read this author's debut book, An Enchantment of Ravens, and hated it, so I was skeptical going into it. But I knew within the first chapter of this book that it was going to be something else entirely on a whole different level, and it was. The glow up this author went through, in my opinion, is UNREAL.
The writing style? STUNNING The characters? BRILLIANT The romance? SOFT The plot? I'M RUNNING OUT OF ADJECTIVES
When I say this book is unique, I don't mean it's ~special~ or it's ~interesting~. I mean there is literally not a single book out there that has done what this book has done. It has the cozy, library vibe of Harry Potter. It has the demonic tinge and 19th century flare of The Infernal Devices. It has the magical angst of a Sarah J. Maas book. And yet it did all of that together flawlessly, and better than all the previous series combined.
I adored the main character, who was a wallflower and quiet but also had a side of her that was fiercely loyal, honest, and willing to question injustice. I'm always a sucker for characters who fight to do good despite their circumstances, and Elisabeth definitely embodied that. I particularly loved her because SHE SUFFERS FROM PANIC ATTACKS!!! and yet is a smart, badass heroine. Also, she is described as being tall and that fact is very present in the book, and it made my tall girl heart soar!! Nathaniel was also a dynamic character who both filled the role of sassy, broody, BISEXUAL!!!!! love interest but was also an entire person on his own with a lineage and backstory that speaks a lot to his development. Them together was such an interesting pair and would I have complained if we got more smut? Absolutely not.
For the majority of this book, I did not have a single complaint. It was gripping with everyone scene flowing seamlessly to the next. I adored every side character. The writing was magnificent and awe-inspiring; flowery without being too self-important. The characters jumped off the page and had realistic moral complexities. Typing this review, I feel like my fingers can't move fast enough to list its good qualities. But the one part (literally, the single only thing) that I wish this book were stronger about was the development of the villain. The main character discovers very quickly who is behind all of the nefarious activities going on, and from there, it's a pretty straight line to preventing that person from succeeding in their great plans. Although I feel the magical and political conflict was developed well, I wish the villain's side of the story were better explained or maybe even reworked to be less generic because the evil they were stopping was massive, and yet it felt like the reason that evil was being provoked was something quite basic and irrelevant.
But despite that small grievance, I will be camping out on this author's doorstep for a sequel. I know it's a standalone, but these characters and this world have captured my heart and I refuse to let go. Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow. I don't have a good enough parting line to leave you with other than this is going to be my obsession for a very long time and I will stop at nothing to insist you all read it immediately....more
I've been crying for the last hour, everything hurts, and I'm SO glad I chose to pick up this book. It's in my top three favorites of the year.
I don'tI've been crying for the last hour, everything hurts, and I'm SO glad I chose to pick up this book. It's in my top three favorites of the year.
I don't even know where to start but this is the exact brand of romance that I'm obsessed with. The two main characters are snarky and sarcastic and headstrong, but it never comes off as cheesy or unrealistic. Their romance is fraught with tension and angst, but I was invested in their story. Their relationship was SOFT!!!! SO SOFT!!!!!!
This book follows a woman with uterine fibroids, and that representation and seeing how that both affected her having chronic pain and the way that Josh supported her was so, so beautifully done. I was laughing out loud for most of this book, and I cried my entire way through the end. There were some spotty lines every now and then with some distasteful possessiveness or jokes, but the characters and the angst in this really shone through.
If you are a fan of The Hating Game or Josh & Hazel's Guide to Not Dating or anything similar, you HAVE to pick this book up. I think it's my new favorite romance book, and it's getting a full five stars from me.
(view spoiler)[I will say that I guessed the ending from a mile away, but it was still so beautiful and meaningful and the author's note cleared it up so I ended up not minding it. (hide spoiler)]...more
I knew before I was even halfway into this book that it would be receiving five stars, and holy hell was I right. This book did not hold back any puncI knew before I was even halfway into this book that it would be receiving five stars, and holy hell was I right. This book did not hold back any punches and it offered such a profound story about powerful women of color that also was so touching that I was weeping throughout the last 20% of this book.
My list of things I enjoyed about this book is vast compared to a nonexistent section of things I didn't enjoy. I'll try and write a brief (read: long) list of things I adored about this book.
The representation. This book is primarily about people and women of color, so the main character is a dark-skinned black woman, her best friend and assistant is an Indian lesbian, her other best friend and roommate is a thai-american plus sized woman with agoraphobic anxiety (!!!!!! i need a book about her), the love interest is Samoan, the love interest's two best friends are black, one of whom is a stay-at-home father. That's not even mentioning other side characters. So yeah, this book rocked. The way women of color uplifted and supported each other in this book was also so touching and empowering.
This book dealt with such a diverse and unique array of subplots and handled them all spectacularly. Even the trope of the love interest being a sports player had valuable discussion about mental health and retirement. This book also tackles women of color being in positions of power and how others perceive that, as well as the trust issues Rhiannon experiences.
It's hard to get me to genuinely care about side characters, but even the side characters in this book had full character arcs and contributed meaningfully to the story in their own wholesome ways. I hope this book gets developed into a long, drawn-out spinoff series because I loved all the side characters.
The romance in this..... OOF!!!!! And I'm talking both the angst, the pacing of it, the consent, the steamy scenes..... everything was spectacular. this is SOOO healthy but is never boring or robotic because of it. the characters are still sexy as hell and have genuine and cute and funny interactions alongside maintaining healthy boundaries and communication. LOVED rhi and samson together!
The only complaint that I had during the first half of this book--that Rhiannon's bitter and rock hard side seemed a lot more developed than her soft side--definitely went away by the last half of the book. It was so touching to see women championing other women and to see Rhi's growth in learning to trust and speak out against injustice.
This is NOT a book to miss and I cannot smash the preorder button on Amazon hard enough....more
I stuck somewhere between elation and despair. why did i bamboozle myself and read this one early when i'm just 4.5 stars
tw: gore/violence, alcoholism
I stuck somewhere between elation and despair. why did i bamboozle myself and read this one early when i'm just gonna have to wait until 2020 for the third book :l
The good parts of this book were really, really good. The angst between Jude and Cardan was definitely heightened, and I applaud the way Holly Black navigates this complex relationship between two people who should seemingly have a power imbalance, and yet Jude forces them to be equals. Jude's strength is awe-inspiring, and this is the type of book I read and then put down feeling like I could kick someone's ass because the vibe of it lingers and the characters are so smart and witty. This book just has the power to resonate. Every time Jude is wronged, I feel embarrassed. Every time Jude is triumphant, I feel powerful.
But whenever there weren't scenes with Jude and Cardan, I felt like I was just floating through the story. At first I thought that it was my fault that I wasn't enjoying the book because I was biased toward my love for the main characters and couldn't focus on anything except scenes between them, then I realized that this book doesn't really detail the drama happening between courts, and especially the leaders and important characters who run those courts. Because I didn't quite have a handle on who was who--and because I wasn't given solid grounding on why I should care about them--parts of the book seemed aimless and boring. Holly Black never fully details or meaningfully describes a character outside of the main characters. If she were to flesh out characters from opposing kingdoms, it might make me more interested in their politics and war scheming, but we were never let into their lives so I only really was concerned about the drama happening within our kingdom.
Despite that, I loved the different conversations that were navigated in this book. Relationships between humans and fae. Missing lost family. Something about the storyline of a human girl demanding to live in a world that wasn't designed for her and constantly tries to shut her out is fascinating and empowering to me, even during its tragic moments.
The last 100 pages--shit, the last 10 pages--alone had so much action, plot twists, and emotional dialogue that I almost just want to give it 5 stars on that alone, but although I love the characters in this series, it's not as character-based as I want it to be. Meaning, I'm selfish and I wish we could have more angsty scenes that I craved whereas this book is more a mix of those scenes interspersed with poorly-executed political drama.
Anyway, if anyone has their hands on book 3 or knows where to find Cardan, please tell him i'm on my way to kick his ass. thanks....more
i have zero complaints about this book. like, nothing. it was just fun and sweet and realistic and so, so human. i wish i could write a longer review i have zero complaints about this book. like, nothing. it was just fun and sweet and realistic and so, so human. i wish i could write a longer review but really all i can say is i wish this book wasn't the third in a series because it's so so good i wish you don't have to read two books before it. i love lola and oliver so much. a best friends to lovers FEAST!! im emo...more
Thanks to Netgalley for supplying me with a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
4.5 Stars
UMM..... THIS WAS SO GOOD!!
I told myself I wouldn't rThanks to Netgalley for supplying me with a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
4.5 Stars
UMM..... THIS WAS SO GOOD!!
I told myself I wouldn't read anymore Christina Lauren because I thought Roomies was a bit bland and not up my alley, but this one just sounded cute so I broke my own rule and WOW I'M SO GLAD I DID THIS IS A NEW FAVORITE OF THE YEAR!
The main thing I love about this book is the main character. She's cute and quirky and fun without trying too hard to be ~different~. She's authentically weird rather than being a manic pixie dream girl, and she's aware of it, AND she's proud of it. She reminded me of Jess from New Girl, which is my favorite show of all time because I love her character so much. That, combined with the fact that she also reminded me of Lucy from The Hating Game made me love her. Her dialogue was always so great--hilarious without EVER being cheesy. She was so refreshing and unlike any character I've read before. Hazel also really validated a small part of me that's insecure that I'll never find anyone because I'm too weird. I've never read a book like this before, like I was receiving a gentle pat on the back. Two thumbs up.
Josh was also SO sweet and mindful and generous and he's the perfect love interest. The dynamic of (sorta) enemies to friends to lovers was also a great slow burn. The pacing of this is exactly what I look for in romance and I would read every book Christina & Lauren write if they do it similar to this one.
As always, Christina & Lauren were really mindful of representation, feminism, and healthy relationships. The love interest and most prominent side character in this are Korean, and their culture was discussed at multiple points in the book (I'll link some ownvoices reviews discussing the rep if I see any once this comes out). However, there were a few times that Hazel would fetishize Koreans because she sexualized Josh's Korean name and the way he sounded when he spoke Korean. It was the only thing I thought was distasteful about this book, and maybe (hopefully) it'll be edited out in the final version. Lastly, there's a lot of candid talking about sex, including discussion about consent and bleeding and other good stuff. Also, there's a lot of fighting back against slut shaming and women being able to do what they want, which I think was great. I just love how the characters in Christina Lauren book will encounter a problem in the relationship or with sex and literally say, "Hey, let's talk about this" rather than avoid each other childishly. SO GOOD! (and yes, that's how low the bar is in romance books to be considered good, people.)
I was warned that the ending of this might be something I'm not into, and I gotta agree that this veered a sharp left at the end. I haven't decided if I liked it or not, but it was definitely *cough* a choice. I'd have to talk about it in a spoilery review. But if this would've ended differently, I probably would have given it 5 stars. (Update: it’s not a bad twist, it’s just a plot point that i think was random to throw in at the END of a book lol. no worries! read it anyway!)
Definitely add this to your TBR if you're looking for some healthy romance that has equal parts cuteness and steaminess. I adored it thoroughly....more
i'd been meaning to reread this for a while since i have such fond memories of reading it, so after a hard week i decided i needed a pick me up. and ti'd been meaning to reread this for a while since i have such fond memories of reading it, so after a hard week i decided i needed a pick me up. and this supplied exactly that--and a couple giggles.
this book is both dumb and uplifting. i find it so interesting that when i read it over six years ago (!!!!) i resonated with certain parts of it, and now i'm identifying with different parts of it and seeing some of the advice from a new perspective. just so, so sweet and very much needed.
--
original review, 2018
"the comforting thing about feeling lonely is that every thing that has ever existed also knows what loneliness feels like too. you may be sad because you are sad. it is ok to be sad. but if you are sad because happiness is fleeting, just remember that sadness is also fleeting too."
This is the most wholesome book I have ever read in my entire life. It's a new favorite of all time, and definitely something I'll return to when I have anxiety. It's so BEAUTIFUL and SWEET and it's relevant and deep and has so many good one-liners and it's just so so so so pure. Wow....more
This series continues to amaze me just because of its depth and scope. For a while I thought this book was just boring politics, but then I r4.5 stars
This series continues to amaze me just because of its depth and scope. For a while I thought this book was just boring politics, but then I realized that it continues to play with the themes of identity and religion/culture. But in this book, it also questions loyalty and morality and it’s just??? so good????? I don’t want this to sound like I’m shitting on other YA books but this is seriously so thought-provoking and mature (not in its content, really, just that it tackles so many themes and creates such depth of characters) that I can’t believe more people don’t talk about it. The way that it tackles feelings of belonging and religion and loyalty are so impactful and strangely relatable even though this takes place 600 years ago. it’s just absolutely fascinating.
The biggest thing I admire about these books is how much they read like character studies. Lada and Radu are genuinely two of the most interesting characters in YA right now, in my opinion. AND PPL ARE SLEEPING ON IT!!! I cannot emphasize how much I adore Lada as a character. She is ruthless and doesn’t care about others’ opinions of her and does what she think is best for her and is so self-motivated and self-confident, AND YET there’s still this vulnerable and human side to her that craves validation and it makes her so real. And this passion and feeling isn’t even driven by romantic feelings—it’s about duty and feminism and family and morality and IT’S JUST SO GOOD SHE’S SUCH AN INTRICATE AND WELL-CRAFTED CHARACTER. Nothing about her is glossed over. She has periods, she has casual sex, she kills people who betray her, she cries, she is generous. I’m so impressed at the quality of her character. And likewise for Radu. I just……. he’s incredible. The complete opposite of Lada. He wears his heart on his sleeve and he’s outwardly passionate and intelligent and emotional, but there’s a darker, melancholy side to him and his coming to terms with religion and feeling in-between cultures and his sexuality and his feelings of estrangement from his family. I was genuinely crying by the end of this book when he was having to justify being in war and feeling torn between the two cultures and not being able to escape with blood on his hands. i just want to hug him and wrap him in blankets. And the two of these characters together in one book? As brother and sister? Working together? I’m hooked on every page. Even though they are separated throughout this entire book, I couldn’t choose whose POV was my favorite and I never wished they were together just so that the plot would be more interesting. It carried its own weight magnificently. The machinations of their brains drive the story despite their being apart and in this book, the angst and the tension continues to build. It’s addicting.
One of my only complaints is that it’s so hard to keep characters, nations, and events straight in this book. I don’t know much about Ottoman or European history, and not much is given explanation-wise. I mean, obviously there’s tension between Muslims and Christians, but I feel like White should have used the opportunity to make this more comprehensible by adding information about the countries and basic history that we should know, because I seriously always forget who’s fighting who and why and who is avenging who and why they died and why does Mehmed want to capture Constantinople and was Constantinople a real place and are these descriptions historically accurate? It pulled me out of the story to be constantly questioning what was happening. Is Constantinople in Turkey? If so, why are they fighting with the Ottomans? Why are there so many Italians? Is it in Italy? Do I have to google 15th century European geography just to understand this book? (Yes.) ((Also, googling Constantinople spoils the war in this book soooo))
[side note: the entire problem stated above could probably be solved with a bigger/better map]
One more thing that I think would have made this book stronger would have been the addition of Mehmed’s POV. I know the book is centralized on the Wallachian siblings for a reason and it would have been 100+ pages longer with the added perspective, but everyone is split up and I think it works, but knowing what’s going on with the Ottomans would round out the story and help the readers reason with how they should feel about Mehmed, because he’s in a very grey area in this book. He’s the link between the two siblings, a romantic love interest, and the leader of a powerful empire, but for the majority of this book, i wasn’t sure if i was supposed to be rooting for him or not.
This is such a slow-burning but strong series. I highly, highly recommend it. It contains some of the most dynamic, fleshed-out characters I’ve ever read in YA, on the level of Cassie Clare & Maggie Stiefvater. Don’t let the slowness of the plot and thickness of the books deceive you....more
TW: homophobia (+ usage of word f****t), suicide attempt
This book was just so genius. The best way I can describe it is Saga meets Stranger Things. I TW: homophobia (+ usage of word f****t), suicide attempt
This book was just so genius. The best way I can describe it is Saga meets Stranger Things. I loved the concept of a girl squad running around to solve the world's issues. I loved the sass, the artwork, the clothing and the vibe of the entire book. I love each girl in the group for their own reasons, and I didn't find myself thinking, "wait, who is this person?" like I usually do in graphic novels. As far as a feminist graphic novel, I enjoyed this one more than Bitch Planet, which was weighted down with a lot of boring and aimless dialogue whereas I was glued onto every page of this. Because this book deals with time travel, it was so cool to see pop culture references from both our time and the 80s.
A lot of people say that the plot of this is confusing, but compared to the mindfuck that is the Saga series, I actually followed it alright. It leaves you with unanswered questions, but those should definitely (and hopefully) be resolved in later volumes which I plan to pick up.
There was a character who would make homophobic remarks, but they always went challenged by other characters. I can't wait for (and hope to see) the development and growth of this character....more
This is one of the most important books I've read not only this year, but of all time. Absolutely captivating filled with quotes on EVERY page that maThis is one of the most important books I've read not only this year, but of all time. Absolutely captivating filled with quotes on EVERY page that make me stop and think. This isn't just a book about war, it's a book about writing about tragedy and coming to terms with loss and PTSD and losing friends and every single story was meaningful and symbolic and just shocked me with the sheer amount of truth and power. I know most people who say they've read this read it for a class, but if you haven't picked up this book, PLEASE do so. It will literally change the way you think about war, and it's so damn clever yet heart wrenching....more
Every book needs to take notes from the way this romance is written. It's exactly the type of detailing that I crave in books like this and i4.5 Stars
Every book needs to take notes from the way this romance is written. It's exactly the type of detailing that I crave in books like this and i'm SO thrilled I finally got the chance to read this and add to my list of new favorites, even though it wasn't perfect.
The beginning of this book needs to be fleshed out a lot more. We’re told that Lucy haaates Josh, but there’s nothing substantial to back that up, and she kinda just tells the reader HE’S HORRIBLE AND ANNOYING AND I’VE HATED HIM FOR YEARS AND HE’S THE WORST but we never actually see anything he does that’s bad or annoying, he literally just sits at his desk.
Usually when books try to be quirky and humorous, I’m gagging and it and rolling my eyes. This is the first book where it actually, truly worked and I was laughing out loud, which is such a rare phenomenon that I would almost argue it only ever happens in like 3 books per year, and 2 of those are shatter me rereads. The writing style is something I usually hate, but the author made it work, so bravo. The only issue that arose with the writing style was that the quirky dialogue and inner monologue began to have lots of micro-issues, which aren’t bad on their own, but for me to stop every few pages and think “oh, that’s distasteful,” it weighed down my reading experience. This mainly lay in Lucy's fatphobia and constantly calling one of her bosses Fat Little Dick, but there were some other comments that used the r-word or other distasteful jokes.
Additionally, sometimes Lucy and the way she thought and spoke were a little too childish. I feel like no adults would behave like the way she did sometimes, and I certainly understand how people could pick this up, read 5 pages of it, go “ugh,” and put it back down. There’s an inherent quality of hyperbole to the story just because of the way it’s written and with Lucy’s mind/reactions to things. A lot of times it comes off as cute, but other times, it's weirdly creepy Sometimes it feels like she’s infantilized just a little with over-exaggerated descriptions of how tiny she is and how childish her brain operates at times, but it never dumbed down the story too much for me. Overall, I really loved her as a main character and didn't think her character was too gimmicky or stereotypical, but she did feel slightly at arm's length just because she had that childish quality to her.
Going along with the characters being immature, there was a weird, over-protective vibe within the book’s love triangle that rubbed me the wrong way. Two men were obviously into Lucy, but they used her like an object to deflect their possessiveness of her and it was dehumanizing to see how angry one would be when she spent time with the other. The masculine “NO SHE’S MINE” energy was just unbearable in this one, but there was an apology and a discussion about it, so I'm letting it slide.
But the bottom line: I’m a slut for soft characters, and Josh was soft from the beginning. I actually teared up the first time Josh hurt Lucy’s feelings and she caught his eyebrows creasing in concern. Like… small gestures like that just Get me. Even though the taunting and the constant watching could be creepy, small moments like those slipped through the cracks and I was so grateful. Throughout the book, I was just so impressed by the softness of gestures. I really can’t expound enough how much of a sucker I am for tiny details and descriptions like the tendons in someone’s hands or the feel of fingertips on skin and other minuscule images, but this had so many, the story felt tangible. It’s my absolute favorite kind of story telling and what I look for (or hope to find) in every book I read. If this author wrote a more serious, dark fantasy using those same kinds of descriptions, it would probably be my new favorite book of all time.
Usually when I read romance books I just tolerate the characters and the romance scenes are satisfactory at best, but this book had me crying and smiling and texting mahana reactions every 5 seconds. I've never been so attached to two character's love story, and it was paced in a way that was so addicting. Like I'm not kidding, I used to say Easy by Tammara Webber should be a blueprint for how all romance should be written, but this might replace it. I love the angst and slow build and the genuine connection. It was so refreshing to fall in love with characters rather than feel like I'm reading a regurgitation of every romantic story I've ever consumed.
I highly applaud this book despite its flaws, and I definitely recommend it!...more
TW: Attempted rape, gore/violence, homophobia, islamophobia Representation in this book: Gay MC, lesbian side couple, mostly Islamic characters
4.5 StarTW: Attempted rape, gore/violence, homophobia, islamophobia Representation in this book: Gay MC, lesbian side couple, mostly Islamic characters
4.5 Stars I'M SO GLAD I DIDN'T GIVE UP ON THIS! It was a very pleasant- although disturbing- surprise. What happened is that I began this book on audiobook and failed miserably at comprehending its storyline, so I put it down around page 150 and ended up forgetting about it for a few months. When I picked it up, I decided to completely reread it from the beginning with just the text (this is unusual for me-- usually i'll give up on something or pick up where i left off and hope i don't get confused. so i was DEVOTED to giving this book a good chance at impressing me.) I do NOT regret rereading this and going slow. It's so worth it.
A lot of people mention that this is really slow, and although it's almost 500 pages and you see the progression of the characters over several years of their lives, I would disagree that this book is slow. Perhaps it's slow-burning, but the pace itself was never dragging to me. I was never uninterested. It's an unconventional storytelling method for YA, but I thought it was crucial to the character development to show the characters in their youth. It also prevented a plethora of flashback scenes.
This book an incredible ride, mostly because it’s like nothing I’ve read before and there is such a maturity to the content and the characters’ complexities. I ADORE both of our main characters, brother and sister Radu and Lada. This book technically centers on Lada because she is the female version of Vlad the Impaler, who the story is modeled after, but I really have a soft spot in my heart for Radu. I loved that Lada had a fresh fierceness to her that I dare to say rivals most YA female characters who claim to be badass. She has a strength that wasn't just all bark with no bite; she had the sassy attitude with the actual strength and intelligence to back it up.
On the other hand, Radu stole my heart because I'm just a complete sucker for gentle, kind characters that are thrust into an unforgiving world. His transformation was especially meaningful for me because even after everything he endured, he still retained this optimism that one would assume would have been gouged out of him after all he's experienced.
Radu was also SUCH an admirable character just because of the circumstances of he and his sister being forced to live in the Ottoman empire. Lada is vocal about how she finds Islam ridiculous--which is why i've put a content warning for islamophobia--but Radu oppositely learns to embrace the religion and the Ottoman culture and his level of respect for it, although it was something he was supposed to outright oppose, I thought was so mindful of the author and very admirable for his character.
I could keep going on and on about the characters, because again they have such intricate complexities and transformations, but I think I've gone on enough. One complaint I would have about the characters, however, is that there are a lot of them. And I got most of the way through this book before realizing that there is a character list (and a glossary!!) in the back of this book, spoiler-free. ARRGGHHH, PUBLISHERS! PUT THIS AT THE BEGINNING!
The plot was, as I mentioned earlier, fascinating. For the most part, I followed everything easily, there were compelling twists, and my attention was captured enough to read this book in hours-long sittings at a time, which is unusual for me this year. One weird thing that I noticed about White's storytelling, however, is that sometimes she'll build up to a ~really important~ event, or an event that seems important that's detailed in a letter, but she'll miraculously skip that scene and just put the reader in a later scene after it's been resolved. For example, the characters spent a whole chapter making a plan about how they were going to sneak into the city, arguing options and everything, then the very next scene is them inside the castle after completing the sneak-in. This doesn't seem like much, but the skips often felt unnatural and left me feeling hanging a few times, which also might be a reason why the audiobook was choppy and hard to follow. This book does deal with a few time skips because it takes place over several years, but I do think that the progression of time was handled well, just not these random skips that exclude a scene that would seem to be important.
The writing was also lovely. Both the descriptions of imagery and inner monologue were moving, and it's very hard to impress me with writing style. There were points in the book where there were just such punchy lines of dialogue and such emotional conversation or inner monologue that I actually had to close the book and walk around because it was so moving or angsty. I love when a book makes me do that. I have such respect for a book that makes me empathetic for the characters, that makes me want to enter the book myself just so I can alleviate some of the awkwardness or angst or heartbreak.
I did go ahead and pick up the second book, but got half a chapter in before deciding I'm gonna let the series rest for a little bit before returning to it. Nevertheless, I adored this first book in a way that I didn't anticipate I would, and I definitely plan on continuing it. Radu and Lada are characters that I think will stick with me for a long time.
Note on homophobia: This is set in the 1400s, and in an Islamic nation, so there is a general air of needing to hide any attraction for same-sex partners. Some characters express discomfort about gay relationships, including Lada....more
I want to give this a million stars. I want to buy every one of you reading this a copy. WOW.
TW: Rape, anorexia/bulimia, fatphobia
This doesn’t speak eI want to give this a million stars. I want to buy every one of you reading this a copy. WOW.
TW: Rape, anorexia/bulimia, fatphobia
This doesn’t speak exactly to my experiences—and I wouldn’t expect it to because Roxane and I have very different experiences and personalities—but regardless, this is the most validating book I’ve read to date about being fat. It might be the only book I’ve read about being heavy that confirms that I can be happy with myself just for me, not only when a guy loves me or if I lose weight. It’s as much about fixing harmful institutions of society as it is fixing our own harmful internalizations about being fat. I’m about to cry typing this just because it feels so goddamn good to read a book from someone who knows. Who has the same thoughts I’ve only ever written about in diaries and cried myself to sleep about but she voices so perfectly. Not fitting into chairs. Envying people with eating disorders but knowing how wrong it is. Struggling with how you want to look versus how society wants you to look, and whether you deserve, or can even achieve, either. Roxane wrote this for herself, but it's a book I think everyone should read, regardless of if you can relate to it. It's a necessary book and i'm so glad I read it.
This book is a masterpiece. I’m speechless....more
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