2.5/5 • i really REALLY wanted to love this book but just... couldn't. here are some thoughts:
(1) pacing – i didn't feel motivated to keep going until2.5/5 • i really REALLY wanted to love this book but just... couldn't. here are some thoughts:
(1) pacing – i didn't feel motivated to keep going until over halfway through, which is to say the pacing is so slowwwww. i felt like there was so much dragging in the beginning and i didn't understand the full purpose of anything. it wasn't really like we got to delve into characters, and nothing really happened in the plot (except things that set up the story). then, the last 75 pages were super fast paced and everything goes kinda insane. except....
(2) ending – the ending is probably the most exciting part of the book; i was actually looking forward to seeing what would happen. some things that were revealed were really clever but... i kinda predicted everything that was going to happen. okay, not EVERYTHING but a good portion of the major ~plot twists~ weren't that shocking to me. even from the start, it all seemed SO OBVIOUS and i was extremely frustrated at how blind some of the characters are. granted, there were moments i couldn't have guessed, but i was still kinda disappointed. i kept hoping the ending would redeem the slow beginning but it kinda fell flat. or maybe just less escalated than i hoped.
(3) characters – our main character, Camilla, can get extremely frustrating at times. she's extremely ambitious and a bit of a perfectionist, which i can relate to and love about her. buuuuuut there are times where i feel she lacks common sense. for instance, there are moments when you're obviously not supposed to break the rules or something of the sort, but she blurts whatever is on her mind. or when she's given the chance to actually DO SOMETHING or say something, she hesitates. it's just... frustrating. also, i think she has poor sense of judgement because there are people who are obviously team bad(!!) but Camilla is like, "omg this person is kinda weird but i'm going to trust them anyway," and there are people who are team great(!!) and she's like, "eh you're not that great." but eventually, she learns; i'm just like, WHY DID IT TAKE SO LONG FOR YOU TO REALIZE?? what's worse was that out of all the characters, she was probably one of my favorites. the main antagonist is so obviously horrible (in the usual antagonist fashion) i felt there were nearly no redeeming qualities for her. the other Belles were nearly non-existent except for the occasional "i miss my sisters moment" or other fond memories. even then, they felt like cut outs of people with certain traits. (example: x is the competitive one; y is the kind one; z is the rule breaker)
(4) the romance – IS SO AWFUL. i'm sorry, but i couldn't stand it from the start. it felt extremely insta-love and i couldn't feeeeeel it. i'm just going to leave it at that.
(5) the cover – not a fan. the title font makes it hard to read. the background photo isn't blurry enough to look intentional, and isn't focused enough to look focused; it looks like a low resolution photo someone took and slapped on some text. i felt like they (the publishers) could've done so!! much!! better!! but didn't want to be bothered. I'M SORRY. i have to mention it because to me, it's disheartening to see a diverse book with so much potential for better covers (and thus higher chance of someone picking it up), but have it fall flat.
man, i feel like i butchered this novel and I'M SORRY I DIDN'T LIKE IT BUT *SHRUGS*. sometimes i feel obligated to enjoy a novel because i support the author (Dhonielle Clayton is such a great activist for diverse novels!!) but i couldn't with this one. but!!! there are some things i enjoyed like:
(1) the diversity – can't forget!!! i love how different types of beauty – skin type, shape, hair texture, gender, etc – are all embraced with loving arms. there's also some lesbian rep BUT (spoiler? warning?) they both get killed off, which is A W F U L.
(2) the ambiance – although it got a little extra at times, i really enjoyed all the details of the ~palace, royalty, belle~ lifestyle. it was cool to see how the belles transform others.
(3) the dark elements – i knew this book was going to be dark and twisty. and it was wonderfully dark and twisty!! but i just wish there was a little more of that.
idk if i'll be picking up the next book. i'm still hoping it's going to get better but.... i dunno dude. THAT IS ALL....more
2.5/5 – i can't decide if i love it or hate it. the process of reading it was so frustrating, but i appreciated other aspects.
things i loved: (1) the d2.5/5 – i can't decide if i love it or hate it. the process of reading it was so frustrating, but i appreciated other aspects.
things i loved: (1) the diversity!! okay, yeah, DUH. From Twinkle With Love has amazing indian-american rep and doesn't disappoint in this aspect. (2) twinkle's passion for films! i love seeing characters who are REALLY passionate about something because i feel like we rarely see that. it's usually a side comment in media. it's frustrating because my teen life revolved around What I Want to Be When I Grow Up but you never see that. but this!! was the star of the show. (3) the last chapter aka the last four pages. they were so great!! but enough to redeem the other 300+? kinda questionable.
things i didn't love: (1) twinkle. i'm more of a character-driven book type of person; if i don't like the main character, there's a problem. i couldn't get over twinkle's insecurities and obsession with wanting to be friends with someone because they're popular, or downgrading herself/others because they were unpopular. it all felt extremely sad and juvenile. especially since it was such a Big Thing in the book! at one point, i thought to myslef, "if i hear the word 'groundling' one more time..." it's so frustrating when twinkle is so oblivious to like, everything. at one point, i realized o really pitied twinkle for her opinions and actions and that made me reaaaaaaally sad. (2) the rest of the characters?? i found it hard to connect with anyone and everyone just felt plastic. some things felt overdramatic and lacked depth. the romantic relationship was cute, but also very frustrating; the frienships were heartfelt, but also very frustrating. see a pattern? (3) the unnecessary drama?? a lot of it felt so so childish. i can't tell if i'm growing out of YA (i AM getting old...) or if some of this just reads as middle-grade. some of the things felt really petty and left me thinking, "does this really happen? is it really that bad?" of course, it's meant to make the story more interesting, the characters grow more, etc etc but like??? yeah.
i'm really sad i didn't enjoy this more because i really REALLY wanted to like it. this was actually one of my most anticipated books of 2018. maybe my expectations were too high....more
3.5/5 • i honestly have no idea how i feel about this book. it's filled with problematic characters and relationships; i KNOW these characters are unl3.5/5 • i honestly have no idea how i feel about this book. it's filled with problematic characters and relationships; i KNOW these characters are unlikeable and frustrating, but it's just so... ugh?! the family we focus on is filled with white privilege and subtle racism, and they kinda make me want to scream. BUT i can see where they can come from, even if i really really don't agree with it. it's messy – and i usually like messy – but i couldn't help but feel sad, sick, and scream-y. it made me so ANGRY at times but i think that was the whole point of it. it made want to scream to everyone why diverse rep matters and why culture matters and why people should be allowed to make mistakes and UGH. i dunno. i liked that it made me feel angry and so so LOUD (hence all caps), but i can't deny that it made me uncomfortable and ill (like i physically wanted to vomit because i was so shsjabskabs). it wasn't an enjoyable process, but i enjoyed it nonetheless....more
THIS WAS AN EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTER. a bit slower than the first, but the biggest reason I docked a star was because how frustrating it can get (in tTHIS WAS AN EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTER. a bit slower than the first, but the biggest reason I docked a star was because how frustrating it can get (in terms of plot situations). full review to come....more
4.5/5 ☆ THE KITCHEN GOD'S WIFE is overwhelming, beautiful, and will always have a special place in my heart.
trigger warning: this book contains an abu4.5/5 ☆ THE KITCHEN GOD'S WIFE is overwhelming, beautiful, and will always have a special place in my heart.
trigger warning: this book contains an abusive relationship and rape.
i started this novel not knowing what to expect. but right off the bat, i knew this book would be unforgettable. the story is told in alternating POVs. it starts with Pearl, speaking of her situations now, and moves onto Winnie, Pearl's mom, telling her daughter of what happened in the past. most of the story follows Winnie, but at the very end, we flash back to the present and Pearl's POV.
the characters and situations were so relatable. at first, it almost felt as if it were my mom telling her life story to me. i could see parallels between myself and the character's life, which made everything much more real and, in turn, made the story more impactful for me. both my parents are from Shanghai, China and since Winnie begins her story there, it was like i was seeing things in the lens of my parents. there would often be references in Shanghainese and Mandarin Chinese that made me feel nostalgic for my childhood and home. it seemed to me that Pearl wasn't very proud of her Chinese background at first, which is how i felt/feel sometimes. this story made me appreciate where i come from and my culture; it allowed me to see the hardships my mom/parents had to endure for me to live a better life in America. because i read this book, i feel a stronger connection with my elders and that's something i'll forever be grateful for.
but moving on to things about the story itself... the plot is so intricate and intense. it's really unexpected and indescribable, so i'll just leave it at that. as i mentioned earlier, there's an abusive relationship in the novel and this book really shows what it means to be in an abusive relationship. i've read other novels that touch the topic but i didn't really understand what it meant until this book. i truly felt the characters and, i'll admit that at times it was difficult for me to read. if you want to open your eyes to situations like this, read this book.
but what i love the most is that the novel isn't just "a book with an abusive relationship" because it is SO MUCH MORE than that. it's about finding hope and understanding friendships and learning the meaning of family. it's about all those things and so much more. amy tan's writing is so also beautiful; she couldn't have executed this story better.
the one complaint i have is that it was a slow read. maybe it was because i'm in a reading slump, but it took me longer than usual to finish this book. but that's not to say i wasn't hooked with the story and/or its characters.
all in all, i loved THE KITCHEN GOD'S WIFE despite its tough topics and slow pacing. even though i've never encountered situations as dire as the character's, everything was scarily relatable and realistic. i think everyone should take a chance and read this book because the message is so strong. this is the kind of book i'd want my daughters and sons to read, and their children as well. ...more
this book sends a really important and worthwhile message, but it's not necessarily enjoyable.
IT ENDS WITH US was not what i expected it to be. i starthis book sends a really important and worthwhile message, but it's not necessarily enjoyable.
IT ENDS WITH US was not what i expected it to be. i started the novel knowing next to nothing about the storyline except that it's a colleen hoover book (NA romance) and that it's good (my friends kept raving). but if i'm being honest, i was a little disappointed. i was hoping for a light read with lots of ~FEELZ~ but instead i got something much more intense – not bad, just unexpected.
the main plot revolves around abusive and toxic relationships within families. it really opened my eyes to the emotions of those in these types of situations and helped me gain a lot of perspective. because of this, i think it's important to read this, but it's not enjoyable. it's definitely a really frustrating process to read.
for the majority of this novel, i DIDN'T like it. i was definitely interested and curious, but i didn't care for the characters as much as i thought i would. i was frustrated and annoyed at the situations, and some of it felt artificial, rushed, and stereotypical. it all seemed so... fictional. usually the romance satisfies me, but even that didn't do it. buuuuuut it wasn't so much that i didn't NOT like it. it was simply okay when i expected it to be ~amazing~.
(view spoiler)[ there were two romantic tropes that bothered me because i don't like the tropes themselves and because i didn't think it was executed THAT well: insta-love and love triangle.
ryle was too good to be true; a hot, young, smart, compassionate, arrogant, sensitive, rich guy suddenly appears and falls head over heels for our main character. they – somehow!! – meet again and this time he's literally BEGGING to have sex with her. suddenly, this fuckboi wants to be in a committed relationship and plans on having kids with our lucky lady. um......... okay????? i didn't feel anything for their relationship and ryle seemed like a plot device to me. and when she didn't leave him the first time, i knew i KNEW he would do much worse again. and i didn't feel surprised when it happened; i didn't feel surprised when she asked for the divorce – a little relieved maybe, but not surprised.
then there's atlas, who i felt had more depth than ryle and lily but also not thaaaat much. he was probably my favorite character, but i felt his story (the letters) were kinda.. anti-climactic? their relationship was confusing to decipher, but i still loved them. it made me sad to think lily didn't end up with atlas IN THE FIRST PLACE but i guess that would make the whole purpose of the book redundant. (hide spoiler)]
even though i didn't enjoy the process of reading this book, i'm grateful to have read it. there are some books you read for pleasure and there are some you read to gain knowledge and perspective. this is the latter....more
this rating is frustrating – not quite four stars, not quite three stars, not quite three and a half. maybe 3.75?
i technically finished this novel twothis rating is frustrating – not quite four stars, not quite three stars, not quite three and a half. maybe 3.75?
i technically finished this novel two days ago, but refused to read the last two chapters until later, which is.. now. this book is very upsetting and i just UGH. i want to like it (because the first 70% is fantastic) but at the same time i'm just SO UPSET i don't think i could ever reaaaaally enjoy this novel.
it's also too bad because i KNEW it was going to be a sad book, and the storyline didn't surprise me. perhaps that's my own fault because i watched the movie trailer, but i was still hoping it would be a little more exciting and... i dunno. something. i'm slightly disappointed. (but that might also be because I'M SO UPSET)
but looking on the bright side, this novel is great! i love the way our characters grow out of their shells and the two leads are very unique. their dynamic is so beautiful and natural; i love it. there wasn't anything special about the writing style though. it didn't grab me and make me WANT TO READ IT UNTIL I FINISH. it was more like "eh, i can read this when i can." but even with that thought process, i shed a few tears for these characters.
i'm not sure how i feel about this novel. i think it's a good book and i'm glad i read it, but i was also disappointed and frustrated....more
this book is SO CUTE and i actually reaaaaaaally enjoyed it considered i "only" gave it three stars. (i recently changed my rating system so thre3.5/5
this book is SO CUTE and i actually reaaaaaaally enjoyed it considered i "only" gave it three stars. (i recently changed my rating system so three stars isn't considered "bad" anymore. but anyway..) my initial thought and conclusion on the novel: this book is like fan fiction. if you've read fanfic, YOU WILL KNOW WHAT I MEAN. if you haven't, i basically mean that the plot and storyline is so cliché but also very enjoyable and fun. it's a short novel so it's perfect if you're in a reading slump or just want something fun to read. (it also gave me lots of feeeels and i finished it in one night and it's so cute.)
the biggest issue i had was how FRUSTRATING the characters were. 90% of the time, they were fantastic; the other 10% made me want to strangle them. it seemed like the author wanted to make them realistically flawed – which is great! – but it got to the point where they were being a little irrational and annoying – specifically our main character, hannah. she can be so oblivious and annoying sometimes i just, i can't. i don't think i was really annoyed at her as a person, but more so at her choices. so technically, i like her character but sometimes the choices she makes are irrational and cause UNNECESSARY DRAMA. (it's book, so it makes it more interesting. BUT STILL.)
i found myself truly relating to the characters because 1/ i have a few internet friends as well, and also dream of meeting them one day (albeit my friendship is not like their friendship), 2/ i live in southern california and often visit las vegas, so i knew EXACTLY what they were talking about in terms of location and food, 3/ i could relate to some of hannah's internal struggle. this made the book much more enjoyable because i was actually visualizing them as real people with real experience than simply fictional characters. i also like how we had a diverse cast: hannah is korean, her best friend is mexican, etc.
overall, IN REAL LIFE did not disappoint. it was relatable, fun, and terribly adorable. although there were times that made it seem like it was overly dramatic, i think it was necessary to make it more entertaining. it's the perfect book if you want a short romance to get you out of a reading slump or book hangover....more
3.5/5 ♡ this book was adorable, entertaining, and fun, but also frustrating at times.
i'm not sure if i'm getting tired of YA romance, but this wasn't 3.5/5 ♡ this book was adorable, entertaining, and fun, but also frustrating at times.
i'm not sure if i'm getting tired of YA romance, but this wasn't as enjoyable as i thought it'd be. the characters and situations felt as if they were taken out of a disney channel show. it made me laugh and smile at first, but after a while it became draggy. it was really unrealistic. but sometimes, you NEED those types of stories so i appreciated it nonetheless.
i love the concept and idea behind the plot. reliving one day until it's perfect? and when it becomes perfect, being forced to relive it because your idea of "perfect" still wasn't quite right? this is a book that's all about ~finding yourself~ and understanding who and what matters in your life. people will come and go; knowing who is important to you now is a great thing to recognize.
although the characters could be annoying and the situations could be artificial, i really enjoyed myself! the story was really fun and easy to get into, and it often felt like i was watching a movie. the book did feel a bit long at times, but i still finished it really quickly and easily. a great read if you're looking for something lighthearted and cute!...more
this book was so up-and-down; i'm have a difficult time reviewing it. i'll try to sum it up in three things: 1. the beginning was very very promi2.5/5?
this book was so up-and-down; i'm have a difficult time reviewing it. i'll try to sum it up in three things: 1. the beginning was very very promising, but it ended up feeling draggy and slow. THE ENDING, however, was really satisfying. 2. the characters were hard to decipher and i was often frustrated at our MC, but she had a nice character arc. 3. the romance was really cute, but also really insta-lovey. our "mystery guy" was so predictable (aka i knew from the moment he appeared) and it took 300 pages for our protagonist to figure it out. *facepalm*
i'm kinda disappointed by this book, but i still like it. it's a strange feeling. full review may or may not come....more
i don't know how to coherently describe my thoughts on ENTER TITLE HERE. because although yes, i did think it was a wellthis book was..... unexpected.
i don't know how to coherently describe my thoughts on ENTER TITLE HERE. because although yes, i did think it was a well thought out novel, and yes, the idea is good, and yes, it captured my attention and made me want to keep reading, i didn't find it enjoyable.
the main reason for this is the protagonist, if you want to call her that. reshma is unlike any other protagonist i've read from; she's an antihero and chances are, you're not going to like her. (i certainly didn't.) but even though her morals were very wrong and that she has nearly every unlikable attribute EVER, i think it was worse because i couldn't relate to her. there are some antagonist that make me WANT the bad guys to win, but reshma? no... she's absolutely awful and i couldn't stand her. i know some characters are "annoying" but this was way beyond that. i could go on a five hour rant about how RESHMA HAS NO SOUL but i'll just leave it at that.
the entirety of this novel revolves around reshma's "change" as a character, but i honestly found it flat and unrealistic. because i suppose this is a bit of a memoir, she actually speaks of it like "i was going to do ____, but then i realize it's something the old reshma would've done." like, um, ooooookay i honestly wouldn't have noticed a change if not for her pointing it out. it's not that she was the same person at the beginning and the end, but it was very anticlimactic and subtle. i still think she has the problems she had at the beginning of the story and didn't fully address them.
after finishing the novel, i still don't understand the purpose of it. the story doesn't exactly resolve and it felt more like a waste of time than anything else. at the end, i began to ask myself, "why did i read that?" because i just DIDN'T GET IT. all in all, this book is a disappointment. it's definitely interesting and different, but i couldn't relate to the story or its characters....more
this book is SO ADORABLE but the main character kinda made me want to rip my hair out. it's the kind of book you read simply for pleasure.
- the plot wthis book is SO ADORABLE but the main character kinda made me want to rip my hair out. it's the kind of book you read simply for pleasure.
- the plot was predictable and cliché but i didn't mind - i felt the pacing was a bit fast and took some getting used to - the second half of this book was much better than the first - i was hoping to see strong character development but there wasn't much as far as i could tell - i do like the family dynamics though - the frienships are also fantastic - some of the situations were a bit too unrealistic for my taste but.... - also really not a fan of the MC - I FORGIVE EVERYTHING BC SO SO SO CUTE
3.5/5 ♡ second chance summer was a story of beginnings and endings.
of all the morgan matson books, this novel is probably my least favorite. not beca3.5/5 ♡ second chance summer was a story of beginnings and endings.
of all the morgan matson books, this novel is probably my least favorite. not because i didn't like it or anything, i just felt there could've been more. taylor, the main character, wasn't my favorite because i couldn't clearly see her. given her situation, it's understandable to be emotionally distraught, but even after finishing the book i still don't really know who she is? some of her actions were also SO frustrating.
although some of the characters were questionable, i LOVE the family relationships in this one. it's probably my favorite part of the novel. the way everything played out made me reconsider and be more aware of my own family. even when things in the plot are falling apart, their family is also coming together like never before.
the romantic relationships, however, made me feel pretty neutral. although yes, i did like their relationship, i also thought it escaladed too suddenly. before we even get to know the personality of the main love interest, they're making out. that's another thing: all they ever did was kiss. what of the talking? and confiding? and comforting? i dunno, it bothered me a bit.
given the lack of connection with taylor, i was surprisingly invested at the end. people kept telling me i'd be crying by the end and i actually did cry. it just made me realize and feel a lot of feelings.
although i felt the characters and relationships were lacking in some parts, i still really enjoyed this novel! i love the family and general message/plotline. i love how emotional it made me at times. i love the character development and friendships. overall, i'm glad i read this book but i don't think it will stick with me as much as morgan matson's other novels....more
Lord of Shadows was one of my most-anticipated releases of 2017 and i was worried. aside from the obvious fact of PAIN and WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO MY FAVES, i was afraid this installment would disappoint me. the more i read and review novels, the more critical and cynical i get. i rarely enjoy books for the sake of it unless there are low expectations. but with Lord of Shadows, i couldn’t help but have high expectations. thankfully, cassandra clare left me feeling happily horrible. it had all the emotional pain and frustration i expected – and more! buuuut there were a few things i was feeling :// about.
this bible-sized novel was slower than anticipated. i remember flying through Lady Midnight despite its size; i can't say the same for LoS. i'm not saying i couldn't bring myself to finish, but there were parts when i thought CAN WE MOVE ON. there were also parts when i anticipated things before it happened. i'm not sure if clare intentionally made things somewhat predictable orrrr if i'm getting better at guessing things. either way, i was kinda sad/frustrated about that.
“Everyone is afraid of something. We fear things because we value them. We fear losing people because we love them. We fear dying because we value being alive. Don't wish you didn't fear anything. All that would mean is that you didn't feel anything.”
aside from these two tiny things, LORD OF SHADOWS WAS AMAZING. it left me feeling wrecked and emotionally unstable. i know some may hesitate on picking this up due to its size, but it's worth every page. i'd highly highly recommend to anyone who likes reading. as someone who wasn't a fan of cassandra clare from the start, i must admit: her work continues to improve and grow beyond my expectations. GO READ IT.
SPOILER-FILLED DISCUSSION BEGINNING. don't say i didn't warn you... *side eye* if you haven't read this book, please please stop here. you DON'T want to be spoiled.
characters & relationships
let's talk about these characters and such first, shall we? ten pages into the book and MARK AND EMMA ARE A THING. i'm feeling every kind of betrayal. i'm screaming my head off. however, it becomes quickly clear that those two are not going to work out (romantically) and the world is right again. (yes, i'm gonna be THAT petty about them.) we all knew they weren't going to get anything more than a platonic relationship. meanwhile, my poor jules is SUFFERING i'm mostly just glad jules and emma are back together-ish?? the truth is out and that's all that matters. sorta.
moving onto the new unholy trinity: ty, livvy, and kit. these three!! are so gold!!! kit starts off as someone who is NOT having it and tries to deny everything about being a shadowhunter. ty and livvy eventually grow on him and he becomes part of their crew™. THEY ARE MY FAVES. FAVES. FAVES. i kinda ship ty and kit very much and i find it hilarious that livvy kissed kit. the love between these three are so wonderful. until livvy.... I HAVE WORDS ON THIS LATER
the mark/cristina/kieran triangle thing is strange. (diego is not part of this because it DOES NOT EVEN COUNT.) this triangle can go three ways but i'm ultimately rooting for mark and cristina as a romantic relationship. i'm surprised by how much i love cristina and kieran as friends. I JUST LOVE CRISTINA.
now for the other relationships: gwyn and diana? LOVE THEM. they are hilarious and adorable. gwyn was so unexpected and I LOVE HIM. also i LOVE how we found out more on diana’s past and who she really is! i was sososososo surprised the thing leading up to her secret was that she’s transgender. (more on this later) dru and jamie have this thing going on and i don't know how to feel about it. :/ in general, the blackthorns are my favorite family and everyone is wonderful. i love the way their family mends together.
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plot????!
can we have an in-depth rant about zara and her bigotry gang? they need to GET OUT. as if we don't get enough of this in real life (at least in america right now), it's going on in the shadowhunter world too. WHICH MAKES IT ALL THE MORE RELEVANT. it all started when her annoying ass barged into the LA Institute with her stupid pin, asking the blackthorns to do her laundry. she started off as someone who was simply ANNOYING but eventually became a larger threat. i feel like that's such a strong metaphor for trump's america. it made me realize how politics in the shadowhunter world are very similar to the united states right now. i see downworlders/shadowhunters/faeries/etc as a metaphor for race. the dearborns and the rest of the gang are basically petitioning for extermination and containment of downworlders (aka POC in the real world). i don’t know about you but doesn’t that sound a little familiar???????? people of the lgbtq+ community aren’t entirely accepted in the shadowhunter world, even though there are many who do support them. unfortunately, i think the same could be said for the world right now. it’s weird how i saw these things more clearly after reading LoS – a story set in a fictional world. even though it’s not “real” and the issues are more exaggerated, i think it’s more prominent because I FEEL SO MUCH FOR THESE CHARACTERS. it’s a personal attack on them, which makes it a personal attack on me. it feels real to me – even more so than the “real world.” (i think that shows how UTTERLY BIZARRE american politics are right not because it feels like a poorly written fictional story than Real Things!)
anyway, enough of that. i'm just going to get more upset if i think about it. MOVING ON. i was super wary during their trip to the unseelie and seelie courts because FAERIES AND THEIR TRICKERY. it was a hot mess, but i expected worse so *whew.* the part that had me screaming in frustration was when emma was unable to kill the faerie because he looked like her dad. :((( the one good thing that came out of that trip was julian finding out how to break the parabatai bond.
SO. the parabatai bond. it can be broken but it’ll also break all parabatai bonds. this was another ASDJGYFHKLJH,K;WHAT moment. (and also robert is dead so someone HELP)
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i didn’t realize the strength of cortana and how important it was when emma killed one of the riders of mannanan. it happened and i was like, “oh, okay, moving on.” BUT THEN, turns out it’s a big deal and now the riders are probably going after emma in the future. i’m curious (and scared but also not because it’s EMMA) to see how that’ll come to play in the next book.
annabel blackthorn is a nutcase and should be dead. AGAIN. even though malcom died, i had a theory he’d be back – and he did come back, only to die on by the hand of his lover. (go annabel!) after julian talked to her, i was a little more trusting. maybe she wasn’t that insane. BUT THEN. she goes ham and kills robert lightwood and livvy blackthorn. in her defense, she might’ve been triggered by the mortal sword and gone to a bad place. BUT STILL. i’ll never forgive her or trust her again.
ENDING???!?!!!
that being said, LIVVY. yeah, robert’s death was sad but more importantly… LIVVY. i kid you not, i read the sentence – “... she was truly beautiful, a Shadowhunter in full flowering glory, just before she landed lightly on the wooden floor dias’s edge and drove her jagged, broken half blade into Livvy’s heart.” – and shut the book. i let out the longest gasp and could not believe it because this is not happening this is not happening thisisnothappening.
the stages of grief are true. it started with pure and utter shock, turned to despair (crying for a good 30 min), and now i’m at denial. even though the last sentence confirms it because the clock chimed and livvy was just talking about that clock. BUT. but. robert lightwood also died and i’m hoping it was chiming for robert. (the cliffhanger of LM was a misunderstanding so this could be too???) (nope, cassandra clare is just cruel sometimes)
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what are your thoughts on Lord of Shadows? release your FEELZ in the comments~ ...more
FULL REVIEW (originally posted on twirling pages): A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES was a very hyped book that i thought was merely okay. there wasn’t anytFULL REVIEW (originally posted on twirling pages): A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES was a very hyped book that i thought was merely okay. there wasn’t anything i particularly disliked about it, but there also wasn’t anything really special. however after finishing the second novel, i feel that this was more of a prequel and the series is DEFINITELY worth reading/continuing. this is more of a starter book and things make more sense after book two.
the beginning started slowly. the story didn’t start picking up until maybe… halfway through the book? but the plot was like a roller coaster ride that continued to go faster and higher, and by the end there was no turning back. i love the way sarah j maas retold beauty and the beast and still remained true to the original storyline, but also added a lot of her own twists. i forgot the majority of beauty and the beast (girl somehow falls in love with a beast? uh, sounds about right) but reading ACOTAR made me remember other vital parts of the original story.
the characters were my least favorite aspect of this novel. it’s not that they were bad or annoying or flat; i just couldn’t decide what to make of them. i liked them, but i didn’t LOVE them. i felt feyre, our main protagonist, had potential to be more fleshed out (BUT IT GETS BETTER IN BOOK TWO!). as for the love interest(s?), i was pretty neutral about it. the romance escalated too quickly and there were some parts that made me feel questionable about them. there's kiiiiinda a love triangle, but not really? (BUT IT GETS BETTER IN BOOK TWO!)
ACOTAR was a good preview for the series. i couldn’t find anything really REALLY exceptional about this novel, but i know IT GETS BETTER IN BOOK TWO. if you wanted me to judge as a standalone novel (because with the way it ended, it almost could be a standalone), i’d say the plot is interesting enough but the characters and relationships could’ve improved. but since i know it’s part of a series, i’d highly recommend it those who enjoy fantasy, fairy-tale retellings, and romance. keep in mind, there are scenes that could be a bit mature so if you’re uncomfortable with steamy romance, i’d pass.
// INITIAL THOUGHTS // i now understand the hype for this book because it is actually SO FANTASTIC.
some thoughts: - the beginning was kinda slow and draggy - i didn't feeeeeeel for the characters and relationships as much as i thought i would - THE PLOT WAS SO GOOD - THE ENDING WAS SO GOOD - i kept telling myself "i should've seen that coming" but I NEVER SAW IT COMING - i have a feeling i'm going to like this series better than ToG - everything was great and that's all i really have to say?...more
i enjoyed the winner's curse better, simply because this one was so sad. i couldn't stand seeing my favorite characters hurt. everything about8.9/10 ☆
i enjoyed the winner's curse better, simply because this one was so sad. i couldn't stand seeing my favorite characters hurt. everything about this book was more than the first: more action, more emotions, more betray, more intense, more everything. that last cliffhanger was death itself. marie rutkoski, i would like the next book PRETTY PLEASE WITH CHERRIES ON TOP. the writing was more beautiful and it brought out ALL THE FEELS. overall, this book had made me feel as if i was pushed off a ten-story building – in the best possible way.
reading this book was slow and slightly painful. it wasn’t the worst book i’ve ever read, but it most certainly wasn’t the best.
i hate to compare novereading this book was slow and slightly painful. it wasn’t the worst book i’ve ever read, but it most certainly wasn’t the best.
i hate to compare novels with other novels, but i couldn’t help but think of it like the hunger games. the plot is something along the lines of: twelve teenage representatives fight to the death in an epic end-of-the-world type of games. the circumstances are different, but the main gist of things are the similar.
the story is told from an omniscient (kinda) third-person pov. at the start of every chapter, it’ll tell you who’s pov you’ll be viewing from. it would be weird because there would be some chapters where you would feel omniscient, but others it would feel like third-person. it was awfully confusing to me because it would seem like the story was more focused on the plot, and not a certain character. however, in the end it still seemed focused on a character.. sorta. um… what?
i liked how the characters were diverse and distinct. each player was from a “line” in history, so they were all from different races and places. (rhyming~) it made me curious about history and how our civilizations were built. we travel the globe, stopping at places that aren’t popular in books, which i enjoyed.
however, i couldn’t connect with any of the characters. the players of the game were heartless, sadistic, irrational, and sometimes annoying. it wasn’t until the last two pages that there was some emotion shown through. before that, i was convinced the feelings were fleeting, or they were trying to use each other one way or another. there was also a love triangle going on.. *groan* as i mentioned earlier, it would feel like the story was focused on the plot, but randomly throughout the novel, there would an implying love triangle thrown in. the relationships were artificial and forced; i couldn’t sense any chemistry between any of the characters. i think it would've been better if the romance was gone altogether. it was there, but not there.
my favorite part of the novel was the concept. although it was similar to the hunger games, the differences were clear and made it unique. there would be clues and other hints dropped throughout the novel: certain capital letters, spaces between words, symbols and photos here and there. it was interesting because it would feel like you were solving a mystery. i was hoping it would all be explained at the end, but it turns out you were supposed to figure it out yourself.
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overall, i did not enjoy this book. i thought it was quite interesting at first, but it eventually got really slow and it wasn’t enough to keep me going for it. the characters were unstable; the relationships were dry. i was confused on what was going on, and i didn’t particularly like the writing style. i’m curious to know what happens next, but i don’t think i’ll actually pick up the next book.
reading red queen was a frustrating process; i was very into the storyline, but everything else made me cringe. in my eyes, it was tFULL REVIEW HERE!
reading red queen was a frustrating process; i was very into the storyline, but everything else made me cringe. in my eyes, it was too cliché: mare comes from the slums, but suddenly becomes different; she's caught the attention of others and becomes the symbol of rebellion; also, there's a love triangle going on. why does it seem like i've heard this story before? though it was predictable, i still found it interesting to read.
i couldn't connect with any of the characters and felt the need to roll my eyes every other paragraph. they were unstable and temperamental. mare would either be extremely confident, snarky, and sassy; or the girl would do a complete 180, oozing with self-doubt and tears. the main male character would either be a complete asshole or extremely compassionate.. what?
full review here! i talked more about the plot, characters, love triangle, and overall thoughts! the entire review is spoiler-free!
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