Wayward
There were just too many things that frustrated me with this book. The writing was pretty good in most places, but it was a really depressing style. Otherwise... Yeah, that's all I can think of to say positively about it.
I guess I can see some certain types of people enjoying Matched for the almost spectral feel of the words, but as for me... Clearly, it's just not my cup of tea.
"Half an hour before sunset David stood outside the two-story building, duffel bag over his shoulder, hands slick with sweat, holding the key to the door, and wondered if he had completely lost his mind. He couldn't decide which made him crazier; believing that vampires existed or believing that could fight them."
Really enjoyed this. Bonded with the characters and appreciated the plot. I liked the weaknesses of the vampires and how they were explained. It felt real, like, Oh, so that's what they're like in reality. Cool. A lot of aspects took a unique viewpoint, but they all made sense.
The writing wasn't 100% but it was good enough, and I'd definitely recommend this book to others.
“There's just something off about him,” Jane said. “He seemed very. . . help me out here, Bob.”
Evil? Dark? Old? Intense? Dead? Vampiric?
“Immature.”
That was great.
Admittedly there were a few scenes that could have used a bit more smoothing out, [although, with the thickness of it, I can understand how some parts got a bit less attention than they deserved] and Meyer needs to work on her grammar, particularly the “their”s and “them”s and “who”s instead of “whom”s, [I may have.. possibly... edited... my library book... just a little bit. >.> Shhh...] but on the whole, this was a fantastic read with... outstanding characters, amazing story... a shocking couple of twists, and the most satisfying ending one could hope for.
It absolutely deserves the five stars I have given it. I am really, really glad I read it.
I'm sorry, but no.
I was tempted to give this two stars for Loki [although I don't even KNOW why he liked the MC; she was so boring!!] and maybe Matt, but the whole thing was just so.... soooo.... dull. It was like the first draft of a story with the basic plot points, but very little detail or emotion. Most of the time while I read this, I felt absolutely nothing, and my mind would wander. I had to force myself to pay a modicum of concentration, but I still skipped paragraphs off and on because they were pointless or because I JUST DIDN'T CARE.
I wanted o finish this trilogy, and, ok, I wanted to see how it turned out exactly in the end, but I read this more through force of will than any amount of interest.
The ending especially was disappointing. The epilogue was ok, but I mean the final battle... if battle is what you call it. There was no nervousness or anxiety.... The entire thing was, like, two short chapters, and I'm telling you, I rolled my eyes and sighed from boredom multiple times in those final pages. Again, I felt nothing, and the result was... nothing special. There was no secret to victory, and there wasn't even a semblance of actual battle.
How many ways can I tell you “THIS WAS SO DULL!!”?
I'm sorry but no, my bindup copy of this series is going in the used bookstore box.
I scratch in the dirt, “You are brave.”She gives a small gasp of amazement and stares at my words. “I don't have a choice.”I wince. “And honest.”
This was a surprise... A really delightful surprise. Beast was unique in so many ways, where it was set, how it was written, and the fact that Prince Orasmyn was actually turned into a lion. An actual lion, king of beasts.
You know how you see books, and on the back are excerpts from reviews that say something like, “Thrilling!” or “Riveting!” And you're just like, “Yeah, sure it is.”
This book was riveting.
It was absolutely absorbing. I picked it up, and I never wanted to put it back down again. If I hadn't been interrupted I might have actually read it all in one sitting. However, since I was, I had to read it in two sittings instead.
It was so fascinating, the location, the rituals, the religion to which Orasmyn belonged. Then when he was cursed and transformed, how he tried to adjust, simply learning how to walk on four paws, trying to climb a tree, running from hunters, smelling things he never could before, and seeing in shades of gray. Learning to hunt, eating meat, eating blood, because of his instincts and feeling guilty about it. Honestly this was a perfectly portrayed perspective of a human trapped in a beast's body, fighting his instincts, and frequently conflicted what he had done or what he might do.
And the writing style. It was abrupt, but that suited this retelling better than long thoughts or fancy descriptions. It was first-person point of view from Orasmyn as all this happens, and he simply tells it how it is, how it happens, what he does, how he reacts.... I can see some people disliking the style for how blunt it is, but I was just drawn further in by it. Everything that happened... It was neither too descriptive, nor lacking in flavor, horror, disgust, despair, longing, hope, determination, love...
This book was just... too distinctive, too vibrant for me to give it any fewer than five stars. I have sharp, powerful images in my mind from its pages. I really... I went on the journey with Orasmyn. I was there, and I saw it all. The only thing I can say about it is that it ended just a bit too short. I would have looooved an epilogue. Still, I can easily imagine how certain things turned out, and it gives me a smile to picture it for myself.
Definitely the best Beauty and the Beast retelling that I've read. If you couldn't tell, I loved it.
Honestly I have so much to say about this book I don't know where to start.
In an incredibly well-developed world filled with all the details only an amazing author would think to add, beautiful, colorful, more-real-than-your-next-door-neighbor characters fight against an overpowering evil, traversing twists and shocking revelations along the way.
And that just scratches the surface of the comprehensive world and beautifully wrought characters.
Where do I start?
The characters. I'll start with the characters.
There are two primary characters: Vin and Kelsier.
Vin is a young girl grown up in a hard world. She's quiet to start, quiet to keep from drawing attention to herself in the thief's crew she's lived with for much of her life. The only person to ever show her real kindness was her brother, who, in reality, was hardly better than the drunken thieves and murders she lived amongst. And in the end, even her brother left her just as he said he would, leaving only his whisperings in her ear, warning her, “Don't trust, don't get too close because everyone will betray you eventually.”
Vin is a truly dynamic character, distrustful to start, quiet, sneaky, eyes and ears wide open, calculating and suspicious.
But she's a good character to follow. Her powers gave her freedom, her crew gave her purpose, and Kelsier's strange warm welcome gave her cause to consider whether her brother was always actually right. I gradually became more and more attached to her and deeply invested in her future.
Kelsier...
Kelsier I have no words for. No words and too many words crowding in my mind to try to disengage one from another.
He is one of the most... interesting, deep, funny, beautiful characters I have ever read. He's... unlike anyone Vin had ever met–He trusts people. He's powerful. He's Mistborn.
He's extremely clever–an amazing leader. He has a deep thirst for vengeance, but somehow he's equally compassionate. He's incredibly witty and charming. He did what needed to be done even when the rest of his crew didn't understand, even when they criticized him for the sacrifices they didn't realize he was making.
I don't know how to explain how deeply Kelsier touched me. I... My soul has Kelsier's name carved in it. He's absolutely one of the best characters ever created. He's very, very real to me, and someone I am incapable of ever forgetting.
Included besides these two primary characters is a cast each as unique as anyone you know. They're lively, each with his own tweaks and unusual characteristics that add yet more color and flavor to Mistborn. There's hardly a single other series I can think of with as many well-developed life-like characters, all of whom I loved more and more.
The plot.
Wow, this plot... this entire world is so awe-inspiring... I have enormous respect for Brandon Sanderson for creating a place I can easily envision and then filling it with histories and peoples and religions and ideas and details most people would never have bothered adding. It's beautiful. It's stunning. And along the way are such catastrophic twists, such destructive mistakes, such shocking revelations, all the way to the thrilling climax and final chapter.
Honestly, if, somehow, I had no heart and cared nothing for the characters or conclusion to this story, I would have given this book 5 stars for the world and well-developed plot alone.
I do not have enough words.
In the end, basically, read this book.
Whether you're young or old, male or female, into thrillers or mysteries or YA or sci-fi or even romance, read this book. It will rile you up and wring your heart out in the most exhilarating ways and leave you gasping for breath and longing for more at the end.
Truly bravo, Brandon Sanderson. Bravo.
2.5
As much as I wanted to enjoy this book, I just couldn't get passed the writing. It was... The book felt like a first draft that needed lots and lots and lots of long and arduous work to smooth things out and stretch scenes and delve into real, actual descriptions. The entire book felt rushed, and there were several awkward places that desperately needed improvement. For instance, I imagined the attack near the beginning would be... Big and detailed and... dramatic and important. But it couldn't have lasted more than three or four pages, and it felt... minor. Like a skirmish here and there. It just... wasn't what it was built up to be.
The story definitely had potential. I can tell the author put a lot of thought into the world this book was set in... I have to admit, though, that I truly expected the climax of the book to be the adventure into Breken lands and the rescuing of Dearra's brother, but it was not. They had not left Maj by the end of the book, and I can only assume this will take place in the sequel...
Because of this, I felt the book was kind of... plotless. Yes, they're building towards venturing into Breken, but therefore the book just kind of sits... and waits... for winter to pass and explains the stuff that happens in the meantime.
The characters. Overall, I liked the characters. Dearra was cute, and Darius was a good manly man who has to control his evil Breken urges, so that's always fun. I loved Brin, the magical talking sword. He was delightfully sarcastic and by far my favorite character of the book.
“I believe I already told you how this would go. Don't listen to me, though. What do I know? I'm just a magical weapon of unsurpassed power. No, no you're right. Please continue to rely on your own pathetic intuition. I'm sure that's for the best.”
However, there was insta-love. Very, crazy powerful, meaningless insta-love. They met each other, they were struck by the other's attractiveness, they were drawn to each other as Dearra tended Darius's wound the next couple of days, and then, pretty much, they were in love. I might be skipping one or two conversations, but seriously, this was just too much.
Sometimes insta-love is alright... If there's an actual reason why the characters are drawn to each other or if it's just... done really well. This... This was not done well, I'm sorry.
So, overall, I had to give it a 2.5. I finished it, so that counts for something. There were times when I enjoyed it, when I was worried about the characters or I chuckled at something Brin said, but it needs work, that's all I can say.
This was a goodreads giveaway, and I sincerely thank you for it.
Ok, it was insta-love, but it was cute and well done. Plus there was kind of an actual reason for it.
The writing style was unique and humorous. I love books that can pull un-cliched humor on you.
“I glance at him. He's looking at me, his expression every bit as expectant as I feel. I hate this little game of ours. Maybe because I'm no good at it. He won't tell me more unless I ask. Curiosity is one of my most incurable flaws–and Galen knows it.
Still, I already gave up a perfectly good tantrum for him, so I feel like he owes me. Never mind that he saved my life today. That was so two hours ago.”
I also liked that perspectives switched between Galen and Emma, but in such a way that was un-confusing, which I have to appreciate.
Overall, I really enjoyed it, and it wasn't two minutes after I closed the book on the final page that I called B&N to see if they had the sequel [alas, they did not!]. I would recommend this book to girls.
I almost always judge a book based on three things: Writing, Plot, and Characters.
This book has the latter two. The plot is pretty awesome, and the storyline twists and surprises you and keeps you constantly interested.
The characters are each different, and every one of them has something he wants, needs to achieve. They're interesting and deep, and I'm emotionally invested in them.
Unfortunately, I can't say the writing is anything better than amateurish. Constantly I felt it needed fleshing out. It seemed like I was reading a rough draft that wasn't yet finished. It had the whole story and all the details, but the author needed to go back and basically... make it better.
Still, I gave it four stars for its attributes. I seriously want to read the next books, and I would definitely recommend this series to most people.
2.5
With this gif, my feelings for Torn are completely described:
The first book was alright. The second went downhill from there.
It got very slow in the middle, and the MC Wendy annoyed me because she never knew what to say. Someone would say something to her, and half the time all she could come up with was, like, “yeah,” or, “thank you,” and the other half of the time, she couldn't think of anything to say.
Then there's this crazy love... square? One of which happened in one or two weeks in the first book, the second of which developed through about four, short conversations.
And finally, the book ended way too weakly. I turned the page, expecting another chapter, but there was nothing, and I was like, “Oh. That's it?”
I did buy this trilogy as a set, so I'll probably read the third book, but I really wouldn't recommend the series to anyone.
You know, this book was a really good try.
It was creative and original and the writing style was pretty good; it kept my attention and was interesting, and I did enjoy it. I did.
But...
Things just happened too fast. The start of the book- in fact it was in the first chapter- that the MC Wendy confronts this guy, Finn, for staring at her constantly. Even that could have used a little build up. Then next thing you know, she's going to a dance, so you don't even get to see any more of how Finn acts around her.
Then, the relationship... After three short conversations, one in which Wendy confronts Finn, one in which Finn insults her, and one more conversation in which Finn tells her she's a troll, Wendy's already falling for him.
Then, without giving any spoilers, things happen, and about a week (maybe two) pass, and the book is over.
Obviously those days take up a lot of the book, but in such a short amount of time, how can important relationships develope?
It was just... too rushed. The last chapter, especially, seemed as if the author was just running through what had to happen in order to finish the book and lead into the next one.
The best way to describe Switched is unpolished. I believe the author was self-published, which is probably the reason why, but that means that, unfortunately, this book never reached its full potential.
The Dust of 100 Dogs was not what I expected.
I suppose that is partially my fault, with the help of the synopsis.
I'm not really sure how exactly to explain my feelings about this book.
Without giving any spoilers away, the story is half about what happened leading up to Emer being cursed, starting when she was six and continuing her life's story. The other half of the book is about Saffron [who is Emer after living her 100 lives as a dog], as she impatiently waits to turn eighteen in order to go find some treasure she buried just before she was cursed.
Reading the synopsis, I... Well, I guess I'm not entirely sure what I expected. I suppose I thought there to be a little back story, more from her memories than anything, but I figured most of the story would be about her after she turns into a girl again and adjusts to having a pirate's mind in a modern world. However, Saffron had no problem “adjusting.” There was no adjusting period whatsover. In fact, when she is born, the book explains that Saffron tries her hardest to begin getting stronger and growing up as quickly as possible, and nothing at all is unusual to her.
Saffron's story is actually a little boring.
Emer's story was much more interesting, but you know that all it is is back story so that you understand how Saffron herself came to be.
Then when you finally got to the ending of both stories, you expect a little more and you get a lot less. I was very much disappointed that what I had been waiting for, [without explaining what that was and spoiling it,] for most of the book was just a tiny page or two at the very end. Most of it was left to your own imagination, which completely let me down. I was more or less just finishing the book so I could see how this situation eventually played out, but it was a little nothing at the end of the story, and Saffron's future is left... unknown. I repeat, it was very much disappointing.
Also there was strong language and some minor explicit material that, though not described in detail, could easily be imagined by the reader.
Overall, The Dust of 100 Dogs left me disliking the main character, totally bored with the “story,” and rather altogether melancholy and listless.
I'm very much happy to have the chance to put it behind me and sell it to a used bookstore in order to get a much more interesting book.
I cannot recommend this book to anyone.
No, I'm sorry, but no.
The whole 202 pages worth was like listening to your favorite song sung in the worst possible way. On repeat.
I did read the whole book, which tempted me to give it two starts instead of one, but I just really couldn't, because I actually wish I would have stopped the book while I was ahead and recycled the paper immediately. The main reason I finished the book was because it was so thin, barely more than a novella, and the other reason I finished was because, I admit, there were some sweet scenes near the beginning that weren't horribly written that did make me smile.
However, the above is all I have good to say about this “book” that is nothing more than glorified, erotic, poorly-written fan-fiction. I mean, sure, I enjoy fan-fictions as much as the next fangirl [in fact, I probably enjoy it more than most], but those are the fluffy, silly, not-true-to-their-characters stories one might read online. NOT pay money for.
At the start of the book [as in, the first 2-3 chapters maybe] the author obviously tried her hardest to both write in a regency style, and to keep the story as close to Jane Austen's as possible. After, oh, 40, maybe 50, pages, however, she gave up, and her writing gradually changed to something definitely NOT Austen-esque.
At first, it was sweet to see Darcy's struggles and to see a more emotional side of Elizabeth as she fell in love with him. Then we got introduced to Darcy's dreams, that he apparently has every night, and suddenly, rather than being one of the greatest love stories of all time, it became one of the most shocking lust stories of all time.
I mean, really? Darcy? Lusting after Elizabeth and imagining doing all kinds of things to her in his bed? That's... NO. NO! Never, ever, ever! Darcy would never even let such a single thought enter his mind. In fact, it would be SO FAR from his mind, that nothing of the sort would ever occur to him, and it rather disgusted me in “Without Reserve,” whose title is more fitting than you would believe.
As I said before, your favorite song, sung in the worst possible way, on repeat, as the impropriety only increases drastically in its meager 202 pages.
I imagined a short book with story and character and tension building throughout most of its pages, and ending with perhaps one or two kissing scenes. Instead, I have a 50-60 page kissing buildup, followed by 140-150 pages of kissing scenes.
Trying to associate the Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet in this “book” with the Darcy and Elizabeth I know, is pure torture that sends mortified shivers across my skin.
Trust me, dear review reader, if you are a fan of Jane Austen in any way, whether it be her books only, her movies only, or both, you will not enjoy this book. It will rot your mind and destroy your soul, and leave you dismayed and appalled and desperately trying to scrub yourself free of the images you have just force-fed your poor brain.
I can't give this book any fewer than five stars!
It's definitely not your typical YA story, but that's what makes it so perfect, so expertly done. At first I was skeptical at the characters and writing style, but once I got into it, I suddenly became glued to the pages, and I didn't want to set it down at all!
I highly recommend you give it a shot. It's a fantastic story for young and old alike.
This novel is an odd mixture of dystopian and the world of Camelot. It's written very well, though, and I applaud Mrs. Wolfe for pulling it off so smoothly.
I loved the writing; it was expertly done. The plot was fascinating and kept me glued to the page. I loved the twists and turns that kept you guessing about things until the last chapter. The characters were beautiful and wonderful, especially Devlan. His personality is one of my favorite kinds of personalities from protagonists in books. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, and I sincerely wish there was a sequel, even though the book closed pretty well.
The only negative things I really have to say about this are: (1) the cover annoyed me. I didn't picture Zara looking so modern, and that dress doesn't look to me like a dress one would wear in Camelot. Also, Devlan in the book is described as having wispy hair that Zara often wants to brush from his face. Obviously, the cover doesn't portray that, and when I tried to picture what the characters are described as, the images of them on the cover kept popping up instead. (2) There was swearing throughout the book. Not HEAVY swearing, but swearing at least a bit in most of the chapters. There was also brief strong language, mostly from Larkin [who happened to be my least favorite character, even over the real nemeses]. It's unfortunate that Mrs. Wolfe had to include that because with such language I wouldn't want to give Fireblood to anyone or recommend it either.
Still, if you don't mind swearing, and you like both dystopians and knights of the round table, then you will enjoy Fireblood.
The writing was definitely improved in this book, but there's still certainly room for betterment. Overall, however, I loved it! There are just two things that I wish were different. The first is that the final battle was built up a little more because it started way sooner than I expected it to. Second, I wish the ending after the battle was a bit longer. I hate it when they end so quickly afterwards, and I would have enjoyed some more details.
As I've said before, the writing isn't masterful, but the characters and story make up for it. Overall, Defy and Ignite are thoroughly enjoyable books, and I'm very grateful I won Defy through Goodreads a while ago so that I can enjoy this series now. Really, I hope I can write a series like this sometime.
I'm very much looking forward to reading Endure next!