Natália
"Even paradise could become a prison if one had enough time to take notice of the walls."
This was definitely interesting. Not amazing, but then again its an introductory book, presenting the main characters, the plotline and setting up the events for the next installments.
The writing is easy and fluid, so I flew through the book and it was compelling enough to keep me reading till the end. And there were some surprising twists, especially in the end, that have me curious to pick up the sequel.
I have to say Cleo is by far my favorite of the characters so far - she's feisty and brave and doesn't shy from doing what she thinks is right, damned the consequences (even though she is a bit reckless and impulsive and that's what keeps getting her in trouble through the novel). Magnus and Lucia are interesting characters and have a lot of potential, I want to see what will become of them in book 2. Jonas is my least favorite MC, he's annoying, unnecessarily angry and impulsive. His plotline was the least interesting to me. I do hope that he has a good character development in the next novels.
I've been warned that the story has a lot of twists and turns through the volumes, so my curiosity is piqued. I pretend to read the following book soon.
“Because here's the thing about details—they can also be a distraction. Add too many and it obscures the brutal truth about a situation. They become the gaudy necklace that hides the tracheotomy scar.”
I kind of don't know how to feel about this one. As a mystery/thriller, I enjoyed it. The whole concept of the Final Girl, how being a survivor of a horrible and traumatic event can affect your life forever is very interesting and there's not enough novels/shows/movies that deal with the aftermath like this. I found the overall plot compelling as well, with past and present mixing and both plotlines converging in the end.
I had two main issues with this book, though. First of all, the characters. Both Quincy and Sam are annoying and unlikeable - it's hard to engage in a story where you don't like or sympathize with the MC. And then, the main plot twist. It's not that it's a bad one, because it's actually quite interesting, but it's not so surprising. You can see it coming as a possibility, so when it's presented, it's not that shocking and it left me like ‘oh, ok, nice.'
I guess I enjoyed the book as a whole and was intrigued enough to keep going till the end, despite the lead characters, so it was a nice read. I'm interested in reading Sager's other novels, though.
“I guess that's part of growing up, too - saying goodbye to the things you used to love.”
Such a perfect, heartwarming ending for this trilogy. We can really see how LJ is growing up and maturing, doing things for herself instead of for others (especially Peter). I love Lara Jean's family, her relationship with her sisters and her dad, and how supportive she is of his new wedding and I like how this was explored here.
Reaching the ending of this story was so emotional, I actually shed a few tears during the final scenes and how everything turned out. I'll definitely miss these characters and this story.
"Demons lie."
Well, what a way to start 2020 with a disappointment. The first book in this duology was an entertaining read, although a very cliché one and without any surprises and I was set on finishing it. But this final novel was just...I don't know, poorly done? It started out ok, with our protagonists trying to figure out how to break the curse, Taylor having the much-needed training she required, Sasha trying to be useful (and failing, because really, all he's good for is dying), and finally, FINALLY, our bad guy revealing himself and his motivations (which were weak and doesn't tie up with what we're shown in book one regarding the Winters' Curse) - there was a lot more action here, but, especially towards the end, they were all ‘warning shots' and ways to stall our MCs and create more pages to a very unnecessarily long book.
Taylor has a good development here, but without much training (I mean, two weeks, and very recently she couldn't even lift a stone) she's suddenly able to do this very powerful stuff. Sasha, as I said, is good for dying, period. He doesn't add much for the story or the plans to defeat Mortimer except being his impulsive, angry-self, and his driving abilities. Taylor and Sasha's romance is so poorly done and built that it is cringy. Their lines and moments are just...ugh, no. Louisa, along with a very good addition in the form of Alaister, though a very interesting character, gets very few moments to shine - but the ones she gets are the best out of the book, including the couple scenes (WAY more chemistry and emotion in a single scene than Taylor and Sasha in two books).
I also have to point all the very cliché and kind of childish dialogues, especially towards the end. Which, by the way, is awful. It's poorly done, it's messy, it's simplistic and lacks courage. There's no life-changing or surprising plot twist and the one the authors try to spring on us is literally that - it's tossed on the reader without ANY development and we're left to wonder when, where, why it happened at all. There's a lot left unexplained and will remain this way since there are no plans for a third novel. I was really upset, because at times this seemed promising, even if for entertainment value alone, but now not even for that. I really wanted to start my reading year with a high note, but alas.
"Our stories must be passed to our sons and daughters, for with but one generation, history and truth are lost forever"
I do enjoy novellas because I think they, more often than not, really expand on the world, mythology or a character's understanding, of the main books. And thought this lacked the spark I was expecting, since Morrighan is this world's most famous heroine and there is a lot of mythology surrounding her, it was interesting to follow the actual character and how not everything that was preached about the Remnants, the ones that settled into what would be Morrighan and Dalbreck, was true - most of it is told by a rose-colored, kinda divine light.
Morrighan was a brash, brave girl, but everything that happened that led to the creation of the realms, was kinda by accident. I also thought that she would be more atunned with the gift and that some of it would be explained, but it remained as mysterious and elusive as ever and she barely used it. The romance was just ok to me, I wasn't fully invested in the characters, to be honest.
Overall, it was an interesting addition to the world of the Remnant Chronicles, but it was one I could live on without.
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
This book was a surprise, mainly because I had no expectations for it. I found it on my Kindle and realized it's been sitting there for a couple of years, so I thought, ‘why not?'. It's not the best fantasy book ever, the premise is very simple and the characters are typical teenagers from YA books, so it leads to a lot of clichés, but it was really entertaining and I found the writing very fluid and after a while, I was really engaged. I love me some magic, curses, and witches (ahem, ‘alchemists'), so I was excited. I do think the idea of this magic, pulling energy from the environment, is interesting, but it was superficial and not explored as well as I would like, but since there is not a wide world-building and the story overall is pretty generic, I don't think it's a problem, per se.
I liked Taylor, the female MC, she's very relatable and realistic - a very normal, studious girl who finds herself thrust into this dangerous, strange thing, with powers she didn't know she had and something that, for the first time, she can't control. She struggles, she's skeptic, but she's curious and genuinely good, and brave too, so she dives right in. I can't say I like her relationships much - either with her boyfriend or her best friend Georgie. They are set to fail from the go, and Georgie is selfish and shallow and uses Taylor for her smarts without giving anything back. These relationships, as well as the ones with her mother and sister, are not developed and are just put there in a really ‘meh' way. I liked her friendship with Sacha, but honestly, the romance aspect is a bit too much for me - mainly because, though I feel for him, I find Sacha annoying with his recklessness and ‘oh, I'm gonna die, so I can do what the hell I want' vibe. His relationships, though, with his mom and little sister and his auntie are better developed and you can see the care and love there.
My favorite part was Louisa, though - I liked her mysterious past, her powers, how badass she is with her blue hair, combat boots, and short temper (yes, cliché, I know) and most of all her father-daughter relationship with Taylor's grandad and her unlikely friendship with Taylor herself. For book 2, I definitely want more of that.
Although I enjoyed the book, I think it lacked a climax. Yes, it had lots of action-packed moments, revelations and all, but the ending was just so...lackluster. It didn't have a showdown, a big fight or anything. It felt like it was constantly preparing the grounds for something, but that something never came. I was surprised when it ended because I was expecting more. And my main issue...the villain. Who we have no idea who is it. Because he briefly appeared ONCE and we don't know his name, his motivation, his endgame...nothing. Yes, the Bringers were technically the antagonists here, but they are clearly minions and we know that from the start, so I kept expecting the reveal, the big bad with the end-of-the-world plan and a big boom of Dark Magic to make the lives of our heroes more difficult. But...there is no one, at least not yet.
Thankfully, I have the next installment lined up already, because, though I enjoyed the read as I said, if I had to wait a year or so for the sequel, I don't think I would've continued on.
“You have a heavy heart, for someone with everything.”
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
I was really excited for this book because Batman is one of my favorite DC characters and I love Marie Lu's fast-paced writing, and though I did enjoy it, it was not all that I wanted it to be. Lu managed to capture Bruce's essence, his desire to make things better, to fight for what is right at all costs (even himself), but though it's understandable given how young he is here, I missed the darkness of both Batman and Gotham City. There was this lightness in both these aspects that failed to convey a Batman story for me - this Gotham is, through Bruce's view, and despite all the drama and crime going on, almost too calm, with the current events almost like an isolated event. And, though here we see the seeds for his future vigilante persona, we have a happy, less tortured and very carefree Bruce, which is...weird.
The plot was interesting and there were a few plot twists along the way that were good, but most of it I found it too predictable. Bruce was very naive and there was this romance aspect here that was both unnecessary and annoying, not to mention completely cliché. Bruce's friends were far more interesting than the main couple, and I really wished they were more explored and participated more, especially Harvey. Things wrapped up ok, and in the end, I enjoyed the novel, but I was expecting more angst and darkness and maybe more action? My least favorite of the two, so far.
“Too little information and you're blind, too much and you're blinded.”
This was a good Agatha Christie novel meets Clue with a paranormal twist, and I am here for it! From the start, I was intrigued, and with each chapter, each new “body”, I just wanted to read more so I could understand what was going on! I liked the MC, though at times he annoyed me because he was so slow to catch up on stuff and wasted a lot of time trying to thwart the guy with the mask instead of actually trying to solve the mystery. Also, almost all the twists caught me by surprise, and I definitely wasn't expecting the final reveal!
I found the ending to be satisfying and I really liked the atmosphere of constant tension and danger, the slow unraveling of the story. A solid whodunnit-style mystery with interesting twists that only add to the novel. Really want to read more by Stuart Turton!
“I am done being careful. I am done being quiet. Let them see me angry. Let them hear me wail at the top of my lungs.”
Wonder Woman is one of my favorite DC characters, and after the movie, I was excited to read this, especially since Leigh Bardugo would be the one writing it. It didn't disappoint in what I was expecting, but it wasn't without its faults. I love Leigh's portrayal of Diana, how she feels more human and real to the reader instead of a full-on goddess without a flaw. We see her feeling of inadequacy compared to the other Amazons, how she feels like she has something to prove and can act a bit reckless and insecure because of it. Her discovery of the real world is funny and I like how she keeps messing slangs up and doesn't understand much of sarcasm. She doesn't have a big evolution during the novel, but you see her becoming more confident and brave - how caring and compassionate she is, and how her experiences living with humans changes her. I LOVE her friendship with Alia, the care and respect they develop for each other, and along with Nim, they make a badass trio!
I enjoyed the plot, the twist on Helen of Troy and the world wars, and I liked the Percy Jackson vibes I got from the entire mission. But honestly, one of the few let downs I had while reading was the big plot twist - it was completely predictable from the start and I was always waiting for the shoe to drop. I wasn't convinced by the villain - not by how his character was developed and even less by his motives. The character was annoying from the moment we meet him and I knew there was something going on there. The ‘evil' gods as antagonists were way more interesting and ‘scary' than the ‘main' one.
I have to say, though, the final showdown kept me hooked throughout and it had a more than satisfying conclusion. It was a good adventure and I wouldn't say no to Bardugo writing another Wonder Woman story in the future.
"Sometimes we fail because we're not meant to succeed.”
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
For a debut novel, a fantasy standalone at that, it was actually good and I like the idea of the plot and how the author played us till almost the end. But, as a YA fantasy lover, I found the worldbuilding lacking.
Astrid Scholt had this really cool system going on, what with the kingdom being divided into four quadrants, each with its own queen defending their interests and keeping things running, each providing something essential to the kingdom, but each stranged from the others - and all the issues this entails. But aside from two quadrants, we don't get to see much of them and their costumes and way of life and everything that would've made them alive and fleshed out to the reader. It felt a little generic.
The characterization of the Queens was really good and we got to know and understand them while seeing their deaths - and because of it, I was able to feel more for them. As a traditional mystery novel, everyone here has secrets that would lead to their death/make them a suspect, and, also like in every murder mystery, all of them come to light and our characters have to deal with them. Here, I think most of them were worked on and developed properly, especially the one that led to the big discovery.
But before we talk about the grand plot twist, let's talk about our MCs: I really, really like the idea that, in a ‘couple', one is sassy and outspoken, and the other is shy, and serious and introspective, and I got this right here. I LOVED the interactions between Keralie and Varin, the banter, how eventually they started to trust each other - and how the big plot twist changed their dynamics. I also liked Keralie so much! I understand she made some mistakes, and she punishes herself for them, but I adore her sassiness and how she, though a thief and con artist, is still willing to do what's right.
Now, this book has two plot twists that take what you know about the story and change it on its axis. The first one I ABSOLUTELY LOVED. I did not see it coming AT ALL and was so so shocked by it, but at the same time it makes perfect sense within this world, so I thought it was brilliant. The second one...somehow, I was expecting something like it, and for me, it was a bit of a letdown. It felt like a cliché of sorts and just didn't fit right. The motivations were weak at best. And because of it, I think the end suffered a little. It was very cartoonish and disappointing. After the momentum the book builds after the first reveal, this fell flat.
All in all, a solid debut, not without its flaws, but I'm excited to see what's coming next from this author.
"But that's all one, our play is done."
Comparing to The Witch Hunter, my first contact with Virginia's writing, this was an ok book, but nothing more. I was excited because I love English History and the Elizabethan era is my favorite, so a political plot to assassinate the Queen during a Shakespeare play and two ‘enemies' who fall in love in the midst of it is right up my alley. But, while I liked the overall plot and really loved Toby's character and POV, Katherine/Kit's character is very annoying and bland and things take a while to happen and for the plot to move. Still, I enjoyed how the author explored Kit's freedom as a man, something Katherine, as a girl, in that period, didn't have.
The romance was really lukewarm and I wasn't engaged in it as much as I usually am in them in YA books. Toby's sexuality could've been more explored and not just mentioned at times, which made it a bit confusing to understand and when everything was ‘uncovered', it made for a comfortable solution to the problem of Kit's true identity. The whole Protestants x Catholics were also poorly explored, considering the theme of the novel I expected a bit more on that front, and, again, the ending was too easy and convenient.
It's an overall nice and entertaining book, it's fluid and at parts funny, but it lacked that ‘something more' I was hoping for, the twists, the sweet and gripping romance and thrilling plot.
“I'd rather die my way than live yours.”
I honestly loved the premise of this book, but I was a bit disappointed by how it played out. Yes, I figure it would be heavy on romance, and that wasn't what bothered me, although the main couple lacked that spark that usually draws me (it felt lackluster to me), I thought the book dragged a lot. It felt a bit slice of life sometimes (which was not what I set out for) and the events were slow to happen, the aspects of this dystopian society weren't well developed. Lena was a very meh character, although I have to admit she's a realistic one. In her shoes, I would be scared as hell too, but as a character in a novel, I wanted a bit more initiative from her. Hana was a more interesting character and I really want to read her novella to get to know her more.
There were some interesting aspects here that I really wanted to know more in the next installments, but the ending didn't leave me hooked enough to continue on and honestly, I don't think I can suffer through another 400+ pages of Lena's life and thoughts.
“Alguns infernos duram mil anos; outros, um dia. Mas nenhum é melhor que outro.”
This was a good surprise - it's been a while since a national book got my attention, especially a fantasy one. The world-building here is very interesting, I liked the characters and there were a few good surprises along the way. The way it flitted from past to present, slowly revealing how things reached the point we see in the prologue, kept me interested. I recognized some Brandon Sanderson influences here (there were a LOT of parallels with Mistborn), as well as Tolkien ones, but you can see they were just inspirations because the author managed to create his own thing, his own mythology.
That being said, there was a rhythm problem - it takes a while for the story to unfold, and while I understand the need to present the world, the characters and get the readers used to everything, I think it took longer than it should. After things started to happen, though, the pages flew by. Although not totally amazing (throughout the entire thing I had a sense I've read something like this before), it was a solid introduction to what I'm guessing will be a trilogy, and I really think there's a lot to expand on here and by the end, there is this interesting path I see the story walking towards. I'm curious for volume 2, hopefully this will become a strong Brazilian fantasy series to rival with any famous ones.
“The past isn't real. It's just a story we tell ourselves, and sometimes we lie.”
Well...I don't know. I ended this book feeling disappointed, yet a little bit surprised. I love a good mystery and a good thriller, and this had elements that were both, with a touch of supernatural (that even managed to get me a bit spooked), which I found interesting. But the characters were a bit unlikeable (I warmed up to the MC eventually, but it took a while) and, honestly, though it had some unexpected plot twists - especially the last one -, the overall ending and resolution of the entire thing was...meh. It was neither thrilling nor unputdownable and a bit too easy. The book kept me invested enough that I wanted to get to the ending, though, and it was a nice book overall. It just wasn't great.
“I think a trauma doesn't stop just because you've been rescued.”
This managed to be short but I think it followed a trauma victim while showing the investigation behind the case. It was both scary and interesting and I really liked the characters. I felt like watching a Criminal Minds episode, but with a deeper focus on the victims. I really liked the whole solution, as well as how, though it's ‘over', there is still a lot to overcome - both for the victims and the detectives. I really want to read the next installments in this series!
"That was the secret, of course. If one did not fear ruin, one could not be threatened with it."
I didn't know what to expect of this book, because I positively hated Malcon after the first book in this trilogy, so I wasn't particularly excited for a novel where he would be the male protagonist. But after I first started, this changed - A LOT. Sarah managed to build Mal and Sera tragedy so well, in a way that made me hurt for them both and root for them as well during the entire time. I could understand a little bit of Mal's feeling of betrayal, even though I still don't agree with his actions, and at times I got mad at Sera for some of the things she did (she wasn't entirely blameless). But overall I loved their dynamics and how they both needed to find themselves before they found each other again.
In the previous novel, I had this idea that Sera was this sad, kinda meek character, but BOY was I wrong! She's so so strong, and powerful and truly a force to be reckoned with. She's hardworking and loyal and passionate and that scene in the first book didn't showcase anything about her true self. I fell in love with her in the book, with her dynamic with her sisters - the Soiled S' are always delightful, I love their protectiveness toward each other, how they don't care at all about society and it's stiff, proud ways and they are so fun whenever they are in the scene, especially together - with her strength, with her desire for freedom, her friendship with Caleb...just everything. She might be my second favorite Sarah MacLean heroine, second only do Callie, I think. Yes, sometimes she's infuriating and hard-headed, but I still adored her.
I also enjoyed the whole ‘find a new bride' scheme, it delivered hilarious moments and some very good secondary characters - Felicity Faircloth is my absolute favorite and I'm excited she's getting her book. And let's not forget one of the pearls of this novel - Sesily & Caleb's bantering, the tension between them and how Sarah left me wanting way, way more of them (and Sesily especially, since book 1 I've been craving her book, she's an amazing character and I'm hoping someday she will get the lead she deserves!)
That being said, there were a few moments where I think there was a bit of unnecessary drama and things could've been solved with less back and forth. So, it wasn't perfect, but I enjoyed this so much that I didn't care as much for all the little things that bugged me. With this book, Sarah MacLean restored my faith in her to create amazing, heartwrenching, funny and steamy romances, with amazing, well-developed and strong female characters and a deserving, equally well-developed and charming male lead. I can't wait to pick up Felicity's book!
I've been wanting to read something from this author for a while, and I was not disappointed! He managed to capture the deadly sins in each tale in a creepy, disturbing way, neatly tying all the stories up as each of them is presented. From the first story, I was hooked and the end, though not surprising, was consistent and wrapped the tale of this obscure Russian village very well. I can't wait to read more from Raphael Montes!
“Remember, love that doesn't include honesty doesn't deserve to be called love."
This was an interesting book. I love mystery novels and things involving madness, asylums and all that. The story is atmospheric, I enjoyed the main character and how Alicia's diary was incorporated through the story. Since I listened to this on the audiobook, this gave a fresh and interesting take on the events that led to the murder.
I kinda figured some aspects of the final solution, but the main twist was really ingenious and elevated the book. Overall, I really enjoyed, though I had some issues with a few aspects and the fact that I guessed part of the solution. For a debut novel, it was really good.
“She'd loved Mada Vittora once. A twisted, misunderstood love, but even the cruelest forms of love were never lost without heartache.”
Well, wasn't this a disappointment? It wasn't bad, per se, but it wasn't what I was expecting - I was expecting way, way more. The premise was amazing, but the execution was kinda lacking - there were this cliché and annoying romance stalling the main plot, obvious twists and what could be a very interesting main character that turns out to be just ok. She grows a little during the novel, but there's so much holding her back that she doesn't get a chance to shine. I like the kinda ragtag group of outcasts, and there are secondary characters that are way more interesting than the main ones, but they are not as explored.
I overall like the pace of the book and the main plot, and the magic is well developed, and I like how things ended up and since there's only one book left, I plan to continue with it, but with fewer expectations.
“There's a difference between wanting to stay and being too afraid to let go.”
Another audiobook experience and I'm finding I quite like hearing the stories told for me. I had some issues with a specific voice here, but the experience was very enjoyable. This was a middle-grade book and it showed. Cassidy is just a girl and often she makes impulsive choices that show how young and inexperienced she is. I liked her friendship with Jacob, but I don't care much for his character and at times I found him annoying. I enjoyed the relationship between Cassidy and her parents, I think it's hard to find middle grade or YA books where the parents really play a part or aren't there just to cause conflict for the main character. I also loved her friendship with Lara, and I enjoy characters like hers - they seem a little stuck up at first, but when they open up they are caring and brave and adventurous. I hope we get to see more of her in the future books - I mean, a powerful girl duo of ghost hunters! Yes, please!
I like the tales and legends presented in the book and the setting was perfect for a ghost story - at times there was this eerie atmosphere that helped the more ‘scary' parts of the book. The plot overall was very simple, but it was done right and the ending - though not very surprising or full of twists, was good and had me reading the whole thing in one go.
A good, fun, light read for when I need something more quick and simple, in between more complex and dark books. Victoria Schwab's writing is always a good read for me and this one didn't disappoint. It doesn't have the usual dose of darkness and complexity I came to expect from her, but since the target audience is younger than usual, I can't hold it against the book. I will be following Cass & Jacob's next adventures!
“Sometimes, it's the scary things in life that are the most worthwhile.”
This book started out so good - it was cute, funny, hot, engaging and a super-fast read...but somewhere along the way, things started to go off tracks. What was a cutesy, funny romance, suddenly was full of unnecessary drama and an intenstity I don't think it was needed here. By the end, I was not as invested in the story, the characters and the love story as I was at first. It was an ok book, but I was hoping for...more? I'm not going to continue with this series, though I was a bit curious about the next book, because of the male protagonist, but I don't think it will be worth it.
“People come in and out of your life. For a time they are your world; they are everything. And then one day they're not. There's no telling how long you will have them near.”
I have mixed feelings about this one - there are aspects I loved about it, but there were things that really bummed me.
Let's start with the good first and if there's one thing I really loved was John Ambrose McClaren. He's so sweet! And he and Lara Jean were so good together, even if only as friends. Because of that, I also liked how much more we got to see Stormy and the other residents of the retirement house. I like her relationship with LJ and how she got her under her wing. The family aspect was also good, as always. I love Lara Jean's relationship with her dad and sisters and how loving and supportive they are as a family. LJ's dad starting to date again and Kitty having in Mrs. Rotchild a mom-like figure was just heart-warming! And, though I didn't like the events leading to it, I enjoyed that Covinsky isn't a perfect couple - Spoilerthey fight, they break-up and that makes their relationship more realistic. And it's good for Lara Jean to be without Peter for a while, to have other experiences and I liked that (even if I was mad my ship wasn't together).
But that leads me to my main problem with the book - Peter's attitude and how still hung-up on Genevive he is. It's clear he loves LJ, but he so protective of Genevive that he can't see some of the awful stuff she does and, even when he realizes it, he makes excuses for her. So yes, Lara Jean was very right to be pissed. And, after the break-up, he was kinda bitchy and annoying, so, though I love him, Peter K. was one of my least favorite things in this sequel.
Overall, I still like Jenny Han's writing and I like to follow Lara Jean's growth and how she's maturing in the course of this trilogy. I can't wait to see how the final book will go and how the story of these characters will end.
“The line between accidental and intentional meant everything.”
A short story showing more about other EOs and how Eli started his crazy persecution of them. It also made me question how much of these powers and the second chance these people get is actually a good thing - most of them are perpetually afraid of themselves or what they can do and it often changes their lives for the worst. Still, Eli's quest is still crazy and evil. Now I can't wait to see what will happen in the next book.