Natália
“Be bold, be bold, but not too bold. Be good, but not too good. Be pretty, but not too pretty. Be honest, but not too honest. Maybe no one got lucky. Maybe it was too hard.”
I always like novellas from the perspective of secondary characters or antagonists. It always sheds some light into their personality and motives and makes me understand them better, even if it's someone I dislike, like it was the case. Taryn was a very unlikible character in the first novel, but I can kind of understand what she did and her motives, but I still think she could (and should) have done better. It also makes Locke that more of a douche and made me dislike him even more, though I do understand that Fairies are cruel and mischieving like this. I do want to know what will happen with Taryn in the next installments, especially after the events in the end of The Cruel Prince and if she will find her place in Fairy and if she and Jude will work together or if she will become a kind of antagonist.
“The world is changing. We cannot deal with the problem as we have in the past, or we will always end up where we started.”
I'm happy to have finished this trilogy, though it's not my favorite fantasy ever. It did end on a semi-high note and left me at least a bit satisfied, so it's ok. Still, I wanted a bit more since the first book was one of my favorite reads in 2016. While I complained about the pace in the previous novel, in this one I think the beginning was very rushed and things were not properly developed (I mean, Meira spend what, 2 weeks training her powers and it was enough? Suddenly she knew exactly what to do? C'mon face palm). Still, it was a faster read than the second book and there was a lot going on and some major tension in the air at all times. I do think Meira had a character development here, and she embranced her rola as a leader and a queen and stopped acting so afraid of herself, her powers and her position, but still I think she aften sounded more a like the reckless girl from book one than the mature woman/queen she was supposed to be.
I was excited for Ceridwen's POV, but while at first it was interesting, in the end it contributed little to the story and this badass, no-shit character was reduced to a damsel in distress. She was built as a fighter and a resistance leader in “Ice Like Fire”, but she succumbed fast and was more of a pawn than ever.
Mather and Meira's chemistry...I'm sorry, but it's non-existent. The entire relationship is kinda forced and bleh and I just couldn't care for them or ship them together. It was so cliché it hurt. I expected more focus on Theron after all that happened in the end of the previous book, but we barely see the consequences, except for this very emotional scene in the end (which made me tear up, I just want my idealistic baby happy and whole!). Meira was absolutely selfish and cruel when it came to him, though she did realize that by the end and compensated it somewhat.
There were some surprises along the way, some very angst and tense scenes, but the battle was a little bit flat and the ending was just ok. I mean, it wasn't bad, and it was well done and well written, but I was already expecting something of the kind to happen, so I didn't feel the impact of it as much as the author intended.
Like I said, it wasn't brilliant, but it was a satisfying book and a good, although obvious, conclusion to the trilogy. I'm happy to be done with another series I've been meaning to finish!
“I had a perfect life in my reach once, and it was a crashing bore. Perfect is too clean, too easy. I don't want perfect any more than I want to be perfect. I want imperfect.”
Not my favorite MacLean's book, but it did its job of being entertaining, steamy and a quick, pleasurable read in between other more dense, heavy books. I love the female characters she writes - they all defy what society believes is their role, and pursue happiness on their own terms.
I have a few issues with how Bourne treats Penelope and how she still defends and loves him despite him undervaluing her, not believing her capable of making her own choices. Yes, he thinks it's because she's too good for him (which she is), but despite her constantly telling him she loves him and wants him, he still pushes her away and hurts her a lot. Not to mention the fact that at first, he's downright cruel. It takes Penny saving his butt for good for him to realize how amazing she really is and how he was just blind to what was in front of him.
I usually like the rake with tortured, dark past who gets back to the light because of his girl, but the whole revenge plot was too much here - at a time, it became just a very unreasonable excuse to keep the main characters apart for almost 100 pages. Still, I like the chemistry between the two, and Penny's relationship with her sisters and family, as well as her unlikely friendship with Bourne's partners at the Fallen Angel. I'm excited to get to their books! Since I already know Chase's identity because I started the series by the last book, the mystery of the character was lost on me, but it did make some scenes extra-funny.
Like I said, not my favorite book of the genre, but I had fun while reading it and though I have some issues with it, it fulfilled its purpose, so I only took out one star of my rating. Excited to ge to Pippa & Cross's novel now!
“Temptation turns you. It makes you into something you never dreamed, it presses you to give up everything you ever loved, it calls you to sell your soul for one, fleeting moment.”
Actual rating: 4.5 stars
I absolutely loved this book, I devoured it in almost a sitting. Pippa is one of my favorite characters - she's smart, quick-witted and driven, but she's also very naive about love and seduction, and she doesn't realize how some of her questions might be embarrassing (which make for hilarious scenes). And I love how she knows she's odd and how people view her, but she doesn't let it get to her head and she embraces her weirdness. I really loved the couple's chemistry and dynamics and how Pippa managed to save Cross at the end (and it was a real plot twist). Cross was my favorite male character so far - he knows how smart Pippa is and never underestimates her. He's also caring and smart, despite his past. Also, I enjoyed his dark backstory and how it made sense for his character and all he did to overcome it. I just wished we could've seen more about his sister Lavinia and if they made up in the end or not (because I really wish they would, he deserves it).
There's one more book in this series to go, and the one that I feel will be the darkest one, considering the background story of the male protagonist.
“Because you're like a story that hasn't happened yet. Because I want to see what you will do. I want to be part of the unfolding of the tale.”
I already knew that I would enjoy this book since I did with other books by this author I've read.
But I absolutely loved it, I just couldn't put it down. Holly Black's love for Fairy lore really shows through in how well she builds this universe, creating a dazzling, but dangerous and often dark magical world, where nothing is quite as it seems. It's fast-paced, full of plot twists and really complex characters.
I love the dynamics between the characters (as twisted as some of them are), and especially Jude and Cardan. Their interactions are always more intense and full of hidden things. It's nice to see it developing and I can't wait for what book 2 will bring to this, with the way this one ended. I also liked how some previous stories are connected, like a shared universe - we have some characters from previous novels making an appearance here and having a role in the events and I LOVED this. I hope we get to see more of that and have more characters from previous books by the author to interact.
All in all, this was an amazing book, with this dark fairytale vibe and lots of surprises along the way. I'm pumped to pick up the sequel right away!
“But it was Eve who was vilified, never the serpent. Just as it was the lady who was ruined, never the man.”
I was expecting a lighter read but this book actually gets a little darker sometimes but that actually made it even better. I enjoyed it, the whole concept of the story is interesting, although I think I would have enjoyed it more if I read the books of this series in order - apparently, Chase's identity is a grand mystery through the series. Georgiana is such an amazing female protagonist - she's so strong and badass, as well as compassionated and kind. I mean, the woman built an empire despite society's disapproval and mistreatment of her and is doing her all to give her daughter the life and opportunities she didn't. Caroline, her daughter, is so wise and amazing, I loved her. She's smart and perceptive.
I like Ducan and the chemistry between the couple, but although the author insists that he finds Georgiana strong and beautiful and smart, he often doubts her and doesn't think her capable, even though she's proved that she is. And he is kind of a douche with her sometimes. Still, the ending was good and happy and overall I really liked and the interactions between the two were amazing. Now I have to get to the beginning of the series and move from there, even though I already know the biggest ‘secret.
“We had a terrible start... doesn't mean we can't have a better ending.”
Actual rating: 4.5 stars
Since I didn't care much for the first book in this trilogy, I wasn't expecting anything from this second installment. And what a surprise it was to find myself devouring this book! The author expanded the world and showed us more about the mysterious Venda and it's evil ruler, as well as the mythology of this world, unraveling it's secrets and sheding some light into some unresolved issues of the previous novel. We also got some other much needed answers and the threads created in the final chapters of book 1 were well developed and worked through here. I really really liked Lia's development - she went from this clueless, reckless princess to this resorceful, smart and powerful woman who is becoming a leader in her own right. The political aspects of this book were so interesting and the intrigues of this court reminded me a little of Game of Thrones, in smaller scale. And I think that's what made the book for me.
The plot is well-paced, taking it's time to develop things but not dragging. I wished we could have seen more of Pauline, but still her chapters were well placed and didn't took much from the actual center of the story. The romance wasn't too much as well, and it was a source of support for the characters, a ray of light in all that darkness and it was sweet. On that aspect, though, Kaden was the most annoying character ever, although I was surprised by his backstory and his relationship with the Komizar (who is, by the way, a great and terrible villain). The ending was dynamic and full of twists and it builds this sensation of dread into the reader until it explodes into the final two chapters. I can't wait to see what happens next!
“The most powerful magic of all is choice.”
While I absolutely adored the first book, this second one felt like a disappointment to me. It definitely suffered from the ‘middle book syndrome', mainly because it wasn't as fast paced as its predecessor and things took a long while to happen, until at least 60%, where it finally picked up speed and brought an intense, explosive finale, full of twists and new revelations. Sara did a good job expanding this world, showing us the other kingdoms and their culture and intricate politics, as well as introducing complex and interesting new characters, but not even that was able to hold me to this book like I did in book 1.
But I think the real issue for me here, along with the pace, was Meira. I felt like she was constantly afraid and doubtfull, constantly pushing others away and scared of her magic and trying not to dwell on the dark, unpleasant stuff and at the end that's what culminated in the events of the finale. She hurt and alienated her closest friends and allies because of her own self-doubt and fear. She took 10 steps back from the girl that ended Snow Like Ashes to slowly evolve here to that exact same point and it annoyed me to no end. I did liked the fact that she wasn't instantly ready to be queen and an instant lider and politician and she had to struggle to fit into this new role of leadership and to take all the burden of a kingdom into her shoulders when she is so young is and should be hard, but instead of asking for help and guidance, she decided to do things all by herself and in her dubious way. She was also very judgy of other kingdom's ways and it seemed like no other place could be as perfect and good as Winter. I love how Giselle calls her out on it. Still, she ends up as a likable, smart character again and now she's forced to confront her mistakes.
Mather, on the other hand, though not a character I really love, had the most amazing growth during this book. He had his life turned upside down and now has to conform to his new role in Winter, in Meira's life and had to cope with everything, but he faces it head on and confronts his feelings and focus on how he may help his people. And in the end he was the one with the most interesting and dare I say emotional journey.
And Theron, my daydreamer and sweet baby, I loved him from book one, so his character arc hurt my heart. Yes, I sensed that things would go badly from the start, but I wasn't ready for what actually went down. Kudos to Sara to making him into this complex and even dark character as opposed to the clichéd prince he could've been otherwise, as much as it worries me what might happen to him in the final volume. I feel like a lot of the readers will hate on him after this, because we see it all from Meira's POV, but he is the one suffering the most of all - he had his wish for peace and equality for the world, as well as his love for Meira and his wish to protect her and, therefore, Winter, despite his own kingdom's “needs”, used and abused and twisted by people who saw it as a way to ‘control' him, and that includes Meira.
Overall, the last third of the book compensated some of it's flaws, but it was simply not as good as it's predecessor and hopefully as it sucessor as well. I am excited for the final installment, though and plan to read it right away!
“Kestrel had bought a life, and loved it, and sold it.”
I am absolutely in love with this book. All the amazing, complex characters, the historical-inspired background, the political aspects, all the twists and turns and the heart-wrenching romance to top it all of...I just couldn't put this down and ended up finishing the whole thing in a day and a half (and only because I had to eat, sleep, work and other bothersome things like that).
Kestrel is my kind of main character - she's driven, loyal, compassionated and her main strenght is not her beauty or even her prowess with arms, it's her mind. She's clever, she's a brilliant strategist and can sometimes be ruthless if needed be and it's not afraid to make decisions and stand by them, no matter what others might think of her. I loved the relationship between her and her father, her friends and her nurse, as well as how her relationship with Arin developed.
Yes, despite being considered a fantasy novel, the romance is the main force behind everything that happens here and it's front and center at almost all times. Yet, despite not enjoying this kind of thing on books, in here it made sense and the story wouldn't work as well without this element. I was already so hooked into the world and the characters that I didn't mind much and it was honestly what made the whole thing so great. The book was a rollercoaster of emotions, and very bittersweet, but nothing hurted me more than the ending. The final chapter just hurt my heart and now I need the next installments to know what will happen with Kestrel and Arin.
“But we don't think too well when we want too much.”
This was such a sad, bittersweet little tale told as a bedtime story for Arin by his mom sometime before the Herrani war. It is also a kind of foreshadowing to the events of the Winner's Curse, as well as evolving some of the mythology of this world, what the Herrani were like before the war and what were their thoughts on the Venturian. A nice little addition to the trilogy.
“We are not broken things, neither of us. We are cracked pottery mended with laquer and flakes of gold, whole as we are, complete unto each other. Complete and worthy and so very loved.”
This was such a fun, quick read! The whole adventure feel of this novel kept me interested and the characters were compelling and complex. Monty is this rake-like character, who dwells on gambling, drinking and company (both men and woman) to escape his dad and responsabilities and he's sometimes not aware of his priviledge or how untactful he is about some issues. He's a little conceited and reckless, but that only makes his character development even greater. Still, it's understandable why he acts in certain ways and his misshaps are funny, despite everything. It's impossible not to grow to like him, especially because he's the narrator of this story. I loved Percy as well, and their romance was just adorable, though I felt like I could do without the typical romance novel trope of all that drama between the main couple that separates them until the very end though they obviously love each other.
As a LGBTQ period romance, though, I thought that the difficulties regarding the relationship (forbbiden, at the time) was treated too lightly - most of the times, Henry only got his father disapproval (to say mildly) and he and Percy still kept touching and kissing in plain sight, so I didn't feel like that was dangerous or forbidden like the time period required. I wished the author explores this a bit more, especially as she was constantly creating things to drive them apart - the fact that queer relationships were forbidden and often a death sentence was never one of them. I felt like Percy's skin color was a more proeminent source of conflict and was more developed than the queer aspect, which was supposed to be the center of the novel. Still, the romance was great and I liked the dynamics between them, even if Percy at times seemed to doubt Henry as much as the others.
Felicity is a difficult character. I like what she represents and the character has brilliant moments through the book, but she was irritating at times and acting superior and with a pissed off look constantly. I would have loved to see the relationship between brother and sister flourish through the story, but Felicity was constantly doubting and diminishing Henry, treating even Percy better than her own brother. There was this one scene were they had this amazing interaction and I thought it would get better from there, but in the next moment it seemed like nothing at all had happened. Yes, it was clear by the end that she cares about Monty, but I would've wished we've seen more of that or more moments between the two.
Still, despite all that, I had fun while reading this and if I had the time I would've certainly devoured it in a go. It's a great romance novel, with an adventure and road-trip feel, but while I liked it a lot, I didn't love it and it wasn't all that groundbreaking. I will definitely read Felicity's novel because I'm interested in getting to know her character better and maybe understand her a little, but I'm going in without expecting amazing things like I did with this one after all the rave it was getting.
“At some point, while you were roaming the globe, making treaties and dividing the spoils of war, I quietly declared my own independence. I am the sovereign nation of Clio now. And there will be no terms of surrender.”
As with all Tessa Dare's book, this was this funny, adorable and light read. It may have been my favorite of this trilogy even, though I did love Izzie's story in the first volume. But Clio is such a lovable, fierce character and it's impossible not to root for her and empathize with her immediately. She uses her knowledge and her smarts for her own ends and is done waiting for someone to ‘save her' and she's no longer shy and compliant. She and Rafe are the perfect match for each other because she challenges him and it's not put out by his brash demeanor.
I like how Tessa works the family aspects and relationships in her books, both the problematic and loving ones, and how she is breaching the mental illness and acceptance aspect - Phoebe here is clearly ‘different' from her sisters and may be somewhere in the Autistic Spectrum. But though she is considered odd and certainly not fit for the society of the time, her family, especially Clio, is accepting and loving towards her.
I'm enjoying more and more of this kind of books now and I'm happy to have found Tessa Dare's novels - they are delightful to read and such page-turners it's hard to not finish the entire thing in one go. I can't wait to read newer things from her!
"Is your brother's name Carter?" Annabeth asked.An angry golden aura flickered around Sadie's head-a halo of hieroglyphs that resembled frowns, fists, and dead stick men."As of this moment," Sadie growled, "My brother's name is Punching Bag.”
This was the crossover I was craving after reading The Kane Chronicles trilogy! I was so excited to have the Kane siblings back AND interacting with Percy and Annabeth! They really compliment each other and the dynamics here was just right and funny. I liked how the short stories were linked between them to the climax in The Crown of Ptolemy and though it was interesting to have Annabeth's POV in one of the stories since we first see the boys teaming up, then the girls and finally the four of them together as they mixed Egyptian and Greek magic, I would have liked to get Sadie's or Carter's POV in one of those - I missed their narration, especially Sadie's (also known for a fact as the lovechild of Percy & Annabeth). And though I left this book craving more Egyptian adventures ( I so wish Rick would write more on the Kanes!), it was amazing and all I could hope for in a crossover!
“We are not defined by the things we do in order to survive. We do not apologize for them,' she says quietly, eyes never leaving mine. 'Maybe they have broken you, but you are a sharper weapon because of it. And it is time to strike.”
A nice, compelling fantasy, but not very original - it feels like the author choose tropes from other fantasy series and stitched it all together with some original stuff. The magic system is interesting, and the world building could have been amazing, but both are superficial and underdeveloped. Theo is a good protagonist, and she has some good development during the novel and becoming the queen and lider she's supposed to be. But she's a little bit too extremist, like most Astrean characters shown here, actually, and for her is either ‘you're with me or against me', which doesn't work for the world she's living in. And she changes her mind and her opinion about people/stuff in the space of a few pages, so I found that a little grating. Also, there's this one thing I really disliked, which was the love triangle, which was completely unnecessary and it changed nothing in the main plot - not even the drama the author added as a ‘plot twist' for one of the characters in the triangle made it believable and necessary.
There were some nice surprises, though, like Crescentia's character - I was expecting her to be this expendable side characters, but she revealed some aspects of her personality who made her this really interesting and complex character and I'm really curious about her dynamic with Theo in the next volumes. It's not the best or most original YA fantasy, but I enjoyed the read and will continue on reading this trilogy!
“The most dangerous weapon is the one that strikes closest to the heart.”
I really, really enjoyed this book. It was such a fun, light read with a fluffy, steamy romance! Charlotte wasn't that much of an interesting character during the Spindle Cove series, but then again she was the youngest and practically a child in the previous books - only now that she came into her own. She's this vivacious, funny, witty and resourceful protagonist and one of my favorites of this series (Minerva and Pauline are still my number one, but Charlotte comes at a close second). I like that she doesn't bow down to others and knows her worth, despite what society claims. Piers was charming, though a bit strong-headed and stubborn, and the dynamic between the couple was just great. I also loved the guest appearance from the previous characters like Minerva and Colin (who is still funny and adorable as ever), Rafe (Piers brother from Say Yes To The Marquess, from the Castles Ever After Trilogy) and Diana & Aaron. And, one of the best things for me in this novel was to finally understand and feel for Mama Highwood - as misguided as her ways may be sometimes, she loves her daughters and wants what's best for them. Knowing what she went through to raise her child, makes her actions to secure her daughter's future. She and Charlotte has this heartwarming scene that made me teary-eyed.
There were a few things I didn't enjoy as much as in the previous installments, but I enjoyed this last book so much and I'm sad to leave the characters from Spindle Cove behind. I still have a novella from this world to read, as well as the second book in the Castles Ever After trilogy (yes, I haven't read Say Yes To The Marquess yet), so I still can revisit Tessa's delicious writing soon, but I'm gonna miss this quirky and lovable characters and their romantic adventures.
“Perhaps the only happily ever after is to survive to tell the story.”
I really enjoyed this book more than I thought I would after I started it. Yes, it was slow at times and things took a while to happen and the plot to unfold itself, but the characters relationship, their dynamics and personalities, their past and traumas were just as interesting, so in the end it didn't bother me as much. I like how the author wove some ‘fairytales' in-between the actual story, as a paralell of sorts, and as a sample of the stories the main characters was writing. This was a dark fairytale-like book, where magic isn't always good and everything has a price. The sibling relationship between Imogen and Marin was well worked and they coming to terms with their past and how some of their actions impacted on each other, but how their love and wish to protect the other above all else was really well done and shined through the book. I was expecting a more bittersweet kind of ending, despite everything, because it seemed like the theme of the novel, but I was happy as to how it all played out. I don't know why I dragged this for so long, maybe because I needed to be in the right mood to appreciate this story. I'm happy it was my first book of 2019, though.
And we've reached the epic finale of this beautiful saga. I've loved Sailor Moon since I was a child and revisiting this story was very special. This last volume was just the perfect, heartfelt conclusion - Sailor Moon giving it her all to recover her friends, save the Galaxy when everything, including the future, is at stake. Chibi-Chibi's final revelation and the final powerup of Sailor Moon was just so powerful and embodied everything the author has been trying to say during the story. The graphics for the final battle are gorgeous (actually, the whole art for this series - and Naoko's other works as well - are just so so pretty you want to put on your wall) and the final scene is the cherry on top to Usagi and her friends' story. Obviously, a 5 stars read, and I can't wait to pick up the short stories and immerse myself in more Sailor Moon content! Especially since I've never read them before!
"She remembered, as every sensible person does, that you should never never shut yourself up in a wardrobe.”
This was kind of disappointing. I love the movie adaptations and was hoping to find the same magic and heart-warming feeling I had while watching it. Well, I did not. The book dragged for almost 4 years until I could get myself to finish it. And while I enjoyed some of the chronicles, the language and most of the characters weren't all that appealing to me. I really liked The Magician's Nephew and The Horse and His Boy, and was ok with The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, but Prince Caspian, The Voyage of The Dawn Treader were just dragging and just meh. The Last Battle was especially problematic to me. I don't know, I just couldn't feel this. I am glad I'm finally done with this since it took me a long while, but I can't say I'm too happy. Well, moving on to more enjoyable reads.
“Once, there was a girl who vowed she would save everyone in the world, but forgot herself.”
It's been a while since I've read anything by Holly Black and I haven't yet read any of her Fae books (surprising, I know). And you know what? I loved it. Yes, it wasn't the most amazing book ever and there were elements here recognizable from the Shadowhunters books by Cassie Clare, so I didn't need all that explanation about the Fair Folk. But Black knows how to create this atmospheric, dark tale that pulls you in. She explores the human nature and their secrets, and why we're so attracted to fairies and magic. This had this ‘dark fairytale' vibe that I loved and the characters were compelling and complex, with good development. The slowly unfolding mystery was interesting, although the resolution wasn't that big of a plot twist. I'm on a fairy kind of vibe, so I'll probably continue on this dark & twisty trend with my next reads. I'm hoping to read more by Holly Black this coming year, I forgot how much I enjoyed previous books I've read from her.
“I wish, as well as everybody else, to be perfectly happy; but, like everybody else, it must be in my own way.”
This was slower than previous reads by Ms. Austen. Things took a while to happen and even so, when it did, it was full of circles to get to the point. I didn't care much about the characters - Elinor, although said to be smart and sensible, and a good observer, often let herself be swayed by pretty words, Marienne was annoying and selfish and too dramatic during the entire book. Edward was completely meh and wasn't enough in the book for me to actually measure his character - all we had was Elinor's constant praise of him, and since she was in love with him, I don't think it counts. Willoughby was a tool and deserved far worse. The Dashwoods were petty and vain. Colonel Brandom was the only one that I could like a little bit and was happy that he got what he wanted in the end. Definitely not my favorite Austen novel and it's clear her writing evolved after this, if compared with Pride & Prejudice and Emma.
“Because an illusion is an illusion. Reality always exists despite the facade.”
I really like Kasie West's contemporary YA novels, so I had high hopes for this duology, especially because of the paranormal aspect of it. But I was thoroughly disappointed - the premise was a good one, but it was poorly developed. The whole Complex idea, the powers and how to develop them, was just lacking and I wanted to know more about it. Instead, it was used as a background. The plot centered mainly on the romance aspect and the teen drama of our main character, with touches of a mystery to solve as a sub-plot. And that, while it could have been interesting and kick up a notch in the book, was just bland and couldn't make me care much about it, and the other one, that turned out to be the big reveal of the novel and delivered an interesting twist, was not given enough space or importance through the story. West's strongest characteristic, which is the way she develops friendships and family relations, as well as characters personal issues, was sorely lacking here and, again wasn't properly addressed during the book.
The writing is, as always, fluid and quick, and the book is less than 300 pages long, so it wasn't that much of a struggle to read. I did enjoy the ending and am curious as to how everything will wrap up, so I'll finish the duology, but I'm going in with my expectations properly lowered. It wasn't a good year for Kasie West's books for me, unfortunately.
“See, they're currently in alien terrain, surrounded by millions of the most vicious creatures on the planet. Humans."
Although this was mostly like the movie, it was interesting to delve further into the characters and see what they were thinking or planning or feeling during certain scenes. Some of it didn't translate as well to the scene, so it also brought some light to certain events. J.K managed to write a vivid and interesting story, even in script form. There was also some ‘bonus' stuff that didn't make into the movie (small snippets of scenes, but still). I want to get my hands on The Crimes of Grindewald now because THAT movie needs some delving into the characters to know what J.K intended with some of it.
"We all, everyone one of us, carry a star inside our chests. ...Light and darkness are always side-by-side. If you show even the slightest fear or tears to the darkness, it will immediately swell and come attacking, and swallow up the light."
The ending of the Dream ARC, the final evolution to Eternal Sailor Moon, and Sailor ChibiMoon gaining warrior status and finding her own ‘inner senshi' and guardians. Although I LOVE Neherenia in the anime, the final battle and the villains for this arc were the weakest and most bland in the series. I couldn't care much for Helios and Elysium, but it was nice seeing Mamoru finally doing something and expanding (or gaining) his own power. I'm excited for one of my favorite arcs, both in anime and manga versions - the Star Arc and Galaxia & The Starlights!
“It is a beautiful irony that the great queen we've ever had is the first to take off her crown.”
I absolutely LOVED getting back into this world. The Lunar Chronicles is one of my favorite book series ever and I've missed it a lot. I was so good revisiting these characters, see what became of them, how they are faring and the new adventures they have to face. Iko is the main character here and she's on a mission to retrieve the lunar soldier mutant operatives that have gone rogue after Cinder was crowned queen. Iko was always hilarious and sassy and I love her a lot. The dynamics between her and Kinney is so good and I liked how Meyer explored it. The plot is fast paced and I liked that we're seeing Cinder's plans to rule, the struggles she's facing after the peace - nothing is magically resolved after Levana was defeated, there's a lot of things to work out. We also have a ‘feature' of all our favorite characters and had lots of cute romantic moments between the ships. MY CRESSELL IS ALIVE AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL. Obviously, I loved every single page and can't wait to get my hands on the second volume already.