If I hear the pink sunset compared to cat vomit one more time, I am going to scream.

In my experience, the YA dystopias and sci-fis of the early 2000s are hit-or-miss for me; I either love them or hate them. Unfortunately for Uglies...it kind of fell flat for me. Maybe my expectations were too high, and I expected more social commentary than "ugly and intelligent good, vapid and pretty bad." Maybe I just didn't vibe with this book. All I'm saying is it's not a series I'm eager to finish.
The storyline is pretty simple and follows a lot of familiar tropes from the genre. Tally is an ugly, waiting for the day she turns 16 so she can be pretty and party all the time instead of doing...whatever it is uglies are supposed to do in their free time? Her new friend Shay invites her to join a rebellion, Tally says nope, and then suddenly the government is like, "hey, actually you're going to go spy on this rebellion for us because it makes sense to send a 16-year-old girl out into the woods with some spaghetti and a hoverboard." There was a fair amount of action in the last 25% of the book, but it wasn't enough to make up for Tally's annoying inner monologue. And as much as I like the implications of the ending, it doesn't erase the second-hand embarrassment I got when Tally just kept digging herself into a deeper hold.
I also didn't really like any of the characters, and I think it might have been the fault of the worldbuilding. When your setting requires your characters to either be stupid and hot or ugly and "morally-correct," it doesn't give a lot of room for interesting characters. I found David to be bland, Shay to be obnoxiously petty, and the rest of the cast to be equally two-dimensional. And, as I said before, Tally's inner monologue drove me nuts because her sense of morals is "wrong" until it gets changed in less than a minute, and that's literally the only character development she has. I think it would've been more interesting if the pretties actually engaged in interactions with the uglies so we could see the dynamics mix.
Uglies is an early YA dystopian novel about a world where beauty is the only thing that matters and a girl's journey in self-acceptance.

3/5

This book just reinforced my belief that heist plots are the best.

Medici Heist is a YA historical fiction heist story that takes place in Renaissance Italy, and it's filled with all of the action and (mis)adventures that make heists so enjoyable. I really enjoyed the setting, especially with Michelangelo as a character, albeit more of a minor character than the description lets on. Honestly, pretty much my only complaint is that this book could've been longer. I wanted more character backstory (especially Giacomo), and I could've taken even more action during the heist itself because there were some parts that could've been elaborated on.
Like I said, I'm a huge fan of heist novels, and I absolutely loved the action in this one. I can see why some might consider it formulaic, but I liked the pacing, and I thought things went wrong when they needed to in order to keep me on the edge of my seat. There weren't too many "big" plot twists besides the usual heist shenanigans, but it didn't stop me from misreading multiple situations.
And, as with any multiple-POV heist, I absolutely adored the dynamics between the characters. Of the main cast, Rosa was my least favorite just because she was a bit hard to read at first (I think this could've been fixed with some more flashbacks). I liked Sarra and her dynamics with both Rosa and Pietro. Of the side characters, I actually found Dominic to be more interesting than I anticipated, and I'd be interested in learning more about him plus seeing his (hopefully) criminal character arc. Michelangelo's dynamics with the characters were intriguing as well, given most YA heists don't include adults. Khalid and Giacomo stole the show, though, rather unsurprisingly, because the guard/thief pairings are some of my favorites. Khalid reminded me a lot of Jude from Isles of the Gods, and Giacomo was my favorite because of his backstory and also just his personality in general.
Medici Heist is a fast-paced, action-packed, historical fiction heist following a lovable cast of characters that I would love to see in either a sequel or spinoff (hint hint).
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC!

4.5/5

Alright, look. I can get past mind-controlling space people. I can get past the whole secret princess thing. But I draw the line at wolf-soldier-people who call themselves "alpha males."

Scarlet is the second installment in the Lunar Chronicles, and it is a loose retelling of the familiar Little Red Riding Hood fairytale. Going into it, I saw that people either loved it or hated it, but I'm not sure where I fall on the spectrum. I think I liked the first book better, but I didn't despise this one.
Each book in this series grows more complex as more character POVs are introduced. Not only do we see Cinder struggling to assume the "princess" role she never wanted, but we also watch Kai deal with the aftermath Cinder left behind in book one. However, the reader is also introduced to Scarlet (a delivery girl whose grandmother may or may not have secrets), Wolf (a brooding street fighter with a mysterious past), and Thorne (a thief and Cinder's new partner-in-crime...literally). I thought the plot twists were pretty predictable again, but I did enjoy the pacing of the story, especially in the second half. The story was action-packed, which kept me engaged, and the ending left me excited for the next book.
The character dynamics are definitely building to form a found family of sorts, which I am very excited about. I didn't like Scarlet as much as Cinder, but I think she's definitely a strong protagonist with a passion for what she believes in. Cinder kind of took a backseat in this one, but I'm excited for her arc and acceptance of her role. I really wish we got to see more of Kai and his inner turmoil. As far as Wolf goes, I wasn't thrilled because I'm not really into the brooding, morally questionable love interests who call themselves "alphas"... I'll pass, thanks. Thorne is probably my new favorite because I've always been a fan of sarcastic criminals who actually care about people, and I can't wait to see more of him. The villains are intriguing, but I'm still waiting for them to do some truly villainous things.
Scarlet is the second novel in the Lunar Chronicles series, perfect for fans of fairytale retellings in unconventional (maybe sci-fi) settings.

4/5
Link to Libby Annotations

Going into my reread of this, I only remembered one scene...and, as it turns out, I remembered the only important part of this book.

As I started my reread of Crown of Midnight, the second novel in the Throne of Glass series, I literally remembered one thing about this book. Surely I'd forgotten some other important scenes, right? Wrong. I think there were only two scenes in this book that'll be relevant for the rest of the series (yes, there are some foreshadowing details, but everything else isn't that important). For that reason, I think this is probably my least favorite book in the series.
Celaena is now the King's Champion (aka assassin), but she's been faking the assassinations for the past few months. There's some political rebellion undertones, as well as court intrigue and some action. For the most part, though, I didn't find myself too interested in the story. I thought the plot twists were relatively predictable (I remember calling the main plot twist the first time I read it, so it isn't just because this was a reread). I know the series starts slow, but I genuinely think this is my least favorite.
I also had issues with some of the characters being annoying. I'm a Chaol apologist, but I really, really don't like his relationship dynamics with Celaena. I also remember him being more brotherly than rival-y to Dorian. Nehemia just didn't feel all that relevant again. I thought Celaena was a bit overdramatic in this one, though I'm pretty sure that's just her personality. Dorian is still my favorite (although his pining over Celaena at the beginning got on my nerves), and I'm most excited to see his arc.
Crown of Midnight is the second book in the Throne of Glass series, and while I didn't find it incredibly enjoyable, I'm excited to continue the series.

3.75/5
Link to Libby Annotations

Okay, okay, I'm jumping on the Thorne bandwagon.

So I may or may not have read Cress in less than 12 hours, and in my defense... a) I had nothing better to do today and b) a lot of Thorne and not much Wolf is just the combination I needed. I've heard that this is the best book in the Lunar Chronicles series, and I think I'm inclined to agree.
The narrative becomes even more complicated in this one, with a total of 6 (I think?) main POVs. Kai is still stuck in the palace with an impending marriage to Queen Levana. Meanwhile, Cinder and her team scour the skies for a way to break Kai out of this marriage while simultaneously preventing an all-out war between the people of Earth and Luna. I think the pacing was phenomenal (hence why I read it in 3 sittings) and while the plot twists weren't incredibly twisty, I did enjoy the chaotic ending and the action scenes scattered throughout. My only complaint is that the "danger" the characters endure seems to be resolved fairly quickly in most cases, and I wish there was just a little more sense of impending doom (which is probably too much for a YA novel).
I was glad that Scarlet and Wolf took a backseat in this one, as they're probably my least favorite of the main couples so far...although I am sensing some angst pending in the next book. Cinder's arc is very intriguing to me, and I also look forward to seeing how Kai fits into the found family. I didn't like Cress as much as I expected to (she's a bit too delicate, in my opinion), but I'm hoping she grows. Thorne is obviously my favorite, although if he keeps his hero complex without any semblance of a tragic backstory, I might be switching to Jacin because I really like his vibes.
So far Cress is my favorite book in the Lunar Chronicles, and I 100% recommend this series to fans of unconventional fairytale retellings.
4.5/5

"This is what happens when you hurry through a maze: the faster you go, the worse you are entangled"(115).

House of Leaves is one of those books that a) I feel like I can't rate accurately because I'm an angry person full of pettiness and b) I feel like I can't properly review because I'm not nearly smart enough to understand half of the details.
That being said, I will still be offering my unwanted and mostly uninformed thoughts on this book.

So...what is House of Leaves actually about? The best way I can explain it is a film analysis with two sets of annotations...all on a film that doesn't exist, which brings me to the first thing I wanted to talk about: the framing narratives.
At its heart, this book is a story of a family that moves into a haunted house. However, this story is delivered in the form of a highly intellectual film analysis. And this film analysis is annotated by a man named Johnny, plus a set of "editors" who seem to be practically nonexistent. The book also has the possibility of adding a fifth(?) frame with you, the reader, should you choose to annotate or place yourself into the book (which I'll get to later).
In essence, it's confusing. It's meant to be a maze because the house that the book revolves around is a maze. It's full of dead ends and red herrings and twists and turns (literally forcing you to flip the book upside down). The film the analysis is based on does not exist, even in the context of the books. Both the editors and Johnny claim that Zampono (the man who supposedly wrote the analysis) made the whole thing up and quoted people who had never even heard of the film in the first place. Basically: nothing is real.

The Plot(s)
I'd like to devote the first main part of this review to the "plots" that the book follows.
In the middle of everything is the story about the haunted house and the family that lives there. Navidson, Karen, and their children move into a house that is measurably bigger on the inside than the outside, and it seems to shift in response to the family. I found this to be the most intriguing aspect of the book, and I surprisingly found myself caring for the characters somewhere along the line. This was probably the most "horror-y" part of the book, but the story itself didn't scare me (the implications and my own imagination did). While I've seen a few complaints about the ending, I honestly didn't mind it that much because I was just glad to be done with the book.
The next layer is Zampono's intellectually dense film analysis. Look, I've read flat-out research for school before. I've read analyses of books that are drier than the Sahara. But this book? It gave a new definition to "dry." I know it's the point. I know the book is supposed to make you feel bored. But for the love of all things holy...could the sections devoted to physics and building materials and random other tangents be any shorter? Please?
Past Zampono is Johnny, who is reading and annotating the film analysis because he wants to publish it? His annotations, however, are mostly details regarding his sexual exploits. It wasn't as dry as Zampono, but it was equally unenjoyable. I have to admit, about 150 pages in, I googled whether or not I was reading the book the right way and discovered that a handful of people say it's okay to skim Johnny's parts. So I did. Sorry, not sorry; I don't need to read about strippers and someone's mental breakdowns for 500 pages. I don't care that it adds to the story. I care that I finish and don't end up in the grippy sock home.

Format and How I Chose to Read the Book
I've seen formatting somewhat similar to this book before, which I'll talk about later, but I just wanted to explain quickly the method I chose to read this book.
When I first started House of Leaves, I was innocent, naive, and didn't expect to be so frustrated by the stupid book. I tried to read it in the way I believed was the "intended" way. Or, in other words, I tried to brute force my way through it by reading everything. That didn't last very long. I got bored. I got mad. I googled the answers like the not-critical thinker I am.
Apparently, it's sort of a choose-your-own-adventure. You pick what to read and how to read it. I read all of the main analysis, skimming through the footnotes that appeared to be citations and other irrelevant notes. I skimmed Johnny's stories because they apparently weren't super essential for the surface-level reading of the book. I wish I had chosen to annotate or devote more time to this book, but I went into it expecting a slightly dense read and not something that felt like schoolwork.
And, look, I did do some critical thinking. I tried to find meaning, and I know that, like any maze, there are dozens of paths and interpretations in the book. There probably aren't wrong answers. That being said, I probably found a way to misread this, so I'm only going to briefly mention my theories/thoughts.
#1) I don't know how to explain it, but it feels like the book is trying to blend the line between fiction and reality. In most books, it's easy to separate the two, but this one felt different. The film is fake to Johnny, just as Johnny's story is fake to us (the reader). But what if it wasn't? Maybe I'm overthinking things, but while reading, I asked myself if the film was maybe real in some sense (I obviously know it isn't). I don't know, it just felt like the book was intruding on my life in a way, which brings me to my other thoughts.
#2) The book isn't just a maze; it's a physical "thing" that parallels various objects in the story. The house is a mysterious puzzle to Navidson; the film is a puzzle to Zampono; the analysis is a puzzle to Johnny; and now, the book is a puzzle to us. Just as exploring the house becomes Navidson's obsession, analyzing the film becomes Zampono's obsession, and understanding the analysis becomes Johnny's obsession; this book is an obsession on its own, especially if the reader chooses to annotate, thus adding another layer to the narrative.
#3) This one is the most illogical, but I feel like, in addition to this book being an obsession, it brings out the worst traits in everyone. Navidson's obsession with the house leads him to isolate himself from his family and follow his own narcissism. Zampono's obsession with the film leads him to create a dense, nearly unreadable analysis to satiate his curiosity and build his ego. Johnny's obsession with the analysis makes him unstable and insane. Similarly, the book itself made me angry, stubborn, frustrated, and a dozen other negative things. It's just a hunk of pages, and maybe I'm reading too far into it, but it brought out the worst in me, too.
Please take all of these thoughts with a grain of salt. Someone else probably said them before me and they're probably somehow wrong, but it's just my ideas.

Final Thoughts
If you'll indulge my ramblings for a little longer, I'd like to conclude my opinions on this book.
Did I enjoy reading it? No. I hated every second of it. Was I happy that I finished it? Yes. Like any puzzle, I was happy I "solved" it. Would I recommend it? It depends, I guess.
The thing that draws many readers to House of Leaves is its uniqueness. However, I've seen many of its unique elements in other books that I enjoyed much more. Looking for unique physical formatting with upside-down words and pictures? Try the Illuminae Files by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman. In the mood for a classic with framing narratives? The most obvious choice is Frankenstein. Want a book where you feel like a character? The Spear Cuts Through Water literally makes you one without the cringy-ness. For some reason you're looking for a book with footnotes? The Ruin of Kings has plenty, plus four interweaving narratives. The only thing this book offered that I hadn't necessarily seen before was the idea of a "maze" symbolized through the pacing, but I'm sure there are options out there.

To summarize all of this for you: I didn't really enjoy House of Leaves. I could be missing something. Maybe I'll reread it someday when I'm less of a snob. But, as of right now, it wasn't really a book for me, and for that reason (among others), I do not feel qualified to rate this book.

"A woman made of fire, all the brighter to you because of what you have sacrificed for her."

The Gilded Crown reminded me a lot of Adalyn Grace's Belladonna but with way more politics and way less chemistry. I really wanted to like this book, and I know that the romance itself isn't a big part of it, but the plot relies so heavily on character dynamics, and I didn't see the chemistry between the lead characters.
Hellevir is a necromancer. She communes with Death and brings back those who have perished in "unnatural" ways in exchange for bits of life. The story begins when Hellevir raises Sullivain - the princess - after an attempted assassination. Most of the plot revolves around court maneuverings and Hellevir trying to escape with her family before she is forced to raise the princess a dozen more times. There are also some subplots with riddles assigned to Hellevir by the gatekeeper of death, and there are some romantic scenes as well. Overall, though, I felt it was very slow until the last 20%, and I would've liked to see some more variation in the plot.
I also didn't connect to most of the characters. Hellevir was fine as a protagonist; I didn't love her, but I didn't hate her. Calgir and Farvor were my favorites (they reminded me of Achilles and Patroclus), and I wish we saw more of them. The real issue for me was that I didn't like Sullivain. She is supposed to be the love interest, but Hellevir had way more chemistry with Death. Sulli was cruel at first, reckless even when she knew it would hurt Hellevir, and she didn't show interest in Hellevir until she was practically begging for attention. The relationship between Hellevir and Sullivain read as toxic to me.
While The Gilded Crown wasn't for me, I do think fans of folklore, complicated love stories, and riddles will enjoy this book.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC!

3.25/5

This series might be my new favorite set of fairytale retellings while simultaneously having one of the cringiest characters I've ever seen.

As the conclusion to the Lunar Chronicles series, Winter brings together all of the characters from the previous books for an epic finale that does not disappoint. Overall, I love the vibes of the series. From found family to action-packed rebellions and no shortage of sarcasm, the Lunar Chronicles has it all.
With all of the characters finally gathered together, it's finally time for rebellion. While I did find the pacing to be a little off in the middle, I really enjoyed this book and all the plots and subplots it had to offer. I liked how characters were mixed around, offering new dynamics (like Cress and Kai, Scarlet and Winter, etc). Also, the climax? It finally delivered everything I'd been begging for from the beginning of the series. All things considered, I think this might be my favorite in the series plot-wise.
I absolutely loved the found family dynamics between all of the characters, and I liked that Iko was included, too. Wolf and Scarlet are probably still my least favorite of the main couples; I just don't love their vibes, although I did appreciate the angst. Winter and Jacin were intriguing, but I had mixed feelings about Winter's hallucinations and Jacin's unwavering devotion to her. As far as couples go, Kai and Cinder were my favorites. I don't really have a reason, but I think they're the most developed, and I like how they trust each other almost unconditionally. I like Cress and Thorne a lot, too, and Thorne is my favorite on his own. If they were developed some more, they'd probably be my favorite. I also thought Levana finally proved herself to be a formidable villain in this one (she has mind control but never uses it on the heroes, and it drives me nuts).
The Lunar Chronicles series is a fast-paced space adventure based loosely on classic fairytales sure to be enjoyed by fans of found family, witty banter, and stories of rebellions.

4.5/5

Okay, so Abby might have a new favorite fairytale retelling series.

Look, my cousin has been begging me to read Cinder for years, but I didn't actually add it to my TBR until I saw the author post art of the love interests from her series, and I am only slightly ashamed to admit that I chose to read this because of pretty pictures. That being said, I am once again learning that my cousin may or may not know my book tastes better than I do because I read this in less than 24 hours.
Essentially, the story is a Cinderella retelling but with androids, cyborgs, and evil moon colonists with mind control. Cinder is a cyborg and a mechanic, and after meeting Prince Kai in the market one day, she becomes embroiled in politics, plagues, and an evil queen's plot for world domination. While it follows the familiar "girl goes to the ball" pattern, I was surprised at how many subplots could fit into one story. There are plagues, robots, princely politics, and fast pacing to keep me occupied. I found the plot twists to be a bit predictable, but given this reads as younger YA, I forgave that (because I would not have seen it coming a few years ago). I'm also a bit mad at the ending because I didn't realize the series would continue Cinder's story and was expecting more closure.
I thought the cast of this book was very enjoyable to read about. Peony being a "nice" stepsister was unexpected, and I liked Iko as the family's android, too. I still have mixed feelings about the doctor. I really liked Kai (because I've always been a fan of princes with morals who just want to be green flags), although I wish we got to see more of Levana's manipulation of him, considering she has the power to; she just never really did. Cinder is an intriguing protagonist, given she knows about as much about her backstory as the reader does, and I thought her stubborn personality, mixed with her technological knowledge, was unique for a "Cinderella" character.
Cinder is the first book in a sci-fi series of fairytale retellings that promises action, intrigue, and characters you'll root for from beginning to end.

4.25/5

This book might have some of the most morally gray characters I have ever seen, and I may or may not be rethinking my taste in book characters...

To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods is a YA fantasy novel reminiscent of R.F. Kuang's Poppy War series in that it deals with themes of oppression and loss of a cultural identity. I've seen a lot of people arguing over whether or not this is classified as a "colonizer romance," which I'm not sure about yet. The story has the potential to go that way (and it really is set up for that), but the title of the next book suggests that maybe situations will change.
Ruying is a girl who has power over Death and who catches the attention of Antony, a prince of the invading country (Rome). He demands that she work for him if she wishes to survive, and so Ruying becomes embroiled in politics and a war she never wanted to be involved in. Most of the story revolves around Ruying's struggles with her morality as part of her wants to protect her country, and the other part has fallen victim to Antony's manipulation. The pacing wasn't incredibly fast, but I read the book fairly quickly, and the ending sets up for an intriguing book two.
I think the thing about this book that turns people away is that none of the characters are really "likable," and I'm not sure that they're supposed to be. Ruying makes questionable decisions to ensure the survival of herself and her family, and while the reader may not agree with her, I saw it as a fairly realistic portrayal of a girl that isn't a "hero," she's just a girl. Antony is kind to Ruying, but mostly because he wants to manipulate her. His actions regarding characters besides Ruying are despicable (which is why this book has so much controversy with the perceived "romance" between the two of them). Baihu and Meiya also have flaws that seem to dominate their personalities, and while this makes the story interesting, it also makes it difficult to find someone to root for.
Filled with questionable morals, rich magic, and beautiful writing, To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods promises an intriguing YA fantasy series about the costs of oppression.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC!

3.75/5