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The full review can be found at The Book Bratz
I am honestly disappointed. I had really high hopes for this book, and it wasn't what I was expecting at all. I am more disappointed in myself for requesting a book because the cover caught my eye. I didn't dislike like this book as a whole though. I liked the feminist theme, the idea, the world built (somewhat) but there were many things that I disliked as well.
I didn't connect with either main character. There was just nothing there. I struggled with the verse, it was beautifully written but I wasn't getting a clear picture of anything. The world building came mainly from Kiran's point of view, and that was very limited. I honestly disliked almost all the characters in this book. Sudasa's family was a huge thorn in my side for more then half of this book, it was quite irritating.
As I mentioned the writing was beautiful, and I do plan on reading more by Holly in the future. Maybe I'll even give this one another go. But as beautiful as the writing was 5 to 1 lacked on certain aspects. I did how ever like the idea behind 5 to 1: Woman taking the upper hand and forming their own country to avoid prosecution of their gender. The feminism message is something that I thoroughly enjoyed, and that was enough to pull me to finish through instead of putting it down and starting something else. I also enjoyed the Indian culture, but is was hard to get a grip because nothing was explained and I don't know much about the culture to begin with.
Overall I thought this book was a disappointment, I wasn't impressed. If anything I was frustrated. 5 to 1 does have an interesting concept and may work for some people. But for me, this one was meh.
I am honestly disappointed. I had really high hopes for this book, and it wasn't what I was expecting at all. I am more disappointed in myself for requesting a book because the cover caught my eye. I didn't dislike like this book as a whole though. I liked the feminist theme, the idea, the world built (somewhat) but there were many things that I disliked as well.
I didn't connect with either main character. There was just nothing there. I struggled with the verse, it was beautifully written but I wasn't getting a clear picture of anything. The world building came mainly from Kiran's point of view, and that was very limited. I honestly disliked almost all the characters in this book. Sudasa's family was a huge thorn in my side for more then half of this book, it was quite irritating.
As I mentioned the writing was beautiful, and I do plan on reading more by Holly in the future. Maybe I'll even give this one another go. But as beautiful as the writing was 5 to 1 lacked on certain aspects. I did how ever like the idea behind 5 to 1: Woman taking the upper hand and forming their own country to avoid prosecution of their gender. The feminism message is something that I thoroughly enjoyed, and that was enough to pull me to finish through instead of putting it down and starting something else. I also enjoyed the Indian culture, but is was hard to get a grip because nothing was explained and I don't know much about the culture to begin with.
Overall I thought this book was a disappointment, I wasn't impressed. If anything I was frustrated. 5 to 1 does have an interesting concept and may work for some people. But for me, this one was meh.
The full review can be found at The Book Bratz closer to its release date!
**Please note: I recieved an eARC from the publisher via Edelweiss. All thoughts are my own**
I read two books about teenagers who were deathly ill back to back and that was the wost thing I could probably have done. My poor heart. Extraordinary Means was beautifully written as well as beautifully heart breaking.
When Lane is diagnosed with tuberculosis and sent to Latham house he thinks it is the end of the world, until he is reunited with a girl he knew many years earlier at summer camp. When Lane gives up trying with his school work and steps out of his bounds he never expected anything that he was going to get into. Disabling their med sensors to sneak out of the hospital grounds, smuggling goods in, and falling in love when there is a possibility either of them could die at any moment.
Extraordinary Means is told in duo point of views, which is probably my favorite ways to read a story with romance in it. The character growth and development from the start to the end of the book was incredible! All of the characters were so real. At the beginning of the book I wasn't sure I was going to like Lane. I found him up tight and too afraid to step out of his safe zone, but that changes when he meets Sadie. After that I really loved Lane. Sadie I loved from to get go. She has been at Latham house for nearly three years and she has neither improved or worsened, but she is stable and until she is healthy she can not leave. She is reckless and sarcastic and I love that most in a character.
The romance was adorable. It didn't come in too fast but I didn't take forever, it was just the right timing. Lane was just genuinely sweet. They both held a trait the grounded the other and I found that perfect. There might of been implied sex, I am really not quite sure. But it isn't that important. But, I really enjoyed the romance in this book. It mended nice and gave Lane and Sadie something happy in such a horrible time in their lives.
The freaking ending of the book destroyed me. I won't tell you what. It may be happy or sad. (It could have destroyed me in a good way.) I probably cried for at least and hour afterwards, reading the same part over and over. (Again: Happy or sad tears) It was bittersweet though, heartbreaking but bittersweet. I really enjoyed Extraordinary Means I hope to read more by Robyn soon.
**Please note: I recieved an eARC from the publisher via Edelweiss. All thoughts are my own**
I read two books about teenagers who were deathly ill back to back and that was the wost thing I could probably have done. My poor heart. Extraordinary Means was beautifully written as well as beautifully heart breaking.
When Lane is diagnosed with tuberculosis and sent to Latham house he thinks it is the end of the world, until he is reunited with a girl he knew many years earlier at summer camp. When Lane gives up trying with his school work and steps out of his bounds he never expected anything that he was going to get into. Disabling their med sensors to sneak out of the hospital grounds, smuggling goods in, and falling in love when there is a possibility either of them could die at any moment.
Extraordinary Means is told in duo point of views, which is probably my favorite ways to read a story with romance in it. The character growth and development from the start to the end of the book was incredible! All of the characters were so real. At the beginning of the book I wasn't sure I was going to like Lane. I found him up tight and too afraid to step out of his safe zone, but that changes when he meets Sadie. After that I really loved Lane. Sadie I loved from to get go. She has been at Latham house for nearly three years and she has neither improved or worsened, but she is stable and until she is healthy she can not leave. She is reckless and sarcastic and I love that most in a character.
The romance was adorable. It didn't come in too fast but I didn't take forever, it was just the right timing. Lane was just genuinely sweet. They both held a trait the grounded the other and I found that perfect. There might of been implied sex, I am really not quite sure. But it isn't that important. But, I really enjoyed the romance in this book. It mended nice and gave Lane and Sadie something happy in such a horrible time in their lives.
The freaking ending of the book destroyed me. I won't tell you what. It may be happy or sad. (It could have destroyed me in a good way.) I probably cried for at least and hour afterwards, reading the same part over and over. (Again: Happy or sad tears) It was bittersweet though, heartbreaking but bittersweet. I really enjoyed Extraordinary Means I hope to read more by Robyn soon.
The full review can be found at The Book Bratz
Anything Can Happen is both warmly written and heart swelling. I found it to be something refreshing in in Young Adult, and will surely be a book I will be pushing at people.
Tretch knew he way gay the moment Matt grabbed his hand at church. But he lives in the south, where being gay isn't something that is easily understood. Ironically Matt has two dads, and constantly reminds other people as well as himself that he isn't gay. During winter break Tretch learns the meaning of friendship and family. He watches Matt's budding relationship with a coffee shop server, comes out to his brother, and understands that the girl at the local bookshop may think of him as more then a friend.
Tretch was easily a likable character. He is young and enthusiastic about the things in life, but he is also hiding a secret that makes him who he is. Tretch tends to ramble when he is describing stuff, which whether or not done on purpose, made him more real to me. He was a kind of guy that went along with the flow of things and didn't do anything particularly cool to stand out in his small town.
The stories of unrequited love always hitt me hard in the gut, I wanted that fairy tale ending for Tretch, the one where Matt is also in love with him, but that wouldn't have been realistic at all. Will left Tretch's story off on a positive note, leaving me content to know that when everything is said and done he will still have his family and friends. I'm typically not a fan of fluffy stories, I usually prefer something that is going to make me thing and feel along with the main character. Though this is fluffy, I felt right along with Tretch, there are a few times that I teared up too.
Overall I really enjoyed Anything Can Happen. It was beautiful, heart warming, and coming of age. I will be looking out for more of Will Walton's writing in the future.
Anything Can Happen is both warmly written and heart swelling. I found it to be something refreshing in in Young Adult, and will surely be a book I will be pushing at people.
Tretch knew he way gay the moment Matt grabbed his hand at church. But he lives in the south, where being gay isn't something that is easily understood. Ironically Matt has two dads, and constantly reminds other people as well as himself that he isn't gay. During winter break Tretch learns the meaning of friendship and family. He watches Matt's budding relationship with a coffee shop server, comes out to his brother, and understands that the girl at the local bookshop may think of him as more then a friend.
Tretch was easily a likable character. He is young and enthusiastic about the things in life, but he is also hiding a secret that makes him who he is. Tretch tends to ramble when he is describing stuff, which whether or not done on purpose, made him more real to me. He was a kind of guy that went along with the flow of things and didn't do anything particularly cool to stand out in his small town.
The stories of unrequited love always hitt me hard in the gut, I wanted that fairy tale ending for Tretch, the one where Matt is also in love with him, but that wouldn't have been realistic at all. Will left Tretch's story off on a positive note, leaving me content to know that when everything is said and done he will still have his family and friends. I'm typically not a fan of fluffy stories, I usually prefer something that is going to make me thing and feel along with the main character. Though this is fluffy, I felt right along with Tretch, there are a few times that I teared up too.
Overall I really enjoyed Anything Can Happen. It was beautiful, heart warming, and coming of age. I will be looking out for more of Will Walton's writing in the future.
The full review can be found at The Book Bratz
I've done a lot of thinking about this book since I finished reading it, and honestly? I don't know what I feel. On one hand I really enjoyed it and found it totally thrilling and on the other I really thought the characters were stupid and didn't like it at all. I think I keep trying to put myself in Arcadia's shoes and see if I would have made the same decisions. I wouldn't have though, I hate going out with my friends. Why, would I go on a road trip with two strange boys?
Arcadia has been forced to grow up. Her mother died when her brother was just a baby, and her father shut down. Leaving all the responsibility on Arcadia. I liked Arcadia, she was brave and confident. She had all the characteristics that make me a life a female lead. I just can't wrap my head around why she would do something as stupid as she did. On her way to a party she spots a boy near a car (Matt) and invites him to a beach party. Later that same night she meets Matt's older cousin Noah and they immediately hit it off. Both boys are spending the summer camping around Florida. Through talking both Arcadia and another girl Lindsey are invited to go along with them. But when Lindsey leaves unexpectedly and Arcadia learns some new information about the boys she is now traveling with, is anyone who they really tell you they are?
I did like Arcadia, as I said she has all the characteristics that I like in a female lead. I think she was at her breaking point. That she needed that away time from her father. She was her brother's parent figure because he couldn't step up to the plate, she worked long hours at their store, she was getting over a breakup with a boy she thought she would be with forever. I think everything played a factor in her sudden rebellion. It was a stupid rebellion in my opinion, but I can see why she did it. Arcadia should have left though when she first learned about Lindsey disappearing, or when she learned about Noah's past, or when that hiker turned up dead. Arcadia made stupid decision after stupid decision that almost resulted in the lost of her life.
Both Noah and Matt were well written in interesting. It was hard to try and guess which one was actually a killer and who was innocent. Just as I would make up my mind on who I thought it was Arcadia would learn something knew about the other person to make them look guilty. Towards the end though it became predictable and it wasn't that much of a shock. Though it wasn't a shock I wasn't sure how it would all play out. Trish Doller defiantly knows how to give her readers a thrill, I think I might be staying out of the waters of Florida when I go there. Overall I really did enjoy The Devil You Know despite Arcadia's stupid actions.
I've done a lot of thinking about this book since I finished reading it, and honestly? I don't know what I feel. On one hand I really enjoyed it and found it totally thrilling and on the other I really thought the characters were stupid and didn't like it at all. I think I keep trying to put myself in Arcadia's shoes and see if I would have made the same decisions. I wouldn't have though, I hate going out with my friends. Why, would I go on a road trip with two strange boys?
Arcadia has been forced to grow up. Her mother died when her brother was just a baby, and her father shut down. Leaving all the responsibility on Arcadia. I liked Arcadia, she was brave and confident. She had all the characteristics that make me a life a female lead. I just can't wrap my head around why she would do something as stupid as she did. On her way to a party she spots a boy near a car (Matt) and invites him to a beach party. Later that same night she meets Matt's older cousin Noah and they immediately hit it off. Both boys are spending the summer camping around Florida. Through talking both Arcadia and another girl Lindsey are invited to go along with them. But when Lindsey leaves unexpectedly and Arcadia learns some new information about the boys she is now traveling with, is anyone who they really tell you they are?
I did like Arcadia, as I said she has all the characteristics that I like in a female lead. I think she was at her breaking point. That she needed that away time from her father. She was her brother's parent figure because he couldn't step up to the plate, she worked long hours at their store, she was getting over a breakup with a boy she thought she would be with forever. I think everything played a factor in her sudden rebellion. It was a stupid rebellion in my opinion, but I can see why she did it. Arcadia should have left though when she first learned about Lindsey disappearing, or when she learned about Noah's past, or when that hiker turned up dead. Arcadia made stupid decision after stupid decision that almost resulted in the lost of her life.
Both Noah and Matt were well written in interesting. It was hard to try and guess which one was actually a killer and who was innocent. Just as I would make up my mind on who I thought it was Arcadia would learn something knew about the other person to make them look guilty. Towards the end though it became predictable and it wasn't that much of a shock. Though it wasn't a shock I wasn't sure how it would all play out. Trish Doller defiantly knows how to give her readers a thrill, I think I might be staying out of the waters of Florida when I go there. Overall I really did enjoy The Devil You Know despite Arcadia's stupid actions.
The full review can be found at The Book Bratz
"Sara's writing is great, she sucks her readers in with no problem. The story flows and it keeps your attention. That isn't the problem. I have already said it but this is so similar to Pretty Little Liars. Sara Shepard is a commonly known author now, since both of her books (Pretty Little Liars and The Lying Game) had become TV shows, but she always sticks with the same murder mysteries, with rich girls who break the law and try to get out of it. It is boring now. I'm over it."
That is what I said in my review of The Perfectionists. The plots too her stories are all similar, but are intriguing and entertaining and even after reading all the books she has read, I have never found boring. (despite what I have said) The Good Girls ripped the rug out from beneath the readers feet as they read, tossing everything they thought they knew up into the air and into a new direction.
The Good Girls picks up right after The Perfectionists ended. Granger is dead and all five girls are suspects. After hours of questioning the are released and are to continue on living their lives. But not everyone is who they appear to be. Sara's books are always hard to talk about, because every little detail can be a spoiler. What I will say is: I didn't see as many similarities to Pretty Little Liars as I did in the last book. The Good Girls had a much different spin on it as Sara's other works, making it easily one of my favorites.
Each girl has their own thing going on, Mac is struggling with loosing Blake, Julie hiding the biggest secret of her life, Caitlin's torn between both brothers, and Ava is learning to forgive her boyfriend for turning them on and her abusive stepmother. I enjoyed the smaller conflicts because they gave you a deeper look into each of the girls life. At certain times I was more interested in how everything was going to turn out for the girls then who the actual killer was. Sara still had an amazing mix of suspense, mystery and thrills packed into each chapter of The Good Girls.
Honestly I am disappointed in how it ended. Sara said that The Perfectionists would only be two books, but I am really hoping for one more now. The ending to The Good Girls is left off open, not giving me (and a few other bloggers I talked to) enough information to leave us content. I still have about five hundred questions. But you do find out who committed the murders and set the girls up, but after you find out even more questions arise.
"Sara's writing is great, she sucks her readers in with no problem. The story flows and it keeps your attention. That isn't the problem. I have already said it but this is so similar to Pretty Little Liars. Sara Shepard is a commonly known author now, since both of her books (Pretty Little Liars and The Lying Game) had become TV shows, but she always sticks with the same murder mysteries, with rich girls who break the law and try to get out of it. It is boring now. I'm over it."
That is what I said in my review of The Perfectionists. The plots too her stories are all similar, but are intriguing and entertaining and even after reading all the books she has read, I have never found boring. (despite what I have said) The Good Girls ripped the rug out from beneath the readers feet as they read, tossing everything they thought they knew up into the air and into a new direction.
The Good Girls picks up right after The Perfectionists ended. Granger is dead and all five girls are suspects. After hours of questioning the are released and are to continue on living their lives. But not everyone is who they appear to be. Sara's books are always hard to talk about, because every little detail can be a spoiler. What I will say is: I didn't see as many similarities to Pretty Little Liars as I did in the last book. The Good Girls had a much different spin on it as Sara's other works, making it easily one of my favorites.
Each girl has their own thing going on, Mac is struggling with loosing Blake, Julie hiding the biggest secret of her life, Caitlin's torn between both brothers, and Ava is learning to forgive her boyfriend for turning them on and her abusive stepmother. I enjoyed the smaller conflicts because they gave you a deeper look into each of the girls life. At certain times I was more interested in how everything was going to turn out for the girls then who the actual killer was. Sara still had an amazing mix of suspense, mystery and thrills packed into each chapter of The Good Girls.
Honestly I am disappointed in how it ended. Sara said that The Perfectionists would only be two books, but I am really hoping for one more now. The ending to The Good Girls is left off open, not giving me (and a few other bloggers I talked to) enough information to leave us content. I still have about five hundred questions. But you do find out who committed the murders and set the girls up, but after you find out even more questions arise.