Take a photo of a barcode or cover
btwnprintedpgs's Reviews (1.3k)
UNPOPULAR OPINION ALERT... I didn't like it. At this point, I've read up until ACOWAR and I still didn't like it...
Let's start with the writing. Chapter 1 - we get it, it's winter. Not only does Maas have the description of the crunching snow, how hungry Feyre is, and how cold she is, it is stated that it is winter, explicitly, three to four times. This was my first impression of the book and I wasn't impressed to be honest.
Then there's the story - comparing it to Beauty and the Beast is like comparing my foot to my dog's foot. Yeah, sure they both have the same functionalities, and maybe some of the bone structure is the same (idk anatomy, so I can't tell you how accurate that is), but at the end of the day if you swap 'em neither of us will be content. It's the same thing here. Sure - there's the father disappearing and the girl taken away by these supposedly dangerous creatures who are kind of cursed (honestly, there are worse things that can happen...), but that's where the comparison ends really.
Now that we're on the fae... Tamlin... oh Tamlin. There's grass more interesting than Tamlin. He's just there. Being silent and grumpy, and I can't find anything to love about him. He's an alright fellow if you like boring guys, but there's not much there for ya. Lucien was more interesting to me than Tamlin. Her maidservant... Alice? I think her name was.... is also more interesting than Tamlin...
Side bar comment - HER SISTERS ARE SO ANNOYING LIKE HOLY. NOPE. (They get better, but ugh.)
That being said then, how on earth does Feyre come to love him? It's so forced that I just could not deal with their romance and what triggers the latter section of the book.
On that note, I'll tell you now that you'll need to get through about two thirds of the novel to get anywhere with this book. Even Rhysand didn't save this for me, but he's a lot more entertaining than Tamlin. In the end, his character's presence in the next two books is the only thing that kept me reading this series, but even then I can't say I loved the other two book either...
I'd say this series is just over-hyped. There's no other way to describe it. Like you have to love it 'cause everyone else does, but I couldn't. It wasn't even just me. My roommate and my sister tried reading this book and they were both left wondering how it was as popular as it is... We'll see what else she has in store, but I can't say I'm quite sold on the Maas hype.
Let's start with the writing. Chapter 1 - we get it, it's winter. Not only does Maas have the description of the crunching snow, how hungry Feyre is, and how cold she is, it is stated that it is winter, explicitly, three to four times. This was my first impression of the book and I wasn't impressed to be honest.
Then there's the story - comparing it to Beauty and the Beast is like comparing my foot to my dog's foot. Yeah, sure they both have the same functionalities, and maybe some of the bone structure is the same (idk anatomy, so I can't tell you how accurate that is), but at the end of the day if you swap 'em neither of us will be content. It's the same thing here. Sure - there's the father disappearing and the girl taken away by these supposedly dangerous creatures who are kind of cursed (honestly, there are worse things that can happen...), but that's where the comparison ends really.
Now that we're on the fae... Tamlin... oh Tamlin. There's grass more interesting than Tamlin. He's just there. Being silent and grumpy, and I can't find anything to love about him. He's an alright fellow if you like boring guys, but there's not much there for ya. Lucien was more interesting to me than Tamlin. Her maidservant... Alice? I think her name was.... is also more interesting than Tamlin...
Side bar comment - HER SISTERS ARE SO ANNOYING LIKE HOLY. NOPE. (They get better, but ugh.)
That being said then, how on earth does Feyre come to love him? It's so forced that I just could not deal with their romance and what triggers the latter section of the book.
On that note, I'll tell you now that you'll need to get through about two thirds of the novel to get anywhere with this book. Even Rhysand didn't save this for me, but he's a lot more entertaining than Tamlin. In the end, his character's presence in the next two books is the only thing that kept me reading this series, but even then I can't say I loved the other two book either...
I'd say this series is just over-hyped. There's no other way to describe it. Like you have to love it 'cause everyone else does, but I couldn't. It wasn't even just me. My roommate and my sister tried reading this book and they were both left wondering how it was as popular as it is... We'll see what else she has in store, but I can't say I'm quite sold on the Maas hype.
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 2/5
Writing: 2/5
Pacing; 1/5
Overall: 2/5
GoodReads Rating: 4.28/5
When they advertised this book as being similar to the 5th Wave and Beauty and the Beast, I jumped on the chance to read it and I wasn't disappointed! Also, that cover is so beautiful.
The beginning of the story was maybe a little too similar to 5th Wave. We have a girl who's fighting for her life, who's injured by an alien. Then we have Eighth who wants to help her. However, where 5th Wave was a lot of action and romance, this book was smack full of character development. Right from the beginning we have the dual perspectives of Raven and Eighth, and we immediately get into their heads. There's so many more layers to this story.
Unfortunately, the pacing was off for me. The first half of the book was a little slow and I couldn't get that into. Yes, the story was interesting, and the characters were set up well, but there just wasn't anything that captured me in the first half. I found myself more invested in just finishing the book than actually reading it - I checked how many pages were left to the book a lot of times during this half.
However, come the second half I was enthralled. This is where the Beauty and the Beast aspect comes in. All that character development and world building came to fruition and I was enamoured with the story. I cried, I laughed, I got to the end and groaned in absolute frustration that I need to wait for the sequel. I got swept away by the story and the characters and I loved it.
Was it a little predictable, sure, but I was surprised where the book ended off. Can I see where the story might be going? I have my theories, but I'm willing to read the second book because the characters have completely captured my heart.
Also, the meaning behind the book's title got me - like my heart just could not handle it. This book was well thought out, well written, and well developed. I am so looking forward to the sequel!
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 5/5
World Building: 4.5/5
Pacing: 3/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Overall: 4.5/5
GoodReads Rating: 3.97/5
eBook obtained via Simon and Schuster Canada via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
-review by Between Printed Pages
The beginning of the story was maybe a little too similar to 5th Wave. We have a girl who's fighting for her life, who's injured by an alien. Then we have Eighth who wants to help her. However, where 5th Wave was a lot of action and romance, this book was smack full of character development. Right from the beginning we have the dual perspectives of Raven and Eighth, and we immediately get into their heads. There's so many more layers to this story.
Unfortunately, the pacing was off for me. The first half of the book was a little slow and I couldn't get that into. Yes, the story was interesting, and the characters were set up well, but there just wasn't anything that captured me in the first half. I found myself more invested in just finishing the book than actually reading it - I checked how many pages were left to the book a lot of times during this half.
However, come the second half I was enthralled. This is where the Beauty and the Beast aspect comes in. All that character development and world building came to fruition and I was enamoured with the story. I cried, I laughed, I got to the end and groaned in absolute frustration that I need to wait for the sequel. I got swept away by the story and the characters and I loved it.
Was it a little predictable, sure, but I was surprised where the book ended off. Can I see where the story might be going? I have my theories, but I'm willing to read the second book because the characters have completely captured my heart.
Also, the meaning behind the book's title got me - like my heart just could not handle it. This book was well thought out, well written, and well developed. I am so looking forward to the sequel!
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 5/5
World Building: 4.5/5
Pacing: 3/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Overall: 4.5/5
GoodReads Rating: 3.97/5
eBook obtained via Simon and Schuster Canada via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
-review by Between Printed Pages
