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ellemnope's Reviews (2.4k)
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
3.5 stars.
I liked this one, but it lacked a little luster. The premise was good and interesting, but the plot and the narrative just didn't pack the punch I was looking for. Similarly, Coin was a decent character who certainly wasn't a flat construction, but she could have used a little more depth and complexity. The overall story was good and I enjoyed the moments of conflict created throughout the narrative--there was obvious creativity to the plot and some good entertainment factor. It would have likely been a more compelling story with more fleshing out of the characters and more detailed world-building. I certainly could have used a bit more backstory to the world, including a better explanation and understanding of the caste system. This would have enhanced the experience and made me a bit more invested in the plot. Regardless, this was a good read and a respectable freshman novel.
3.5 stars.
I liked this one, but it lacked a little luster. The premise was good and interesting, but the plot and the narrative just didn't pack the punch I was looking for. Similarly, Coin was a decent character who certainly wasn't a flat construction, but she could have used a little more depth and complexity. The overall story was good and I enjoyed the moments of conflict created throughout the narrative--there was obvious creativity to the plot and some good entertainment factor. It would have likely been a more compelling story with more fleshing out of the characters and more detailed world-building. I certainly could have used a bit more backstory to the world, including a better explanation and understanding of the caste system. This would have enhanced the experience and made me a bit more invested in the plot. Regardless, this was a good read and a respectable freshman novel.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
3.5 stars
The Memory Thief by Lauren Mansy is a good freshman YA fantasy novel. It is based in a fairly well described society which is ruled by four Sifter leaders, of which Madame is the strongest. She rules viciously in a land where memories are currency to be bought, sold, and stolen.
Etta has made a deal with Madame that was meant to keep her mother safe. But Madame, it seems, is not going to keep her word. Upon notice that her mother is to be "auctioned" in a few days' time, Etta sets out to rejoin the Shadows and rescue her mother from the evil Sifter.
Mansy has some clear writing talent and the premise for this novel was interesting and fairly well constructed. The characters overall fell slightly flatter than I would have liked, but there was a decent development in Etta and maybe a hint beginning in Reid. Though no sequel is currently indicated, the writing for these characters did feel a bit like the typical "setup" novel for a fantasy trilogy.
The world building in this novel is decent and there is the creation of some atmospheric setting. The construction is coherent and mostly simple, while still staying unique and interesting. However, there is some info dumping in the beginning that creates a bit of confusion. The different "occupations" and sectors of the public got a little muddled for me and I had to slowly weed out the details of who was who and what powers were given to what factions.
I enjoy the fact that there is a fantastic setup for an unreliable narrator in this plot. When your memories can be taken, altered, or replaced/erased, how do you know what is real? This fact wasn't used to it's fullest, but it was definitely exploited to a degree...which I appreciated.
The ending was a bit of a whirlwind. The battle felt a little short compared to all the buildup. It wasn't bad, but somehow felt underwhelming. There also exists an epilogue, which does close up a few important matters, but still felt different from the writing in the rest of the book.
Overall, this was a good read and I liked the world that it was set in. It would make good sense for there to be a sequel to this book, but as a standalone it still lines up pretty okay. A stronger ending would have really helped it out, but I was still mostly content with what took place in the pages.
3.5 stars
The Memory Thief by Lauren Mansy is a good freshman YA fantasy novel. It is based in a fairly well described society which is ruled by four Sifter leaders, of which Madame is the strongest. She rules viciously in a land where memories are currency to be bought, sold, and stolen.
Etta has made a deal with Madame that was meant to keep her mother safe. But Madame, it seems, is not going to keep her word. Upon notice that her mother is to be "auctioned" in a few days' time, Etta sets out to rejoin the Shadows and rescue her mother from the evil Sifter.
Mansy has some clear writing talent and the premise for this novel was interesting and fairly well constructed. The characters overall fell slightly flatter than I would have liked, but there was a decent development in Etta and maybe a hint beginning in Reid. Though no sequel is currently indicated, the writing for these characters did feel a bit like the typical "setup" novel for a fantasy trilogy.
The world building in this novel is decent and there is the creation of some atmospheric setting. The construction is coherent and mostly simple, while still staying unique and interesting. However, there is some info dumping in the beginning that creates a bit of confusion. The different "occupations" and sectors of the public got a little muddled for me and I had to slowly weed out the details of who was who and what powers were given to what factions.
I enjoy the fact that there is a fantastic setup for an unreliable narrator in this plot. When your memories can be taken, altered, or replaced/erased, how do you know what is real? This fact wasn't used to it's fullest, but it was definitely exploited to a degree...which I appreciated.
The ending was a bit of a whirlwind. The battle felt a little short compared to all the buildup. It wasn't bad, but somehow felt underwhelming. There also exists an epilogue, which does close up a few important matters, but still felt different from the writing in the rest of the book.
Overall, this was a good read and I liked the world that it was set in. It would make good sense for there to be a sequel to this book, but as a standalone it still lines up pretty okay. A stronger ending would have really helped it out, but I was still mostly content with what took place in the pages.
4.5 stars.
A very good end to the series. Lots of action and great character building/maturing. I appreciate that Riordan trusts his readers enough to know that there need to be some sacrifices along the way for a good book and that not all characters can survive to the end if you want your conflict to be viewed realistically. It gave the book so much more power and I found so much more enjoyment in the fact that the risks of going into battle were real for these characters. Are there moments where good characters die? Yes. But it makes the author more trustworthy to tell a good story. Also, I'm very thankful that the Heroes of Olympus series exists. Because even though this is the last Percy Jackson, there is SO much more story to be told and I need it oh so much. Starting the Lost Hero very soon.
A very good end to the series. Lots of action and great character building/maturing. I appreciate that Riordan trusts his readers enough to know that there need to be some sacrifices along the way for a good book and that not all characters can survive to the end if you want your conflict to be viewed realistically. It gave the book so much more power and I found so much more enjoyment in the fact that the risks of going into battle were real for these characters. Are there moments where good characters die? Yes. But it makes the author more trustworthy to tell a good story. Also, I'm very thankful that the Heroes of Olympus series exists. Because even though this is the last Percy Jackson, there is SO much more story to be told and I need it oh so much. Starting the Lost Hero very soon.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
3.5 stars.
Ivory Apples by Lisa Goldstein contains a good handful of my favorite tropes. It contains a book within a book and is a dark fantasy with a magical realism flare.
Ivy Quinn's great-aunt Maeve is a recluse, an author by the real name of Adela Madden (for some reason listed in the Goodreads synopsis as Adela Martin), who wrote the cult fantasy novel Ivory Apples. She is in hiding from a following of obsessed fans, some of whom Ivy assumes must be out to harm her in some way. When the mysterious Kate Burden becomes obsessed with Ivy and her sisters, Ivy is highly suspicious in all the right ways. What follows is a tumbling story of darkness, deception, and fantastical bits all rolled into a narrative with beautiful and whimsical writing.
This was my first time reading a Lisa Goldstein work, but it certainly won't be my last. Her writing style is magnificent and I devoured this book. For some, this won't work...as it requires a bit of suspending reality, but I love this kind of fantastical writing. Add in myth and legend, and well...I was hooked.
I don't want to spoil any of the magic, so I will leave my synopsis rather vague beyond this point. However, I will say that I wanted more of Pommerie town and the original Ivory Apples. In fact, I wanted more of this book. I really enjoyed my reading...in fact...the book was well on it's way to a 5-star rating...but I was let down somewhat by the ending. After so much intricate weaving of tale and prose, the ending just felt rushed and cluttered. The conclusion was unfulfilling. There was a bit of this that hinted at the potential for a sequel, though I could find nothing indicating that this is in the plans. I will say that the existence of a sequel would help bolster my rating as I could forgive a little vagueness should a continuation of the story exist. As it is, this could have easily been a 5-star for me with a more solid end. I will still likely grab this book for a reread in the future and will probably keep my fingers crossed for that hoped for redeeming sequel.
As a side note...a finicky bit of the narrative. For me, the presence of a romantic element for Ivy felt forced. It shows Ivy's increase in age/maturity as the tale goes on, but it felt like the existence of an LGBTQIA+ thread simply to check a box. I'm all for diversity in my reading and in my characters, but I don't like when authors appear to add this into the narrative simply to make their book seem more inclusive. In this case, Ivy's sexuality and romantic feelings did nothing to affect or further the plot and was a minor piece that more detracted from the overall flow of the book.
3.5 stars.
Ivory Apples by Lisa Goldstein contains a good handful of my favorite tropes. It contains a book within a book and is a dark fantasy with a magical realism flare.
Ivy Quinn's great-aunt Maeve is a recluse, an author by the real name of Adela Madden (for some reason listed in the Goodreads synopsis as Adela Martin), who wrote the cult fantasy novel Ivory Apples. She is in hiding from a following of obsessed fans, some of whom Ivy assumes must be out to harm her in some way. When the mysterious Kate Burden becomes obsessed with Ivy and her sisters, Ivy is highly suspicious in all the right ways. What follows is a tumbling story of darkness, deception, and fantastical bits all rolled into a narrative with beautiful and whimsical writing.
This was my first time reading a Lisa Goldstein work, but it certainly won't be my last. Her writing style is magnificent and I devoured this book. For some, this won't work...as it requires a bit of suspending reality, but I love this kind of fantastical writing. Add in myth and legend, and well...I was hooked.
I don't want to spoil any of the magic, so I will leave my synopsis rather vague beyond this point. However, I will say that I wanted more of Pommerie town and the original Ivory Apples. In fact, I wanted more of this book. I really enjoyed my reading...in fact...the book was well on it's way to a 5-star rating...but I was let down somewhat by the ending. After so much intricate weaving of tale and prose, the ending just felt rushed and cluttered. The conclusion was unfulfilling. There was a bit of this that hinted at the potential for a sequel, though I could find nothing indicating that this is in the plans. I will say that the existence of a sequel would help bolster my rating as I could forgive a little vagueness should a continuation of the story exist. As it is, this could have easily been a 5-star for me with a more solid end. I will still likely grab this book for a reread in the future and will probably keep my fingers crossed for that hoped for redeeming sequel.
As a side note...a finicky bit of the narrative. For me, the presence of a romantic element for Ivy felt forced. It shows Ivy's increase in age/maturity as the tale goes on, but it felt like the existence of an LGBTQIA+ thread simply to check a box. I'm all for diversity in my reading and in my characters, but I don't like when authors appear to add this into the narrative simply to make their book seem more inclusive. In this case, Ivy's sexuality and romantic feelings did nothing to affect or further the plot and was a minor piece that more detracted from the overall flow of the book.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
Born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, Ailsa is finally living a life beyond illness after having a heart transplant at age 28. She has chronicled her journey on her blog, where she is known as BlueHeart. But now that she's free to live a "normal" life, she's finding that maybe she isn't sure how. Moving from a life of day-to-day to one that is full of possibilities is both amazing and confusing.
Though she is 28, Ailsa reads as though she is more of a teenage character in the beginning of the novel. This is fitting given the life she has lived up to this point and the fact that she hasn't lived a real adult life beyond being ill. She leans heavily on her mother for everything, but now she is trying to become more independent. It's an awkward shift. I did appreciate that this evolved over the course of the book, showing that there was substantial character growth as the narrative moved on.
There is a bit of a tangle in language use within the narrative that caused me some pause here and there. A merge of Scottish, British English, and American English, the terminology and euphemisms used weren't always clear and sometimes felt conflicted. It was likely a silly personal issue, but it did detract from the "real" feel of the novel.
I also took some issue with the Ailsa/Seb angle. I'm not a fan of what feels like "insta love" in the beginning. I did eventually warm to the situation, but the initial creation of their interaction/relationship felt a bit too rushed.
The writing of this novel is mostly comfortable, other than the aforementioned language conflicts, and I did appreciate the evolution of the characters as the plot developed. Though there was certainly plot movement, the book did tend to lean more toward a character driven novel in my experience.
A decent read with some good messages, I did enjoy this one. I will admit though, the ending was solid, but lacked the impact I was hoping for.
Born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, Ailsa is finally living a life beyond illness after having a heart transplant at age 28. She has chronicled her journey on her blog, where she is known as BlueHeart. But now that she's free to live a "normal" life, she's finding that maybe she isn't sure how. Moving from a life of day-to-day to one that is full of possibilities is both amazing and confusing.
Though she is 28, Ailsa reads as though she is more of a teenage character in the beginning of the novel. This is fitting given the life she has lived up to this point and the fact that she hasn't lived a real adult life beyond being ill. She leans heavily on her mother for everything, but now she is trying to become more independent. It's an awkward shift. I did appreciate that this evolved over the course of the book, showing that there was substantial character growth as the narrative moved on.
There is a bit of a tangle in language use within the narrative that caused me some pause here and there. A merge of Scottish, British English, and American English, the terminology and euphemisms used weren't always clear and sometimes felt conflicted. It was likely a silly personal issue, but it did detract from the "real" feel of the novel.
I also took some issue with the Ailsa/Seb angle. I'm not a fan of what feels like "insta love" in the beginning. I did eventually warm to the situation, but the initial creation of their interaction/relationship felt a bit too rushed.
The writing of this novel is mostly comfortable, other than the aforementioned language conflicts, and I did appreciate the evolution of the characters as the plot developed. Though there was certainly plot movement, the book did tend to lean more toward a character driven novel in my experience.
A decent read with some good messages, I did enjoy this one. I will admit though, the ending was solid, but lacked the impact I was hoping for.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
2.5 stars. This is a bit of an awkward review because though overall it rates at a 2.5 star, there were things about this book that were absolutely 4 stars. Unfortunately, when I combine all of the aspects of the reading experience, some components just dragged down the rest.
I loved the premise. LOVED it. I'm a big fan of retellings and twisted and dark retellings particularly tickle my fancy. This is all sorts of messy and fun. I loved the fact that it kept the bones of the original Oz (the books, NOT the movie) in place. The narrative was imaginative in this way and just made it enjoyable to read. There were fantastic liberties taken with the original stories and I loved being placed in this familiar (yet totally turned on its head) world.
The writing style messed with me a little. It felt overly conflicted. Overall, it was good and there was a clear existence of talent. The sensory experiences were great and the interaction sequences were, for the most part, coherent and exciting. But...the dialogue was often awkward and Dorothy's particular tendency toward bathroom humor and defining swear words was a definite turn off. In addition, the writing itself was often lyrical and highly descriptive, but then would become overly complex with ten-dollar thesaurus words. I'm talking completely obscure words that I don't know if I've even ever heard before...and I consider myself fairly well read and educated. This kind of word choice felt out of place and really made it feel like there was a bit of trying too hard to impress the reader. I often got pulled out of the story by these events.
My other major issue with the book was that it could have used a bit of trimming. Sometimes authors don't seem to trust the reader to grasp pieces of the story or the development of relationships between the characters so there becomes a bit of laboring over the point. That happened a lot in this book. Things, particularly the plot developments between Dorothy and Nick, were often repeated and it felt like deja vu in some of the internal monologue and dialogue pieces. Had this been smoothed out, I would have enjoyed the book a lot more.
I'm very conflicted with this book to be honest. It's kind of like the old nursery rhyme about the little girl with the curl on her forehead -- when it was good, it was very, very good, but when it was bad...well, it was painful. So now comes the point where I have to decide whether or not to continue with the series. I want to know where the story goes because I really found the imaginative pieces so much fun. It was clever and Gevedon clearly has the ability to write a good scene and some interesting characters. However, I'm not sure I'm up to wading through another repetitive narrative and dealing with the potty humor. I'll probably give it a try since this was a debut novel and hope that the writing in the follow up shows developed maturity.
2.5 stars. This is a bit of an awkward review because though overall it rates at a 2.5 star, there were things about this book that were absolutely 4 stars. Unfortunately, when I combine all of the aspects of the reading experience, some components just dragged down the rest.
I loved the premise. LOVED it. I'm a big fan of retellings and twisted and dark retellings particularly tickle my fancy. This is all sorts of messy and fun. I loved the fact that it kept the bones of the original Oz (the books, NOT the movie) in place. The narrative was imaginative in this way and just made it enjoyable to read. There were fantastic liberties taken with the original stories and I loved being placed in this familiar (yet totally turned on its head) world.
The writing style messed with me a little. It felt overly conflicted. Overall, it was good and there was a clear existence of talent. The sensory experiences were great and the interaction sequences were, for the most part, coherent and exciting. But...the dialogue was often awkward and Dorothy's particular tendency toward bathroom humor and defining swear words was a definite turn off. In addition, the writing itself was often lyrical and highly descriptive, but then would become overly complex with ten-dollar thesaurus words. I'm talking completely obscure words that I don't know if I've even ever heard before...and I consider myself fairly well read and educated. This kind of word choice felt out of place and really made it feel like there was a bit of trying too hard to impress the reader. I often got pulled out of the story by these events.
My other major issue with the book was that it could have used a bit of trimming. Sometimes authors don't seem to trust the reader to grasp pieces of the story or the development of relationships between the characters so there becomes a bit of laboring over the point. That happened a lot in this book. Things, particularly the plot developments between Dorothy and Nick, were often repeated and it felt like deja vu in some of the internal monologue and dialogue pieces. Had this been smoothed out, I would have enjoyed the book a lot more.
I'm very conflicted with this book to be honest. It's kind of like the old nursery rhyme about the little girl with the curl on her forehead -- when it was good, it was very, very good, but when it was bad...well, it was painful. So now comes the point where I have to decide whether or not to continue with the series. I want to know where the story goes because I really found the imaginative pieces so much fun. It was clever and Gevedon clearly has the ability to write a good scene and some interesting characters. However, I'm not sure I'm up to wading through another repetitive narrative and dealing with the potty humor. I'll probably give it a try since this was a debut novel and hope that the writing in the follow up shows developed maturity.
Things I learned from reading this book:
1. Meg Cabot's writing has changed since I read it back in my college days.
2. Meg Cabot is a good author, can write a decent narrative, and create likable characters.
3. I like chick lit just fine, but I really don't like romance novels.
I really did enjoy reading this. It was a little fluffy and fun. But there were things in the plot and in the writing that just made me cringe. In all honesty, the writing is good and the things that bothered me probably wouldn't bother readers who are fans of the romance genre. But for me, it just wasn't the right thing. Outside of the romance component, it was an enjoyable read for me. Yes, it was relatively predictable, but that's kind of a nice thing when you're looking for a beach read. This would likely fit that bill just fine.
1. Meg Cabot's writing has changed since I read it back in my college days.
2. Meg Cabot is a good author, can write a decent narrative, and create likable characters.
3. I like chick lit just fine, but I really don't like romance novels.
I really did enjoy reading this. It was a little fluffy and fun. But there were things in the plot and in the writing that just made me cringe. In all honesty, the writing is good and the things that bothered me probably wouldn't bother readers who are fans of the romance genre. But for me, it just wasn't the right thing. Outside of the romance component, it was an enjoyable read for me. Yes, it was relatively predictable, but that's kind of a nice thing when you're looking for a beach read. This would likely fit that bill just fine.
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I'm torn as to how I feel for this one. It is an incredibly good dystopian middle grade and I definitely enjoyed reading it. However, I wasn't really a big fan of the ending. I appreciate the approach of it and the writing was definitely good, but (without spoiling it) it just wasn't...enough. However, I liked the writing and the creation of the dystopian world enough that I will be continuing on with the series. I'm interested to see where Lowry takes this and there are a lot of questions I have about the society that I'm hoping will be answered in the additional books. Lois Lowry continues to be a middle grade author who I wish I would have read when I was in the target audience for her novels. Better late than never...
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
Athena's Choice by Adam Boostrom is an interesting dystopian novel based upon a futuristic society where men no longer exist due to the presence of a virus which killed off all men, all trans men, and some women. The remaining society is peaceful and very technologically advanced, deriving a large portion of knowledge and advancement from a central AI being known as The Core. Society is torn over whether or not a redevelopment of the male genome should occur, effectively bringing men back in to humanity.
There were a lot of pieces at work in this novel and it felt fairly complex though it was easy to read. I think this is one of those books where you can return to it over and over again and learn new things, piece other bits of detail together that weren't noticed on the previous reading. The writing is mature and well-voiced with world building that I found fascinating. I wasn't a big fan of the main character in some ways (her immaturity frustrated me a bit), but she was well constructed and the supporting characters were also fairly well thought out. Because of Athena's immaturity, however, I would categorize this more as a new adult piece than a full adult sci-fi work. That age categorization works just fine for me as I don't decide on my reads based solely on intended audience.
Interjected into the narrative were pieces of ephemera. Initially, these seemed extraneous and unnecessary, but their presence began to make sense as the plot started to unravel. The plot itself was complex enough to keep my interest, but not so convoluted that I found it confusing. The only thing that kept this novel from being higher rated was the ending. Though it may be an exciting ending for some, I needed more from the author. I was left unfulfilled. Overall though, this was a fun and imaginative read and I look forward to seeing more from this author.
Athena's Choice by Adam Boostrom is an interesting dystopian novel based upon a futuristic society where men no longer exist due to the presence of a virus which killed off all men, all trans men, and some women. The remaining society is peaceful and very technologically advanced, deriving a large portion of knowledge and advancement from a central AI being known as The Core. Society is torn over whether or not a redevelopment of the male genome should occur, effectively bringing men back in to humanity.
There were a lot of pieces at work in this novel and it felt fairly complex though it was easy to read. I think this is one of those books where you can return to it over and over again and learn new things, piece other bits of detail together that weren't noticed on the previous reading. The writing is mature and well-voiced with world building that I found fascinating. I wasn't a big fan of the main character in some ways (her immaturity frustrated me a bit), but she was well constructed and the supporting characters were also fairly well thought out. Because of Athena's immaturity, however, I would categorize this more as a new adult piece than a full adult sci-fi work. That age categorization works just fine for me as I don't decide on my reads based solely on intended audience.
Interjected into the narrative were pieces of ephemera. Initially, these seemed extraneous and unnecessary, but their presence began to make sense as the plot started to unravel. The plot itself was complex enough to keep my interest, but not so convoluted that I found it confusing. The only thing that kept this novel from being higher rated was the ending. Though it may be an exciting ending for some, I needed more from the author. I was left unfulfilled. Overall though, this was a fun and imaginative read and I look forward to seeing more from this author.