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Um IDK why some people don't like this conclusion, to each their own I guess? But I loved it, as you can see by those 5 stars.
UM this was really good? 4.5/5
re-read June 10th 2023 - 4.5/5 - the first might actually be my fave now, something about it!
4.5/5 - definitely my favourite of the series - the best written in my opinion, too. I love the way everything come together at the end.
4.5/5 - definitely my favourite of the series - the best written in my opinion, too. I love the way everything come together at the end.
Re-read June 2023
How do I love this more and more every time I re-read? It's just a dang good book!
Re-read July 2021
Every time I re-read this I pick up new things, and every time I read this series it feels closer and closer to our current (western) society. Damn Collins you did that.
3.5/5
I really love this series and really enjoyed rereading this first book. I love the commentary of our own world, and that Collins isn't afraid to be bold and gruesome. However, I found the writing... boring. It was incredibly straight forward and simple. While that was great for reading the novel quickly, it made the novel lack the emotion I think is required for a novel that's trying to convey the themes this novel has.
I definitely want to re-read Catching Fire soon, as I remember it to be my favourite, so I wonder if Collins' writing evolves a bit in that one as everything begins to come together for the series.
How do I love this more and more every time I re-read? It's just a dang good book!
Re-read July 2021
Every time I re-read this I pick up new things, and every time I read this series it feels closer and closer to our current (western) society. Damn Collins you did that.
3.5/5
I really love this series and really enjoyed rereading this first book. I love the commentary of our own world, and that Collins isn't afraid to be bold and gruesome. However, I found the writing... boring. It was incredibly straight forward and simple. While that was great for reading the novel quickly, it made the novel lack the emotion I think is required for a novel that's trying to convey the themes this novel has.
I definitely want to re-read Catching Fire soon, as I remember it to be my favourite, so I wonder if Collins' writing evolves a bit in that one as everything begins to come together for the series.
Reread finished 1/9/24 - ok this reread took me a while but this book holds such a soecial place in my heart
Okay so I know that people think this one is boring, but I'm totally a sucker for character-driven/character-heavy plots, and that's exactly what this book was, so I loved it. It helps that I love these characters a lot, but I could just watch them mill around in their complex world interacting with each other for forever.
4.5/5 stars
Okay so I know that people think this one is boring, but I'm totally a sucker for character-driven/character-heavy plots, and that's exactly what this book was, so I loved it. It helps that I love these characters a lot, but I could just watch them mill around in their complex world interacting with each other for forever.
4.5/5 stars
I went into this with absolutely no expectations, and I really enjoyed myself! It takes place in a world full of prodigies - aka people with superpowers. At one point, there were multiple gangs of of prodigies fighting for power over the city of Galton for their own reasons. Now, the Renegades have won and held power of the city for about 10 years. They consider themselves the "heroes" versus the gangs of "villains" they fought.
This mainly follows Nova. At least, I'd consider her the main character over Adrian. Her parents and younger sister were murdered by a villain gang when she was a child and she was taken in and raise by her Uncle, Ace. A member of a different (and very prominent) villain gang, the Anarchists. Now she's grown up, and the Renegades have all their "good" power on the city, and Nova and a few Anarchists are still trying to reach their goals.
As a lover of things that have to do with superpowers, I really enjoyed this. I'm always a bit worried that I'll be disappointed, but this definitely did not. I think Meyer is so good at just writing characters that I would/could read an entire novel of just her characters in a single room together.
I thought Nova was really well done. I think she'll remind everyone who reads this a bit of themselves.
IDK if y'all know about that D&D moral alignment test, but I sit at true neutral - and that's probably where I'd put Nova. She's not evil - and TBH no one in this novel is truly evil - but she's not "good" as the Renegades might define it. She quickly learns more about the Renegades and their members, and she never falls into it. She stays true to herself and her beliefs. Sure, a little education on something can change your view point, but she never fully succumbs and becomes a Renegades - she has her own priorities.
The ending both confused and shocked me. I won't spoil, but there's really no indication that what happens in the end is possible. So obviously you're sitting there with your mouth hanging open, but then you pull your job up and try to think of any signs, and there's none there. It almost felt like a cliff hanger just to have one - to have something to make you pick up the second book, and I don't think it needed it.
This book is also REALLY long, and I feel like that could be fixed. There a lot of plot and description before the main plot driver happens, and it felt a bit unnecessary, this stuff could've easily been worked in with a few simple actions during the intro-y bits, or later as the plot picks up. I worry that people who may really like it may put it down because the beginning is too slow. It's not really, but it just doesn't feel like enough; not enough build up, not enough action and showing.
I think if you loved Steelheart, The Young Elites, or The Darkest Minds, you're really gonna want to read this.
4/5 stars.
*an ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review
This mainly follows Nova. At least, I'd consider her the main character over Adrian. Her parents and younger sister were murdered by a villain gang when she was a child and she was taken in and raise by her Uncle, Ace. A member of a different (and very prominent) villain gang, the Anarchists. Now she's grown up, and the Renegades have all their "good" power on the city, and Nova and a few Anarchists are still trying to reach their goals.
As a lover of things that have to do with superpowers, I really enjoyed this. I'm always a bit worried that I'll be disappointed, but this definitely did not. I think Meyer is so good at just writing characters that I would/could read an entire novel of just her characters in a single room together.
I thought Nova was really well done. I think she'll remind everyone who reads this a bit of themselves.
IDK if y'all know about that D&D moral alignment test, but I sit at true neutral - and that's probably where I'd put Nova. She's not evil - and TBH no one in this novel is truly evil - but she's not "good" as the Renegades might define it. She quickly learns more about the Renegades and their members, and she never falls into it. She stays true to herself and her beliefs. Sure, a little education on something can change your view point, but she never fully succumbs and becomes a Renegades - she has her own priorities.
The ending both confused and shocked me. I won't spoil, but there's really no indication that what happens in the end is possible. So obviously you're sitting there with your mouth hanging open, but then you pull your job up and try to think of any signs, and there's none there. It almost felt like a cliff hanger just to have one - to have something to make you pick up the second book, and I don't think it needed it.
This book is also REALLY long, and I feel like that could be fixed. There a lot of plot and description before the main plot driver happens, and it felt a bit unnecessary, this stuff could've easily been worked in with a few simple actions during the intro-y bits, or later as the plot picks up. I worry that people who may really like it may put it down because the beginning is too slow. It's not really, but it just doesn't feel like enough; not enough build up, not enough action and showing.
I think if you loved Steelheart, The Young Elites, or The Darkest Minds, you're really gonna want to read this.
4/5 stars.
*an ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review
Where to start? I'm not gonna go over the synopsis cause it's literally right there, but it's another YA about gaming. And I'd highly recommend skipping this one.
If you've read my updates at all, then you know partially why I'm giving this one star. The main character (Simon) literally goes up to two girls after they call his love interest a slut, telling them they should learn what feminism is, and then threatens them that if they bother his love interest again, he's going to leak their nudes. You can't make this stuff up, y'all.
He's also weirdly okay with killing people if it's done by his own hands even though he spends the entire book trying to stop other people (but mostly his love interest) from being killed.
It didn't feel original either - everything was entirely too convenient and a few times I felt like I was reading Percy Jackson again. A Quest, a bunch of monsters, each with their own road block, a single person they're not aware of controlling the situation. And it's not even like that's a spoil, this was so predictable you could probably figure that out just by reading the synopsis. Every time a secret is "revealed" all the characters are like OMIGOD WHAAAT and I'm the upside down smiley face emoji.
so yeah.
If you're REALLY that interested, I'm not going to stop you, but otherwise, probably don't waste your time.
If you've read my updates at all, then you know partially why I'm giving this one star. The main character (Simon) literally goes up to two girls after they call his love interest a slut, telling them they should learn what feminism is, and then threatens them that if they bother his love interest again, he's going to leak their nudes. You can't make this stuff up, y'all.
He's also weirdly okay with killing people if it's done by his own hands even though he spends the entire book trying to stop other people (but mostly his love interest) from being killed.
It didn't feel original either - everything was entirely too convenient and a few times I felt like I was reading Percy Jackson again. A Quest, a bunch of monsters, each with their own road block, a single person they're not aware of controlling the situation. And it's not even like that's a spoil, this was so predictable you could probably figure that out just by reading the synopsis. Every time a secret is "revealed" all the characters are like OMIGOD WHAAAT and I'm the upside down smiley face emoji.
so yeah.
If you're REALLY that interested, I'm not going to stop you, but otherwise, probably don't waste your time.
3/5 stars. I appreciate the work that went into this book but it just felt SO familiar. Put the hunger games, divergent, and the darkest minds together, and you get this book. I really liked the world building and character development - I was often on the edge of my seat - but the pacing wasn't my favourite. So I'm neutral about this book. A good 3 stars because I enjoyed it more than not.
I don't actually have too much to say about this, and I'm very curious to hear what other people have to say.
I do think if it's already on you're radar, yeah, totally, go read it. But I don't think you'll be disappointed if you skip it.
I don't actually have too much to say about this, and I'm very curious to hear what other people have to say.
I do think if it's already on you're radar, yeah, totally, go read it. But I don't think you'll be disappointed if you skip it.
I think this suffers a bit from second book syndrome. I felt it was a little too long, and a little bit trope-y. I really liked the first, so maybe my expectations were just too high going into this. I still liked it, so 3/5 stars. I'm looking forward to finishing the trilogy!
I REALLY REALLY liked this book.
The Last Namsara takes place in an extremely interesting world. Stories are illegal to tell, dragons are being hunted to extinction because of the threat they pose. Years ago the First Dragon burned half the city down, and left our main character, Asha with a scar covering half her body. Stories not only lure dragons, but they make the teller sick. Asha has her scar because she summoned the dragon with a story.
In present day, Asha is betrothed to this horrible guy who is the commandant of the army because her father, the king, hopes that her marriage to a prominent person will help her reputation with their people. And she's hunting dragons for her father. Her mother died from telling stories, and her father has completely banned the stories, and dragons. The people used to follow the tellings of the "Old One" but that 'religion' (I guess you could call it that - or 'magical being') caused too many stories.
This book that fights the "strong female protagonist has to be a coldhearted bitch" trope. At the beginning, Asha is very loyal to her father and his ways. She's dedicated her life to exterminating dragons, she supports enslaving the skrals, and she agrees upon the laws put in place to protect her and others. But throughout the novel, she undergoes an extremely smooth flow of character development. One of my pet peeves is choppy character development, but I didn't find that in this at all. Asha starts out not coldhearted, but very unmoved by the struggles of others. Slowly, she begins to see how valuable empathy can be, and it works slowly as secrets are unveiled around her.
Also: strong female friendship! sibling bond! exploration of social hierarchy! stories within a story! cool world structure! political debate!
I may review this on my blog when it comes out so lookout for it on emilyspeaking.blogspot.com
The Last Namsara takes place in an extremely interesting world. Stories are illegal to tell, dragons are being hunted to extinction because of the threat they pose. Years ago the First Dragon burned half the city down, and left our main character, Asha with a scar covering half her body. Stories not only lure dragons, but they make the teller sick. Asha has her scar because she summoned the dragon with a story.
In present day, Asha is betrothed to this horrible guy who is the commandant of the army because her father, the king, hopes that her marriage to a prominent person will help her reputation with their people. And she's hunting dragons for her father. Her mother died from telling stories, and her father has completely banned the stories, and dragons. The people used to follow the tellings of the "Old One" but that 'religion' (I guess you could call it that - or 'magical being') caused too many stories.
This book that fights the "strong female protagonist has to be a coldhearted bitch" trope. At the beginning, Asha is very loyal to her father and his ways. She's dedicated her life to exterminating dragons, she supports enslaving the skrals, and she agrees upon the laws put in place to protect her and others. But throughout the novel, she undergoes an extremely smooth flow of character development. One of my pet peeves is choppy character development, but I didn't find that in this at all. Asha starts out not coldhearted, but very unmoved by the struggles of others. Slowly, she begins to see how valuable empathy can be, and it works slowly as secrets are unveiled around her.
Also: strong female friendship! sibling bond! exploration of social hierarchy! stories within a story! cool world structure! political debate!
I may review this on my blog when it comes out so lookout for it on emilyspeaking.blogspot.com