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553 reviews by:
gabberjaws
3.5 stars
Picture this:
You're sitting at a restaurant. Everyone's told you that this place is great, so you're expecting the absolute best food. You spot the waiter heading straight for you. He sets this beauty down on your table:
It looks great. It smells great. Your mouth waters while he pours your wine. He leaves, and you don't hesitate before tucking right the heck in.
... and something isn't right. The meat's cooked to perfection, just the way you like it. The vegetables are hot, and crisp and the consistency of the reduction sauce is absolutely perfect, and the mash is so brilliant it reminds you of your mom's cooking.
But nothing has been seasoned. Everything, from the steak to the sauce is COMPLETELY LACKING SALT, PEPPER AND/OR CHILI. It's bland. Everything is bland. You can't even taste the tiniest squeeze of lemon.
This meal? This horribly disappointing meal that COULD HAVE BEEN SO GREAT? That was this book.
I liked the premise of this. I liked every single plot point. I liked the characters. I shipped the ship (more on this in a bit). So why did I give this book only 3.5 stars? I'll tell you why. I severely disliked the writing.
The writing, simply put, was lackluster. There was not much variation in sentence length, the tone of the whole thing was dry, and honestly, Yelena's narration bothered the hell out of me. Considering the setting of this book, you really don't expect the heroine to say things like "Decked out in". But that's what she did. There was a lot about her narrative that sounded much too modern for this book.
And because of the try tone, a lot of the emotions fell flat. I mean, I should have cared when Rand turned out to be the mole , but I didn't. I should have cared when when Rand died , but I didn't. I cared when Janco was injured but not as much as I would have if the writing had been more evocative.
So disappointing.
And the romance. God. Where the heck did that even come from? Yes, yes, I know they knew each other for a year, but WE DIDN'T SEE THEM FALL IN LOVE. That romance just popped out of nowhere.
And usually this means that I won't ship a couple, because, we all know that I need solid foundation. But there are a lot of things I liked about Yelena and Varek. I like that they don't NEED each other. I like that they're not soppy or clingy. I like that Varek was able to say, "You know what, this is something you need to do. We'll make it. We can do this long distance thing". I also like the age gap.
HEAR ME OUT, OKAY. This is unusual. She's 19 and he's 33. The only time you see this kind of age gap, one of them is immortal or close to it. Unless you're reading a cliche NA contemporary about problematic student/teacher relationships. Then, okay, not so unusual. But for a fantasy novel to have a 14 year age gap between a VERY MUCH HUMAN couple? That's new. At least, it's new for me. And I liked it.
Sigh.
That's it really. That was my only issue - the writing. Which is sad because the writing affects so many aspects of any book. But that being said, I was getting some serious Sarah J. Maas vibes from this, so I'm pretty sure this will get better as the series progresses.
(Don't you even dare tell me that Throne of Glasses wasn't flawed as heck. All those exclams. God)
And besides - this was entertaining. I will be continuing.
Picture this:
You're sitting at a restaurant. Everyone's told you that this place is great, so you're expecting the absolute best food. You spot the waiter heading straight for you. He sets this beauty down on your table:
It looks great. It smells great. Your mouth waters while he pours your wine. He leaves, and you don't hesitate before tucking right the heck in.
... and something isn't right. The meat's cooked to perfection, just the way you like it. The vegetables are hot, and crisp and the consistency of the reduction sauce is absolutely perfect, and the mash is so brilliant it reminds you of your mom's cooking.
But nothing has been seasoned. Everything, from the steak to the sauce is COMPLETELY LACKING SALT, PEPPER AND/OR CHILI. It's bland. Everything is bland. You can't even taste the tiniest squeeze of lemon.
This meal? This horribly disappointing meal that COULD HAVE BEEN SO GREAT? That was this book.
I liked the premise of this. I liked every single plot point. I liked the characters. I shipped the ship (more on this in a bit). So why did I give this book only 3.5 stars? I'll tell you why. I severely disliked the writing.
The writing, simply put, was lackluster. There was not much variation in sentence length, the tone of the whole thing was dry, and honestly, Yelena's narration bothered the hell out of me. Considering the setting of this book, you really don't expect the heroine to say things like "Decked out in". But that's what she did. There was a lot about her narrative that sounded much too modern for this book.
And because of the try tone, a lot of the emotions fell flat. I mean, I should have cared when
So disappointing.
And the romance. God. Where the heck did that even come from? Yes, yes, I know they knew each other for a year, but WE DIDN'T SEE THEM FALL IN LOVE. That romance just popped out of nowhere.
And usually this means that I won't ship a couple, because, we all know that I need solid foundation. But there are a lot of things I liked about Yelena and Varek. I like that they don't NEED each other. I like that they're not soppy or clingy. I like that Varek was able to say, "You know what, this is something you need to do. We'll make it. We can do this long distance thing". I also like the age gap.
HEAR ME OUT, OKAY. This is unusual. She's 19 and he's 33. The only time you see this kind of age gap, one of them is immortal or close to it. Unless you're reading a cliche NA contemporary about problematic student/teacher relationships. Then, okay, not so unusual. But for a fantasy novel to have a 14 year age gap between a VERY MUCH HUMAN couple? That's new. At least, it's new for me. And I liked it.
Sigh.
That's it really. That was my only issue - the writing. Which is sad because the writing affects so many aspects of any book. But that being said, I was getting some serious Sarah J. Maas vibes from this, so I'm pretty sure this will get better as the series progresses.
(Don't you even dare tell me that Throne of Glasses wasn't flawed as heck. All those exclams. God)
And besides - this was entertaining. I will be continuing.
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When you look at something through tinted glasses, you lose a lot of color.
I have been looking forward to this book for a while. A YA fantasy novel steeped in Indian mythology? I needed to get my paws on it. Stat. And when I finally did get my hands on this, it was as if the Heavens opened up. I could hear the chorus of angels singing in my ears.
And it was painfully loud when that beautiful song slowly faded into the background.
Sigh.
I'm not gonna lie, I was disappointed by this. The early review were rave pieces - people gushing about the exquisite writing and the fantasy elements. And I'm not going to lie - the writing was beautiful. Almost... too beautiful. Purple prose beautiful.
Yeah.
I'm a sucker for lyrical, evocative prose. Just look at how much I adored E. K. Johnston's A Thousand Nights. But the thing with pretty prose is that, if you overdo it, you end up muting everything else. And that's what Chokshi did. The prose was overwhelming - it was too rich. And sometimes it didn't make sense. I mean, "trees like cursive script"? "Mushrooms the color of bodies"? Because that makes sense?? Lyrical prose is great, but sometimes simplicity is the way to go. Not everything has to be covered in glitter and honey. Because when you drench every word, every sentence, with honey and grandeur, what separates the mundane bits from the magical ones?
In this sea of saccharine text, a lot of the emotion got drowned out. I couldn't understand what made Maya's love for Amar so special because she used the same amount of passion, the same cadence in her words, to you know, describe how she felt about a horse. The levels of passion were monotonous. Any time Amar and Maya were intimate - physically or otherwise - it sorta... fell flat. Like, I wanted to care. I really, really wanted to. But I didn't.
On a similar note, Maya and Amar had absolutely no foundation. I mean, obviously I'm in the minority here, but UGH. I could not ship this. On his part, Amar was in love with her from the very beginning. Maya took a little time, but WE SAW NONE OF IT. I wouldn't call it insta-love, for reasons that'll become clear once you read the book, but this was somehow worse. Yes, worse than insta-love. Because it was a love that grew on one side, and behind a curtain. And for a book with a plot so tightly wound with romance, this was really weird. Like, why.
I can't complain too much about the world-building. There wasn't much of a world to build, if I'm being honest. It was okay. I'd have liked to see more shaping and structure, but yeah. It was okay.
One thing I'll give Chokshi is that this book was extremely imaginative. There were giant talking elephants and naginis and yakshinis and trees with fruit that looked like gemstones. And I loved how creative it was. The sense of magic was definitely there, and it was much appreciated.
If you're a desi going into this, then I can definitely tell you that'll you enjoy all the Indian mythology and phrases. It's gonna have little pieces of home in it, that you're just gonna love. The names of the mythological creatures, the saris and the singular mention of "The City of Lanka" had me squeeing.
All in all, The Star-Touched Queen was an alright book. A run-of-the-mill fantasy/mythology novel about believing in your own power and in true love. As one of my most anticipated books of this year, it was kind of disappointing. But if you're looking for a light fantasy read with pretty pretty prose, then I recommend.
I have been looking forward to this book for a while. A YA fantasy novel steeped in Indian mythology? I needed to get my paws on it. Stat. And when I finally did get my hands on this, it was as if the Heavens opened up. I could hear the chorus of angels singing in my ears.
And it was painfully loud when that beautiful song slowly faded into the background.
Sigh.
I'm not gonna lie, I was disappointed by this. The early review were rave pieces - people gushing about the exquisite writing and the fantasy elements. And I'm not going to lie - the writing was beautiful. Almost... too beautiful. Purple prose beautiful.
Yeah.
I'm a sucker for lyrical, evocative prose. Just look at how much I adored E. K. Johnston's A Thousand Nights. But the thing with pretty prose is that, if you overdo it, you end up muting everything else. And that's what Chokshi did. The prose was overwhelming - it was too rich. And sometimes it didn't make sense. I mean, "trees like cursive script"? "Mushrooms the color of bodies"? Because that makes sense?? Lyrical prose is great, but sometimes simplicity is the way to go. Not everything has to be covered in glitter and honey. Because when you drench every word, every sentence, with honey and grandeur, what separates the mundane bits from the magical ones?
In this sea of saccharine text, a lot of the emotion got drowned out. I couldn't understand what made Maya's love for Amar so special because she used the same amount of passion, the same cadence in her words, to you know, describe how she felt about a horse. The levels of passion were monotonous. Any time Amar and Maya were intimate - physically or otherwise - it sorta... fell flat. Like, I wanted to care. I really, really wanted to. But I didn't.
On a similar note, Maya and Amar had absolutely no foundation. I mean, obviously I'm in the minority here, but UGH. I could not ship this. On his part, Amar was in love with her from the very beginning. Maya took a little time, but WE SAW NONE OF IT. I wouldn't call it insta-love, for reasons that'll become clear once you read the book, but this was somehow worse. Yes, worse than insta-love. Because it was a love that grew on one side, and behind a curtain. And for a book with a plot so tightly wound with romance, this was really weird. Like, why.
I can't complain too much about the world-building. There wasn't much of a world to build, if I'm being honest. It was okay. I'd have liked to see more shaping and structure, but yeah. It was okay.
One thing I'll give Chokshi is that this book was extremely imaginative. There were giant talking elephants and naginis and yakshinis and trees with fruit that looked like gemstones. And I loved how creative it was. The sense of magic was definitely there, and it was much appreciated.
If you're a desi going into this, then I can definitely tell you that'll you enjoy all the Indian mythology and phrases. It's gonna have little pieces of home in it, that you're just gonna love. The names of the mythological creatures, the saris and the singular mention of "The City of Lanka" had me squeeing.
All in all, The Star-Touched Queen was an alright book. A run-of-the-mill fantasy/mythology novel about believing in your own power and in true love. As one of my most anticipated books of this year, it was kind of disappointing. But if you're looking for a light fantasy read with pretty pretty prose, then I recommend.
Sheesh. I'd forgotten how dark Veronica Mars could get.
That being said, I would pay good money to see Logan Echolls play with a puppy, on screen. LoVe FOREVER.
That being said, I would pay good money to see Logan Echolls play with a puppy, on screen. LoVe FOREVER.
It was like watching an episode of the show post-movie - only better!
Okay, no, that's a lie. I still want the show back.
I also sort of wish this had been written in the first person, so that I could pretend I was hearing Kristen Bell's voice over, but beggars, choosers, etc etc.
PS: LoVe still gives me all the feels :')
Okay, no, that's a lie. I still want the show back.
I also sort of wish this had been written in the first person, so that I could pretend I was hearing Kristen Bell's voice over, but beggars, choosers, etc etc.
PS: LoVe still gives me all the feels :')
Lol. 3.8 stars. Again. I’m terrible.
You can also read this review on my blog
Gather around, children. It’s list time.
1.Not enough Winter.
For a book entitled Winter, this sure didn’t focus on the sweet princess all that much. Which was such a shame, because she was honestly the best.
2. Not enough Wincin.
This series FINALLY gets a non insta-love pairing, and we see so little of it! And wtf was their ending even. Didn’t they deserve a kiss? THEY DESERVED A KISS.
3. Not enough Scarlet and Wolf.
Insta-love aside, these two work well together as a pairing. Individually, they’re good characters. I wish we’d seen more of them.
4. Too much Cress.
You guys know how I feel about her. I don’t need to elaborate. BUT, in case you don’t know, you can find out here
5. Levana.
Wow okay, I don’t know how many times I have to say this but, A TRAGIC STORY DOES NOT A SYMPATHETIC CHARACTER MAKE.Yes, yes, she had a tragic past. Boo freaking hoo. It doesn’t excuse her actions. Doesn’t even explain her actions, tbh. Even with this backstory and supposed reason for her being the way she is, Levana is still a flat, static antagonist, evil for the sake of being evil. We deserved better than that.
6. The final battle.
Look, I’m not going to deny that the build up to Cinder’s face-off with Levana wasn’t good. It was. And because of this good build-up, I expected something dramatic and cool. A face-off to knock my socks off. Is that what I got? No. What I got was something more akin to the boss-battle in a Scooby Doo cartoon. YA edition.
7. The writing
While decidedly better, it's still more tell than show. Boo.
8. The world-building.
Dude, they were on the freaking moon. Meyer had the opportunity to create a beautiful setting. But I still don’t have much of a picture of Artemisia. There was the palace, a bunch of tunnels, sectors and a dome. That’s pretty much what I’ve got.
1. Winter.
She was such a freaking sweetheart. I loved her. Why wasn't there more of her?
2. Jacin.
A grumpy, loyal, sarcastic, salty man with a penchant for giving people weird nicknames? GIMME!
3. Scarlet and Wolf.
She’s still tough, he’s still adorable. What more can I say?
4. There wasn’t as much romance forced down our throats this time around.
Thank God. I mean, yes, this was still very romance heavy, but not as much as we’ve seen in the previous books.
5. Not as much stupidity. YAY.
No, for real, I only yelled at the characters three times for being dumb, which is SUCH a huge improvement considering how dumb everyone was in the previous books. *Looks at Kai*
6. The plot
Again, it was kinda predictable. But the writing was compelling, and it took a few liberties instead of forcing us Snow White parallels.
7. The characters (that I cared about) were actually very easy to root for.
You cared for them. You wanted to see them succeed.
8. The thought that went into the story.
Meyers has left clues about the characters and their stories throughout the entire series, which says a lot about how well she planned this book. She knew all the characters that were going into play, and how their stories would turn out (more or less), and you’ve got to appreciate that.
I know I usually do my Dislikes List at the end and start with the Likes, but I didn't hate this book, and I wanted to end the review on a happier note.
This was extremely entertaining. A little soppy at times, sure, but dude I got through Cress. This was nothing. Until the final face-off with Levana, I was actually going to give this book four stars, for the sheer enjoyment factor, if nothing else. It was, without a doubt, the best book in the series. But unfortunately, I couldn’t forgive that sad, sad fight. It was too easy, and a little lazy. I didn’t want to seethe gang be dumb af and be used as Levana’s puppets to fight each other, but that’s what I got. It was all very anti-climactic and I had to dock points.
Overall, though, it was a good book. Will I be singing its praises from the rooftops? No. But I’ll give it my stamp of approval nonetheless.
You can also read this review on my blog
Gather around, children. It’s list time.
1.Not enough Winter.
For a book entitled Winter, this sure didn’t focus on the sweet princess all that much. Which was such a shame, because she was honestly the best.
2. Not enough Wincin.
This series FINALLY gets a non insta-love pairing, and we see so little of it! And wtf was their ending even. Didn’t they deserve a kiss? THEY DESERVED A KISS.
3. Not enough Scarlet and Wolf.
Insta-love aside, these two work well together as a pairing. Individually, they’re good characters. I wish we’d seen more of them.
4. Too much Cress.
You guys know how I feel about her. I don’t need to elaborate. BUT, in case you don’t know, you can find out here
5. Levana.
Wow okay, I don’t know how many times I have to say this but, A TRAGIC STORY DOES NOT A SYMPATHETIC CHARACTER MAKE.
6. The final battle.
Look, I’m not going to deny that the build up to Cinder’s face-off with Levana wasn’t good. It was. And because of this good build-up, I expected something dramatic and cool. A face-off to knock my socks off. Is that what I got? No. What I got was something more akin to the boss-battle in a Scooby Doo cartoon. YA edition.
7. The writing
While decidedly better, it's still more tell than show. Boo.
8. The world-building.
Dude, they were on the freaking moon. Meyer had the opportunity to create a beautiful setting. But I still don’t have much of a picture of Artemisia. There was the palace, a bunch of tunnels, sectors and a dome. That’s pretty much what I’ve got.
1. Winter.
She was such a freaking sweetheart. I loved her. Why wasn't there more of her?
2. Jacin.
A grumpy, loyal, sarcastic, salty man with a penchant for giving people weird nicknames? GIMME!
3. Scarlet and Wolf.
She’s still tough, he’s still adorable. What more can I say?
4. There wasn’t as much romance forced down our throats this time around.
Thank God. I mean, yes, this was still very romance heavy, but not as much as we’ve seen in the previous books.
5. Not as much stupidity. YAY.
No, for real, I only yelled at the characters three times for being dumb, which is SUCH a huge improvement considering how dumb everyone was in the previous books. *Looks at Kai*
6. The plot
Again, it was kinda predictable. But the writing was compelling, and it took a few liberties instead of forcing us Snow White parallels.
7. The characters (that I cared about) were actually very easy to root for.
You cared for them. You wanted to see them succeed.
8. The thought that went into the story.
Meyers has left clues about the characters and their stories throughout the entire series, which says a lot about how well she planned this book. She knew all the characters that were going into play, and how their stories would turn out (more or less), and you’ve got to appreciate that.
I know I usually do my Dislikes List at the end and start with the Likes, but I didn't hate this book, and I wanted to end the review on a happier note.
This was extremely entertaining. A little soppy at times, sure, but dude I got through Cress. This was nothing. Until the final face-off with Levana, I was actually going to give this book four stars, for the sheer enjoyment factor, if nothing else. It was, without a doubt, the best book in the series. But unfortunately, I couldn’t forgive that sad, sad fight. It was too easy, and a little lazy. I didn’t want to see
Overall, though, it was a good book. Will I be singing its praises from the rooftops? No. But I’ll give it my stamp of approval nonetheless.
3.75 stars
I am disappoint
Look, I’m not going to tell you that I didn’t enjoy this. That would be a lie. I enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed the original series when I reread it last week. Thaaaat’s not necessarily a good thing.
I read the original series (books 1-6, for those of you who don’t know) a decade ago. 2004!Gabrielle would have loved the socks off this book, because at that time, my standards very ridiculously low. I would have devoured it, salivated over Meg Cabot’s writing, and Suze and Jesse’s characterizations. 2016!Me knows better.
I’ve learned and accepted that Meg Cabot writes a little bit like how I think. I tend to get easily distracted and wind up telling stories within stories and then coming back to my original point. It confuses strangers to no end. Friends and family find it amusing, and patiently let me do my thing. And this is exactly how Cabot’s main characters narrate – in fragmented sentences/thoughts, spliced together haphazardly.
And, alright, for the most part that works. It’s her thing – every writer has that little something that makes them unique, and this is Cabot’s. But does that mean the writing is stellar? No, it does not. But it’s entertaining, and that’s what count.
As for the Suze and Jesse’s characterization? Well…
They haven’t grown. Sure, they’re physically older, but for the most part, they were the same old Jesse and Suze we’d gotten used to in the original series. And considering that this book was set 6 years after the evens of the last book, this is not okay.
Comparatively, Jesse underwent more character change than Suze did, but I can’t say it was all good. It was like the dude went backwards. Like, listen, Jesse’s been around Suze waaay to long to be as old-fashioned as he was.I mean, that whole premarital sex issue? Completely bogus. Especially considering how he did a complete 180 at the end and had sex with her anyway. What hell was that about? It’s only allowed when it’s on YOUR terms, Jesse? Nuh-uh. A Jesse who’d undergone proper character growth would have never done that. Jesse’s not that selfish.
And don’t even get me started on the whole macho-man shtick. What the heck. When did Jesse de Silva turn into a cringe-worthy hero from straight out of a bodice ripper? Original!Jesse was protective, sure, but he always knew that Suze could take care of herself. This whole, “I don’t want my woman in danger” bullcrap? Yeah, no, it needs to go away by the next book. BYE.
AND PAUL. Why the FUCK is Paul back? (No, I am NOT putting a dollar in the swear jar)
No, no, no, no. Listen to me. Paul was done as a villain. He and Suze got the perfect ending in Heaven Sent (or whatever the heck the US version of that book was called). He realized that he didn’t love her the way Jesse loved her, and they called a truce. They shook on it. That should have been the end of it.
But nooooooo. Paul had to somehow pop back into Suze’s life, spouting nonsense about how Jesse has a demon inside of him ???? like… what? ??
Paul made zero – say it with me, ZERO. ZIP. ZILCH – sense as a villain. It was just lazy writing. I expected better of you, Cabot. We deserved better.
Sigh.
When you’re told that a series you loved as a kid is getting a revival, you expect great things. I expected growth and development, I expected a meatier story and new plotlines. But I didn’t get any of that.
What I will say is that it’s nice to see Suze not hating her stepbrothers anymore. In that department, yes, the characters have grown. It’s one of the few things that’s giving me hope for the rest of the series. I mean, if DOPEY could grow, maybe Suze and Jesse can too.
This was entertaining as hell. It’s filled with the Meg Cabot flair that we all know and love. But there’s a lot of room for improvement. I’ve got my fingers crossed for the next books (if there are any set to come out, I’m not sure). Don’t let me down, Cabot.
See this review (and more) here
I am disappoint
Look, I’m not going to tell you that I didn’t enjoy this. That would be a lie. I enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed the original series when I reread it last week. Thaaaat’s not necessarily a good thing.
I read the original series (books 1-6, for those of you who don’t know) a decade ago. 2004!Gabrielle would have loved the socks off this book, because at that time, my standards very ridiculously low. I would have devoured it, salivated over Meg Cabot’s writing, and Suze and Jesse’s characterizations. 2016!Me knows better.
I’ve learned and accepted that Meg Cabot writes a little bit like how I think. I tend to get easily distracted and wind up telling stories within stories and then coming back to my original point. It confuses strangers to no end. Friends and family find it amusing, and patiently let me do my thing. And this is exactly how Cabot’s main characters narrate – in fragmented sentences/thoughts, spliced together haphazardly.
And, alright, for the most part that works. It’s her thing – every writer has that little something that makes them unique, and this is Cabot’s. But does that mean the writing is stellar? No, it does not. But it’s entertaining, and that’s what count.
As for the Suze and Jesse’s characterization? Well…
They haven’t grown. Sure, they’re physically older, but for the most part, they were the same old Jesse and Suze we’d gotten used to in the original series. And considering that this book was set 6 years after the evens of the last book, this is not okay.
Comparatively, Jesse underwent more character change than Suze did, but I can’t say it was all good. It was like the dude went backwards. Like, listen, Jesse’s been around Suze waaay to long to be as old-fashioned as he was.
And don’t even get me started on the whole macho-man shtick. What the heck. When did Jesse de Silva turn into a cringe-worthy hero from straight out of a bodice ripper? Original!Jesse was protective, sure, but he always knew that Suze could take care of herself. This whole, “I don’t want my woman in danger” bullcrap? Yeah, no, it needs to go away by the next book. BYE.
AND PAUL. Why the FUCK is Paul back? (No, I am NOT putting a dollar in the swear jar)
No, no, no, no. Listen to me. Paul was done as a villain. He and Suze got the perfect ending in Heaven Sent (or whatever the heck the US version of that book was called). He realized that he didn’t love her the way Jesse loved her, and they called a truce. They shook on it. That should have been the end of it.
But nooooooo. Paul had to somehow pop back into Suze’s life, spouting nonsense about how Jesse has a demon inside of him ???? like… what? ??
Paul made zero – say it with me, ZERO. ZIP. ZILCH – sense as a villain. It was just lazy writing. I expected better of you, Cabot. We deserved better.
Sigh.
When you’re told that a series you loved as a kid is getting a revival, you expect great things. I expected growth and development, I expected a meatier story and new plotlines. But I didn’t get any of that.
What I will say is that it’s nice to see Suze not hating her stepbrothers anymore. In that department, yes, the characters have grown. It’s one of the few things that’s giving me hope for the rest of the series. I mean, if DOPEY could grow, maybe Suze and Jesse can too.
This was entertaining as hell. It’s filled with the Meg Cabot flair that we all know and love. But there’s a lot of room for improvement. I’ve got my fingers crossed for the next books (if there are any set to come out, I’m not sure). Don’t let me down, Cabot.
See this review (and more) here
Slasher Girls & Monster Boys
Kendare Blake, Jonathan Maberry, Marie Lu, April Genevieve Tucholke, Nova Ren Suma, McCormick Templeman, Jay Kristoff, Carrie Ryan, Megan Shepherd, Cat Winters, Leigh Bardugo, Stefan Bachmann, Danielle Paige, A.G. Howard
This was my first horror anthology, and I'm so glad this was the one I started with. Usually, with anthologies, I'm always able to just pick out a few that I really loved, and the others just come off as background noise. Not this one. Almost every single one of these was strong, wonderful storytelling, save for about a couple exceptions. This may be my favorite anthology yet.
The Birds of Azalea Street by Nova Ren Suma
5 stars
Three teenage girls, a creepy neighbor who brings home a beautiful young woman, and angry birds
What a great way to kick off this anthology. Suma's writing style was enthralling, and the story was all kinds of creepy, sprinkled with a whole lot of truth and real life. I respect birds, even if I don't always trust them. I liked this a lot.
In The Forest Dark and Deep by Carrie Ryan
3.5 stars
A little girl discovers a secret spot in the woods, perfect for tea parties, and a white rabbit as big as a man
If I hadn't just read an Alice in Wonderland retelling that I simply adored, I think I might not that been so critical of this one. It's wonderfully creepy and gruesome, and I liked it. It just didn't wow me.
Emmeline by Cat Winters
4 stars
A lonely French girl finds company in a young soldier staying in her family's home during the war
Okay, I loved this. It's sad, emotional, and troubling, with just the slightest hint of romance.
Verse Chorus Verse by Leigh Bardugo
3 stars
A young popstar comes home to her mother after a stint in rehab, but she's not quite the same
I love Leigh Bardugo's short stories.(My favorite's [b:The Witch Of Duva|13643163|The Witch of Duva (The Grisha, #0.5)|Leigh Bardugo|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1336644891s/13643163.jpg|19258458], in case you're wondering) She's has the gift of transporting you to another world even with the shortest of stories. But for some reason, I found this a little lacking.
Hide-and-Seek by Megan Shepherd
3.5 stars
A dying girl meets the harbinger of death and challenges him to a game for the chance to win her life back
We've seen the whole Chess With Death trope a thousand times, and I must say, this was an interesting take on it. This story was fast-paced, exciting, and over-all, pretty decent. I feel like a gothic horror might have been a better fit for Shepherd, though.
The Dark, Scary Part and All by Danielle Paige
1 star
Popular boy finally takes notice of the outcast girl, when she claims that monsters need love too
This had no business here. Sandwiched by dark, creepy, disturbing tales, all with well-rounded characters and compelling plots, this story was the same old recycled Bad-Boy-Falls-For-Shy-Girl trope that we got sick of seeing in YA novels three years ago.
I. Don't. Give a damn.
The Flicker, The Fingers, The Beat, The Sigh by April Genevieve Tucholke
4.5 stars
A boy, a girl, a hit-and-run
Bit of an unpopular opinion here, but I really loved this. Would have given it five stars if it had ended on a slightly stronger note. The similarities to IKWYDLS are obviously there, but I didn't pay attention to them or draw comparisons, so I think that's why I enjoyed it as much as I did. Like Emmeline, this is more sad than scary, and that's perfectly fine with me.
Fat Girl With a Knife by Jonathan Maberry
2 stars
a fat girl... with a knife
Another story that had no business in this anthology. It's inspired by Zombieland, which explains the more upbeat, slightly wry tone of the story. But it doesn't fit with the rest of the anthology, throws off the tone of the collection completely. This story was a bump in an otherwise smooth wall.
Also, zombies have been done to death (heh). They're so 2013.
Sleepless by Jay Kristoff
4 stars
A guy looking for the right girl meets a girl online. She may be the one
Dude. Does Kristoff always write like this? Because, if so, I need to stop putting it off and start on his Lotus War series ASAP. The twists in this story were an absolute delight, and the mood was appropriately dark.
M by Stefan Bachmann
2 stars
A blind girl witnesses a brutal murder, and has to catch the murderer before he disappears forever
This one tried a little too hard. With the creepy children's songs (another thing that's been done to death, imo) and the protag's blindness and her ability to "see" the murderer, it all felt a little contrived. If you stripped it back some, it might have actually made a very good murder-mystery/thriller.
The Girl Without a Face by Marie Lu
3.5 stars
A boy, a closet that won't open, and a girl without a face
One of the rare stereotypical horrors that didn't bore me to tears. Marie Lu steps out of her genre to deliver a thought-out, clever piece of writing. This story does not go where you think it will, and for a piece of traditional horror, this is very refreshing.
A Girl Who Dreamed Of Snow by McCormick Templeman
3 stars
A shaman girl, a pack of boys who buy and sell women, and a hunter
The setting of this was honestly so interesting. If the pacing had been better, this could have been a great little story.
Stitches by A. G. Howard
5 stars
A father makes a deal with a recluse doctor in a desperate attempt to do right by his family
If I had to choose I'd probably say this was my favorite one out of the entire anthology. Maybe it's my fondness for Frankenstein, maybe it was just that the writing was so good. I don't know. I just loved this. It's evocative and sad, with just the right about of disturbing.
If you're squeamish, this one may not be for you.
On The I-5 by Kendare Blake
3 stars
A girl at a truckstop finds a dead girl in a dumpster
Personally, I would not have put this one at the end of the anthology. Maybe somewhere in the middle, to even the structure out. Because while not bad, this isn't the best story in the collection, and it kinda sees the tone of the book fall a little flat at the end. The story is creepy, and just a touch sad. I expected more from Blake.
The Birds of Azalea Street by Nova Ren Suma
5 stars
Three teenage girls, a creepy neighbor who brings home a beautiful young woman, and angry birds
What a great way to kick off this anthology. Suma's writing style was enthralling, and the story was all kinds of creepy, sprinkled with a whole lot of truth and real life. I respect birds, even if I don't always trust them. I liked this a lot.
In The Forest Dark and Deep by Carrie Ryan
3.5 stars
A little girl discovers a secret spot in the woods, perfect for tea parties, and a white rabbit as big as a man
If I hadn't just read an Alice in Wonderland retelling that I simply adored, I think I might not that been so critical of this one. It's wonderfully creepy and gruesome, and I liked it. It just didn't wow me.
Emmeline by Cat Winters
4 stars
A lonely French girl finds company in a young soldier staying in her family's home during the war
Okay, I loved this. It's sad, emotional, and troubling, with just the slightest hint of romance.
Verse Chorus Verse by Leigh Bardugo
3 stars
A young popstar comes home to her mother after a stint in rehab, but she's not quite the same
I love Leigh Bardugo's short stories.(My favorite's [b:The Witch Of Duva|13643163|The Witch of Duva (The Grisha, #0.5)|Leigh Bardugo|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1336644891s/13643163.jpg|19258458], in case you're wondering) She's has the gift of transporting you to another world even with the shortest of stories. But for some reason, I found this a little lacking.
Hide-and-Seek by Megan Shepherd
3.5 stars
A dying girl meets the harbinger of death and challenges him to a game for the chance to win her life back
We've seen the whole Chess With Death trope a thousand times, and I must say, this was an interesting take on it. This story was fast-paced, exciting, and over-all, pretty decent. I feel like a gothic horror might have been a better fit for Shepherd, though.
The Dark, Scary Part and All by Danielle Paige
1 star
Popular boy finally takes notice of the outcast girl, when she claims that monsters need love too
This had no business here. Sandwiched by dark, creepy, disturbing tales, all with well-rounded characters and compelling plots, this story was the same old recycled Bad-Boy-Falls-For-Shy-Girl trope that we got sick of seeing in YA novels three years ago.
I. Don't. Give a damn.
The Flicker, The Fingers, The Beat, The Sigh by April Genevieve Tucholke
4.5 stars
A boy, a girl, a hit-and-run
Bit of an unpopular opinion here, but I really loved this. Would have given it five stars if it had ended on a slightly stronger note. The similarities to IKWYDLS are obviously there, but I didn't pay attention to them or draw comparisons, so I think that's why I enjoyed it as much as I did. Like Emmeline, this is more sad than scary, and that's perfectly fine with me.
Fat Girl With a Knife by Jonathan Maberry
2 stars
a fat girl... with a knife
Another story that had no business in this anthology. It's inspired by Zombieland, which explains the more upbeat, slightly wry tone of the story. But it doesn't fit with the rest of the anthology, throws off the tone of the collection completely. This story was a bump in an otherwise smooth wall.
Also, zombies have been done to death (heh). They're so 2013.
Sleepless by Jay Kristoff
4 stars
A guy looking for the right girl meets a girl online. She may be the one
Dude. Does Kristoff always write like this? Because, if so, I need to stop putting it off and start on his Lotus War series ASAP. The twists in this story were an absolute delight, and the mood was appropriately dark.
M by Stefan Bachmann
2 stars
A blind girl witnesses a brutal murder, and has to catch the murderer before he disappears forever
This one tried a little too hard. With the creepy children's songs (another thing that's been done to death, imo) and the protag's blindness and her ability to "see" the murderer, it all felt a little contrived. If you stripped it back some, it might have actually made a very good murder-mystery/thriller.
The Girl Without a Face by Marie Lu
3.5 stars
A boy, a closet that won't open, and a girl without a face
One of the rare stereotypical horrors that didn't bore me to tears. Marie Lu steps out of her genre to deliver a thought-out, clever piece of writing. This story does not go where you think it will, and for a piece of traditional horror, this is very refreshing.
A Girl Who Dreamed Of Snow by McCormick Templeman
3 stars
A shaman girl, a pack of boys who buy and sell women, and a hunter
The setting of this was honestly so interesting. If the pacing had been better, this could have been a great little story.
Stitches by A. G. Howard
5 stars
A father makes a deal with a recluse doctor in a desperate attempt to do right by his family
If I had to choose I'd probably say this was my favorite one out of the entire anthology. Maybe it's my fondness for Frankenstein, maybe it was just that the writing was so good. I don't know. I just loved this. It's evocative and sad, with just the right about of disturbing.
If you're squeamish, this one may not be for you.
On The I-5 by Kendare Blake
3 stars
A girl at a truckstop finds a dead girl in a dumpster
Personally, I would not have put this one at the end of the anthology. Maybe somewhere in the middle, to even the structure out. Because while not bad, this isn't the best story in the collection, and it kinda sees the tone of the book fall a little flat at the end. The story is creepy, and just a touch sad. I expected more from Blake.
DNF at 50%
I don't know what I was expecting from this.
Okay, no, that's a lie. I was bored, and expecting something in the vein of the Da Vinci Code. Obviously I didn't finish it, but from I did read I could tell that this was nothing like that. It was gruesome and bloody and macabre without any real sort of plot. And the writing was too textbook and wooden to even compel me to finish this.
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
I don't know what I was expecting from this.
Okay, no, that's a lie. I was bored, and expecting something in the vein of the Da Vinci Code. Obviously I didn't finish it, but from I did read I could tell that this was nothing like that. It was gruesome and bloody and macabre without any real sort of plot. And the writing was too textbook and wooden to even compel me to finish this.
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review