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heartbrekker's Reviews (797)
2.5
I had a lot of mixed feelings for this novel upon finishing it.
I think for one overhype played a key role in my disappointment. It seems to be effecting a lot of my recent reviews/ 2019 reads, and it leaves me with this empty feeling.
There's a wonderful world surrounding TMC, and I adored the magic system and its relation to birds in a caste form. Fie and her crows deal with significant prejudice, and it leads to a wonderful theme about ending stereotypes and judgment of others because of who they are.
Fie also deals with moments of misogyny in and outside of her group, and I was always warmed at the heart by her handling of these situations. Fie is a strong example of a strong woman who does not let others dictate her life. She does what she desires (most of the time haha) and what she deems acceptable for her crew. Her loyalty and her crews were beautiful to one another.
Now onto the things that were not my favorite.
The story is one big journey in my opinion, and it was not one done to my tastes. I felt like I was pushed onto their never-ending ride, and the story became more and more stretched out. Pacing and writing styles have become so important to me as a reader, and the length of time it took/ felt to read one scene felt like an eternity. It's one of the reasons my excitement quickly turned to neglect. I was bored and felt no connection to any of the characters, and a book that should've taken me a day or two to finish ended up becoming a week. Events happened and I could not care less, which is the exact opposite feeling I want.
In terms of the characters.. Jasimir annoyed me A LOT, and while his character was meant to hold that role, I could never enjoy him even at his few moments of "redemption". Fie annoyed me a little less than Jas, and I cannot really put my finger onto why. You know when you just do not like a character? That was me. Plus, I, ultimately, never felt any real connection. Lastly, Tavin was the only one I never really wanted to throttle for a decent portion of the novel. Though I couldn't help but my roll my eyes a few times.
My final thought is: as I'm writing this review, I really cannot remember a decent portion of this book. It's been about two weeks since I finished, and I forgot the end and a significant portion of the book. I READ THE WHOLE THING. How did it fall out of my head so fast? I- Well.. my only answer is that the story was not memorable.
All in all, I think a lot of people could enjoy this novel, but sadly, it was not the one for me.
Thank you Macmillan for sending me an ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I had a lot of mixed feelings for this novel upon finishing it.
I think for one overhype played a key role in my disappointment. It seems to be effecting a lot of my recent reviews/ 2019 reads, and it leaves me with this empty feeling.
There's a wonderful world surrounding TMC, and I adored the magic system and its relation to birds in a caste form. Fie and her crows deal with significant prejudice, and it leads to a wonderful theme about ending stereotypes and judgment of others because of who they are.
Fie also deals with moments of misogyny in and outside of her group, and I was always warmed at the heart by her handling of these situations. Fie is a strong example of a strong woman who does not let others dictate her life. She does what she desires (most of the time haha) and what she deems acceptable for her crew. Her loyalty and her crews were beautiful to one another.
Now onto the things that were not my favorite.
The story is one big journey in my opinion, and it was not one done to my tastes. I felt like I was pushed onto their never-ending ride, and the story became more and more stretched out. Pacing and writing styles have become so important to me as a reader, and the length of time it took/ felt to read one scene felt like an eternity. It's one of the reasons my excitement quickly turned to neglect. I was bored and felt no connection to any of the characters, and a book that should've taken me a day or two to finish ended up becoming a week. Events happened and I could not care less, which is the exact opposite feeling I want.
In terms of the characters.. Jasimir annoyed me A LOT, and while his character was meant to hold that role, I could never enjoy him even at his few moments of "redemption". Fie annoyed me a little less than Jas, and I cannot really put my finger onto why. You know when you just do not like a character? That was me. Plus, I, ultimately, never felt any real connection. Lastly, Tavin was the only one I never really wanted to throttle for a decent portion of the novel. Though I couldn't help but my roll my eyes a few times.
My final thought is: as I'm writing this review, I really cannot remember a decent portion of this book. It's been about two weeks since I finished, and I forgot the end and a significant portion of the book. I READ THE WHOLE THING. How did it fall out of my head so fast? I- Well.. my only answer is that the story was not memorable.
All in all, I think a lot of people could enjoy this novel, but sadly, it was not the one for me.
Thank you Macmillan for sending me an ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I think this book does a marvelous job at depicting The Iliad.
It's detailed and filled with intriguing graphics, but it sadly, was not my favorite art style. Also I didn't realize that I'd be reading The Iliad basically again, and I could feel the heaviness of the writing pulling me down. It felt like a task to read instead of a pleasure. Plus, I do not think I have ever read a graphic novel this long, and it led me to feel as if this book was taking forever to read. I think that can be laid on me to blame, but the pacing just was not the easiest to handle.
The main perk is the writing's similarity to the actual epic, but while the regular copies have no pictures to help new readers, this edition does (or at least this part of TI). The graphic novel would be very beneficial in high schools, in my opinion, but I do not think it adds anything more than that because scholars/ readers will read the original in most situations. I guess it could be for those who do not like the original text, but I was just all around shrugging my shoulders as to who this was marketed to.
All in all, I would not recommend to people who have already read the story, which I think, sadly, knocks a decent people off the list since it's usually reading material in schools.
Thank you Candlewick Press for sending me an ARC to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
It's detailed and filled with intriguing graphics, but it sadly, was not my favorite art style. Also I didn't realize that I'd be reading The Iliad basically again, and I could feel the heaviness of the writing pulling me down. It felt like a task to read instead of a pleasure. Plus, I do not think I have ever read a graphic novel this long, and it led me to feel as if this book was taking forever to read. I think that can be laid on me to blame, but the pacing just was not the easiest to handle.
The main perk is the writing's similarity to the actual epic, but while the regular copies have no pictures to help new readers, this edition does (or at least this part of TI). The graphic novel would be very beneficial in high schools, in my opinion, but I do not think it adds anything more than that because scholars/ readers will read the original in most situations. I guess it could be for those who do not like the original text, but I was just all around shrugging my shoulders as to who this was marketed to.
All in all, I would not recommend to people who have already read the story, which I think, sadly, knocks a decent people off the list since it's usually reading material in schools.
Thank you Candlewick Press for sending me an ARC to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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My thoughts for this novel are basically all over the place. I originally tried to read it back when only ARCs were out, but the first few chapters did not interest me at all. Thus, I pushed it to the side for another time.
Well, the time came, and I finished it at the start of Spring Break.
For starters, once I hit about 50-60 pages in, the book became interesting and engrossing to me. It was everything I loved about Jay Kristoff but with futuristic dystopia and Anastasia vibes.
The characters were all incredibly unique, and I will forever have a special spot for Lemon Fresh. Not only is she the funniest character, but her growth and friendship to Eve really struck a chord within me. She doesn't let anyone hurt her or her friends, and she works hard to help in anyway she can. plus, her backstory just makes my heart ache.
Now the main character, Eve.. She went back and forth on my like and "eh" meter when it comes to enjoying a character. She's going through a lot (everyone basically trying to kidnap or kill her), so I understand her trust issues and confusion. The thing is she acts so childishly at times, and even though it isn't completely unwarranted, I want to scream at her like there is no tomorrow. She constantly declares she is independent and an adult, but in some of her actions you could say she doesn't emulate what she says.
Anyway, the novel really moved further and further up on my like scale until it surpassed a four star rating. I was becoming super pumped for the final pages, and then the last POV hit me.
Here's where I get into major spoilers.
WHY
ON
EARTH
DOES
SHE
DECIDE
TO
SIDE
WITH
GABRIEL?!
I just- yes, you're a lifelike. I understand he is the only one who has not lied to you, but WHAT IN THE WORLD SWEETIE?!
WHY. WHY. WHY. WHY.
I was fuming like there was no tomorrow on the airplane, and I couldn't wrap my head around this revelation. She is Ana in certain (weird) ways because #1 she has her memories, #2 was the one dealt the gunshot to the head, and #3 has to deal with Ana's history. Her reasoning felt like the crummiest I've ever seen, and I cannot get behind this change of action unless she is secretly plotting to destroy Gabe.
UGHHHHHHH.
The last chapter really knocked my review down. I give it props for a sucker punch plot twist, but it didn't feel like a genuine plot twist. Yes, your life has been a lie the entire time, but that doesn't take away your experiences as Eve or even after realizing you were (but not really) Ana. Those lies do not take away from the life you have lived or the values.
Her 180 is getting to me.
I will definitely be reading the sequel because I am truly intrigued to see where Jay takes the story next. Will Eve turn against her friends just because they didn't speak the truth? Does their loyalty get negated because of one mistake? What is the crews response to Eve’s new posse?
Deviant will tell us.
P.S. This review is one of the most emotional I have ever written, so I apologize for any grammar mistakes. I just couldn't help but pound the keyboard into the oblivion.
Well, the time came, and I finished it at the start of Spring Break.
For starters, once I hit about 50-60 pages in, the book became interesting and engrossing to me. It was everything I loved about Jay Kristoff but with futuristic dystopia and Anastasia vibes.
The characters were all incredibly unique, and I will forever have a special spot for Lemon Fresh. Not only is she the funniest character, but her growth and friendship to Eve really struck a chord within me. She doesn't let anyone hurt her or her friends, and she works hard to help in anyway she can. plus, her backstory just makes my heart ache.
Now the main character, Eve.. She went back and forth on my like and "eh" meter when it comes to enjoying a character. She's going through a lot (everyone basically trying to kidnap or kill her), so I understand her trust issues and confusion. The thing is she acts so childishly at times, and even though it isn't completely unwarranted, I want to scream at her like there is no tomorrow. She constantly declares she is independent and an adult, but in some of her actions you could say she doesn't emulate what she says.
Anyway, the novel really moved further and further up on my like scale until it surpassed a four star rating. I was becoming super pumped for the final pages, and then the last POV hit me.
Here's where I get into major spoilers.
WHY
ON
EARTH
DOES
SHE
DECIDE
TO
SIDE
WITH
GABRIEL?!
I just- yes, you're a lifelike. I understand he is the only one who has not lied to you, but WHAT IN THE WORLD SWEETIE?!
WHY. WHY. WHY. WHY.
I was fuming like there was no tomorrow on the airplane, and I couldn't wrap my head around this revelation. She is Ana in certain (weird) ways because #1 she has her memories, #2 was the one dealt the gunshot to the head, and #3 has to deal with Ana's history. Her reasoning felt like the crummiest I've ever seen, and I cannot get behind this change of action unless she is secretly plotting to destroy Gabe.
UGHHHHHHH.
The last chapter really knocked my review down. I give it props for a sucker punch plot twist, but it didn't feel like a genuine plot twist. Yes, your life has been a lie the entire time, but that doesn't take away your experiences as Eve or even after realizing you were (but not really) Ana. Those lies do not take away from the life you have lived or the values.
Her 180 is getting to me.
I will definitely be reading the sequel because I am truly intrigued to see where Jay takes the story next. Will Eve turn against her friends just because they didn't speak the truth? Does their loyalty get negated because of one mistake? What is the crews response to Eve’s new posse?
Deviant will tell us.
P.S. This review is one of the most emotional I have ever written, so I apologize for any grammar mistakes. I just couldn't help but pound the keyboard into the oblivion.
4.5
I think my heart just got stabbed through with a knife, and I am not okay.
It's been a while since I gave the Saga GN's full stars or nearly full stars, but this installment took the cake in both enjoyment and surprise. I guess I never fully comprehended my theories about any of the parents dying..? I acknowledged it, but it also fell deep into my subconscious.
This decision to kill Marko/ Prince Robot IV really adds a whole new element to the series. Alana, Hazel, and Prince Robot's son will all be massively affected by this new development. I can see the two children moving in multiple directions in terms of how they grieve. The latter is now an orphan, and the former has lost a key loved one who meant the world to her. I wouldn't be surprised if Hazel formed some sort of vengeance against The Will. Will that be her story arc in later issues when she's older? Will Alana be the one to seek revenge?
There's just a lot of theories running through my skull.
All in all, I guess I pushed away the part of me that predicted a parental death, and I'm still fumbling over my thoughts to coherently comprehend this.
The only reason this was not full stars is because I had a few moments of boredom mid-way through the installment.
I think my heart just got stabbed through with a knife, and I am not okay.
It's been a while since I gave the Saga GN's full stars or nearly full stars, but this installment took the cake in both enjoyment and surprise. I guess I never fully comprehended my theories about any of the parents dying..? I acknowledged it, but it also fell deep into my subconscious.
This decision to kill Marko/ Prince Robot IV really adds a whole new element to the series. Alana, Hazel, and Prince Robot's son will all be massively affected by this new development. I can see the two children moving in multiple directions in terms of how they grieve. The latter is now an orphan, and the former has lost a key loved one who meant the world to her. I wouldn't be surprised if Hazel formed some sort of vengeance against The Will. Will that be her story arc in later issues when she's older? Will Alana be the one to seek revenge?
There's just a lot of theories running through my skull.
All in all, I guess I pushed away the part of me that predicted a parental death, and I'm still fumbling over my thoughts to coherently comprehend this.
The only reason this was not full stars is because I had a few moments of boredom mid-way through the installment.
Reread 3/30/23: This reread was definitely the right choice to make because I went from heavy disappointment via my first read through in 2019 to now loving this book. The power of mood reading is INTENSE. I don’t think I was in a headspace in 2019 to fully appreciate this book. I was blinded by my own anger at the Darkling returning, and while I still agree Leigh could’ve done something different in this duology, I’m okay with this end. I missed my Grisha babies, and I do really love the Sankt/Sankta lore.
Original review:
“Most women suffer thorns for the sake of the flowers, but we who wield power adorn ourselves with flowers to hide the sting of our thorns.”
It is such a surprise that I don’t have wholly positive thoughts about this novel. I can’t lie and say I wasn’t disappointed because then that would be a lie. I think I just went in with too high expectations. Plus, the writing was slow for me, specifically in the second half, which is something most people do not agree with. The first half of usually slower for most of the reviewers on this book, and the second half was the redeemable part. I’m the opposite.
Now I am happy we got to learn more about Zoya. She’s someone I’ve always adored, and her POV was definitely the most interesting. I’ve seen many people complaining about how this story seems more for her than Nikolai. Well, all I have to say to that is: to make a royal (or in this case a king), you need others to help them thrive. You have the soldiers, the servants, the citizens, etc. Ultimately, I think this story focuses on the internal sides of court, and what it takes to be a king. People don’t give those in the background (like Zoya) enough credit for how much they help the king keep the country afloat. And boy, are there a lot of issues in Ravka.. He was the core problem to this installment (besides really Nina but even then he assigned her there), and his struggles were the focus.
I still don’t know what my thoughts are in terms of the Darklings return. To start, I wish I could smack some kind of sense into the idiot who will not be named because he angers me so much. UGH he brings all sorts of anger. Moreover on the Darkling, sometimes I feel like it was cheap to bring him back, and other times, it makes sense to me. He’s a powerful force, and I do think his end in the Grisha trilogy was a tad easy. Though on the other hand Alina did work hard with some magic to get to that point. It makes me wonder, honestly, if Alina will return because she is a “saint” (plus, did her powers return?). I’d love to see her rejoin the story, but I know I’m in the minority there.
The saints plot files under the same category as the Darklings return for me. I am wishy washy about my thoughts and opinions, which isn’t the greatest feeling.
Lastly, I’m intrigued to see where Leigh goes with the sequel. Am I surprised at the route she took in those last 100 pages? Honestly, no, but I cannot wait to see the aftermath. It’s going to be chaotic FOR SURE.
Also I’m sorry for not talking spoilers/ more in depth. I thought about being super detailed, but the amount of negativity I was getting into didn’t make me feel good.
Original review:
“Most women suffer thorns for the sake of the flowers, but we who wield power adorn ourselves with flowers to hide the sting of our thorns.”
It is such a surprise that I don’t have wholly positive thoughts about this novel. I can’t lie and say I wasn’t disappointed because then that would be a lie. I think I just went in with too high expectations. Plus, the writing was slow for me, specifically in the second half, which is something most people do not agree with. The first half of usually slower for most of the reviewers on this book, and the second half was the redeemable part. I’m the opposite.
Now I am happy we got to learn more about Zoya. She’s someone I’ve always adored, and her POV was definitely the most interesting. I’ve seen many people complaining about how this story seems more for her than Nikolai. Well, all I have to say to that is: to make a royal (or in this case a king), you need others to help them thrive. You have the soldiers, the servants, the citizens, etc. Ultimately, I think this story focuses on the internal sides of court, and what it takes to be a king. People don’t give those in the background (like Zoya) enough credit for how much they help the king keep the country afloat. And boy, are there a lot of issues in Ravka.. He was the core problem to this installment (besides really Nina but even then he assigned her there), and his struggles were the focus.
I still don’t know what my thoughts are in terms of the Darklings return. To start, I wish I could smack some kind of sense into the idiot who will not be named because he angers me so much. UGH he brings all sorts of anger. Moreover on the Darkling, sometimes I feel like it was cheap to bring him back, and other times, it makes sense to me. He’s a powerful force, and I do think his end in the Grisha trilogy was a tad easy. Though on the other hand Alina did work hard with some magic to get to that point. It makes me wonder, honestly, if Alina will return because she is a “saint” (plus, did her powers return?). I’d love to see her rejoin the story, but I know I’m in the minority there.
The saints plot files under the same category as the Darklings return for me. I am wishy washy about my thoughts and opinions, which isn’t the greatest feeling.
Lastly, I’m intrigued to see where Leigh goes with the sequel. Am I surprised at the route she took in those last 100 pages? Honestly, no, but I cannot wait to see the aftermath. It’s going to be chaotic FOR SURE.
Also I’m sorry for not talking spoilers/ more in depth. I thought about being super detailed, but the amount of negativity I was getting into didn’t make me feel good.
This novel had some good plot twists. Maybe it was because I didn't expect them, but one thing after another kept me sputtering. Out of the four main plot twists (or in my opinion "plot twists") I only guessed one. It was an experience I don't have often.
I will say the main character Keralie was not my favorite at all. She had some good moments, but then often enough, she would say things/ act in a certain way that made me crinkle my nose. She was obnoxious to other people, to me, and in all honestly, she's childish. I already enjoy a lot of adult novels, so it really just set my teeth on edge to see her act that way. Keralie does contrasts those moments with scenes of intelligence, but I had to mention the less than great ones because they bugged me *shrugs* a lot.
My absolute FAVORITE part of this novel were the POVs from the four queens. They were little treasures sprinkled throughout the novel, and it was incredible to see their views/ opinions in comparison to Keralie and just the other queens. They each have such divisive opinions about their regions, values, etc., and it was a great addition to the novel. Plus, it allowed me to get away from Keralie so that was a giant perk in itself.
The relationship between Keralie and her love interest also seemed to go from 1 to 100 real quick, so it was awkward through some parts, which is never a good sign to a novel. I am extremely picky about romantic relationships in books, so you should factor that into my opinion. I just wasn’t rooting for them at all, and this story could’ve done fine without it.
Lastly, I enjoyed the timeline of this novel because it was a surprise in and of itself.
I'm curious to see if there is a sequel, but I would hope not since the story ends in a nice way. It was all around a good story, and I'll give it props for those jaw dropping scenes.
Thank you Penguin Teen for sending me an ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I will say the main character Keralie was not my favorite at all. She had some good moments, but then often enough, she would say things/ act in a certain way that made me crinkle my nose. She was obnoxious to other people, to me, and in all honestly, she's childish. I already enjoy a lot of adult novels, so it really just set my teeth on edge to see her act that way. Keralie does contrasts those moments with scenes of intelligence, but I had to mention the less than great ones because they bugged me *shrugs* a lot.
My absolute FAVORITE part of this novel were the POVs from the four queens. They were little treasures sprinkled throughout the novel, and it was incredible to see their views/ opinions in comparison to Keralie and just the other queens. They each have such divisive opinions about their regions, values, etc., and it was a great addition to the novel. Plus, it allowed me to get away from Keralie so that was a giant perk in itself.
The relationship between Keralie and her love interest also seemed to go from 1 to 100 real quick, so it was awkward through some parts, which is never a good sign to a novel. I am extremely picky about romantic relationships in books, so you should factor that into my opinion. I just wasn’t rooting for them at all, and this story could’ve done fine without it.
Lastly, I enjoyed the timeline of this novel because it was a surprise in and of itself.
I'm curious to see if there is a sequel, but I would hope not since the story ends in a nice way. It was all around a good story, and I'll give it props for those jaw dropping scenes.
Thank you Penguin Teen for sending me an ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
