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heartbrekker's Reviews (797)
I've read this book three times and somehow never marked it as read until I came across a review from an acquaintance on here. The first time I was in 7th grade. I had borrowed this book from my parent's bookshelf and then started sobbing in my English class during our initial 10 minutes of reading. The second time I read it for class freshman year of high school, and I still cried like a baby. Then I read it a third time my sophomore year after moving to a new high school. It will never not move me to my very bones. This novel is one of those important ones that truly makes me view the world forever different.
We love a dark gothic story!
I had so much fun and nerves while reading this debut, and I still cannot believe it’s a standalone. A good one at that!
Wren is one of my favorite types of characters these days. She’s compassionate. She heals. She values life- most importantly. It’s so uncommon to find these elements now because every protagonist needs to be a fighter, assassin, or ready to throat punch into the next century. There’s nothing against that, but I find so much joy in protagonists who invoke negotiation, empathy, and non-violence. It just makes me love the character even more because the market it just so over saturated with the other.
Also can I get an applause for having a character that doesn’t suppress their emotions?! Wren is soooo in touch with them, and while her comrades tease/ sometimes look down on her for those feelings, Wren doesn’t let it get to her. It doesn’t change her.
The stand out element to this book was for sure the descriptions and setting. Allison Saft immediately has a gift for writing dynamic and enthralling scenery. I had to reread some paragraphs a few times because her figurative language was just phenomenal!
Overall, I just wholeheartedly enjoyed this book a lot! It was a breath of fresh air to have a murder mystery/ thriller like storyline in a fantasy book. That’s a genre I’ve never encountered before, which is crazy to say. You may be able to guess “who did it” early on, but that enhances the fact that characters then have to outwit the others with their new found knowledge.
I had so much fun and nerves while reading this debut, and I still cannot believe it’s a standalone. A good one at that!
Wren is one of my favorite types of characters these days. She’s compassionate. She heals. She values life- most importantly. It’s so uncommon to find these elements now because every protagonist needs to be a fighter, assassin, or ready to throat punch into the next century. There’s nothing against that, but I find so much joy in protagonists who invoke negotiation, empathy, and non-violence. It just makes me love the character even more because the market it just so over saturated with the other.
Also can I get an applause for having a character that doesn’t suppress their emotions?! Wren is soooo in touch with them, and while her comrades tease/ sometimes look down on her for those feelings, Wren doesn’t let it get to her. It doesn’t change her.
The stand out element to this book was for sure the descriptions and setting. Allison Saft immediately has a gift for writing dynamic and enthralling scenery. I had to reread some paragraphs a few times because her figurative language was just phenomenal!
Overall, I just wholeheartedly enjoyed this book a lot! It was a breath of fresh air to have a murder mystery/ thriller like storyline in a fantasy book. That’s a genre I’ve never encountered before, which is crazy to say. You may be able to guess “who did it” early on, but that enhances the fact that characters then have to outwit the others with their new found knowledge.
“When the majority of the world has been wiped out, you don’t kill what’s left.”
I’ve read many apocalyptic, end-of-the-world books (Station Eleven, The Stands, etc.), but I haven’t read any from the YA genre (The 5th Wave is aliens and doesn’t count). I wasn’t sure what this book was going to bring to the table because I like to go in blind, but I have to say it was impressive. It also is my first official David Arnold book!
My only real critiques were the initial slow pace to the book from the start to the middle and the fact that I simply wanted more. I wanted Arnold to better explore the actual period where the Fly’s are rampant and destroying the Earth for the first time. We get little mentions of it because all of our main characters were too young to remember or not even born. I guess you could say it’s poetic to have the people born into this world be the POV’s, but I was itching for more information to be honest.
Overall, I believe this book hit me harder due to what we’ve been experiencing for almost a year now- COVID 19. Most humans and creatures have died in this book, and while this is definitely more extreme than our situation, it brings in a lot of what-if’s. It’s frank and dark and plain crazy at times, but to watch these people try to survive against all odds is also very comforting. I hope that makes sense.
Moreover, The Electric Kingdom is FOR SURE the sort of book that needs a reread. I think, whenever I get the chance to, my rating will increase because now I have all the answers. Now I understand Nico’s experiences and decisions better than she ever could. Instead of being confused about all these elements at the start, I’ll comprehend everything immediately. It’s going to be a completely new experience. Anyway, the artistry of Arnold’s idea is evident by the end, and it is incredible. It’s very meta when you think about it. Not to mention, Arnold’s quote game was on point during the entirety of the book, so I’ve dog eared and highlighted MANY passages.
Let it be known this isn’t an easy book to read in our current climate, but it is a powerful one if you decide to pick it up.
I’ve read many apocalyptic, end-of-the-world books (Station Eleven, The Stands, etc.), but I haven’t read any from the YA genre (The 5th Wave is aliens and doesn’t count). I wasn’t sure what this book was going to bring to the table because I like to go in blind, but I have to say it was impressive. It also is my first official David Arnold book!
My only real critiques were the initial slow pace to the book from the start to the middle and the fact that I simply wanted more. I wanted Arnold to better explore the actual period where the Fly’s are rampant and destroying the Earth for the first time. We get little mentions of it because all of our main characters were too young to remember or not even born. I guess you could say it’s poetic to have the people born into this world be the POV’s, but I was itching for more information to be honest.
Overall, I believe this book hit me harder due to what we’ve been experiencing for almost a year now- COVID 19. Most humans and creatures have died in this book, and while this is definitely more extreme than our situation, it brings in a lot of what-if’s. It’s frank and dark and plain crazy at times, but to watch these people try to survive against all odds is also very comforting. I hope that makes sense.
Moreover, The Electric Kingdom is FOR SURE the sort of book that needs a reread. I think, whenever I get the chance to, my rating will increase because now I have all the answers. Now I understand Nico’s experiences and decisions better than she ever could. Instead of being confused about all these elements at the start, I’ll comprehend everything immediately. It’s going to be a completely new experience. Anyway, the artistry of Arnold’s idea is evident by the end, and it is incredible. It’s very meta when you think about it. Not to mention, Arnold’s quote game was on point during the entirety of the book, so I’ve dog eared and highlighted MANY passages.
Let it be known this isn’t an easy book to read in our current climate, but it is a powerful one if you decide to pick it up.
"Some people go missing because they want to; some go missing because they're taken. And then there are the others- those who go missing because they fall through a gap somewhere and can't claw their way back."
Let me start this review off by stating WHAT IN THE WORLD WAS THAT TWIST?!
Wow. Incredible. I did not see that coming, and my foreshadowing self is very upset that the truth slipped away from me.
For one thing- this book is intense. It follows Iris as she searches for her oldest sister Grey after a disgruntling disappearance. Though this is certainly not a Hollow sister's first major disappearance. The three sisters were gone off of the face of the earth for a month 10 years ago with no evidence as to where they went. They came back with black eyes instead of blue, dark hair that changed to near white, a lack of memories, and an insatiable hunger. The Hollow Sisters were irrevocably changed, but they seem content with that reality until the truth starts to unravel.
By the start of the novel, the sisters are supposed to meet, but when Grey's a no-show, Iris and Vivi dive into the mysteries of her and even their own past disappearance to get to the answers they need. Mystery is drenched deeply into the plot as it unfolds, and we are taken on the journey of a lifetime with these strange sisters.
House of Hollow is downright terrifying but in an alluringly grotesque way. From carrion flowers growing in places they shouldn't to a murderous man wearing a bull's mask, readers will be left with more questions than answers until the illuminative end.
The standout aspect, besides the luscious descriptors and imagery, is by far the relationship between the three sisters. I only have a brother, so while I cannot truly compare my relationship to the Hollow Sisters, I know for certain that I would fight for him just as hard as Iris does for Grey or Vivi. Their love for one another was powerful and pure, relatable and never-ending.
I highly recommend readers go into this novel blind, which is basically my catchphrase at this point for most books. I knew little to nothing about this world before stepping into its depths, and it only added to my intrigue and wonder. Krystal Sutherland does an excellent job crafting a fantasy of death and destruction in the midst of suburbia.
Thank you Penguin Teen for an eARC on Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Trigger Warnings: PTSD, death, suicide, violence
Let me start this review off by stating WHAT IN THE WORLD WAS THAT TWIST?!
Wow. Incredible. I did not see that coming, and my foreshadowing self is very upset that the truth slipped away from me.
For one thing- this book is intense. It follows Iris as she searches for her oldest sister Grey after a disgruntling disappearance. Though this is certainly not a Hollow sister's first major disappearance. The three sisters were gone off of the face of the earth for a month 10 years ago with no evidence as to where they went. They came back with black eyes instead of blue, dark hair that changed to near white, a lack of memories, and an insatiable hunger. The Hollow Sisters were irrevocably changed, but they seem content with that reality until the truth starts to unravel.
By the start of the novel, the sisters are supposed to meet, but when Grey's a no-show, Iris and Vivi dive into the mysteries of her and even their own past disappearance to get to the answers they need. Mystery is drenched deeply into the plot as it unfolds, and we are taken on the journey of a lifetime with these strange sisters.
House of Hollow is downright terrifying but in an alluringly grotesque way. From carrion flowers growing in places they shouldn't to a murderous man wearing a bull's mask, readers will be left with more questions than answers until the illuminative end.
The standout aspect, besides the luscious descriptors and imagery, is by far the relationship between the three sisters. I only have a brother, so while I cannot truly compare my relationship to the Hollow Sisters, I know for certain that I would fight for him just as hard as Iris does for Grey or Vivi. Their love for one another was powerful and pure, relatable and never-ending.
I highly recommend readers go into this novel blind, which is basically my catchphrase at this point for most books. I knew little to nothing about this world before stepping into its depths, and it only added to my intrigue and wonder. Krystal Sutherland does an excellent job crafting a fantasy of death and destruction in the midst of suburbia.
Thank you Penguin Teen for an eARC on Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Trigger Warnings: PTSD, death, suicide, violence
"Grief is a cruel and sneaky bastard. You love a person and then they're gone. Past tense. You forget them for an hour, a day, a week. How is that even possible? It happens because memories are fickle; they can fade."
I went into this powerful story knowing nothing but it was as impactful as The Hate U Give. That's the perfect description because this entire book shook my soul to its core. I cried so much for Daunis and her loved ones. I'll never stop recommending this book for everyone to read. It forced me to acknowledge just how little I know about Indigenous people, and I will do better with my own education going forward.
"Lust doesn't last, but herpes is forever."
Above is my all time favorite quote from this book. I HAD to include it to show that this book isn't solely about serious, painful things. It has humor and light amidst the darkness.
Now this story begins in 2004 in Michigan with Daunis toeing the line between her two worlds: her father's Indigenous side and her mother's white side. She's a biracial woman, who never knows how to truly satisfy both even into adulthood. Daunis is also suffering from her Uncle's recent death (believed overdose) and her grandmother's stroke.
All bad things come in three, and Daunis is certainly not wrong in this regard.
I think the reason this book hit me so intensely is partly because Daunis reminded me of myself. Now I'm not Indigenous, so I can never comprehend that or her mixed heritage, but her torn emotions (both good and bad) felt very akin to some of my own feelings in my personal life. Her wit, joy, sadness. Her rage for a better reality than what she's given. Her love for everyone even when they don't deserve it. And her pain for her Indigenous community. She's so visceral; it was unreal at times.
Angeline is definitely a powerful writer.
Moreover, I would consider this YA Mystery/ Crime fiction so, as such, please go into this blind. I think you'll enjoy it better because you'll be placed further into Daunis's feelings/ lack of knowledge to everything initially happening around her. It'll be more atmospheric for sure, and it's the path I chose.
Anyway, from Daunis's passion for hockey to her detective skills, I adored her. I hope all of you take a chance to learn her story because it will stay with you forevermore. The Anishinaabe are not the only Indigenous people to suffer with racism or substance abuse, so I think as a whole that's the most important note to learn from this book. In the U.S. we are hardly privy to their culture/ experiences in the media, and it's important to spread the knowledge for, hopefully, everyone to know.
Thank you to Fierce Reads for the eARC on Netgalley and BookishFirst for the lovely finished copy.
I went into this powerful story knowing nothing but it was as impactful as The Hate U Give. That's the perfect description because this entire book shook my soul to its core. I cried so much for Daunis and her loved ones. I'll never stop recommending this book for everyone to read. It forced me to acknowledge just how little I know about Indigenous people, and I will do better with my own education going forward.
"Lust doesn't last, but herpes is forever."
Above is my all time favorite quote from this book. I HAD to include it to show that this book isn't solely about serious, painful things. It has humor and light amidst the darkness.
Now this story begins in 2004 in Michigan with Daunis toeing the line between her two worlds: her father's Indigenous side and her mother's white side. She's a biracial woman, who never knows how to truly satisfy both even into adulthood. Daunis is also suffering from her Uncle's recent death (believed overdose) and her grandmother's stroke.
All bad things come in three, and Daunis is certainly not wrong in this regard.
I think the reason this book hit me so intensely is partly because Daunis reminded me of myself. Now I'm not Indigenous, so I can never comprehend that or her mixed heritage, but her torn emotions (both good and bad) felt very akin to some of my own feelings in my personal life. Her wit, joy, sadness. Her rage for a better reality than what she's given. Her love for everyone even when they don't deserve it. And her pain for her Indigenous community. She's so visceral; it was unreal at times.
Angeline is definitely a powerful writer.
Moreover, I would consider this YA Mystery/ Crime fiction so, as such, please go into this blind. I think you'll enjoy it better because you'll be placed further into Daunis's feelings/ lack of knowledge to everything initially happening around her. It'll be more atmospheric for sure, and it's the path I chose.
Anyway, from Daunis's passion for hockey to her detective skills, I adored her. I hope all of you take a chance to learn her story because it will stay with you forevermore. The Anishinaabe are not the only Indigenous people to suffer with racism or substance abuse, so I think as a whole that's the most important note to learn from this book. In the U.S. we are hardly privy to their culture/ experiences in the media, and it's important to spread the knowledge for, hopefully, everyone to know.
Thank you to Fierce Reads for the eARC on Netgalley and BookishFirst for the lovely finished copy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, Suicide, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder
Meth addiction and PTSD are other specific triggers
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes