Reviews by mj_james_writes

1.45k reviews by:

mj_james_writes

Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

A History of What Comes Next

Sylvain Neuvel

5.0

A History of What Comes Next

***Book Review***

A History of What Comes Next
By. Sylvain Neuvel
P. 304
Format - eArc

Rating - ****1/2

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This eArc was provided to me for free in exchange for an honest review by @netgalley. It has not impacted my review.
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A History of What Comes Next is a historical science fiction set mostly at the end of World War II. The story follows Mia and her mother Sarah. The two are identical in every way except age. They are the 99th generation of their line. They have been tought to follow four rules.

1. Always Run, Never Fight
2. Preserve the knowledge
3. Survive at all costs
4. Take them to the stars

Except their knowledge was lost. They do not remember why the rules were put in place, just that they need to be followed.

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I loved this book. I was hesitant because of the historical fiction aspect, but still excited. I walked away excited for the historical aspect of the book. It was set during the space race, and the way that Neuvel connected Mia into the events was facinating. I really appreciate that at the end of the book there was an entire section reviewing the historical aspects of the book. I read every page and it made me interested in learning more.

The narritve style is different. It almost reads like stream of consciousness. I am amazed how well it was done and how much I enjoyed it. I will say that I think some readers may not connect with this. So, be forwarned. However, I still strongly encurage you to read the book.

The characters were well developed, At times to the point of me being horrified when we are in the villains head. Because of the natures of the main characters there is so much overlap in who they are, yet they were still perfectly unique. Again, more skill from the author.

I will absolutly be picking up the sequel when it is published. This book was one I was excited about, but still hesitant. I was pleasantly suprised by how much I loved it. I anticipate that it will be one of my favorites of 2021 - and if it isn’t then we have an exceptional year ahead of us.

Crave

Tracy Wolff

2.0

Crave
By. Tracy Wolff
P. 532
Format - Paper/Audio

Rating - **1/2
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I read this book for @newyearathon readathon
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Crave is a young adult paranormal romance set in a boarding school in Alaska. The first half of the book is a Twilight parody. The author seems to embrace this, even referencing Twilight within the narration. While I appreciate the irony, and if it was done well I would be all over it. It was not done well.

The second half of the story an original(ish) plot was created - Thankfully. I had actually put the book down to read another, because I just couldn’t read it anymore. When I came back I finished it pretty fast.

Crave is not great fiction. Half the book almost feels like plagiarism. The plot has so many holes that I had a harder time believing in the narration then in the paranormal characters. The characters may as well be cookie cutters from young adult fiction. Also, the entire plot part of the story takes less than a week. I think it is closer to four days but my count could be off. Also, it is at a school - but since the actual classroom would get in the way the main characters almost never go to class. Why did time have to go so fast? I believe zero declarations of love given within days of having met - especially if they are 17 years old.

I will give on kudos. The author really tries to do away with the damsel in distress troupe. I would not argue the main character is a strong character, but she does try and it is on purpose.

Here is the thing. . . this book probably deserves more like two stars - I bumped it up half a point because despite how much it is not great fiction I will be reading the next book. We are all entitled to our guilty pleasures - and horrible vampire books seem to be mine.

Let's Talk About Love

Claire Kann

3.0

A Universe of Wishes

Dhonielle Clayton

3.0

A Universe of Wishes
By. Various Authors
P. 416
Format: Print

Rating: ***1/2

A Universe of Wishes is a short story anthology of diverse voices. However that diversity consists of different racial representation and LGBTQ+ rep. There was no disability/different ability rep and even the diversity was not all the diverse for the majority of the stories.

There was one short story that featured characters from a completed trilogy that seemed to be introducing an entirely new plot. The short story ended pre climax. Even VE Schwab’s story was a prequel to the Darker Shade of Magic trilogy. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the writing and the story - but I wouldn’t have cared as much if I hadn’t read the trilogy.

The majority of the stories were not all that enjoyable, they were not all encompassing. Even if they were they were so full YA troupe that I did not find them enjoyable.

My second favorite story was The Coldest Spot in the Universe by Samira Ahmed. The story contained so much in the short pages. It had such an important message and made me connect to it. The characters were both so vivid and left me emotionally impacted. There was one small part of the story about names that if left out, I think it would have made the story even better.

My favorite story was Habibi by Tochi Onyebuchi. This story was amazing. It combined the perspective of two young men on opposite sides of the world, both of whom are in jail. The plot of the story is kind of absurd, but in a way that makes it all that much more when you read it. The only thing about the story was me trying to figure out where in Long Beach that the character grew up that had him walking to Lakewood Mall but needing to catch the blue line. The geography seemed off, but the story was amazing.

A Sky Beyond the Storm

Sabaa Tahir

5.0

A Sky Beyond the Storm
By. Sabaa Tahir
P. 516
Format: Print

Rating: *****
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A Sky Beyond the Storm is the fourth and final book in the Embers in the Ashes series. If you have made it to the fourth book then you are already a fan of the series and will not be disappointed. If you have not read the series yet, then I strongly recommend that you do.

I only picked up the first book a few months ago and I fell instantly in love. A Sky Beyond the Storm is as strong as the first book in the series, An Ember in the Ashes. The characters are vivid and easy to connect to. The action is intense, but never confusing. The world is amazing.

Tahir is an extremely gifted writer. She gives you everything that you could want in one book - stronger character building, beautiful language, unique world building, epic adventure. No matter what kind of reader you are you will find something in the series.

The ending of this series was both satisfying and developed. Yet it achieved it while still having the reader hold on to the last word. It also ended on such a powerful note. There is power in stories, and we must remember that people are complex.

A Curse So Dark and Lonely

Brigid Kemmerer

5.0

A Curse so Dark and Lonely
By. Brigid Kemmerer
P. 477
Format: Print
Rating: *****

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I first read this book in March of 2020 and reread in January 2021.

With the third book coming out I wanted to catch up on the series. I loved this first book, but never picked up the second. The truth is that I felt like loving this book was a fluke. I read YA, but I am also extremely annoyed by it.

A Curse so Dark and Lonely takes those tropes and turns them on their head, making them something that I actually love.

Harper is just a girl - not a girl so special that she isn’t like other girls. She has a temper, a mom who is dying, and cerebral palsy. When she sees someone shady kidnapping a drunk girl, why she is keeping lookout for her brother, she does what she has to - take a tire iron to him. Those actions land her in a fairly land where she has to break a magical curse with true love.

Harper must have hated all the fairy tales also, because no way is she playing into this one. Instead she takes all the misconceptions and throws them out the window - or maybe they just fell out with her.

The writing is amazing, the characters are superb, and I love how the author actually values the reader. If you are into the whole romance swooning, then there is enough of that in the book to hold your interest. It will just happen after an actual plot.

Bottom line, I loved it the second time as much as the first. I could easily see myself reading it many times over. I hope that the next two books in the series are just as good.

More...

1.45k reviews by:

mj_james_writes

1.45k reviews by:

mj_james_writes

Mistborn: The Final Empire

Infinity Son

Woven in Moonlight

2020 on Goodreads

A History of What Comes Next

Crave

Let's Talk About Love

A Universe of Wishes

A Sky Beyond the Storm

A Curse So Dark and Lonely