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“Sometimes, to regain sanity, one had to acknowledge and embrace the madness.”
Stars (Out of 10): 9/10
Overall Thoughts: I definitely enjoyed this one much more than the first book, as everything seemed to mesh together more! The writing style and plot seemed to click together more in this book, and characters that I either lost interest in in the first book or grew to dislike have redeemed themselves! All in all, this is definitely a book that makes me want to continue the series!
SPOILERS BEGIN HERE
The Good: I loved the character growth of this book, and how things are starting to seem a bit more realistic after the "everyone dies" scheme the first book had, or maybe I'm just getting used to it! I also like how we are learning more about magic and the Watchers, and I hope that trend continues in Gathering Darkness!
The Bad: I didn't like Lucia's sudden transformation at all. It seemed too sudden and out of character. I get how she could lose control and kill her bunny, but her sudden malice with the tutor made no sense at all. The evilness should be something she slowly grew into, not a sudden on and off switch. Also, some deaths still were pointless, like Mira's, and it almost seems like the author wants Cleo isolated.
The Characters: I loved the character growth of Cleo we see, and how much stronger and independent she is becoming! I also began to like the rebels more, as I found that POV kind of boring in Falling Kingdoms. I also am starting to like Magnus again after his sudden evilness at the end of book 1, and he's beginning to redeem himself in my eyes. I am also so happy that Aron is dead, and that I don't have to read his ridiculous words anymore.
The Plot: I thought I would enjoy this book less due to it's rebel based plot, but I actually loved it. It wasn't an amazing second book like ACOMAF or Catching Fire was, but it also didn't have SBS (second book syndrome). It had it's own unique plot and had lots of elements that made the book all it's own, but still built a lot for the rest of the series to use!
The World Building: I still love the world building, and loved that we got to see more into magical side of things. I wished they had gone more into detail of the other lands besides Mytica, as characters from neighboring countries seem to be showing up, but I'll just hope for that in book 3!
The Stereotypical Tropes: There might be a love triangle forming, unrequited love, hate turning to love, tyrant king
The Favorite Character: Cleo!
Buy it, Borrow it, Or Bin it: Buy it!
Stars (Out of 10): 9/10
Overall Thoughts: I definitely enjoyed this one much more than the first book, as everything seemed to mesh together more! The writing style and plot seemed to click together more in this book, and characters that I either lost interest in in the first book or grew to dislike have redeemed themselves! All in all, this is definitely a book that makes me want to continue the series!
SPOILERS BEGIN HERE
The Good: I loved the character growth of this book, and how things are starting to seem a bit more realistic after the "everyone dies" scheme the first book had, or maybe I'm just getting used to it! I also like how we are learning more about magic and the Watchers, and I hope that trend continues in Gathering Darkness!
The Bad: I didn't like Lucia's sudden transformation at all. It seemed too sudden and out of character. I get how she could lose control and kill her bunny, but her sudden malice with the tutor made no sense at all. The evilness should be something she slowly grew into, not a sudden on and off switch. Also, some deaths still were pointless, like Mira's, and it almost seems like the author wants Cleo isolated.
The Characters: I loved the character growth of Cleo we see, and how much stronger and independent she is becoming! I also began to like the rebels more, as I found that POV kind of boring in Falling Kingdoms. I also am starting to like Magnus again after his sudden evilness at the end of book 1, and he's beginning to redeem himself in my eyes. I am also so happy that Aron is dead, and that I don't have to read his ridiculous words anymore.
The Plot: I thought I would enjoy this book less due to it's rebel based plot, but I actually loved it. It wasn't an amazing second book like ACOMAF or Catching Fire was, but it also didn't have SBS (second book syndrome). It had it's own unique plot and had lots of elements that made the book all it's own, but still built a lot for the rest of the series to use!
The World Building: I still love the world building, and loved that we got to see more into magical side of things. I wished they had gone more into detail of the other lands besides Mytica, as characters from neighboring countries seem to be showing up, but I'll just hope for that in book 3!
The Stereotypical Tropes: There might be a love triangle forming, unrequited love, hate turning to love, tyrant king
The Favorite Character: Cleo!
Buy it, Borrow it, Or Bin it: Buy it!
“Even paradise could become a prison if one had enough time to take notice of the walls.”
Stars (Out of 10): 7.5/10
Overall Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book, and how it's written and planned out is different from most fantasy novels. It actually reminded me of how Game of Thrones is formatted, or atleast how I've heard it's formatted, as I haven't read the series yet. There were some parts of the author's style that needed getting used to, such as how frequently she killed off characters and how she went about making those deaths seem important, but I believe that now that I understand Rhodes' style more the rest of the series will seem a bit better. I do believe that with it's flaws, it was still a really good book, and I truly enjoyed it!
SPOILERS BEGIN HERE
The Good: I loved the diversity of the characters, as how they reacted to things was actually quite different from each other. I also enjoyed how the main characters aren't on the same side, so we almost have to choose who we believe is good, and who we want to 'win'.
The Bad: I thought the character deaths seemed a bit too constant, and made the lives of those characters way less important. I also thought that the love of Theon and Cleo was pretty instantaneous, which was a trope I was never truly a fan of.
The Characters: While I loved the characters, I wasn't really a fan of how they died. It was frequent and sometimes unnecessary, with some not really seeming to make a big impact. I do realize that Basilius and Tomas were very important deaths, as they actually moved the plot forward, but the deaths of Theon, King Corvin, and Emilia were a few of the ones that weren't fully made into a plot device yet. However, I hope to see those deaths being put to use in the second book!
The Plot: I enjoyed the plot of this book, but I do feel it was a bit "plain." Don't get me wrong, it was good, but it was also simple. Three countries want power, two gang up on the other, then stronger country betrays weaker country. Even the personal plotlines never truly surprised me, as when there was a twist, it was heavily, very heavily, hinted at, such as Lucia being the orphan child in the prologue and Gauis betraying Basilius. However, the author concealed her plot of the Kindred and magic well, as I did not guess Eirene was the Watcher, and that Cleo would be Eva's descendant.
The World Building: I really enjoyed how they built the world, from it's history to it's current, and gave real reasons for why the war was happening, and why everyone agreed to it. I especially like how the religion and magic was built, and that was definitely one of my favorite aspects of the book.
The Stereotypical Tropes: Insta-Love, A Chosen One/Destined One
The Favorite Character: Theon Ranus (may his poor soul rest in peace)
Buy it, Borrow it, Or Bin it: Buy it!
This review can also be found on my blog: https://paragraphsandpages.wordpress.com/
Because if you don’t choose to fight against the wrong in the world, then you are the wrong in the world.
Stars (Out of 10): 9.5/10
Overall Thoughts: I didn't enjoy this as much as Gathering Darkness, but I still absolutely loved it!! I enjoyed all the POVs except Lucia, especially the new ones introduced of Amara and Felix! The plot was so amazing, and we got to see more of the world that Morgan Rhodes has been built. Overall a great addition to the series, with an action-packed ending! I'm anticipating the next one in December!
SPOILERS BEGIN HERE
The Good: I loved the addition of Felix and Amara's POVs, and loved their ideas on everything, and how they truly aren't "bad." I also continue to love Cleo, and how strong and capable she continues to be, especially in her escape of Amara! The plot and world building were also amazing once again! And finally I get my Cleo and Magnus to be together! (Which I hope continues into the last two books!)
The Bad: I hate Lucia even more now, and honestly I don't really care what happens with her. Her POV was just Blegh to me, and I was tempted to skip them sometimes. Still holding out for a possible redemptions though! Nic is also starting to get on my nerves a bit with his anti-Magnus ness, but I get that from him.
The Characters: Almost everyone got better in this book! I disliked Felix and Amara at the end of book 3 (which I guess I was supposed to) but their POVs made me understand them more! I'm also liking Jonas a bit more, since I never really liked his character all that much.
The Plot: This was definitely my favorite part of the book. The betrayals, the "not dead" dead characters, and a revealing of how magic is going to play into the plot with the kindred! Overall, I loved it, and it introduced so many new things for the series to continue on without making the book seem like a filler!
The World Building: This continues to be impeccable in this series, and as we are continuing to learn more about the world, magic, and kingdoms, I'm enjoying it more and more! I was actually glad to get to see Limeros and The Jewel, as the differing concepts of them compared to Auranos was actually really cool to see!
The Stereotypical Tropes: Cliff Hanger!!
The Favorite Character: Cleo, Magnus, and Felix! (Sorry, I know that's not just one!)
Buy it, Borrow it, or Bin it: Buy it!
Stars (Out of 10): 9.5/10
Overall Thoughts: I didn't enjoy this as much as Gathering Darkness, but I still absolutely loved it!! I enjoyed all the POVs except Lucia, especially the new ones introduced of Amara and Felix! The plot was so amazing, and we got to see more of the world that Morgan Rhodes has been built. Overall a great addition to the series, with an action-packed ending! I'm anticipating the next one in December!
SPOILERS BEGIN HERE
The Good: I loved the addition of Felix and Amara's POVs, and loved their ideas on everything, and how they truly aren't "bad." I also continue to love Cleo, and how strong and capable she continues to be, especially in her escape of Amara! The plot and world building were also amazing once again! And finally I get my Cleo and Magnus to be together! (Which I hope continues into the last two books!)
The Bad: I hate Lucia even more now, and honestly I don't really care what happens with her. Her POV was just Blegh to me, and I was tempted to skip them sometimes. Still holding out for a possible redemptions though! Nic is also starting to get on my nerves a bit with his anti-Magnus ness, but I get that from him.
The Characters: Almost everyone got better in this book! I disliked Felix and Amara at the end of book 3 (which I guess I was supposed to) but their POVs made me understand them more! I'm also liking Jonas a bit more, since I never really liked his character all that much.
The Plot: This was definitely my favorite part of the book. The betrayals, the "not dead" dead characters, and a revealing of how magic is going to play into the plot with the kindred! Overall, I loved it, and it introduced so many new things for the series to continue on without making the book seem like a filler!
The World Building: This continues to be impeccable in this series, and as we are continuing to learn more about the world, magic, and kingdoms, I'm enjoying it more and more! I was actually glad to get to see Limeros and The Jewel, as the differing concepts of them compared to Auranos was actually really cool to see!
The Stereotypical Tropes: Cliff Hanger!!
The Favorite Character: Cleo, Magnus, and Felix! (Sorry, I know that's not just one!)
Buy it, Borrow it, or Bin it: Buy it!
[I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley]
“Be swift as the wind, silent as the forest, fierce as fire, steady as a mountain.”
Stars (Out of 10): 7.5/10
Overall Thoughts: I liked this book a lot more than I thought I would! It wasn’t exactly what I excepted, as it was a bit different from the description made it seem. It also didn’t have a well-known plot, but it actually made sense in this book, as the main character didn’t know what was going on either! Overall, I liked the concept and how “historical” it felt, and it was a nice read.
SPOILERS BEGIN HERE
The Good: I really loved Risuko and Kee Sun, and all the hidden lessons and morals the book had. I also liked how Risuko’s hatred of killing wasn’t too “obvious” in the book, and wasn’t made a bigger deal than it had to be. It seemed realistic as well, with her emotions and reactions matching up to what someone in her situation would realistically do. I also liked how most of the loose ends were tied up at the end, even though it’s a series.
The Bad: Risuko didn’t know what was going on at the school, so we didn’t know much either. In some cases this was a tad annoying, but not too bad. The plot was also sometimes hidden due to the above. I also felt it ended a bit abruptly.
The Characters: There was a great diversity of characters, with all their personalities meshing nicely together. I also enjoyed how no one problem “consumed” Risuko’s POV, such as Toumi’s hatred or Masugu and Meiko. She didn’t spend chapter after chapter on just one problem, but rather reflected on many things at once, which made the book more interesting to read, and less of the same.
The Plot: I won’t say this was the strong suit of the book, as there didn’t seem to be a main plot line, but rather multiple. However, this style did suit with the characters and writing, and the many plot lines didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the book.
The World Building: There wasn’t much of this in the book, or not as much as I would’ve liked. We were told the bare minimum of what we needed to know, and while it was enough to understand the book, I wish there was a bit more background to all the events happening.
The Favorite Character: I really liked Risuko and Kee Sun!
Buy it, Borrow it, or Bin it: Buy it
“Be swift as the wind, silent as the forest, fierce as fire, steady as a mountain.”
Stars (Out of 10): 7.5/10
Overall Thoughts: I liked this book a lot more than I thought I would! It wasn’t exactly what I excepted, as it was a bit different from the description made it seem. It also didn’t have a well-known plot, but it actually made sense in this book, as the main character didn’t know what was going on either! Overall, I liked the concept and how “historical” it felt, and it was a nice read.
SPOILERS BEGIN HERE
The Good: I really loved Risuko and Kee Sun, and all the hidden lessons and morals the book had. I also liked how Risuko’s hatred of killing wasn’t too “obvious” in the book, and wasn’t made a bigger deal than it had to be. It seemed realistic as well, with her emotions and reactions matching up to what someone in her situation would realistically do. I also liked how most of the loose ends were tied up at the end, even though it’s a series.
The Bad: Risuko didn’t know what was going on at the school, so we didn’t know much either. In some cases this was a tad annoying, but not too bad. The plot was also sometimes hidden due to the above. I also felt it ended a bit abruptly.
The Characters: There was a great diversity of characters, with all their personalities meshing nicely together. I also enjoyed how no one problem “consumed” Risuko’s POV, such as Toumi’s hatred or Masugu and Meiko. She didn’t spend chapter after chapter on just one problem, but rather reflected on many things at once, which made the book more interesting to read, and less of the same.
The Plot: I won’t say this was the strong suit of the book, as there didn’t seem to be a main plot line, but rather multiple. However, this style did suit with the characters and writing, and the many plot lines didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the book.
The World Building: There wasn’t much of this in the book, or not as much as I would’ve liked. We were told the bare minimum of what we needed to know, and while it was enough to understand the book, I wish there was a bit more background to all the events happening.
The Favorite Character: I really liked Risuko and Kee Sun!
Buy it, Borrow it, or Bin it: Buy it
“Sometimes I just needed to talk about it, even though it singed like touching the end of a match. I just needed to feel that pain for a moment, to know that it was real. It was my pain. I had earned it by living through it.”
Stars (Out of 10): 3 out of 10
Overall Thoughts: I’m still not sure how I feel about this book. It was everything I expected (from reading Allison’s review), yet somewhat better. The characters were all over the place, and all the sentimental moments seemed way too common and planned, as if the author purposely made Sophelia cry every other paragraph just so Maxton can rush in and save her. However, the plot was not as bad as I expected, just a tad rushed near the end, and way too many “twists” at once. While I did not hate this book, I did not necessarily enjoy the time spent reading it.
SPOILERS BEGIN HERE
The Good: I liked the twins, and the relief they brought from sentimental moments. I was also interested in the world itself actually, and how the economy and government was so different. Besides that, I didn’t like much.
The Bad: The characters. The sentimental moments.The constant misunderstandings that happened wayyyy too often.
The Characters: Maxton and Sophelia are the definition of an angsty, unrealistic, insta-love. Sophelia is portrayed as this super strong character, and while in some moments she can be, she’s often not, and cries multiple times a chapter. Now, she was a slave, I understand her having lingering problems from that, but those crying sessions aren’t always that. Often times it’s because of her taking something Maxton said super wrong. Like you could never draw the conclusion she did wrong. And after a while, I got so sick of the apologizing and “speeches” Maxton had to do and say after each of her breakdowns, that I started to skim read them, as it was just the same thing every time.
The Plot: This was okay. If you take it in the context of a single book (which I originally thought it was), the beginning of the book had no bigger plot than them running away. However, we see it unfold when the twins come in (although very suddenly), and it seems to be fairly interesting. Until it turns into just running again, except to somewhere instead of away. The ending was also very abrupt, and we saw abnormally tiny chapters for the book try to wrap up the ending, as well as introduce some very key twists. However, the doll rarely gets actually used, despite being “important.” There were also a lot of things built up that were simply never used.
The World Building: While it wasn’t the best I’ve seen from fantasy/sci-fi novels, it was okay. It was better than the characters and plot at least, but not enough to truly enjoy the book.
The Favorite Character: I mean I kinda liked the twins, so I guess them?
Buy it, Borrow it, or Bin it: Bin it, unless you want to read a romance novel dressed up as sci-fi.
This review can also be found on my blog: https://paragraphsandpages.wordpress.com/
Stars (Out of 10): 3 out of 10
Overall Thoughts: I’m still not sure how I feel about this book. It was everything I expected (from reading Allison’s review), yet somewhat better. The characters were all over the place, and all the sentimental moments seemed way too common and planned, as if the author purposely made Sophelia cry every other paragraph just so Maxton can rush in and save her. However, the plot was not as bad as I expected, just a tad rushed near the end, and way too many “twists” at once. While I did not hate this book, I did not necessarily enjoy the time spent reading it.
SPOILERS BEGIN HERE
The Good: I liked the twins, and the relief they brought from sentimental moments. I was also interested in the world itself actually, and how the economy and government was so different. Besides that, I didn’t like much.
The Bad: The characters. The sentimental moments.The constant misunderstandings that happened wayyyy too often.
The Characters: Maxton and Sophelia are the definition of an angsty, unrealistic, insta-love. Sophelia is portrayed as this super strong character, and while in some moments she can be, she’s often not, and cries multiple times a chapter. Now, she was a slave, I understand her having lingering problems from that, but those crying sessions aren’t always that. Often times it’s because of her taking something Maxton said super wrong. Like you could never draw the conclusion she did wrong. And after a while, I got so sick of the apologizing and “speeches” Maxton had to do and say after each of her breakdowns, that I started to skim read them, as it was just the same thing every time.
The Plot: This was okay. If you take it in the context of a single book (which I originally thought it was), the beginning of the book had no bigger plot than them running away. However, we see it unfold when the twins come in (although very suddenly), and it seems to be fairly interesting. Until it turns into just running again, except to somewhere instead of away. The ending was also very abrupt, and we saw abnormally tiny chapters for the book try to wrap up the ending, as well as introduce some very key twists. However, the doll rarely gets actually used, despite being “important.” There were also a lot of things built up that were simply never used.
The World Building: While it wasn’t the best I’ve seen from fantasy/sci-fi novels, it was okay. It was better than the characters and plot at least, but not enough to truly enjoy the book.
The Favorite Character: I mean I kinda liked the twins, so I guess them?
Buy it, Borrow it, or Bin it: Bin it, unless you want to read a romance novel dressed up as sci-fi.
This review can also be found on my blog: https://paragraphsandpages.wordpress.com/
“There was nothing healthy about desperately wanting something you couldn't have.”
Stars (Out of 10): 6/10 Stars
Overall Thoughts: This book reminded me a lot of the hush hush series. An interesting plot that can often be overshadowed by the romantic tension. While I did enjoy most parts of the romance in this book, it definitely seemed more like a second plot, rather than adding to the main plot that was already there. I did like the hierarchy of the angels and demons though, and how that was explained fairly well. The characters were also fairly diverse in personality, which made it more interesting as well. Overall, I enjoyed it, but it could’ve been better.
SPOILERS BEGIN HERE
The Good: I liked the idea and main plot of the book, and thought they did a pretty good job of explaining the background of the story and the major components, such as how the Neph and demon system worked, that it needed to go off of. I also enjoyed the diversity in the characters!
The Bad: While I love romance in books, it was a bit overshadowing in this book. Often times the tension between Kaidan and Anna distracted from what was actually going on.
The Characters: I liked the variety in characters that we saw in this book. We had Anna, a religious good girl finding out she’s meant to peddle drugs and addictive substances. We had the sex object male Kaidan, meant to draw Anna’s attention. We had twins that actually differed greatly in personality. We had a stoic and calm Kopano, who differed greatly from who he was supposed to be. And then we also had more normal human friends, who brought some relief from the “supernaturalism” of it all. I also loved how we saw Anna change throughout the book as she comes to terms to who she is, and what it means for her future.
The Plot: I enjoyed the plot quite a bit, as we saw Anna more have to learn how to protect herself, and have to work to do so, rather than Kaidan, Kopano, and/or her father just protect her from it all. I also loved the gradual increase of influence the Dukes had on the book, and how they are just going to be a distant aggressor, but be up close and personal in the upcoming books. I found that whole concept quite interesting, and am glad to see it’s continued existence.
The Favorite Character: I don’t think there truly is one yet. I’m rooting for Anna and Kaidan, but both have their flaws that the moment.
Buy it, Borrow it, or Bin it: Borrow it
This review can also be found on my blog: https://paragraphsandpages.wordpress.com/
Stars (Out of 10): 6/10 Stars
Overall Thoughts: This book reminded me a lot of the hush hush series. An interesting plot that can often be overshadowed by the romantic tension. While I did enjoy most parts of the romance in this book, it definitely seemed more like a second plot, rather than adding to the main plot that was already there. I did like the hierarchy of the angels and demons though, and how that was explained fairly well. The characters were also fairly diverse in personality, which made it more interesting as well. Overall, I enjoyed it, but it could’ve been better.
SPOILERS BEGIN HERE
The Good: I liked the idea and main plot of the book, and thought they did a pretty good job of explaining the background of the story and the major components, such as how the Neph and demon system worked, that it needed to go off of. I also enjoyed the diversity in the characters!
The Bad: While I love romance in books, it was a bit overshadowing in this book. Often times the tension between Kaidan and Anna distracted from what was actually going on.
The Characters: I liked the variety in characters that we saw in this book. We had Anna, a religious good girl finding out she’s meant to peddle drugs and addictive substances. We had the sex object male Kaidan, meant to draw Anna’s attention. We had twins that actually differed greatly in personality. We had a stoic and calm Kopano, who differed greatly from who he was supposed to be. And then we also had more normal human friends, who brought some relief from the “supernaturalism” of it all. I also loved how we saw Anna change throughout the book as she comes to terms to who she is, and what it means for her future.
The Plot: I enjoyed the plot quite a bit, as we saw Anna more have to learn how to protect herself, and have to work to do so, rather than Kaidan, Kopano, and/or her father just protect her from it all. I also loved the gradual increase of influence the Dukes had on the book, and how they are just going to be a distant aggressor, but be up close and personal in the upcoming books. I found that whole concept quite interesting, and am glad to see it’s continued existence.
The Favorite Character: I don’t think there truly is one yet. I’m rooting for Anna and Kaidan, but both have their flaws that the moment.
Buy it, Borrow it, or Bin it: Borrow it
This review can also be found on my blog: https://paragraphsandpages.wordpress.com/
“The Garde didn’t start this war, but they’ll do whatever it takes to end it once and for all.”
Stars (Out of 10): 9/10 stars
Overall Thoughts: This was definitely an amazing ending to one of my favorite series. It had closure, finality, yet still was completely action packed. I got to see the end result of all the trials these characters were put through, and how strong everyone became because of it. The final battle wasn’t easy still though, showing just how “immortal” Setrakus Ra was. We also learned more of how Lorien and Earth would coexist, as well as more history and details of both Ra’s plan, and of the Loric. We also saw how tough loss can be on characters, and we saw both John and Marina face the difficulties of going on when everything seems lost. Overall, a great ending that I truly loved, to a loved series I truly recommend.
SPOILERS BEGIN HERE
The Good: I loved the (mostly complete) closure we got from both the story and the epilogue. I also liked how we saw the characters actually affected by all these events, and not have them just brush over them. I also enjoyed the final battle, and seeing the growth in everyone’s legacies and ability to control them. The plot was also really interesting, seeing the collapse of Ra’s army from the inside a bit, and having the human Garde play a role as well.
The Bad: I felt the book was very “John” centered. I know he was the main Garde we started out with, but I saw the others gain more spotlight in the other books, and grew to like them more than John even. I felt like we missed out on a lot of possible scenes from the POV of Nine or Marina or Sam, that would allow us to know them more. I felt more distanced from them in this book, almost as if their role had been played in the previous books, and were now just there to help John carry out “his” mission. Like Nine said, “When did we become the sidekicks?” This is the main reason this book did not receive a 10/10 from me.
The Characters: Both in the book and the series, I loved the growth we saw in the characters. From John being scared of the lowest Mogadorian, to the just blasting them left and right with their Legacies, they came a long way both physically and mentally. We also saw the characters realistically dealing with loss, rather than just brushing it off like it was no big deal, a common trait of books. We also saw Marina and John hadn’t ever fully “recovered” from their losses, which made a ton of sense.
The Plot: While I agree with others that it was slow and less action-packed in the beginning, I felt it set up the ending perfectly. We still saw tons of action in the battles that did take place, even if the build-up was longer for them.
The Favorite Character: I still really love Six, and I liked Sam more because of this book.
Buy it, Borrow it, or Bin it: Buy it!
This review can also be found on my blog: https://paragraphsandpages.wordpress.com/
Stars (Out of 10): 9/10 stars
Overall Thoughts: This was definitely an amazing ending to one of my favorite series. It had closure, finality, yet still was completely action packed. I got to see the end result of all the trials these characters were put through, and how strong everyone became because of it. The final battle wasn’t easy still though, showing just how “immortal” Setrakus Ra was. We also learned more of how Lorien and Earth would coexist, as well as more history and details of both Ra’s plan, and of the Loric. We also saw how tough loss can be on characters, and we saw both John and Marina face the difficulties of going on when everything seems lost. Overall, a great ending that I truly loved, to a loved series I truly recommend.
SPOILERS BEGIN HERE
The Good: I loved the (mostly complete) closure we got from both the story and the epilogue. I also liked how we saw the characters actually affected by all these events, and not have them just brush over them. I also enjoyed the final battle, and seeing the growth in everyone’s legacies and ability to control them. The plot was also really interesting, seeing the collapse of Ra’s army from the inside a bit, and having the human Garde play a role as well.
The Bad: I felt the book was very “John” centered. I know he was the main Garde we started out with, but I saw the others gain more spotlight in the other books, and grew to like them more than John even. I felt like we missed out on a lot of possible scenes from the POV of Nine or Marina or Sam, that would allow us to know them more. I felt more distanced from them in this book, almost as if their role had been played in the previous books, and were now just there to help John carry out “his” mission. Like Nine said, “When did we become the sidekicks?” This is the main reason this book did not receive a 10/10 from me.
The Characters: Both in the book and the series, I loved the growth we saw in the characters. From John being scared of the lowest Mogadorian, to the just blasting them left and right with their Legacies, they came a long way both physically and mentally. We also saw the characters realistically dealing with loss, rather than just brushing it off like it was no big deal, a common trait of books. We also saw Marina and John hadn’t ever fully “recovered” from their losses, which made a ton of sense.
The Plot: While I agree with others that it was slow and less action-packed in the beginning, I felt it set up the ending perfectly. We still saw tons of action in the battles that did take place, even if the build-up was longer for them.
The Favorite Character: I still really love Six, and I liked Sam more because of this book.
Buy it, Borrow it, or Bin it: Buy it!
This review can also be found on my blog: https://paragraphsandpages.wordpress.com/
“We had a secret knowledge that demons couldn't fathom. They saw love as a weakness, but they were wrong. Love would keep us going, love was our strength.”
Stars (Out of 10): 8/10
Overall Thoughts: I definitely liked this book wayyy more than the first. The tension between Kaidan and Anna definitely let up a lot, and Anna became stronger. A plot also appeared, so it feels like there’s a reason to actually continue with the series! Overall, I’m actually excited to read the last book now and see how it all plays out.
SPOILERS BEGIN HERE
The Good: We saw growth in our characters, a plot that appeared, and Kaidan finally stopping his on and offness towards Anna, which I was getting really sick of.
The Bad: I feel like Jay and Veronica, and Anna’s entire normal life in general, kinda disappeared without anyone seeming to worry about that. How did she explain away her party lifestyle to Jay and Veronica? Her classes didn’t suffer? At least she’s graduated now, so the lack of a “normal life” can make more sense for a while.
The Characters: I think we definitely saw some growth in Anna this book. She became stronger, both physically and mentally, and actually talked back to Kaidan about he was so on and off and how it wasn’t fair. I also liked that we got to see more of the other Neph, and learn more about the others outside of their circle.
The Plot: Oh dear plot how I had missed you in the first book! We finally know why this story is even being told, and what hopefully will happen by the end of the series!
The Favorite Character: I really liked Zania and Blake, but Anna is becoming cooler too.
Buy it, Borrow it, or Bin it: Borrow it
This review can also be found on my blog: https://paragraphsandpages.wordpress.com/
Stars (Out of 10): 8/10
Overall Thoughts: I definitely liked this book wayyy more than the first. The tension between Kaidan and Anna definitely let up a lot, and Anna became stronger. A plot also appeared, so it feels like there’s a reason to actually continue with the series! Overall, I’m actually excited to read the last book now and see how it all plays out.
SPOILERS BEGIN HERE
The Good: We saw growth in our characters, a plot that appeared, and Kaidan finally stopping his on and offness towards Anna, which I was getting really sick of.
The Bad: I feel like Jay and Veronica, and Anna’s entire normal life in general, kinda disappeared without anyone seeming to worry about that. How did she explain away her party lifestyle to Jay and Veronica? Her classes didn’t suffer? At least she’s graduated now, so the lack of a “normal life” can make more sense for a while.
The Characters: I think we definitely saw some growth in Anna this book. She became stronger, both physically and mentally, and actually talked back to Kaidan about he was so on and off and how it wasn’t fair. I also liked that we got to see more of the other Neph, and learn more about the others outside of their circle.
The Plot: Oh dear plot how I had missed you in the first book! We finally know why this story is even being told, and what hopefully will happen by the end of the series!
The Favorite Character: I really liked Zania and Blake, but Anna is becoming cooler too.
Buy it, Borrow it, or Bin it: Borrow it
This review can also be found on my blog: https://paragraphsandpages.wordpress.com/
“And for the first time in his life Peter understood what the opposite of lost was: that it had nothing to do with maps or directions or staying on course; that it was, in fact, nothing more than being found.”
Stars (Out of 10): 9/10
Overall Thoughts: Jennifer E. Smith’s books are always a nice break from the tension and seriousness a lot of other books and series have. It’s always nice being able to pick up one of her books noncommittally, thinking “I’m going to feel something while reading this, and it’s going to be great, and then my life will go on a little bit better because of this good thing.” That was no different with this book. While I liked the characters a little less than some of the other books of hers, I still really enjoyed it. If you’re a fan of the writing style that purposely tries to mean something, and succeeds, this book, and her books in general, are definitely a thing for you.
SPOILERS BEGIN HERE
The Good: I always love the language of Smith’s books, and how the metaphors and sentences so easily make me feel something, and feel as if I completely know where these characters are coming from, and that I too am a part in their story. I also love the growth and change we actually see take course over these couple days in Emma and Peter’s lives, as they accept the people around them a bit more, and learn how to better be themselves, accepting that as well.
The Bad: There were so many times I hated Emma, for the things she said that she shouldn’t have, and for the things she didn’t say when she should’ve. While we do see this change, it made some scenes a tad less enjoyable. I’m also upset we never got a name for that dog >:(
The Characters: There was a pretty broad cast of characters in this one. We saw basically a switcheroo of families and kids, Emma not fitting into hers, and Peter not fitting into his. We see them grow in understand through their road trip, which is definitely the best part. They start appreciating what they have, now that they have put it all on the line,
The Plot: While I guess there wasn’t much in the way of this, I did still enjoy it. From the road trip(always have had a thing for those, especially after Paper Towns), to seeing how all the little pieces came into play, the plot was still there enough to keep me enraptured in the emotional story that was taking place at the same time.
The Favorite Character: Peter
Buy it, Borrow it, or Bin it: Buy it
This review can also be found on my blog: https://paragraphsandpages.wordpress.com/
Stars (Out of 10): 9/10
Overall Thoughts: Jennifer E. Smith’s books are always a nice break from the tension and seriousness a lot of other books and series have. It’s always nice being able to pick up one of her books noncommittally, thinking “I’m going to feel something while reading this, and it’s going to be great, and then my life will go on a little bit better because of this good thing.” That was no different with this book. While I liked the characters a little less than some of the other books of hers, I still really enjoyed it. If you’re a fan of the writing style that purposely tries to mean something, and succeeds, this book, and her books in general, are definitely a thing for you.
SPOILERS BEGIN HERE
The Good: I always love the language of Smith’s books, and how the metaphors and sentences so easily make me feel something, and feel as if I completely know where these characters are coming from, and that I too am a part in their story. I also love the growth and change we actually see take course over these couple days in Emma and Peter’s lives, as they accept the people around them a bit more, and learn how to better be themselves, accepting that as well.
The Bad: There were so many times I hated Emma, for the things she said that she shouldn’t have, and for the things she didn’t say when she should’ve. While we do see this change, it made some scenes a tad less enjoyable. I’m also upset we never got a name for that dog >:(
The Characters: There was a pretty broad cast of characters in this one. We saw basically a switcheroo of families and kids, Emma not fitting into hers, and Peter not fitting into his. We see them grow in understand through their road trip, which is definitely the best part. They start appreciating what they have, now that they have put it all on the line,
The Plot: While I guess there wasn’t much in the way of this, I did still enjoy it. From the road trip(always have had a thing for those, especially after Paper Towns), to seeing how all the little pieces came into play, the plot was still there enough to keep me enraptured in the emotional story that was taking place at the same time.
The Favorite Character: Peter
Buy it, Borrow it, or Bin it: Buy it
This review can also be found on my blog: https://paragraphsandpages.wordpress.com/
“Life was often so cruel, so ugly. And then, in the midst of all the madness, a precious gift would be placed in your lap. Because life could also be so sweet.”
Stars (Out of 10): 8.5/10 Stars
Overall Thoughts: I’ve come to really like this series as the books went on. Compared to the first book, this last one was a major improvement. Sexual tension was no longer driving the story, there was a proper plot, and there has been growth in all of our characters.
SPOILERS BEGIN HERE
The Good: I liked how there was both plot and character moments in this book, allowing us to still see all the characters in action one last time. I also liked that some Dukes not choosing enlightenment affected their children, since they had been raised by those fathers, even if in a cruel way. Almost all the events seemed pretty realistic, and I was kept on the edge of my seat for the final battle.
The Bad: The ending was a tad predictable, and the final battle seemed super lucky in my opinion. However, there wasn’t much bad besides that.
The Characters: I liked how we saw redemption for some of the more unlikable characters, and all the moments where we got to see all the characters true personalities away from the Dukes, such as the dinner at Patti’s. I don’t feel any one character was ignored, and their influence on the book was really balanced with importance to the story.
The Plot: I liked where this book took the story, from Marna becoming pregnant, to Jay being filled in on everything rather than being cast to the side, and how all the previous problems still needed to be solved, such as Anna’s virginity. Overall, it ended with a lot of closure, which is always a nice thing in a series like this.
The Favorite Character: Marna
Buy it, Borrow it, or Bin it: Buy it
This review can also be found on my blog: https://paragraphsandpages.wordpress.com/
Stars (Out of 10): 8.5/10 Stars
Overall Thoughts: I’ve come to really like this series as the books went on. Compared to the first book, this last one was a major improvement. Sexual tension was no longer driving the story, there was a proper plot, and there has been growth in all of our characters.
SPOILERS BEGIN HERE
The Good: I liked how there was both plot and character moments in this book, allowing us to still see all the characters in action one last time. I also liked that some Dukes not choosing enlightenment affected their children, since they had been raised by those fathers, even if in a cruel way. Almost all the events seemed pretty realistic, and I was kept on the edge of my seat for the final battle.
The Bad: The ending was a tad predictable, and the final battle seemed super lucky in my opinion. However, there wasn’t much bad besides that.
The Characters: I liked how we saw redemption for some of the more unlikable characters, and all the moments where we got to see all the characters true personalities away from the Dukes, such as the dinner at Patti’s. I don’t feel any one character was ignored, and their influence on the book was really balanced with importance to the story.
The Plot: I liked where this book took the story, from Marna becoming pregnant, to Jay being filled in on everything rather than being cast to the side, and how all the previous problems still needed to be solved, such as Anna’s virginity. Overall, it ended with a lot of closure, which is always a nice thing in a series like this.
The Favorite Character: Marna
Buy it, Borrow it, or Bin it: Buy it
This review can also be found on my blog: https://paragraphsandpages.wordpress.com/