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popthebutterfly
Rating: 4.5/5
Genre: Sci-Fi
Recommended Age: 16+ (some language, gore, and mature scenes)
Favorite Quote: "'Cursed to fail'".
Excerpt from Amazon: The year is 2026 A.D. Allister Adams faces unusual woes of young adulthood; superhuman powers, amnesia from childhood trauma, an emotionally distant mother and the loss of purpose that comes with being stifled by peers and authorities. In a final effort, the Andromeda Project has approached Allister to see if he qualifies for their group of recruits tasked with locating ancient alien power hidden on Earth. But the Andromeda Project isn't the only organization after it and they aren't the only organization after Allister either. How can Allister decide between who's right, who's wrong and what's necessary? THERE IS ONLY SELF-PRESERVATION.
I was provided a copy of this book for free in exchange for promotion and for my honest review. This exchange did not sway my opinion in any way.
I'm a novice to the sci-fi world and I usually leave those books to my husband, but when I saw this book I had to read it. The description drew me in and I couldn't stop thinking about it. The book was an incredible journey from the beginning to the end. The book is written from the perspective of multiple POVs and it jumps from different places and time periods. This writing style allows the reader to become very acquainted with all of the main characters and to know their motives and their drives on a more personal level. The book's time shifts also allows the reader to know the whole story and thus the plot is very well explained. I also found the book to be a very easy and engaging read.
The only thing that I would think would be off-putting to some is the pacing and the multiple POVs. The pacing of the book is pretty fast and having multiple POVs is sometimes confusing. Honestly, I wasn't a big fan of the pacing and the numerous POVs, but I feel that the writing style worked for this type of book. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait to read the next books in this series! This is the author's debut feature length novel and I foresee many great works from him in the future. Happy reading!
Genre: Sci-Fi
Recommended Age: 16+ (some language, gore, and mature scenes)
Favorite Quote: "'Cursed to fail'".
Excerpt from Amazon: The year is 2026 A.D. Allister Adams faces unusual woes of young adulthood; superhuman powers, amnesia from childhood trauma, an emotionally distant mother and the loss of purpose that comes with being stifled by peers and authorities. In a final effort, the Andromeda Project has approached Allister to see if he qualifies for their group of recruits tasked with locating ancient alien power hidden on Earth. But the Andromeda Project isn't the only organization after it and they aren't the only organization after Allister either. How can Allister decide between who's right, who's wrong and what's necessary? THERE IS ONLY SELF-PRESERVATION.
I was provided a copy of this book for free in exchange for promotion and for my honest review. This exchange did not sway my opinion in any way.
I'm a novice to the sci-fi world and I usually leave those books to my husband, but when I saw this book I had to read it. The description drew me in and I couldn't stop thinking about it. The book was an incredible journey from the beginning to the end. The book is written from the perspective of multiple POVs and it jumps from different places and time periods. This writing style allows the reader to become very acquainted with all of the main characters and to know their motives and their drives on a more personal level. The book's time shifts also allows the reader to know the whole story and thus the plot is very well explained. I also found the book to be a very easy and engaging read.
The only thing that I would think would be off-putting to some is the pacing and the multiple POVs. The pacing of the book is pretty fast and having multiple POVs is sometimes confusing. Honestly, I wasn't a big fan of the pacing and the numerous POVs, but I feel that the writing style worked for this type of book. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait to read the next books in this series! This is the author's debut feature length novel and I foresee many great works from him in the future. Happy reading!
Rating: 5/5
Genre: Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (some mature and depressing scenes. Some triggering scenes).
Favorite Quote: “Tallis is a beautiful and terrible thing. Fearsome and alluring. Just like the forest in many ways... but it's written all over that handsome, pale face of yours; you like her.”
Monsters come in many forms, and not everyone knows a monster when they see one. After three hundred years of monstrous, feral elves plaguing the island nation of Selkirk, everyone believes they know what a monster is. Humans have learned to live with their savage neighbors, enacting a Clearing every four years to push the elves back from their borders. The system has worked for centuries, until after one such purge, a babe was found in the forest.
As Tallis grows, she discovers she isn't like everyone else. There is something a little different that makes people leery in her presence, and she only ever makes a handful of friends.
But when the elves gather their forces and emerge from the forests literally hissing Tallis's name like a battle mantra, making friends is the least of her troubles. Tallis and her companions find themselves on an unwilling journey to not only clear her name, but to stop the elves from ravaging her homeland. - Amazon
I was presented with a free ebook copy of this book in exchange for promoting the book on my blog and for review purposes. This did not sway my opinion of this book in any manner.
I'm back you guys! And with another exciting review of a book that I became so swept away with! When I read the premise of this book I knew it was going to be good... I just never imagined how good it would be! I fell completely in love with this book. The characters were all very well developed and had interesting backstories and quirks about them, the makeup of the core characters did not have the traditional roles one would expect them to possess in a story like this, and they all failed at points. While none of us like to read about failure or loss, it makes the characters more human and makes the reader cheer for them even harder. I could go on and on about how well developed every single character in this book is, but I'll just leave it at this: I believed at times I was reading a book penned by Terry Brooks. Thats how well done this book is. Aside from that, I also felt the plot was very well developed and the pacing was steady. The story actually begins a bit before the events of what the excerpt talks about and the story isn't fast paced or forced. The writing isn't hard to read or understand as well.
The only bad thing about it is that when you have to put down the book I found myself having to read back a few pages to try and jog my memory as to what's going on... However I am just coming back from a trip and I'm not getting a lot of sleep so maybe it's more than likely just an issue with me and not the book. Overall I think this was a wonderful book to begin a series with and I'M SO EXCITED FOR THE NEXT BOOK!!!
Genre: Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (some mature and depressing scenes. Some triggering scenes).
Favorite Quote: “Tallis is a beautiful and terrible thing. Fearsome and alluring. Just like the forest in many ways... but it's written all over that handsome, pale face of yours; you like her.”
Monsters come in many forms, and not everyone knows a monster when they see one. After three hundred years of monstrous, feral elves plaguing the island nation of Selkirk, everyone believes they know what a monster is. Humans have learned to live with their savage neighbors, enacting a Clearing every four years to push the elves back from their borders. The system has worked for centuries, until after one such purge, a babe was found in the forest.
As Tallis grows, she discovers she isn't like everyone else. There is something a little different that makes people leery in her presence, and she only ever makes a handful of friends.
But when the elves gather their forces and emerge from the forests literally hissing Tallis's name like a battle mantra, making friends is the least of her troubles. Tallis and her companions find themselves on an unwilling journey to not only clear her name, but to stop the elves from ravaging her homeland. - Amazon
I was presented with a free ebook copy of this book in exchange for promoting the book on my blog and for review purposes. This did not sway my opinion of this book in any manner.
I'm back you guys! And with another exciting review of a book that I became so swept away with! When I read the premise of this book I knew it was going to be good... I just never imagined how good it would be! I fell completely in love with this book. The characters were all very well developed and had interesting backstories and quirks about them, the makeup of the core characters did not have the traditional roles one would expect them to possess in a story like this, and they all failed at points. While none of us like to read about failure or loss, it makes the characters more human and makes the reader cheer for them even harder. I could go on and on about how well developed every single character in this book is, but I'll just leave it at this: I believed at times I was reading a book penned by Terry Brooks. Thats how well done this book is. Aside from that, I also felt the plot was very well developed and the pacing was steady. The story actually begins a bit before the events of what the excerpt talks about and the story isn't fast paced or forced. The writing isn't hard to read or understand as well.
The only bad thing about it is that when you have to put down the book I found myself having to read back a few pages to try and jog my memory as to what's going on... However I am just coming back from a trip and I'm not getting a lot of sleep so maybe it's more than likely just an issue with me and not the book. Overall I think this was a wonderful book to begin a series with and I'M SO EXCITED FOR THE NEXT BOOK!!!
Rating: 3/5
Genre: Contemporary
Recommended Age: 16+ (mature scenes, language. Some triggering scenes)
Favorite Quote: “But, Audrey, that’s what life is. We’re all on a jagged graph. I know I am. Up a bit, down a bit. That’s life.”
“Audrey wears dark glasses all the time, even in the house. She almost never goes out, doesn’t talk to new people, and finds making eye contact to be nearly impossible.
But then one day she meets Linus. Linus is her brother’s friend and a sensitive spirit with whom she can talk through her fears. He makes her laugh and doesn’t leave her feeling like she’s being judged. As their friendship deepens, Audrey’s recovery gains momentum, and she and Linus begin to develop feelings for each other. But how can they have a future together when Audrey hasn’t dealt with her past? And how could anyone ever love her once they’ve seen her at her worst?” – Amazon.com
I never thought I would be the one to fall in love with audio books. I had actually won this audio book in a giveaway and I thought I would try it out. The biggest reason I wanted to try it out was because I had recently been in a car accident… and as a result I’ve been having mini freak-outs in the car while driving. I thought the audio book would help me be calm and surprisingly it worked. However, this won’t be a lasting fix, kind of like what Audrey is dealing with. She fixes herself with dark sunglasses and by sitting in dark rooms. She doesn’t go outside and she stays away from anyone not in her safe circle. And while her doctor urges her to push herself, it’s really hard.
I have never read a book that I cheered for the main character to succeed more than this one. I fell in love with Audrey and her struggles became my struggles. The story was so beautifully narrated and I loved the back and forth style between a regular writing and the transcripts of the videos Audrey was urged to make by her doctor. I also loved how the book was written in a way that Audrey continually breaks the fourth wall. The characters were also, for the most part, very well developed and they felt real as well.
While I enjoyed this book and I found myself sitting in my car listening to it well after I had parked, I felt that the plot could have been better. I fell that the main climax of the story happened way too late and that some of the events could have been written better. I felt that Audrey didn’t have as many “setbacks” as someone who is dealing with mental health issues does. It felt that when she found a guy that most of her problems resolved themselves and that the main climax was a bit of a letdown. I also felt that the book didn’t discuss the dangers of what happened to Audrey towards the end enough. The main character was fine and nothing seriously dangerous happened to her, while in reality the type of activity she engages in can do serious and sometimes irreparable damage to people. Furthermore, the main action that happened to Audrey was never discussed in the book. While I kind of liked how the event wasn’t discussed (because this story was made to focus on mental health issues) I didn’t like how the event was mentioned, but never fully discussed. It’s aggravating to a reader to not know the whole story and that’s the situation I found myself in, aggravated and needing more when there is no more to be had. Overall I enjoyed the book for the most part and I felt that it was a very good first audio book, I just wish that the book was better in many ways.
Genre: Contemporary
Recommended Age: 16+ (mature scenes, language. Some triggering scenes)
Favorite Quote: “But, Audrey, that’s what life is. We’re all on a jagged graph. I know I am. Up a bit, down a bit. That’s life.”
“Audrey wears dark glasses all the time, even in the house. She almost never goes out, doesn’t talk to new people, and finds making eye contact to be nearly impossible.
But then one day she meets Linus. Linus is her brother’s friend and a sensitive spirit with whom she can talk through her fears. He makes her laugh and doesn’t leave her feeling like she’s being judged. As their friendship deepens, Audrey’s recovery gains momentum, and she and Linus begin to develop feelings for each other. But how can they have a future together when Audrey hasn’t dealt with her past? And how could anyone ever love her once they’ve seen her at her worst?” – Amazon.com
I never thought I would be the one to fall in love with audio books. I had actually won this audio book in a giveaway and I thought I would try it out. The biggest reason I wanted to try it out was because I had recently been in a car accident… and as a result I’ve been having mini freak-outs in the car while driving. I thought the audio book would help me be calm and surprisingly it worked. However, this won’t be a lasting fix, kind of like what Audrey is dealing with. She fixes herself with dark sunglasses and by sitting in dark rooms. She doesn’t go outside and she stays away from anyone not in her safe circle. And while her doctor urges her to push herself, it’s really hard.
I have never read a book that I cheered for the main character to succeed more than this one. I fell in love with Audrey and her struggles became my struggles. The story was so beautifully narrated and I loved the back and forth style between a regular writing and the transcripts of the videos Audrey was urged to make by her doctor. I also loved how the book was written in a way that Audrey continually breaks the fourth wall. The characters were also, for the most part, very well developed and they felt real as well.
While I enjoyed this book and I found myself sitting in my car listening to it well after I had parked, I felt that the plot could have been better. I fell that the main climax of the story happened way too late and that some of the events could have been written better. I felt that Audrey didn’t have as many “setbacks” as someone who is dealing with mental health issues does. It felt that when she found a guy that most of her problems resolved themselves and that the main climax was a bit of a letdown. I also felt that the book didn’t discuss the dangers of what happened to Audrey towards the end enough. The main character was fine and nothing seriously dangerous happened to her, while in reality the type of activity she engages in can do serious and sometimes irreparable damage to people. Furthermore, the main action that happened to Audrey was never discussed in the book. While I kind of liked how the event wasn’t discussed (because this story was made to focus on mental health issues) I didn’t like how the event was mentioned, but never fully discussed. It’s aggravating to a reader to not know the whole story and that’s the situation I found myself in, aggravated and needing more when there is no more to be had. Overall I enjoyed the book for the most part and I felt that it was a very good first audio book, I just wish that the book was better in many ways.
Rating: 3.5/5
Genre: Contemporary
Recommended Age: 16+ (some mature scenes and lots of language).
Favorite Quote: “But you can't stay with people because of guilt. Or because they can drive a speedboat.”
When twenty-eight-year-old Lexi Smart wakes up in a London hospital, she’s in for a big surprise. Her teeth are perfect. Her body is toned. Her handbag is Vuitton. Having survived a car accident—in a Mercedes no less—Lexi has lost a big chunk of her memory, three years to be exact, and she’s about to find out just how much things have changed, Somehow Lexi went from a twenty-five-year-old working girl to a corporate big shot with a sleek new loft, a personal assistant, a carb-free diet, and a set of glamorous new friends. And who is this gorgeous husband—who also happens to be a multimillionaire? With her mind still stuck three years in reverse, Lexi greets this brave new world determined to be the person she…well, seems to be. That is, until an adorably disheveled architect drops the biggest bombshell of all. Suddenly Lexi is scrambling to catch her balance. Her new life, it turns out, comes complete with secrets, schemes, and intrigue. How on earth did all this happen? Will she ever remember? And what will happen when she does? – Amazon.com
Have you ever fell and hit your head really, really hard? Have you ever lost your memory from it? Ever wake up and realize that you lost a couple of hours? While that’s terrifying enough, imagine if you lost a couple of years. That’s the situation Lexi finds herself in when you read or listen to this book. Her whole world is completely different and even she is a different person altogether. This book’s strengths are definitely in character development. Sophie Kinsella always writes these very relatable main and supporting characters and this book is no different. While I can’t attest for how the book was written (since my copy was an audio book) I can say that the audio book was very well done for the most part (females trying to speak in male tones kind of off-puts me but I dealt with it) and it seems like an easy read for anyone.
However, I did have issues with this book. I felt that the pacing was a bit weird. It jumped from a slow paced book to a fast paced one towards the end of the book. It felt like Kinsella wanted to end the book fast, but she really had enough material to make a duology or triology out of the books. Another complaint of mine was that I felt the plot was meh. No one really seemed to get that losing 3 years of memories means that you don’t remember what happened in a phone conversation last week. Also Sophie seems to have this issue where the main climax of the book does not happen until the very end of the book. The book also ends without wrapping up the biggest conflict in the whole book and it doesn’t give any finality of Lexi’s story.
While I enjoyed the book for the most part I did not like the ending of it. It was a decent contemporary read though and other people might like the overall message about it, but it just wasn’t for me I’m sorry to say.
Genre: Contemporary
Recommended Age: 16+ (some mature scenes and lots of language).
Favorite Quote: “But you can't stay with people because of guilt. Or because they can drive a speedboat.”
When twenty-eight-year-old Lexi Smart wakes up in a London hospital, she’s in for a big surprise. Her teeth are perfect. Her body is toned. Her handbag is Vuitton. Having survived a car accident—in a Mercedes no less—Lexi has lost a big chunk of her memory, three years to be exact, and she’s about to find out just how much things have changed, Somehow Lexi went from a twenty-five-year-old working girl to a corporate big shot with a sleek new loft, a personal assistant, a carb-free diet, and a set of glamorous new friends. And who is this gorgeous husband—who also happens to be a multimillionaire? With her mind still stuck three years in reverse, Lexi greets this brave new world determined to be the person she…well, seems to be. That is, until an adorably disheveled architect drops the biggest bombshell of all. Suddenly Lexi is scrambling to catch her balance. Her new life, it turns out, comes complete with secrets, schemes, and intrigue. How on earth did all this happen? Will she ever remember? And what will happen when she does? – Amazon.com
Have you ever fell and hit your head really, really hard? Have you ever lost your memory from it? Ever wake up and realize that you lost a couple of hours? While that’s terrifying enough, imagine if you lost a couple of years. That’s the situation Lexi finds herself in when you read or listen to this book. Her whole world is completely different and even she is a different person altogether. This book’s strengths are definitely in character development. Sophie Kinsella always writes these very relatable main and supporting characters and this book is no different. While I can’t attest for how the book was written (since my copy was an audio book) I can say that the audio book was very well done for the most part (females trying to speak in male tones kind of off-puts me but I dealt with it) and it seems like an easy read for anyone.
However, I did have issues with this book. I felt that the pacing was a bit weird. It jumped from a slow paced book to a fast paced one towards the end of the book. It felt like Kinsella wanted to end the book fast, but she really had enough material to make a duology or triology out of the books. Another complaint of mine was that I felt the plot was meh. No one really seemed to get that losing 3 years of memories means that you don’t remember what happened in a phone conversation last week. Also Sophie seems to have this issue where the main climax of the book does not happen until the very end of the book. The book also ends without wrapping up the biggest conflict in the whole book and it doesn’t give any finality of Lexi’s story.
While I enjoyed the book for the most part I did not like the ending of it. It was a decent contemporary read though and other people might like the overall message about it, but it just wasn’t for me I’m sorry to say.
Rating: 4/5
Genre: Junior Fantasy
Recommended Age: 13+ (some mature scenes)
Favorite Quote: “She understood if she wanted to live, this was a war she had to be ready for.”
How does it feel to be different and misunderstood? And who cares? Emily Knight is young and famous, self-aware and intelligent. But what if the one thing that makes Emily different also makes her a target for evil? Can she defend herself...and everything she loves? A.Bello breaks boundaries with this gritty and gripping fantasy novel – Amazon.com
I received a paperback copy of this book for free from the publishing company in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence my decision in anyway.
I enjoy reading junior novels. They’re simplistic and relaxing. Emily Knight is not any different. This sweet novel features a diverse cast of characters and their journey to discover and explore their growing powers in a special school. The main character, Emily Knight, is a famous, intelligent young girl who is on the wrong side of the law at the beginning of the novel. She has tremendous character growth throughout the novel, as do a few of the other characters in the novel. The plot is also well developed and the writing was very easy to follow.
While I generally enjoyed the novel I did feel that there were a lot of characters in the novel that were just off-handedly mentioned. It made the book a little confusing at times to have such a wide cast of characters. The book only really focused on about a dozen of these characters and I feel more time should have been devoted to them and their development. I also felt the pacing was weird at times. It went from slow to fast pace at times in the novel. Other than these issues I really loved the novel and I feel that this would be a perfect novel for any kid that fell in love with the Harry Potter series. And that includes any kid at heart.
Genre: Junior Fantasy
Recommended Age: 13+ (some mature scenes)
Favorite Quote: “She understood if she wanted to live, this was a war she had to be ready for.”
How does it feel to be different and misunderstood? And who cares? Emily Knight is young and famous, self-aware and intelligent. But what if the one thing that makes Emily different also makes her a target for evil? Can she defend herself...and everything she loves? A.Bello breaks boundaries with this gritty and gripping fantasy novel – Amazon.com
I received a paperback copy of this book for free from the publishing company in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence my decision in anyway.
I enjoy reading junior novels. They’re simplistic and relaxing. Emily Knight is not any different. This sweet novel features a diverse cast of characters and their journey to discover and explore their growing powers in a special school. The main character, Emily Knight, is a famous, intelligent young girl who is on the wrong side of the law at the beginning of the novel. She has tremendous character growth throughout the novel, as do a few of the other characters in the novel. The plot is also well developed and the writing was very easy to follow.
While I generally enjoyed the novel I did feel that there were a lot of characters in the novel that were just off-handedly mentioned. It made the book a little confusing at times to have such a wide cast of characters. The book only really focused on about a dozen of these characters and I feel more time should have been devoted to them and their development. I also felt the pacing was weird at times. It went from slow to fast pace at times in the novel. Other than these issues I really loved the novel and I feel that this would be a perfect novel for any kid that fell in love with the Harry Potter series. And that includes any kid at heart.
Rating: 5/5
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+
Favorite Quote: "Welcome, welcome to Caraval! The grandest show on land or by sea. Inside you’ll experience more wonders than most people see in a lifetime. You can sip magic from a cup and buy dreams in a bottle. But before you fully enter into our world, you must remember it’s all a game."
Have you ever seen a magic trick? Or have you seen those YouTube videos of things that randomly appear as if straight from a 5th dimension? If you've answered yes then no matter your stance on magic you've probably thought at first the trick was done by magic because you're caught up in the moment. But I assure you for the most part it is all an illusion, much like Scarlett is warned when entering the world of Caraval. All her life she's heard of the magic and wonder of Caraval, but she's also been cautioned about it's tricks. However, with the disappearance of her and her sister's, Tella, mother Scarlett has longed to give Tella one thing for her birthday: a trip to Caraval. She pens letter after letter to Legend, the master of Caraval, but he does not reply. It is only after Scarlett writes one last letter informing Legend of her impending nuptials that she receives 3 tickets: one for her, one for Tella, and one for her fiance, whom she has yet to meet. Scarlett refuses to go to Caraval with the event being so close to her wedding date, but when Tella, who longs to run away from their abusive father, tricks Scarlett aboard a ship bound for Caraval Scarlett soon finds herself in a deadly game for her and her sister's lives... but is it all just a game or is it very real?
I believe I have found one of my favorite 2017 reads! I absolutely LOVED Caraval! Stephanie Garber's writing style made the words fly off the pages, the pacing was excellent and never too fast, too slow, or too forced, and the plot developed magically. The author had a way of keeping the readers guessing at the ultimate secret of Caraval and she did it in a way that kept the reading relaxed and easy and kept the book enjoyable throughout. The book also managed to drive home the point of letting go of fear and worry so it won't control you and to second guess everything you see. I even enjoyed the beautiful notes and letters that we're placed throughout the books! It really made this wonderful story come alive even more! In summary, Stephanie Garber created a beautiful world of mystery and magic and I'm feeling a bit disillusioned because I didn't want the book to end!
As I always do, I try to point out something I felt was bad in the book to make for a more balanced review. While I greatly enjoyed the novel, I didn't feel bonded to Tella. This didn't decrease my rating because Tella seems to have a bigger role in a possible sequel to the novel and hopefully I'll learn more of her motives in that book. While I'm not confirming or denying a sequel, I'm saying this novel needs one to complete the story as it ended with questions still unanswered! Stephanie Garber please!
Update: Sequel is incoming. This second re-read I had some issues with how the characters were described... i.e. there wasn't an ugly person in the whole book lol. But still a 5/5. Can't wait for the sequel.
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+
Favorite Quote: "Welcome, welcome to Caraval! The grandest show on land or by sea. Inside you’ll experience more wonders than most people see in a lifetime. You can sip magic from a cup and buy dreams in a bottle. But before you fully enter into our world, you must remember it’s all a game."
Have you ever seen a magic trick? Or have you seen those YouTube videos of things that randomly appear as if straight from a 5th dimension? If you've answered yes then no matter your stance on magic you've probably thought at first the trick was done by magic because you're caught up in the moment. But I assure you for the most part it is all an illusion, much like Scarlett is warned when entering the world of Caraval. All her life she's heard of the magic and wonder of Caraval, but she's also been cautioned about it's tricks. However, with the disappearance of her and her sister's, Tella, mother Scarlett has longed to give Tella one thing for her birthday: a trip to Caraval. She pens letter after letter to Legend, the master of Caraval, but he does not reply. It is only after Scarlett writes one last letter informing Legend of her impending nuptials that she receives 3 tickets: one for her, one for Tella, and one for her fiance, whom she has yet to meet. Scarlett refuses to go to Caraval with the event being so close to her wedding date, but when Tella, who longs to run away from their abusive father, tricks Scarlett aboard a ship bound for Caraval Scarlett soon finds herself in a deadly game for her and her sister's lives... but is it all just a game or is it very real?
I believe I have found one of my favorite 2017 reads! I absolutely LOVED Caraval! Stephanie Garber's writing style made the words fly off the pages, the pacing was excellent and never too fast, too slow, or too forced, and the plot developed magically. The author had a way of keeping the readers guessing at the ultimate secret of Caraval and she did it in a way that kept the reading relaxed and easy and kept the book enjoyable throughout. The book also managed to drive home the point of letting go of fear and worry so it won't control you and to second guess everything you see. I even enjoyed the beautiful notes and letters that we're placed throughout the books! It really made this wonderful story come alive even more! In summary, Stephanie Garber created a beautiful world of mystery and magic and I'm feeling a bit disillusioned because I didn't want the book to end!
As I always do, I try to point out something I felt was bad in the book to make for a more balanced review. While I greatly enjoyed the novel, I didn't feel bonded to Tella. This didn't decrease my rating because Tella seems to have a bigger role in a possible sequel to the novel and hopefully I'll learn more of her motives in that book. While I'm not confirming or denying a sequel, I'm saying this novel needs one to complete the story as it ended with questions still unanswered! Stephanie Garber please!
Update: Sequel is incoming. This second re-read I had some issues with how the characters were described... i.e. there wasn't an ugly person in the whole book lol. But still a 5/5. Can't wait for the sequel.
Rating: 2.5/5
Genre: Dystopian/ Sci-Fi
Recommended Age: 16+ (language, mature scenes, gore, children’s death, etc.)
Favorite Quote: “’He’s no different from us, Sam,’ I tell him. ‘None of this will end until somebody decides to put down the guns.’”
The enemy is Other. The enemy is us. They’re down here, they’re up there, they’re nowhere. They want the Earth, they want us to have it. They came to wipe us out, they came to save us.
But beneath these riddles lies one truth: Cassie has been betrayed. So has Ringer. Zombie. Nugget. And all 7.5 billion people who used to live on our planet. Betrayed first by the Others, and now by ourselves.
In these last days, Earth’s remaining survivors will need to decide what’s more important: saving themselves . . . or saving what makes us human. – Amazon.com
This is it… the last battle for good and evil… but why do I not feel pumped about it? Well, to put it honestly my dear Watson, it’s because this series did not live up to the hype that was created around it. More on that later, though. Instead here are some good points that did have me excited about the book. I felt that for the most part Cassie, Sammy, Ben, and Ringer were very well developed and I cheered for them as they tried to survive in this literal Hell on Earth. I also felt that the pacing was very well done and it didn’t feel too fast or too slow. Unfortunately, those were the only good things I had to say about this book.
It’s not that this book was a bad book. I’m genuinely in love with the series… HOWEVER, there were enormous problems with the book. The plot was very complex. While complex plots can be pulled off it doesn’t make sense to readers when something they’ve been told to believe since book 1 is actually false. The plot was too overcomplicated and it was so for no reason. I could go on and on about all the ways this book failed in that regard, but I like to keep my reviews spoiler free. I also had an issue with a character death. No, it’s not because I was very upset about it. It’s because in the end it becomes a moot point. The writing is also not very impactful. In the first book, Yancy’s writing made me cry because Cassie felt so real and her struggles became mine… but in this one it just felt very flat. The book also would have been more insightful if it ended in a different way… but I’m not going to share that either because it would be a spoiler.
Overall, I would say if you are a fan of the series maybe read the book with your own precautions. The first two books are wonderful and I loved them. This book ranks up there with the last book in the Eragon series on how bad of an ending it was.
Genre: Dystopian/ Sci-Fi
Recommended Age: 16+ (language, mature scenes, gore, children’s death, etc.)
Favorite Quote: “’He’s no different from us, Sam,’ I tell him. ‘None of this will end until somebody decides to put down the guns.’”
The enemy is Other. The enemy is us. They’re down here, they’re up there, they’re nowhere. They want the Earth, they want us to have it. They came to wipe us out, they came to save us.
But beneath these riddles lies one truth: Cassie has been betrayed. So has Ringer. Zombie. Nugget. And all 7.5 billion people who used to live on our planet. Betrayed first by the Others, and now by ourselves.
In these last days, Earth’s remaining survivors will need to decide what’s more important: saving themselves . . . or saving what makes us human. – Amazon.com
This is it… the last battle for good and evil… but why do I not feel pumped about it? Well, to put it honestly my dear Watson, it’s because this series did not live up to the hype that was created around it. More on that later, though. Instead here are some good points that did have me excited about the book. I felt that for the most part Cassie, Sammy, Ben, and Ringer were very well developed and I cheered for them as they tried to survive in this literal Hell on Earth. I also felt that the pacing was very well done and it didn’t feel too fast or too slow. Unfortunately, those were the only good things I had to say about this book.
It’s not that this book was a bad book. I’m genuinely in love with the series… HOWEVER, there were enormous problems with the book. The plot was very complex. While complex plots can be pulled off it doesn’t make sense to readers when something they’ve been told to believe since book 1 is actually false. The plot was too overcomplicated and it was so for no reason. I could go on and on about all the ways this book failed in that regard, but I like to keep my reviews spoiler free. I also had an issue with a character death. No, it’s not because I was very upset about it. It’s because in the end it becomes a moot point. The writing is also not very impactful. In the first book, Yancy’s writing made me cry because Cassie felt so real and her struggles became mine… but in this one it just felt very flat. The book also would have been more insightful if it ended in a different way… but I’m not going to share that either because it would be a spoiler.
Overall, I would say if you are a fan of the series maybe read the book with your own precautions. The first two books are wonderful and I loved them. This book ranks up there with the last book in the Eragon series on how bad of an ending it was.
Rating: 4.5/5
Genre: Mystery
Recommended Age: 18+ (language, mature scenes, gore, children’s death, etc.)
Favorite Quote: “The doors of every house have a unique sound when they open and close.”
Along Came a Spider begins with the double kidnapping of the daughter of a famous Hollywood actress and the young son of the secretary of the Treasury. And that's only the beginning! Gary Soneji is a murderous serial kidnapper who wants to commit the crime of the century. Alex Cross is the brilliant homicide detective pitted against him. Jezzie Flanagan is the female supervisor of the Secret Service who completes one of the most unusual suspense triangles in any thriller you have ever read. – Amazon.com
If you’re anyone who loves Denzel Washington, then you’ve probably seen some of the Alex Cross books-turned-movies. I know I have seen probably all of them. And thus it started a love affair with mystery novels. So when I found the audio book of the first Alex Cross novel in a used bookstore… I HAD TO HAVE IT! And I managed to finish it in several days! And these are the reasons why: The characters are all so well developed, even down to some of the background characters that are needed to just move the plot along. The story, although told in multiple POVs, is written so well that one can “hear” the different voices of the characters. The plot is complex, but it works and is very well intricate. This is the main difference between this audio book and The Last Star: both have very intricate and complicated plots, but Along Came A Spider had so much backstory and it never changed direction in a completely unexpected way that the complication makes sense.
So if I fell in love with this audio book so much, what didn’t I like about it? It’s not that I didn’t like anything about it, but I did feel that there should have been more POV from the kidnapped girl and the main villain of the story. I feel that having that would have only increased the horror of the story. Overall, I love James Patterson’s series and I will definitely be getting more of these audio books.
Genre: Mystery
Recommended Age: 18+ (language, mature scenes, gore, children’s death, etc.)
Favorite Quote: “The doors of every house have a unique sound when they open and close.”
Along Came a Spider begins with the double kidnapping of the daughter of a famous Hollywood actress and the young son of the secretary of the Treasury. And that's only the beginning! Gary Soneji is a murderous serial kidnapper who wants to commit the crime of the century. Alex Cross is the brilliant homicide detective pitted against him. Jezzie Flanagan is the female supervisor of the Secret Service who completes one of the most unusual suspense triangles in any thriller you have ever read. – Amazon.com
If you’re anyone who loves Denzel Washington, then you’ve probably seen some of the Alex Cross books-turned-movies. I know I have seen probably all of them. And thus it started a love affair with mystery novels. So when I found the audio book of the first Alex Cross novel in a used bookstore… I HAD TO HAVE IT! And I managed to finish it in several days! And these are the reasons why: The characters are all so well developed, even down to some of the background characters that are needed to just move the plot along. The story, although told in multiple POVs, is written so well that one can “hear” the different voices of the characters. The plot is complex, but it works and is very well intricate. This is the main difference between this audio book and The Last Star: both have very intricate and complicated plots, but Along Came A Spider had so much backstory and it never changed direction in a completely unexpected way that the complication makes sense.
So if I fell in love with this audio book so much, what didn’t I like about it? It’s not that I didn’t like anything about it, but I did feel that there should have been more POV from the kidnapped girl and the main villain of the story. I feel that having that would have only increased the horror of the story. Overall, I love James Patterson’s series and I will definitely be getting more of these audio books.
Rating: 3/5
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Recommended Age: 13+ (some language. I think these books are meant for an adult audience but I don’t remember there being anything too strong for a younger reader in my listen through of this book)
Favorite Quote: “It's funny how, even long after you've accepted the grief of losing someone you love and truly have gotten on with your life, every once in a while something comes up that plays "gotcha," and for a moment or tow the car tissue separates and the wound is raw again.”
I’ve been on a bit of a mystery kick lately with my audio books, but some mystery writers are better than others. This was a decent audio book however. I felt that the plot was very well developed and that the pacing was well done. The plot, for the most part, didn’t leave any stone unturned and it did a fair job at explaining the how of what happened in the book.
Unfortunately, that’s all the good I can say about this book. I felt that the biggest flaw of the book was the huge cast of characters. I felt that there were so many characters in the book that it was very overwhelming. I also felt that because each character had a certain responsibility and action they played in the overall plot that when the plot was revealed I was completely confused. Literally I was listening to this audio book and it got to the part where everything was revealed… and my thoughts were “wait who? Who is that? Wait what are they talking about? When did that happen??” This is basically an issue with what I’ve been talking about the past few blog posts: a book that’s complex and overly complex for no reason. The complexity could have paid off if the characters were better developed, but thus this was not so. I also feel that there were a lot of plot holes in the story. There were events that happened that were unresolved in the end and while they weren’t a major part to the overall story I still wanted to know what happened to them afterwards.
Overall, it was an okay story but it could have been better if it was simplified and tied up everything in a non-confusing way. I’ve read one other Mary Higgins Clark book before and it was way better than this one, so don’t completely avoid her books!
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Recommended Age: 13+ (some language. I think these books are meant for an adult audience but I don’t remember there being anything too strong for a younger reader in my listen through of this book)
Favorite Quote: “It's funny how, even long after you've accepted the grief of losing someone you love and truly have gotten on with your life, every once in a while something comes up that plays "gotcha," and for a moment or tow the car tissue separates and the wound is raw again.”
I’ve been on a bit of a mystery kick lately with my audio books, but some mystery writers are better than others. This was a decent audio book however. I felt that the plot was very well developed and that the pacing was well done. The plot, for the most part, didn’t leave any stone unturned and it did a fair job at explaining the how of what happened in the book.
Unfortunately, that’s all the good I can say about this book. I felt that the biggest flaw of the book was the huge cast of characters. I felt that there were so many characters in the book that it was very overwhelming. I also felt that because each character had a certain responsibility and action they played in the overall plot that when the plot was revealed I was completely confused. Literally I was listening to this audio book and it got to the part where everything was revealed… and my thoughts were “wait who? Who is that? Wait what are they talking about? When did that happen??” This is basically an issue with what I’ve been talking about the past few blog posts: a book that’s complex and overly complex for no reason. The complexity could have paid off if the characters were better developed, but thus this was not so. I also feel that there were a lot of plot holes in the story. There were events that happened that were unresolved in the end and while they weren’t a major part to the overall story I still wanted to know what happened to them afterwards.
Overall, it was an okay story but it could have been better if it was simplified and tied up everything in a non-confusing way. I’ve read one other Mary Higgins Clark book before and it was way better than this one, so don’t completely avoid her books!
Rating: 5/5
Genre: YA Dystopian/Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (very mature and depressing scenes. Some triggering scenes.)
Favorite Quote: “Power will always pollute things.”
BOOK 2 in the NO ORDINARY STAR series A soldier is summoned to the North Pole, days before the year changes, told to fix a the great Clock for a celebration. He has no idea what to do. A girl, hunted for the crime of being born, almost dies out on the ice. She is rescued by the last polar bear left alive. A library waits for them both, a library built over a span of a hundred years, forgotten in the basement of an ice shack. The world hasn't known hunger or sickness in hundreds of years. It has also forgotten love and beauty. The year is 2524. Inspired by the short stories of Ray Bradbury, this futuristic young adult novel is set in a world where Christmas -among other things- is obsolete and a Clock is what keeps the fragile balance of peace. Written in three installments, this is the breathtaking and sensual story of how two unlikely people change the world, and each other, one book at a time. In No Plain Rebel, Felix finds out the truth. Or so he thinks. He’s trying to come to terms with that, as well as with the fact that the Clockmaster’s shack has been discovered by his fellow-soldiers, but he can’t exactly concentrate. The match girl’s fiery curls appear before his eyes every ten seconds, distracting him, and then he starts talking to her in his head. Because she’s no longer there. The Stadium is looming in the distance. It’s ten heartbeats to midnight.
I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for promotion and for my honest review. This did not influence my review in any way.
I have been itching this whole month to read the next book in the trilogy and I was NOT disappointed when I read it. This book picks up where we left off in the first book and it definitely explains the back story and the overall plot of the series. While there is a lot of information that comes at the reader, it isn’t heavy nor is it overwhelming. And while I thought the story would continue to circle around Astra and Felix, this book starts encompassing more and more characters and for the most part they are all very well developed. I also want to brag about the writing. The writing is so well done. You don’t just read these characters talking, you hear them. Each character has a distinctive voice. M.C. Frank also did something that I thought was very different. The tale is told from Felix’s POV and Astra’s POV and usually the emotional turmoil is told from the female’s viewpoint… but M.C. Frank wrote mostly from the emotional turmoil of Felix for a variety of reasons… that would be spoilery… but it was so well done! I always feel that guys get the short end of the stick in the majority of books I read and I liked that Felix had a wider array of emotions than the majority of guys I read in other books.
While I loved, loved, loved this book I did have some things I wanted to see (and that I’m hoping to see in the next book!). I want to see more of Astra and the Rebel’s story and I want to see their part in this book explained more. I want to know how it is on their side of the conflict and what it would be like to be one of them. While I think that all of the characters are very well developed, I do want to see more about this cast of characters if just for curiosities’ sake! Hopefully I’ll see more of that in the 3rd book, but if not I’d be happy with how the story is. I love this universe and I love how the story is mainly from Felix’s view and I’m rooting for him all the way!
Give this series a read-through! M.C. Frank is one of the most underappreciated authors out there. She writes amazing books and this series is one of my favorite dystopian series already. I can’t wait for the next book and I can’t wait to see how this will end!
Genre: YA Dystopian/Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (very mature and depressing scenes. Some triggering scenes.)
Favorite Quote: “Power will always pollute things.”
BOOK 2 in the NO ORDINARY STAR series A soldier is summoned to the North Pole, days before the year changes, told to fix a the great Clock for a celebration. He has no idea what to do. A girl, hunted for the crime of being born, almost dies out on the ice. She is rescued by the last polar bear left alive. A library waits for them both, a library built over a span of a hundred years, forgotten in the basement of an ice shack. The world hasn't known hunger or sickness in hundreds of years. It has also forgotten love and beauty. The year is 2524. Inspired by the short stories of Ray Bradbury, this futuristic young adult novel is set in a world where Christmas -among other things- is obsolete and a Clock is what keeps the fragile balance of peace. Written in three installments, this is the breathtaking and sensual story of how two unlikely people change the world, and each other, one book at a time. In No Plain Rebel, Felix finds out the truth. Or so he thinks. He’s trying to come to terms with that, as well as with the fact that the Clockmaster’s shack has been discovered by his fellow-soldiers, but he can’t exactly concentrate. The match girl’s fiery curls appear before his eyes every ten seconds, distracting him, and then he starts talking to her in his head. Because she’s no longer there. The Stadium is looming in the distance. It’s ten heartbeats to midnight.
I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for promotion and for my honest review. This did not influence my review in any way.
I have been itching this whole month to read the next book in the trilogy and I was NOT disappointed when I read it. This book picks up where we left off in the first book and it definitely explains the back story and the overall plot of the series. While there is a lot of information that comes at the reader, it isn’t heavy nor is it overwhelming. And while I thought the story would continue to circle around Astra and Felix, this book starts encompassing more and more characters and for the most part they are all very well developed. I also want to brag about the writing. The writing is so well done. You don’t just read these characters talking, you hear them. Each character has a distinctive voice. M.C. Frank also did something that I thought was very different. The tale is told from Felix’s POV and Astra’s POV and usually the emotional turmoil is told from the female’s viewpoint… but M.C. Frank wrote mostly from the emotional turmoil of Felix for a variety of reasons… that would be spoilery… but it was so well done! I always feel that guys get the short end of the stick in the majority of books I read and I liked that Felix had a wider array of emotions than the majority of guys I read in other books.
While I loved, loved, loved this book I did have some things I wanted to see (and that I’m hoping to see in the next book!). I want to see more of Astra and the Rebel’s story and I want to see their part in this book explained more. I want to know how it is on their side of the conflict and what it would be like to be one of them. While I think that all of the characters are very well developed, I do want to see more about this cast of characters if just for curiosities’ sake! Hopefully I’ll see more of that in the 3rd book, but if not I’d be happy with how the story is. I love this universe and I love how the story is mainly from Felix’s view and I’m rooting for him all the way!
Give this series a read-through! M.C. Frank is one of the most underappreciated authors out there. She writes amazing books and this series is one of my favorite dystopian series already. I can’t wait for the next book and I can’t wait to see how this will end!