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samantha_randolph's Reviews (1.59k)
"In the 1100s war between King Stephen and Empress Matilda for the crown, even the smallest child isn't safe. With thieves plundering villages and people being forced to choose sides in the war, eleven-year-old Emma, young woman and new bride, Maud, and loner, Gwil, all have surprisingly intertwined fates. As battles loom before them, no one will be the same while evil threatens to close in." Full review at Fresh Fiction: http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=50689
Short and Sweet:
5 beautiful, glowing, solar system-y stars to this trilogy conclusion!
To Elaborate...
After finishing this series, I'm kind of left speechless. I sat down to start this one afternoon, and I wasn't able to put it down until I finished. As soon as the story starts, you can feel just how close the war is between the humans and the Ancients, how close the time is coming when lives will be lost, and how far everyone will have to dig inside themselves to fight with every ounce of courage in them. Page after page, I got lost in this exciting and terrifying battle Ari and Jackson were about to face.
Speaking of Ari and Jackon.... I think even with all the high action scenes and epic war discussions in this book, Ari and Jackson still remain my favorite part. This is the kind of couple I want to read about. Even if it's been a while (like me) since you've read the first two, it is impossible not to see how far this couple has come as individuals and as a team. They fully realize the battle they are about to face, and they understand they may lose each other. I can't begin to describe the perfect level of emotional intensity that goes on between them. And most of all, I love how they both are working for their relationship, for their own betterment, in the middle of everything. For Ari, she is still working on taking less sacrificial action because she is now keenly aware of how many people care about her life. For Jackson, he spent so long keeping to himself and fighting his own battles that he has learned the true value of love and trusting someone. Things are literally exploding around them, and they still fight for each other and what they have.
Once again, I just can't recommend this series enough. From the first book to this brilliant conclusion, this story and these characters are powerful, memorable, and absolutely glorious. I am consistently blown away by Melissa West's talent, and I can't wait to see what she writes next.
Originally posted at I Heart YA Fiction: http://iheartyafiction.blogspot.com/
5 beautiful, glowing, solar system-y stars to this trilogy conclusion!
To Elaborate...
After finishing this series, I'm kind of left speechless. I sat down to start this one afternoon, and I wasn't able to put it down until I finished. As soon as the story starts, you can feel just how close the war is between the humans and the Ancients, how close the time is coming when lives will be lost, and how far everyone will have to dig inside themselves to fight with every ounce of courage in them. Page after page, I got lost in this exciting and terrifying battle Ari and Jackson were about to face.
Speaking of Ari and Jackon.... I think even with all the high action scenes and epic war discussions in this book, Ari and Jackson still remain my favorite part. This is the kind of couple I want to read about. Even if it's been a while (like me) since you've read the first two, it is impossible not to see how far this couple has come as individuals and as a team. They fully realize the battle they are about to face, and they understand they may lose each other. I can't begin to describe the perfect level of emotional intensity that goes on between them. And most of all, I love how they both are working for their relationship, for their own betterment, in the middle of everything. For Ari, she is still working on taking less sacrificial action because she is now keenly aware of how many people care about her life. For Jackson, he spent so long keeping to himself and fighting his own battles that he has learned the true value of love and trusting someone. Things are literally exploding around them, and they still fight for each other and what they have.
Once again, I just can't recommend this series enough. From the first book to this brilliant conclusion, this story and these characters are powerful, memorable, and absolutely glorious. I am consistently blown away by Melissa West's talent, and I can't wait to see what she writes next.
Originally posted at I Heart YA Fiction: http://iheartyafiction.blogspot.com/
Short and Sweet:
I'm developing a huge weakness for books told in poetic form, and this one goes right on my list of ones to recommend for that! It's a wonderful and emotional story that reads super quickly.
To Elaborate...
Samantha, "Sam", Henderson is exhausted with keeping up good girl appearances for her father's politicial campaign. She just wants to relax and be herself, a girl who loves art. When she meets X, she can't stay away from him, an older, college-aged guy who seems to know everyone and has an irresistable bad boy edge...and a drug problem. She will try to change him, but she may just be pulled down with him.
More than just her name, I relate to Samantha a lot. Growing up, I was very much seen as the good girl with the unrealistic dream (ok, so I'm still sometimes seen as that haha). It's exhausting having people try to force you onto a pedestal that you have no place being on, nor do you want to be there. Granted, no one in my family was running for office, so there wasn't nearly as much pressure than what Sam faces in this book. I even had a similar-feeling relationship to an "X" that she does, minus the drugs and partying. I think a lot of people have a relationship at some point in their lives with someone who can't/won't/refuses to change or grow when it comes to a serious problem (like drugs or excessive cheating), and you just have to find a way to deal, whether that means cutting ties and moving on or staying with them and hoping for the best.
What I really like about the story is that Sam isn't the only one facing an issue of "Dating Down". For me, I don't really consider dating anyone, regardless of status, dating down in terms of the actual person, but I do think we sometimes settle for a relationship that doesn't legitimately meet our needs or isn't truly healthy for us (hence the Perks of Being a Wallflower "You accept the love you think you deserve"). Sam's two close friends are also facing that, and I love how the author parallels them when at first glance, the issues are so different. Her closest girl friend is dating a guy who seems to only want her around when he wants something/treats her like a dog basically, and her closest guy friend is having a series of heartaches over a long distance relationship. All of them are unhappy, but they all deal with it differently.
The reason I gave this 4 hearts instead of 5 in the rhyming scheme. I really love how the author mixes it up (and some of it is free verse), and most of it is wonderful, but there are times of just ABAB schemes, and those weirdly and irrationally bother me. It's such a weird and completely me-specific issue to have, so I don't see this bothering most people, but I had to mention it. Overall, I think a lot of people will like this! It's like a wonderful mash up of Meg Cabot's All American Girl and Ellen Hopkin's Crank.
Originally posted at I Heart YA Fiction: http://iheartyafiction.blogspot.com/2015/02/review-dating-down-by-stefanie-lyons.html
I'm developing a huge weakness for books told in poetic form, and this one goes right on my list of ones to recommend for that! It's a wonderful and emotional story that reads super quickly.
To Elaborate...
Samantha, "Sam", Henderson is exhausted with keeping up good girl appearances for her father's politicial campaign. She just wants to relax and be herself, a girl who loves art. When she meets X, she can't stay away from him, an older, college-aged guy who seems to know everyone and has an irresistable bad boy edge...and a drug problem. She will try to change him, but she may just be pulled down with him.
More than just her name, I relate to Samantha a lot. Growing up, I was very much seen as the good girl with the unrealistic dream (ok, so I'm still sometimes seen as that haha). It's exhausting having people try to force you onto a pedestal that you have no place being on, nor do you want to be there. Granted, no one in my family was running for office, so there wasn't nearly as much pressure than what Sam faces in this book. I even had a similar-feeling relationship to an "X" that she does, minus the drugs and partying. I think a lot of people have a relationship at some point in their lives with someone who can't/won't/refuses to change or grow when it comes to a serious problem (like drugs or excessive cheating), and you just have to find a way to deal, whether that means cutting ties and moving on or staying with them and hoping for the best.
What I really like about the story is that Sam isn't the only one facing an issue of "Dating Down". For me, I don't really consider dating anyone, regardless of status, dating down in terms of the actual person, but I do think we sometimes settle for a relationship that doesn't legitimately meet our needs or isn't truly healthy for us (hence the Perks of Being a Wallflower "You accept the love you think you deserve"). Sam's two close friends are also facing that, and I love how the author parallels them when at first glance, the issues are so different. Her closest girl friend is dating a guy who seems to only want her around when he wants something/treats her like a dog basically, and her closest guy friend is having a series of heartaches over a long distance relationship. All of them are unhappy, but they all deal with it differently.
The reason I gave this 4 hearts instead of 5 in the rhyming scheme. I really love how the author mixes it up (and some of it is free verse), and most of it is wonderful, but there are times of just ABAB schemes, and those weirdly and irrationally bother me. It's such a weird and completely me-specific issue to have, so I don't see this bothering most people, but I had to mention it. Overall, I think a lot of people will like this! It's like a wonderful mash up of Meg Cabot's All American Girl and Ellen Hopkin's Crank.
Originally posted at I Heart YA Fiction: http://iheartyafiction.blogspot.com/2015/02/review-dating-down-by-stefanie-lyons.html
"Lacy has enjoyed living with her widowed stepmom for the last few years. After finally breaking free of her mother's dark influence, Lacy feels she is at a good place in life...until her mother demands her to come back. Now, Lacy will have to learn once and for all if she can stay true to her own self and not let her mother and her wild magic enter into her heart again." Full review at Fresh Fiction: http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=50922
"After blacking out and finding herself in a horrible situation, Robin has given up drinking and partying like she used to. Now, she tries to keep to herself and stop worrying about making an impression for other people. Phoenix, just out of jail and trying to get his life together, knows he shouldn't be interested in someone like Robin, but the two of them are drawn together. They may start to love each other in the present but the past has a way of catching up." Full review at Fresh Fiction: http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=50975
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Short review:
I put off reading this for months, because 1) I loved the movie ending and kind of wanted to leave the characters in their mostly happy places, and 2) I wasn't sure if I would enjoy it. I'm so glad I decided to read it. The characters stayed completely true to their selves, and I absolutely love all the new twists and turns introduced even though I loved the movie ending. It was so worth the read, and I can't wait to dive into the next one!
I put off reading this for months, because 1) I loved the movie ending and kind of wanted to leave the characters in their mostly happy places, and 2) I wasn't sure if I would enjoy it. I'm so glad I decided to read it. The characters stayed completely true to their selves, and I absolutely love all the new twists and turns introduced even though I loved the movie ending. It was so worth the read, and I can't wait to dive into the next one!
