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simplyalexandra's Reviews (890)
4 stars - I recommend if you enjoy fantasy. It is a good follow up to the first book, and I am still not really sure what will happen with the series.
As the Ascension year is under way Katharine, Arsinoe, and Mirabella are finally able to compete for the throne. As their gifts grow they will make attempts on each others lives, in order to take the throne for themselves.
I read this right after my re-read of the first book, overall I didn't like it quite as much as the first one, but did find it to be a strong follow up to the first book. I like that we learn a bit more about the queens, the other characters, and the world that the story is set in. I most loved the fact that this series is so focused on female strength and also friendships. There is romance, but it is not as central as friendship is. After finishing, I didn't feel that there were as many twists and turns, but I still don't really know what will happen, so that's good! :)
As the Ascension year is under way Katharine, Arsinoe, and Mirabella are finally able to compete for the throne. As their gifts grow they will make attempts on each others lives, in order to take the throne for themselves.
I read this right after my re-read of the first book, overall I didn't like it quite as much as the first one, but did find it to be a strong follow up to the first book. I like that we learn a bit more about the queens, the other characters, and the world that the story is set in. I most loved the fact that this series is so focused on female strength and also friendships. There is romance, but it is not as central as friendship is. After finishing, I didn't feel that there were as many twists and turns, but I still don't really know what will happen, so that's good! :)
Full Review:
4 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy contemporary romance, specifically slow burn ones, and the hate to love trope.
Jasmine has been skating her whole life with the goal of winning medals and achieving her dreams. When her pairs partner leaves her unexpectedly she finds herself unable to compete, working as a waitress, living with her mom, and basically out of hope. One day she's invited to speak with the GM, and to her surprise her arch enemy, Ivan Lukov, is waiting for her... and he wants to be her new partner. Can two people who hate each other so much skate together without killing each other?
I wasn't going to download this until after I read Wall of Winnipeg and Me, in case it wasn't my kind of book... , because I don't read a lot of romance novels.... But then I found out that this was about figure skating. FIGURE SKATING! I wanted to be Kristi Yamaguchi for the better part of my childhood, so this was a no brainer at $1.99. At first I wasn't completely sure about Jasmine's character, I'm not used to reading books where people are dealing with a lot of issues, but you don't know what they are... so it took me a while to understand her better... but once I did I was totally on board with everything. I loved her and Ivan, I loved them as a pairs team. I loved everything with her family probably the most, they were so fun. I can definitely relate to the specific drama that she had with her dad... whew.. emotional stuff. And also her internal struggles with never being good enough. I thought this was a blast to read and couldn't have come at a better time with the Olympics just happening. I definitely recommend if you enjoy contemporary romance.
Right after reading:
Figure skating + romance. Super slow burn. Very entertaining!
4 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy contemporary romance, specifically slow burn ones, and the hate to love trope.
Jasmine has been skating her whole life with the goal of winning medals and achieving her dreams. When her pairs partner leaves her unexpectedly she finds herself unable to compete, working as a waitress, living with her mom, and basically out of hope. One day she's invited to speak with the GM, and to her surprise her arch enemy, Ivan Lukov, is waiting for her... and he wants to be her new partner. Can two people who hate each other so much skate together without killing each other?
I wasn't going to download this until after I read Wall of Winnipeg and Me, in case it wasn't my kind of book... , because I don't read a lot of romance novels.... But then I found out that this was about figure skating. FIGURE SKATING! I wanted to be Kristi Yamaguchi for the better part of my childhood, so this was a no brainer at $1.99. At first I wasn't completely sure about Jasmine's character, I'm not used to reading books where people are dealing with a lot of issues, but you don't know what they are... so it took me a while to understand her better... but once I did I was totally on board with everything. I loved her and Ivan, I loved them as a pairs team. I loved everything with her family probably the most, they were so fun. I can definitely relate to the specific drama that she had with her dad... whew.. emotional stuff. And also her internal struggles with never being good enough. I thought this was a blast to read and couldn't have come at a better time with the Olympics just happening. I definitely recommend if you enjoy contemporary romance.
Right after reading:
Figure skating + romance. Super slow burn. Very entertaining!
4 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy contemporary YA, and are looking for diversity within the genre.
This book follows Simon, he's sixteen, and he's gay. But he's not "out" yet. He spends a lot of time emailing his mysterious friend "Blue" another gay guy at his high school, they have formed a very tight bond. The catch is, they don't know each other's real identities. When a conniving classmate see's Simon and Blue's emails, and learns his secret, he blackmails him. Simon must navigate his teenage feelings, his complicated friendships, the upcoming musical at his high school, online email "dating" Blue, and blackmail all at once.
I thought that this was a really sweet yet important YA book. I love seeing that this novel is so popular as it gives a bit of representation within the genre. Though it is not an "own voices" novel, I did think that the book was really well written. Unlike some of my other recent reads that included letters, emails, etc. I loved that this story was told partly in narrative, and partly via emails between Simon and Blue. Anyhow, I liked Simon quite a bit, I loved his emails with Blue, and I thought it was really sweet and fun. I was dying to find out who Blue was, and I guessed it closer to the end of the book. I didn't completely feel like I understood Simon's character, but it was close. He's in a rough situation, so I can see why he kind of overlooks things going on with his friends and family... also, I mean, he's a teen. :P I'm excited that this has been made into a movie (Love, Simon), and I can't wait to watch it soon! :)
This book follows Simon, he's sixteen, and he's gay. But he's not "out" yet. He spends a lot of time emailing his mysterious friend "Blue" another gay guy at his high school, they have formed a very tight bond. The catch is, they don't know each other's real identities. When a conniving classmate see's Simon and Blue's emails, and learns his secret, he blackmails him. Simon must navigate his teenage feelings, his complicated friendships, the upcoming musical at his high school, online email "dating" Blue, and blackmail all at once.
I thought that this was a really sweet yet important YA book. I love seeing that this novel is so popular as it gives a bit of representation within the genre. Though it is not an "own voices" novel, I did think that the book was really well written. Unlike some of my other recent reads that included letters, emails, etc. I loved that this story was told partly in narrative, and partly via emails between Simon and Blue. Anyhow, I liked Simon quite a bit, I loved his emails with Blue, and I thought it was really sweet and fun. I was dying to find out who Blue was, and I guessed it closer to the end of the book. I didn't completely feel like I understood Simon's character, but it was close. He's in a rough situation, so I can see why he kind of overlooks things going on with his friends and family... also, I mean, he's a teen. :P I'm excited that this has been made into a movie (Love, Simon), and I can't wait to watch it soon! :)
Full Review:
3.5 - I recommend if you enjoy YA fantasy with a bit of romance.
This story follows Isobel, a prodigy painter who is commissioned by The Fair Ones to paint their portraits. Human Craft is valued above all else to The Fair Ones. They pay her in enchantments, and she knows how to avoid their cruel tricks. When the Autumn Prince commissions her to paint his portrait, she is irked by her unusual inability to capture his likeness. She finds that his eyes carry human sorrow, an impossibility for a Fair One. She paints him as such, and in the process may cost him his life. She must rectify the wrong she has done, or face certain death herself.
First of all, can we take a second to bask in the beautiful glory that is this cover? My goodness. Just perfection. It's shimmery too you guys. Alright then, moving along. Overall I think I read this one too fast. A lot of things happened, and it felt jumbled to me. I liked the world that Rogerson built, I loved the bits about human Craft, and the enchantments, I liked the different lands that she travels through, etc. It did remind me a bit of ACoTaR: season courts (spring court, autumn court, etc.), and a human girl taken prisoner by a fae lord. However, I also liked the differences. There was some interesting elemental sorts of magic in this story, the enchantments were also very neat, I liked that humans had the magic of their Craft as well. I would have enjoyed a bit more world building upon those things. I had trouble understanding some of the characters. I felt that Isobel was sometimes very type A, and other times oddly laid back (in the face of danger). Sometimes I felt that she wasn't taking things seriously. The romance felt insta-love-y sometimes, and other times not at all. It shifted from 0 to 100 throughout the book without a lot of internal struggle... to the point where I didn't feel on pins and needles waiting for them to get together. I felt that some of it was predictable, but other parts surprised me, and were left a bit unexplained. Again, these things could have been as a result of reading this all in one day... I've got to stop doing that. I really enjoyed some of the characters that she created though. For example, Isobel's sisters were very cute and mischievous. I also appreciated that Isobel was very adamant about consent. Very adamant. Which I feel was really good... and doesn't come up very often, especially in YA fiction. Overall I enjoyed this story, and would be interested to read more of Rogerson's books in the future. Preferably with equally gorgeous covers. :)
Right After Reading:
3.5-4 Stars - Magical. A lot going on. I probably need to stop reading books in a day... it gets kinda jumbled. Liked some of it, felt like I wanted more from some of it.
3.5 - I recommend if you enjoy YA fantasy with a bit of romance.
This story follows Isobel, a prodigy painter who is commissioned by The Fair Ones to paint their portraits. Human Craft is valued above all else to The Fair Ones. They pay her in enchantments, and she knows how to avoid their cruel tricks. When the Autumn Prince commissions her to paint his portrait, she is irked by her unusual inability to capture his likeness. She finds that his eyes carry human sorrow, an impossibility for a Fair One. She paints him as such, and in the process may cost him his life. She must rectify the wrong she has done, or face certain death herself.
First of all, can we take a second to bask in the beautiful glory that is this cover? My goodness. Just perfection. It's shimmery too you guys. Alright then, moving along. Overall I think I read this one too fast. A lot of things happened, and it felt jumbled to me. I liked the world that Rogerson built, I loved the bits about human Craft, and the enchantments, I liked the different lands that she travels through, etc. It did remind me a bit of ACoTaR: season courts (spring court, autumn court, etc.), and a human girl taken prisoner by a fae lord. However, I also liked the differences. There was some interesting elemental sorts of magic in this story, the enchantments were also very neat, I liked that humans had the magic of their Craft as well. I would have enjoyed a bit more world building upon those things. I had trouble understanding some of the characters. I felt that Isobel was sometimes very type A, and other times oddly laid back (in the face of danger). Sometimes I felt that she wasn't taking things seriously. The romance felt insta-love-y sometimes, and other times not at all. It shifted from 0 to 100 throughout the book without a lot of internal struggle... to the point where I didn't feel on pins and needles waiting for them to get together. I felt that some of it was predictable, but other parts surprised me, and were left a bit unexplained. Again, these things could have been as a result of reading this all in one day... I've got to stop doing that. I really enjoyed some of the characters that she created though. For example, Isobel's sisters were very cute and mischievous. I also appreciated that Isobel was very adamant about consent. Very adamant. Which I feel was really good... and doesn't come up very often, especially in YA fiction. Overall I enjoyed this story, and would be interested to read more of Rogerson's books in the future. Preferably with equally gorgeous covers. :)
Right After Reading:
3.5-4 Stars - Magical. A lot going on. I probably need to stop reading books in a day... it gets kinda jumbled. Liked some of it, felt like I wanted more from some of it.
4 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy contemporary YA, and stories that show how lives intersect in unexpected ways. This wasn't overly heavy or overly fluffy (after the first several chapters).
Eva is good at two things: math and "seeing" people's problems when she touches them. While this makes her an excellent math tutor, it makes her socially weird. She doesn't touch anyone or their belongings unless she has to. When she meets Zenn, her new student and accidentally touches his jacket, she's hit with intense feelings of pain, loss, anger, and violence. She's never felt a vision that strongly before. Despite her best efforts, and their differences, she's drawn to Zenn. What happens when you can't touch the one you're with? Why are his problems so violent? Is there any hope that two people so different could find a common ground?
This book started out pretty fluffy, I was a little worried that it was going to be saccharine... but it quickly gained quite a bit of depth and character development. You find out more about Eva's and Zenn's past, and their current struggles. Despite their differences, it turns out that their lives overlap in some pretty big ways. I really appreciated the "realness" the book had despite the fantastical premise. The characters felt real, most of their problems felt real, their relationship seemed pretty real. It wasn't all sugar coated or all depressing. I liked the balance a lot. I also appreciated that while her parents are religious, and the beginning of the book starts out a bit too "pastor's kid," there is some balance there as well. I appreciate books that deal with tough issues and religious perspectives on them, but it's not OVERLY religious. Does this even make sense? It made me glad that all of the characters were very multi-dimensional, and experienced change. This book isn't earth shattering, but I really ended up liking it quite a lot. I also like that their relationship kind of mirrors Rory & Jess in GG. Though Zenn is definitely less angry. - which I obviously like! #teamjess
4 stars - this started out cute and a bit fluffy. I really ended up loving it. It got a lot deeper than I expected, and I found the story really lovely.
Eva is good at two things: math and "seeing" people's problems when she touches them. While this makes her an excellent math tutor, it makes her socially weird. She doesn't touch anyone or their belongings unless she has to. When she meets Zenn, her new student and accidentally touches his jacket, she's hit with intense feelings of pain, loss, anger, and violence. She's never felt a vision that strongly before. Despite her best efforts, and their differences, she's drawn to Zenn. What happens when you can't touch the one you're with? Why are his problems so violent? Is there any hope that two people so different could find a common ground?
This book started out pretty fluffy, I was a little worried that it was going to be saccharine... but it quickly gained quite a bit of depth and character development. You find out more about Eva's and Zenn's past, and their current struggles. Despite their differences, it turns out that their lives overlap in some pretty big ways. I really appreciated the "realness" the book had despite the fantastical premise. The characters felt real, most of their problems felt real, their relationship seemed pretty real. It wasn't all sugar coated or all depressing. I liked the balance a lot. I also appreciated that while her parents are religious, and the beginning of the book starts out a bit too "pastor's kid," there is some balance there as well. I appreciate books that deal with tough issues and religious perspectives on them, but it's not OVERLY religious. Does this even make sense? It made me glad that all of the characters were very multi-dimensional, and experienced change. This book isn't earth shattering, but I really ended up liking it quite a lot. I also like that their relationship kind of mirrors Rory & Jess in GG. Though Zenn is definitely less angry. - which I obviously like! #teamjess
4 stars - this started out cute and a bit fluffy. I really ended up loving it. It got a lot deeper than I expected, and I found the story really lovely.
4 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy YA fiction and coming of age stories. Especially if you have a penchant for anything "nerdy". Even if you don't, I think this book will be enjoyable.
This book follows Cath as she begins her post-high school life. She and her twin sister, her and Wren have always stuck together, and they are not going to be roommates at college. Cath has to figure out how to navigate college alone. New roommates, new roommates' boyfriends, new classes, and how to keep up with her old life. She's worried about her dad all alone, and she's got to keep up with her fanfiction. She's got thousands of followers hanging on her every word. She escapes into her fanfiction world, but she has to find the cut off point. When is it more important to take a risk in real life vs. in the world you're writing?
I thought that this book was really cute and fun to read. I really enjoyed Cath and the other characters as well. I feel like a lot of what she goes through is pretty normal for college, and relateable to read. I didn't expect to enjoy the fanfiction part, but I really did. I definitely shipped those characters (Simon and Baz), and I really want to read Carry On (Rowell's book related to their story). I liked that this book wasn't all fanfiction, it wasn't all fun, it wasn't all drama either. It was a nice mix of all of it.
I only have a few complaints: 1) the ending felt rushed. The last few chapters were a blur... skipping from one scene to the next. And then it just... ended. I wanted more of a resolution! 2) Levi is not a very realistic character to me. He's adorable. Don't get me wrong.. .but I basically grew up in the same world as Levi. Tiny town, middle of the Midwest, Ag. is king. I went to school with a million kids who lived on a farm. Obviously, I don't know everything about everyone, for sure. But most of the boys that I knew who fell into this category would never ever ever be so open minded (at least at this age!), they wouldn't act so bohemian, they wouldn't get into fanfiction about two male characters and their romantic relationship, they wouldn't likely even give Cath the time of day (because she's too "quirky" or "weird"). They likely wouldn't go to college unless they needed to, and if they did, they certainly wouldn't live in a house with tons of roommates, incense, and work at Starbucks to pay tuition. I realize that there has to be SOMEONE out there like this... but based on where I grew up, and the boys I knew who sort of fit the life that Levi had.... none of them that I know are like him. I guess that's just a mini rant.. because it's too bad that he doesn't seem realistic to me. But he doesn't. Not sure if any of that makes sense. But I wanted to type it down. LOL I'm also guessing that most of you won't feel this way, it's very specific to where I grew up, lol!
Anyhow, bottom line, it's super cute. Go read it!
Right after reading:
Cute! Ended abruptly for me though. x_x I ship Simon and Baz so hard.
This book follows Cath as she begins her post-high school life. She and her twin sister, her and Wren have always stuck together, and they are not going to be roommates at college. Cath has to figure out how to navigate college alone. New roommates, new roommates' boyfriends, new classes, and how to keep up with her old life. She's worried about her dad all alone, and she's got to keep up with her fanfiction. She's got thousands of followers hanging on her every word. She escapes into her fanfiction world, but she has to find the cut off point. When is it more important to take a risk in real life vs. in the world you're writing?
I thought that this book was really cute and fun to read. I really enjoyed Cath and the other characters as well. I feel like a lot of what she goes through is pretty normal for college, and relateable to read. I didn't expect to enjoy the fanfiction part, but I really did. I definitely shipped those characters (Simon and Baz), and I really want to read Carry On (Rowell's book related to their story). I liked that this book wasn't all fanfiction, it wasn't all fun, it wasn't all drama either. It was a nice mix of all of it.
I only have a few complaints: 1) the ending felt rushed. The last few chapters were a blur... skipping from one scene to the next. And then it just... ended. I wanted more of a resolution! 2) Levi is not a very realistic character to me. He's adorable. Don't get me wrong.. .but I basically grew up in the same world as Levi. Tiny town, middle of the Midwest, Ag. is king. I went to school with a million kids who lived on a farm. Obviously, I don't know everything about everyone, for sure. But most of the boys that I knew who fell into this category would never ever ever be so open minded (at least at this age!), they wouldn't act so bohemian, they wouldn't get into fanfiction about two male characters and their romantic relationship, they wouldn't likely even give Cath the time of day (because she's too "quirky" or "weird"). They likely wouldn't go to college unless they needed to, and if they did, they certainly wouldn't live in a house with tons of roommates, incense, and work at Starbucks to pay tuition. I realize that there has to be SOMEONE out there like this... but based on where I grew up, and the boys I knew who sort of fit the life that Levi had.... none of them that I know are like him. I guess that's just a mini rant.. because it's too bad that he doesn't seem realistic to me. But he doesn't. Not sure if any of that makes sense. But I wanted to type it down. LOL I'm also guessing that most of you won't feel this way, it's very specific to where I grew up, lol!
Anyhow, bottom line, it's super cute. Go read it!
Right after reading:
Cute! Ended abruptly for me though. x_x I ship Simon and Baz so hard.
