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themoonwholistens's Reviews (698)
"what we do -- what any of us do -- it's just a series of choices"
FORMAT READ: ePub (iBooks) & Audiobook
READ IF: you are just getting into YA fantasy (and like superheroes) and enjoy a typical but interesting in-team friends to lovers lowkey romance
SIMILAR VIBES: The Young Elites, The Darkest Minds
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*All of my reviews are as spoiler-free as possible unless states otherwise*
-- NO MAJOR SPOILERS but if you would rather go in without knowing anything I suggest to only read until here --
OVERALL: 3.0
I did not find anything I entirely disliked aside from certain character traits, I just found everything to be unoriginal after having read the number of YA fantasy books that I have read. Which is my fear when reading YA fantasy now. The redeemable aspects of the book was 1. Adrian and 2. the message of the book (even though it's just on the brink) about how one does not need to have a powers to be a hero.
It's a different take on superheroes and I like how everything takes place AFTER the "superheroes" have won. I generally really liked the beginning of the book but it went downhill for me towards the ending.
The most interesting character and the only one I can say is even written well is Adrian. A lot of the other characters felt like they were trying to be grey characters but they still felt very black and white to me. I felt like most of their powers weren't explored enough to their potential. I thought the powers were great but I just felt like there is more that could be done. Which is why I loved Adrian as he was the one of the prodigies I thought were explored the most in terms of abilities. I do love the voice of the whoever was reading Adrian's POVs though <3 it's exactly how I imagine him
The general plot line was very cliche to me, very predictable even though I thought it was fun. Pure curiousness and whatever what was going on between Adrian and Nova was what kept me going through the whole thing (and probably the second book). I can't help but wish that they focused more on The Anarchists rather than The Renegades (which they did for the first part but started to forget after a point).
And even though I did not like a lot of the characters individually I liked a lot of their relationships. I just did not find the writing style engaging enough and it was enough for me to fully invest myself into them. I do have to say that Nova's relationship with the rest of the Archanists was very touching at the beginning to the middle but it was lost in the middle of the other things going on.
PLOT: ★★☆☆☆
WRITING STYLE: ★★★☆☆
WORLD BUILDING: ★★★☆☆
CHARACTERS: ★★★☆☆
THEMES: ★★★★☆
PACING: ★★★☆☆
FORMAT READ: ePub (iBooks) & Audiobook
READ IF: you are just getting into YA fantasy (and like superheroes) and enjoy a typical but interesting in-team friends to lovers lowkey romance
SIMILAR VIBES: The Young Elites, The Darkest Minds
⟹ MY BLOG ⟸
⟹ SUPPORT ME ON KO-FI ⟸
*All of my reviews are as spoiler-free as possible unless states otherwise*
-- NO MAJOR SPOILERS but if you would rather go in without knowing anything I suggest to only read until here --
OVERALL: 3.0
I did not find anything I entirely disliked aside from certain character traits, I just found everything to be unoriginal after having read the number of YA fantasy books that I have read. Which is my fear when reading YA fantasy now. The redeemable aspects of the book was 1. Adrian and 2. the message of the book (even though it's just on the brink) about how one does not need to have a powers to be a hero.
It's a different take on superheroes and I like how everything takes place AFTER the "superheroes" have won. I generally really liked the beginning of the book but it went downhill for me towards the ending.
The most interesting character and the only one I can say is even written well is Adrian. A lot of the other characters felt like they were trying to be grey characters but they still felt very black and white to me. I felt like most of their powers weren't explored enough to their potential. I thought the powers were great but I just felt like there is more that could be done. Which is why I loved Adrian as he was the one of the prodigies I thought were explored the most in terms of abilities. I do love the voice of the whoever was reading Adrian's POVs though <3 it's exactly how I imagine him
The general plot line was very cliche to me, very predictable even though I thought it was fun. Pure curiousness and whatever what was going on between Adrian and Nova was what kept me going through the whole thing (and probably the second book). I can't help but wish that they focused more on The Anarchists rather than The Renegades (which they did for the first part but started to forget after a point).
And even though I did not like a lot of the characters individually I liked a lot of their relationships. I just did not find the writing style engaging enough and it was enough for me to fully invest myself into them. I do have to say that Nova's relationship with the rest of the Archanists was very touching at the beginning to the middle but it was lost in the middle of the other things going on.
PLOT: ★★☆☆☆
WRITING STYLE: ★★★☆☆
WORLD BUILDING: ★★★☆☆
CHARACTERS: ★★★☆☆
THEMES: ★★★★☆
PACING: ★★★☆☆
“Stars are important," I say, laughing.
"Sure, but why not more poems about the sun? The sun is also a star, and it's our most important one. That alone should be worth a poem or two.”
BUDDY READ WITH THE VERY AWESOME CHLOE!!!
There are so many things I loved about this book. I kid you not. I was about 75% into this book and I already shelved this as my favorites.
I loved everything about it!! From the characters to the uniqueness of the plot to the originality, creativity and style of writing. This is truly one of Nicola Yoon's greatest creations.
I learned so many things about the Jamaican and Korean culture here so that was a very much appreciated part of the book since I enjoy learning more about different cultures, especially when they are incorporated into stories that I have fallen in love with.
Though, this book is a type of Insta-love it isn't the usual kind if you know what I mean. the best thing about this book is the little details about it.
THE CHARACTERS ! I so very much appreciate it when authors put some kind of focus on minor characters and how Nicola Yoon wrote it was just amazing and creative. Every little detail was thought out and not just put out there. I really loved it.
And of course, how can we not talk about Daniel and Natasha. These two. Are. Babies. I can fall in love with them all over again they are just the definition of all things romantic. You cannot fight me on this. I have already decided I love them. I enjoyed their story and there really isn't anything much more to say to that. It just really is a good love story, good contemporary and I like books that tackle more than just the love story.
Go ahead and pick up this book readers of YA Contemporary because you will not be disappointed.
Full Review: [coming soon]
"Sure, but why not more poems about the sun? The sun is also a star, and it's our most important one. That alone should be worth a poem or two.”
BUDDY READ WITH THE VERY AWESOME CHLOE!!!
There are so many things I loved about this book. I kid you not. I was about 75% into this book and I already shelved this as my favorites.
I loved everything about it!! From the characters to the uniqueness of the plot to the originality, creativity and style of writing. This is truly one of Nicola Yoon's greatest creations.
Spoiler
I was crying by the end of the book that it took me a good 15 minutes to process everything and continue reading on.I learned so many things about the Jamaican and Korean culture here so that was a very much appreciated part of the book since I enjoy learning more about different cultures, especially when they are incorporated into stories that I have fallen in love with.
Though, this book is a type of Insta-love it isn't the usual kind if you know what I mean.
Spoiler
The plot ended up how I thought it would butTHE CHARACTERS ! I so very much appreciate it when authors put some kind of focus on minor characters and how Nicola Yoon wrote it was just amazing and creative. Every little detail was thought out and not just put out there. I really loved it.
And of course, how can we not talk about Daniel and Natasha. These two. Are. Babies. I can fall in love with them all over again they are just the definition of all things romantic. You cannot fight me on this. I have already decided I love them. I enjoyed their story and there really isn't anything much more to say to that. It just really is a good love story, good contemporary and I like books that tackle more than just the love story.
Go ahead and pick up this book readers of YA Contemporary because you will not be disappointed.
Full Review: [coming soon]
”all that matters is the truth as you know it, and as the ones you love know it.
FORMAT READ: eBook (iBooks)
SIMILAR VIBES: The Fill-In Boyfriend
READ FOR: the humor, light and fun royal drama goodness, and slow-burn romance
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*All of my reviews are as spoiler-free as possible unless states otherwise*
*There are no major spoilers but if you would rather go into the story without knowing anything, read only up to here*
OVERALL: 4.25
I AM BOUNCING WITH JOY
To be honest, I think I read the synopsis wrong so I went into the book thinking that she was going to be ending up with the prince’s brother and not the prince’s brother’s courtier. BUT HEY I loved it anyway.
And I LOOOVVEEEE a good slow-burn romance. Mixing it with all the royal goodness and the fake relationships made this book so fun and charming. The humor was mixed with the right amount of seriousness for a light romantic read.
The plot was everything I could have asked for from a royal romance. I just couldn’t get enough of Daisy and Miles, and everyone. There wasn’t so much with the other characters but it’s something that I can live with as their personalities were expertly portrayed in each of their individual scenes. There wasn’t so much background as there were a fair number of characters that were introduced but I still feel like Rachel Hawkins did a good job with making the characters “rise from the pages”.
I seriously cannot wait to read the next book and see what else in store for Daisy and Miles.
PLOT: ★★★★★
WRITING STYLE: ★★★★★
CHARACTERS: ★★★★☆
THEMES: ★★★★☆
PACING: ★★★★☆
PAGE TURNER: ★★★★★
EMOTIONAL GUT PUNCH: ★★★★☆
⇒GET THE BOOK ON BOOK DEPOSITORY⇐
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PRE READ:
I didn't realize there was a boy squad BUT I AM LIVING FOR IT !!
"You're family now. Whether you live here or not, you're stuck with us."
FORMAT READ: eBook (Adobe Digital Editions)
SIMILAR VIBES: The Sun is Also a Star (vaguely.. and without the magical realism part)
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*All of my reviews are as spoiler-free as possible unless states otherwise*
OVERALL: 2.75
I like how there were parts of the story that were crafted around music and gave the readers a bit of an inside experience to what that was like.
The characters bordered on what I would say is whimsical because of the magical realism of the story and their dialogue… like a whimsical personality, if that makes sense. Like that was the vibe I was getting from them. They were interesting enough to keep me going through the whole. Though, there were not a lot of things happening in the plot that interested me,… there were still a lot that seemed to be going on… and it did not sit well with me.
It was a more adult read than I expected going in (especially for a YA) and it was not a plot I was a fan of at first. It was a slow start and even though it was not the worst writing, I couldn’t get myself invested.
The book is very much diverse and if you don’t mind treading about the use of drugs and child abandonment then you may want to try this book.
PLOT: ★★★☆☆
WRITING STYLE: ★★★★☆
CHARACTERS: ★★★☆☆
CHARACTER RELATIONSHIPS: ★★☆☆☆
THEMES: ★★☆☆☆
PACING: ★★★☆☆
PAGE TURNER: ★★☆☆☆
Thanks to Soho Teen and Michelle Ruiz Keil for sending me an ARC to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
ARC received from -Inkyard Press- in exchange of an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
— overall thoughts: 3.5 —
this was literally so sweet and overall a wholesome read. there was more that i wished could have happened plot wise but it was nice being in the company of characters in the story even though i had a hard time connecting with them on an emotional level.
the app that they produced was actually the most interesting aspect to me especially since it was lgbtq+ friendly and a well executed part of the plot that i loved. which was important to me since the idea of being able to calculate feelings and emotions was what intrigued the most when i first found out about this book. the way that aspect was explored made it automatically a must read to me. it also just makes me wonder what it would be like if it were more in the sci-fi genre.
i havent read Emma by jane austen and i do plan on reading it so i didn't want to search up what the similarities and differences are between the two as this is a retelling. previous readers said that they wished that this wasn't a retelling because of they automatically kept comparing it so perhaps just take that into account.
the characters are quirky and this is another example of contemporary with a female character that does not get on my nerves, which i highly appreciated.
aside from the romance it had friendship elements that i might have enjoyed a little better than the romantic relationship. i also just no longer have the same tolerance for miscommunication problems in ya romance contemporary as i did before when i found it a lot more relatable. it does follows the typical formula of most contemporary romances where they start off not wanting a relationship then they get together then there’s some sort of misunderstanding between them but they still end up getting together in the end. this was what made the outcome predictable for me.
this review was a little more negative than i intended it to be but it was actually still enjoyable and a more unique compared to most contemporary plots. i would still definitely recommend it if you are looking for a light, sweet, and a refresher kind of read.
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This looks like a geeky and fun romance AND IM HERE FOR IT !!
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“I’m just trying to figure out what’s the most important thing to make you fall in love.”
— overall thoughts: 3.5 —
this was literally so sweet and overall a wholesome read. there was more that i wished could have happened plot wise but it was nice being in the company of characters in the story even though i had a hard time connecting with them on an emotional level.
the app that they produced was actually the most interesting aspect to me especially since it was lgbtq+ friendly and a well executed part of the plot that i loved. which was important to me since the idea of being able to calculate feelings and emotions was what intrigued the most when i first found out about this book. the way that aspect was explored made it automatically a must read to me. it also just makes me wonder what it would be like if it were more in the sci-fi genre.
i havent read Emma by jane austen and i do plan on reading it so i didn't want to search up what the similarities and differences are between the two as this is a retelling. previous readers said that they wished that this wasn't a retelling because of they automatically kept comparing it so perhaps just take that into account.
the characters are quirky and this is another example of contemporary with a female character that does not get on my nerves, which i highly appreciated.
aside from the romance it had friendship elements that i might have enjoyed a little better than the romantic relationship. i also just no longer have the same tolerance for miscommunication problems in ya romance contemporary as i did before when i found it a lot more relatable. it does follows the typical formula of most contemporary romances where they start off not wanting a relationship then they get together then there’s some sort of misunderstanding between them but they still end up getting together in the end. this was what made the outcome predictable for me.
this review was a little more negative than i intended it to be but it was actually still enjoyable and a more unique compared to most contemporary plots. i would still definitely recommend it if you are looking for a light, sweet, and a refresher kind of read.
-----------
This looks like a geeky and fun romance AND IM HERE FOR IT !!
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“You can’t be all I ever wanted because I’ve never wanted only one thing.”
FORMAT READ: Audiobook
SIMILAR VIBES: A Curse So Dark and Lonely
READ FOR: beauty and the beast retelling with similar plot
READING LEVEL: Level 1-2 out of 5
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*All of my reviews are as spoiler-free as possible unless states otherwise*
OVERALL THOUGHTS: 1.5
I have nothing against Beauty and the Beast but I really don’t understand what’s so special about this book like ???? It’s all the basic Beauty and the Beast fairy tale things without the musical goodness.
There were minor changes in the plot and what was different was what I did not like the most. I did not fall in love with the characters and I hated the chapters of the Beast omg XD I don’t know if it’s the audiobook but it was so weird for me for the most part.
It was so dragging!!! There was so much telling and… it’s not my type of writing… I didn’t feel the magic and whimsical way the original story was written.
The ending chapters did hit me enough to give this 2 stars because I am a sucker for emotional and meaningful endings.
Honestly, if you want are looking for a more creative retelling of Beauty and the Beast… go read “A Curse So Dark and Lonely”.
But if you do want a very fairy-tale book with similar vibes to the original Beauty and the Beast, without the musical genius, you can try this and I hope you love it more than I did.
PLOT: ★☆☆☆☆
WRITING STYLE: ★★☆☆☆
WORLD BUILDING: ★★☆☆☆
CHARACTERS: ★★★☆☆
THEMES: ★★★☆☆
PACING: ★★☆☆☆
PAGE TURNER: ★★☆☆☆
“As for whether the magic in The Crown’s Game is real, well . . . that depends. Do you believe in what you cannot see?”
—
oh boy. I was not ready for this book.
I am writing this on my phone while i’m out of town because I just REALLY need to write this review.
First of all, I thought this book was high fantasy which was my reason for always saving it from another time. Then one day I was bored and just picked this up from the shelf, not even remembering what the synopsis said or even the plot. I read the teaser at the start and told myself that it seems interesting. Then I read the first paragraph and then just got completely hooked. Like sat and read without looking up for about two hours then realizing how long I’ve been reading. . . then proceeded to continue reading.
I LOVE HOW EVERYTHING IS RUSSIAN THEMED.
I liked how evident the russian culture was. It appeased me.
Okay now, I am pretty much a sucker for Russia myths and whatnot since reading the Shadow and Bone series. And I was not immune to the charms of this book either. Though it was not perfect, the elements were blended just right. It’s fast paced but not too fast that you won’t be confused (and note that I divulged myself in this book in less than 24 hours). The fantasy part was not my favorite but when mixed with the stunning writing of the love story, I learned to appreciate it more. It still blew me away because this world still had its own uniqueness and I just fell in love. The timeline of the progression for the love story WAS ABSOLUTELY ON POINT. I want to just curl up in those precious, romantic moments.
I LOVE NIKOLAI !! (that name still triggers me)
I LOVE VIKA !!
I LOVE PASHA !!
I LOVE THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH EACH OTHER <3
and FUN FACT: I had no idea who was going to end up together until halfway, as a romance reader i have a radar and this is the first time in a very long time that i doubted my tracking abilities. That is a sign of a really great romance brewing. I had no idea who was going to end up with who because I also realized that I do not remember the synopsis. And honestly, it was so much more fun trying to figure it out.
I did start to realize however that the story was starting to go downhill about midway in the book. Which was sad to see given a beautiful introduction. I was also confused on the rules of the ACTUAL game. They never did write the actual rules. It wasn’t even explicitly stated or said. You just sort of figure it out. . .
Aside from that, my other favorite thing in this story are the relationships between the two pairs of siblings in the story: Seige & Galina, and Pasha & Yulina. It’s what I know to be realistic for siblings in real life and relatable relationships for those who don’t have siblings or unlike these type of siblings. I just felt sort of in awe of them.
This could have been so much deeper on a fantasy level. It’s very much underrated and I would recommend this to more readers. I enjoyed it immensely. Though I wished it would have been more consistent, it was no less beautiful to me. It was a lighter type of magical fantasy that revolved more on romance and familial love.
Not hardcore fantasy, more subtle type. Nevertheless, still incredibly magical.
“Imagine, and it shall be.
There are no limits.”
I recommend this for readers who are into magic, romance and royalties. I am trash for these books, and I love it. I live for those small, precious moments. No regrets.
~
—
oh boy. I was not ready for this book.
I am writing this on my phone while i’m out of town because I just REALLY need to write this review.
First of all, I thought this book was high fantasy which was my reason for always saving it from another time. Then one day I was bored and just picked this up from the shelf, not even remembering what the synopsis said or even the plot. I read the teaser at the start and told myself that it seems interesting. Then I read the first paragraph and then just got completely hooked. Like sat and read without looking up for about two hours then realizing how long I’ve been reading. . . then proceeded to continue reading.
I LOVE HOW EVERYTHING IS RUSSIAN THEMED.
I liked how evident the russian culture was. It appeased me.
Okay now, I am pretty much a sucker for Russia myths and whatnot since reading the Shadow and Bone series. And I was not immune to the charms of this book either. Though it was not perfect, the elements were blended just right. It’s fast paced but not too fast that you won’t be confused (and note that I divulged myself in this book in less than 24 hours). The fantasy part was not my favorite but when mixed with the stunning writing of the love story, I learned to appreciate it more. It still blew me away because this world still had its own uniqueness and I just fell in love. The timeline of the progression for the love story WAS ABSOLUTELY ON POINT. I want to just curl up in those precious, romantic moments.
I LOVE NIKOLAI !! (that name still triggers me)
I LOVE VIKA !!
I LOVE PASHA !!
I LOVE THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH EACH OTHER <3
and FUN FACT: I had no idea who was going to end up together until halfway, as a romance reader i have a radar and this is the first time in a very long time that i doubted my tracking abilities. That is a sign of a really great romance brewing. I had no idea who was going to end up with who because I also realized that I do not remember the synopsis. And honestly, it was so much more fun trying to figure it out.
I did start to realize however that the story was starting to go downhill about midway in the book. Which was sad to see given a beautiful introduction. I was also confused on the rules of the ACTUAL game. They never did write the actual rules. It wasn’t even explicitly stated or said. You just sort of figure it out. . .
Aside from that, my other favorite thing in this story are the relationships between the two pairs of siblings in the story: Seige & Galina, and Pasha & Yulina. It’s what I know to be realistic for siblings in real life and relatable relationships for those who don’t have siblings or unlike these type of siblings. I just felt sort of in awe of them.
This could have been so much deeper on a fantasy level. It’s very much underrated and I would recommend this to more readers. I enjoyed it immensely. Though I wished it would have been more consistent, it was no less beautiful to me. It was a lighter type of magical fantasy that revolved more on romance and familial love.
Not hardcore fantasy, more subtle type. Nevertheless, still incredibly magical.
“Imagine, and it shall be.
There are no limits.”
I recommend this for readers who are into magic, romance and royalties. I am trash for these books, and I love it. I live for those small, precious moments. No regrets.
~
“I’ve learned in my lifetime to control only what is possible. When something is out of my hands, I let it be free.”
I found another book I forgot to make a review for. Enjoy my notes again (or not), if you want:
- i was taken by surprise at how complicated the story was left off from the prev book
- it lacked description and i found it hard to get back into the story despite not even a year since i read the prev book
- it started to get boring in the end since nothin enticing or exciting was happening
- it’s starting to feel sort of bland (writing)
- i love magnus KDNSKFJW
- cleo was written out to be an insignificant character despite supposedly having a goddess inside of her
- the magic seemed practically non existent
- the prev book was hard to top off
- big twists were written so nonchalantly
- Jonas and Cleo are my favorite platonic relationship
- what happened to the writing of this story ?!?!
- i was waiting for the epic moment when cleo and magnus are reunited but it felt so bland
- I HAD HIGHER EXPECTATIONS
- CLEO WAS SO INSIGNIFICANT AT THE FIRST 30%
- and she used to be one of my faves due to her character development
- I AM SO LET DOWN BY THIS
- i expected so much more, especially for a conclusion of this series that i have supported for so long
- the plot is ridiculous, downgrade from all the hardwork and worldbuilding in the prev books
- i don’t like it when books skip the wrong scenes, it makes it look like the book is in a rush
- magnus got a character downgrade for me
- magnus and cleo do not have the chemistry that i want
- the writing got a donwgrade sadly
- jonas and felix’s bromance <33333 even though we only saw it almost halfway in
- i don’t know what to feel about Amara
- the pacing was very inconsistent, some parts were rushed, some dragged and very few were of decent pacing
- it seemed like i was following the plot of a movie
- lacked significant detail in the writing
- i wish we saw more of nic’s struggle (write for each character)
- timotheus is so insignificant
- i dont even care abt this anymore
- a whole new problem was introduced and was not executed properly
- the fact that thsi was originally less books
- nic and ashur are so pure FKANFNWK
- sorry MagnEo. you guys were murdered by this book
- characters are diverse
- love teams are okay
- ending was redeemable
- when a character realizes that their loved one loves this other character they hate <333
- a lot of characters felt flat at this point
I loved this series but I was disappointed by this book I'm sorry
I found another book I forgot to make a review for. Enjoy my notes again (or not), if you want:
- i was taken by surprise at how complicated the story was left off from the prev book
- it lacked description and i found it hard to get back into the story despite not even a year since i read the prev book
- it started to get boring in the end since nothin enticing or exciting was happening
- it’s starting to feel sort of bland (writing)
- i love magnus KDNSKFJW
- cleo was written out to be an insignificant character despite supposedly having a goddess inside of her
- the magic seemed practically non existent
- the prev book was hard to top off
- big twists were written so nonchalantly
- Jonas and Cleo are my favorite platonic relationship
- what happened to the writing of this story ?!?!
- i was waiting for the epic moment when cleo and magnus are reunited but it felt so bland
- I HAD HIGHER EXPECTATIONS
- CLEO WAS SO INSIGNIFICANT AT THE FIRST 30%
- and she used to be one of my faves due to her character development
- I AM SO LET DOWN BY THIS
- i expected so much more, especially for a conclusion of this series that i have supported for so long
- the plot is ridiculous, downgrade from all the hardwork and worldbuilding in the prev books
- i don’t like it when books skip the wrong scenes, it makes it look like the book is in a rush
- magnus got a character downgrade for me
- magnus and cleo do not have the chemistry that i want
- the writing got a donwgrade sadly
- jonas and felix’s bromance <33333 even though we only saw it almost halfway in
- i don’t know what to feel about Amara
- the pacing was very inconsistent, some parts were rushed, some dragged and very few were of decent pacing
- it seemed like i was following the plot of a movie
- lacked significant detail in the writing
- i wish we saw more of nic’s struggle (write for each character)
- timotheus is so insignificant
- i dont even care abt this anymore
- a whole new problem was introduced and was not executed properly
- the fact that thsi was originally less books
- nic and ashur are so pure FKANFNWK
- sorry MagnEo. you guys were murdered by this book
- characters are diverse
- love teams are okay
- ending was redeemable
- when a character realizes that their loved one loves this other character they hate <333
- a lot of characters felt flat at this point
I loved this series but I was disappointed by this book I'm sorry
Medium: audiobook
[THIS IS MY INITIAL REVIEW, full review to be posted on my blog]
**note: this includes raw notes while I was reading said book because I need to release my thoughts on the books I have read but still not having enough time to make reviews for ARCs and the books I read out of my own interest :)) be gentle with me
"You will love people, and they’ll be taken away no matter how hard you fight to keep them."
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*All of my reviews are as spoiler-free as possible unless states otherwise*
plot:
I'm sorry but the first part was too much like the typical YA dystopian, which was not what I was looking for after reading the first book. It had a very slow start, somehow like the first book but without the adventurous feel to it. Which I have to admit, might be the reason that this book got a whole star removed from my rating. It lacked the deepness and intensity I was expecting to dive back into. Though, it did pick up in the middle, suddenly shifting to a faster pace, like the first book.
“i didn’t know where i was going or how i was going to get there, i had just run”
However, what made me so nostalgic is the references to book one, which greatly influenced my emotions for this book. I like the process that kids got their powers, it was indeed different and did not happen based on some magical entity. It was not, what I like to call the "just because" magical system. The Psy kids had their own heirarchy within them and is always a detail of the plot that I really liked reading about. Include it to the fact that this plot focuses a lot on displaying how children can take care of themselves in a world where adults are trying to control them.
some other things I need to say but lack the energy to substantiate as of right now (includes some raw book notes):
- i was frustrated for about half of the book
- dystopian governments being very terrible
- “when things go bad, you gotta fix them”
- MY MAIN PROBLEM was how tired i got of the conflict
- i liked the morals and all but i was tired of the plotline
- I LIKE the idea of taking care of your own. it kept acknowledging the fact that only America was affected by the virus
- a lot things were expected but they made my heart ache :')
- i thought i had everything figured out
- some parts didn’t make sense and greatly underwhelmed me
characters:
“no one can every really know another person unless you really pay attention”
It was hard to get attached to the characters again at first that i had to really focus and listen to it since it was not putting me in the mood to read but i was curious to know what would happen
some raw book notes:
- JUDE MY GOODNESS HAS A PURE SOUL: “I don’t want to just know a person’s face, I want to know their shadow”
- JUDE: “people are more than what a piece of paper or file says about them”
- this boy has has more wisdom in his little finger than most of the characters do
- i miss the others characters (Zu, Chubs, Liam) and it felt like they were being replaced by characters with parallel personalities
- Ruby’s empathy felt so forced at the beginning
- the humor did not get me as much as the first book did
- i miss the adventurous feel that the first book gave me because it started to feel like the basic dystopian novel
- Ruby: “ghosts don’t haunt people, their memories do”
- jude is so innocent
- about chubs: “I’m not sure he saw a point in pretending to be anything he wasn’t”
- i dont know if its because of the audiobook but ruby was really annoying me
- im sick of the girl on girl hate (I NEED FRIENDSHIP AND LOVE)
- although i love the chracterization, they were all what i expected them to eb
- my favorite character was every other character except for the main character
- i HATE how liam was practically out of the story (not jsut becuase he’s a character that i love) but because he was the rock of the group and he balanced out the dynamic of their group. everything felt unbalanced while he was missing. unless that was the point of that ????
- LIAM was so broken and portrayed weak AND I HATED IT
- when the real liam was finally brought back from the ghost of a shell liam i realized how much the Ruby-Liam dynamic played into my love for this series
* OKAY we need to talk about that ‘fight’ scene between Liam and Ruby. Can you just imagine how Liam felt? he felt emotions too strong for this stranger he jsut met
* when ruby and liam were separated, i hated it, and when they were re united an liam started to remember fragments, i jsut couldn’t take it anymore
* vida and ruby’s relationship FINALLY got to the friendship point
* cliche dystopian: they used the strengths of their enemies against them
* my heart is destroyed
overall:
some more raw book notes!! :
- i felt a lot of emotion but it did not strike me as much as the first book did, i dont know if that was the book itself or the audiobook
- i still enjoyed this a lot, but there are just too many aspects that i cannot ignore
- what i got: it’s about accepting what you were given. it’s not about what you are, it’s about what you do with what you are given
- it took me too long to finish this, i had to read it in audiobook, which i dont normally like because my interpretation of the books is different than that of the one reading it, which in turn affects my impression of the book at the end
- without the Ruby-Liam dynamic, the book just felt so incomplete to me and I couldn’t bring myself to love it
- this is gettin 4 stars because of the last 25% and how much I genuinely enjoyed it
- i am defnitely going to continue on to the next book out of curiosity
"Forgive yourself, but don’t forget."
~ Althea (themoonwholistens) ☾
[THIS IS MY INITIAL REVIEW, full review to be posted on my blog]
**note: this includes raw notes while I was reading said book because I need to release my thoughts on the books I have read but still not having enough time to make reviews for ARCs and the books I read out of my own interest :)) be gentle with me
"You will love people, and they’ll be taken away no matter how hard you fight to keep them."
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*All of my reviews are as spoiler-free as possible unless states otherwise*
plot:
I'm sorry but the first part was too much like the typical YA dystopian, which was not what I was looking for after reading the first book. It had a very slow start, somehow like the first book but without the adventurous feel to it. Which I have to admit, might be the reason that this book got a whole star removed from my rating. It lacked the deepness and intensity I was expecting to dive back into. Though, it did pick up in the middle, suddenly shifting to a faster pace, like the first book.
“i didn’t know where i was going or how i was going to get there, i had just run”
However, what made me so nostalgic is the references to book one, which greatly influenced my emotions for this book. I like the process that kids got their powers, it was indeed different and did not happen based on some magical entity. It was not, what I like to call the "just because" magical system. The Psy kids had their own heirarchy within them and is always a detail of the plot that I really liked reading about. Include it to the fact that this plot focuses a lot on displaying how children can take care of themselves in a world where adults are trying to control them.
some other things I need to say but lack the energy to substantiate as of right now (includes some raw book notes):
- i was frustrated for about half of the book
- dystopian governments being very terrible
- “when things go bad, you gotta fix them”
- MY MAIN PROBLEM was how tired i got of the conflict
- i liked the morals and all but i was tired of the plotline
- I LIKE the idea of taking care of your own. it kept acknowledging the fact that only America was affected by the virus
- a lot things were expected but they made my heart ache :')
- i thought i had everything figured out
- some parts didn’t make sense and greatly underwhelmed me
characters:
“no one can every really know another person unless you really pay attention”
It was hard to get attached to the characters again at first that i had to really focus and listen to it since it was not putting me in the mood to read but i was curious to know what would happen
some raw book notes:
- JUDE MY GOODNESS HAS A PURE SOUL: “I don’t want to just know a person’s face, I want to know their shadow”
- JUDE: “people are more than what a piece of paper or file says about them”
- this boy has has more wisdom in his little finger than most of the characters do
- i miss the others characters (Zu, Chubs, Liam) and it felt like they were being replaced by characters with parallel personalities
- Ruby’s empathy felt so forced at the beginning
- the humor did not get me as much as the first book did
- i miss the adventurous feel that the first book gave me because it started to feel like the basic dystopian novel
- Ruby: “ghosts don’t haunt people, their memories do”
- jude is so innocent
- about chubs: “I’m not sure he saw a point in pretending to be anything he wasn’t”
- i dont know if its because of the audiobook but ruby was really annoying me
- im sick of the girl on girl hate (I NEED FRIENDSHIP AND LOVE)
- although i love the chracterization, they were all what i expected them to eb
- my favorite character was every other character except for the main character
- i HATE how liam was practically out of the story (not jsut becuase he’s a character that i love) but because he was the rock of the group and he balanced out the dynamic of their group. everything felt unbalanced while he was missing. unless that was the point of that ????
- LIAM was so broken and portrayed weak AND I HATED IT
- when the real liam was finally brought back from the ghost of a shell liam i realized how much the Ruby-Liam dynamic played into my love for this series
* OKAY we need to talk about that ‘fight’ scene between Liam and Ruby. Can you just imagine how Liam felt? he felt emotions too strong for this stranger he jsut met
* when ruby and liam were separated, i hated it, and when they were re united an liam started to remember fragments, i jsut couldn’t take it anymore
* vida and ruby’s relationship FINALLY got to the friendship point
* cliche dystopian: they used the strengths of their enemies against them
* my heart is destroyed
overall:
some more raw book notes!! :
- i felt a lot of emotion but it did not strike me as much as the first book did, i dont know if that was the book itself or the audiobook
- i still enjoyed this a lot, but there are just too many aspects that i cannot ignore
- what i got: it’s about accepting what you were given. it’s not about what you are, it’s about what you do with what you are given
- it took me too long to finish this, i had to read it in audiobook, which i dont normally like because my interpretation of the books is different than that of the one reading it, which in turn affects my impression of the book at the end
- without the Ruby-Liam dynamic, the book just felt so incomplete to me and I couldn’t bring myself to love it
- this is gettin 4 stars because of the last 25% and how much I genuinely enjoyed it
- i am defnitely going to continue on to the next book out of curiosity
"Forgive yourself, but don’t forget."
~ Althea (themoonwholistens) ☾