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4.28 AVERAGE
4.28 AVERAGE
Ok, here's the thing. I had the first book years ago. I haven't indulged myself in the book because I never had the desire to. That's because I want to read the book to enjoy it, not to force myself into reading it just so I can finish it. But then, I became invested with the idea of Desert. The idea of adventures in the sand, what was it like for people there to survive, how they live, etc.
And so, I read the Tiger Queen. It was fine. It could've been better. Then when I look at my bookshelf, there's this one book, one that I tried to read 5 times but didn't finish, only the synopsis and the first chapter. It's the Rebels of the Sand. And I'd be lying if I didn't enjoy it to give it a hell of 5 stars. I was drawn to it. I finished it without reading other books. I was invested.
When I got to the book, I said, damn, there's a lot to uncover in this book. The legends, the fights and war, and the leaders, everything else. How will the author be able to manage to unravel it well without speeding it all up? Then I searched it up, it was a trilogy! What. Sorcery. Did. I. Miss?
Of course, I read the two books. Now, I'm rating this 3rd one 5 stars still because it made me laugh, cry, and be with the characters like I was their ally too. I was making decisions myself and I was shipping them and raging and everything!
What makes me give it the highest rating was not just because of the feelings that I felt while reading it, it was the experience of having a good—great book that was well-written, influential, informative, and highly engaging. I managed to learn more about the legends, the myths, the folklore of the Desert. I never pegged the story to be forceful in any way. The build-up clues were managed smoothly in the end. The plot was well-thought throughout. And the ending? Chef's kiss. The characters' dynamics were so good that when some of them died, I get teary-eyed. Their adventures, the fights, the wars, I love it all. I wonder throughout the book: what life must be if I were a Deserter.
I also got to love the importance of sacrifice and love and family and priorities. One doesn't need to decide for themselves alone, oftentimes we have to decide for many. And it won't be easy, it would be hard because those choices, up to the last two, neither is better, either are worse.
And so, I want to say thank you, Miss Alwyn Hamilton, because you created this masterpiece. I wish more people would get the chance to read them, because I had such a great time reading them, and it will be one of my best books. To be honest, I bought them because your surname was Hamilton, and I am a Hamilfam, but I'm glad I did. Looks like the Djinns' conspired to make me read the series.
Thank you, Amani, Jin, Shazad, Ahmed, Sam, Hala, Imin, Izz and Maz, Delilah, Tamid, Rahim, Shira, and everyone else even the bad ones, Sultan and Leyla, thank you all for the great journey. I am not that sappy, but when I do enjoy a great book, then hell, I would praise and babble about it as much as I could.
To the Living Legends!
Love,
Farfar Al-Villanueva. :)
Ps. In the new cover, Amani's should've been red.
And so, I read the Tiger Queen. It was fine. It could've been better. Then when I look at my bookshelf, there's this one book, one that I tried to read 5 times but didn't finish, only the synopsis and the first chapter. It's the Rebels of the Sand. And I'd be lying if I didn't enjoy it to give it a hell of 5 stars. I was drawn to it. I finished it without reading other books. I was invested.
When I got to the book, I said, damn, there's a lot to uncover in this book. The legends, the fights and war, and the leaders, everything else. How will the author be able to manage to unravel it well without speeding it all up? Then I searched it up, it was a trilogy! What. Sorcery. Did. I. Miss?
Of course, I read the two books. Now, I'm rating this 3rd one 5 stars still because it made me laugh, cry, and be with the characters like I was their ally too. I was making decisions myself and I was shipping them and raging and everything!
What makes me give it the highest rating was not just because of the feelings that I felt while reading it, it was the experience of having a good—great book that was well-written, influential, informative, and highly engaging. I managed to learn more about the legends, the myths, the folklore of the Desert. I never pegged the story to be forceful in any way. The build-up clues were managed smoothly in the end. The plot was well-thought throughout. And the ending? Chef's kiss. The characters' dynamics were so good that when some of them died, I get teary-eyed. Their adventures, the fights, the wars, I love it all. I wonder throughout the book: what life must be if I were a Deserter.
I also got to love the importance of sacrifice and love and family and priorities. One doesn't need to decide for themselves alone, oftentimes we have to decide for many. And it won't be easy, it would be hard because those choices, up to the last two, neither is better, either are worse.
And so, I want to say thank you, Miss Alwyn Hamilton, because you created this masterpiece. I wish more people would get the chance to read them, because I had such a great time reading them, and it will be one of my best books. To be honest, I bought them because your surname was Hamilton, and I am a Hamilfam, but I'm glad I did. Looks like the Djinns' conspired to make me read the series.
Thank you, Amani, Jin, Shazad, Ahmed, Sam, Hala, Imin, Izz and Maz, Delilah, Tamid, Rahim, Shira, and everyone else even the bad ones, Sultan and Leyla, thank you all for the great journey. I am not that sappy, but when I do enjoy a great book, then hell, I would praise and babble about it as much as I could.
To the Living Legends!
Love,
Farfar Al-Villanueva. :)
Ps. In the new cover, Amani's should've been red.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
EL FINAL HA LLEGADO
En este tercer libro se concluye la historia de nuestros queridos personajes “principales”: Ahmed, Shazad, Amani y Jin.
Las leyendas mitológicas que habitan en este universo continúan siendo reveladas, además de comenzar a tener grandes elementos de “Las Mil y Una Noches”
Las críticas sobre las clases sociales continúan fuerte en este libro, sin olvidarse ni un poco de los problemas políticos que de seguro nos puede servir para reflexionar sobre nuestro día a día.
Entonces, este tercer libro empieza después de la muerte del príncipe rebelde: Ahmed. ¿O será que no murió?
De cualquier forma, los simpatizantes de la rebelión no son decapitados en plaza pública, (como era usual) si no que son enviados a otro lugar, que, según se afirma es peor que la misma muerte.
Sin el príncipe rebelde como líder de la rebelión, Amani toma el cargo como regente, demostrando ser capaz de tomar decisiones difíciles, que en el proceso se llevarán la vida de muchos amigos.
Les advierto que esta reseña será todo menos objetiva, pues derramé lágrimas en el decorrer de las páginas por que los acontecimientos fueron... impactantes.
Algo que debo destacar de este libro es que aunque las cosas sean contadas del punto de vista de Amani, (que en sí se pensaría que es la principal) NO lo es.
Puesto que no será recordada por casi ninguna de sus verdaderas hazañas, será reducida a la palurde pero buena pistolera ”Bandida de Ojos Azules”.
Los djinnis me dieron mucha rabia, mucha. Pero al mismo tiempo no, pues su actitud fue realista ya que son imortales, digo, ¿por qué supuse que se interesarían por unos simples mortales?
Son seres que han vivido milenios y no tienen la misma noción del tiempo que nosotros, los humanos.
Nuestros problemas son insignificantes para ellos y nuestras vidas también.
Lloré, lloré por las muertes. Son demasiadas. En los otros dos libros también murió mucha gente pero en este el número incrementa demasiado.
Jamás me olvidaré de nuestros valientes: Por Bahi, Por Imin, Por Hala, Por Shira, Por Noorsham, POR SAM. Y por muchos más que seguramente me olvidé, ya que sin ellos el nuevo amanecer no hubiera ocurrido.
Esta trilogía me golpeó muchas veces, quiero decir, me sorprendió. Mis pensamientos a cerca de los “villanos” cambiaron sin que me diese cuenta.
Al final ¿los villanos son 100% malos? En muchos momentos encontré coherencia en las locuras del sultán, en los inventos de Leyla y en la idea de Zaahir.
Como este libro es el final de toda la historia, tenia que tener un “encerramiento” digno, y así lo fue. Cuando llegas al final sabrás que ningún personaje fue creado al azar, todos tenían un propósito. Simplemente un libro que estará en mi corazón para siempre, posicionándose entre los mejores.
”Al final era lo que hacíamos. Sobrevivir a una batalla para llegar a otra. Y de nuevo, y de nuevo, hasta la muerte.”
En este tercer libro se concluye la historia de nuestros queridos personajes “principales”: Ahmed, Shazad, Amani y Jin.
Las leyendas mitológicas que habitan en este universo continúan siendo reveladas, además de comenzar a tener grandes elementos de “Las Mil y Una Noches”
Las críticas sobre las clases sociales continúan fuerte en este libro, sin olvidarse ni un poco de los problemas políticos que de seguro nos puede servir para reflexionar sobre nuestro día a día.
Entonces, este tercer libro empieza después de la muerte del príncipe rebelde: Ahmed. ¿O será que no murió?
De cualquier forma, los simpatizantes de la rebelión no son decapitados en plaza pública, (como era usual) si no que son enviados a otro lugar, que, según se afirma es peor que la misma muerte.
Sin el príncipe rebelde como líder de la rebelión, Amani toma el cargo como regente, demostrando ser capaz de tomar decisiones difíciles, que en el proceso se llevarán la vida de muchos amigos.
Les advierto que esta reseña será todo menos objetiva, pues derramé lágrimas en el decorrer de las páginas por que los acontecimientos fueron... impactantes.
Algo que debo destacar de este libro es que aunque las cosas sean contadas del punto de vista de Amani, (que en sí se pensaría que es la principal) NO lo es.
Puesto que no será recordada por casi ninguna de sus verdaderas hazañas, será reducida a la palurde pero buena pistolera ”Bandida de Ojos Azules”.
Los djinnis me dieron mucha rabia, mucha. Pero al mismo tiempo no, pues su actitud fue realista ya que son imortales, digo, ¿por qué supuse que se interesarían por unos simples mortales?
Son seres que han vivido milenios y no tienen la misma noción del tiempo que nosotros, los humanos.
Nuestros problemas son insignificantes para ellos y nuestras vidas también.
Lloré, lloré por las muertes. Son demasiadas. En los otros dos libros también murió mucha gente pero en este el número incrementa demasiado.
Jamás me olvidaré de nuestros valientes: Por Bahi, Por Imin, Por Hala, Por Shira, Por Noorsham, POR SAM. Y por muchos más que seguramente me olvidé, ya que sin ellos el nuevo amanecer no hubiera ocurrido.
”No conseguía lidiar con eso. Otro demdji con la llama apagada tan rápido, como Hala, Imin, Hawa y Ashra. Mi hermano caído por causa de una batalla que ni era de el, cuando había sobrevivido a tantas cosas.”
Esta trilogía me golpeó muchas veces, quiero decir, me sorprendió. Mis pensamientos a cerca de los “villanos” cambiaron sin que me diese cuenta.
Al final ¿los villanos son 100% malos? En muchos momentos encontré coherencia en las locuras del sultán, en los inventos de Leyla y en la idea de Zaahir.
Como este libro es el final de toda la historia, tenia que tener un “encerramiento” digno, y así lo fue. Cuando llegas al final sabrás que ningún personaje fue creado al azar, todos tenían un propósito. Simplemente un libro que estará en mi corazón para siempre, posicionándose entre los mejores.
Cualquier ser que afirme no tener miedo de morir o es burro o está mintiendo.
Ok, I spent about 6 hours last night finishing this book. I can't remember the last time I spent that amount of continuous time engrossed in reading. I was up past 3 am. At some point, Sam asked me if I was ok because I was crying uncontrollably.
When I get into long stretches like this - finishing late after hours and hours of reading - I have to go back and re-read the last 83 pages again because I raced through them.
It was still amazing the second go-round.
When I get into long stretches like this - finishing late after hours and hours of reading - I have to go back and re-read the last 83 pages again because I raced through them.
But he wondered if a boy from the sea and a girl from the desert could ever survive together. He feared that she might burn him alive or that he might drown her. Until finally he stopped fighting it and set himself on fire for her.
Spoiler
"What do you think happens?" I said instead. "When we die?" Jin didn't believe in gods. He didn't believe in heavens or hells or worlds after. Just in this world. Just in now.
Jin traced my face, like he was trying to remember it. "I think they burn us and we become dust and ash." He ran a finger across the edge of my lips. "And I think that the dust that was me will spend until the end of time trying to get as close as possible to the dust that was you out in that vast desert."
It was still amazing the second go-round.
I'm in awe.
It's a difficult thing to satisfactorily wrap up any series, much less one as complex and morally complicated as the Rebel of the Sands trilogy. With Hero at the Fall, Alwyn Hamilton manages to do it pretty much perfectly.
Hero at the Fall is a perfectly bittersweet end to a series that never really shied away from dealing with some of the hard questions about rebellion and leadership. It feels real. It's neither a manufactured happy ending nor an unnecessarily grim one.
Hero at the Fall also makes perfect use of the story interludes that Traitor to the Throne introduced.
Hero at the Fall is about as perfect as I think a book can get. It doesn't leave annoying dangling plot threads, but it doesn't tie everything up so tightly that it feels like Miraji dies when you close the back cover. Hamilton walks every fine line associated with ending a trilogy with skill (frankly, more skill than I expected in a debut series) and crafts one of the most satisfying endings I've ever read in YA.
5/5
It's a difficult thing to satisfactorily wrap up any series, much less one as complex and morally complicated as the Rebel of the Sands trilogy. With Hero at the Fall, Alwyn Hamilton manages to do it pretty much perfectly.
Hero at the Fall is a perfectly bittersweet end to a series that never really shied away from dealing with some of the hard questions about rebellion and leadership. It feels real. It's neither a manufactured happy ending nor an unnecessarily grim one.
Hero at the Fall also makes perfect use of the story interludes that Traitor to the Throne introduced.
Spoiler
They're beautiful tributes to fallen characters. The idea the end of Hero at the Fall plays with - that there are a hundred stories that will be told about Amani, Jin, and all the rest of them, but that the little things, the important things, like the shape of a smile or the weight of a hand or the memory of being taught to swim will die with them - is also one of my favorite things I've encountered in a story.Hero at the Fall is about as perfect as I think a book can get. It doesn't leave annoying dangling plot threads, but it doesn't tie everything up so tightly that it feels like Miraji dies when you close the back cover. Hamilton walks every fine line associated with ending a trilogy with skill (frankly, more skill than I expected in a debut series) and crafts one of the most satisfying endings I've ever read in YA.
5/5
True rating; deserves every single one of those 5 stars
What an ending to Alwyn Hamilton's debut trilogy.
I will definitely be on the look out for her next release.
What an ending to Alwyn Hamilton's debut trilogy.
I will definitely be on the look out for her next release.
*See extended review on my blog: https://motherreaderrunner.blogspot.com/
SOLID ENDING.
I'm leaning towards more of a 4.5 star rating as my husband said I didn't say it was AMAZING, just really good haha.
I felt the book dragged in sections, but I enjoy that Hamilton doesn't create super long descriptive sections that I find boring. I wish there was more of Jin & Amani throughout the book, but I'm not complaining with how it ended!
I knew there were factors in the book that would alter the ending, but I couldn't figure out exactly how the conflicts would resolve and while I'm distraught over some of the deaths, it still came to a good conclusion.
I love that Hamilton also adds chapters that are written from more of a 'story teller' perspective. Without being another POV it enables you to understand what happened in other portions of the desert without Amani being there.
I also would like to note that it is definitely YA, there's only one true 'love' scene and it's written appropriately for [somewhat] younger audiences and not in detail or anything (which I appreciate personally as well).
This series was great! I look forward to seeing what Hamilton writes next.
SOLID ENDING.
I'm leaning towards more of a 4.5 star rating as my husband said I didn't say it was AMAZING, just really good haha.
I felt the book dragged in sections, but I enjoy that Hamilton doesn't create super long descriptive sections that I find boring. I wish there was more of Jin & Amani throughout the book, but I'm not complaining with how it ended!
I knew there were factors in the book that would alter the ending, but I couldn't figure out exactly how the conflicts would resolve and while I'm distraught over some of the deaths, it still came to a good conclusion.
I love that Hamilton also adds chapters that are written from more of a 'story teller' perspective. Without being another POV it enables you to understand what happened in other portions of the desert without Amani being there.
I also would like to note that it is definitely YA, there's only one true 'love' scene and it's written appropriately for [somewhat] younger audiences and not in detail or anything (which I appreciate personally as well).
This series was great! I look forward to seeing what Hamilton writes next.
This was good! The first book was definitely my favorite of the trilogy, but I still enjoyed the entire trilogy. The author writes romance so perfectly so that's honestly the main reason I liked the first book best. It had the most focus on romance, whereas the romance was definitely a smaller subplot in the sequels. The ending of this book was super good though and I had chills for like the last 30 pages.
I love this series so much! Definitely one of the more original and unique YA books out there.
This book picks up right where "Traitor to the Throne" ends. Now I'll admit, in the first 200 pages there are a few 'dry spells' in the book where nothing seems to happen and it's a bit too slow paced. But, it's totally worth it. The next half of the book is action-packed, fast-paced, and 'dry spell' free.
Be Warned Though!!! You will need tissues if you're a crier (Like I am).
All in all, very good conclusion to an exciting and unique series that left me laughing, crying, and cheering characters on the entire time.
*4/5 stars due to slow(ish) pace of the first half. But trust me, its worth it!
This book picks up right where "Traitor to the Throne" ends. Now I'll admit, in the first 200 pages there are a few 'dry spells' in the book where nothing seems to happen and it's a bit too slow paced. But, it's totally worth it. The next half of the book is action-packed, fast-paced, and 'dry spell' free.
Be Warned Though!!! You will need tissues if you're a crier (Like I am).
All in all, very good conclusion to an exciting and unique series that left me laughing, crying, and cheering characters on the entire time.
*4/5 stars due to slow(ish) pace of the first half. But trust me, its worth it!