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3.51 AVERAGE
3.51 AVERAGE
Fate of Flames by Sarah Raughley had a great premise but it annoyed me so bad that it was FULL of clichés. The only thing that saved it for me was that it was action-packed and fast-paced.
This was a pretty good book. I liked the concept, and I liked bits, especially toward the end, but overall I felt that this was not exactly the book for me. Too much danger and such.
Nonetheless, I did get the second book from the library and am planning to read it, so it can’t be that bad, right? Right.
Nonetheless, I did get the second book from the library and am planning to read it, so it can’t be that bad, right? Right.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I liked this book, especially as it focused on female characters driving the plot but it also felt so much like avatar the last air bender 2with these powers and special abilities that I couldn’t get into it. I read the first and won’t go back to the series
About a third of the way through reading this, I took the time to read the author’s bio, and the fact that she is into manga and JRPGS made everything about this book so much better. Things that might have irked or gotten an eye roll (the silver haired villain, for example), were given a free pass, and I started to imagine the entire story playing out in grand anime form. Seriously, do this. It will make it more enjoyable. Of course, I would have enjoyed it even without this visualization tool. I’m always down for the classic elements as magical powers, and I really like the whole Effigies as dolls metaphor. I think the story does a really good job of exploring the complexities swirling beneath the veneer of our idols. Also, the phantoms are pretty cool.
The dialogue could be a bit stilted, and there were some grammatical errors that may or may not be an intentional part of Maia’s narration. Maia gets points for being a nerdy woman of color, which is something we don't often see, and while she suffers a bit from standard YA heroine syndrome, she’s still a worthy protagonist. While many of the other characters function as walking tropes, they were still enjoyable as was the development of the Effigies’ relationships. Certain aspects of the plot and world-building could certainly use additional fleshing out, but I feel like that’s probably a job for the sequels. Over all, a good read and a good rec for any manga-loving patrons who are being "made" to read a traditional novel.
ARC provided by Net Galley.
The dialogue could be a bit stilted, and there were some grammatical errors that may or may not be an intentional part of Maia’s narration. Maia gets points for being a nerdy woman of color, which is something we don't often see, and while she suffers a bit from standard YA heroine syndrome, she’s still a worthy protagonist. While many of the other characters function as walking tropes, they were still enjoyable as was the development of the Effigies’ relationships. Certain aspects of the plot and world-building could certainly use additional fleshing out, but I feel like that’s probably a job for the sequels. Over all, a good read and a good rec for any manga-loving patrons who are being "made" to read a traditional novel.
ARC provided by Net Galley.
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Oh, this book was fantastic! I loved the world and the characters! I knew that the setup of the Sect was bad, and I can't wait to see how rotten it is!
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I thought it was a slower start than I'm used to in Young Adult books. But I really enjoyed this book. This definitly has a Pacific Rim feel to it with the use of the Phantoms. I'm a fan, and can't wait for the second book to come out!!
I am so glad I am ending 2019 on such a fun, tropey book. This is exactly what you'd expect it to be - action-packed with badass girls fighting strange monsters all while a shady, international private organization watches over them. There were a few times I was completely caught off guard, and a few times where I was a little confused by movement, but otherwise? This book was like coming home to a nostalgic read from the early 2010s despite reading it for the first time. It was like the early 2010s trends in YA got a diverse, inclusive facelift. I immediately ordered the rest of the trilogy.