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3.46 AVERAGE
3.46 AVERAGE
Intriguing world and characters, but it gets a little tedious at times and ends on a huge cliffhanger
I honestly wish I would have liked this more.
Because the way this started, the blurb, the cover - it all made me feel extremely hopeful
I mean:
Doesn't that sound familiar? Well, to me it sounded like my favorite childhood fairytale.
And hence I was looking forward to it.
I liked the idea of the world- the midlight, shadows, the creatures, the eclipse... It's so goth, pretty gruesome awesomeness...Right down my alley.
But alas I didn't.
Because let's just face it. That's where my likes end, mostly at least.
I am not exactly wowed by the character building.
The support cast, feel exactly like that. Support. Nothing more.
While I like that Luna is a slightly different kind of MC, I found here annoying. In fact, she is rather melodramatic and very ungrateful. Supposedly she is this amazing person... but I just couldn't see it.
And mostly she was the cliche spoilt uber-dramatic princess. I wanted to smack her most of the time. Actually I wanted to shank her. I found her POV overly whiny. Her dramatic self-sacrificial ways, felt more like a way of getting attention than anything else.
Fowler... So he is clearly hot, or at least we are told that, he has a sexy voice. BUT he is just another walking cliche. His big secrets, are not surprise - I could see them coming from a mile off. The only time I felt a connection was when he was thinking about Bethany right at the beginning.
The romance is woody and felt a tad tired. I mean we told that there is this huge connection between them- this amazing chemistry. I however didn't see that at all. There were a couple of sweet moments, but the kiss 75% in was totally underwhelming actually. It's insta-love/lust and the few sweet moments couldn't cover up that fact. Oh and where is the starcrossed part we are promised in the blurb?!
While I do like the setting, the world building has huge gaps. I was left with a gazillion questions. Still my favorite part of the book.
The plot is boring.. most of the time. At least for the first half, not much happens. Much melodrama. But then they started traveling and it got a wee bit more interesting. At 80% though, I was kinda done. I would have totally DNFed if this wasn't a ARC.
This ends on a cliffy. It's supposedly one of those uber-cliffies... but the most disappointing thing about that? I didn't' really care. I was just glad that it was done.
I am really sad that this didn't work for me. I like Jordan's writing style. I like the way she described how Luna saw things, I like the concept, the general idea and I am not sure I am totally ready to give up on the series yet. I have hopes, that the second book will get better....
1.5 Stars rounded up
Because the way this started, the blurb, the cover - it all made me feel extremely hopeful
I mean:
A royal assumed dead. Lost and forgotten. Trapped in a tower within a cursed forest, surrounded by monsters.
Doesn't that sound familiar? Well, to me it sounded like my favorite childhood fairytale.
And hence I was looking forward to it.
I liked the idea of the world- the midlight, shadows, the creatures, the eclipse... It's so goth, pretty gruesome awesomeness...Right down my alley.
But alas I didn't.
Because let's just face it. That's where my likes end, mostly at least.
I am not exactly wowed by the character building.
The support cast, feel exactly like that. Support. Nothing more.
While I like that Luna is a slightly different kind of MC, I found here annoying. In fact, she is rather melodramatic and very ungrateful. Supposedly she is this amazing person... but I just couldn't see it.
And mostly she was the cliche spoilt uber-dramatic princess. I wanted to smack her most of the time. Actually I wanted to shank her. I found her POV overly whiny. Her dramatic self-sacrificial ways, felt more like a way of getting attention than anything else.
Fowler... So he is clearly hot, or at least we are told that, he has a sexy voice. BUT he is just another walking cliche. His big secrets, are not surprise - I could see them coming from a mile off. The only time I felt a connection was when he was thinking about Bethany right at the beginning.
The romance is woody and felt a tad tired. I mean we told that there is this huge connection between them- this amazing chemistry. I however didn't see that at all. There were a couple of sweet moments, but the kiss 75% in was totally underwhelming actually. It's insta-love/lust and the few sweet moments couldn't cover up that fact. Oh and where is the starcrossed part we are promised in the blurb?!
While I do like the setting, the world building has huge gaps. I was left with a gazillion questions. Still my favorite part of the book.
The plot is boring.. most of the time. At least for the first half, not much happens. Much melodrama. But then they started traveling and it got a wee bit more interesting. At 80% though, I was kinda done. I would have totally DNFed if this wasn't a ARC.
This ends on a cliffy. It's supposedly one of those uber-cliffies... but the most disappointing thing about that? I didn't' really care. I was just glad that it was done.
I am really sad that this didn't work for me. I like Jordan's writing style. I like the way she described how Luna saw things, I like the concept, the general idea and I am not sure I am totally ready to give up on the series yet. I have hopes, that the second book will get better....
1.5 Stars rounded up
Me dio exactamente lo que esperaba, una historia muy teen 2009. Con dos protagonistas que obviamente se van a enamorar, una chica destinada a grandes cosas, una tensión a lo largo de todo el libro, declaraciones de amor, todas las clásicas escenas de los YA.
El mundo es interesante, se encuentra bajo un constante eclipse y los reyes fueron asesinados por el canciller. Luna fue salvada por su nodriza y un soldado, ellos la criaron en secreto confiando que algún día podría volver a gobernar su reino. Un día llega Fowler a su vida y le ofrece lo que siempre quiso; poder salir de su torre.
Como dije al inicio el libro es todo lo que se espera. Sencillo, con ambos personajes guapos, ella sin saberlo, los típicos diálogos de coqueteo entre ambos. Él siendo protector, cuidándola y queriéndola aunque no lo deseara así. Es muy cliché y predecible, pero lo disfruté mucho. Tengo debilidad por estas historias adolescentes muy sencillas y llenas de todos los clichés.
Ya quiero leer la continuación. Además, el libro es corto y se avanza muy rápido en su lectura.
El mundo es interesante, se encuentra bajo un constante eclipse y los reyes fueron asesinados por el canciller. Luna fue salvada por su nodriza y un soldado, ellos la criaron en secreto confiando que algún día podría volver a gobernar su reino. Un día llega Fowler a su vida y le ofrece lo que siempre quiso; poder salir de su torre.
Como dije al inicio el libro es todo lo que se espera. Sencillo, con ambos personajes guapos, ella sin saberlo, los típicos diálogos de coqueteo entre ambos. Él siendo protector, cuidándola y queriéndola aunque no lo deseara así. Es muy cliché y predecible, pero lo disfruté mucho. Tengo debilidad por estas historias adolescentes muy sencillas y llenas de todos los clichés.
Ya quiero leer la continuación. Además, el libro es corto y se avanza muy rápido en su lectura.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
At first the story was very smooth, but as it got closer to the end it became very rushed. It felt like Jordan shoved certain events to make Luna leave Fowler and made me very frustrated with the continuous change of heart from the main character. The romance was cute, but it would always end with something happening, leaving me still irritated with the fast pace of the book. I think this book would've been better if the author slowed the pace a little bit, giving us time to actually hold a relationship/connection/bond with the main characters.
adventurous
dark
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Roughly a little less then 300 pages of describing their journey to a place they don't know exists or not and me thinking "where is this going" because the plot feels unfinished and the closer you get to the end of the book you wonder when things will start getting interesting. Good potential but feels unfinished and not well thought out as far as story line goes.
Enjoyable book...liked the twists of the book and how different the main character was from other books I've read. Didn't love, but still want to read the next one...more review to come!
Sophie Jordan has created a beautiful world shrouded in darkness in Reign of Shadows, which I had no idea was a Rapunzel retelling until I actually started reading this book. Her experience in writing romance novels is very apparent by the way she builds romantic tension throughout, making for one very enjoyable read.
My Review : FOUR STARS
I really enjoyed this retelling. Sophie Jordan managed to make this story her own while still maintaining the tone and magical feel of the original Rapunzel story.
My favorite part of this book is the world-building. I adored the idea of a kingdom cloaked in shadows due to an eclipse looming over it, as well as the malevolent creatures that inhabited it. The forest was filled with danger and wonder and a dark beauty in the plants, trees, and flowers, and it felt so alive and immersive.
I adored Luna as a main character. She was likable and strong despite her naiveté, which I felt was essential to her character, due to her upbringing. It was also very reminiscent of the original Rapunzel character. Her physical disability added to her strength and seems to have a magical element to it, since it hinders her less than would be believable without a magical component.
Fowler is a very swoon-worthy lead character. And though his character ARC and actions are admittedly predictable, it's near impossible to do a retelling without there being some elements that are easy for readers to anticipate.
I usually don't enjoy instal-love stories, which this certainly was; however, I felt that it worked in this story, because of Luna's up-bringing. She was so isolated, it's entirely believable that she would become almost immediately infatuated with the first guy of her age that she meets. This is also another element that is crucial in keeping with the original Rapunzel story.
I did really enjoyed this book, and I'm so looking forward to reading Rise of Fire when it comes out on Tuesday!
Cover Rating: FIVE STARS
This cover is just lovely. There is a definite flower movement going on in YA fiction, which has made for some STUNNING covers. I think this was one of the first in this recent trend when it released in early 2016. It also fits the story and the world just so well, and the Rise of Fire cover is equally beautiful.
Swoon Worthiness: FOUR STARS
Though there is definitely some instal-love going on, and I typically prefer a slow-burn kind of romance, it just worked in this particular story for me. Sophie Jordan's experience as a romance writer really came through in the way she managed to build romantic tension throughout the story despite that insta-love and the fact that this is a retelling, which of course created an element of predictability in the love story.
My Review : FOUR STARS
I really enjoyed this retelling. Sophie Jordan managed to make this story her own while still maintaining the tone and magical feel of the original Rapunzel story.
My favorite part of this book is the world-building. I adored the idea of a kingdom cloaked in shadows due to an eclipse looming over it, as well as the malevolent creatures that inhabited it. The forest was filled with danger and wonder and a dark beauty in the plants, trees, and flowers, and it felt so alive and immersive.
I adored Luna as a main character. She was likable and strong despite her naiveté, which I felt was essential to her character, due to her upbringing. It was also very reminiscent of the original Rapunzel character. Her physical disability added to her strength and seems to have a magical element to it, since it hinders her less than would be believable without a magical component.
Fowler is a very swoon-worthy lead character. And though his character ARC and actions are admittedly predictable, it's near impossible to do a retelling without there being some elements that are easy for readers to anticipate.
I usually don't enjoy instal-love stories, which this certainly was; however, I felt that it worked in this story, because of Luna's up-bringing. She was so isolated, it's entirely believable that she would become almost immediately infatuated with the first guy of her age that she meets. This is also another element that is crucial in keeping with the original Rapunzel story.
I did really enjoyed this book, and I'm so looking forward to reading Rise of Fire when it comes out on Tuesday!
Cover Rating: FIVE STARS
This cover is just lovely. There is a definite flower movement going on in YA fiction, which has made for some STUNNING covers. I think this was one of the first in this recent trend when it released in early 2016. It also fits the story and the world just so well, and the Rise of Fire cover is equally beautiful.
Swoon Worthiness: FOUR STARS
Though there is definitely some instal-love going on, and I typically prefer a slow-burn kind of romance, it just worked in this particular story for me. Sophie Jordan's experience as a romance writer really came through in the way she managed to build romantic tension throughout the story despite that insta-love and the fact that this is a retelling, which of course created an element of predictability in the love story.