Scan barcode
love_aud's review against another edition
5.0
I can't wait to read the next one. The book had me on the edge of tears the whole time. So many emotions. I will never look at a lake or bathtub the same at ever again.
laughinglibra84's review against another edition
3.0
It's an eery story. And I feel weird while reading it. It almost feels as if I died with the siren and I'm watching her from the dead. I wonder what she's going to do next with her newfound abilities. What the siren does for a majority of the time is run away. She entrances people here and there. Then deals with the conflicts of a siren hunter and siren sisters. On top of all that a love relationship surfaces, but there is little time to act upon it. This is a very good story for teens and anyone who may be struggling with their identity and their place in the world. It's very well written for being written as a second language. There are a couple misspellings that need to be edited, but it's not enough to make any noise over.
asbookreviewsforfun_alicia's review against another edition
4.0
I love this book because it doesn't sugar coat life. Ailen Bright's father is a chauvinist pig. He apparently drives his wife to suicide because she can't deal with him anymore. He's always asking Ailen what woman are made for and if she doesn't answer to haul water he hits her partly because she answered wrong and partly to toughen her up. he sees woman as weak. he wants her to fight him back. he thinks most women are whores from a young age that only have one job to lure and deceit men. he takes great pride in his expensive house,car and even his Italian leather shoes. he couldn't care less about his daughter. another of his favorite punishments is locking her in the bathroom where there's marble statues of beautiful women called sirens. she's in there enough that she starts telling them everything they are her only real family besides her best friend Hunter so she calls them her sisters. On the morning of her 16th birthday she decides to commit suicide. she figures its the only way she'll get away from her father. something happens to her that makes her realize she hadn't scratched the surface of her father's evil. she learns that no one not even the sirens or herself are quite what/who they seemed to be.
itsnkbitch's review against another edition
3.0
I can't give this book anything less than three stars because at times I was blown away. During the first quarter of the book, when the MC attempts and commits suicide I was immersed in this book. This introduction wasn't shock value. It was a well written, emotionally potent, and complex opening that I really connected with. There were some additional moments in the body of the book that were written just as well, and these scenes indicate that this book could have been amazing.
If it had the time to breathe.
I know how this story was created. I have been following it on Twitter. Six drafts were done in a year and a half of this 3 book series. And I love her dedication. But her later drafts would have been more effective if there was a long period of time between drafts, like I am talking at least a year. For the author to mature and grow and learn how to avoid all the writing errors that make it really obvious that this book is someone's first book.
There is no point in making a long list of every error that is in this book besides battering the author, so I will only mention a few things to explain my point. One thing that really pulled me out of the story was the MC knowing information without having to work to gain that information in anyway. For example, she knows how her siren powers and body works without anyone telling her. She knows what is going on in other character's heads without them expressing it. She just knows. She also "just knows" that everything negative/evil about her is her siren inside of her-- even though there is no reason at all for her to be black/white like that. There are a LOT of selfish and reckless things to say about the MC. I really don't believe that all of this is because she is a siren and she was perfectly good before.
Another thing that jerked me out of the story was the writing style. At times there were paragraphs of purple prose that really added nothing but flowery language to the story. That should have been cut. At other times there were paragraphs of technical telling, especially in regards to emotions of characters, that also should have been cut.
Before I close off with a last complaint, I will admit that though the story seemed to be directionless at times, it did consistently have a high-level of conflict, which kept it interesting and fun to read.
Okay, this book did teach me that when discussing my own writing, I shouldn't talk about my themes, and let my readers infer it. If the author didn't give her main reason for writing this book (to discourage teen suicide), then I wouldn't have the complaint about it. But because she did, I now have to judge wether she succeeded or not.
I say that she didn't. For a book written to discourage teens for killing herself, the MC's life really is a lot better now that she is living dead / killed herself. If the MC was remorseful for her life and she dealt with a plot of being uncomfortable with nothingness and isolation, than that would be a book that discourages teen suicide. But really, killing herself was the best thing she did for herself, at least so far. I understand that it created a romantic disconnect from her human love interest (also v. Twilight) but now she has that siren family she always wanted. So... I wouldn't really say it succeeded thematically though it talked about the painful process of death in a couple of scenes that were very gruesome and discouraging, to a point.
In conclusion, though I said all of this, I do plan on reading the next book. Yes, #1 was sub-par but creative. There were elements to sirenhood that was unique and captivating in comparison to other fantasy books. So, I believe the unanswered questions can have some really unique answers that I want to find out.
If it had the time to breathe.
I know how this story was created. I have been following it on Twitter. Six drafts were done in a year and a half of this 3 book series. And I love her dedication. But her later drafts would have been more effective if there was a long period of time between drafts, like I am talking at least a year. For the author to mature and grow and learn how to avoid all the writing errors that make it really obvious that this book is someone's first book.
There is no point in making a long list of every error that is in this book besides battering the author, so I will only mention a few things to explain my point. One thing that really pulled me out of the story was the MC knowing information without having to work to gain that information in anyway. For example, she knows how her siren powers and body works without anyone telling her. She knows what is going on in other character's heads without them expressing it. She just knows. She also "just knows" that everything negative/evil about her is her siren inside of her-- even though there is no reason at all for her to be black/white like that. There are a LOT of selfish and reckless things to say about the MC. I really don't believe that all of this is because she is a siren and she was perfectly good before.
Another thing that jerked me out of the story was the writing style. At times there were paragraphs of purple prose that really added nothing but flowery language to the story. That should have been cut. At other times there were paragraphs of technical telling, especially in regards to emotions of characters, that also should have been cut.
Before I close off with a last complaint, I will admit that though the story seemed to be directionless at times, it did consistently have a high-level of conflict, which kept it interesting and fun to read.
Okay, this book did teach me that when discussing my own writing, I shouldn't talk about my themes, and let my readers infer it. If the author didn't give her main reason for writing this book (to discourage teen suicide), then I wouldn't have the complaint about it. But because she did, I now have to judge wether she succeeded or not.
I say that she didn't. For a book written to discourage teens for killing herself, the MC's life really is a lot better now that she is living dead / killed herself. If the MC was remorseful for her life and she dealt with a plot of being uncomfortable with nothingness and isolation, than that would be a book that discourages teen suicide. But really, killing herself was the best thing she did for herself, at least so far. I understand that it created a romantic disconnect from her human love interest (also v. Twilight) but now she has that siren family she always wanted. So... I wouldn't really say it succeeded thematically though it talked about the painful process of death in a couple of scenes that were very gruesome and discouraging, to a point.
In conclusion, though I said all of this, I do plan on reading the next book. Yes, #1 was sub-par but creative. There were elements to sirenhood that was unique and captivating in comparison to other fantasy books. So, I believe the unanswered questions can have some really unique answers that I want to find out.
whatthefridge's review against another edition
2.0
The premise of this story is anti-suicide. However, the fantasy in this fiction ruins a lot of the empathy factor.
Ailen Bright is naive, resentful, and self-destructive. She's the epitome of teenage angst, and we meet her at her darkest hour: she decides suicide is her best option in the face of an abusive, misogynist father and a mother who killed herself and left Ailen alone with him. The only silver lining is Ailen's best friend, Hunter, and her inanimate siren sisters who decorate the bathtub she plans to drown in.
The story deconstructs the foolishness of choosing suicide. It's an intense experience watching Ailen struggle with the consequences of her choice. It's even more frightening how she escapes into internal fantasies of siren sisters to avoid the reality of her life.
But that leads you only through the first few chapters.
The siren mythology becomes the dominant aspect of the story. See, the sirens are actually real, and they want to help Ailen. This is when the narrative transforms into this action/adventure involving siren hunters and magic, losing the majority of the introspection it had before. I'm told what to think and feel as Ailen runs around indecisively, the focus of everyone's attention as she whines and mopes about not being loved. She doesn't get the opportunity to develop or mature because all her bad decisions are wiped clean, which leads me to believe that if there was no supernatural intervention, this would be a far, far darker story.
The later parts of the novel are groan-worthy. I'd go as far as to say every character loses their depth for the sake of an archetype: hero, villain, love interest, fairy godmother, etc. The only reason this is part of a trilogy is because nothing is answered except that Ailen isn't dead, her final decision more of an unwilling circumstance rather than a true character turning point.
It's less about anti-suicide and more about wish fulfillment.
Ailen Bright is naive, resentful, and self-destructive. She's the epitome of teenage angst, and we meet her at her darkest hour: she decides suicide is her best option in the face of an abusive, misogynist father and a mother who killed herself and left Ailen alone with him. The only silver lining is Ailen's best friend, Hunter, and her inanimate siren sisters who decorate the bathtub she plans to drown in.
The story deconstructs the foolishness of choosing suicide. It's an intense experience watching Ailen struggle with the consequences of her choice. It's even more frightening how she escapes into internal fantasies of siren sisters to avoid the reality of her life.
But that leads you only through the first few chapters.
The siren mythology becomes the dominant aspect of the story. See, the sirens are actually real, and they want to help Ailen. This is when the narrative transforms into this action/adventure involving siren hunters and magic, losing the majority of the introspection it had before. I'm told what to think and feel as Ailen runs around indecisively, the focus of everyone's attention as she whines and mopes about not being loved. She doesn't get the opportunity to develop or mature because all her bad decisions are wiped clean, which leads me to believe that if there was no supernatural intervention, this would be a far, far darker story.
The later parts of the novel are groan-worthy. I'd go as far as to say every character loses their depth for the sake of an archetype: hero, villain, love interest, fairy godmother, etc. The only reason this is part of a trilogy is because nothing is answered except that Ailen isn't dead, her final decision more of an unwilling circumstance rather than a true character turning point.
It's less about anti-suicide and more about wish fulfillment.
shinodualist's review
3.0
Well, i wasn't sure about writing the review cause i gave this book just 3 stars (for me it's pretty much but...) So i really hope our dear author won't have any bad emotions if she would read my poor text.
I started "I chose to die" a month ago and really had some hard time with it. On the one hand, i really love the style of the author and her ideas as well. The plot of the story is so fascinating and you have such a high hopes when you open the book.
On the other hand, i didn't quite believe in to this story in general. I mean... for me it's like some kind of magic. Suddenly you can imagine it in your head. Sadly, while i was reading i had a feeling that something was missing. And it's not as much about an editing as the characters. They was somehow too flat to be real. Like every time when you are ready to believe they have a blast and do not follow their way. If they are actually a dozen of different people in one. Also in the end i suddenly realized i don't understand why the main characters actually love each other. What they love in each other. Probably that's why i didn't fall for them.
Nevertheless i read it all to make my opinion and i definitely wanna see next Ksenia's works. She has a great style and amazing passion for writing so no doubts that her works are becoming better and better. Thank you for an inspiration to keep writing myself!
I started "I chose to die" a month ago and really had some hard time with it. On the one hand, i really love the style of the author and her ideas as well. The plot of the story is so fascinating and you have such a high hopes when you open the book.
On the other hand, i didn't quite believe in to this story in general. I mean... for me it's like some kind of magic. Suddenly you can imagine it in your head. Sadly, while i was reading i had a feeling that something was missing. And it's not as much about an editing as the characters. They was somehow too flat to be real. Like every time when you are ready to believe they have a blast and do not follow their way. If they are actually a dozen of different people in one. Also in the end i suddenly realized i don't understand why the main characters actually love each other. What they love in each other. Probably that's why i didn't fall for them.
Nevertheless i read it all to make my opinion and i definitely wanna see next Ksenia's works. She has a great style and amazing passion for writing so no doubts that her works are becoming better and better. Thank you for an inspiration to keep writing myself!
tomasthanes's review
5.0
There are too many things to like about this book.
I love novels set in a location that its obvious the author has some fondness for. The previous book(s) that had that flavor was the series starting with [b:Here Be Monsters|17203292|Here Be Monsters (Tyler Cunningham, #1)|Jamie Sheffield|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1357125338s/17203292.jpg|23680123] by [a:Jamie Sheffield|6876711|Jamie Sheffield|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/authors/1357216253p2/6876711.jpg]; his love for up state New York shown from each page. [a:Ksenia Anske|7111759|Ksenia Anske|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/authors/1447565915p2/7111759.jpg]'s love for Seattle is obvious.
I also love novels that I can track the location on a real map. The plunge from the Aurora Bridge (Highway 99 on Google Maps) into Lake Union and the chase east and then south to Seward Park ending up west, then north at the Pike Place Fish Market are all tangible landmarks.
I love the author's use of alliteration when employing simile and metaphor. It smudges the border of prose and poetry like the edges of Faerie.
The author (as she works on her current book TUBE) describes herself (on Twitter) as a detailed and organized plotter (using Scrivener) then lets the words flow from there. I enjoyed the twists and turns of this story, from the siren legs and brass spigot supporting the large marble bathtub (which Ailen had named and imagined individual characters), to the suicide attempt which causes Ailen to change from a human to a siren, to Conosa and her sisters, to discovering Hunter is a "siren hunter" apprenticed to her father who is also a "siren hunter", to the aquatic chase from Lake Union into Lake Washington, to the stealing of the one of a kind Ducati motorcycle terminating almost with death by brass pig, the Fish Market, and the final basement scene . Through all of this was the feeling of of separation from her mother ("why did you leave me?"), from her father ("why don't you love me?"), and from (the aptly named) Hunter ("why do you love me?". [That latter from the "treble hook" on page 246.]
There was lots of emotional energy throughout the book that seemed plausible (though alien to me as an engineer/introvert).
I can hardly wait to start to read the next book tomorrow.
To the author: #KeepWriting !
I love novels set in a location that its obvious the author has some fondness for. The previous book(s) that had that flavor was the series starting with [b:Here Be Monsters|17203292|Here Be Monsters (Tyler Cunningham, #1)|Jamie Sheffield|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1357125338s/17203292.jpg|23680123] by [a:Jamie Sheffield|6876711|Jamie Sheffield|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/authors/1357216253p2/6876711.jpg]; his love for up state New York shown from each page. [a:Ksenia Anske|7111759|Ksenia Anske|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/authors/1447565915p2/7111759.jpg]'s love for Seattle is obvious.
I also love novels that I can track the location on a real map. The plunge from the Aurora Bridge (Highway 99 on Google Maps) into Lake Union and the chase east and then south to Seward Park ending up west, then north at the Pike Place Fish Market are all tangible landmarks.
I love the author's use of alliteration when employing simile and metaphor. It smudges the border of prose and poetry like the edges of Faerie.
The author (as she works on her current book TUBE) describes herself (on Twitter) as a detailed and organized plotter (using Scrivener) then lets the words flow from there. I enjoyed the twists and turns of this story,
There was lots of emotional energy throughout the book that seemed plausible (though alien to me as an engineer/introvert).
I can hardly wait to start to read the next book tomorrow.
To the author: #KeepWriting !
More...