Take a photo of a barcode or cover
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
It was kinda confusing at first for me I first read it after I was given it for my 11 birthday. I liked it then but I’d say it’s more suitable for people 13 and over only because I had a hard time following then
2.5/5 stars.
I am so disappointed with this book. Such a let down. I really like the Falling Kingdoms series, it's dramatic and has a lot of characters in it. I like that series because it's just so crazy.
This book however, was terrible. It was literally the Falling Kingdoms series but with different characters set in modern times.
Farrell is a disgusting person, he likes killing people and thinks women are toys. He reminded me a lot of Magnus from Falling Kingdoms. (also I've read reviews of people saying they love Farrell? HAVE YOU READ THE BOOK LADIES? He's an arsehole!)
I didn't mind Maddox as a character but I thought his storyline was boring, I liked Becca but then there was that instalove that I knew was coming.
Crystal was an alright character, some of the things she said and did annoyed me, but then sometimes she didn't annoy me.
*sigh*
I bought this book second hand, I'm glad I didn't pay full price for it. I really did not enjoy it, I felt like Morgan Rhodes just rewrote parts of Falling Kingdoms.
Ugh, I won't be buying the next one.
I am so disappointed with this book. Such a let down. I really like the Falling Kingdoms series, it's dramatic and has a lot of characters in it. I like that series because it's just so crazy.
This book however, was terrible. It was literally the Falling Kingdoms series but with different characters set in modern times.
Farrell is a disgusting person, he likes killing people and thinks women are toys. He reminded me a lot of Magnus from Falling Kingdoms. (also I've read reviews of people saying they love Farrell? HAVE YOU READ THE BOOK LADIES? He's an arsehole!)
I didn't mind Maddox as a character but I thought his storyline was boring, I liked Becca but then there was that instalove that I knew was coming.
Crystal was an alright character, some of the things she said and did annoyed me, but then sometimes she didn't annoy me.
*sigh*
I bought this book second hand, I'm glad I didn't pay full price for it. I really did not enjoy it, I felt like Morgan Rhodes just rewrote parts of Falling Kingdoms.
Ugh, I won't be buying the next one.
Such a fun read and a great spin-off book to the Falling Kingdoms series. However, I didn't necessarily love it as much as Falling Kingdoms.
ABOSAT follows three POVs. Crystal, Farrell and Maddox. Three different persons with very different lives. This book is both set in Canada and the magical world from Falling Kingdoms, known as Mytica. It's all about magic and eventually these three people become sort-off involved with each other as danger lurks nearby.
I did really enjoy this book though. It was fast-paced, fun, witty and had a great set of characters. It wasn't as exciting as Morgan Rhodes other series however. It also did take some time for me to finally understand what was going on, because throughout the book I had so many questions. I also found some of the chapters to be a bit...bland maybe? This book has a bit of ASOIAF-syndrome, where some chapters are really great and others lack a bit.
Overall though, I really enjoyed all the fun and mysterious things that happened in this book and I'm really excited to see where the story goes next. It's a very gripping story that I'm sure most people (especially newbies to the fantasy genre) will enjoy. I do have a feeling that something really big will eventually happen in the sequel, so that's really exciting.
SIDE NOTE: It's not necessary to read Falling Kingdoms before you read this, but I would probably recommend reading it first just so you have background information on certain events/characters.
ABOSAT follows three POVs. Crystal, Farrell and Maddox. Three different persons with very different lives. This book is both set in Canada and the magical world from Falling Kingdoms, known as Mytica. It's all about magic and eventually these three people become sort-off involved with each other as danger lurks nearby.
I did really enjoy this book though. It was fast-paced, fun, witty and had a great set of characters. It wasn't as exciting as Morgan Rhodes other series however. It also did take some time for me to finally understand what was going on, because throughout the book I had so many questions. I also found some of the chapters to be a bit...bland maybe? This book has a bit of ASOIAF-syndrome, where some chapters are really great and others lack a bit.
Overall though, I really enjoyed all the fun and mysterious things that happened in this book and I'm really excited to see where the story goes next. It's a very gripping story that I'm sure most people (especially newbies to the fantasy genre) will enjoy. I do have a feeling that something really big will eventually happen in the sequel, so that's really exciting.
SIDE NOTE: It's not necessary to read Falling Kingdoms before you read this, but I would probably recommend reading it first just so you have background information on certain events/characters.
I am so glad I'm done with this book. It was almost impossible for me to even work up the motivation to finish it, this book was so painful. I hated the majority of this book. "Spinoff of Falling Kingdoms," my ass. This book has nothing to do with Falling Kingdoms besides part of it being set in the same world.
The strangest thing is that I LOVE MORGAN RHODES' WORK. Well, at least I love her Falling Kingdoms series. It's actually one of my favorite series. So I know that Rhodes has the potential to write books that better appeal to my tastes. I'm really confused and disappointed that this one didn't. (I'm not saying that all books have to cater to what I want, just that I feel like she could've written this book better.)
So basically what happens in this book is: Crystal and Becca are sisters who live in a bookshop in Canada. Their dad left them 15 years ago I think. Something comes in the mail, and they open it. It turns out to be a big, mysterious book written in an unfamiliar language. When Becca touches it, she starts screaming and suddenly she goes into a coma. But she was really transported into another world. Maddox lives in said other world (Mytica), and he can move shadows and stuff. One day he sees a spirit "dressed in strange clothes." Guess who it is!! It's Becca!! Wow, never would've seen that coming! Meanwhile, back in Canada, Farrell Grayson is pretty much a slightly darker Chuck Bass from Gossip Girl. So, he's rich, cocky, and short-tempered. His family is in a secret society. Said secret society (the Hawkspear Society) needs aforementioned big, mysterious book (the Bronze Codex) for some nefarious reason, so they keep trying to take it. But - what?! - said book is also relevant in Mytica! How? Is? It? In? Two? Worlds? At? Once????? Find out by reading this book.
(Yes, I know, I should consider writing those blurbs on the back cover of books, I'm still working on getting employed at 14.)
The part of the book that I had the most problems with was Maddox's POV, which was in Mytica. Which goes back to my above grievance. I would have expected, since Mytica is the common denominator between Rhodes' two series, that the problem would be with the modern world part. But it surprisingly wasn't. (Well it wasn't the worst part.
Anyway, I think the main reason that Maddox's POV didn't work for me was that it only took up a third of the book since the other two were in the same world. That's maybe 110 pages. I'm gonna give Rhodes a freebie here and just blame everything else bad about this part of the book on that. Such as the rushedness, the utter cheesiness, the endless cliches. The immaturity of the plot I think can go under the fact that Crystal and Farrell were slightly older and maybe Rhodes wanted there to be a noticeable difference between the two pairs of adolescents?? Maybe?? I'm not sure. Also, the romance made me really want to vomit.
Now, just because Maddox's POV was the worst doesn't mean Crystal's and Farrell's were so much better. Okay, Crystal's was actually okay, but Farrell. In the beginning I really liked his character (I really liked each of the characters in their opening chapters), and now I respect how his first scene reflects how he ends up. And while I know that the marks that Markus gave him made him such a bad person, I could just barely tolerate his rude, sexist, cocky (in an unattractive way) self. He wasn't funny, or intriguing, or anything. The only reason I really liked his POVs was to see what was happening from a different set of eyes.
Something that all three POVs have in common, the problem with the whole story, was how overly spelled-out it was. THEY EXPLAINED EVERYTHING. Way too much. If I had figured something out two chapters ago, I don't need you to explain it to me again now. Another common denominator was the cheesy cliches. At the beginning, I was thinking, "oh, maybe they'll stop doing that at the end." News flash: they didn't. Especially in the Maddox POVs, everything that could possibly happen in a basic YA book happened. Ew.
For me, this book had a great plot, but the execution of said plot and the characters tasked to do said execution were very badly done.
The strangest thing is that I LOVE MORGAN RHODES' WORK. Well, at least I love her Falling Kingdoms series. It's actually one of my favorite series. So I know that Rhodes has the potential to write books that better appeal to my tastes. I'm really confused and disappointed that this one didn't. (I'm not saying that all books have to cater to what I want, just that I feel like she could've written this book better.)
So basically what happens in this book is: Crystal and Becca are sisters who live in a bookshop in Canada. Their dad left them 15 years ago I think. Something comes in the mail, and they open it. It turns out to be a big, mysterious book written in an unfamiliar language. When Becca touches it, she starts screaming and suddenly she goes into a coma. But she was really transported into another world. Maddox lives in said other world (Mytica), and he can move shadows and stuff. One day he sees a spirit "dressed in strange clothes." Guess who it is!! It's Becca!! Wow, never would've seen that coming! Meanwhile, back in Canada, Farrell Grayson is pretty much a slightly darker Chuck Bass from Gossip Girl. So, he's rich, cocky, and short-tempered. His family is in a secret society. Said secret society (the Hawkspear Society) needs aforementioned big, mysterious book (the Bronze Codex) for some nefarious reason, so they keep trying to take it. But - what?! - said book is also relevant in Mytica! How? Is? It? In? Two? Worlds? At? Once????? Find out by reading this book.
(Yes, I know, I should consider writing those blurbs on the back cover of books, I'm still working on getting employed at 14.)
The part of the book that I had the most problems with was Maddox's POV, which was in Mytica. Which goes back to my above grievance. I would have expected, since Mytica is the common denominator between Rhodes' two series, that the problem would be with the modern world part. But it surprisingly wasn't. (Well it wasn't the worst part.
Anyway, I think the main reason that Maddox's POV didn't work for me was that it only took up a third of the book since the other two were in the same world. That's maybe 110 pages. I'm gonna give Rhodes a freebie here and just blame everything else bad about this part of the book on that. Such as the rushedness, the utter cheesiness, the endless cliches. The immaturity of the plot I think can go under the fact that Crystal and Farrell were slightly older and maybe Rhodes wanted there to be a noticeable difference between the two pairs of adolescents?? Maybe?? I'm not sure. Also, the romance made me really want to vomit.
Now, just because Maddox's POV was the worst doesn't mean Crystal's and Farrell's were so much better. Okay, Crystal's was actually okay, but Farrell. In the beginning I really liked his character (I really liked each of the characters in their opening chapters), and now I respect how his first scene reflects how he ends up. And while I know that the marks that Markus gave him made him such a bad person, I could just barely tolerate his rude, sexist, cocky (in an unattractive way) self. He wasn't funny, or intriguing, or anything. The only reason I really liked his POVs was to see what was happening from a different set of eyes.
Something that all three POVs have in common, the problem with the whole story, was how overly spelled-out it was. THEY EXPLAINED EVERYTHING. Way too much. If I had figured something out two chapters ago, I don't need you to explain it to me again now. Another common denominator was the cheesy cliches. At the beginning, I was thinking, "oh, maybe they'll stop doing that at the end." News flash: they didn't. Especially in the Maddox POVs, everything that could possibly happen in a basic YA book happened. Ew.
For me, this book had a great plot, but the execution of said plot and the characters tasked to do said execution were very badly done.
This hovers somewhere between a 2.75 and a 3, but I'm feeling generous and bumping it up in my rounding.
What a disappointment. I really like Rhodes' Falling Kingdoms series, and the promise of a spin-off tale set both in Mytica and in our own world was certainly tantalizing. Unfortunately, while there are sparkles of potentially good and interesting things in this novel, it doesn't live up to what it could be.
The elements in Mytica range from dull to gag-worthy -- especially when we throw in that oh so great instalove (do we feel my eye-roll?) -- and the events in modern-day Toronto, while certainly more interesting, lead to very little.
Overall, it took a lot of effort to read this book, and I felt like I didn't get much back in return.
What a disappointment. I really like Rhodes' Falling Kingdoms series, and the promise of a spin-off tale set both in Mytica and in our own world was certainly tantalizing. Unfortunately, while there are sparkles of potentially good and interesting things in this novel, it doesn't live up to what it could be.
The elements in Mytica range from dull to gag-worthy -- especially when we throw in that oh so great instalove (do we feel my eye-roll?) -- and the events in modern-day Toronto, while certainly more interesting, lead to very little.
Overall, it took a lot of effort to read this book, and I felt like I didn't get much back in return.
Can't expect, and receive, anything less than absolutely beautiful storytelling when it comes to Morgan Rhodes writing.
Characters are all individual and original compared to the Falling Kingdom series. Farrell's POV was my favorite.
Characters are all individual and original compared to the Falling Kingdom series. Farrell's POV was my favorite.
This book initially started out very slow to me, but eventually I got to the point where I couldn't put the book down.
I'm really glad that I liked Crys a lot. I was concerned she would fall into the typical girl and just go along with the flow. Especially when she started interacting with Farrell. I'm excited to see what she will do now that she has Becca back.
Farrell.. that boy. I really like him, even when he is being a little shit. I can't wait to see how his character develops and if he can fight against being controlled by Marcus. I also really want to know what happened to Conner and what will happen to Adam in the future. Looks like the Grayson family might be in for a roller coaster.
Becca and Maddox were cute together. When Maddox started to gain confidence and started using his abilities, I could only get more excited because.. we are in Mytica. I just want to know more about how Mytica came to be in the Falling Kingdom series.
SPOILERS:
There were so many surprises (good ones) that I wasn't expecting at all and I loved it. Aunt Jackie and Marcus being in love.. Becca being their daughter!? Daniel fighting back and trying to help is daughters. Adam going against the society and his brother.
All in all, I'm on to the next book to continue the adventure!
I'm really glad that I liked Crys a lot. I was concerned she would fall into the typical girl and just go along with the flow. Especially when she started interacting with Farrell. I'm excited to see what she will do now that she has Becca back.
Farrell.. that boy. I really like him, even when he is being a little shit. I can't wait to see how his character develops and if he can fight against being controlled by Marcus. I also really want to know what happened to Conner and what will happen to Adam in the future. Looks like the Grayson family might be in for a roller coaster.
Becca and Maddox were cute together. When Maddox started to gain confidence and started using his abilities, I could only get more excited because.. we are in Mytica. I just want to know more about how Mytica came to be in the Falling Kingdom series.
SPOILERS:
There were so many surprises (good ones) that I wasn't expecting at all and I loved it. Aunt Jackie and Marcus being in love.. Becca being their daughter!? Daniel fighting back and trying to help is daughters. Adam going against the society and his brother.
All in all, I'm on to the next book to continue the adventure!
This was a really good story. I think I would have loved this so much in high school/college. Or maybe even if I had read this any time other than right now with so much going on.
Not the best modern fantasy I've ever read, but enough to make me want me read the sequel.