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4.21 AVERAGE
4.21 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
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:
Complicated
adventurous
mysterious
tense
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
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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:
Complicated
emotional
mysterious
sad
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
“I don’t think you realize how strong you are, because sometimes strength isn’t swords and steel and fire, as we are so often made to believe. Sometimes it’s found in quiet, gentle places. The way you hold someone’s hand as they grieve. The way you listen to others. The way you show up, day after day, even when you are weary or afraid or simply uncertain. That is strength, and I see it in you.”
Beautifully and lyrically written, with an utterly heartbreaking and lovely romance as well. I absolutely adore a rivals to lovers story, especially with characters that are so cute and loveable. I savored the sweet letters that Iris and Roman wrote each other, and the overarching war plot was also very captivating. This book also had me crying at parts with how emotionally touching it was. How romantic is it already that someone is willing to follow you to war? There was a lot of cute banter and adorable scenes between the two characters that just make you want to root for their happiness.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Another one that was not what I was expecting (I thought it was a greek mythology retelling for some reason) but I ended up loving. The premise was super unique and well done. The writing was just beautiful, and though it feels a lil toxic to admit, I just love when two characters pick on each other bc they actually kinda love each other. (But seriously we have GOT to stop encouraging girls that he's mean to you because he likes you).
Man, I was enjoying the writing (lol, especially after the terrible writing of Fourth Wing) until it speedran through the romance and they suddenly proposed marriage immediately after the reveal/conflict of Kitt as the author to her letters. I laughed in disbelief when he proposed, it needed more breathing room for Iris to settle into the reveal, for them to navigate how it changed their relationship. You can't just go "I wrote those personal, emotional, romantic letters these past few weeks - me, the person you view as a rival to your career and have no solid friendship with. Marry me." It was a tonal shock to go from slow burn to instalove, the work wasn't there for the transition. "But it's war!" you exclaim. "Love moves fast in war!" Yeah, but this book sold me a slow burn romance that couldn't find its footing.
Also, Iris as a war correspondent wasn't realistic, it just created a convenient setting for drama. She's futzing around in a garden half the time, miles away, while soldiers are dying, for half the book. Or she's feeding soldiers or helping wounded. Except - she's not partnered with any humanitarian aid org, she's a fucking journalist without any drive to investigate. Her job is not to offer aid but to investigate. We never see her interview people, we never get to read her or Attie's supposedly amazing articles - and what are they writing about? At that point, Iris hadn't seen the front line or talked to anyone who was willing to be interviewed. She sees the front lines for a week but we don't see it through her eyes, we only see it as a convenient plot device to have Iris sit in Kitt's lap on a bumpy Jeep ride.
It's bizarre to me that the gods have rewoken but NOBODY has reported a deep dive into their mythology, to give the public context to the war? It's literally the first thing journalists do with news and nobody thought to do it except some teenagers? This book feels so empty, in a very uncanny way. The ingredients are there but the story is missing some sort of magic to tied it all together. I never felt connected to any of it, apart from Iris struggling with her alcoholic mother at the very beginning.
ETA: If you want a good war YA, Front Lines by Michael Grant does a great job reimagining WWII in a world where women can enlist. Readers get to see war from three viewpoints: on the ground, in the hospital, and at the desk of an intelligence agent. Highly recommend that trilogy over this.
Also, Iris as a war correspondent wasn't realistic, it just created a convenient setting for drama. She's futzing around in a garden half the time, miles away, while soldiers are dying, for half the book. Or she's feeding soldiers or helping wounded. Except - she's not partnered with any humanitarian aid org, she's a fucking journalist without any drive to investigate. Her job is not to offer aid but to investigate. We never see her interview people, we never get to read her or Attie's supposedly amazing articles - and what are they writing about? At that point, Iris hadn't seen the front line or talked to anyone who was willing to be interviewed. She sees the front lines for a week but we don't see it through her eyes, we only see it as a convenient plot device to have Iris sit in Kitt's lap on a bumpy Jeep ride.
It's bizarre to me that the gods have rewoken but NOBODY has reported a deep dive into their mythology, to give the public context to the war? It's literally the first thing journalists do with news and nobody thought to do it except some teenagers? This book feels so empty, in a very uncanny way. The ingredients are there but the story is missing some sort of magic to tied it all together. I never felt connected to any of it, apart from Iris struggling with her alcoholic mother at the very beginning.
ETA: If you want a good war YA, Front Lines by Michael Grant does a great job reimagining WWII in a world where women can enlist. Readers get to see war from three viewpoints: on the ground, in the hospital, and at the desk of an intelligence agent. Highly recommend that trilogy over this.
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
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
This book has destroyed me. Somehow I am heartbroken, in love and feel empty at the same time. I am utterly consumed by this book. It has my heart in every way possible and it’s so beautifully written!