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aldoregan's reviews
389 reviews
The Chaos of Longing by K.Y. Robinson
2.0
The Chaos of Longing did a much better job at sensual poetry. Everything that Michael Faudet's Dirty Pretty Things didn't have, this book had it. However, this wasn't really mesmerizing or entirely beautiful. There were some poems I didn't like, and some I did like.
“you are a natural
phenomenon—
not a natural disaster.”
“you are a natural
phenomenon—
not a natural disaster.”
Dracula by Bram Stoker
2.0
Another classic book? *gasps* YAAAAY!!!
I'm staying true to my words when I said that I'll read 10 classic books this year. Only 8 more to go!
The characters in this book weren't interesting. It failed to show characterization, and so the characters- as individuals- turned out to be bland.
This wasn't really a page-turner in my opinion. The writing style is in diary format but I guess it didn't work out for me. I expected it to be more thrilling than it was. But though it lacked thrill, Stoker was still able to entertain. It's safe to say that it's what kept me from DNF-ing this book.
But I really like how I came to learn so much about Dracula. I mean, even in the present, his name is well-known and I had no idea about his story until now that I've read it.
Overall, I think this is just an okay book. Not as horrifying as I thought it'd be, but still entertaining as hell.
I'm staying true to my words when I said that I'll read 10 classic books this year. Only 8 more to go!
The characters in this book weren't interesting. It failed to show characterization, and so the characters- as individuals- turned out to be bland.
This wasn't really a page-turner in my opinion. The writing style is in diary format but I guess it didn't work out for me. I expected it to be more thrilling than it was. But though it lacked thrill, Stoker was still able to entertain. It's safe to say that it's what kept me from DNF-ing this book.
But I really like how I came to learn so much about Dracula. I mean, even in the present, his name is well-known and I had no idea about his story until now that I've read it.
Overall, I think this is just an okay book. Not as horrifying as I thought it'd be, but still entertaining as hell.
The Ruby Circle by Richelle Mead
2.0
I finally finished the Bloodlines series! Finally! And as usual, this wasn't as good as the first three books. I was kinda expecting something more since last books of series' are always more amazing, fast paced, and action-packed but none of those things happened in The Ruby Circle. And the epilogue was just meh.
Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas
1.0
Dorian said, "So here we are."
"The end of the road," Aelin said with a half smile.
"No," Chaol said, with his own smile faint, tentative. "The beginning of the next."
Before reading Queen of Shadows, I read a lot of bad reviews about this book. It's the reason why it took me so long to pick this up. I was very hesitant to read this, especially when I found out my ship was going to sink. There were loads of things that I hated and this series has completely turned into a different one from what I once loved.
The first parts were the worst. It took me one whole week reading the first half of the book. It was SO DIFFICULT reading those parts. I was so irritated and mad at all the things that were happening. It put me in a slump and I was so close to DNFing this book. I actually wished I could unread the whole series because of the first half. The characterization was all over the place. SJM completely disregarded it and it's what made me dislike this book. Writing style, plot, and worldbuilding are very important aspects when it comes stories but characterization is as important as well. To me, the characters's actions didn't make sense. Aelin was being a self-centered bitch. Chaol was the only person worrying about Dorian. And then all of a sudden these male fae warriors came strutting in to replace all of the main characters that I've grown to love so much. And the quick transition from Celaena Sardothien to Aelin Galathynius was completely unrealistic. Celaena was only a disguise but it's what shaped her to become who she is in the present. She is not Celaena but who Celaena is and what Celaena has gone through will always be a part of who she is. It was supposed to be character development but it came out as character assassination (literally). It felt like Aelin murdered Celaena and replaced her. That is not how you develop a character. It is absolute nonsense that she would immediately go and despise Celaena and be a completely different person. It's just not realistic. And I wanted characters who are real and relatable, but SJM failed in giving me that. The only parts I really liked were Manon's chapters. But after getting through those parts, things were beginning to get really good. The action scenes kept my heart beating in a fast pace, and I guess it's what saved this book for me. I started to loathe Aelin less and the entire second half was bearable.
The reasons why I'm only giving this a 1 star is because:
1. My ship sank in an unfair way;
2. Chaol and Dorian were set aside even when they were supposed to be main characters;
3. Nesryn wasn't really given importance even when she had the potential to be a great and awesome character;
4. The new trio (Aelin, Aedion, and Rowan) ughh;
5. The so-called-romance (*barfs*) between Aelin and Rowan happened way too fast. (I skipped ALL OF THEIR PARTS. I'm sorry I'm not sorry);
6. The feels that I had when I read the first three books and the novella were no longer there. It vanished into thin air, sadly.
7. And of course, the CHARACTERIZATION.
Sad that this book ruined the series for me. I’m just angry and very very disappointed at the same time ://
Despite all of those things that I hated about this book, I'm still gonna continue this series though because I’ve already wasted my time on it then why not just finish it right? I absolutely loved the other characters of this series (Manon and her Thirteen, Chaol and Dorian obviously, Elide, Nesryn, Kaltain *sobs*) and I'm going to go on with this for all of them.
01/21/16
Review to come
06/28/15
SARAH J. MAAS: Bloody. Steamy. Action-packed.
ME: *DIES*
"The end of the road," Aelin said with a half smile.
"No," Chaol said, with his own smile faint, tentative. "The beginning of the next."
Before reading Queen of Shadows, I read a lot of bad reviews about this book. It's the reason why it took me so long to pick this up. I was very hesitant to read this, especially when I found out my ship was going to sink. There were loads of things that I hated and this series has completely turned into a different one from what I once loved.
The first parts were the worst. It took me one whole week reading the first half of the book. It was SO DIFFICULT reading those parts. I was so irritated and mad at all the things that were happening. It put me in a slump and I was so close to DNFing this book. I actually wished I could unread the whole series because of the first half. The characterization was all over the place. SJM completely disregarded it and it's what made me dislike this book. Writing style, plot, and worldbuilding are very important aspects when it comes stories but characterization is as important as well. To me, the characters's actions didn't make sense. Aelin was being a self-centered bitch. Chaol was the only person worrying about Dorian. And then all of a sudden these male fae warriors came strutting in to replace all of the main characters that I've grown to love so much. And the quick transition from Celaena Sardothien to Aelin Galathynius was completely unrealistic. Celaena was only a disguise but it's what shaped her to become who she is in the present. She is not Celaena but who Celaena is and what Celaena has gone through will always be a part of who she is. It was supposed to be character development but it came out as character assassination (literally). It felt like Aelin murdered Celaena and replaced her. That is not how you develop a character. It is absolute nonsense that she would immediately go and despise Celaena and be a completely different person. It's just not realistic. And I wanted characters who are real and relatable, but SJM failed in giving me that. The only parts I really liked were Manon's chapters. But after getting through those parts, things were beginning to get really good. The action scenes kept my heart beating in a fast pace, and I guess it's what saved this book for me. I started to loathe Aelin less and the entire second half was bearable.
The reasons why I'm only giving this a 1 star is because:
1. My ship sank in an unfair way;
2. Chaol and Dorian were set aside even when they were supposed to be main characters;
3. Nesryn wasn't really given importance even when she had the potential to be a great and awesome character;
4. The new trio (Aelin, Aedion, and Rowan) ughh;
5. The so-called-romance (*barfs*) between Aelin and Rowan happened way too fast. (I skipped ALL OF THEIR PARTS. I'm sorry I'm not sorry);
6. The feels that I had when I read the first three books and the novella were no longer there. It vanished into thin air, sadly.
7. And of course, the CHARACTERIZATION.
Sad that this book ruined the series for me. I’m just angry and very very disappointed at the same time ://
Despite all of those things that I hated about this book, I'm still gonna continue this series though because I’ve already wasted my time on it then why not just finish it right? I absolutely loved the other characters of this series (Manon and her Thirteen, Chaol and Dorian obviously, Elide, Nesryn, Kaltain *sobs*) and I'm going to go on with this for all of them.
01/21/16
Review to come
06/28/15
SARAH J. MAAS: Bloody. Steamy. Action-packed.
ME: *DIES*
Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi
4.0
REREAD: january 15, 2019
welp everyone’s gonna kill me for saying this : but this wasn’t as good as the first time i read it 💀 lmao i know, i’m sorry. my reading tastes have changed very much throughout the years. i can say that i’m definitely a lot more critical when it comes to the books that i read now— so of course reading this 5 years ago would be a different experience from reading this today.
things i didn’t enjoy:
the pacing was kinda slow and didn’t really create a great build up for what was to come in the end, the climax scene was kinda anticlimactic, wasn’t as action-packed as i remembered it to be. also (pls dont kill me for this) im beginning to think that tahereh mafi can’t write battle scenes that well, especially since she tries to avoid it by all means.
do i think this book is perfect? absolutely not. do i think it was brilliant? unfortunately, nope. but do i still love it? yes, yes i do.
this book still hits me at the right places and this trilogy altogether makes me feel very nostalgic and emotional. i still care deeply for the characters, and despite the fact that i’ve read far too many books that are 10 times better than this, i still cared about the plot and where the story was going and how the characters were going to deal with it. in conclusion, the shatter me trilogy will always have a very special place in my heart.
Words are like seeds, I think, planted into our hearts at a tender age. They take root in us as we grow, settling deep into our souls. The good words plant well. They flourish and find homes in our hearts. They build trunks around our spines, steadying us when we’re feeling most flimsy; planting our feet firmly when we’re feeling most unsure. But the bad words grow poorly. Our trunks infest and spoil until we are hollow and housing the interests of others and not our own. We are forced to eat the fruit those words have borne, held hostage by the branches growing arms around our necks, suffocating us to death, one word at a time.
welp everyone’s gonna kill me for saying this : but this wasn’t as good as the first time i read it 💀 lmao i know, i’m sorry. my reading tastes have changed very much throughout the years. i can say that i’m definitely a lot more critical when it comes to the books that i read now— so of course reading this 5 years ago would be a different experience from reading this today.
things i didn’t enjoy:
the pacing was kinda slow and didn’t really create a great build up for what was to come in the end, the climax scene was kinda anticlimactic, wasn’t as action-packed as i remembered it to be. also (pls dont kill me for this) im beginning to think that tahereh mafi can’t write battle scenes that well, especially since she tries to avoid it by all means.
do i think this book is perfect? absolutely not. do i think it was brilliant? unfortunately, nope. but do i still love it? yes, yes i do.
this book still hits me at the right places and this trilogy altogether makes me feel very nostalgic and emotional. i still care deeply for the characters, and despite the fact that i’ve read far too many books that are 10 times better than this, i still cared about the plot and where the story was going and how the characters were going to deal with it. in conclusion, the shatter me trilogy will always have a very special place in my heart.
Words are like seeds, I think, planted into our hearts at a tender age. They take root in us as we grow, settling deep into our souls. The good words plant well. They flourish and find homes in our hearts. They build trunks around our spines, steadying us when we’re feeling most flimsy; planting our feet firmly when we’re feeling most unsure. But the bad words grow poorly. Our trunks infest and spoil until we are hollow and housing the interests of others and not our own. We are forced to eat the fruit those words have borne, held hostage by the branches growing arms around our necks, suffocating us to death, one word at a time.
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
3.0
second read: feb. 03, 2019
wasn’t a huge fan of this book when i first read it in 2015. i mean i enjoyed it, but it wasn’t a favorite. still not a fan of this even after rereading it, but now it’s all just meh to me.
this book could’ve been better if it had in depth characters (ESPECIALLY from alina and mal), a complex villain, and a clever pacing of the story. the main thing this really lacked was good characterization. however, it’s also very interesting to see how much leigh bardugo’s writing has progressed from shadow and bone to six of crows, particularly since characterization was something that i really love in the six of crows duology. this could’ve been a great book had leigh bardugo written it today rather than 7 years ago.
first read: aug. 15, 2015
wasn’t a huge fan of this book when i first read it in 2015. i mean i enjoyed it, but it wasn’t a favorite. still not a fan of this even after rereading it, but now it’s all just meh to me.
this book could’ve been better if it had in depth characters (ESPECIALLY from alina and mal), a complex villain, and a clever pacing of the story. the main thing this really lacked was good characterization. however, it’s also very interesting to see how much leigh bardugo’s writing has progressed from shadow and bone to six of crows, particularly since characterization was something that i really love in the six of crows duology. this could’ve been a great book had leigh bardugo written it today rather than 7 years ago.
first read: aug. 15, 2015
The Wrong Side of Right by Jenn Marie Thorne
4.0
every now and then i’d read a ya contempo that actually makes me feel emotions. it happens rarely, but it surprises me everytime when it does. at the beginning of the wrong side of right, i thought i was going to give this book a 2 or 2.5 stars at worst or 3 stars at best, but instead i gave this a 4 out of 5 stars. i think the reason why i was able to enjoy this so much was because it primarily focuses on the family aspect. i wouldn’t even say it’s a romance since it isn’t even the center of the plot. this book was really heartwarming and it was very nice to see how much the author gave importance to the family dynamics, especially since it rarely is shown in ya contempos. this was a nice change and it surprised me so much that i ended up just really loving it!
You’ll never have the chance to work this stuff out unless you give yourself the chance.
You’ll never have the chance to work this stuff out unless you give yourself the chance.
Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
2.0
second read: feb. 05, 2019
it breaks my heart that im giving a leigh bardugo book a 2 out of 5 stars,, but this was just boring and annoying for the most part until like the last battle scene. plus a love square ????? really ?????? we’re gonna stoop that low ?????!
i gave this book a 4 out of 5 stars back in 2015, and i honestly don’t remember why. i guess it was bc 15/16 year old me was still scared to give a really popular book a low rating. now this bitch just doesn’t give a fuck anymore.
first read: aug. 30, 2015
it breaks my heart that im giving a leigh bardugo book a 2 out of 5 stars,, but this was just boring and annoying for the most part until like the last battle scene. plus a love square ????? really ?????? we’re gonna stoop that low ?????!
i gave this book a 4 out of 5 stars back in 2015, and i honestly don’t remember why. i guess it was bc 15/16 year old me was still scared to give a really popular book a low rating. now this bitch just doesn’t give a fuck anymore.
first read: aug. 30, 2015
Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo
3.0
this wasn’t as bad as i was expecting it to be. a bit lackluster for a finale but hmm it was okay.