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betwixt_the_pages's reviews
936 reviews
Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
4.0
"You've always been what you are. That's not new. What you'll get used to is knowing it."
---
In a time when Shadowhunters are barely winning the fight against the forces of darkness, one battle will change the course of history forever. Welcome to the Infernal Devices trilogy, a stunning and dangerous prequel to the New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments series.
The year is 1878. Tessa Gray descends into London’s dark supernatural underworld in search of her missing brother. She soon discovers that her only allies are the demon-slaying Shadowhunters—including Will and Jem, the mysterious boys she is attracted to. Soon they find themselves up against the Pandemonium Club, a secret organization of vampires, demons, warlocks, and humans. Equipped with a magical army of unstoppable clockwork creatures, the Club is out to rule the British Empire, and only Tessa and her allies can stop them..
I have tried to read Cassandra Clare before--City of Bones--and put her down. While I wanted to read her and love the book, I just wasn't into it at the time. When I saw a read along on tumblr for this book, which I'd been eyeing for quite a while now (steampunk is a genre I've recently discovered a deep love for, and have been meaning to read more of), I decided I would give Clare's writing another try--seeing as I'd been so interested in this book specifically for so long, I figured it might be a good place to start.
I wasn't wrong. I started this book yesterday--and sped through it. While I know the characters here are probably at more advantage in the main story they were created for, I couldn't help but be drawn to them here--vulnerable, unlearned in some ways. Because this is, technically, a prequel, I feel the characters here are lacking something they don't later on--and for that reason, are more easy to relate to, and to love.
Cassandra Clare did a great job of taking characters already established in other stories and making them stand out, like jewels on a throne, in this one. Their motivations, their instincts, the ways they build relationships with others--all these things come together to make these characters, while not wholly human, realistic. I didn't realize, going into this, how heavily their stories would weigh on my shoulders.
The prose is well-written and easy to read; the adventure and plot twists, while at times easy to see coming, is also wild and at the mercy of no one. I hurt with these characters; I laughed at their antics, I rooted for them, I cried. Will and Tessa hurt me the most, I think--which is what they were written to do. I'm hoping in the other books, their issues are resolved and Will works out whatever it is that makes him so...URGH. I would be lying if I said I didn't find myself wanting to strangle him at times. Jem, also, is different from how I'd imagined him while reading City of Bones. Better, somehow, though I can't explain what I mean. Less jaded, perhaps; more willing to relate to others, despite their place in the world.
But I digress. This book has made me reconsider Clare; I will certainly be picking her up again in the future, starting with the other two books in this spin-off prequel trilogy. Fingers crossed Will stops being such a jerk. Fingers crossed the others hurt me just as much as this one did (because those are the best types of books).
---
In a time when Shadowhunters are barely winning the fight against the forces of darkness, one battle will change the course of history forever. Welcome to the Infernal Devices trilogy, a stunning and dangerous prequel to the New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments series.
The year is 1878. Tessa Gray descends into London’s dark supernatural underworld in search of her missing brother. She soon discovers that her only allies are the demon-slaying Shadowhunters—including Will and Jem, the mysterious boys she is attracted to. Soon they find themselves up against the Pandemonium Club, a secret organization of vampires, demons, warlocks, and humans. Equipped with a magical army of unstoppable clockwork creatures, the Club is out to rule the British Empire, and only Tessa and her allies can stop them..
I have tried to read Cassandra Clare before--City of Bones--and put her down. While I wanted to read her and love the book, I just wasn't into it at the time. When I saw a read along on tumblr for this book, which I'd been eyeing for quite a while now (steampunk is a genre I've recently discovered a deep love for, and have been meaning to read more of), I decided I would give Clare's writing another try--seeing as I'd been so interested in this book specifically for so long, I figured it might be a good place to start.
I wasn't wrong. I started this book yesterday--and sped through it. While I know the characters here are probably at more advantage in the main story they were created for, I couldn't help but be drawn to them here--vulnerable, unlearned in some ways. Because this is, technically, a prequel, I feel the characters here are lacking something they don't later on--and for that reason, are more easy to relate to, and to love.
Cassandra Clare did a great job of taking characters already established in other stories and making them stand out, like jewels on a throne, in this one. Their motivations, their instincts, the ways they build relationships with others--all these things come together to make these characters, while not wholly human, realistic. I didn't realize, going into this, how heavily their stories would weigh on my shoulders.
The prose is well-written and easy to read; the adventure and plot twists, while at times easy to see coming, is also wild and at the mercy of no one. I hurt with these characters; I laughed at their antics, I rooted for them, I cried. Will and Tessa hurt me the most, I think--which is what they were written to do. I'm hoping in the other books, their issues are resolved and Will works out whatever it is that makes him so...URGH. I would be lying if I said I didn't find myself wanting to strangle him at times. Jem, also, is different from how I'd imagined him while reading City of Bones. Better, somehow, though I can't explain what I mean. Less jaded, perhaps; more willing to relate to others, despite their place in the world.
But I digress. This book has made me reconsider Clare; I will certainly be picking her up again in the future, starting with the other two books in this spin-off prequel trilogy. Fingers crossed Will stops being such a jerk. Fingers crossed the others hurt me just as much as this one did (because those are the best types of books).
Valhalla by Ari Bach
3.0
I was asked to review this by sharkchunks.tumblr.com
---
A Harmony Ink Press Young Adult Title
Violet MacRae is one of the aimless millions crowding northern Scotland. In the year 2330, where war is obsolete and only brilliant minds are valued, she emerges into adulthood with more brawn than brains and a propensity for violence. People dismiss her as a relic, but world peace is more fragile than they know.
In Valhalla, a clandestine base hidden in an icy ravine, Violet connects with a group of outcasts just like her. There, she learns the skills she needs to keep the world safe from genetically enhanced criminals and traitors who threaten the first friends she’s ever known. She also meets Wulfgar Kray, a genius gang leader who knows her better than she knows herself and who would conquer the world to capture her.
Branded from childhood as a useless barbarian, Violet is about to learn the world needs her exactly as she is.
Rating: 3/5 Stars
Quick Reasons: Detailed world-building; fascinating characters with unique flaws; fast-paced story (after about the 50% mark); awesome concept, weapons, and plot; romance plays little part in character arcs or decisions
When Violet's parents are murdered by the Orange Gang, she finds herself on her own with no idea of what to do next or where to turn for help. All she knows is: she feels nothing.
Soon after, she learns of a military branch seeking recruits and she signs up, knowing that earlier childhood test scores reveal a penchant for violence and gore that might otherwise be unacceptable in other occupations. It doesn't last; she is kicked out just before graduating for just this.
When the Orange Gang tracks her back down at her home just after returning to the "real" world, Violet lets her instincts lead the way: she kills the men, including one of the brothers that helped to murder her parents. When she is approached by a group calling themselves Valhalla, she knows it might be one of her only ways out; she has a target on her back, and without help is just as good as dead. As she makes her first friends and begins discovering how to care for others, she also begins to learn secrets about herself. But at what cost is this information...and where will it lead her in the future?
I have to be honest: I found the first half of this book almost boring to read. There is so much information being dumped, it was hard at times to focus on a lot of it and I found myself wanting to skip ahead. Also, the writing style is a bit wonky--it's written in future tense a lot of the time, instead of the past or present as I'm used to, and I found myself getting confused about the timeline (when you constantly have sentences saying things like "she would do" or "later, she'd," it's hard to keep track). A lot of information was also relayed in dialogue-form, with little to no action between the text blocks.
While in a way this is smart of the writer—it eliminates the need for more than one focused perspective or other unusual means of getting information across (as Violet, while smart, knows next to nothing about the world she's been pulled into), it happens in such a small amount of time with little action between that I found myself getting bored.
That being said, the second half of this novel made the tedious first half worth it, as the information dumps level out and more action (and character growth!) ensues. Where the first half bored me almost to tears, the second half finally established a connection with the characters I was desperately searching for and let me take a step back and actually SEE the world being described. The writing style also became easier to follow; now, instead of focusing on how best to relay pertinent world or backstory information via long, breathless dialogue blocks, Ari Bach could take the time to paint the world itself.
The character growth in the second half are exemplary—my frustration and annoyance with Violet fell away into first a begrudging respect...and then a sense of admiration. She was no longer a cold-hearted girl with a penchant for blood and violence, but a well-rounded and flawed heroine.
The world building, while tedious at times, is also awe-inspiring. Ari Bach put a lot of thought into crafting this new (yet still almost the same?) world; instead of starting over from scratch, this world seems to be just a more scientifically-modified, futuristic version. While we don't get much description of scenery (it's set in Scotland) I don't feel I missed it too much; the action and detailing of the fights and the new weapons (insects that attach to ports in people's chests!) left little need for readers to know exactly how the ground looked or the air smelled.
Last noteworthy thing: Walruses. I don't think I need to say anything more.
Overall, I highly enjoyed reading this book and will probably be picking up the second book in the future. I'd recommend this to readers who love sci fi or action/adventure novels with only a hint of romance (and no mention of it being a distraction or a justification for a characters' actions!) This was a great read!
---
A Harmony Ink Press Young Adult Title
Violet MacRae is one of the aimless millions crowding northern Scotland. In the year 2330, where war is obsolete and only brilliant minds are valued, she emerges into adulthood with more brawn than brains and a propensity for violence. People dismiss her as a relic, but world peace is more fragile than they know.
In Valhalla, a clandestine base hidden in an icy ravine, Violet connects with a group of outcasts just like her. There, she learns the skills she needs to keep the world safe from genetically enhanced criminals and traitors who threaten the first friends she’s ever known. She also meets Wulfgar Kray, a genius gang leader who knows her better than she knows herself and who would conquer the world to capture her.
Branded from childhood as a useless barbarian, Violet is about to learn the world needs her exactly as she is.
Rating: 3/5 Stars
Quick Reasons: Detailed world-building; fascinating characters with unique flaws; fast-paced story (after about the 50% mark); awesome concept, weapons, and plot; romance plays little part in character arcs or decisions
When Violet's parents are murdered by the Orange Gang, she finds herself on her own with no idea of what to do next or where to turn for help. All she knows is: she feels nothing.
Soon after, she learns of a military branch seeking recruits and she signs up, knowing that earlier childhood test scores reveal a penchant for violence and gore that might otherwise be unacceptable in other occupations. It doesn't last; she is kicked out just before graduating for just this.
When the Orange Gang tracks her back down at her home just after returning to the "real" world, Violet lets her instincts lead the way: she kills the men, including one of the brothers that helped to murder her parents. When she is approached by a group calling themselves Valhalla, she knows it might be one of her only ways out; she has a target on her back, and without help is just as good as dead. As she makes her first friends and begins discovering how to care for others, she also begins to learn secrets about herself. But at what cost is this information...and where will it lead her in the future?
I have to be honest: I found the first half of this book almost boring to read. There is so much information being dumped, it was hard at times to focus on a lot of it and I found myself wanting to skip ahead. Also, the writing style is a bit wonky--it's written in future tense a lot of the time, instead of the past or present as I'm used to, and I found myself getting confused about the timeline (when you constantly have sentences saying things like "she would do" or "later, she'd," it's hard to keep track). A lot of information was also relayed in dialogue-form, with little to no action between the text blocks.
While in a way this is smart of the writer—it eliminates the need for more than one focused perspective or other unusual means of getting information across (as Violet, while smart, knows next to nothing about the world she's been pulled into), it happens in such a small amount of time with little action between that I found myself getting bored.
That being said, the second half of this novel made the tedious first half worth it, as the information dumps level out and more action (and character growth!) ensues. Where the first half bored me almost to tears, the second half finally established a connection with the characters I was desperately searching for and let me take a step back and actually SEE the world being described. The writing style also became easier to follow; now, instead of focusing on how best to relay pertinent world or backstory information via long, breathless dialogue blocks, Ari Bach could take the time to paint the world itself.
The character growth in the second half are exemplary—my frustration and annoyance with Violet fell away into first a begrudging respect...and then a sense of admiration. She was no longer a cold-hearted girl with a penchant for blood and violence, but a well-rounded and flawed heroine.
The world building, while tedious at times, is also awe-inspiring. Ari Bach put a lot of thought into crafting this new (yet still almost the same?) world; instead of starting over from scratch, this world seems to be just a more scientifically-modified, futuristic version. While we don't get much description of scenery (it's set in Scotland) I don't feel I missed it too much; the action and detailing of the fights and the new weapons (insects that attach to ports in people's chests!) left little need for readers to know exactly how the ground looked or the air smelled.
Last noteworthy thing: Walruses. I don't think I need to say anything more.
Overall, I highly enjoyed reading this book and will probably be picking up the second book in the future. I'd recommend this to readers who love sci fi or action/adventure novels with only a hint of romance (and no mention of it being a distraction or a justification for a characters' actions!) This was a great read!
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
4.0
Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.
Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.
Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Quick Reasons: Intriguing world; endearing characters; a strong, humble protagonist (who has a strange obsession with everyone's looks); a sexy villain I couldn't help but love (I'm doomed); unseen foreshadowing; heartbreaking plot twists
I read this book in one sitting. It took most of my day...but I just couldn't bring myself to put it down!
I was hooked from page one. The "Before" section shed light on the protagonist and her childhood friend in a way I don't see in most books; it was intriguing to see them then, and to see them grown older as Chapter 1 began.
I admit it: I was drawn almost instantly to the Darkling. He's got this sort of sexy, mysterious aura to him, even through written words, I couldn't help but want MORE of him despite knowing practically nothing about him. Now, don't get me wrong here: I'm usually the FIRST one, especially lately, to pick apart a character's motives and question exactly what it is they're seeking. But...the Darkling. I just... I don't know what to blame it on. I liked him. Immediately. And I shouldn't have. I guess I'm doomed to a life of consistently seeing more in “bad” people; of loving characters who are FAR beyond redeemable. I'm sorry. He's just so damn sexy!
I was a BIT disappointed in the world-building overall, however. We're thrown almost immediately into the midst of the action, but we aren't really told WHAT Grishas are (I mean, aside from the obvious). We don't know hardly anything about the ways they're separated; it's made to seem like each Grisha's power comes from their personal interests and tastes—for instance, David must have always enjoyed making things—but we aren't given the finer details. Where did their powers come from? Why are only a select number of people born with powers? Why is Alina's power hidden for so long? (we ARE given a reason for this about halfway through the book, but it seemed like a huge cop-out on the author's part)
Overall, I enjoyed this read—again, I read it in one sitting, so obviously it held my interest! While there were some elements I didn't like—Darkling, my darling, you hurt me!--and some of the world-building elements seemed to fall through the cracks, the read was quick and the writing gorgeous. I will definitely be reading the rest of this series; I MUST know what happens next! Highly recommended!
Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.
Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Quick Reasons: Intriguing world; endearing characters; a strong, humble protagonist (who has a strange obsession with everyone's looks); a sexy villain I couldn't help but love (I'm doomed); unseen foreshadowing; heartbreaking plot twists
I read this book in one sitting. It took most of my day...but I just couldn't bring myself to put it down!
I was hooked from page one. The "Before" section shed light on the protagonist and her childhood friend in a way I don't see in most books; it was intriguing to see them then, and to see them grown older as Chapter 1 began.
I admit it: I was drawn almost instantly to the Darkling. He's got this sort of sexy, mysterious aura to him, even through written words, I couldn't help but want MORE of him despite knowing practically nothing about him. Now, don't get me wrong here: I'm usually the FIRST one, especially lately, to pick apart a character's motives and question exactly what it is they're seeking. But...the Darkling. I just... I don't know what to blame it on. I liked him. Immediately. And I shouldn't have. I guess I'm doomed to a life of consistently seeing more in “bad” people; of loving characters who are FAR beyond redeemable. I'm sorry. He's just so damn sexy!
I was a BIT disappointed in the world-building overall, however. We're thrown almost immediately into the midst of the action, but we aren't really told WHAT Grishas are (I mean, aside from the obvious). We don't know hardly anything about the ways they're separated; it's made to seem like each Grisha's power comes from their personal interests and tastes—for instance, David must have always enjoyed making things—but we aren't given the finer details. Where did their powers come from? Why are only a select number of people born with powers? Why is Alina's power hidden for so long? (we ARE given a reason for this about halfway through the book, but it seemed like a huge cop-out on the author's part)
Overall, I enjoyed this read—again, I read it in one sitting, so obviously it held my interest! While there were some elements I didn't like—Darkling, my darling, you hurt me!--and some of the world-building elements seemed to fall through the cracks, the read was quick and the writing gorgeous. I will definitely be reading the rest of this series; I MUST know what happens next! Highly recommended!
The Purgatorium by Eva Pohler
1.0
DNF. I'm tapping out. I QUIT with this book at the 20% mark. If this makes me a terrible person, so be it. I just can't anymore.
Notes I took before I decided to put this down:
Page 14 -- "Yes, there were knives. She hadn't seen kitchen knives in months."
Uhm....why not????
Page 14 continued--"She took one from the drawer and brought it closer to her eyes, running a finger along the blade. When the time was right, this would do."
When the time was right for what? Is THIS why Cam brought her to the island and didn't mention the therapy she keeps harping on about? Is she suicidal? Or is this more sinister?
So far, I'm not impressed. I'm only about 15 pages in, but the writing is VERY simple, the details we're given are...1-dimensional. I can't see the characters or what's going on, and I'm VERY confused. Cam and Daphne apparently fell out of touch some time ago...but suddenly he's hopping over her fence, talking about this island where "magical" things happen? And she's allowed to go with him? How does that make any sense to anybody? CREEEEEEEPY. Hopefully it gets better soon.
Page 19--"Cam reached out for her, and every part of her skin touched by the two guys broke out in goose bumps. She was sandwiched between them and hyper-aware of their skin on hers...."
UHM?! She only JUST met this Stan guy, and she's already called his touch "intoxicating." Also, she doesn't know Cam that well, either. Like...this girl's priorities? Her sense of self-preservation? Non-existant. Also, who's Kara???
Okay, wait....now there's a BROCK?! And a Joey? I get the feeling Kara and Joey were/are old friends of hers....and Brock.....an ex maybe? BUT STILL, WHY introduce the characters if you're only going to give very little information on them???? Like....I can't connect with this story if I don't GET the story.
Page 29--Like...YAY for diversity and all that jazz, but...really? Can she think of NO OTHER WAY to describe the characters than just outright stating their nationality? I WANT TO SEE THEM! This is such bad writing, oh my goodness... SHOW me, don't tell me!
Page 39--"Was the person crazy? Did whoever it was want to die?"
I'm sorry, but....doesn't SHE want to die? This seems....a contradictive question.
She's reeeeeeeeeally paranoid, isn't she?
Page 50--"The doctors said schizophrenia can be brought on by traumatic events. Joey got it from accidentally killing Grandpa Janus."
UHM NO. NO. THAT IS NOT HOW IT WORKS.
Notes I took before I decided to put this down:
Page 14 -- "Yes, there were knives. She hadn't seen kitchen knives in months."
Uhm....why not????
Page 14 continued--"She took one from the drawer and brought it closer to her eyes, running a finger along the blade. When the time was right, this would do."
When the time was right for what? Is THIS why Cam brought her to the island and didn't mention the therapy she keeps harping on about? Is she suicidal? Or is this more sinister?
So far, I'm not impressed. I'm only about 15 pages in, but the writing is VERY simple, the details we're given are...1-dimensional. I can't see the characters or what's going on, and I'm VERY confused. Cam and Daphne apparently fell out of touch some time ago...but suddenly he's hopping over her fence, talking about this island where "magical" things happen? And she's allowed to go with him? How does that make any sense to anybody? CREEEEEEEPY. Hopefully it gets better soon.
Page 19--"Cam reached out for her, and every part of her skin touched by the two guys broke out in goose bumps. She was sandwiched between them and hyper-aware of their skin on hers...."
UHM?! She only JUST met this Stan guy, and she's already called his touch "intoxicating." Also, she doesn't know Cam that well, either. Like...this girl's priorities? Her sense of self-preservation? Non-existant. Also, who's Kara???
Okay, wait....now there's a BROCK?! And a Joey? I get the feeling Kara and Joey were/are old friends of hers....and Brock.....an ex maybe? BUT STILL, WHY introduce the characters if you're only going to give very little information on them???? Like....I can't connect with this story if I don't GET the story.
Page 29--Like...YAY for diversity and all that jazz, but...really? Can she think of NO OTHER WAY to describe the characters than just outright stating their nationality? I WANT TO SEE THEM! This is such bad writing, oh my goodness... SHOW me, don't tell me!
Page 39--"Was the person crazy? Did whoever it was want to die?"
I'm sorry, but....doesn't SHE want to die? This seems....a contradictive question.
She's reeeeeeeeeally paranoid, isn't she?
Page 50--"The doctors said schizophrenia can be brought on by traumatic events. Joey got it from accidentally killing Grandpa Janus."
UHM NO. NO. THAT IS NOT HOW IT WORKS.
Angelfall by Susan Ee
4.0
It's been six weeks since the angels of the apocalypse destroyed the world as we know it. Only pockets of humanity remain.
Savage street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night.
When angels fly away with a helpless girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back...
---
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Quick Reasons: Engaging plot; well-written characters; mayhem and chaos for thriller and horror lovers alike; intriguing world and world-building
Yes, I know--I'm late, once again, to the bandwagon. At least it's not kicking me off, right? But I digress.
This is another book I sort of picked up on a whim. I've seen a lot of raves about it on tumblr recently, and with the third book having just been released, I figured it was time for me to see what I was missing out on. The first sentence was like a shock of cold water on a sunny summer day; the story that followed had me mortified, frustrated, and intrigued (sometimes all at once!)
When Penryn's wheelchair-bound little sister, Paige, is kidnapped by angels, she sets off on a journey of self-discovery and self-reliance. After kidnapping a wounded, bleeding angel in turn in the hopes of gathering information about the other side, Penryn gets a glimpse of something in the angel she hadn't expected: something akin to humanity.
As their journey leads them farther from her home and closer to angel territory, Penryn and Raffe tread unfamiliar waters, relying on each other to make it through dangerous and troubling times. While the world falls apart around them, they find themselves lured deeper into a snare they hadn't realized was set for them...and closer to each other.
There are some interesting and unique things happening in this novel that have piqued my curiousity; I'm already planning on reading the next book in the series, wondering what happens from here. The characters are well-written; Penryn and Raffe especially are not your usual run-of-the-mill variety. Details that might, with other writers, fall through the cracks are brought to life and reimagined by Susan Ee. The prose is poetic and smooth, shifting from one scene to the next like water.
There's a fine line between "biblical" and "completely new" that Susan Ee treads here. She blurs and melds these two extremes into a seamless, breathtaking world of angel wars, religious mania, and superstition. The sense of expectancy and breathless wonder during the reading process had me devouring the world and words quickly, shuffling details and imagery into every corner of my mind I could.
This is a stunning read, and I am almost desperate to know what happens next, which is what any good series should accomplish. On top of that, I feel a connection with even the most broken characters--a testament to Susan Ee's skill and craft as an artist. I highly recommend this read to anyone who enjoys mythological retellings, delicious world-building, and flawed but lovable characters. Definitely an enjoyable read!
Savage street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night.
When angels fly away with a helpless girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back...
---
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Quick Reasons: Engaging plot; well-written characters; mayhem and chaos for thriller and horror lovers alike; intriguing world and world-building
Yes, I know--I'm late, once again, to the bandwagon. At least it's not kicking me off, right? But I digress.
This is another book I sort of picked up on a whim. I've seen a lot of raves about it on tumblr recently, and with the third book having just been released, I figured it was time for me to see what I was missing out on. The first sentence was like a shock of cold water on a sunny summer day; the story that followed had me mortified, frustrated, and intrigued (sometimes all at once!)
When Penryn's wheelchair-bound little sister, Paige, is kidnapped by angels, she sets off on a journey of self-discovery and self-reliance. After kidnapping a wounded, bleeding angel in turn in the hopes of gathering information about the other side, Penryn gets a glimpse of something in the angel she hadn't expected: something akin to humanity.
As their journey leads them farther from her home and closer to angel territory, Penryn and Raffe tread unfamiliar waters, relying on each other to make it through dangerous and troubling times. While the world falls apart around them, they find themselves lured deeper into a snare they hadn't realized was set for them...and closer to each other.
There are some interesting and unique things happening in this novel that have piqued my curiousity; I'm already planning on reading the next book in the series, wondering what happens from here. The characters are well-written; Penryn and Raffe especially are not your usual run-of-the-mill variety. Details that might, with other writers, fall through the cracks are brought to life and reimagined by Susan Ee. The prose is poetic and smooth, shifting from one scene to the next like water.
There's a fine line between "biblical" and "completely new" that Susan Ee treads here. She blurs and melds these two extremes into a seamless, breathtaking world of angel wars, religious mania, and superstition. The sense of expectancy and breathless wonder during the reading process had me devouring the world and words quickly, shuffling details and imagery into every corner of my mind I could.
This is a stunning read, and I am almost desperate to know what happens next, which is what any good series should accomplish. On top of that, I feel a connection with even the most broken characters--a testament to Susan Ee's skill and craft as an artist. I highly recommend this read to anyone who enjoys mythological retellings, delicious world-building, and flawed but lovable characters. Definitely an enjoyable read!
Half Bad by Sally Green
4.0
Sixteen-year-old Nathan lives in a cage: beaten, shackled, trained to kill. In a modern-day England where two warring factions of witches live amongst humans, Nathan is an abomination, the illegitimate son of the world's most terrifying and violent witch, Marcus. Nathan's only hope for survival is to escape his captors, track down Marcus, and receive the three gifts that will bring him into his own magical powers—before it's too late. But how can Nathan find his father when there is no one safe to trust, not even family, not even the girl he loves?
Half Bad is an international sensation and the start of a brilliant trilogy: a gripping tale of alienation and the indomitable will to survive.
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Quick Reasons: unique world; intriguing ideas/new twists to the "good vs evil" cliche; endearing, lovable character; mystery, thrills; hard-hitting themes of social justice/abuse
First and foremost, the writing of this book is a little bit...strange. For one, it's written entirely in second-person POV (I/me/you). This is a hard thing to maintain consistently over even a short amount of pages; writing a novel using it had to have been pretty difficult. It also makes it a little bit harder to read.
There are only a few momets where we read it as “you”; most of the book is told by Nathan, from his own perspective. I found it interesting, as we went along, and wonder if perhaps the choice to start out the book using “you” instead of “I” (and switching to it at least once more before the ending) has a deeper meaning than it appears. But that's a theory for a different day, not this review.
The characters—depending on which side they fall—are either easy to love or very, very easy to hate. As most of the world is either out to “get” Nathan...or to use him for their own designs...most of the characters we meet fall on the hate side of the line. To be honest, I only really loved Nathan, his Gran, Arran, Deborah, and Annalise; while it appears Gabriel is on Nathan's side (in fact, it's alluded that Gabriel has stronger feelings than friendship for Nathan), I can't say for certain this is the case. As it is, I didn't get a strong sense of connection with Gabriel in this book.
The rest of the characters are deplorable in their actions and treatments of Nathan. Being the only Half Code, the entire world is against him from the start; it becomes clear, early on, that most people would rather see him run over than given a chance. Which makes the title—and the entire premise of this novel—into a question of a different caliber.
The whole world seems adamant that because Nathan is “half bad,” he will be more prone to use his Black Witch powers...and become evil. But when you tell a person often enough, for a long enough period of time, that they're bound to turn out one way or another...they start believing it themselves. Is Nathan REALLY bound to be “bad”...or could he, with the right words and help, prove the rest of the world wrong? Can people really change their "fates," if they want to badly enough?
The writing of this book is interesting. The characters are well-developed, for the most part, and maintain themselves throughout. I didn't notice much character growth here; Nathan stays pretty much the same from page one to the end, which isn't such a good thing. I'd have expected a lot more change, in one regard or another, but even at the end, he still has a sort of childish naivete to him that I find hard to comprehend.
This world intrigued me; the fight between White and Black Witches maintains an expose on social justice that's well-done: hard-hitting and thoroughly disturbing in turn. I'm interested to see what happens in the next book(s). Will definitely be continuing this series later.
Half Bad is an international sensation and the start of a brilliant trilogy: a gripping tale of alienation and the indomitable will to survive.
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Quick Reasons: unique world; intriguing ideas/new twists to the "good vs evil" cliche; endearing, lovable character; mystery, thrills; hard-hitting themes of social justice/abuse
First and foremost, the writing of this book is a little bit...strange. For one, it's written entirely in second-person POV (I/me/you). This is a hard thing to maintain consistently over even a short amount of pages; writing a novel using it had to have been pretty difficult. It also makes it a little bit harder to read.
There are only a few momets where we read it as “you”; most of the book is told by Nathan, from his own perspective. I found it interesting, as we went along, and wonder if perhaps the choice to start out the book using “you” instead of “I” (and switching to it at least once more before the ending) has a deeper meaning than it appears. But that's a theory for a different day, not this review.
The characters—depending on which side they fall—are either easy to love or very, very easy to hate. As most of the world is either out to “get” Nathan...or to use him for their own designs...most of the characters we meet fall on the hate side of the line. To be honest, I only really loved Nathan, his Gran, Arran, Deborah, and Annalise; while it appears Gabriel is on Nathan's side (in fact, it's alluded that Gabriel has stronger feelings than friendship for Nathan), I can't say for certain this is the case. As it is, I didn't get a strong sense of connection with Gabriel in this book.
The rest of the characters are deplorable in their actions and treatments of Nathan. Being the only Half Code, the entire world is against him from the start; it becomes clear, early on, that most people would rather see him run over than given a chance. Which makes the title—and the entire premise of this novel—into a question of a different caliber.
The whole world seems adamant that because Nathan is “half bad,” he will be more prone to use his Black Witch powers...and become evil. But when you tell a person often enough, for a long enough period of time, that they're bound to turn out one way or another...they start believing it themselves. Is Nathan REALLY bound to be “bad”...or could he, with the right words and help, prove the rest of the world wrong? Can people really change their "fates," if they want to badly enough?
The writing of this book is interesting. The characters are well-developed, for the most part, and maintain themselves throughout. I didn't notice much character growth here; Nathan stays pretty much the same from page one to the end, which isn't such a good thing. I'd have expected a lot more change, in one regard or another, but even at the end, he still has a sort of childish naivete to him that I find hard to comprehend.
This world intrigued me; the fight between White and Black Witches maintains an expose on social justice that's well-done: hard-hitting and thoroughly disturbing in turn. I'm interested to see what happens in the next book(s). Will definitely be continuing this series later.
Girl on a Wire by Gwenda Bond
4.0
Sixteen-year-old Jules Maroni’s dream is to follow in her father’s footsteps as a high-wire walker. When her family is offered a prestigious role in the new Cirque American, it seems that Jules and the Amazing Maronis will finally get the spotlight they deserve. But the presence of the Flying Garcias may derail her plans. For decades, the two rival families have avoided each other as sworn enemies.
Jules ignores the drama and focuses on the wire, skyrocketing to fame as the girl in a red tutu who dances across the wire at death-defying heights. But when she discovers a peacock feather—an infamous object of bad luck—planted on her costume, Jules nearly loses her footing. She has no choice but to seek help from the unlikeliest of people: Remy Garcia, son of the Garcia clan matriarch and the best trapeze artist in the Cirque.
As more mysterious talismans believed to possess unlucky magic appear, Jules and Remy unite to find the culprit. And if they don’t figure out what’s going on soon, Jules may be the first Maroni to do the unthinkable: fall.
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Quick Reasons: CIRCUS!; believable characters, plot, and motivations; hints of "magic"; well-researched, accurate; beautiful prose
When Jules "runs away to join the circus," she is actually running from one type of circus (small, family-operated) to a bigger one. She doesn't realize or understand the grudges that come rearing back up with the family's journey into the limelight--or the dangers such grudges hold.
I picked this book up mostly on a whim the last time we were at Hastings. The premise sounded great, and I've recently had a thing for books about the circus (I think this is the fifth one I've read in the last year) but it was, overall, an impulse buy.
I'm beginning to think I should make impulse book-buys a habit.
Gwenda Bond (who I've never read before this) weaves this story masterfully, the tapestry thick with tension, mystery, and beautifully-depicted scenes. I found myself holding my breath for a good portion of this book.
Also, I should mention...there might be just a SLIGHT nod to William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet going on here. And I adore the book even more for that.
The characters are realistic, human, and relatable. While they make a living doing feats I'd never even CONSIDER attempting (wire-walking between two buildings more than two stories high? doing a quadruple flip in the middle of the air? I shudder just thinking about it!) they are endearing in their relationships and still perfectly flawed.
There's a sense of mystery layered throughout, as well, as the main characters--Jules and Remy--try to track down and derail the source of decades-old rumors...and the danger lurking in every shadow. As the threats to Jules and her family become more and more prominent, she and Remy find themselves fighting the rest of the world... and each other... for a sense of "safety" that seems all too far out of their reach.
Gwenda Bond is a writer I will be keeping my eyes peeled for in the future; this novel tips its hat toward the circus and all those performers we don't think to give a second thought to...and does so masterfully. Another book added to my favorites shelves; I highly recommend it!
Jules ignores the drama and focuses on the wire, skyrocketing to fame as the girl in a red tutu who dances across the wire at death-defying heights. But when she discovers a peacock feather—an infamous object of bad luck—planted on her costume, Jules nearly loses her footing. She has no choice but to seek help from the unlikeliest of people: Remy Garcia, son of the Garcia clan matriarch and the best trapeze artist in the Cirque.
As more mysterious talismans believed to possess unlucky magic appear, Jules and Remy unite to find the culprit. And if they don’t figure out what’s going on soon, Jules may be the first Maroni to do the unthinkable: fall.
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Quick Reasons: CIRCUS!; believable characters, plot, and motivations; hints of "magic"; well-researched, accurate; beautiful prose
When Jules "runs away to join the circus," she is actually running from one type of circus (small, family-operated) to a bigger one. She doesn't realize or understand the grudges that come rearing back up with the family's journey into the limelight--or the dangers such grudges hold.
I picked this book up mostly on a whim the last time we were at Hastings. The premise sounded great, and I've recently had a thing for books about the circus (I think this is the fifth one I've read in the last year) but it was, overall, an impulse buy.
I'm beginning to think I should make impulse book-buys a habit.
Gwenda Bond (who I've never read before this) weaves this story masterfully, the tapestry thick with tension, mystery, and beautifully-depicted scenes. I found myself holding my breath for a good portion of this book.
Also, I should mention...there might be just a SLIGHT nod to William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet going on here. And I adore the book even more for that.
The characters are realistic, human, and relatable. While they make a living doing feats I'd never even CONSIDER attempting (wire-walking between two buildings more than two stories high? doing a quadruple flip in the middle of the air? I shudder just thinking about it!) they are endearing in their relationships and still perfectly flawed.
There's a sense of mystery layered throughout, as well, as the main characters--Jules and Remy--try to track down and derail the source of decades-old rumors...and the danger lurking in every shadow. As the threats to Jules and her family become more and more prominent, she and Remy find themselves fighting the rest of the world... and each other... for a sense of "safety" that seems all too far out of their reach.
Gwenda Bond is a writer I will be keeping my eyes peeled for in the future; this novel tips its hat toward the circus and all those performers we don't think to give a second thought to...and does so masterfully. Another book added to my favorites shelves; I highly recommend it!
Aberrant by Ruth Silver
2.0
In the future Dystopian society of Cabal, the government instills equality for all and offers its citizens the perfect system. There is food, shelter and jobs for everyone. The one requirement is to follow the rules without question, including the government's match in marriage and "The Day of the Chosen", a lottery that randomly selects families to conceive children as natural means hasn't existed in generations. Following her eighteenth birthday, Olivia Parker accepts her requirement to marry her childhood best friend, Joshua Warren, and is eager to start her work assignment and new life when it all comes abruptly to an end as she's arrested and thrown in prison. The only crime committed, her existence. Olivia is unlike the rest of the world born not from "The Day of the Chosen." The truth haunts the government and puts her life in grave danger as one simple fact would destroy the perfect system.
With Joshua's help, Olivia breaks free of prison and is forced on the run. Together they set out to find the promised rebel town in search of a new home and new life together. Their situation seems less than promising as they reach the town of Haven. New rules and customs must be adhered to in order to stay. Leaving would mean most certain death in the large expanse of the Gravelands. Time is running out as the government mounts an attack to destroy Olivia and bury her secret with her. Thrown into a world unlike their own, they must quickly adapt to survive.
---
WARNING: Spoilers
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
Quick Reasons: Unique society; interesting ideas; poorly written and executed plot; very flat, 1-dimensional characters; weird plot holes and lost explanations; bad world-building.
When I started reading this, I REALLY wanted to like the book. The premise was unique and interesting; the blurb above left me wanting to know what happened. It sounded AWESOME.
And then, I realized my expectations failed me.
From sentence one, you know this is a dystopian society. Humans no longer have the ability to breed naturally, so babies are "born" in a laboratory. Every (insert blank amount here because I don't think the book ever specified how often it was done) family(ies?) are chosen to “win” the lottery—and have a child. If they get chosen more than once, they must give up their child to the government for unknown reasons.
On the day of the marriage ceremony, when Olivia and her childhood best friend, Joshua, turn eighteen, they are paired together. They are required to marry and will later be chosen to have their own child(ren). They move into Olivia's house (because apparently her mom vacated it once the ceremony was finished? It doesn't say where she moved TO, though, so perhaps after the ceremony parents are required to live on the street.)
Because Olivia is some sort of special, she had access somehow to illegal books during her childhood (HOW this is, we aren't told) and knows about things like love and sex. It is during the evening the Mayor shows up and arrests her for treason. The reason: she was born, not made. And that's bad, apparently.
From this point on, Olivia and Joshua become enemies to the government and wanted necessities to EVERYBODY else. Joshua's mom, who is part of a secret rebel council, helps break her out of prison and sends them to the nearest town, Haven. When they arrive there, they are told that everything they'd been taught at home was wrong. This sets the pair on what might, had this been better written, have been a harrowing, wild ride...but actually ends up being Olivia accepting PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING that happens without question or emotion and the two flip-flopping NUMEROUS times on how they feel and what they think is right.
I got frustrated with this book quickly. By page 50, I was almost tearing my hair out. The characters are flat and 1-dimensional; there are A LOT of unexplained or logistically unsound plot holes (why did the doctor help Olivia's mom in the first place and then turn them in later? why does Joshua think it would be “weird” to be married to her but then decide so easily he actually is in love with her? what books are illegal and why? they've never seen a car but suddenly know ALL about them??? WHY, if the children are born in a lab, are the families even given the chance to win the lottery more than once when the government KNOWS they'll be taking the kids away!?!?! and why, knowing the government will be taking the kids away after the first, are the families even allowed to connect to the second child at all?! wouldn't they just keep them separated and leave it at that?--among so many other questions I can't begin to list them all here.)
The plot is unique; it was just enough that it made me want to know what happened regardless of being disgusted by everything else. The writing was sub-par; we're given very little description of the characters or their surroundings, which made it difficult for me to connect to what I was reading. There's no sense of urgency to the plot, and it seems the same thing happens each time they find a new town or city—they get there, someone provokes or attacks or accuses them of something, they get in trouble, they fight, they flee. When the nearby town is raided, they steal a car and drive right on out without batting an eye. I mean yes, sure, the town only wanted Olivia for their own personal breeding stock.......but still, there are a lot of logistical errors.
Overall, I feel I might have wasted my time reading this. I'm not interested in reading the next two books in the series. While the premise was promising, the flat characters and lack of connection left me feeling wholly ripped off.
I did not enjoy this book. Putting bamboo slivers beneath my fingernails might have been a better use of my time. I probably will not be reading anything by Ruth Silver in the future.
With Joshua's help, Olivia breaks free of prison and is forced on the run. Together they set out to find the promised rebel town in search of a new home and new life together. Their situation seems less than promising as they reach the town of Haven. New rules and customs must be adhered to in order to stay. Leaving would mean most certain death in the large expanse of the Gravelands. Time is running out as the government mounts an attack to destroy Olivia and bury her secret with her. Thrown into a world unlike their own, they must quickly adapt to survive.
---
WARNING: Spoilers
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
Quick Reasons: Unique society; interesting ideas; poorly written and executed plot; very flat, 1-dimensional characters; weird plot holes and lost explanations; bad world-building.
When I started reading this, I REALLY wanted to like the book. The premise was unique and interesting; the blurb above left me wanting to know what happened. It sounded AWESOME.
And then, I realized my expectations failed me.
From sentence one, you know this is a dystopian society. Humans no longer have the ability to breed naturally, so babies are "born" in a laboratory. Every (insert blank amount here because I don't think the book ever specified how often it was done) family(ies?) are chosen to “win” the lottery—and have a child. If they get chosen more than once, they must give up their child to the government for unknown reasons.
On the day of the marriage ceremony, when Olivia and her childhood best friend, Joshua, turn eighteen, they are paired together. They are required to marry and will later be chosen to have their own child(ren). They move into Olivia's house (because apparently her mom vacated it once the ceremony was finished? It doesn't say where she moved TO, though, so perhaps after the ceremony parents are required to live on the street.)
Because Olivia is some sort of special, she had access somehow to illegal books during her childhood (HOW this is, we aren't told) and knows about things like love and sex. It is during the evening the Mayor shows up and arrests her for treason. The reason: she was born, not made. And that's bad, apparently.
From this point on, Olivia and Joshua become enemies to the government and wanted necessities to EVERYBODY else. Joshua's mom, who is part of a secret rebel council, helps break her out of prison and sends them to the nearest town, Haven. When they arrive there, they are told that everything they'd been taught at home was wrong. This sets the pair on what might, had this been better written, have been a harrowing, wild ride...but actually ends up being Olivia accepting PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING that happens without question or emotion and the two flip-flopping NUMEROUS times on how they feel and what they think is right.
I got frustrated with this book quickly. By page 50, I was almost tearing my hair out. The characters are flat and 1-dimensional; there are A LOT of unexplained or logistically unsound plot holes (why did the doctor help Olivia's mom in the first place and then turn them in later? why does Joshua think it would be “weird” to be married to her but then decide so easily he actually is in love with her? what books are illegal and why? they've never seen a car but suddenly know ALL about them??? WHY, if the children are born in a lab, are the families even given the chance to win the lottery more than once when the government KNOWS they'll be taking the kids away!?!?! and why, knowing the government will be taking the kids away after the first, are the families even allowed to connect to the second child at all?! wouldn't they just keep them separated and leave it at that?--among so many other questions I can't begin to list them all here.)
The plot is unique; it was just enough that it made me want to know what happened regardless of being disgusted by everything else. The writing was sub-par; we're given very little description of the characters or their surroundings, which made it difficult for me to connect to what I was reading. There's no sense of urgency to the plot, and it seems the same thing happens each time they find a new town or city—they get there, someone provokes or attacks or accuses them of something, they get in trouble, they fight, they flee. When the nearby town is raided, they steal a car and drive right on out without batting an eye. I mean yes, sure, the town only wanted Olivia for their own personal breeding stock.......but still, there are a lot of logistical errors.
Overall, I feel I might have wasted my time reading this. I'm not interested in reading the next two books in the series. While the premise was promising, the flat characters and lack of connection left me feeling wholly ripped off.
I did not enjoy this book. Putting bamboo slivers beneath my fingernails might have been a better use of my time. I probably will not be reading anything by Ruth Silver in the future.