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betwixt_the_pages's reviews
936 reviews
Touch by Natalia Jaster
5.0
The myth of Eros isn’t the truth. Her story is the truth . . .
Love is an immortal bad girl. With a strike of her arrow and a smirk on her face, she pins human hearts together against their will. It’s for their own good, of course—silly, clueless creatures that they are.
But Love has never loved. Not until the Fates parcel her off to a small, frostbitten town littered with needy souls. Not until she crosses paths with Andrew, a boy whose gaze locks onto hers. Yet how can this be? Mortals don’t have the power to see deities.
The longer they’re friends, the more Love wishes she could touch Andrew. In gentle ways. In other tempting and reckless ways as well.
It’s impossible. She isn’t a true part of his world. She’s an outsider whose fingers will only ever sweep through him. A mischievous, invisible goddess who’s destined to be alone. And he’s destined for someone else. By order of the Fates, it’s Love’s duty to betray his trust. To seal his heart while ignoring the gash in her own.
Or she could become human. For there is one very tricky, very dangerous way to do so.
If only Andrew felt the same about her, it might be worth the risk.
- - - - -
Rating: 5/5 Penguins
Quick Reasons: Natalia Jaster, you've broken me again!; this is an awesome, inventive, beautiful retelling; the characters are quirky, flawed in all the right ways, and well-rounded; the love story is gorgeously paced; the mystery and flair for drama throughout lends a ton of action and adventure to the plot; this read is a TON of fun
Okay, I'm finally ready to admit it: Natalia Jaster is my new hero. Her prose is absolutely gorgeous: melodic, emotionally-charged, well-paced, and atmospheric. She weaves her stories into readers' very veins; every word wraps itself, ribbon-tight and silk-smooth, between every muscle, every sinew, every bone. Her novels literally sink beneath the skin...and refuse to leave.
THIS novel—her first—is no exception. Every moment breathed life into her characters; they leapt from their pages to embrace me, to push me, to challenge me and my perceptions of the world around me. There are so many beautiful moments of self-discovery, of wonder and awe, of growth and emotion... All the little details are packed into a neat, coherent stream of “it matters, it will come up again laters, pay attentions.” The characters are well-rounded, well-matched, and beautifully imagined. I couldn't help but fall in love with every one of them.
Natalia Jaster knows what it takes to write a convincing retelling—and she proves it with this book. While there's enough of the old myths to let readers know what this was inspired by, she put her own spin on every portion—and crafted something uniquely her own. Of course, there are also many moments of wisdom to be found, if readers are searching for them. They are subtle, well-hidden in the midst of the angst and drama...but there. These were some of my favorite moments: when the words I was reading struck a chord, struck a nerve, hit my heart and made me stop to think. Books that slip morals in without seeming to try, such as this one, are some of my favorites.
There ARE some weird grammatical things going on in portions of this read: certain words are written wrong/weird, punctuation isn't always what I expected it to be, etc. These inconsistencies, however, were miniscule, and didn't effect at all the adoration I felt for this book while reading. While it sometimes tripped me up to stumble across a weird word, in the long run, this book is much too gorgeous to knock off points. Also, considering this was her first novel, some small errors are to be expected—they're easy enough to overlook, in the grand scheme of things.
I LOVELOVELOVED this read so much, and adore Natalia Jaster for her wit, her unique sense of story-telling, and her creativity. I cannot WAIT to see what the future has in store for her novels. She has, rather quickly, become my most favorite author. I recommend this read to literally everyone, but specifically lovers of myths, retellings, and gorgeously-written romances. The love she wrote into this book will sweep you off your feet; please, take a chance on it. I promise it won't let you down.
Love is an immortal bad girl. With a strike of her arrow and a smirk on her face, she pins human hearts together against their will. It’s for their own good, of course—silly, clueless creatures that they are.
But Love has never loved. Not until the Fates parcel her off to a small, frostbitten town littered with needy souls. Not until she crosses paths with Andrew, a boy whose gaze locks onto hers. Yet how can this be? Mortals don’t have the power to see deities.
The longer they’re friends, the more Love wishes she could touch Andrew. In gentle ways. In other tempting and reckless ways as well.
It’s impossible. She isn’t a true part of his world. She’s an outsider whose fingers will only ever sweep through him. A mischievous, invisible goddess who’s destined to be alone. And he’s destined for someone else. By order of the Fates, it’s Love’s duty to betray his trust. To seal his heart while ignoring the gash in her own.
Or she could become human. For there is one very tricky, very dangerous way to do so.
If only Andrew felt the same about her, it might be worth the risk.
- - - - -
Rating: 5/5 Penguins
Quick Reasons: Natalia Jaster, you've broken me again!; this is an awesome, inventive, beautiful retelling; the characters are quirky, flawed in all the right ways, and well-rounded; the love story is gorgeously paced; the mystery and flair for drama throughout lends a ton of action and adventure to the plot; this read is a TON of fun
Putting her mind to it, Love would become familiar with his body. She would know him from top to bottom, from beginning to end.
Touching this boy would be the death, and life, of her.
Okay, I'm finally ready to admit it: Natalia Jaster is my new hero. Her prose is absolutely gorgeous: melodic, emotionally-charged, well-paced, and atmospheric. She weaves her stories into readers' very veins; every word wraps itself, ribbon-tight and silk-smooth, between every muscle, every sinew, every bone. Her novels literally sink beneath the skin...and refuse to leave.
THIS novel—her first—is no exception. Every moment breathed life into her characters; they leapt from their pages to embrace me, to push me, to challenge me and my perceptions of the world around me. There are so many beautiful moments of self-discovery, of wonder and awe, of growth and emotion... All the little details are packed into a neat, coherent stream of “it matters, it will come up again laters, pay attentions.” The characters are well-rounded, well-matched, and beautifully imagined. I couldn't help but fall in love with every one of them.
Andrew stares pointedly at her. From the looks of it, thunderstorms and human traffic jams are cluttering his mind. Doors are opening and closing.
He's jealous. The realization makes her feel silly and squeamish. She can't decide whether to glower or giggle some more. She feels like...a girl.
She wants to punch him. In the face. Hard. Cover that watercolor with one of her own. Then she wants to kiss it, softly, until she has no more soft left in her.
Natalia Jaster knows what it takes to write a convincing retelling—and she proves it with this book. While there's enough of the old myths to let readers know what this was inspired by, she put her own spin on every portion—and crafted something uniquely her own. Of course, there are also many moments of wisdom to be found, if readers are searching for them. They are subtle, well-hidden in the midst of the angst and drama...but there. These were some of my favorite moments: when the words I was reading struck a chord, struck a nerve, hit my heart and made me stop to think. Books that slip morals in without seeming to try, such as this one, are some of my favorites.
There ARE some weird grammatical things going on in portions of this read: certain words are written wrong/weird, punctuation isn't always what I expected it to be, etc. These inconsistencies, however, were miniscule, and didn't effect at all the adoration I felt for this book while reading. While it sometimes tripped me up to stumble across a weird word, in the long run, this book is much too gorgeous to knock off points. Also, considering this was her first novel, some small errors are to be expected—they're easy enough to overlook, in the grand scheme of things.
"Since I'm an asshat, I thought I'd have a choice with you, that I'd be able to walk away if you disillusioned me or turned out to be a blood-sucking creature of the night--and okay, I would have bailed if you were evil... Or maybe not. Knowing myself, I'd want to save you. But you're not evil. The point is, I'm realizing you're the same as everyone else in my life, only a thousand times more potent, and that has nothing to do with where you come from. I can grit my teeth about what you do, but I can't control how I react to your laugh. I would rather be near you, see you touch everything but me, than be holding any other girl. I like being with you, Love. Playing, talking, fighting, not-touching."
I LOVELOVELOVED this read so much, and adore Natalia Jaster for her wit, her unique sense of story-telling, and her creativity. I cannot WAIT to see what the future has in store for her novels. She has, rather quickly, become my most favorite author. I recommend this read to literally everyone, but specifically lovers of myths, retellings, and gorgeously-written romances. The love she wrote into this book will sweep you off your feet; please, take a chance on it. I promise it won't let you down.
The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury
5.0
She is the most powerful Jinni of all. He is a boy from the streets. Their love will shake the world...
When Aladdin discovers Zahra's jinni lamp, Zahra is thrust back into a world she hasn't seen in hundreds of years—a world where magic is forbidden and Zahra's very existence is illegal. She must disguise herself to stay alive, using ancient shape-shifting magic, until her new master has selected his three wishes.
But when the King of the Jinn offers Zahra a chance to be free of her lamp forever, she seizes the opportunity—only to discover she is falling in love with Aladdin. When saving herself means betraying him, Zahra must decide once and for all: is winning her freedom worth losing her heart?
As time unravels and her enemies close in, Zahra finds herself suspended between danger and desire in this dazzling retelling of Aladdin from acclaimed author Jessica Khoury.
- - - - -
Rating: 5/5 Penguins
Quick Reasons: an inventive retelling...with a slight character twist; THIS is the story of Aladdin I've been dying to read for years (without knowing it, of course); awesome, emotionally-charged action and a heady, over-the-moon sort of love; poetic, beautiful prose; so many twists and creative additions to genie/jinn lore; I LOVED this book!
And mahGOSH, is the cover absolutely stunning. Go ahead—go stare at it for five minutes. I totally give you permission. Heck, you can drool a little if you want; I won't tell anyone.
The prose is poetic—soft and smoky, a hint of roses and something ancient, a forgotten magic, blending with the words. Jessica Khoury knows how to weave her words with the fairy tales of old...and yet, somehow, make the story entirely her own. I will admit: I was hesitant going in to this read. I've been a bit disappointed with recent “hyped” books...and I was worried this would become the next one to let me down. Thankfully, I was much mistaken—this book is gorgeous, inside and out.
The action scenes are well-written, filled with dramatics and flair...and enough to make a reader long to pull their hair out in anxiety or frustration. I was surprised how quickly I formed attachments to these characters; despite having grown up adoring Aladdin (the Disney version, of course), I wasn't sure that partiality would journey to book-form. There are also some steamy, heart-melting love scenes; some gorgeously-done girl-power scenes; some fight-to-the-death scenes. In all honesty, there's a little bit of something for every type of reader.
The characters are just the perfect blend of realistic, fantastical, and snarky-daggers. I particularly enjoyed Zhara and Aladdin's back-and-forth relationship. However—while a large portion of this read does revolve around love—it's not romantic love that gets the main focus. Instead, girl-power and the love of best friends takes main stage—which I absolutely ADORED. Yes, there is romantic love...but it sort of falls by the wayside and lets the rest of this book shine on its own. It was a great breath of fresh air for me, given how often YA harps on about romance.
The chapters are also broken up, now and then, with “fairy tale” snippets. This helped not only to shape and mold Zhara as we grew to know her throughout the read...but also the world surrounding her, and Aladdin. Without these morsels, the story might have come off a bit confusing, the transitions awkward. Instead, Jessica Khoury found a way to work in the backstory without making it obvious that's what she was doing. And everything—and I mean EVERYTHING—comes full circle at the end, even the smallest things, the things we never thought to think twice about.
I just... I absolutely adored this read. The prose is breath-taking, the cover is stunning, the characters and the focus on best friends over romance is so well-done... I can't find enough words to tell you how much I love this book. I highly recommend this to lovers of Aladdin, fairy tale retellings, and girl-power. I feel everyone can find something to love in this read, so if you've been thinking about picking it up, you totally should! Instant favorite.
When Aladdin discovers Zahra's jinni lamp, Zahra is thrust back into a world she hasn't seen in hundreds of years—a world where magic is forbidden and Zahra's very existence is illegal. She must disguise herself to stay alive, using ancient shape-shifting magic, until her new master has selected his three wishes.
But when the King of the Jinn offers Zahra a chance to be free of her lamp forever, she seizes the opportunity—only to discover she is falling in love with Aladdin. When saving herself means betraying him, Zahra must decide once and for all: is winning her freedom worth losing her heart?
As time unravels and her enemies close in, Zahra finds herself suspended between danger and desire in this dazzling retelling of Aladdin from acclaimed author Jessica Khoury.
- - - - -
Rating: 5/5 Penguins
Quick Reasons: an inventive retelling...with a slight character twist; THIS is the story of Aladdin I've been dying to read for years (without knowing it, of course); awesome, emotionally-charged action and a heady, over-the-moon sort of love; poetic, beautiful prose; so many twists and creative additions to genie/jinn lore; I LOVED this book!
And mahGOSH, is the cover absolutely stunning. Go ahead—go stare at it for five minutes. I totally give you permission. Heck, you can drool a little if you want; I won't tell anyone.
“I know that look.”
“What look?”
“Don’t sweat it, sister. We’ve all had it.” She sighs. “The girls he loved and left.”
Irritably, I look away. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Sure you don’t.” Dal smiles sadly. “You can either hate him or accept that that’s just who he is. When Aladdin sets his heart on something— or someone— nothing can stop him from getting it. And when he does have it, he realizes it’s not what he wanted after all, and then something else will catch his eye, and off he goes again. Over and over. And here we are, the casualties.”
“I’m nobody’s casualty.”
The prose is poetic—soft and smoky, a hint of roses and something ancient, a forgotten magic, blending with the words. Jessica Khoury knows how to weave her words with the fairy tales of old...and yet, somehow, make the story entirely her own. I will admit: I was hesitant going in to this read. I've been a bit disappointed with recent “hyped” books...and I was worried this would become the next one to let me down. Thankfully, I was much mistaken—this book is gorgeous, inside and out.
The action scenes are well-written, filled with dramatics and flair...and enough to make a reader long to pull their hair out in anxiety or frustration. I was surprised how quickly I formed attachments to these characters; despite having grown up adoring Aladdin (the Disney version, of course), I wasn't sure that partiality would journey to book-form. There are also some steamy, heart-melting love scenes; some gorgeously-done girl-power scenes; some fight-to-the-death scenes. In all honesty, there's a little bit of something for every type of reader.
“Love is a path lined with roses,” I say bitterly. “But it leads to a cliff’s edge, and all who follow it tumble to their doom. You will not find your happiness there.”
The characters are just the perfect blend of realistic, fantastical, and snarky-daggers. I particularly enjoyed Zhara and Aladdin's back-and-forth relationship. However—while a large portion of this read does revolve around love—it's not romantic love that gets the main focus. Instead, girl-power and the love of best friends takes main stage—which I absolutely ADORED. Yes, there is romantic love...but it sort of falls by the wayside and lets the rest of this book shine on its own. It was a great breath of fresh air for me, given how often YA harps on about romance.
The chapters are also broken up, now and then, with “fairy tale” snippets. This helped not only to shape and mold Zhara as we grew to know her throughout the read...but also the world surrounding her, and Aladdin. Without these morsels, the story might have come off a bit confusing, the transitions awkward. Instead, Jessica Khoury found a way to work in the backstory without making it obvious that's what she was doing. And everything—and I mean EVERYTHING—comes full circle at the end, even the smallest things, the things we never thought to think twice about.
I lift my eyes, above it all, and see the one weaving the stars. Imohel, the God of Gods. He smiles and pauses briefly to touch a finger to the center of my forehead, and at his touch, I fall.
Fall through the stars.
Through time.
Through light and wind and fire.
Through smoke and a sky gray like ashes.
I just... I absolutely adored this read. The prose is breath-taking, the cover is stunning, the characters and the focus on best friends over romance is so well-done... I can't find enough words to tell you how much I love this book. I highly recommend this to lovers of Aladdin, fairy tale retellings, and girl-power. I feel everyone can find something to love in this read, so if you've been thinking about picking it up, you totally should! Instant favorite.
#Hater by Cambria Hebert
4.0
It started with unspoken animosity. The bitter bite of jealousy. And now its full blown hate.
It was during my first football game that I first felt the first chill of hate. I looked it right in the eyes and felt its sticky tentacles reach out for me. I’d never experienced something so cold and empty before.
The effect of that look lingered, like an unspoken promise, long after it was gone.
Becoming a couple – becoming the other half of a campus celebrity wasn’t easy. I let down walls guarding my heart and he looked past my glasses and accident prone tendencies. Romeo and I are an unlikely match, a #nerd and a jock. But we made it.
And we’re happy.
Zach doesn’t want us to be happy. He wants Romeo to pay for getting him kicked out of Omega and for the night he spent in jail. He’s going to use anything and everything he can to get his revenge.
Including me.
As the weather on campus grows cold and the days become dark, revenge becomes the center of someone’s life and the happiness Romeo and I worked so hard for is threatened.
I can’t help but worry that our love is going to be overshadowed by hate.
- - - - -
Rating: 4.5/5 Penguins
Quick Reasons: cute romance continues!; awesome m/f friendship I couldn't help but squeal over; lots of drama, angst, and "ohmahgosh, I want to kill that jerk" moments; the characters/romance aren't perfect, and that's what makes them awesome; quasi cliff-hanger ending, but I don't mind
UGH. UGH. I absolutely ADORE this series!
I audio-booked this one, because I could (and because... No, I don't have any other reasons. I wanted to, so I did. So there.) And let me tell you--listening to new adult/contemporary books through my headphones? Is my newest favorite thing EVER. I don't know that there's a specific reason for this; I don't often LIKE listening to books via audiobook, because I have a hard time focusing (read: not getting distracted and forgetting it's on...) But with NA books...something magical happens. I don't have to remind myself; I don't have to work harder to listen. I just DO. And reading this one this way? Absolutely the BEST idea I've ever had. It was a ton of fun to settle back on my pillows, hit play, and just let the words stream around me. Hats off to the narrators--they did a fantastic job bringing the characters to life and keeping me enthralled.
I think what I like most about this series are the relationships. There are some awesome girl friendships that are whole and wonderful and empowering -- no drama, no put-downs, no negativity. There is a male/female friendship (more like brother/sister, really) that I immediately fell in love with--Braeden and Rimmel are the perfect blend of snarky and caring and they make my heart melt. Also, they're freaking adorable together. And the relationship between Romeo and Rimmel? Heaven. I mean, no, it's not perfect--none of these relationships are--but that's what makes them so entirely human and believable for me.
And the STORY. This picks up where book one leaves off, starts with a bang--and doesn't slow down until the very end. And even AT the end, it's not slowing down--there's a slight cliff-hanger ending to this, but it's so small I don't even mind it. The entire read, from start to finish, is a roller coaster of emotions, drama, and angst...and I adored every moment of it. I found myself reaching immediately for my headphones when I got home from work; pining to be home and listening while I was at work. This series is addictive!
I can't wait to get my hands on the third book in this series...and yes, I intend to audiobook it. Now that I've gotten hooked, I'm not giving the narrators up! I recommend this series to lovers of NA; steamy romances; awesome friendships; and realistic, terrifying drama. If your heart hasn't been hooked by this series yet, don't you think it's about time you let it be?
It was during my first football game that I first felt the first chill of hate. I looked it right in the eyes and felt its sticky tentacles reach out for me. I’d never experienced something so cold and empty before.
The effect of that look lingered, like an unspoken promise, long after it was gone.
Becoming a couple – becoming the other half of a campus celebrity wasn’t easy. I let down walls guarding my heart and he looked past my glasses and accident prone tendencies. Romeo and I are an unlikely match, a #nerd and a jock. But we made it.
And we’re happy.
Zach doesn’t want us to be happy. He wants Romeo to pay for getting him kicked out of Omega and for the night he spent in jail. He’s going to use anything and everything he can to get his revenge.
Including me.
As the weather on campus grows cold and the days become dark, revenge becomes the center of someone’s life and the happiness Romeo and I worked so hard for is threatened.
I can’t help but worry that our love is going to be overshadowed by hate.
- - - - -
Rating: 4.5/5 Penguins
Quick Reasons: cute romance continues!; awesome m/f friendship I couldn't help but squeal over; lots of drama, angst, and "ohmahgosh, I want to kill that jerk" moments; the characters/romance aren't perfect, and that's what makes them awesome; quasi cliff-hanger ending, but I don't mind
UGH. UGH. I absolutely ADORE this series!
I focused on him. Everything still seemed blurry, but he was close enough that I could see him. He was completely soaked. His jeans, shoes, jacket, and shirt. He was just as wet as I was.
His normally messy blond hair was darker and flat to his head from the weight of the water.
Dark shadows haunted his eyes and his lips were pale from the cold.
"You jumped in after me," I whispered.
"I'd jump into the pits of hell for you, Rim.”
I audio-booked this one, because I could (and because... No, I don't have any other reasons. I wanted to, so I did. So there.) And let me tell you--listening to new adult/contemporary books through my headphones? Is my newest favorite thing EVER. I don't know that there's a specific reason for this; I don't often LIKE listening to books via audiobook, because I have a hard time focusing (read: not getting distracted and forgetting it's on...) But with NA books...something magical happens. I don't have to remind myself; I don't have to work harder to listen. I just DO. And reading this one this way? Absolutely the BEST idea I've ever had. It was a ton of fun to settle back on my pillows, hit play, and just let the words stream around me. Hats off to the narrators--they did a fantastic job bringing the characters to life and keeping me enthralled.
“Try them on," I said.
Rimmel pushed the covers back and pulled her bare legs out to pull on the boots. She got one on and tied and then pushed her foot down in the other.
Her forehead wrinkled. "There's something in there," she said and quickly pulled it back off.
"What is it?"
"I'm not putting my hand in there!" she squealed. "It might be a bug."
"A bug?" I was amused. "How would a bug get in there?"
She screwed up her face and stuck out her tongue. "Who knows? Bugs are creepy like that."
I chuckled and shoved my hand down into the boot. She watched like she was expecting something to eat my hand off. I pulled out the square white box and held it out. "I think it might be for you," I said and winked.
I think what I like most about this series are the relationships. There are some awesome girl friendships that are whole and wonderful and empowering -- no drama, no put-downs, no negativity. There is a male/female friendship (more like brother/sister, really) that I immediately fell in love with--Braeden and Rimmel are the perfect blend of snarky and caring and they make my heart melt. Also, they're freaking adorable together. And the relationship between Romeo and Rimmel? Heaven. I mean, no, it's not perfect--none of these relationships are--but that's what makes them so entirely human and believable for me.
And the STORY. This picks up where book one leaves off, starts with a bang--and doesn't slow down until the very end. And even AT the end, it's not slowing down--there's a slight cliff-hanger ending to this, but it's so small I don't even mind it. The entire read, from start to finish, is a roller coaster of emotions, drama, and angst...and I adored every moment of it. I found myself reaching immediately for my headphones when I got home from work; pining to be home and listening while I was at work. This series is addictive!
“I’m hitting the shower,” Braeden said and slammed his locker shut.
“Hey,” I said and caught him by the shoulder. He glanced around at me. “You wanna tell me why Rimmel called you before the game?”
Braeden spun. “Did you go through my phone?”
“Did you lie to me about my girl?” I countered.
He wiped a hand over his face. “Fucking A. Don’t put me in the middle, Rome.”
“You’re my best friend, asshole. There is no middle. It’s my side.”
“Hey now,” he said. “Sisters before misters and all that.”
“What the fuck does that even mean?” I drawled, amused
“It means I’ve taken her on as my little sister. You’re her mister. I’m officially in neutral territory.”
I can't wait to get my hands on the third book in this series...and yes, I intend to audiobook it. Now that I've gotten hooked, I'm not giving the narrators up! I recommend this series to lovers of NA; steamy romances; awesome friendships; and realistic, terrifying drama. If your heart hasn't been hooked by this series yet, don't you think it's about time you let it be?
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
Rating: 3.5/5 Penguins
Quick Reasons: very slow beginning--seriously, it dragged; intriguing plot, unique cast of characters; I didn't really feel invested in any of the crew; I wasn't emotionally invested in the story, either, really; once the pace picked up, the read was quick; loved the addition of the photographs
Unfortunately, I had a very hard time getting into this book. I tried reading it something like a year ago, and found myself so bored by page 80, I put it down. (I know this because I found the receipt I had, at the time, used as a bookmark) I'd hoped the time between attempts would have helped me to reset my opinions and discover that elusive awesomeness that has everyone raving about this series--the one I so obviously missed out on my first attempt at reading this book. This round, I managed to make it through the read!...but that elusive something? Remains undiscovered.
To be honest, I'm not sure why this is. This book is exactly my kind of weird, but for some reason, I just didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I should. For one...I wasn't even CLOSE to being emotionally invested in these characters. While they're unique, and stand out from the array of characters I've encountered in my reading career... They didn't speak to ME personally. They didn't tug at my heart strings. They didn't make me feel anything for them, which left me in a bit of an awkward place--especially during the "big reveal" or "epic battle" scenes. I just couldn't bring myself to care.
The story, also, fell a bit flat for me overall. Up until page 80, I wasn't sure I'd be able to bring myself to finish reading. Once again, I was SO bored, I found myself falling asleep while reading. And even after that page marker, when things started picking up and we got to the heart of the story... I felt as if perhaps the prose was a bit too stiff, a bit stilted, a bit lacking. I'm not sure WHAT it lacks--there's mystery, drama, action and adventure. It boils down to this: somewhere, somehow, this book fell short for me.
I went into this second attempt hoping time had changed everything for the better. Unfortunately, while I managed to finish the book out this round, I didn't enjoy it as much as I was expecting. This is, I fear, another case of "disappointed hype" for me--I'm not sure why, but I am of the minority once again. I just wasn't as invested in this story, or it's uniquely peculiar characters, as I felt I should have been.
I still recommend this book (and series) to lovers of the peculiar, the paranormal, and the fast-paced action/adventure! Just because I didn't enjoy this, doesn't mean YOU won't--after all, just LOOK at the goodreads rating, and the staggering amount of people who've read this! Give it a shot--you never know what you might find lurking in these pages. It just might be an adventure you don't want to pass up.
3.0
A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of curious photographs.
A horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.
A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.
Rating: 3.5/5 Penguins
Quick Reasons: very slow beginning--seriously, it dragged; intriguing plot, unique cast of characters; I didn't really feel invested in any of the crew; I wasn't emotionally invested in the story, either, really; once the pace picked up, the read was quick; loved the addition of the photographs
“When someone won't let you in, eventually you stop knocking.”
Unfortunately, I had a very hard time getting into this book. I tried reading it something like a year ago, and found myself so bored by page 80, I put it down. (I know this because I found the receipt I had, at the time, used as a bookmark) I'd hoped the time between attempts would have helped me to reset my opinions and discover that elusive awesomeness that has everyone raving about this series--the one I so obviously missed out on my first attempt at reading this book. This round, I managed to make it through the read!...but that elusive something? Remains undiscovered.
To be honest, I'm not sure why this is. This book is exactly my kind of weird, but for some reason, I just didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I should. For one...I wasn't even CLOSE to being emotionally invested in these characters. While they're unique, and stand out from the array of characters I've encountered in my reading career... They didn't speak to ME personally. They didn't tug at my heart strings. They didn't make me feel anything for them, which left me in a bit of an awkward place--especially during the "big reveal" or "epic battle" scenes. I just couldn't bring myself to care.
The story, also, fell a bit flat for me overall. Up until page 80, I wasn't sure I'd be able to bring myself to finish reading. Once again, I was SO bored, I found myself falling asleep while reading. And even after that page marker, when things started picking up and we got to the heart of the story... I felt as if perhaps the prose was a bit too stiff, a bit stilted, a bit lacking. I'm not sure WHAT it lacks--there's mystery, drama, action and adventure. It boils down to this: somewhere, somehow, this book fell short for me.
I went into this second attempt hoping time had changed everything for the better. Unfortunately, while I managed to finish the book out this round, I didn't enjoy it as much as I was expecting. This is, I fear, another case of "disappointed hype" for me--I'm not sure why, but I am of the minority once again. I just wasn't as invested in this story, or it's uniquely peculiar characters, as I felt I should have been.
I used to dream about escaping my ordinary life, but my life was never ordinary. I had simply failed to notice how extraordinary it was. Likewise, I never imagined that home might be something I would miss.
I still recommend this book (and series) to lovers of the peculiar, the paranormal, and the fast-paced action/adventure! Just because I didn't enjoy this, doesn't mean YOU won't--after all, just LOOK at the goodreads rating, and the staggering amount of people who've read this! Give it a shot--you never know what you might find lurking in these pages. It just might be an adventure you don't want to pass up.