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booksatdawn's reviews
621 reviews
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Vol. 2 by Kyle Higgins, Hendry Prasetya
5.0
I loved every issue in this graphic novel. So many memories with modernization and new story lines. They managed to take a classic and turn it on it's heels to create this masterpiece. I highly recommend reading Power Rangers Vol. 2!
Bravest Warriors, Vol. 5 by Jason Johnson, Mike Holmes, Breehn Burns
4.0
Still as humorous as the previous volumes but a little convoluted with wild explanations for the weird happenings of this world. I don't think Chris' story line was very exciting. I found myself skimming through the lengthy dialogues at points.
But the other Bravest Warriors including Catbug and Impossibear were definitely highlights.
But the other Bravest Warriors including Catbug and Impossibear were definitely highlights.
Transferral by Kate Blair
4.0
** I received the e-ARC version of this book in exchange for an honest review. **
Transferral by Kate Blair is a standalone young adult science fiction novel. In a world where criminals are punished with diseases from the good citizens of the city, we follow the daughter of the politician who supports these actions as she goes through a self evalutation of right and wrong. This book begs the questions: when are the lines blurred between good and evil? Is this the route our world might take in the future to eradicate crime in our cities? Is this just another type of segregation between the upper and lower class?
A very thought provoking story that everyone should get a chance to read!
LIKES:
UNIQUE CONCEPT
I loved the idea this book put forth. Criminals being punished with illness depending on the severity of their crimes. Living in our world now where there is so much violence, murder, rape, and gangs sometimes a prison sentence just doesn't seem like enough. Blair puts the idea in your head in the beginning of the book that this protocol is beneficial to a better country, but by the end of the book you're left thinking, is it really worth it?
A part of me wants to say yes, murder and rape should carry a heavier sentence then life in prison, but the other part of me struggles with the idea of the less fortunate citizens who have no choice but to steal and make their money illegally in order to survive. I think the real problem lies in the division between the rich and the poor.
THE WRITING
Blair does a fantastic job with telling her story. I love books that make you question and think about the way you live your own life, and this book does that. The writing was well done and well planned out. The story was very cohesive and never once boring. Blair was able to capture the essence of both the rich lifestyle and the poor lifestyle through her vivid descriptions and dialogues between the characters. Truly thought provoking!
THE CHARACTERS
I really liked the characters in the story especially Talia and Galen. They come from two very sides of the spectrum with their own ideas of what right and wrong are. I liked how they were able to come together and work hard for a common goal but still keep to their individual charms. And the character growth from Talia was also very clear and to the point.
DISLIKES:
THE ENDING
This may be a bit of a personal issue, but I was not quite satisfied with the ending. I felt it was a bit abrupt and didn't really hold strong like the rest of the book did. For me, a standalone book should end with the story-lines being neatly finished and that's something that I felt didn't happen. We don't get to know what happened with the Transferral program after the big publicized event that occurred, we don't know what happened to Piers after his incident at the end, and we don't get to hear from Tig again after she became ill. These are jsut some of the examples I wish were cleared at the end so the story could come to a close and leave me satisfied.
But besides that, the book was a great read!
Transferral by Kate Blair is a standalone young adult science fiction novel. In a world where criminals are punished with diseases from the good citizens of the city, we follow the daughter of the politician who supports these actions as she goes through a self evalutation of right and wrong. This book begs the questions: when are the lines blurred between good and evil? Is this the route our world might take in the future to eradicate crime in our cities? Is this just another type of segregation between the upper and lower class?
A very thought provoking story that everyone should get a chance to read!
LIKES:
UNIQUE CONCEPT
I loved the idea this book put forth. Criminals being punished with illness depending on the severity of their crimes. Living in our world now where there is so much violence, murder, rape, and gangs sometimes a prison sentence just doesn't seem like enough. Blair puts the idea in your head in the beginning of the book that this protocol is beneficial to a better country, but by the end of the book you're left thinking, is it really worth it?
A part of me wants to say yes, murder and rape should carry a heavier sentence then life in prison, but the other part of me struggles with the idea of the less fortunate citizens who have no choice but to steal and make their money illegally in order to survive. I think the real problem lies in the division between the rich and the poor.
THE WRITING
Blair does a fantastic job with telling her story. I love books that make you question and think about the way you live your own life, and this book does that. The writing was well done and well planned out. The story was very cohesive and never once boring. Blair was able to capture the essence of both the rich lifestyle and the poor lifestyle through her vivid descriptions and dialogues between the characters. Truly thought provoking!
THE CHARACTERS
I really liked the characters in the story especially Talia and Galen. They come from two very sides of the spectrum with their own ideas of what right and wrong are. I liked how they were able to come together and work hard for a common goal but still keep to their individual charms. And the character growth from Talia was also very clear and to the point.
DISLIKES:
THE ENDING
This may be a bit of a personal issue, but I was not quite satisfied with the ending. I felt it was a bit abrupt and didn't really hold strong like the rest of the book did. For me, a standalone book should end with the story-lines being neatly finished and that's something that I felt didn't happen. We don't get to know what happened with the Transferral program after the big publicized event that occurred, we don't know what happened to Piers after his incident at the end, and we don't get to hear from Tig again after she became ill. These are jsut some of the examples I wish were cleared at the end so the story could come to a close and leave me satisfied.
But besides that, the book was a great read!
Silver Eve by Sandra Waugh
4.0
Not as impressed as I was in the first book. But I still rather enjoyed it. Although I much preferred Lark as a main character over Evie, I did like the Evie/Laurent dynamic!
The Last Seeker by Fleur Camacho
4.0
I was contacted by the author and asked to read her novel in exchange for an honest review and my thoughts. And I'm glad she did, because I probably would not have come across this great novel if it wasn't for her.
So this novel isn't your typical fantasy YA story. It has many different elements to it that surprisingly work together. The story starts off with major character developments way before you get any fantasy elements. At first I felt the story was just starting so slow and dragging on. At one point I was just like, "Oh come on! Where is the excitement and fantasy?!" But I kept reading.
And as I kept reading I started to connect with Tristen even more. I started relating to him, and he was bringing back memories of when I was in high school. It has been a long time since I read a story that didn't start out with the fantasy elements, so I forgot what it was like to relate to a character on a real life level. And this book reminded me why I love to read.
I now understand why this novel is in a different league of its own. Fleur knows how to develop characters and not many authors can do that. Most authors have the high intensity content but characters that lack relate-ability. (I think that I just made that word up or spelt it wrong.) But this book has characters you care about, and that are invested in.
Now I can go on and on about the characters, but there is so much more to the story. A boy who has the ability to go back in time to save the lives of influential people we learned about in school. A great premise of good vs. evil. Evil wants to eliminate all the good these people will do in their lives, and good needs to protect them from being erased from the history books. Very clever and intriguing.
Fleur Camacho knows when to let little bits of information here and there through out the novel, always leaving you screaming for more. So it's no surprise that you are left with a huge cliffhanger in the end. While you wait for more of the story you try to put together the bits and pieces of story you have. She makes you crave for more, and I love that. Even right now I'm trying to figure out that ending. It can go in so many different directions that I'm dying to know more!!
So I talked about the amazing in depth development of the characters, the premise of the fantasy plot line, and the writing style that leaves you want more from Fleur, so I guess that only leaves me one more thing to say. What are you waiting for?? Get out there and read this book, you will honestly not regret it! I'll sit here and wait. Come back and lets talk about it. :D
So this novel isn't your typical fantasy YA story. It has many different elements to it that surprisingly work together. The story starts off with major character developments way before you get any fantasy elements. At first I felt the story was just starting so slow and dragging on. At one point I was just like, "Oh come on! Where is the excitement and fantasy?!" But I kept reading.
And as I kept reading I started to connect with Tristen even more. I started relating to him, and he was bringing back memories of when I was in high school. It has been a long time since I read a story that didn't start out with the fantasy elements, so I forgot what it was like to relate to a character on a real life level. And this book reminded me why I love to read.
I now understand why this novel is in a different league of its own. Fleur knows how to develop characters and not many authors can do that. Most authors have the high intensity content but characters that lack relate-ability. (I think that I just made that word up or spelt it wrong.) But this book has characters you care about, and that are invested in.
Now I can go on and on about the characters, but there is so much more to the story. A boy who has the ability to go back in time to save the lives of influential people we learned about in school. A great premise of good vs. evil. Evil wants to eliminate all the good these people will do in their lives, and good needs to protect them from being erased from the history books. Very clever and intriguing.
Fleur Camacho knows when to let little bits of information here and there through out the novel, always leaving you screaming for more. So it's no surprise that you are left with a huge cliffhanger in the end. While you wait for more of the story you try to put together the bits and pieces of story you have. She makes you crave for more, and I love that. Even right now I'm trying to figure out that ending. It can go in so many different directions that I'm dying to know more!!
So I talked about the amazing in depth development of the characters, the premise of the fantasy plot line, and the writing style that leaves you want more from Fleur, so I guess that only leaves me one more thing to say. What are you waiting for?? Get out there and read this book, you will honestly not regret it! I'll sit here and wait. Come back and lets talk about it. :D
The Secret Heeder by Fleur Camacho
4.0
I really enjoyed reading the second book in this great series! I will have a full review coming soon~
The Witching Elm by Carlos Quevedo, C.N. Crawford
3.0
I like the story and some of the characters, but I found it a but too convenient to be honest with the plot points. Things were come across too easily, just about anyone could do magic... but I will continue in with the next book!