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ellianamaselli's reviews
205 reviews
The Sorceress Transcendent by Casey Blair
2.0
allow me to explain…
or not.
ahaha just kidding. I'm back baby & we're starting 2024 off mid.
I wanted to love this. I read the summary and multiple reviews and thought, This sounds like the book for me.
I mean, c'mon. An enemies-to-lovers romance in which the hero shows up injured on the villain's doorstep? That should be everything I love.
Instead, it was everything I have no definite feelings about.
And that's partially my fault. For one thing, I thought this was a novel. Come to find out it's a novella with five chapters and only 100 pages. Still, that didn't stop the story from feeling rushed as [insert Christian swear word of your choice here]. There was this huge war going on, but as far as I remember, we never really learned why (and if we did, I was too bored with anything but the romance to remember it). It didn't really make sense. And by the fifth (last) chapter, I was ready to put it down without finishing.
Even the romance felt rushed and... I don't even know what word to use. And I really don't care to find one.
I only finished this for two reasons:
1. Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit. This book is 100 pages long and honestly if I can't finish that then I just have no self-control and I need to go talk to God about that. (And I do not want to add that to my list of things to work on right now.)
2. This book did have some beautiful aspects to it. At its core, this novella is about two people who've only ever known how to destroy, learning how to build and create. I think that's an awesome thing to write about. I just think it was done... mediocrely here.
Some lines were really quotable. And some of those quotable lines did resonate with me. But overall, I probably wouldn't recommend this novella to anyone. It just wasn't for me. Oops.
"Some of us need to practice being imperfect."
(^^See? what a great line. Shame the rest of the book wasn't so good.)
or not.
ahaha just kidding. I'm back baby & we're starting 2024 off mid.
I wanted to love this. I read the summary and multiple reviews and thought, This sounds like the book for me.
I mean, c'mon. An enemies-to-lovers romance in which the hero shows up injured on the villain's doorstep? That should be everything I love.
Instead, it was everything I have no definite feelings about.
And that's partially my fault. For one thing, I thought this was a novel. Come to find out it's a novella with five chapters and only 100 pages. Still, that didn't stop the story from feeling rushed as [insert Christian swear word of your choice here]. There was this huge war going on, but as far as I remember, we never really learned why (and if we did, I was too bored with anything but the romance to remember it).
Spoiler
They stopped the war... somehow."Painting. I can be as messy as I want and still make something, even if it isn’t beautiful. My standards are low.”
“No, they aren’t,” Varius said with a thread of amusement, “but it’s not something it matters to be good at. Just that you have the freedom to do."
Even the romance felt rushed and... I don't even know what word to use. And I really don't care to find one.
I only finished this for two reasons:
1. Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit. This book is 100 pages long and honestly if I can't finish that then I just have no self-control and I need to go talk to God about that. (And I do not want to add that to my list of things to work on right now.)
2. This book did have some beautiful aspects to it. At its core, this novella is about two people who've only ever known how to destroy, learning how to build and create. I think that's an awesome thing to write about. I just think it was done... mediocrely here.
"It’s been a long time since I’ve had the chance to build something rather than break it."
Some lines were really quotable. And some of those quotable lines did resonate with me. But overall, I probably wouldn't recommend this novella to anyone. It just wasn't for me. Oops.
(^^See? what a great line. Shame the rest of the book wasn't so good.)
Of Chaos and Cadence by Constance Lopez
3.0
This book was delightful in almost every way possible.
Of Chaos and Cadence follows Isa, a half-elf/half-human girl who has never quite been at home anywhere. She has too much magic for the likes of humans and too much emotion for the likes of elves. Living in the in-between like this has caused some deep-rooted, far-too-relatable tendencies to repress both her emotions and her magic. But as we learned in the movie Frozen, repressing only makes things worse. And if you conceal-don't-feel for too long, things tend to blow up in your face.
In Isa's case, this is exactly what happens. The elf council, of course, is not thrilled with having an unpredictable human explosive on their hands, so they decide to solve the problem by making her someone else's. (Problem, that is.) Enter: Liam (aka, Kristoff... if Krisoff was a brunet mage who was best friends with the king and was too focused on his duty to fall in love).
^Isa, for most of this book.
If you've read my review of [b:Of Stormlarks and Silence|60729382|Of Stormlarks and Silence (Kasmian Chronicles #1)|Constance Lopez|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1656538101l/60729382._SX50_.jpg|95748675], you already know that Liam was the magical, love-interest's-best-friend, man of my dreams. Seriously, give me a witty, over-protective magic man in a healthy bromance and I will eat it up every. single. time.
All that to say, I was totally psyched when I saw that Liam got his own book and, consequently, his own happiness. (The man deserves it.) What I wasn't expecting though, was that I would come out loving Isa almost as much (emphasis on the "almost") as I love Liam.
Not only was Isa incredibly relatable, but she was a really cool protagonist to read about in that she was very... soft for a Y/A protagonist (of course, only in the best way.) It's pretty common for female protagonists in books like this to be witty, tough, human weapons. This is becoming less common by the year, of course, but it's still nice to read a protagonist who doesn't read like a man in a woman's body.
Add onto all of this an adorable, clean, slow-burn romance and I'm friggin sold.
So you may be wondering, given all my high praise of this book, why I gave it only three stars? Well, because I liked the first one better. As much as Liam and Isa were adorable and as beautifully as their arcs were written, I liked Ria and Tristan more. I gave [b:Of Stormlarks and Silence|60729382|Of Stormlarks and Silence (Kasmian Chronicles #1)|Constance Lopez|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1656538101l/60729382._SX50_.jpg|95748675] four stars. And because we all know Goodreads is dumb and doesn't allow for .5-star ratings, I had to give this one three stars so I could differentiate which was better. Do I actually only like this book three-stars worth? No. I probably enjoyed it about 3.75-stars worth. But the false rating isn't my fault, you guys. It's Amazon's. And, therefore, Bezos'. So if you have a problem, take it up with the crone himself.
reviews for the kasmian chronicles
book 1: Of Stormlarks and Silence
book 2: Of Chaos and Cadence
Of Chaos and Cadence follows Isa, a half-elf/half-human girl who has never quite been at home anywhere. She has too much magic for the likes of humans and too much emotion for the likes of elves. Living in the in-between like this has caused some deep-rooted, far-too-relatable tendencies to repress both her emotions and her magic. But as we learned in the movie Frozen, repressing only makes things worse. And if you conceal-don't-feel for too long, things tend to blow up in your face.
In Isa's case, this is exactly what happens. The elf council, of course, is not thrilled with having an unpredictable human explosive on their hands, so they decide to solve the problem by making her someone else's. (Problem, that is.) Enter: Liam (aka, Kristoff... if Krisoff was a brunet mage who was best friends with the king and was too focused on his duty to fall in love).
^Isa, for most of this book.
If you've read my review of [b:Of Stormlarks and Silence|60729382|Of Stormlarks and Silence (Kasmian Chronicles #1)|Constance Lopez|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1656538101l/60729382._SX50_.jpg|95748675], you already know that Liam was the magical, love-interest's-best-friend, man of my dreams. Seriously, give me a witty, over-protective magic man in a healthy bromance and I will eat it up every. single. time.
All that to say, I was totally psyched when I saw that Liam got his own book and, consequently, his own happiness. (The man deserves it.) What I wasn't expecting though, was that I would come out loving Isa almost as much (emphasis on the "almost") as I love Liam.
Not only was Isa incredibly relatable, but she was a really cool protagonist to read about in that she was very... soft for a Y/A protagonist (of course, only in the best way.) It's pretty common for female protagonists in books like this to be witty, tough, human weapons. This is becoming less common by the year, of course, but it's still nice to read a protagonist who doesn't read like a man in a woman's body.
Add onto all of this an adorable, clean, slow-burn romance and I'm friggin sold.
So you may be wondering, given all my high praise of this book, why I gave it only three stars? Well, because I liked the first one better. As much as Liam and Isa were adorable and as beautifully as their arcs were written, I liked Ria and Tristan more. I gave [b:Of Stormlarks and Silence|60729382|Of Stormlarks and Silence (Kasmian Chronicles #1)|Constance Lopez|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1656538101l/60729382._SX50_.jpg|95748675] four stars. And because we all know Goodreads is dumb and doesn't allow for .5-star ratings, I had to give this one three stars so I could differentiate which was better. Do I actually only like this book three-stars worth? No. I probably enjoyed it about 3.75-stars worth. But the false rating isn't my fault, you guys. It's Amazon's. And, therefore, Bezos'. So if you have a problem, take it up with the crone himself.
reviews for the kasmian chronicles
book 1: Of Stormlarks and Silence
book 2: Of Chaos and Cadence
Keeper of Enchanted Rooms by Charlie N. Holmberg
4.0
Well, this was just adorable.
When I started this book, I was sure I was going to love it. Then, for a while, I wasn't. For one thing, our hero's first impression of the heroine was that she looked "like a schoolmarm." Reading words like this scared me because they meant this very well might not be the warm and fluffy romance that I set out desiring. I shuddered to think that we might be getting a romance as utterly discomforting as in Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl.
Hoo, boy, was I wrong because this was, as I said so eloquently above, just adorable.
Now, after much fighting and wrestling with stupid feelings, Hulda and Merritt have my whole heart. I just loved watching them fall in love. though, this wasn't quite the typical romance in that there wasn't immediate attraction, and Hulda in particular is described (though not by Merritt himself) as being "utterly average in every way."
It is not unheard of for a romance book to include a character who is described (either by herself or others) as "plain." However, I've noticed (as in cases like Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl) that authors often lack tact when doing this, and, instead of describing the character as truly average, they spend all their time repeatedly calling negative attention to the character's physical flaws. What results is a romance that is not captivating because it doesn't make sense that the main character would truly be attracted to someone they continually think about as "ugly." In fact, I think there are only two times where I have liked this descriptive choice: in Jane Eyre, and right here in this book. But this book was undoubtedly my favorite of the two.
Though Merritt does not find Hulda captivating at first, his opinion of her changes throughout the book. As he begins to like (and then eventually love) her, he starts to notice how pretty she is. What results is a heartwarming development in which the reader, like Merritt, gradually begins to see Hulda as being beautiful. And by the end of the book, we have just the most precious romance ever.
Beyond that, though, the plot of this book is just wonderful. The magic of the house leaves you feeling all sorts of cozy. The character development is utterly enchanting to watch as you see Merritt and Hulda grow far beyond who they were when the story began. Knowledge of their pasts unfolds at the perfect pace, so one never feels bored.
Finally, we have to talk about the villain here. Because Silas Hogwood is, perhaps, one of the most captivating villains I have read about in a long time. We begin the book by pitying him (that prologue was incredible, wasn't it?) and grow to despise him. The progression from a tortured little boy to a murderous man was written so well as we saw every choice, every excused evil, that led him to what he became. It was captivating, heartbreaking, and utterly sinister. And I enjoyed every minute of it.
All this to say, I will be picking up book two because, while this book wasn't perfect, it was just a wonderful way to start my year of reading.
currently-reading updates
19% | This is like Beauty and the Beast but the “beauty” is a 31yo man and the house does not, in fact, welcome him enough to sing “Be Our Guest."
When I started this book, I was sure I was going to love it. Then, for a while, I wasn't. For one thing, our hero's first impression of the heroine was that she looked "like a schoolmarm." Reading words like this scared me because they meant this very well might not be the warm and fluffy romance that I set out desiring. I shuddered to think that we might be getting a romance as utterly discomforting as in Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl.
Hoo, boy, was I wrong because this was, as I said so eloquently above, just adorable.
She shook her head. “You need not concern yourself.”
A spike of offense shot through him. “Why would I not concern myself with you?”
Now, after much fighting and wrestling with stupid feelings, Hulda and Merritt have my whole heart. I just loved watching them fall in love. though, this wasn't quite the typical romance in that there wasn't immediate attraction, and Hulda in particular is described (though not by Merritt himself) as being "utterly average in every way."
It is not unheard of for a romance book to include a character who is described (either by herself or others) as "plain." However, I've noticed (as in cases like Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl) that authors often lack tact when doing this, and, instead of describing the character as truly average, they spend all their time repeatedly calling negative attention to the character's physical flaws. What results is a romance that is not captivating because it doesn't make sense that the main character would truly be attracted to someone they continually think about as "ugly." In fact, I think there are only two times where I have liked this descriptive choice: in Jane Eyre, and right here in this book. But this book was undoubtedly my favorite of the two.
She smiled. God, she was pretty when she smiled. Why had he not noticed how pretty she was when she first knocked on his door? Hadn’t he likened her to, what, a schoolmarm?
Though Merritt does not find Hulda captivating at first, his opinion of her changes throughout the book. As he begins to like (and then eventually love) her, he starts to notice how pretty she is. What results is a heartwarming development in which the reader, like Merritt, gradually begins to see Hulda as being beautiful. And by the end of the book, we have just the most precious romance ever.
Maybe there was something desirable within her after all . . . something a man might want, and not just things she could slap onto a résumé for employers.
Beyond that, though, the plot of this book is just wonderful. The magic of the house leaves you feeling all sorts of cozy. The character development is utterly enchanting to watch as you see Merritt and Hulda grow far beyond who they were when the story began. Knowledge of their pasts unfolds at the perfect pace, so one never feels bored.
“I’ve been lonely for a long time. Sure, I’ve had friends, colleagues, so I’m not isolated. But I still feel it. It’s the deep, lasting kind of loneliness. The hollow kind that settles in your bones.”
Finally, we have to talk about the villain here. Because Silas Hogwood is, perhaps, one of the most captivating villains I have read about in a long time. We begin the book by pitying him (that prologue was incredible, wasn't it?) and grow to despise him. The progression from a tortured little boy to a murderous man was written so well as we saw every choice, every excused evil, that led him to what he became. It was captivating, heartbreaking, and utterly sinister. And I enjoyed every minute of it.
"Beauty is just like a book. Some will not bother to look beyond the cover; others will find the entire tome utterly captivating."
All this to say, I will be picking up book two because, while this book wasn't perfect, it was just a wonderful way to start my year of reading.
currently-reading updates
19% | This is like Beauty and the Beast but the “beauty” is a 31yo man and the house does not, in fact, welcome him enough to sing “Be Our Guest."
Captivating Expanded Edition: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul by John Eldredge, John Eldredge, Stasi Eldredge
5.0
I don’t know that there’s much I could say other than God used this book (along with other things) to heal a part of me that has been broken for many years. I think I like being a woman again. It’s nice.
(I firmly believe every Christian man and woman should read this. I have heard the same for Wild at Heart, but I haven’t read that one yet so I won’t give my ✨official✨ opinion just yet.)
(I firmly believe every Christian man and woman should read this. I have heard the same for Wild at Heart, but I haven’t read that one yet so I won’t give my ✨official✨ opinion just yet.)
Grasping God's Word: A Hands-On Approach To Reading, Interpreting, And Applying The Bible by J. Scott Duvall, J. Scott Duvall, J. Daniel Hays
3.0
i read this for a biblical interpretation class. it was ok. probably wouldn't have read it outside of that, but there are some really good nougats of information in here. recommend if you want help knowing how to read/interpret the Bible.
To Bind Fire by D.E. Carlson
4.0
one of my favorite things in this world is when i'm reading a fantasy for fun, and see the author use a phrase like "iron sharpening iron" or "slave to fear." it makes my little Jesus-lovin heart leap, and i go to the acknowledgments just to check. i see the author dedicate the book to the Lord. it makes me happy. lets me know i'm either going to love or hate the book.
this book is especially nice because, while it has religious undertones, it's subtle enough that anyone could enjoy it.
you just might enjoy it a little more if you love Jesus.
hell, you might even cry like I did, watching her commune with El, as He mourns her lack of a father and offers to be a father to her.
but i digress.
all in all, this was an astounding book. the characters are wonderful, the plot and world-building are well done. i had such a fun time reading this. highly recommend if you're looking for a clean, fun, heart-wrenching fantasy.
this book is especially nice because, while it has religious undertones, it's subtle enough that anyone could enjoy it.
you just might enjoy it a little more if you love Jesus.
hell, you might even cry like I did, watching her commune with El, as He mourns her lack of a father and offers to be a father to her.
but i digress.
all in all, this was an astounding book. the characters are wonderful, the plot and world-building are well done. i had such a fun time reading this. highly recommend if you're looking for a clean, fun, heart-wrenching fantasy.
Cress by Marissa Meyer
5.0
after first re-read
I LOVE ALL OF THESE PRECIOUS LIL BEANS SO MUCH AND NOTHING WILL EVER CHANGE THAT.
A couple of my opinions HAVE changed since my first read.
1) I freaking love Jacin because he’s sassy and petty and we stan sassy, petty characters.
2) Cress & Thorne are my favorite couple. Hands-down. In fact, as much as I love Scarlet & Wolf, I’ve found myself rooting for Cresswell and Kaider more this time.**
3) I still love Cress, though not because of her emotional strength (I don’t even totally know what I was talking about there. I mean, maybe it makes sense? Idk I disagree with my past self on a lotta things). I love her because SHE’S A PRECIOUS LIL CINNAMON ROLL WHO NEEDS TO BE PROTECTED AT ALL COSTS.
4) Going back to point 2, I actually kinda like Cinder and Kai??? Like, a lot??? They’re great characters individually (idk why I didn’t see that the first time) but they’re also perfect together like what was wrong with me???)**
ANYWAY, I hope you enjoyed my long, gushy, good-type-of-rant review of Cress. If you haven’t grasped it yet, I highly recommend this series.
—Elliana Maselli
26 November 2021; 1:59pm
5/5 freaking stars
* All that said, I LOVE ALL MY BEANS AND THEIR LIL ROMANCES OK THEY’RE ALL PRECIOUS. This is just assuming I had to choose a favorite.
** It was 2020… there was a lot wrong with a lot of things.
————————————
initial review
Oh, goodness. I can’t believe it’s OVER! I absolutely loved this book. Up till now, I thought it was a good series, but I still thought it was overhyped. But the characters are becoming so well developed and the story is so gripping! This is by far my favorite book at this point. Cress and Thorne were adorable but more than that, this was the first time I really felt like I knew and cared about the characters. I even teared up twice!
I’m so excited for Winter. Reading even just the brief introduction of her character, I can tell I’m gonna love her. Jacin, on the other hand, will need to experience some SERIOUS character development if I’m ever gonna like him, as right now, he’s just a jerk.
I think my favorite characters so far are Wolf, Cress, and Thorne.
Cress reminds me so much of myself in the way that she isn’t a physical fighter, but gentle. She wasn’t weak by any means, however. Her strength lies in her emotions and how bold she is when it comes to expressing them. And I loved that because that’s where my strength comes and you don’t see that a lot in books—people tend to write “strong women” as super masculine/physically capable or super brainy. Well, newsflash, THERE IS A SUCH THING AS BEING EMOTIONALLY STRONG WITHOUT BEING A DUNCE. And Meyer represented that perfectly with one capable, sweet, loving/lovable character. And I applaud her for that. *claps enthusiastically*
I don’t have too much to say about Thorne except that he never fails to make me laugh aloud and I feel like we would be great friends if he was, you know, real or something.
Wolf, however, is absolutely adorable. I really do love his character and the gentle, vulnerable strength he possesses. I love the way he loves Scarlet. In fact, they are most definitely the best couple so far. Not because of her or anything she does imo, but because of how deeply he loves, protects, and respects her. It’s adorable. And even though all romances look different, I think we can all stand to learn something from the way Wolf treats Scarlet (we being everyone, no matter the gender because both sides need to love and protect and respect).
All-in-all, I absolutely loved it (as is obvious due to my ridiculously long review lol) and I SO wasn’t ready for it to end (although I am happy to finally get all these thoughts out). Now excuse me while I go order Winter.
5/5 stars
I LOVE ALL OF THESE PRECIOUS LIL BEANS SO MUCH AND NOTHING WILL EVER CHANGE THAT.
A couple of my opinions HAVE changed since my first read.
1) I freaking love Jacin because he’s sassy and petty and we stan sassy, petty characters.
2) Cress & Thorne are my favorite couple. Hands-down. In fact, as much as I love Scarlet & Wolf, I’ve found myself rooting for Cresswell and Kaider more this time.**
3) I still love Cress, though not because of her emotional strength (I don’t even totally know what I was talking about there. I mean, maybe it makes sense? Idk I disagree with my past self on a lotta things). I love her because SHE’S A PRECIOUS LIL CINNAMON ROLL WHO NEEDS TO BE PROTECTED AT ALL COSTS.
4) Going back to point 2, I actually kinda like Cinder and Kai??? Like, a lot??? They’re great characters individually (idk why I didn’t see that the first time) but they’re also perfect together like what was wrong with me???)**
ANYWAY, I hope you enjoyed my long, gushy, good-type-of-rant review of Cress. If you haven’t grasped it yet, I highly recommend this series.
—Elliana Maselli
26 November 2021; 1:59pm
5/5 freaking stars
* All that said, I LOVE ALL MY BEANS AND THEIR LIL ROMANCES OK THEY’RE ALL PRECIOUS. This is just assuming I had to choose a favorite.
** It was 2020… there was a lot wrong with a lot of things.
————————————
initial review
Oh, goodness. I can’t believe it’s OVER! I absolutely loved this book. Up till now, I thought it was a good series, but I still thought it was overhyped. But the characters are becoming so well developed and the story is so gripping! This is by far my favorite book at this point. Cress and Thorne were adorable but more than that, this was the first time I really felt like I knew and cared about the characters. I even teared up twice!
I’m so excited for Winter. Reading even just the brief introduction of her character, I can tell I’m gonna love her. Jacin, on the other hand, will need to experience some SERIOUS character development if I’m ever gonna like him, as right now, he’s just a jerk.
I think my favorite characters so far are Wolf, Cress, and Thorne.
Cress reminds me so much of myself in the way that she isn’t a physical fighter, but gentle. She wasn’t weak by any means, however. Her strength lies in her emotions and how bold she is when it comes to expressing them. And I loved that because that’s where my strength comes and you don’t see that a lot in books—people tend to write “strong women” as super masculine/physically capable or super brainy. Well, newsflash, THERE IS A SUCH THING AS BEING EMOTIONALLY STRONG WITHOUT BEING A DUNCE. And Meyer represented that perfectly with one capable, sweet, loving/lovable character. And I applaud her for that. *claps enthusiastically*
I don’t have too much to say about Thorne except that he never fails to make me laugh aloud and I feel like we would be great friends if he was, you know, real or something.
Wolf, however, is absolutely adorable. I really do love his character and the gentle, vulnerable strength he possesses. I love the way he loves Scarlet. In fact, they are most definitely the best couple so far. Not because of her or anything she does imo, but because of how deeply he loves, protects, and respects her. It’s adorable. And even though all romances look different, I think we can all stand to learn something from the way Wolf treats Scarlet (we being everyone, no matter the gender because both sides need to love and protect and respect).
All-in-all, I absolutely loved it (as is obvious due to my ridiculously long review lol) and I SO wasn’t ready for it to end (although I am happy to finally get all these thoughts out). Now excuse me while I go order Winter.
5/5 stars
Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
4.0
review for third read:
i can only hope that one day my husband is some kind of weird mutant fusion of both Wolf and Carswell Thorne.
3.5 because it's the weakest book in the series. marking my review as four stars because
1) this book has Throne, and
2) it gave me a chance to practice my sultry french accent.
review for second read:
My first time reading this, I gave it 4.5 stars. Mostly because Scarlet and Wolf are freaking adorable…
Actually, I take that back. Wolf is freaking adorable. Wolf. Just Wolf. All the time. Always.
I mean, I LOVE Scarlet, too. And Cinder. Ms. Meyer knows how to write some strong female characters.
But… WOLF.
Anyway, I’m getting off track. Where was I? Oh, yeah.
This time, I only gave the book 4 stars.
Why, you ask?
Because honestly, I enjoyed the story in Cinder more than in this one. Also, if you haven’t heard, I love Scarlet and Wolf. Like, a lot. Especially Wolf.
That said, sometimes they get too cheesy. Don’t get me wrong, I like cheese. But your girl’s somewhat lactose intolerant. So, we do our best to maintain only light dairy consumption. And when it comes to Scarlet and Wolf, sometimes we get a whole bowl of Mac & Cheese with a side of queso and cheesecake for dessert.
It’s only on occasion, though. Actually, it was just one time. It wasn’t a big deal. I just wanted to complain.
Anyway, you should read this book. If you liked the first book, you’ll love this.
Why, you ask?
Two words: Carswell. Thorne.
reviews for other books in this series
Book 1: Cinder
Book 2: Scarlet
Book 3: Cress
Book 4: Winter
i can only hope that one day my husband is some kind of weird mutant fusion of both Wolf and Carswell Thorne.
3.5 because it's the weakest book in the series. marking my review as four stars because
1) this book has Throne, and
2) it gave me a chance to practice my sultry french accent.
review for second read:
My first time reading this, I gave it 4.5 stars. Mostly because Scarlet and Wolf are freaking adorable…
Actually, I take that back. Wolf is freaking adorable. Wolf. Just Wolf. All the time. Always.
I mean, I LOVE Scarlet, too. And Cinder. Ms. Meyer knows how to write some strong female characters.
But… WOLF.
Anyway, I’m getting off track. Where was I? Oh, yeah.
This time, I only gave the book 4 stars.
Why, you ask?
Because honestly, I enjoyed the story in Cinder more than in this one. Also, if you haven’t heard, I love Scarlet and Wolf. Like, a lot. Especially Wolf.
That said, sometimes they get too cheesy. Don’t get me wrong, I like cheese. But your girl’s somewhat lactose intolerant. So, we do our best to maintain only light dairy consumption. And when it comes to Scarlet and Wolf, sometimes we get a whole bowl of Mac & Cheese with a side of queso and cheesecake for dessert.
It’s only on occasion, though. Actually, it was just one time. It wasn’t a big deal. I just wanted to complain.
Anyway, you should read this book. If you liked the first book, you’ll love this.
Why, you ask?
Two words: Carswell. Thorne.
reviews for other books in this series
Book 1: Cinder
Book 2: Scarlet
Book 3: Cress
Book 4: Winter
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
5.0
review for third read:
frick, man. every time i read this book it gets better.
cinder and kai keep growing on me, both as individual characters and as an item. and while the best is still yet to come, i have no problem with our humble beginnings in new beijing.
also, the foreshadowing in this book is sanderson-level meta. i can't help but appreciate it, as i notice something more each time.
4.5.
pre-review for third read
it's Christmas time.
yOu kNOw wHaT tHAt MeANs.
time for my biannual, burnout-induced speed-read of the lunar chronicles.
review for second read:
Although I originally gave this book three stars, I can now say that this is easily a 4.5-star book. I had so much fun reading it a second time, and I read it fairly quickly. I enjoyed the characters more, too… I can honestly say that I would be sad if Kai were to die (which is not at all how I felt the first time through) and I felt like I understand Cinder a lot more now… probably as a consequence of having already experienced her completed arc once.
So anyway. This is a great book. This series is one of my favorites. And I’m so so excited to continue on with it for a second time.
reviews for other books in this series
Book 1: Cinder
Book 2: Scarlet
Book 3: Cress
Book 4: Winter
frick, man. every time i read this book it gets better.
cinder and kai keep growing on me, both as individual characters and as an item. and while the best is still yet to come, i have no problem with our humble beginnings in new beijing.
also, the foreshadowing in this book is sanderson-level meta. i can't help but appreciate it, as i notice something more each time.
4.5.
pre-review for third read
it's Christmas time.
yOu kNOw wHaT tHAt MeANs.
time for my biannual, burnout-induced speed-read of the lunar chronicles.
review for second read:
Although I originally gave this book three stars, I can now say that this is easily a 4.5-star book. I had so much fun reading it a second time, and I read it fairly quickly. I enjoyed the characters more, too… I can honestly say that I would be sad if Kai were to die (which is not at all how I felt the first time through) and I felt like I understand Cinder a lot more now… probably as a consequence of having already experienced her completed arc once.
So anyway. This is a great book. This series is one of my favorites. And I’m so so excited to continue on with it for a second time.
reviews for other books in this series
Book 1: Cinder
Book 2: Scarlet
Book 3: Cress
Book 4: Winter
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
5.0
review for 9th read
reasons you should read this book:
1) this book has Nat Eaton.
2) if you have any heart at all, the final chapter will probably make you squeal like a giddy schoolgirl.
3) this book has a very pretty, head-strong sailor boy.
4) this book has John Holbrook (particularly in the context of the second-cutest romance ever).
5) this book has a handsome, roguish love interest who regularly puts himself at risk for the sake of others.
6) this book has Hannah Tupper.
7) BONUS: this book has Nat Eaton.
18,000,000/5 stars.
review for 6th, 7th, & 8th reads (yes, really)
All my life, my dad has decorated his bedroom with It's a Wonderful Life posters, decorations, etc. We have a whole-ass display case in our living room filled with a porcelain snow village from the movie, as well as books, magazines, ornaments, mugs, and just about anything else you can think of that fits with the theme. We had the same kind of thing in our game room growing up, but instead of It's a Wonderful Life, that room was Muppet themed.
My dad and I are a lot alike. And while I don't hyper-fixate on It's a Wonderful Life or the Muppets, I have my own special interests. One of them is the band Flyleaf. The other, this book.
When it comes to this book, I am a weak, weak woman.
Every time I open this book it feels like home. From the characters to the romance to Hannah's cottage, this book is absolute perfection. (And that's a huge claim coming from me.) If you don't believe me, just look at my "Dates Read."
I have not read any other book more than maybe three times. Eight times is just ridiculous. My friends think I have a problem. My family has been forced to accept my obsession just as they accepted my dads'. That alone should be enough to make you want to read this book. But if you're still somehow deciding, let me break it down for you:
Katherine ("Kit") Tyler is a sixteen-year-old girl from Barbados. After her wealthy grandfather's death, she flees to the only family she has—a family of four in Puritan Connecticut. When Kit arrives in Connecticut, she quickly discovers that she is completely out of place in the solemn Puritan colony.
One day, as she laments this (yes, I use dramatic words like "lament" for dramatic effect because it is, in fact, dramatic), she meets Hannah, an old Quaker woman on the edge of town, who has been repeatedly accused of witchcraft and thus shunned by the community. As she grows closer to Hannah, Kit also grows closer to Nat Eaton, a (sexy) sea-faring friend of Hannah's and crew member on the very ship Kit took to arrive in Connecticut.
Finally, Kit begins teaching Prudence, a neglected and, dare I say, abused little girl, to read and write. Kit introduces Prudence to the others, and pretty soon, the four outcasts develop close friendships with one another.
You could go on and on about the social commentary, the romance, blah-blah-blah. But at its core, this book is about four misfits who find each other and become, as Anne Shirley would put it, "bosom friends." It's heartfelt, and every time I finish it, I want to cry. Not because it's sad, but because it's just precious. If that sounds like something you'd like, I implore you to please read this book.
review for 3rd & 4th reads
Ok, y’all, I’ve read this book four times and it’s still so absolutely FANTASTIC. I take back my previous rating of 4.5. This is a five-star book. I would give it 6 if I could like it’s THAT GOOD.
It’s so good, in fact, that after finishing my third read through it (about a week and a half ago), I immediately went back and read it AGAIN because I couldn’t get the darned book out of my head.
I totally get why some people don’t like this book... it’s not a genre that’s for everyone. But I love every moment of it. As long as you like classics, historical fiction, and romance, you’ll probably love this. And I will never fail to recommend it to people who like those genres.
Please, please, please, if you like sweet, comforting classics/romances and historical fiction, read this. It’s THAT GOOD.
———————————————————————-
review for 2nd read
4.5 | OK so I read this in like 5th grade but I didn’t remember anything.
Now, I don’t usually like historical fiction but reading this again, I was amazed. The characters, romances, and friendships in this were just precious. Gosh, it was good. I just wish we’d gotten an epilogue. But otherwise, I adored it. I’ll definitely be reading this again.
reasons you should read this book:
1) this book has Nat Eaton.
2) if you have any heart at all, the final chapter will probably make you squeal like a giddy schoolgirl.
3) this book has a very pretty, head-strong sailor boy.
4) this book has John Holbrook (particularly in the context of the second-cutest romance ever).
5) this book has a handsome, roguish love interest who regularly puts himself at risk for the sake of others.
6) this book has Hannah Tupper.
7) BONUS: this book has Nat Eaton.
18,000,000/5 stars.
review for 6th, 7th, & 8th reads (yes, really)
All my life, my dad has decorated his bedroom with It's a Wonderful Life posters, decorations, etc. We have a whole-ass display case in our living room filled with a porcelain snow village from the movie, as well as books, magazines, ornaments, mugs, and just about anything else you can think of that fits with the theme. We had the same kind of thing in our game room growing up, but instead of It's a Wonderful Life, that room was Muppet themed.
My dad and I are a lot alike. And while I don't hyper-fixate on It's a Wonderful Life or the Muppets, I have my own special interests. One of them is the band Flyleaf. The other, this book.
When it comes to this book, I am a weak, weak woman.
Every time I open this book it feels like home. From the characters to the romance to Hannah's cottage, this book is absolute perfection. (And that's a huge claim coming from me.) If you don't believe me, just look at my "Dates Read."
I have not read any other book more than maybe three times. Eight times is just ridiculous. My friends think I have a problem. My family has been forced to accept my obsession just as they accepted my dads'. That alone should be enough to make you want to read this book. But if you're still somehow deciding, let me break it down for you:
Katherine ("Kit") Tyler is a sixteen-year-old girl from Barbados. After her wealthy grandfather's death, she flees to the only family she has—a family of four in Puritan Connecticut. When Kit arrives in Connecticut, she quickly discovers that she is completely out of place in the solemn Puritan colony.
One day, as she laments this (yes, I use dramatic words like "lament" for dramatic effect because it is, in fact, dramatic), she meets Hannah, an old Quaker woman on the edge of town, who has been repeatedly accused of witchcraft and thus shunned by the community. As she grows closer to Hannah, Kit also grows closer to Nat Eaton, a (sexy) sea-faring friend of Hannah's and crew member on the very ship Kit took to arrive in Connecticut.
Finally, Kit begins teaching Prudence, a neglected and, dare I say, abused little girl, to read and write. Kit introduces Prudence to the others, and pretty soon, the four outcasts develop close friendships with one another.
You could go on and on about the social commentary, the romance, blah-blah-blah. But at its core, this book is about four misfits who find each other and become, as Anne Shirley would put it, "bosom friends." It's heartfelt, and every time I finish it, I want to cry. Not because it's sad, but because it's just precious. If that sounds like something you'd like, I implore you to please read this book.
review for 3rd & 4th reads
Ok, y’all, I’ve read this book four times and it’s still so absolutely FANTASTIC. I take back my previous rating of 4.5. This is a five-star book. I would give it 6 if I could like it’s THAT GOOD.
It’s so good, in fact, that after finishing my third read through it (about a week and a half ago), I immediately went back and read it AGAIN because I couldn’t get the darned book out of my head.
I totally get why some people don’t like this book... it’s not a genre that’s for everyone. But I love every moment of it. As long as you like classics, historical fiction, and romance, you’ll probably love this. And I will never fail to recommend it to people who like those genres.
Please, please, please, if you like sweet, comforting classics/romances and historical fiction, read this. It’s THAT GOOD.
———————————————————————-
review for 2nd read
4.5 | OK so I read this in like 5th grade but I didn’t remember anything.
Now, I don’t usually like historical fiction but reading this again, I was amazed. The characters, romances, and friendships in this were just precious. Gosh, it was good. I just wish we’d gotten an epilogue. But otherwise, I adored it. I’ll definitely be reading this again.