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maddiementions's reviews
75 reviews
One Word Kill by Mark Lawrence
3.0
This story is beautifully written and the concept of the time travel is mind-boggling and intriguing at the same time. The teenagers in this story are honest and confused, yet they are trying their best to figure out what this life is about. I wouldn't exactly compare this book to Stranger Things... in fact it didn't remind of Stranger Things at all besides the time period. This is a brand new story on its own.
Nick Hayes, our main character, did not seem fifteen years old to me. He acted more like a seventeen to eighteen year old. He acted a bit too mature for his age. Maybe this was because he was forced to grow up early with the suicide of his father or the sudden cancer that consumes him, but the childhood innocence of Nick Hayes was not there and that was a bummer to me. Nonetheless, I still loved him and felt sentimental towards him as a character. The romance was one of the main parts that kept me reading. It was sweet, innocent, and very real.
**Warnings for this book** Strong language. I can take language in books but the f-word was thrown around a tad too much for my liking. The foul exclamations that happened frequently in this book made me wince at times because of their harshness.
Nick Hayes, our main character, did not seem fifteen years old to me. He acted more like a seventeen to eighteen year old. He acted a bit too mature for his age. Maybe this was because he was forced to grow up early with the suicide of his father or the sudden cancer that consumes him, but the childhood innocence of Nick Hayes was not there and that was a bummer to me. Nonetheless, I still loved him and felt sentimental towards him as a character. The romance was one of the main parts that kept me reading. It was sweet, innocent, and very real.
**Warnings for this book** Strong language. I can take language in books but the f-word was thrown around a tad too much for my liking. The foul exclamations that happened frequently in this book made me wince at times because of their harshness.
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
5.0
*I'm gonna go ahead and say MILD SPOILERS... just in case...*
First of all, I just have to say...I did not realize until I finished this incredible book that Holly Black was one of the geniuses behind The Spiderwick Chronicles, my FAVORITE book series when I was in elementary school. That series was the air I breathed when I was a child and the "field guide" of the magical creatures in that series was under my arm everywhere I went. Now knowing this information that Holly Black was one of the main influencers of my childhood imagination, it is suddenly no surprise how deeply in love I fell with this book.
In the beginning, I must say that I wasn't convinced. I was a little bored, even with the immediate violence that begins in literally Chapter 1. Yet, a few more chapters in, I became unknowingly sucked into Holly Black's rather dark and treacherous world of Faerie. I found myself shrieking with pure rage at the twists and betrayals in this book and squealing with delight literally almost any time Jude and Cardan talked to each other (I know he's a jerk but I'm not sorry). There are people I wanted to personally chuck off of a cliff because I hated them so freaking much and others I wanted to hug passionately.
I must admit that the characters in this book are not exactly likeable. None of them. Not even Jude, the main character and protagonist. Prince Cardan (literally THE Cruel Prince) is especially not likeable with his bullying and manipulative ways that make you want to put your fist through the book and punch his (rather beautiful) jaw. I know a lot of people don't like this book because none of the characters can be labeled as... morally good. The Faeries are prejudice, manipulative, selfish, power-hungry, the list goes on. And Jude is so desperate to belong with them that she basically becomes them (Yet, is it even her fault?). However, I still love Jude and YES, I just really love Prince Cardan.
How could I not love a faerie boy and prince, might I add, with pointed ears and long wavy black hair that's arrogant, mysterious, and cruel with a dark past that despises Jude SO much that he somehow finds himself fiercely in love with her? (I'll just stop here before I spoil the whole book lol) What's not to love? I'm a sucker for bad boys like this.
Some don't like the romance in this book, but I find it passionate and like I mentioned earlier, fierce. I can't stand cliché and cheesy romance and to me, this was NOT cheesy in any way. I will not say anything more about it or we will be here for 9 hours lol.
This beautiful book has fed my dark fantasy-loving, angsty, melancholy soul. Thank you to Holly Black for basically wrecking my life, but also saving it with this incredible series.
First of all, I just have to say...I did not realize until I finished this incredible book that Holly Black was one of the geniuses behind The Spiderwick Chronicles, my FAVORITE book series when I was in elementary school. That series was the air I breathed when I was a child and the "field guide" of the magical creatures in that series was under my arm everywhere I went. Now knowing this information that Holly Black was one of the main influencers of my childhood imagination, it is suddenly no surprise how deeply in love I fell with this book.
In the beginning, I must say that I wasn't convinced. I was a little bored, even with the immediate violence that begins in literally Chapter 1. Yet, a few more chapters in, I became unknowingly sucked into Holly Black's rather dark and treacherous world of Faerie. I found myself shrieking with pure rage at the twists and betrayals in this book and squealing with delight literally almost any time Jude and Cardan talked to each other (I know he's a jerk but I'm not sorry). There are people I wanted to personally chuck off of a cliff because I hated them so freaking much and others I wanted to hug passionately.
I must admit that the characters in this book are not exactly likeable. None of them. Not even Jude, the main character and protagonist. Prince Cardan (literally THE Cruel Prince) is especially not likeable with his bullying and manipulative ways that make you want to put your fist through the book and punch his (rather beautiful) jaw. I know a lot of people don't like this book because none of the characters can be labeled as... morally good. The Faeries are prejudice, manipulative, selfish, power-hungry, the list goes on. And Jude is so desperate to belong with them that she basically becomes them (Yet, is it even her fault?). However, I still love Jude and YES, I just really love Prince Cardan.
How could I not love a faerie boy and prince, might I add, with pointed ears and long wavy black hair that's arrogant, mysterious, and cruel with a dark past that despises Jude SO much that he somehow finds himself fiercely in love with her? (I'll just stop here before I spoil the whole book lol) What's not to love? I'm a sucker for bad boys like this.
Some don't like the romance in this book, but I find it passionate and like I mentioned earlier, fierce. I can't stand cliché and cheesy romance and to me, this was NOT cheesy in any way. I will not say anything more about it or we will be here for 9 hours lol.
This beautiful book has fed my dark fantasy-loving, angsty, melancholy soul. Thank you to Holly Black for basically wrecking my life, but also saving it with this incredible series.
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
3.0
*strums guitar sadly* .....what was that?
I wanted to like this book so badly, especially with the fact that the rights to this story were purchased by Lionsgate to be turned into a movie and the project recently got a director. Yet, no matter how hard I tried, I just could not connect to this story. I will begin by saying that the visuals that Erin Morgenstern created with her words were phenomenal. I have never been able to picture a scene more clearly in a book then when I was reading her words. Yet at the same time, I have also never been more confused by a story in my life.
This is my main disappointment. The first literally 60% (lol) of the book was really slow, but I never let that stop me when reading, I always give books a fair shot. When the book finally picked up, my boredom (sorry) was replaced with bitter confusion. This book is shrouded in mystery. I often like to be kept in the dark when it comes to a book, constantly guessing what's going to happen next or how the author is going to resolve all the problems. But I don't like being left in the dark for too long and that is what this book did to me. It didn't keep me guessing, it kept me confused until the end and afterwards. How can I enjoy a book if I literally have no idea what's going on and not in a good way? The idea of this book is phenomenal, the magic of the story is breathtaking. Thousands of people love this book. I am very sad that I wasn't able to connect with it and love it as many others have. I am excited to see what this story may become if Liongate turns it into a movie.
I wanted to like this book so badly, especially with the fact that the rights to this story were purchased by Lionsgate to be turned into a movie and the project recently got a director. Yet, no matter how hard I tried, I just could not connect to this story. I will begin by saying that the visuals that Erin Morgenstern created with her words were phenomenal. I have never been able to picture a scene more clearly in a book then when I was reading her words. Yet at the same time, I have also never been more confused by a story in my life.
This is my main disappointment. The first literally 60% (lol) of the book was really slow, but I never let that stop me when reading, I always give books a fair shot. When the book finally picked up, my boredom (sorry) was replaced with bitter confusion. This book is shrouded in mystery. I often like to be kept in the dark when it comes to a book, constantly guessing what's going to happen next or how the author is going to resolve all the problems. But I don't like being left in the dark for too long and that is what this book did to me. It didn't keep me guessing, it kept me confused until the end and afterwards. How can I enjoy a book if I literally have no idea what's going on and not in a good way? The idea of this book is phenomenal, the magic of the story is breathtaking. Thousands of people love this book. I am very sad that I wasn't able to connect with it and love it as many others have. I am excited to see what this story may become if Liongate turns it into a movie.
Book Girl: A Journey Through the Treasures and Transforming Power of a Reading Life by Sally Clarkson, Sarah Clarkson
5.0
"I used to think that [adventures] were things the wonderful folk of the stories went out and looked for, because they wanted them... But that's not the way of it with with the tales that really mattered, or the ones that stay in the mind. Folk seem to have been just landed in them, usually-their paths were laid that way, as you put it. But I expect they had lots of chances, like us, of turning back, only they didn't." -J.R.R Tolkien, The Two Towers
This book is the reason why I decided to start truly reading again after years of half-heartedly trying books and never finishing them. I was an avid book girl when I was younger but in high school, I lost my love for reading completely. Maybe it was because I had to read such boring books in school or maybe it was because I had forgotten how powerful and amazing books can be. Whatever it was, Sarah Clarkson ignited that forgotten love of books I had when I was a child and showed me what it truly means to be a book girl now as an adult. She showed me that books are more than just words. They're the spark that ignites your imagination, the teacher of wisdom and love, and the comfort in a stormy season. They can also corrupt and influence our lives. One of my favorite parts of this book was when Sarah explained the art of discernment and how it is a skill that is learned over time as our relationship with God grows. We must learn what we can and cannot handle in content and understand that everyone is different.
I am so grateful for Sarah's honesty in this book. She took me through some of the most joyous and most painful parts of her life and how books shaped her thoughts and taught her how to cope with suffering. I am so glad that I read this book at nineteen years old, my life as an adult just beginning, so that I may use her words and her wisdom to guide me as I become a book girl once again.
This book is the reason why I decided to start truly reading again after years of half-heartedly trying books and never finishing them. I was an avid book girl when I was younger but in high school, I lost my love for reading completely. Maybe it was because I had to read such boring books in school or maybe it was because I had forgotten how powerful and amazing books can be. Whatever it was, Sarah Clarkson ignited that forgotten love of books I had when I was a child and showed me what it truly means to be a book girl now as an adult. She showed me that books are more than just words. They're the spark that ignites your imagination, the teacher of wisdom and love, and the comfort in a stormy season. They can also corrupt and influence our lives. One of my favorite parts of this book was when Sarah explained the art of discernment and how it is a skill that is learned over time as our relationship with God grows. We must learn what we can and cannot handle in content and understand that everyone is different.
I am so grateful for Sarah's honesty in this book. She took me through some of the most joyous and most painful parts of her life and how books shaped her thoughts and taught her how to cope with suffering. I am so glad that I read this book at nineteen years old, my life as an adult just beginning, so that I may use her words and her wisdom to guide me as I become a book girl once again.
Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
3.0
I almost gave this book 4 stars. Almost. However, because I didn’t start enjoying it until I was way more than halfway through, I’ve rated it 3. To begin, I liked this book, I just didn’t love it.
This story line to me was very unique and intriguing. A young girl who is half human and half dragon that lives in a world where dragons and humans coexist. Tension reigns between the two species and Seraphina struggles with constant fear and self-hatred because she must hide what she is from the world. It is a wonderful idea for a book.
My main complaint was that I simply could not connect with Seraphina. To me, she had little personality. She did not seem unique or relatable to me. The only thing that makes her stand out is the fact that she is a dragon/human mix. She showed emotion throughout the book, but not enough to make me feel for her or feel sentimental towards her.
I LOVE Lucian Kiggs and Orma. They blessed this book with their presence. These two characters are what kept me hanging onto this book and not DNFing.
The ending of this book was amazing. *WITHOUT SPOILING ANYTHING* I was deeply moved by the emotion of the characters and the cure of the conflicts at the end. I was teary-eyed quite a few times throughout the last few chapters. I am very surprised that I ended up enjoying this book. It ended on QUITE the cliffhanger and I am more excited than I thought I would be to start reading the second book.
This story line to me was very unique and intriguing. A young girl who is half human and half dragon that lives in a world where dragons and humans coexist. Tension reigns between the two species and Seraphina struggles with constant fear and self-hatred because she must hide what she is from the world. It is a wonderful idea for a book.
My main complaint was that I simply could not connect with Seraphina. To me, she had little personality. She did not seem unique or relatable to me. The only thing that makes her stand out is the fact that she is a dragon/human mix. She showed emotion throughout the book, but not enough to make me feel for her or feel sentimental towards her.
I LOVE Lucian Kiggs and Orma. They blessed this book with their presence. These two characters are what kept me hanging onto this book and not DNFing.
The ending of this book was amazing. *WITHOUT SPOILING ANYTHING* I was deeply moved by the emotion of the characters and the cure of the conflicts at the end. I was teary-eyed quite a few times throughout the last few chapters. I am very surprised that I ended up enjoying this book. It ended on QUITE the cliffhanger and I am more excited than I thought I would be to start reading the second book.