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michellefromsomewhere's reviews
32 reviews
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
5.0
I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. The story is gripping and the characters are dynamic. If a five star book is a book I want to reread, I can see myself rereading this one again and again.
The good:
-The writing was accessible and the story digestible, which are key elements to why so many devour this book in no time at all. Descriptions were clear, and allow many of us to visualize things similarly.
-I found Violet totally likeable. She's grappling with her own growth like any bildungsroman story. She has strong values and you see her fight with staying true to them vs. the effects the Riders Quadrant has on her.
-the romance has a fun slow-burn. Sure, the enemies aren't convincing enemies but that's ok! It's still a lot of fun!
-THE DRAGONS. Ok, obviously. But not just that there are dragons. The dragons' personalities! Tairn is sardonic and sassy! Andarna is the cutest thing ever!!! I love them so much!!!!!
-The dialogue and banter. I find so many books struggle a LOT with good banter, especially with quippy remarks. Rebecca Yarros suffered no such fate. The conversations are realistic, and honestly, funny! I laughed out loud.
-Disability representation, and the showcasing how exhausting it can be to fight your own body but still get frustrated when other people try to dictate your needs.
The neutral:
- Predictability. Because the story is so digestible, it's also a bit straightforward. I predicted every twist, including the ending. Personally, that actually never bothers me because I like being right! And also people like familiarity a lot. That's why a book like ACOTAR is so beloved as a Beauty and the Beast retelling. It's familiar and fresh at the same time. Fourth Wing is predictable, but it's not about what's waiting on the other side; it's the climb.
The less good:
-A few things don't make sense to me and I'm hoping they're cleared up more in the future books. I'm hesitant to cry out "Plot hole!" in an unfinished series.
1) The government doesn't trust children of rebels and originally wants to execute them, but instead, they get the opportunity to join the Rider's Quadrant. Because most of them will die, but the ones who don't get the chance to elevate themselves to the highest levels of the military with functional WMDs. I didn't find the explanation satisfactory.
2) [MINOR SPOILER IN THIS POINT ONLY] Dragons want to keep everything about their young secret, including everything about Andarna's gifts. I understand the gifts, but won't everyone else notice that Andarna gets bigger and changes? Especially considering it's implied she grows A LOT in a very quick time at the end?
The good:
-The writing was accessible and the story digestible, which are key elements to why so many devour this book in no time at all. Descriptions were clear, and allow many of us to visualize things similarly.
-I found Violet totally likeable. She's grappling with her own growth like any bildungsroman story. She has strong values and you see her fight with staying true to them vs. the effects the Riders Quadrant has on her.
-the romance has a fun slow-burn. Sure, the enemies aren't convincing enemies but that's ok! It's still a lot of fun!
-THE DRAGONS. Ok, obviously. But not just that there are dragons. The dragons' personalities! Tairn is sardonic and sassy! Andarna is the cutest thing ever!!! I love them so much!!!!!
-The dialogue and banter. I find so many books struggle a LOT with good banter, especially with quippy remarks. Rebecca Yarros suffered no such fate. The conversations are realistic, and honestly, funny! I laughed out loud.
-Disability representation, and the showcasing how exhausting it can be to fight your own body but still get frustrated when other people try to dictate your needs.
The neutral:
- Predictability. Because the story is so digestible, it's also a bit straightforward. I predicted every twist, including the ending. Personally, that actually never bothers me because I like being right! And also people like familiarity a lot. That's why a book like ACOTAR is so beloved as a Beauty and the Beast retelling. It's familiar and fresh at the same time. Fourth Wing is predictable, but it's not about what's waiting on the other side; it's the climb.
The less good:
-A few things don't make sense to me and I'm hoping they're cleared up more in the future books. I'm hesitant to cry out "Plot hole!" in an unfinished series.
1) The government doesn't trust children of rebels and originally wants to execute them, but instead, they get the opportunity to join the Rider's Quadrant. Because most of them will die, but the ones who don't get the chance to elevate themselves to the highest levels of the military with functional WMDs. I didn't find the explanation satisfactory.
2) [MINOR SPOILER IN THIS POINT ONLY] Dragons want to keep everything about their young secret, including everything about Andarna's gifts. I understand the gifts, but won't everyone else notice that Andarna gets bigger and changes? Especially considering it's implied she grows A LOT in a very quick time at the end?
The Crown of Gilded Bones by Jennifer L. Armentrout
4.0
This was my favorite of the first four. I appreciated that Poppy finally came into her own and accepted who she is without any back and forth/flip-flopping that hindered her in book 2. The world broadened and expanded significantly in this book, and I liked the additions and the new characters.
A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire by Jennifer L. Armentrout
3.0
Once again, if this book had gone through more rigorous editing it could be SO GOOD. The plot is SO GRIPPING. The dialogue is a bit repetitive, and the constant whiplash of Poppy changing her mind gets tiring, but I still wanted to continue to see where the story went.
From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout
3.0
What frustrated me the most about this book is how much POTENTIAL was wasted. The story is SO INTERESTING and compelling! But the book needed more editing. The grammar and syntax issues interrupt the narrative and pull me out of the story. Additionally, I just don't find Poppy a relatable MC in this book. I can forgive that she's a little annoying, due to her upbringing and isolation, but I never fully latched on to her in From Blood and Ash. The twists are predictable, but I don't mind that. I wish there was more time devoted to real world building. A lot of details are shared about the world, but I still find it lacking dimension. The story kept me reading despite all this, which speaks strongly to the plot.
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
3.0
If I had read Shatter Me when I was 13, I probably would have loved it. That said, as an adult, it was too young for me. It's generally difficult for me to rate individual books of a series, because I never know if I should compare the books to each other or the series as a whole. I think for a first book in a series, Shatter Me did a decent job introducing us to the world and characters. The writing is polarizing as it is a unique style. I enjoy reading in different styles and voices, so I wasn't bothered by it, but I wouldn't necessarily choose it. Overall, I think a lot of the hype surrounding this series and the relationships on booktok are due to loving it when younger. I don't want to judge it too harshly as I do not believe I am the target audience for it anymore. At the very least, it's an easy, quick read.
The Host by Stephenie Meyer
3.5
Honestly, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed reading The Host. I read this book for the first time in middle school, and reread it now as an adult. It's somewhere between three and four stars for me.
This book is probably more compelling and more unique than Twilight, but certainly lacks whatever "it" factor Twilight has to make it so popular. I am a Twilight fan, but like many fans, acknowledge the many issues with the content and writing. The Host, similarly, does have many of Stephenie Meyer's beliefs sprinkled in, but I am not so bothered by that as someone who can pick up on it and engage critically with it, just like with any author who does the same. It also is unmistakably Stephenie Meyer's writing style, and is similar to Twilight in that regard. I find her writing accessible and uncomplicated in a good way, and often delivers payoffs where she should, which, in my opinion, is part of the popularity of her works.
The plot itself is interesting. It's a spin on body snatchers, and features a dystopian setting. I wish we knew more about Melanie, as she is a little one-dimensional outside of her being a fighter and her resilience. Wanderer is a bit more developed, and as the story is primarily through her perspective, this did not hinder my enjoyment. My main critique is that the book felt a little longer than necessary. It didn't necessarily drag, but I do think the same points could have been delivered in fewer pages. Due to this, a lot of the details don't stand out and feel unmemorable. Beyond the basic plot, there was little I remembered from middle school and likely will feel the same in a few more years again.
Overall, it's an enjoyable, easy enough read that delivers exactly what it promises - entertainment value.
This book is probably more compelling and more unique than Twilight, but certainly lacks whatever "it" factor Twilight has to make it so popular. I am a Twilight fan, but like many fans, acknowledge the many issues with the content and writing. The Host, similarly, does have many of Stephenie Meyer's beliefs sprinkled in, but I am not so bothered by that as someone who can pick up on it and engage critically with it, just like with any author who does the same. It also is unmistakably Stephenie Meyer's writing style, and is similar to Twilight in that regard. I find her writing accessible and uncomplicated in a good way, and often delivers payoffs where she should, which, in my opinion, is part of the popularity of her works.
The plot itself is interesting. It's a spin on body snatchers, and features a dystopian setting. I wish we knew more about Melanie, as she is a little one-dimensional outside of her being a fighter and her resilience. Wanderer is a bit more developed, and as the story is primarily through her perspective, this did not hinder my enjoyment. My main critique is that the book felt a little longer than necessary. It didn't necessarily drag, but I do think the same points could have been delivered in fewer pages. Due to this, a lot of the details don't stand out and feel unmemorable. Beyond the basic plot, there was little I remembered from middle school and likely will feel the same in a few more years again.
Overall, it's an enjoyable, easy enough read that delivers exactly what it promises - entertainment value.
I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
They weren't kidding when they labeled this book "heartbreaking and hilarious." I enjoyed McCurdy's narrative voice a lot. I found her charming and funny, while also being self-aware of her own faults and roles in the memories. The showcasing her childhood through various stories allowed readers a lot of insight without just telling us "this is why I am this way." I hope McCurdy continues writing, because she is very talented. Her memoir is raw, emotional, and impactful.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue was an instant favorite of mine. I see this being a book I reread over and over, just to revisit the magic. Magical realism is so artfully crafted in this story, with the world seeming both familiar and mystical, full of the mundane and the exciting. The writing is absolutely beautiful, and pack so much emotion into the simplest of sentences. The characters are both likeable and believable, including the protagonist, Addie, whose journey is at the same time heartbreaking and hopeful. Her wit and resilience keep you cheering for her. I've seen critiques of this book that "there isn't a strong enough plot" and I cannot believe we are reading the same book. I love the jumping timelines, and thought it was a unique and well-executed tool for story telling without being confusing, because it's easy to know where we are and when.
On a personal note, I am from New York City, and loved the city's portrayal in this work. I've always lamented that you could live here your whole life and never be able to try every restaurant, or visit every store. V.E. Schwab captured that feeling so beautifully. I felt so seen, and I'm sure that really resonated with anyone who has spent a chunk of time in NYC.
On a personal note, I am from New York City, and loved the city's portrayal in this work. I've always lamented that you could live here your whole life and never be able to try every restaurant, or visit every store. V.E. Schwab captured that feeling so beautifully. I felt so seen, and I'm sure that really resonated with anyone who has spent a chunk of time in NYC.
The War of Two Queens by Jennifer L. Armentrout
3.0
I cannot believe I am saying this, but too much smut. It takes away from the story. Like others, I didn't like that one scene (y'all know which), but as a whole, some of the most serious scenes were cut by a sex scene and it cheapened the plot in my opinion. Additionally, I did not mind Hawke's POV while they were separated, but once they were reunited, I hated them. Poppy described him as so intelligent, cunning, mysterious, etc and then all we got from his POV was that he was horny. The end of the book was unsatisfying to me, but I like the plot enough to keep reading. I don't feel a need to rush to read the fifth or to read Casteel's POV due to this one, but I will continue the series