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notesbynnenna's Reviews (513)
First of all, I just had to say that I'm obsessed with this gorgeous cover. It is so stunning and ties in beautifully with the story. Just had to get that out the way first!
I really enjoyed reading this book and getting immersed in this fantasy world. The story follows Ximena, who is the decoy for the condesa, the true heir to the throne. Ximena has dedicated her life to serving her people and working to remove the false king from the throne. However, since she's the decoy, she can't reveal her identity and can never really be herself, which is a difficult way to live. When Ximena is forced to live in the castillo with the false king, she's racing against time to destroy the false king and her battle to survive becomes even more difficult.
I thought this was such a fun read. I loved the way that Ibañez incorporated Spanish throughout the text and I loved learning about all the different types of food and clothing that were part of each culture. Ximena was an awesome character- strong-willed and so very brave. Also, I think there's a lot to unpack in this novel around the themes of prejudices, loyalty, and duty. I did feel that it was a little bit repetitive at points, or maybe it was more that certain aspects were really hammered home, but that's just a very minor quibble on my part.
There's a lot to love in this novel, and the whimsy that was woven into this world was so fun and magical. There was quite a bit of action in the last few chapters, which was exciting and has me looking forward to the next installment of this series!
I really enjoyed reading this book and getting immersed in this fantasy world. The story follows Ximena, who is the decoy for the condesa, the true heir to the throne. Ximena has dedicated her life to serving her people and working to remove the false king from the throne. However, since she's the decoy, she can't reveal her identity and can never really be herself, which is a difficult way to live. When Ximena is forced to live in the castillo with the false king, she's racing against time to destroy the false king and her battle to survive becomes even more difficult.
I thought this was such a fun read. I loved the way that Ibañez incorporated Spanish throughout the text and I loved learning about all the different types of food and clothing that were part of each culture. Ximena was an awesome character- strong-willed and so very brave. Also, I think there's a lot to unpack in this novel around the themes of prejudices, loyalty, and duty. I did feel that it was a little bit repetitive at points, or maybe it was more that certain aspects were really hammered home, but that's just a very minor quibble on my part.
There's a lot to love in this novel, and the whimsy that was woven into this world was so fun and magical. There was quite a bit of action in the last few chapters, which was exciting and has me looking forward to the next installment of this series!
For quite a while, Jean suspects that her husband has done some bad things. Despite this, she remains by his side and defends him against his accusers. However, when her husband dies, there’s no reason to be quiet anymore. Jean is a widow, finally free of her husband, and can say whatever she wants…
This book was so straightforward. Like, way too straightforward for a thriller. Let me clarify- I mean way too straightforward for a book that’s been compared to Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train. I knew right away that Glen, Jean’s husband, was a bad man, and my opinion of him didn’t change throughout the novel. He’s controlling, sexist, and emotionally manipulative.
The book is told from a few different perspectives, including Jean, a reporter named Kate, and the detective working on the case. In Jean’s chapters, I think we’re meant to see a woman rediscovering herself after being freed from her husband, but what I really saw was a woman that remained a puppet, rather than the orchestrator of her own life.
Despite the fact that I continued to turn the pages, I was not emotionally invested in this story. The writing was fine, the characters were fine, and the setting was fine, but there was nothing in this thriller to thrill me. After reading this, I craved a book with some real intrigue!
This book was so straightforward. Like, way too straightforward for a thriller. Let me clarify- I mean way too straightforward for a book that’s been compared to Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train. I knew right away that Glen, Jean’s husband, was a bad man, and my opinion of him didn’t change throughout the novel. He’s controlling, sexist, and emotionally manipulative.
The book is told from a few different perspectives, including Jean, a reporter named Kate, and the detective working on the case. In Jean’s chapters, I think we’re meant to see a woman rediscovering herself after being freed from her husband, but what I really saw was a woman that remained a puppet, rather than the orchestrator of her own life.
Despite the fact that I continued to turn the pages, I was not emotionally invested in this story. The writing was fine, the characters were fine, and the setting was fine, but there was nothing in this thriller to thrill me. After reading this, I craved a book with some real intrigue!
This is definitely one of the buzz books of fall. I felt like everyone was reading it, so I wanted to read it to! I went into it relatively blind. I knew it was set at Yale and involved secret societies, and that was enough to hook me.
It's about a young woman named Galaxy "Alex" Stern, who has been recruited into Lethe, a group that oversees the magic of the other secret societies at Yale. Alex is only 20, but she's had a hard life- think drug and alcohol problems, along with being connected to an unsolved murder. Yale is her chance to start over and choose a different path for her life. As she gets sucked into the underground world of the secret societies, the question is has she really escaped the darkness of her old life?
I will say that I read this really slowly, and at first I didn't really know what was going on. About a 100 pages in, I started to settle into the story and then my reading experience improved when I was able to read the last two-thirds of the book in one day. If you're planning to read this book, I suggest you get yourself all settled in a cozy reading spot and then dive in for a few hours. This book is a slow burn and I think it's a book that's better read in large chunks.
I absolutely loved that this was set at Yale. That's where I went to college, so reading about all the familiar places made me really nostalgic. I was amazed at how well Bardugo captured some of the nuances of Yale, and then I read in her author bio that she went to Yale too, so it all makes sense! I thought Yale/New Haven was the perfect atmospheric setting for this story about magic and power and wealth.
Because it's a slow burn, I think I appreciated the action even more. It really felt like a culmination of the plot. The story kept me guessing as little by little, I learned more about Alex's backstory. I also loved the bits from Darlington's perspective (he's Alex's mentor in Lethe). I love that name for a character and a little complaint of mine is that I wanted more Darlington!
Alex is not a nice girl, but she wants to be. She's living two lives, one as a student at Yale, and one as a delegate of Lethe. She wants to have a normal life and she's struggling to balance it all, but how "normal" can her life be when magic is involved? I admired how tenacious she was and how she chooses to listen to and follow her instincts.
Bardugo comments on socioeconomic class, as she shows the contrast between the wealthy students at Yale and Alex's more humble background. There's a level of privilege that Alex has to confront, whereas she's always had to fight for scraps to get by. We see people who are so greedy for power that they'll stop at nothing to gain more, no matter who's in their way.
I wasn't sure exactly how I felt about this when I finished, but as I gathered my thoughts, I realized that I really enjoyed it. As I mentioned, I loved the Yale setting and the secret societies provide such an intriguing atmosphere. I think that Bardugo writes dialogue really well, and that's also reflected in this book. I'm assuming this will be a series, since Goodreads lists it as "Ninth House (Alex Stern #1)," so I can't wait for the next installment. I think the second book will be even better because there will be less setup and we can dive right into the story!
It's about a young woman named Galaxy "Alex" Stern, who has been recruited into Lethe, a group that oversees the magic of the other secret societies at Yale. Alex is only 20, but she's had a hard life- think drug and alcohol problems, along with being connected to an unsolved murder. Yale is her chance to start over and choose a different path for her life. As she gets sucked into the underground world of the secret societies, the question is has she really escaped the darkness of her old life?
I will say that I read this really slowly, and at first I didn't really know what was going on. About a 100 pages in, I started to settle into the story and then my reading experience improved when I was able to read the last two-thirds of the book in one day. If you're planning to read this book, I suggest you get yourself all settled in a cozy reading spot and then dive in for a few hours. This book is a slow burn and I think it's a book that's better read in large chunks.
I absolutely loved that this was set at Yale. That's where I went to college, so reading about all the familiar places made me really nostalgic. I was amazed at how well Bardugo captured some of the nuances of Yale, and then I read in her author bio that she went to Yale too, so it all makes sense! I thought Yale/New Haven was the perfect atmospheric setting for this story about magic and power and wealth.
Because it's a slow burn, I think I appreciated the action even more. It really felt like a culmination of the plot. The story kept me guessing as little by little, I learned more about Alex's backstory. I also loved the bits from Darlington's perspective (he's Alex's mentor in Lethe). I love that name for a character and a little complaint of mine is that I wanted more Darlington!
Alex is not a nice girl, but she wants to be. She's living two lives, one as a student at Yale, and one as a delegate of Lethe. She wants to have a normal life and she's struggling to balance it all, but how "normal" can her life be when magic is involved? I admired how tenacious she was and how she chooses to listen to and follow her instincts.
Bardugo comments on socioeconomic class, as she shows the contrast between the wealthy students at Yale and Alex's more humble background. There's a level of privilege that Alex has to confront, whereas she's always had to fight for scraps to get by. We see people who are so greedy for power that they'll stop at nothing to gain more, no matter who's in their way.
I wasn't sure exactly how I felt about this when I finished, but as I gathered my thoughts, I realized that I really enjoyed it. As I mentioned, I loved the Yale setting and the secret societies provide such an intriguing atmosphere. I think that Bardugo writes dialogue really well, and that's also reflected in this book. I'm assuming this will be a series, since Goodreads lists it as "Ninth House (Alex Stern #1)," so I can't wait for the next installment. I think the second book will be even better because there will be less setup and we can dive right into the story!
Set in New York City, this novel follows Louise and Lavinia, two young women who form a fast and intense friendship. Lavinia’s life is full of glamorous parties, beautiful clothes, and swanky events, while Louise’s is the opposite. When Louise meets Lavinia, she’s desperate to become a part of that world, and will go to great lengths to hold on to her new lifestyle.
This book wasn’t exactly what I thought it would be, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I did feel like the first half was a bit slow, and then the tension ramps up quite a bit in the second half. In terms of the characters, I thought Louise was well-formed, but Lavinia was rather insufferable. That trait does fit in with her character, but she did seem more like a caricature, rather than a real person. Louise as a twenty-something felt more realistic. I think many of us can relate to struggling to make ends meet and wanting to make something of your life, but not knowing how to.
Social media has a big presence in this book, as the author draws contrasts between the life that is curated and displayed online, versus reality. I don’t know if this is true, but I got the sense that the author has a very low opinion of social media, and in this book, you can see why that’s the case.
While this wasn’t thrilling in the way that I was expecting it to me, the writing was definitely taut and urgent at times, with a strong sense of foreboding. I liked this novel, and I would read more of Burton’s work.
This book wasn’t exactly what I thought it would be, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I did feel like the first half was a bit slow, and then the tension ramps up quite a bit in the second half. In terms of the characters, I thought Louise was well-formed, but Lavinia was rather insufferable. That trait does fit in with her character, but she did seem more like a caricature, rather than a real person. Louise as a twenty-something felt more realistic. I think many of us can relate to struggling to make ends meet and wanting to make something of your life, but not knowing how to.
Social media has a big presence in this book, as the author draws contrasts between the life that is curated and displayed online, versus reality. I don’t know if this is true, but I got the sense that the author has a very low opinion of social media, and in this book, you can see why that’s the case.
While this wasn’t thrilling in the way that I was expecting it to me, the writing was definitely taut and urgent at times, with a strong sense of foreboding. I liked this novel, and I would read more of Burton’s work.
Sci-fi isn’t a genre that I usually pick up, but this book kept popping up on my radar and I was curious. In Annihilation, there’s a mysterious part of the country called Area X. The story is told from the perspective of a biologist who’s part of the 12th expedition sent to explore Area X. The previous expeditions haven’t gone so well and you can probably guess that this one doesn’t end well either. I’m zipping my lips now, because the less you know about this one, the better.
My favorite part of this was definitely the writing. It was wonderfully strange and perfect at creating a weird, unsettled feeling. This book is the first in a trilogy and I do think I’ll read the remaining books at some point. I thought Annihilation was different in a good way. If you’re like me and you don’t read a lot of sci-fi, I’d be really curious to know your thoughts if you’ve read this book.
My favorite part of this was definitely the writing. It was wonderfully strange and perfect at creating a weird, unsettled feeling. This book is the first in a trilogy and I do think I’ll read the remaining books at some point. I thought Annihilation was different in a good way. If you’re like me and you don’t read a lot of sci-fi, I’d be really curious to know your thoughts if you’ve read this book.
3.5 stars
I think I enjoyed the second book in the series slightly more than the first. There was less of the setup that often fills first books and we get introduced to some awesome characters in this book (hello Nikolai, Tolya, and Tamar!)
In this book, we really get to see Alina struggling with her power, which is interesting. We've now seen her evolve from refusing to believe in her powers, to struggling to accept the ways that using her power have changed her.
I thought the beginning and ending of this book were really solid. The middle did feel like it lagged a bit because the characters spent so much time preparing for the big fight.
I've already started the third and final book in the trilogy, so I'm excited to see how this all turns out!
I think I enjoyed the second book in the series slightly more than the first. There was less of the setup that often fills first books and we get introduced to some awesome characters in this book (hello Nikolai, Tolya, and Tamar!)
In this book, we really get to see Alina struggling with her power, which is interesting. We've now seen her evolve from refusing to believe in her powers, to struggling to accept the ways that using her power have changed her.
I thought the beginning and ending of this book were really solid. The middle did feel like it lagged a bit because the characters spent so much time preparing for the big fight.
I've already started the third and final book in the trilogy, so I'm excited to see how this all turns out!
Finally we get the big faceoff that we've been building to this whole series! I had a good time reading this final installment in the series.
Now that I've finished the trilogy, I feel like I can share some thoughts on how it compared to the Six of Crows duology for me. As I've mentioned in previous reviews, I loved this world and the general plot of the series. However, I didn't love the characters as much as I would have hoped, and I thought the pacing was a bit slow at times.
Although the Shadow and Bone trilogy was very enjoyable, the Six of Crows duology still has my heart. I just got so swept up in those two books, which never really happened with Shadow and Bone. It was still a really fun reading experience and I'm sure I'll be diving back into the Grishaverse soon, now that Bardugo's latest book is out!
Now that I've finished the trilogy, I feel like I can share some thoughts on how it compared to the Six of Crows duology for me. As I've mentioned in previous reviews, I loved this world and the general plot of the series. However, I didn't love the characters as much as I would have hoped, and I thought the pacing was a bit slow at times.
Although the Shadow and Bone trilogy was very enjoyable, the Six of Crows duology still has my heart. I just got so swept up in those two books, which never really happened with Shadow and Bone. It was still a really fun reading experience and I'm sure I'll be diving back into the Grishaverse soon, now that Bardugo's latest book is out!
I enjoyed this even more than Everything, Everything, which I really liked. I had no idea what this novel was about before I started reading it, but I knew from the first few pages that I was going to love it. When the book begins, Natasha’s family is being deported back to Jamaica, and Daniel has a college interview that could decide his future. The novel follows Natasha’s and Daniel’s story as their lives intersect on this pivotal day.
First of all, let’s give a round of applause to this book for featuring a romance between a young black girl and Korean boy. More of this, please! Aside from interracial relationships, this book also explores other topics, such as immigration and identity. I wasn’t expecting the immigration aspect of the novel. It felt particularly timely and relevant since I was reading this right after He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named announced the Muslim ban. I learned some things about the deportation process. Natasha struggles with being forced to return to a country that she barely remembers and having to leave behind the place that she calls home. Daniel wonders if he can still live up to his parent’s strict expectations if he decides to follow his own path. I could certainly identify with Daniel’s story, but Natasha’s story was especially moving to me. I felt her pain and helplessness as she tries to do everything she can think of to avoid being deported.
Despite dealing with such heavy subjects, this book has many humorous and charming moments. It gave me similar feels to those I had while reading Eleanor & Park, which is one of my favorite books. I’m really enjoying what Nicola Yoon is doing in the world of YA and I’m definitely going to keep following her work!
First of all, let’s give a round of applause to this book for featuring a romance between a young black girl and Korean boy. More of this, please! Aside from interracial relationships, this book also explores other topics, such as immigration and identity. I wasn’t expecting the immigration aspect of the novel. It felt particularly timely and relevant since I was reading this right after He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named announced the Muslim ban. I learned some things about the deportation process. Natasha struggles with being forced to return to a country that she barely remembers and having to leave behind the place that she calls home. Daniel wonders if he can still live up to his parent’s strict expectations if he decides to follow his own path. I could certainly identify with Daniel’s story, but Natasha’s story was especially moving to me. I felt her pain and helplessness as she tries to do everything she can think of to avoid being deported.
Despite dealing with such heavy subjects, this book has many humorous and charming moments. It gave me similar feels to those I had while reading Eleanor & Park, which is one of my favorite books. I’m really enjoying what Nicola Yoon is doing in the world of YA and I’m definitely going to keep following her work!
Last month I picked up this book based on a recommendation from a booktube friend. The Raven Boys are rich, privileged young men who attend a private boy’s school and Blue wants nothing to do with them. Blue’s family is rather special. They’re all clairvoyant…well, all of them except Blue. She has no powers of her own, but she does enhance other people’s abilities if she’s nearby. Thanks to a series of events, Blue crosses paths with four particular Raven Boys- Gansey, Adam, Noah and Ronan. A quest for a long-lost king draws this unlikely group of friends together and leads them to make some interesting discoveries.
I really liked this book. It has adventure, a bit of romance, class struggles, magic- all very interesting elements. The best part of this book was definitely the characters and I enjoyed learning more about each one. I also love the idea that on paper, these five wouldn’t be friends, but when they are brought together they find they have a lot more in common than they think. It’s also set in a rural town in Virgina, which I think works very well as a setting. What is it about small towns in Virginia being full of strange magical occurrences (I’m thinking of Mystic Falls from The Vampire Diaries)?
I really liked this book. It has adventure, a bit of romance, class struggles, magic- all very interesting elements. The best part of this book was definitely the characters and I enjoyed learning more about each one. I also love the idea that on paper, these five wouldn’t be friends, but when they are brought together they find they have a lot more in common than they think. It’s also set in a rural town in Virgina, which I think works very well as a setting. What is it about small towns in Virginia being full of strange magical occurrences (I’m thinking of Mystic Falls from The Vampire Diaries)?