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readingthestars's reviews
576 reviews
When the Sky Fell on Splendor by Emily Henry
3.0
Interesting premise. But I found the ending confusing and by the end of it I realized I had skimmed quite a bit of it. Got complicated and I lost track of the plot by then.
The Saints by Lex Thomas
3.0
I enjoyed this one more than the first book. It was action packed and held my attention. The changes in character personalities made sense to me, and I’m excited to see what happens in the next book. I really liked Will's relationship with Gates; it brought a lot more conflict to the school.
Nick and June Were Here by Shalanda Stanley
5.0
This book is one of the most raw and realistic ones I've read this year. As someone who has symptoms similar to June's (even though I have something different), I really felt represented. I loved the characters and I was never bored or tired at any part of the story. There were a couple of scenes that felt a bit too cheesy, but overall, I really, really enjoyed this book.
The Burnouts by Lex Thomas
2.0
What...just happened. A lot of things just don’t make sense. Also, they did Will SO DIRTY! What was even going on with that government truck? What? The pregnancy ending annoyed me, and calling Will “the weaker one” (because you know that it was talking about him) isn’t fair to him at all. Yes, he relied on others a lot and considered himself to be the weaker brother, but he wasn’t, truly. He spent so much time in the school without David and managed to survive (with questionable actions, but still). Him being reduced to a “weak” boy who’s desperately in love is just...not true.
It’s been painfully obvious throughout the entire series that it’s written by men - especially when it comes to Lucy’s character, and ESPECIALLY in this last book. The line “The hallway was as empty as her uterus” made me cringe SO. HARD. Who thought that was a good line to put in there? I bet they all felt very clever with that sentence, but it’s so not an okay thing to say? I’m still in shock that somebody thought that was a good and alright thing to write. Lucy just went through a miscarriage, one of the hardest things a human can experience, and you follow it with THAT? It’s not a joke - it’s a baby and a mother who is heartbroken.
In terms of being unrealistic...I get they were trying to escape but WHY would you release all the teenagers without knowing if the cure is ready and waiting for them? Also, wouldn’t the parents be scared or worried? Obviously they want to see their kids but still.
I’ve been thinking about this the entire time I was reading the series, but it’s especially true at the end of this book. I hate the endless competition between Will and David over Lucy (which you can probably chalk up to me not liking love triangles). Does Will’s whole worth and life really need to depend on whether or not he’s with Lucy?
The series also felt too forced. Whole thing was rushed, which I initially went with because I like quick books. But it was like they were just monopolizing on the fame that dystopian had after The Hunger Games and Divergent. I liked all the characters fine enough, but like I said above, painfully obvious the women were written by men. Loved the second book, but this third one missed the mark for me.
It’s been painfully obvious throughout the entire series that it’s written by men - especially when it comes to Lucy’s character, and ESPECIALLY in this last book. The line “The hallway was as empty as her uterus” made me cringe SO. HARD. Who thought that was a good line to put in there? I bet they all felt very clever with that sentence, but it’s so not an okay thing to say? I’m still in shock that somebody thought that was a good and alright thing to write. Lucy just went through a miscarriage, one of the hardest things a human can experience, and you follow it with THAT? It’s not a joke - it’s a baby and a mother who is heartbroken.
In terms of being unrealistic...I get they were trying to escape but WHY would you release all the teenagers without knowing if the cure is ready and waiting for them? Also, wouldn’t the parents be scared or worried? Obviously they want to see their kids but still.
I’ve been thinking about this the entire time I was reading the series, but it’s especially true at the end of this book. I hate the endless competition between Will and David over Lucy (which you can probably chalk up to me not liking love triangles). Does Will’s whole worth and life really need to depend on whether or not he’s with Lucy?
The series also felt too forced. Whole thing was rushed, which I initially went with because I like quick books. But it was like they were just monopolizing on the fame that dystopian had after The Hunger Games and Divergent. I liked all the characters fine enough, but like I said above, painfully obvious the women were written by men. Loved the second book, but this third one missed the mark for me.
Escape from the Isle of the Lost by Melissa de la Cruz
3.0
Not too much happened, but it does lead up to and explain the third movie some more, which is good. Don't know if this warranted a whole book, but I enjoyed it enough. I think the other books were a bit more enjoyable just because there was more action. I do, however, love how in general the books have provided more of an insight into the VKs' lives on the Isle of the Lost. This is especially true with Carlos, who has been significantly impacted by his mother's abuse (as have all of the VKs). This abuse is developed a bit more in the books, which I appreciate because it fleshes our their characters just a bit more.
Brave Face by Shaun David Hutchinson
4.0
Shaun is one of my absolute favorite authors, and this read was so deep and insightful. It brought me to the edge of tears, and something about one person saying that you WILL be alright makes all the difference.
The Titan's Curse: The Graphic Novel by Robert Venditti, Rick Riordan
3.0
Missed some things/scenes, but overall alright.
Again, but Better by Christine Riccio
5.0
Loved, loved, loved this book. It was an absolute delight. As a 20-year-old who has also never kissed anyone or been in a relationship who is also studying abroad soon, I resonated so much with Shane. The story wasn't predictable at all and always had me on my toes. The cute parts were adorable. Perfect summer read and the best thing to read right before I go abroad!