starkiwi's reviews
306 reviews

Coriolanus by William Shakespeare

3.0

This play should really be talked about more. I have never heard of it until I saw something about the play online. This is one of Shakespeare more complicated works and sometimes I did not understand the political things going on. Still, I was very shocked I had not heard about it before, considering how good it was. It may not be my favourite play, but it does make the top five. I strongly recommend this play to any Shakespeare fan.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

4.0

A perfect fit into the Hunger Games universe. I was surprised how good this book was. At first, I was not even sure I was going to read it. Prequels are either a hit or miss but this one was one of the best I’ve read. The main character, Coriolanus, is based off the shakespeare play of the same name. The parallels are amazing and Coriolanus’s character arc was one of the most drastic, complicated, but beautiful developments. I am very happy with most everything about this book. It is a must read for anyone who likes the Hunger Games.

The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson

3.0

I was slightly disappointed by the plot-line of this book, but I can’t exactly elaborate because it’ll spoil the book. On the other hand I found it very creative that the author also hid who was the assassin and who was the prince from the reader as well as the main character. Sometimes I would think one person was the assassin but then the other guy would do something that would make me think he was the assassin. It messed with me so much. Genius. I am interested to see where the author will decide to take the story in the next book.

Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare

5.0

Lord of shadows is the sequel to lady Midnight, in the dark artifacts series, all shadowhunter fans have been waiting for. It is everything we hoped it would be and more. It fits right in with all of Cassandra's other amazing books where we can feel all the feels. However, beware the ending, you might just need a box of tissues. For this book brings out the blackthorn heart in all of us. Still a great read and I know we all cannot wait for the 3rd book, queen of air and darkness. From what I have heard is coming out in 2019!!!

The Heart of Betrayal by Mary E. Pearson

3.0

The book was okay. Still the plot-line isn’t sticking with me too much. At this point the chapters switch POV a lot more, and there is always that one character you would rather not read because you want to know what is happening with the other characters instead. It’s a good series, but maybe just not my cup of tea. However, all the characters are getting developed very nicely by backstories and controversial interactions. I love to see good character growth.

Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare

5.0

Cassandra’s books NEVER disappoint. I love this series so much and may even dare say it is my favourite shadowhunter series. If you get a chance to, READ IT. All the relationships are amazing, as well as the characters individually, and the plot, and the conflict. In each of her shadowhunter series Cassandra introduces you to the world each time, so you could pick up any of them without having to have read the other series. But each book is different in its own way so each time you are introduced, while you may already know some of the information, it is like being blown into that world all over again from a new perspective. Cassandra also portrays all types of people so perfectly. In this series there are many different types of people (bilingual, LGBTQ+, autistic) and she seems to show each of them exactly as they are in real life. It just goes to show how amazing of an author she is and how amazing this series is.

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (Movie Tie-In Edition) by Jesse Andrews

3.0

This book was unique by its humour and imagination. It stands on its own and is really not like any book I’ve ever read. While at first it may seem that it will be another fault in our stars, it is entirely different. For one the characters do not fall in love (spoiler alert (kinda)) Some scenes Greg and Earl were trying to be humorous but at times I think their humour is a little unwarranted. Maybe thats just because I don’t have that exact same sense of humour. Anyway whenever Greg talks about High School it is funny, over-exaggerated, and relatable. He almost perfectly describes high school. Greg also has a huge character development because of what happens to him. Its a little subtle but it really changes him. I was only able to realise this after the book and may have liked it a little better if I had known this while reading.

Red Skies Falling by Alex London

5.0

This book was so good. I dare say it was even better than the first one (a rare for a second book). There were so many twists and turns all done so perfectly in line with the story. Everything was so well written. Especially character development, of which there was a lot. Most noticeably in the ending, all the events were spaced out so perfectly. Each occurred right when it needed to and nothing seemed to be overly drawn out or cut too short. I can’t wait to read the next book and discover what will be the fate of our beloved characters.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

5.0

A true timeless classic that represents childhood. My mom first read this book to me when I was in first grade. Since then it is still one of my favourite series to return to. Rereading this was a complete pleasure and feels like home. No book can really ever be compared to Harry Potter. It surely is one of a kind. I believe everyone simply must read this in their lifetime.

The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien

3.0

I was so sad not to have liked this book that much, for all the praise others give it. High fantasy is not normally my genre, but everyone always talks about how good Lord Of The Rings is. I found it slightly slow and it just didn’t grab me the way I thought it might. Everything is described in a lot of detail and it really gives off the vibe of grandpa telling a long story, but with more magic and other interesting things. None of which is a bad thing. High fantasy usually does require a bit more detail even to the little things. It just made it a little harder for me to get totally into it.