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thebookishmel's reviews
405 reviews
A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas
4.0
4.5-5
Writing a review for this book has been a several hour long venture. Once I finished, it took me quite some time to fully wrap my head around what happened. Book 3 has had so many ups and downs, and it’s kept me on my toes the entire time! I quite literally had no clue what was going to happen next.
It was definitely rough coming in, in terms of info dumping and storyline building, but it all made sense in the end. I feel as if the characters have been developed really well in how they interact with each other but there were some holes with characters like Lucien and Tamlin for sure.
The first half of the book really went slow for me, but the ending had me SO emotional because everything came together. I feel though as if it came together too neatly, ya know? Like there wasn’t much consequence for certain things that happened and it seemed like I would freak out for no reason.
Overall though, I love this world and I’m so happy but also so sad that it’s over for now. I will definitely be picking up A Court of Frost and Starlight when it’s released!
Writing a review for this book has been a several hour long venture. Once I finished, it took me quite some time to fully wrap my head around what happened. Book 3 has had so many ups and downs, and it’s kept me on my toes the entire time! I quite literally had no clue what was going to happen next.
It was definitely rough coming in, in terms of info dumping and storyline building, but it all made sense in the end. I feel as if the characters have been developed really well in how they interact with each other but there were some holes with characters like Lucien and Tamlin for sure.
The first half of the book really went slow for me, but the ending had me SO emotional because everything came together. I feel though as if it came together too neatly, ya know? Like there wasn’t much consequence for certain things that happened and it seemed like I would freak out for no reason.
Overall though, I love this world and I’m so happy but also so sad that it’s over for now. I will definitely be picking up A Court of Frost and Starlight when it’s released!
City of Glass by Cassandra Clare
5.0
If you were to look at my updates, you can tell that COG had a really difficult build up for me from the start. It wasn't necessarily anything to do with the plot itself, it was more so me having difficulty with getting back into the world after leaving it for a bit.
Once I got back in though, I was HOOKED. There was so many plot twists that were SO important to the development of both the characters and the story and oh my goodness, I loved it so much. I feel like The Mortal Instruments could stop here because the majority of the plot is wrapped up really nicely, BUT I'm really excited to see where Clare takes Jace and Clary through the world!
I'm going to be reading this in order of the read-along the emmabooks is doing, so up next is City of Fallen Angels!
Once I got back in though, I was HOOKED. There was so many plot twists that were SO important to the development of both the characters and the story and oh my goodness, I loved it so much. I feel like The Mortal Instruments could stop here because the majority of the plot is wrapped up really nicely, BUT I'm really excited to see where Clare takes Jace and Clary through the world!
I'm going to be reading this in order of the read-along the emmabooks is doing, so up next is City of Fallen Angels!
They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
2.0
This book was really underwhelming. I liked the idea so much, but the “romance” was literally 300 pages in, there were a bunch of side characters that didn’t really have a lasting impression and I just didn’t enjoy it.
It took me forever to finish because I just didn’t want to read it. I quite literally said I was bored in my updates and was so close to DNF-ing.
It took me forever to finish because I just didn’t want to read it. I quite literally said I was bored in my updates and was so close to DNF-ing.
Everless by Sara Holland
4.0
3.5-4 stars
I was really entertained by this book! The pacing I think was fantastic in the sense that I was learning everything as Jules was learning and I love that aspect of it. It immerses me into the book so much more and makes me want to figure it out and makes me just as impatient as she is, making me really want to know exactly whats going on. I definitely enjoyed Jules' past life as a child coming back to her life in the present in Everless was addicting because it really toyed with my heart, who doesn't love that?
The ending however did fall a little flat for me. I think the build up was great, and it really gave you this sense of understanding some, but not all, which is perfectly fine! It wasn't a huge cliff-hanger because I figured that's what book 2 would be all about.
Overall, a fun read, not the best but not the worst either.
I was really entertained by this book! The pacing I think was fantastic in the sense that I was learning everything as Jules was learning and I love that aspect of it. It immerses me into the book so much more and makes me want to figure it out and makes me just as impatient as she is, making me really want to know exactly whats going on. I definitely enjoyed Jules' past life as a child coming back to her life in the present in Everless was addicting because it really toyed with my heart, who doesn't love that?
The ending however did fall a little flat for me. I think the build up was great, and it really gave you this sense of understanding some, but not all, which is perfectly fine! It wasn't a huge cliff-hanger because I figured that's what book 2 would be all about.
Overall, a fun read, not the best but not the worst either.
Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley
3.0
3.0-3.5
This book was slow for me from the start. It had the very cliche YA fantasy story line of a "normal" girl with a bigger purpose in a different world. Magonia is essentially a city above earth's skies and has their own politics and agendas with "drowner" interaction. The story didn't build as quickly for me as most fantasies do, as it took me quite literally half way through the book for something exciting to happen. There are pirates aboard the ships, Aza Ray has to figure out the whole "Magonian" lifestyle on her own and I had some issues with the way it was built.
Let me start with something good: After reading the question and answer segment at the back, seeing that the inspiration for Magonia is based on real folklore has me really excited and gives the book the little umph it needs because it takes folklore and makes it into a living story. I'm just upset I had to learn that after reading it.
First off, she takes in and understands everything way too quickly for my liking. When comparing to something like City of Bones, Clary fumbles and messes up a ton before she really understands it for herself. Aza Ray however, doesn't fumble at all, it just consumes her and is almost perfect, NOT because of her own ability, but because of the birds that they're connected with.
The story of her mother's actions and life before Aza returns is still in the grey for me, it wasn't well developed and she was just taken away ?? I didn't really understand it but it played a significant enough role to influence Aza at the end which, idk I'm still not sold.
Jason at one point says "I'm not making you [ie the reader] scroll through" which has me wondering, is he telling us a story? Or was this just a flub by the author? Jason also doesn't play the role I thought he was going to, which was nice in the sense that I didn't expect it. But the role he played was to literally be research, a love interest, and Aza's rock. I loved the latter, but I couldn't fully picture him running to wherever Aza was to "save" her.
The ending was something I didn't love but didn't have a problem with. I think it leads up to the second book really well, but I still have so many unanswered questions and holes in the plot that I'm really hoping the second book will provide.
This book was slow for me from the start. It had the very cliche YA fantasy story line of a "normal" girl with a bigger purpose in a different world. Magonia is essentially a city above earth's skies and has their own politics and agendas with "drowner" interaction. The story didn't build as quickly for me as most fantasies do, as it took me quite literally half way through the book for something exciting to happen. There are pirates aboard the ships, Aza Ray has to figure out the whole "Magonian" lifestyle on her own and I had some issues with the way it was built.
Let me start with something good: After reading the question and answer segment at the back, seeing that the inspiration for Magonia is based on real folklore has me really excited and gives the book the little umph it needs because it takes folklore and makes it into a living story. I'm just upset I had to learn that after reading it.
First off, she takes in and understands everything way too quickly for my liking. When comparing to something like City of Bones, Clary fumbles and messes up a ton before she really understands it for herself. Aza Ray however, doesn't fumble at all, it just consumes her and is almost perfect, NOT because of her own ability, but because of the birds that they're connected with.
The story of her mother's actions and life before Aza returns is still in the grey for me, it wasn't well developed and she was just taken away ?? I didn't really understand it but it played a significant enough role to influence Aza at the end which, idk I'm still not sold.
Jason at one point says "I'm not making you [ie the reader] scroll through" which has me wondering, is he telling us a story? Or was this just a flub by the author? Jason also doesn't play the role I thought he was going to, which was nice in the sense that I didn't expect it. But the role he played was to literally be research, a love interest, and Aza's rock. I loved the latter, but I couldn't fully picture him running to wherever Aza was to "save" her.
The ending was something I didn't love but didn't have a problem with. I think it leads up to the second book really well, but I still have so many unanswered questions and holes in the plot that I'm really hoping the second book will provide.
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
4.0
This was such a fun read! I loved being able to go through all of the steps to solving the mystery and it felt very Sherlock Holmes in the sense that I didn’t know what the solution to the mystery would be, but M. Poirot spelled it out as if it was written across his forehead.
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
3.0
2.5-3
Okay, I had a lot of issues with this novel, trigger warning for abuse for sure.
Being that it was one of the first mysteries I've read in a while, I enjoyed the beginning with having multiple perspectives and having to figure out the story on your own. It was really great and confusing all at the same time. Never would I think I'd describe a book as confusing but this had its purpose.
Rachel is an alcoholic and is our main narrator with Anna and Megan to help build the story along. My biggest problem wasn't the fact that the women's perspectives were flawed, I loved that, and I loved being able to see their characters shine out as women effected by this one man. My issue was the fact that this one man was just a terrible human being and I felt so uncomfortable reading the end of the novel. The "big twist" wasn't a twist at all for me once I was about half way through the book, but I didn't expect it to get as dramatic and violent as it did.
The ending really fell flat for me, and although like I said, I enjoyed the multiple perspectives, there were a lot of times that I had a hard time following it, a hard time understanding the timeline because it jumps back and forth a lot, and a hard time trying to figure out the significance of a lot of the little details that, I think, in the end, just didn't equate to much.
Okay, I had a lot of issues with this novel, trigger warning for abuse for sure.
Being that it was one of the first mysteries I've read in a while, I enjoyed the beginning with having multiple perspectives and having to figure out the story on your own. It was really great and confusing all at the same time. Never would I think I'd describe a book as confusing but this had its purpose.
Rachel is an alcoholic and is our main narrator with Anna and Megan to help build the story along. My biggest problem wasn't the fact that the women's perspectives were flawed, I loved that, and I loved being able to see their characters shine out as women effected by this one man. My issue was the fact that this one man was just a terrible human being and I felt so uncomfortable reading the end of the novel. The "big twist" wasn't a twist at all for me once I was about half way through the book, but I didn't expect it to get as dramatic and violent as it did.
The ending really fell flat for me, and although like I said, I enjoyed the multiple perspectives, there were a lot of times that I had a hard time following it, a hard time understanding the timeline because it jumps back and forth a lot, and a hard time trying to figure out the significance of a lot of the little details that, I think, in the end, just didn't equate to much.
The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
5.0
WOW, just wow. I’m so incredibly pleased with this book! It has a biracial couple, brings in the stereotypes and addresses them so well! It takes the life of both a first generation child and an immigrant child and explains what they go through. Natasha and Daniel’s relationship wasn’t so quick and sporadic and I loved that. It was the fact that Natasha resisted, she didn’t want to feel this way for him but it happened and her character transformed. Of course, its dipping the toe into their relationship, and I would love to see what happens with their future, but leaving that to the reader makes it all the better. This really was the YA contemporary I didn’t know I needed and I’m seriously so happy with it!
Aerie by Maria Dahvana Headley
2.0
If I didn't own the second book, I wouldn't have read it. I gave Aerie a shot, to hopefully answer the things I needed and give me what I wanted from Magonia, but this was equally, if not worse, than Magonia. The plot was confusing and I couldn't fully grasp the antagonists goals for being "evil" until the end??? It's not like it needs to be spelled out but there wasn't enough build up for it to be anything relevant. Any minor character added ended up playing a major role for literally 2 seconds and then they died ???? I'm not pleased. I legitimately have never wanted a book to end more in my entire reading career.
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
4.0
4.0-4.5
super sweet book, made my heart flutter and i smiled so much and just :’-) BUT some parts did feel a little rushed and i wished there was more to it
super sweet book, made my heart flutter and i smiled so much and just :’-) BUT some parts did feel a little rushed and i wished there was more to it