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underscorelsa's Reviews (187)
I fcking loved this book!!! Like it's definitely up there in my top.
Buddy Read with the loveliest Hamad.
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DNF @ 39%
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an advanced reader's copy of Sea Witch by Sarah Henning. All opinions are my own and as honest as they can be.
"The sea is a fickle witch.
She is just as likely to bestow a kiss as to steal the breath from your lips."
This book is just a whole mess. I have been anticipating to read it since it was announced, and I just had to have it because it was a Little Mermaid retelling. Well, guess what? The only things that are close to it are that this book is set in Denmark and it has sea involved in it.
First off, let's start with the characters. I found there were little-to-no evolving characters right at this point and if it kept going I could swear there is no evolution in them. They were so plain to the point where none of them were either relatable or even realistic.
The plot was just a mess. I didn't get any of it. I thought it was just a disordered series of events that happened to the characters instead of one whole arc. The timeline was just weird and the whole thing in general just confused me.
One of the really few things that I actually like was the writing style, I feel like it wrapped around you. But it wasn't enough to get me into the magic of the actual plot and book.
All in all, I wouldn't really recommend this book going with too many expectations, especially if you think you're getting into a Little Mermaid retelling.
I look forward, however, to whatever book Sarah Henning writes in the next years. I think if she can actually learn from some of her mistakes, she will make a fantastic novel. Her writing style, as mentioned above, is magnificent and I can't wait to see what's next.
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DNF @ 39%
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an advanced reader's copy of Sea Witch by Sarah Henning. All opinions are my own and as honest as they can be.
"The sea is a fickle witch.
She is just as likely to bestow a kiss as to steal the breath from your lips."
This book is just a whole mess. I have been anticipating to read it since it was announced, and I just had to have it because it was a Little Mermaid retelling. Well, guess what? The only things that are close to it are that this book is set in Denmark and it has sea involved in it.
First off, let's start with the characters. I found there were little-to-no evolving characters right at this point and if it kept going I could swear there is no evolution in them. They were so plain to the point where none of them were either relatable or even realistic.
The plot was just a mess. I didn't get any of it. I thought it was just a disordered series of events that happened to the characters instead of one whole arc. The timeline was just weird and the whole thing in general just confused me.
One of the really few things that I actually like was the writing style, I feel like it wrapped around you. But it wasn't enough to get me into the magic of the actual plot and book.
All in all, I wouldn't really recommend this book going with too many expectations, especially if you think you're getting into a Little Mermaid retelling.
I look forward, however, to whatever book Sarah Henning writes in the next years. I think if she can actually learn from some of her mistakes, she will make a fantastic novel. Her writing style, as mentioned above, is magnificent and I can't wait to see what's next.
2.5 STARS
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the advance reader's copy of Reality Gold by Tiffany Brooks. All opinions are my own and honest as they can be.
This book just left me... feeling the same as before reading it.
The story follows a teenage girl, Riley Ozaki, who has been bullied both personally and online because of an incident that happened in her high school. Trying to fix her life, she goes into a reality show, where Riley and other 19 teenagers go on an island and get divided into 2 teams. This island, however, has a hidden treasure in it, which has been hidden for ages, and if she found it, she could have an extra cash. Later, you see she is rich, and she doesn't really care about the money, unlike most of the others, who wanted it for college. She wants the prize and the treasure hidden in the island to fix her reputation. But what would she do to do so? Are there any limits? And who can she trust in this mysterious island?
This book was good, but not the best one I've ever read. I am not a huge fan of reality shows on TV, but seeing how they are made, I think I'm a bit more into them.
The characters were really nice, they had each a personality with a few of them overlapping, which I think is incredible. The only problem I had with the cast of characters is that they weren't for the most part relatable for me, and they were primarily plain. They weren't therefore credible and that always makes me, unlike the book. Plus, there were too many characters and ALL of them were important to the plot in one way or another, which I really hated because I really mixed some of them up with so many names. The main characters did move the plot for like 3 fourths of the book, except for the ending which I'll talk about in a few moments.
The plot was really well thought out, but the execution could have been way better. I felt like the plot wasn't advancing at most points in the story, and that is a problem. Most parts in the cabin or when she got her phone out didn't actually move the plot, so I feel like they could be perfectly cut out.
Getting into more technical issues, there were so many typos! Sure, I had the ARC, so they could've been fixed, I thought when I saw so many of them. But nope, I checked the actual finished copy of the novel and no typo was corrected. So yeah, there's one thing to look into. Like couldn't the publisher/beta readers/whatever check the spelling of some words or some sentences that didn't make ANY sense? Here is an example of a sentence that actually made it into the finished copy:
"We both agreed that the fact he hadn't been online meant he could the treasure hunter who was here right now."
There is a 'be' missing in that sentence, isn't it?
Anyway, moving on from that there was also a structure that was repeated like at least 7 times I counted. Here is an example: "Where did I see myself now? Riley Ozaki: mixed-up teen or misguided optimist?" The structure is basically question + person + option 1 + OR + option 2, and it is said like a thousand times throughout the book.
Overall, if you're a person who likes reality TV-like books, then this is definitely the book for you. A lot of drama, not so much plot. I personally would recommend this if you wanted to read a different YA novel, set in an unusual setting.
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the advance reader's copy of Reality Gold by Tiffany Brooks. All opinions are my own and honest as they can be.
This book just left me... feeling the same as before reading it.
The story follows a teenage girl, Riley Ozaki, who has been bullied both personally and online because of an incident that happened in her high school. Trying to fix her life, she goes into a reality show, where Riley and other 19 teenagers go on an island and get divided into 2 teams. This island, however, has a hidden treasure in it, which has been hidden for ages, and if she found it, she could have an extra cash. Later, you see she is rich, and she doesn't really care about the money, unlike most of the others, who wanted it for college. She wants the prize and the treasure hidden in the island to fix her reputation. But what would she do to do so? Are there any limits? And who can she trust in this mysterious island?
This book was good, but not the best one I've ever read. I am not a huge fan of reality shows on TV, but seeing how they are made, I think I'm a bit more into them.
The characters were really nice, they had each a personality with a few of them overlapping, which I think is incredible. The only problem I had with the cast of characters is that they weren't for the most part relatable for me, and they were primarily plain. They weren't therefore credible and that always makes me, unlike the book. Plus, there were too many characters and ALL of them were important to the plot in one way or another, which I really hated because I really mixed some of them up with so many names. The main characters did move the plot for like 3 fourths of the book, except for the ending which I'll talk about in a few moments.
The plot was really well thought out, but the execution could have been way better. I felt like the plot wasn't advancing at most points in the story, and that is a problem. Most parts in the cabin or when she got her phone out didn't actually move the plot, so I feel like they could be perfectly cut out.
Getting into more technical issues, there were so many typos! Sure, I had the ARC, so they could've been fixed, I thought when I saw so many of them. But nope, I checked the actual finished copy of the novel and no typo was corrected. So yeah, there's one thing to look into. Like couldn't the publisher/beta readers/whatever check the spelling of some words or some sentences that didn't make ANY sense? Here is an example of a sentence that actually made it into the finished copy:
"We both agreed that the fact he hadn't been online meant he could the treasure hunter who was here right now."
There is a 'be' missing in that sentence, isn't it?
Anyway, moving on from that there was also a structure that was repeated like at least 7 times I counted. Here is an example: "Where did I see myself now? Riley Ozaki: mixed-up teen or misguided optimist?" The structure is basically question + person + option 1 + OR + option 2, and it is said like a thousand times throughout the book.
Overall, if you're a person who likes reality TV-like books, then this is definitely the book for you. A lot of drama, not so much plot. I personally would recommend this if you wanted to read a different YA novel, set in an unusual setting.
DNF @ 60%.
I just couldn't continue. I thought It was pretty boring. I don't even know how I got through the first part of the book.
UPDATE 10/10/17: I tried to finish it on audiobook and OH MAN WAS I WORTH IT. THAT ENDING THOUGH. THAT ENDING. MY HEART IS STILL BEATING FAST. HOLY FCKING HELL.
I just couldn't continue. I thought It was pretty boring. I don't even know how I got through the first part of the book.
UPDATE 10/10/17: I tried to finish it on audiobook and OH MAN WAS I WORTH IT. THAT ENDING THOUGH. THAT ENDING. MY HEART IS STILL BEATING FAST. HOLY FCKING HELL.
4.5 🌟
This book. This book just made me feel all the feels, and it usually just doesn’t happen. FRTC.
This book. This book just made me feel all the feels, and it usually just doesn’t happen. FRTC.
Rating - Four stars
Quite hontestly, i didn’t think i’d like this book at all.
But i ended up loving it like a lot. Now i know. I have to read more kara thomas. That’s established.
FULL REVIEW TO COME.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced reader’s copy of The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas. All opinions are my own.
Quite hontestly, i didn’t think i’d like this book at all.
But i ended up loving it like a lot. Now i know. I have to read more kara thomas. That’s established.
FULL REVIEW TO COME.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced reader’s copy of The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas. All opinions are my own.