kristinabrune_author's reviews
1001 reviews

I gave myself a week to digest this one, which I know sounds crazy, but I STILL just can't really figure out how I feel about it. On one hand, I love Roth's writing and I still love the characters. On the other hand ... I wanted to punch Tris in the face. And then I wanted to punch Four for continuing to baby her and not just tell her to get her shit together. I feel like she fell into that "I'm going to make stupid decisions and be a big baby and wallow in everything that's wrong while I could be doing something super productive" heroine trap which annoys me.

I've heard complaints about the ending, but I liked it. I like where it seems to be heading, although I think this book would have moved a little faster if she had introduced this plot twist earlier in the book. There was a lot happening, but it felt like a lot of nothing. Like maybe she only had enough great material for two books and this one was kind of a filler?

I'm giving it four stars because I'm invested in the trilogy and want to know what happens but I really hope the next one delivers a little more.

I am giving this 5 stars because I'm deeply invested in this series and these characters, but this one was probably really a 4 star for me. I felt like there was a lot happening, and nothing happening at all.

It was satisfying, as a reader, to have both worlds come together, but I wish it had happened earlier in the book. I hope Cashore writes another one (does anyone know if there is going to be another one??) that more deeply explores the relationship between the Dells characters and the seven kingdoms characters. Cashore also did a great job of capturing how overwhelming it would be to be an 18 year old queen of a broken kingdom.

Finally, I really loved Saf, obviously, but found myself hopeful that Bitterblue and Giddon would get together. I think that was hinted at rather strongly, so I'm hoping that was intentional and will be revealed in a fourth book.

Clearly, I am really, really hopeful for a fourth book.

This is King doing what he does best - weaving a world that feels complete, with characters I grow to love and those I hate. He also succeeded again in creeping me out.

Oh how I love this series and it's a good thing because this was not as good as Discovery of Witches. I had trouble following some of the dialogue, which I don't know if it's because I'm dumb or because it was tedious. The middle felt kind of slow and "come on already," and I wish we had more of what was going on in the present day. Also, I wanted to tell Matthew to get over his vampire hang-ups already and stop being an ass.

It was probably more like a 3.5 for me, but I love the series and I did devour this book, so I went with a 4.l

Oh, how I wanted to love this book and was hoping the majority of the reviews were wrong. But, alas they were pretty spot on. I love Grossman's other books, but this one just missed the mark for me. The bones were all there - intrigue, mystery, suspense, history ... But it never quite came together for me. I think the book could have benefitted from more length and more tying together of the plot lines.

However, I think it's worth the read if you're a Grossman fan, and I did speed through it, so it held my attention. Something was just missing.

I read this book so fast I didn't even have time to move it from "to-read" to "currently reading." LOVED it. Really, really good YA.