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megsbookishtwins's reviews
1177 reviews
Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray
5.0
I received this free from the publishers via NetGalley
The whole of New York now know that Evie is a Diviner and that she can read objects and now they are all lining up to see her do it and has become a media sensation and earned her self the title ‘America’s Sweetheart Seer’. However, not everyone is that accepting of Diviners. Meanwhile, a sleeping sickness has be plaguing the city, its origins unknown. Can the Diviners enter the dream world and catch the one responsible?
Libba Bray does it again, and is easily become my favourite author. Lair of Dreams is fantastic, just like The Diviners and it held my attention through this 600 page book, which is not easy to do. It actually surpassed all my expectations and now I am anxiously waiting the sequel which undoubtedly means I will be waiting a very long time, but I can imagine it will be well worth the wait.
Libba Bray has a gift in creating her worlds and the atmosphere and she created the 1920s America atmosphere perfectly with the perfect blend of the supernatural, just like the previous book. The creep factor wasn’t as good as The Diviners but I loved it nonetheless. I also really love Libba Bray’s writing style because it is just so elegant and classy.
I REALLY loved the characters from The Diviners and I loved reading about them again, but Evie, Sam, Theta, Jericho and Mabel all sort of took a back seat in Lair of Dreams – although still fairly present and important – and there was much more focus on Henry and a new character called Ling. So if you weren’t too fond of Henry in the previous book, then you may be disappointed with Lair of Dreams. However, I personally love Henry, especially his back and forth with Ling. I really loved watching their relationship grow. The same can be said with Henry and Louis, whose story is very sad and tragic.
Overall, a fantastic and haunting sequel which won’t disappoint.
The whole of New York now know that Evie is a Diviner and that she can read objects and now they are all lining up to see her do it and has become a media sensation and earned her self the title ‘America’s Sweetheart Seer’. However, not everyone is that accepting of Diviners. Meanwhile, a sleeping sickness has be plaguing the city, its origins unknown. Can the Diviners enter the dream world and catch the one responsible?
Libba Bray does it again, and is easily become my favourite author. Lair of Dreams is fantastic, just like The Diviners and it held my attention through this 600 page book, which is not easy to do. It actually surpassed all my expectations and now I am anxiously waiting the sequel which undoubtedly means I will be waiting a very long time, but I can imagine it will be well worth the wait.
Libba Bray has a gift in creating her worlds and the atmosphere and she created the 1920s America atmosphere perfectly with the perfect blend of the supernatural, just like the previous book. The creep factor wasn’t as good as The Diviners but I loved it nonetheless. I also really love Libba Bray’s writing style because it is just so elegant and classy.
I REALLY loved the characters from The Diviners and I loved reading about them again, but Evie, Sam, Theta, Jericho and Mabel all sort of took a back seat in Lair of Dreams – although still fairly present and important – and there was much more focus on Henry and a new character called Ling. So if you weren’t too fond of Henry in the previous book, then you may be disappointed with Lair of Dreams. However, I personally love Henry, especially his back and forth with Ling. I really loved watching their relationship grow. The same can be said with Henry and Louis, whose story is very sad and tragic.
Overall, a fantastic and haunting sequel which won’t disappoint.
Until We Meet Again by Renee Collins
1.0
I received this free from the publishers via NetGalley
Cassandra has been forced to stay at her parents house in a posh town. Then one evening on her own private beach she meets Lawrence, who claims it is his beach. And to make things worse, it turns out he is from 1925.
I dragged my way through 20% and still I was struggling to read it. So unfortunately a DNF at 20% from me. There is nothing exceptionally bad about it, just not for me. It could be my reading slump, but more likely is the fact that it is just not for me.
The characters are underdeveloped and flat, there was little chemistry between the two leads. I was having a hard time reading it, and then after reading other reviews, a lot were saying it went downhill in the second half and a lot of romance.
So, unfortunately not for me, but perhaps those romance lovers might enjoy it.
Cassandra has been forced to stay at her parents house in a posh town. Then one evening on her own private beach she meets Lawrence, who claims it is his beach. And to make things worse, it turns out he is from 1925.
I dragged my way through 20% and still I was struggling to read it. So unfortunately a DNF at 20% from me. There is nothing exceptionally bad about it, just not for me. It could be my reading slump, but more likely is the fact that it is just not for me.
The characters are underdeveloped and flat, there was little chemistry between the two leads. I was having a hard time reading it, and then after reading other reviews, a lot were saying it went downhill in the second half and a lot of romance.
So, unfortunately not for me, but perhaps those romance lovers might enjoy it.
These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly
3.0
I received this free from the publishers via NetGalley
Jo comes from an aristocratic American family, her family’s only expectation of her is to marry well. However, when her father dies unexpectedly due to an accidental gunshot, Jo is suspicious and is determined to find the truth behind her father’s death.
I am a fan of Jennifer Donnelly, I loved both Revolution and A Northern Light, yet These Shallow Graves really does lack in comparison. For me, there was a certain lack of emotion compared to her other novels and I never really connected to or cared much for Jo. Perhaps because there was a lot of focus on the plot and the murder mystery rather than on the actual characters. However, I’m much more of a fan of character driven novels, so this one just fell a bit short for me.
The plot was engaging and it did keep me interested, but at times it was slow, especially in the middle. I did have an inkling about who did it, but I wasn’t sure. The ending was good, and I really loved the female friendships. It was cliché at times, as was the romance, but I actually really enjoyed the romance despite the insta-love – perhaps it was because I really loved Eddie.
Jo was a decent character, she was naïve a lot of the time which was sometimes irritating, but she was headstrong and daring which I admired. Ultimately a good character, but unfortunately I didn’t connect as emotionally to her, or other characters, as I hoped.
Overall, a decent recent with a good and compelling mystery, but fell short of my expectation.
Jo comes from an aristocratic American family, her family’s only expectation of her is to marry well. However, when her father dies unexpectedly due to an accidental gunshot, Jo is suspicious and is determined to find the truth behind her father’s death.
I am a fan of Jennifer Donnelly, I loved both Revolution and A Northern Light, yet These Shallow Graves really does lack in comparison. For me, there was a certain lack of emotion compared to her other novels and I never really connected to or cared much for Jo. Perhaps because there was a lot of focus on the plot and the murder mystery rather than on the actual characters. However, I’m much more of a fan of character driven novels, so this one just fell a bit short for me.
The plot was engaging and it did keep me interested, but at times it was slow, especially in the middle. I did have an inkling about who did it, but I wasn’t sure. The ending was good, and I really loved the female friendships. It was cliché at times, as was the romance, but I actually really enjoyed the romance despite the insta-love – perhaps it was because I really loved Eddie.
Jo was a decent character, she was naïve a lot of the time which was sometimes irritating, but she was headstrong and daring which I admired. Ultimately a good character, but unfortunately I didn’t connect as emotionally to her, or other characters, as I hoped.
Overall, a decent recent with a good and compelling mystery, but fell short of my expectation.
Tiny Pretty Things by Dhonielle Clayton, Sona Charaipotra
5.0
I really loved this, it was gritty with a lot of backstabbing and drama. A fantastically written novel
Faking Normal by Courtney C. Stevens
5.0
A really intense and emotional read. I made the mistake of starting this right before I went to bed and before I realized it was midnight, I was halfway through and unable to stop reading and I just had to continue to see how Alexi coped and spoke out. I loved Alexi and Bodee's relationship, and how they helped each other speak out and come to terms with what happened. A really moving and heart wrenching read. Wholeheartedly recommend.
All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
1.0
I received this free from the publisher via netgalley
There may be some spoilers, be wary. Also, some mentions of suicide and mental illness.
Theodore Finch is obsessed with death and is constantly thinking about ways in which he could kill himself. One day when on the ledge of the bell tower at school he meets Violet Markey and they grow closer together when they are doing a geography project together.
When I first requested All The Bright Places on NetGalley, I was super excited as I started to see loads of positive things about it, high ratings and good reviews. However, some negative reviews and ratings were starting to come around and I wasn't so excited. I thought I might as well read it and see for myself. I was hugely disappointed in this book.
I'm going to start with the thing I didn't like most with this book, and that was Theodore Finch. I, personally, found him to be manipulative, pushy and very creepy. For starters, there was a chapter when Violet and Theodore were talking over facebook, and he wouldn't leave her alone. I'm going to list some examples.
Example #1
Seriously? Leave her alone. As someone who has personally experience a guy trying to manipulate me into going somewhere with him, this really does not sit well with me. She obviously wants to be left alone.
Example #2
Then it gets worse.
Well no wonder, it's the middle of the night and she's already told you not to come over and you didn't listen, now your stood outside he house at night staring at her window and you really expected her to meet you? Seriously? It continues...
And now he is trying to make her feel bad that she wouldn't come out IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT to meet this guy WHO WON'T LEAVE HER ALONE, and someone WHO SHE DOESN'T EVEN LIKE. No wonder, she wouldn't meet him. Also, she did tell him she couldn't meet him, yet he ignores it.
Example #3
Example #4
...Later in the same scene...
The hell? Do I even need to explain why this is wrong?
So yeah, you could probably guess why I didn't like Theodore and why I didn't like the 'romance'. It made me mad and uncomfortable reading that stuff. This obsession he had with Violet all started because she smiled at him, and then he continued to pursue her, quite forcefully which I did not feel comfortable reading, at all. There were just some many things which felt wrong, the way he ambushed her and forced her to work with him by announcing to everyone by putting his hand up that he chooses to work with Violet. It's seems like those situations where the guys goes something like 'What, no hug?" or some shit in front of everyone to make you feel rude and so you do it anyway. It's gross and it makes Violet uncomfortable and why would you want to put this message across, that this is romantic?
This meant that I couldn't connect with Theodore and I didn't feel for him emotionally, but then I felt bad for not liking him in the end due to his own problems. It made me feel manipulated and guilty.
I liked Violet, I really did, but again, I never connected with her. There was also some slut shaming as well, which I didn't like. I also didn't like the fact that suicide and mental illness was used as a plot device to further the 'romance' and Violet's character development, and I felt like suicide and mental illness was actually romanticised in a way.
Overall, this book just really did not sit well with me at all. I would not recommend.
There may be some spoilers, be wary. Also, some mentions of suicide and mental illness.
Theodore Finch is obsessed with death and is constantly thinking about ways in which he could kill himself. One day when on the ledge of the bell tower at school he meets Violet Markey and they grow closer together when they are doing a geography project together.
When I first requested All The Bright Places on NetGalley, I was super excited as I started to see loads of positive things about it, high ratings and good reviews. However, some negative reviews and ratings were starting to come around and I wasn't so excited. I thought I might as well read it and see for myself. I was hugely disappointed in this book.
I'm going to start with the thing I didn't like most with this book, and that was Theodore Finch. I, personally, found him to be manipulative, pushy and very creepy. For starters, there was a chapter when Violet and Theodore were talking over facebook, and he wouldn't leave her alone. I'm going to list some examples.
Example #1
Finch: If you don't want to talk on Facebook, I can just come over.
Me: Now?
Finch: Well, technically in, like, five or ten minutes. I should get dressed first, unless you prefer me naked, and we have to allow for driving time.
Me: It's late.
Finch: That depends on who you ask. See, I don't necessarily think it's late. I think it's early. Early in our lives. Early in the night. Early in the new year. If you're counting, you'll notice the earlys outnumber the lates. It's just to talk. Nothing more. It's not like I'm hitting on you.
Finch: Unless you want me to. Hit on you, I mean.
Me: No.
Finch: "No" you don't want me to come over? or "no" you don't want me hitting on you?
Me: Both. Either. All of the above.
Finch: Okay. We can just talk at school. Maybe across the room during geography, or I can find you at lunch. You eat with Amanda and Roamer, am I right?
Oh my God. Make it stop. Make him go away.
Me: If you come over tonight, do you promise to drop it once and for all?
Seriously? Leave her alone. As someone who has personally experience a guy trying to manipulate me into going somewhere with him, this really does not sit well with me. She obviously wants to be left alone.
Example #2
but then he writes: Meet me at the Quarry
Me: I can't
Finch: Don't keep me waiting. On second thought, I'll meet you at your house.
Me: I can't.
No answer.
Me: Finch?
Then it gets worse.
I throw rocks at her window but she doesn't come down. I think about ringing the doorbell, but that would only wake the parents. I try waiting her out, but the curtain doesn't move, and the door doesn't open, and it is really fucking cold, so finally I climb into Little Bastard and go home.
Well no wonder, it's the middle of the night and she's already told you not to come over and you didn't listen, now your stood outside he house at night staring at her window and you really expected her to meet you? Seriously? It continues...
The next morning. My house. I walk out the door to find Finch lying on the front lawn, eyes closed, black boots crossed at the ankle. His bike rests on its side, half in and half off the street.
I kick the sole of his shoe. "Were you out here all night?" He opens his eyes. "So you did know I was here. Hard to tell when a person's being ignored while standing, I may add, in the freezing artic cold."
And now he is trying to make her feel bad that she wouldn't come out IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT to meet this guy WHO WON'T LEAVE HER ALONE, and someone WHO SHE DOESN'T EVEN LIKE. No wonder, she wouldn't meet him. Also, she did tell him she couldn't meet him, yet he ignores it.
Example #3
This time Violet is waiting. As I double over, catching my breath, she says, "Why are you doing this?" And I can tell she isn't happy or embarrassed, she's pissed.
"Let's run so you're not late to class."
"I'm not running anywhere."
"I can't help you then."
"Oh my God. You are driving me crazy, Finch."
I lean in, and she backs up into a locker. Her eyes are darting everywhere like she's terrified someone might see Violet Markey and Theodore Finch together. God forbid Ryan Cross walks by and gets the wrong idea. I wonder what she'd say to him - It's not what it looks like. Theodore Freak is harassing me. He won't leave me alone.
Example #4
Two a.m. Wednesday. My bedroom.
I wake up to the sound of rocks at my window. At first I think I'm dreaming, but then I hear it again. I get up and peek through the blinds, and Theodore Finch is standing in my front yard dressed in pajama bottoms and a dark hoodie.
I open the window and lean out. "Go away." I'm still mad at him for getting me detention, first of my life. And I'm mad at Ryan for thinking we're going out again, and whose fault is that? I've been acting like a tease, kissing him on his dimple, kissing him at the drive-in. I'm mad at everyone, mostly myself. "Go away", I say again.
"Please don't make me climb this tree, because i'll probably fall and break my neck and we have too much to do for me to be hospitalized."
"We don't have anything else to do. We've already done it." But I smooth my hair and roll on some lip gloss and pull on a bathrobe. If I don't go down, who knows what might happen.
...Later in the same scene...
"Sorry. But now that you are, let's go."
"I'm not going anywhere."
He stands and starts walking to the car. He turns and says too loudly, "Come on."
"I can't just take off when I want to."
"You're not still mad, are you?"
"Actually yes. But look at me. I'm not even dressed."
"Fine. Then leave the ugly bathrobe. Get some shoes and a jacket. Do not take time to change anything else. Write a note to your parents so they won't worry if they wake up and find you gone. I'll give you three minutes before I come up after you."
The hell? Do I even need to explain why this is wrong?
So yeah, you could probably guess why I didn't like Theodore and why I didn't like the 'romance'. It made me mad and uncomfortable reading that stuff. This obsession he had with Violet all started because she smiled at him, and then he continued to pursue her, quite forcefully which I did not feel comfortable reading, at all. There were just some many things which felt wrong, the way he ambushed her and forced her to work with him by announcing to everyone by putting his hand up that he chooses to work with Violet. It's seems like those situations where the guys goes something like 'What, no hug?" or some shit in front of everyone to make you feel rude and so you do it anyway. It's gross and it makes Violet uncomfortable and why would you want to put this message across, that this is romantic?
This meant that I couldn't connect with Theodore and I didn't feel for him emotionally, but then I felt bad for not liking him in the end due to his own problems. It made me feel manipulated and guilty.
I liked Violet, I really did, but again, I never connected with her. There was also some slut shaming as well, which I didn't like. I also didn't like the fact that suicide and mental illness was used as a plot device to further the 'romance' and Violet's character development, and I felt like suicide and mental illness was actually romanticised in a way.
Overall, this book just really did not sit well with me at all. I would not recommend.
Gone Too Far by Natalie D. Richards
3.0
I received this free from the publishers via NetGalley
"I don't think you've got a terrible person in you."
"I think we all do. If you scratch the surface."
Piper Woods hates high school and she can't wait to get out of there. One day when she is late to school and finds a notebook on the school steps. In need of some last minute revision she hopes to find some chemistry notes yet finds mutilated photographs and a list of sins of the schools students. She dismisses it as some joke, yet when a girl named Stella had a sex tape leaked and Stella dies, Piper can't help to think she could have done something more. She soon starts receiving anonymous texts who wants Piper to pick students for revenge and to make things right.
I was pleasantly surprised by Gone Too Far and did genuinely enjoy most of it. However, I can only give it 3 stars because something was missing. While the plot was intriguing and tense during the end, I had already guessed who the culprit behind the texts were so that made it a little less fun for me. I felt like the motivations was a too vague and flimsy and not really something you would think would cause someone to go to so much trouble to get justice.
One main problem was that Gone Too Far was that it was full of cliches and tropes that I'm not massively fond of.
Piper Woods - The not popular girl who is usually ignored and thinks herself as sort of a geek with a hatred for the popular students, but obviously she falls for the hot jock. A group of friends, one of course is the golden girl and another a tech savvy geek.
Nick - The Loveable Jock who has always had a thing for Piper, but of course she doesn't know about it until all the drama starts and they fall for each other.
Jackson - The Mean Jock and is the main villain of the story and there is a showdown between Piper Woods and Jackson.
There also really weren't much development of the secondary characters which I would to have liked to have seen, or even get to know more about Stella DuBois, the girl who died and started Piper on the road she went on, but we didn't really get to know much about her.
However, I did like Piper. I understood her and why she felt responsible for what happened, and her reactions to things. She was impulsive and naive but I really enjoyed seeing her grow and develop as her person. She eventually came to question sending the names for the anonymous vigilante to get payback on, because she saw the effect it had. So I liked how it questioned what is right and wrong, between justice and revenge and the morality of what she was caught up in. So the character development of the main character was definitely a bonus, it was just a shame the other characters were not as fleshed out.
Overall, not a terrible read, and it was enjoyable despite some not-so-good elements. I would recommend you check it out if it sounds like something you would enjoy.
"I don't think you've got a terrible person in you."
"I think we all do. If you scratch the surface."
Piper Woods hates high school and she can't wait to get out of there. One day when she is late to school and finds a notebook on the school steps. In need of some last minute revision she hopes to find some chemistry notes yet finds mutilated photographs and a list of sins of the schools students. She dismisses it as some joke, yet when a girl named Stella had a sex tape leaked and Stella dies, Piper can't help to think she could have done something more. She soon starts receiving anonymous texts who wants Piper to pick students for revenge and to make things right.
I was pleasantly surprised by Gone Too Far and did genuinely enjoy most of it. However, I can only give it 3 stars because something was missing. While the plot was intriguing and tense during the end, I had already guessed who the culprit behind the texts were so that made it a little less fun for me. I felt like the motivations was a too vague and flimsy and not really something you would think would cause someone to go to so much trouble to get justice.
One main problem was that Gone Too Far was that it was full of cliches and tropes that I'm not massively fond of.
Piper Woods - The not popular girl who is usually ignored and thinks herself as sort of a geek with a hatred for the popular students, but obviously she falls for the hot jock. A group of friends, one of course is the golden girl and another a tech savvy geek.
Nick - The Loveable Jock who has always had a thing for Piper, but of course she doesn't know about it until all the drama starts and they fall for each other.
Jackson - The Mean Jock and is the main villain of the story and there is a showdown between Piper Woods and Jackson.
There also really weren't much development of the secondary characters which I would to have liked to have seen, or even get to know more about Stella DuBois, the girl who died and started Piper on the road she went on, but we didn't really get to know much about her.
However, I did like Piper. I understood her and why she felt responsible for what happened, and her reactions to things. She was impulsive and naive but I really enjoyed seeing her grow and develop as her person. She eventually came to question sending the names for the anonymous vigilante to get payback on, because she saw the effect it had. So I liked how it questioned what is right and wrong, between justice and revenge and the morality of what she was caught up in. So the character development of the main character was definitely a bonus, it was just a shame the other characters were not as fleshed out.
Overall, not a terrible read, and it was enjoyable despite some not-so-good elements. I would recommend you check it out if it sounds like something you would enjoy.
I Was Here by Gayle Forman
4.0
I received this free from the publisher via NetGalley
'There is absolutely nothing romantic about dying young.'
Warning for mentions of suicide.
I Was Here follows Cody Reynolds following the suicide of her best friend Meg. Cody searches for answers as to why her friend Meg took her own side. I Was Here is a story of self-discovery, grief and forgiveness.
I read If I Stay last year and I wasn't too impressed with it, felt little connection to the characters and I struggled to keep reading at times. However I Was Here was the much better read, for me personally. I felt like I Was Here was a very powerful read and I was very pleased that suicide was not romanticized or glamorized. I thought it was raw and painful and it showed the aftermath of suicide for the people who have been left behind.
I really liked Cody as a narrator. I found her interesting, even when she was doing everyday activities. I really liked her voice and she was very easy to read. I found I could relate to her a little bit, and that really helped my enjoyment. Sometimes I couldn't understand the choices she made, but I did understand her grief and her reaction was obviously just her way of coping. There were other secondary characters that I really enjoyed and I felt like they were really fleshed out such as Alice and Richard and Harry, Megs former room mates.
While I did enjoy the romance, I personally did not think it was necessary to the story. I felt like there could have been less emphasis on the relationship with Ben. I personally would have loved to have got to know Meg better, perhaps some flashbacks and actually see the friendship rather than just hear about it. I also enjoyed Cody's relationship with Meg's family, and even Cody's relationship with her own Mother.
Overall, an emotional read and I would recommend, especially if you are a fan of Gayle Forman.
'There is absolutely nothing romantic about dying young.'
Warning for mentions of suicide.
I Was Here follows Cody Reynolds following the suicide of her best friend Meg. Cody searches for answers as to why her friend Meg took her own side. I Was Here is a story of self-discovery, grief and forgiveness.
I read If I Stay last year and I wasn't too impressed with it, felt little connection to the characters and I struggled to keep reading at times. However I Was Here was the much better read, for me personally. I felt like I Was Here was a very powerful read and I was very pleased that suicide was not romanticized or glamorized. I thought it was raw and painful and it showed the aftermath of suicide for the people who have been left behind.
I really liked Cody as a narrator. I found her interesting, even when she was doing everyday activities. I really liked her voice and she was very easy to read. I found I could relate to her a little bit, and that really helped my enjoyment. Sometimes I couldn't understand the choices she made, but I did understand her grief and her reaction was obviously just her way of coping. There were other secondary characters that I really enjoyed and I felt like they were really fleshed out such as Alice and Richard and Harry, Megs former room mates.
While I did enjoy the romance, I personally did not think it was necessary to the story. I felt like there could have been less emphasis on the relationship with Ben. I personally would have loved to have got to know Meg better, perhaps some flashbacks and actually see the friendship rather than just hear about it. I also enjoyed Cody's relationship with Meg's family, and even Cody's relationship with her own Mother.
Overall, an emotional read and I would recommend, especially if you are a fan of Gayle Forman.
Breaking Sky by Cory McCarthy
2.0
I received this free from the publisher via NetGalley
DNF at 40%
The year is 2048 and the USA has isolated itself from the rest of the world. There is a cold war happening between the USA and New Eastern Block. Chase Harcourt, aka 'Nyx' is a pilot for the Air Force Academy, one of two pilots who fly the 'Streaker' jets. She is impulsive and disobedient. One day when Chase is in the sky she thinks she sees another 'Streaker', one that is not from the USA. The world starts to tilt towards war.
I have a new bookish resolution for 2015, and that is to not read a book that I am not enjoying. With university being so busy, I have little time to read, especially in upcoming months, so I decided to not waste my time on books that I'm not enjoying. While I feel bad 'reviewing' a book I haven't finished, I still feel the need to say why I did not finish it.
So, to start with, I just want to say that Breaking Sky just could not hold my attention. I had started to skim read which is never good. One main problem I had was the world building. Perhaps because I hadn't got far enough, but I would assume that by 40% there would be some decent background information and world building. Why is there a cold war? In a book like this you need to give that information. Also why did the USA isolate itself? I understand other countries can't help, but why? Why can't they help? I needed this sort of information in order to fully engage with that dystopian world. Unfortunately, I didn't get any of that information.
Chase was a character that I did admire, but there were a lot that annoyed me. For example constantly breaking the rules, which are there for a reason then is a bit shocked and then worried when she has to suffer the consequences. While she does accept them, she will then go on to break more rules, despite already having a formal warning. She nearly causes a war and nearly heats up a cold war, all to prove a point. She was like a child throwing a tantrum. You would think due to vulnerable and fragile circumstances and tension between the countries she wouldn't start breaking treaties single handedly. There was a lot of slut shaming in Breaking Sky, Chase was constantly getting called a 'skank' and a 'tease' by everyone except her best friend, Henry, aka Pippin. Then when her love interest Tristan came into the picture everything started to get really cliché.
Overall, it was not for me, but that isn't to say that others might not like it.
DNF at 40%
The year is 2048 and the USA has isolated itself from the rest of the world. There is a cold war happening between the USA and New Eastern Block. Chase Harcourt, aka 'Nyx' is a pilot for the Air Force Academy, one of two pilots who fly the 'Streaker' jets. She is impulsive and disobedient. One day when Chase is in the sky she thinks she sees another 'Streaker', one that is not from the USA. The world starts to tilt towards war.
I have a new bookish resolution for 2015, and that is to not read a book that I am not enjoying. With university being so busy, I have little time to read, especially in upcoming months, so I decided to not waste my time on books that I'm not enjoying. While I feel bad 'reviewing' a book I haven't finished, I still feel the need to say why I did not finish it.
So, to start with, I just want to say that Breaking Sky just could not hold my attention. I had started to skim read which is never good. One main problem I had was the world building. Perhaps because I hadn't got far enough, but I would assume that by 40% there would be some decent background information and world building. Why is there a cold war? In a book like this you need to give that information. Also why did the USA isolate itself? I understand other countries can't help, but why? Why can't they help? I needed this sort of information in order to fully engage with that dystopian world. Unfortunately, I didn't get any of that information.
Chase was a character that I did admire, but there were a lot that annoyed me. For example constantly breaking the rules, which are there for a reason then is a bit shocked and then worried when she has to suffer the consequences. While she does accept them, she will then go on to break more rules, despite already having a formal warning. She nearly causes a war and nearly heats up a cold war, all to prove a point. She was like a child throwing a tantrum. You would think due to vulnerable and fragile circumstances and tension between the countries she wouldn't start breaking treaties single handedly. There was a lot of slut shaming in Breaking Sky, Chase was constantly getting called a 'skank' and a 'tease' by everyone except her best friend, Henry, aka Pippin. Then when her love interest Tristan came into the picture everything started to get really cliché.
Overall, it was not for me, but that isn't to say that others might not like it.
Captive by Aimée Carter
3.0
I received this free from the publishers via NetGalley
“The only thing that really matters in the end is how we choose to live.”
Captive is the second book in The Blackcoat Rebellion series, the first being Pawn.
In Captive, Kitty Doe aka Lila Hart has been betrayed, hurt and accused of treason which lands her in Elsewhere. A prison that no one has ever escaped from. She is surrounded by people she doesn't know if she can trust, she doesn't know who is with her or against her. Kitty is part of the rebellion, but is she really ready to do whatever it takes to win?
If you read my review of the first book in this series here you would see that I was pretty positive about it, but I felt the world building could have been a bit better. Unfortunately, I don't think it was much better. There was a different side of the society shown in the Elsewhere, but that was the only development. It was like we can only see the two opposites - the leaders and the prisoners. While I found the Elsewhere interesting and honest and brutal, much more interesting that the setting in the previous book, it still felt short. I can't really put my finger on it, but I do know for sure that I would like to see other parts of society, not just in the palace walls or the prison walls.
If you also read my review on the previous book you can see my admiration for Kitty, and her selfishness. In Captive, she seems like a completely different person, and while she sticks by her decision she made at the end of Pawn, she seems to put the Rebellion in front of Benjy, which is something she never did in the first one. In Pawn she did everything she could to protect Benjy, yet in Captive she didn't really, it seems like he was a little less important to her in this book. Perhaps the author wanted to make room for Knox? Either way, I didn't like this character change in her, especially as it seems to have came about out of nowhere.
While there were many twists and turns, I felt the pacing was a little too fast in the first half of the book. It seemed so rushed and it all happened so fast, especially with the supposed betrayal. Yet the first half also bored me as well, despite being rushed. I must not have been that invested in the book much. However, by the second half, when we see Elsewhere, it gets a lot better, but I feel like the shortcomings of the first half - perhaps I just got bored of the setting - can't really warrant 4 stars from me.
The romance did not really interest me at all. While I like Benjy and Kitty aka Lila, I just don't see the love there, or much of the chemistry. This may be due to the simple fact is that we have never really seen their relationship develop. From Pawn they were together from the beginning and were already in love. I just feel as though the romance was a little bland and flat for me. Also, I think I see a potential love triangle, but thankfully it isn't exactly there, which is a positive.
Overall, if you really loved Pawn then of course, this is a must read.
“The only thing that really matters in the end is how we choose to live.”
Captive is the second book in The Blackcoat Rebellion series, the first being Pawn.
In Captive, Kitty Doe aka Lila Hart has been betrayed, hurt and accused of treason which lands her in Elsewhere. A prison that no one has ever escaped from. She is surrounded by people she doesn't know if she can trust, she doesn't know who is with her or against her. Kitty is part of the rebellion, but is she really ready to do whatever it takes to win?
If you read my review of the first book in this series here you would see that I was pretty positive about it, but I felt the world building could have been a bit better. Unfortunately, I don't think it was much better. There was a different side of the society shown in the Elsewhere, but that was the only development. It was like we can only see the two opposites - the leaders and the prisoners. While I found the Elsewhere interesting and honest and brutal, much more interesting that the setting in the previous book, it still felt short. I can't really put my finger on it, but I do know for sure that I would like to see other parts of society, not just in the palace walls or the prison walls.
If you also read my review on the previous book you can see my admiration for Kitty, and her selfishness. In Captive, she seems like a completely different person, and while she sticks by her decision she made at the end of Pawn, she seems to put the Rebellion in front of Benjy, which is something she never did in the first one. In Pawn she did everything she could to protect Benjy, yet in Captive she didn't really, it seems like he was a little less important to her in this book. Perhaps the author wanted to make room for Knox? Either way, I didn't like this character change in her, especially as it seems to have came about out of nowhere.
While there were many twists and turns, I felt the pacing was a little too fast in the first half of the book. It seemed so rushed and it all happened so fast, especially with the supposed betrayal. Yet the first half also bored me as well, despite being rushed. I must not have been that invested in the book much. However, by the second half, when we see Elsewhere, it gets a lot better, but I feel like the shortcomings of the first half - perhaps I just got bored of the setting - can't really warrant 4 stars from me.
The romance did not really interest me at all. While I like Benjy and Kitty aka Lila, I just don't see the love there, or much of the chemistry. This may be due to the simple fact is that we have never really seen their relationship develop. From Pawn they were together from the beginning and were already in love. I just feel as though the romance was a little bland and flat for me. Also, I think I see a potential love triangle, but thankfully it isn't exactly there, which is a positive.
Overall, if you really loved Pawn then of course, this is a must read.