paper_queen's reviews
83 reviews

I'm disappointed, is all I can say.

The characters were flat, I couldn't get to know them. There was, quite frankly, nothing going on, except for Cassia's own fancies. No action, no tension, nothing. The writing style felt almost robotic. Like the main character was just describing the obvious. The only reason I pushed through it is because of the Society. They really fascinated me. The whole rule system and matching system. I also enjoyed the cool little inventions, like dream tags and datapods. The end picked up a little, but I don't know if I will continue in this series.

Initial Response
Aww, that was kinda cute. ^_^

High Lights
- Harper and Kale are just the cutest couple. I ship them so hard. <3

I love how they could just relate to each other, both 'losing' a parent, both going through a rough time, their relationship was basically squishy and adorable.

- I love how the author can make the mundane tasks of everyday life entertaining to read. Even just reading about Harper having breakfast with her Uncle, I was still so enthralled.
- KALE IS PRECIOUS AND NEEDS TO BE PROTECTED AT ALL COSTS. O_O His sad eyes, cold skin, MY HEART. *clutches chest*
- I liked how Harper was clearly more introverted, but she still loved going out and doing things with her friends. I feel like introverts are so misrepresented in fiction, as these shy, antisocial people. The author portrayed this very well.

Low Lights
- It wasn't very fast-paced. I kept waiting for something big and shocking to happen and I had to wait until a ways in before anything really exciting happened. That's not to say I didn't like the chill-ness of the book, I just prefer a lot of action.
- Okay, so this is going to sound so horrible...

I almost...kind of wanted Kale to die. PLEASE HEAR ME OUT. O_O The reason I say this, is because I felt like that's what the story was building up to. You this impending feeling of doom, and you were just waiting to be hit really hard in the feels...but then it never came. And I literally almost felt disappointed. I mean, I'm glad as anyone he's alive and well, but...I don't know, it felt wrapped up really easily, I guess. *shrug*

- There was a lot of swearing, and a few suggestive parts, which I didn't appreciate.

Conclusion
This was a cute, semi-contemporary, semi-time-travel-esque novel about a boy with PTSD and a sad girl. If you're looking for something relatively light, maybe a nice summer read for the beach, I would recommend this. (With caution, since, there are some swears and risqué parts.)

This was a very interesting concept, and I can appreciate the book for that alone. A science that's all about writing new worlds into existence? YES PLEASE. However, it wasn't quite as action-packed as I liked my books to be. Things moved along nicely, the story humming along merrily, but there wasn't very much...going on. There was lots of inner monologue and figuring out what to do with the situations presented to the characters. It was slow going. But the characters are what kept me reading. At first, I really didn't like Elsa (and despite my attempts, I couldn't help but think of Frozen every time I read her name XD), but she started to grow on me toward the end, and I eventually ended up rooting for her. Leo was a FUN character, I loved his sass and cocky attitude.

AND I WAS VERY UPSET AT HIM AT THE END. *huffs angrily*

I also really loved Porzia and Faraz, they were wonderful side characters. I was kind of wishing Faraz had had a larger role in the story, but he was a great supporting character. 
I didn't really care for the romance, I thought it was rushed and a bit of a cliche. Elsa and Leo are a very cute couple, but I wished there had been more time for it to play out instead of just rushing right into the thick of it. 

I liked the setting, but at times, it felt a bit out of place to me. Sometimes I would forget that it was actually set in the 1800s, it felt so modernly written. I loved all of the neat gadgets and gizmos and SKANDAR IS PRECIOUS. I want one. <3

There were quite a few twists, and I didn't see most of them coming. A couple I predicted from the get-go, but there were some that caught me by surprise.

LIKE THAT ENDING WHICH WAS TOTALLY UNCALLED FOR AND OUT OF FORM. I'M STILL ANGRY. GAH.

 

All in all, it was a nice read. Nothing spectacular, but I found myself coming back to it, curious to see where the story went and enjoying the character interactions. It was a nice escape from the real world. If you'd like a fun steampunk read, I'd definitely consider picking this one up.

Initial Response
Aww, that was so heartwarming! ^_^

High Lights
- Jensen is an adorable little cinnamon roll that needs a hug, okay?
- Jenny is...well, she's interesting, for sure. XD And Akilah is perfect for her. They balance themselves out quite evenly.
- The illustrations, of course, are FABULOUS. I love how much feeling Chmakova evokes in her images. I feel exactly how the characters feel.
- I love how diverse the people at Berrybrook Middle School are! I especially like the math tutor, who has arm braces to help him walk. I thought that was really neat to include that, and I'm actually really curious about him now...
- I hope Jensen becomes an astronaut someday. Really.

Low Lights
- None, really. I just really liked this cute book.

Conclusion
Well, considering I read it in one sitting, I'd say it's a good read! You don't have to have read the first book in order to understand this sequel. (Though I recommend you check out the first book, because it's ADORABLE.) This is a perfect, light summer read!

Initial Response
O_______O

High Lights
- ALL THE ACTION AND SUSPENSE. I could not stop turning pages. EEP!
- I found all of the different character POVs really interesting. I was always wondering how everything would connect. And I was not disappointed!
- THE TWISTS.

NATE YOU JERK. *sobs loudly* How could you? How?!

- At first, I didn't really like Bryan. But towards the end there...

*sobs* WHY?! Didn't really care about Ethan, but WHY BRYAN?!

- All of the mystery was absolutely, enticingly gripping! I kept thinking I knew what was happening and then something would happen and I'd totally change my mind!

Low Lights
- The swearing bothered me quite a bit. I thought there was more than necessary, but I guess it wasn't totally horrible. It could've been worse, I'll say. But it still definitely knocks off a star.
- There were a few chilling bits, but nothing horribly graphic. And they were essential to the story, so I didn't skip them.
- I felt slightly sickened by the morals of the kids.

I don't know how they could've done those things. They either had no common sense, or they were heartless. Also, how on earth was this funded by the government?! How could they just experiment on this poor little town and get away with saying they had no part in it? Explain this to me.

- THAT ENDING.

WHY. But seriously, I'm positive it was Sydney. Nobody can tell me otherwise.

Favorite Quotes
“Maybe I don’t understand love because no one who has said they loved me has ever put me first. I’ve always wanted to be loved.”

“No matter how many warnings are posted, no one actually believes that online behavior can hurt their lives or the lives of others. Especially if there is a cloak of anonymity. Everyone feels shielded, safe, and invincible.”
 
“WHAT DO YOU NEED?”

Conclusion
This was a gripping, unputdownable read! The language was troublesome at times, so that bumped a star down for me, but I managed to look past that for the most part. Also just the idea behind this. That this could possibly happen. That's probably the scariest thing about this book. But, all-in-all, this was a riveting read!

Initial Response
Aww, this was so cute and fun!

High Lights
- ALL THE WORD PLAY. Seriously, that was like my favorite part of the whole book. It's just SO. COOL. :D
- The illustrations are really neat too. Artsy and fun.
- Dill is probably my favorite character of the book. He's hilarious and clever and also a genius.
- I thought it was really cool that Penelope wanted to be a writer. And so I really was rooting her on for just that reason.

Low Lights
- It is a middle grade book, but I didn't know that until I started reading it. (I picked it up at a local bookstore with no idea as to what it was about.) And I totally have nothing against middle grade books. I love them! I've just found I don't get as emotionally invested as I do in YA books. *shrug*
- Yeah...that was a big factor for me. The writing, even though it's witty and clever, is definitely written for a younger target group. So...yeah.
- Also, I kinda low-key hate Penelope's parents. Just a smidgen.

Conclusion
This was a fun and whimsical read! Though I didn't enjoy at much as I anticipated, I still really liked it. And it was a very quick read too. A fun, fluffy story. 

This was...definitely a mixed bag for me.

On the one hand, I thought the concept was really fascinating. A Tinder-like app for superheroes to meet supervillains so they can become nemeses? I love it. It's funny, it's quirky, it sounds like a wild ride. And I really did love the uniqueness of the format, being told in text messages. It was a nice break from the usual novel format. Though unfortunately, I feel like the story suffered a little because of this format. It didn't feel entirely coherent a lot of the time, at least for me. Things were rushed when I feel like they shouldn't have been while some things dragged on for too long. And the characters using earpieces almost felt like cheating? In a way? It felt kinda weird and sometimes really out of place for the characters to be using their speech-to-text in certain situations. I understand it was needed for the story to progress, but it still just felt a little off to me.

But I think the thing that unsettled me the most was how flippantly death is treated throughout the entire novel. Now, I understand that these are superheroes and supervillains we're talking about here. I watch Marvel. I get it. But also...I mean, they're literal teenagers? That seem totally chill with maiming, seriously hurting, and killing each other? A lot? And a lot of the characters seem totally chill with joking about being killed, but they actually believe that they could be killed? And they still joke about it? All the time? One of the characters even flaunts the fact that they have an extremely high body count. This is not supposed to be the main "actual" villain of the story (air quotes because technically they are a villain, but...they're a main character?) This is a character that I'm supposed to like and relate to.

I just really didn't.

With the way death is treated, it also made the target audience for this novel a bit of a mystery. At times, the writing style reads almost like a middle grade novel. But the things the characters talk about seem much more mature than that, and mixed in with the carefree attitude toward death?

I don't know man.

The whole tone of the novel felt a bit off to me, honestly. The villain was severely underdeveloped and I saw the big twist coming from a mile away, which made it frustrating when the characters couldn't figure it out sooner. This could just be a personal preference, as I love villains that have a deep and meaningful backstory that a reader can sympathize with (or at least understand). This just wasn't it, chief. The villain isn't revealed until over halfway through the book (even though I knew who it was going to be right from the beginning). Why? Why not build up their villainy and make them a really threat? Why only throw it in towards the end?

The two-dimensionality of some of the side characters was also frustrating. Going into this novel, I felt like the whole of point of the book was to turn campy superhero tropes on their heads and put a unique spin on stereotypes in the genre. But the side characters especially felt really cliche and underdeveloped to me, which was disappointing. I still liked them, but it felt like a very surface-level type of enjoyment, you know?

I hadn't realized how much I had to say about this book haha, and it feels like I'm bashing it quite a bit when in actuality it was an interesting read. The characters had good banter—if a little corny and off the wall sometimes—their dynamics were good, the whole concept was really interesting, and the unique format did really create a neat reading experience. But I just wasn't entirely sold with the story and a lot of the morals of the characters. It wasn't a bad read, but I'm not entirely sure if I enjoyed it either.

But that's just me. If this sounds like an interesting story to you, go for it! Don't let me stop you. It doesn't take long to read, because of the text message format, so if you're curious, give it a try! Maybe you'll be able to enjoy it more than I did. :)

Initial Response
WHAT. ACTUALLY. JUST. HAPPENED. AAAAGGGGGHHHH.

High Lights
- WHAT. WHUT. WAT. WUT.
- *internal screaming*
- *flails for a million years*
- *and then dies*
- HOW DO I EVEN BEGIN TO DESCRIBE THIS BOOK HELP ME.
- I can't guys. I can't.
- The CHARACTERS. GAH I LOVES THEM. Tommy is awesome, Kat is awesome,

THEY NEED TO BE A THING

, Jimmy is awesome, Kiri Lee is awesome, Johnny and Autumn are awesome, Jett is...Jett.
- O-O
-

JETT WWHHHHHHHHHHHYYYYY??????? NO. I REFUSE TO BELIEVE HE'S DEAD. I REFUSE! *cries forever*

- Ohmygosh, the WORLDBUILDING IS AMAZING. The Gnomes are possibly the most hilarious things ever and they're just so like epic.
- I don't even know words omg.
-

GRIMWARDEN WHY YOU SCARE ME LIKE THAT.

- And

YASSSS CHARLIE IS BACK YASSSS.

- The Spider King is like for real the creepiest thing ever. Living nightmare, guys.

Well, he's dead now, so yay, but also ASP. WHAT. Help me please and thank you.

Low Lights
- How dare you think there are any low lights. Because there are none.

Conclusion
I HAVE NO WORDS. This is my FAVORITE of these books so far, and that's saying a lot because I LOVED the first one! I'm...scared to read the last one. Like,

if you kill anymore of my preciouses, there will be trouble, Mr. Batson and Mr. Hopper. Yeah. Better watch out. XD

Initial Response
Wow, was that INSANELY AWESOME or what?!

High Lights
- THERE ARE SO MANY CHARACTERS.
- AND I LOVE IT.
- I loooove huge casts of characters, and this book delivered in such a way that wasn't confusing or hard to keep track of. Just the right amount of people. :)
- JUST. THE CHARACTERS. IN GENERAL.
- Tommy is great, Kat is great, Jett...
- We'll see.
- But Jimmy and Kiri Lee are great too.
- And Johnny and Autumn have much sibling rivalry and banter and it's so true and I love it.
- I SO loved reading the parts about Berinfell! I felt so immersed and it was EPIC. Each time they were over, I found myself reverted back to the regular, mundane world. Well, only for a few minutes, and then chaos usually erupted, but anyway.
- I think my favorite of the Sentinels has got to Charlie.
- And can I just?

ATTENTION BATSON AND HOPPER IF YOU KILL MY PRECIOUS LITTLE CHARLIE IS DEAD I WILL FIND YOU AND MAKE YOU REWRITE THE BOOKS. JUST FYI. O_O

Low Lights
- Hmm...None.
- Well, I guess sometimes it felt like the writing style changed a little bit, which is understandable, since it was co-written, but it still kinda threw me off.

Conclusion
This was a reread for me, and I'm SO HAPPY I REREAD IT because I'm going to writer's workshop to meet Mr. Batson, so. Yeah. Figured I should reread this and refresh my memory a little. Anywho, THIS IS AN EPIC BOOK. If you love high fantasy and elves and all that awesome stuff in a modern, technological atmosphere, than this is the book for you!

>Initial Response
Okay...guys, I really want to write a Peter Pan retelling now...THEY'RE SO MUCH FUN.

High Lights
- This book...SO. MANY. GOOD. THINGS.
- Ashley is a SUPER COOL main character, and I feel like she was super relatable and normal, you know?
- Peter of course, was wonderful. Don't really need to explain why.
- The Lost Boys are MY FAVORITE. I loved them all, each in there special way. Dibs was annoyingly entertaining,

And at the end IT ONLY MADE ME LOVE HIM MORE. He just misses his mom, guys, c'mon.

Prank was hilarious, Button is the most precious thing, and Kyle...well, he's Kyle, to be sure. XD
- It was really fast-paced! It just kept jumping from one thing to the next, leaving me on the edge, waiting to see what happens next.
- I want a polaroid camera.
- And also

a special whistle I can use to call Peter whenever I want. That would be nice.

Low Lights
- I really wish there would've been more done with pirates. I mean, they're a big part of the book, but I felt like they were just...I don't know. I guess I just like Hook A LOT so I wanted to see him be a bigger part of the story.

(like in Peter Pan in Scarlet)

- Nothing else, really.

Conclusion
This was a fun, quick read, that I LOVED TO PIECES. A friend recommended this book to me a loooong time ago, and I remember reading it and LOVING it. Well, that hasn't changed, even after a reread. If you love Peter Pan, then PLEASE check this book out.