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the_ya_assassin's reviews
377 reviews
Given by Nandi Taylor
3.0
Okay, so this book was both good and bad. I liked the story and the characters were cool. I mean, what's better than dragons? Yenni's character was kick-butt and I love the feminism of her. It was interesting how Yenni's character progressed throughout the story - still stubborn as ever, but happier towards Weysh. Weysh was a little comical, which was a welcome relief from Yenni's strictness. I loved how you could see different sides of her with Weysh, depending on if he was in his human or dragon form.
There were a couple of problems I had. For starters, the idea of the magical runes in this story seemed very similar to those in the Shadowhunters series by [a:Cassandra Clare|150038|Cassandra Clare|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1270502031p2/150038.jpg] Of course, it's not that Clare was the first to use them and not the last (obviously), I still think [a:Nandi Taylor|19162905|Nandi Taylor|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1571178700p2/19162905.jpg] could've done something more creative with the rune idea. Like, they can only be used a certain period of times instead of everyday. Maybe even gone into the history of why they use runes.
Next, there are two sets of gods used in [b:Given|53138162|Given|Nandi Taylor|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1592055554l/53138162._SY75_.jpg|70531392] as well. I think it would've been interesting if Taylor had gone more into them and how the began (kind of how [a:Leigh Bardugo|4575289|Leigh Bardugo|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1534446099p2/4575289.jpg] did in her Grishaverse Shadow & Bone trilogy), versus just mentioning them throughout the text. There were also so many, I could hardly keep them straight.
Then, at the beginning of the story, we start in the village. I would've loved if we could've stayed there in the exposition longer, to truly understand and get into the island culture. And maybe Yenni's incentive could've been better. Instead of some gods-given trip, I think it would've been more interesting if her parents forced her to go to Cresh. I think that would've given more plot and character development.
Throughout the story, sometimes Taylor would switch the POV so quickly, I couldn't tell who was talking (who we were getting the story from). I was kind of confused at some times. In addition, the twist about Professor Devon was so blatantly obvious to me, I already knew he was going to do something bad.
I enjoyed the little romance we got at the end, the characters (for the most part), and the individual scenes. The end . . . I'm a little confused about. The story went completely unresolved, yet there seems to be no plans for a sequel? Overall, not a bad debut, just . . . not the best.
There were a couple of problems I had. For starters, the idea of the magical runes in this story seemed very similar to those in the Shadowhunters series by [a:Cassandra Clare|150038|Cassandra Clare|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1270502031p2/150038.jpg] Of course, it's not that Clare was the first to use them and not the last (obviously), I still think [a:Nandi Taylor|19162905|Nandi Taylor|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1571178700p2/19162905.jpg] could've done something more creative with the rune idea. Like, they can only be used a certain period of times instead of everyday. Maybe even gone into the history of why they use runes.
Next, there are two sets of gods used in [b:Given|53138162|Given|Nandi Taylor|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1592055554l/53138162._SY75_.jpg|70531392] as well. I think it would've been interesting if Taylor had gone more into them and how the began (kind of how [a:Leigh Bardugo|4575289|Leigh Bardugo|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1534446099p2/4575289.jpg] did in her Grishaverse Shadow & Bone trilogy), versus just mentioning them throughout the text. There were also so many, I could hardly keep them straight.
Then, at the beginning of the story, we start in the village. I would've loved if we could've stayed there in the exposition longer, to truly understand and get into the island culture. And maybe Yenni's incentive could've been better. Instead of some gods-given trip, I think it would've been more interesting if her parents forced her to go to Cresh. I think that would've given more plot and character development.
Throughout the story, sometimes Taylor would switch the POV so quickly, I couldn't tell who was talking (who we were getting the story from). I was kind of confused at some times. In addition, the twist about Professor Devon was so blatantly obvious to me, I already knew he was going to do something bad.
I enjoyed the little romance we got at the end, the characters (for the most part), and the individual scenes. The end . . . I'm a little confused about. The story went completely unresolved, yet there seems to be no plans for a sequel? Overall, not a bad debut, just . . . not the best.
Rebel Rose by Emma Theriault
4.0
I received an eARC from Edelweiss in exchange for a true review.
"Rebel Rose" was an exquisite retelling by Emma Theriault. To be perfectly honest, it wasn't a retelling so much as a continuation to the "Beauty and the Beast". Either way, it was historically accurate with the events that led up to the French Revolution and the Reign of Terror. I found it very interesting to see it from a neighboring countries point of view (despite Aveyon not really existing) on these two eras in France.
This book is honestly all about believing in yourself. Belle insisted that she was just a normal, peasant girl who was married to a king. She is constantly demoting herself, doubting herself, because she doesn't want to have power over others, and others control her because of this weakness. By the end of the book, she accepts that she can be queen and by being queen, she can use her power to help others far more than staying completely the simple girl she once was.
The story is very well done. It takes us on a trip to Paris because of Belle breaking the curse over the Beast (aka Lio) - they have to explain why he has been missing for ten years (no one remembers he got turned into a Beast besides those in the castle). In Paris, the sparks of revolution are being flamed and Belle accidentally gets caught up in it. She was "pulled" to a mirror shop and sees a terrible future for Aveyon if she and Lio don't return ASAP. They do so, and they think it best to crown Lio as King and secede from France. They crown Lio, and soon here whispers of someone plotting against Lio. Lio's cousin, Bastien, persuades Lio to take action by visiting Aveyon's nobles, to see if he (Lio) can root out the conspirators. While Lio's away, Bastien takes full control of Aveyon, and treats Belle badly. Belle mistrusts him greatly, but doesn't know what she can do to stop him. She wants to find out how the commoners of Aveyon feel about her and Lio, so she embarks on a journey to her old town of Pleasance. There, she finds the starts of a revolution led by LeFou. She barely escapes before someone calls her out, with help from Marguerite (a female friend). They return to the castle and find out that Bastien has been lying the whole time. The day of the ball following up to Belle's event, Belle overhears a couple of men talking about assassinating Lio. Someone catches her, and they bind/ blindfold her and take her to the deepest cellar. There, she understands that Bastien has been playing them the whole time - he has been planning to take down Aveyon. LeFou enters, and Belle and him discuss how Gaston fell off the tower by himself. LeFou admits that he loved Gaston, and Belle soothes him. LeFou frees her and they escape to the upstairs. They meet up with Marguerite and her brother, and they plan to stop the assassination. They find the evidence to prove that Bastien was behind it all, and they make their way to the location of the ball. There, Belle confronts Bastien and she saves the day!
This series is titled "The Queen's Council" which I didn't quite understand at first. This book seemed more like a standalone, which it is, in a way. However, the queen's council is actually a magic-user who "councils" queens who are in need, who store past queen's strengths, fears, and weaknesses to aid future queens. Her name is Orella, and she was the one who placed the curse on Lio (aka the Beast) in the first place because she foresaw that Belle would be the savior of Aveyon.
The one thing I found lacking was the way it was written. I felt that it needed to be more lyrical and a bit more dramatic to set in the time frame. Other than that, excellent job to Emma Theriault and her amazing book!
"Rebel Rose" was an exquisite retelling by Emma Theriault. To be perfectly honest, it wasn't a retelling so much as a continuation to the "Beauty and the Beast". Either way, it was historically accurate with the events that led up to the French Revolution and the Reign of Terror. I found it very interesting to see it from a neighboring countries point of view (despite Aveyon not really existing) on these two eras in France.
This book is honestly all about believing in yourself. Belle insisted that she was just a normal, peasant girl who was married to a king. She is constantly demoting herself, doubting herself, because she doesn't want to have power over others, and others control her because of this weakness. By the end of the book, she accepts that she can be queen and by being queen, she can use her power to help others far more than staying completely the simple girl she once was.
The story is very well done. It takes us on a trip to Paris because of Belle breaking the curse over the Beast (aka Lio) - they have to explain why he has been missing for ten years (no one remembers he got turned into a Beast besides those in the castle). In Paris, the sparks of revolution are being flamed and Belle accidentally gets caught up in it. She was "pulled" to a mirror shop and sees a terrible future for Aveyon if she and Lio don't return ASAP. They do so, and they think it best to crown Lio as King and secede from France. They crown Lio, and soon here whispers of someone plotting against Lio. Lio's cousin, Bastien, persuades Lio to take action by visiting Aveyon's nobles, to see if he (Lio) can root out the conspirators. While Lio's away, Bastien takes full control of Aveyon, and treats Belle badly. Belle mistrusts him greatly, but doesn't know what she can do to stop him. She wants to find out how the commoners of Aveyon feel about her and Lio, so she embarks on a journey to her old town of Pleasance. There, she finds the starts of a revolution led by LeFou. She barely escapes before someone calls her out, with help from Marguerite (a female friend). They return to the castle and find out that Bastien has been lying the whole time. The day of the ball following up to Belle's event, Belle overhears a couple of men talking about assassinating Lio. Someone catches her, and they bind/ blindfold her and take her to the deepest cellar. There, she understands that Bastien has been playing them the whole time - he has been planning to take down Aveyon. LeFou enters, and Belle and him discuss how Gaston fell off the tower by himself. LeFou admits that he loved Gaston, and Belle soothes him. LeFou frees her and they escape to the upstairs. They meet up with Marguerite and her brother, and they plan to stop the assassination. They find the evidence to prove that Bastien was behind it all, and they make their way to the location of the ball. There, Belle confronts Bastien and she saves the day!
This series is titled "The Queen's Council" which I didn't quite understand at first. This book seemed more like a standalone, which it is, in a way. However, the queen's council is actually a magic-user who "councils" queens who are in need, who store past queen's strengths, fears, and weaknesses to aid future queens. Her name is Orella, and she was the one who placed the curse on Lio (aka the Beast) in the first place because she foresaw that Belle would be the savior of Aveyon.
The one thing I found lacking was the way it was written. I felt that it needed to be more lyrical and a bit more dramatic to set in the time frame. Other than that, excellent job to Emma Theriault and her amazing book!
The Theft of Sunlight by Intisar Khanani
4.0
*I received an eARC from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review*
This book was pretty good! I liked the plot, action, and mystery!
More specifically:
- I loved how Rae's disability affected everything she did and those around her - I've found that authors oftentimes forget that their character has a disability and don't continue to include it in the story. Consistency is hard to come by in YA!
- I loved the romance! It's a little dash of something sweet to the book - I can't wait to see where it goes next.
- I loved the mystery - who was behind the kidnappings and how could they catch/stop them?
- The way [a:Intisar Khanani|5780445|Intisar Khanani|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1520258584p2/5780445.jpg] approached the human-trafficking part of the book. It didn't feel dark or heavy, which was nice and kept me invested in the story.
- The two things I didn't like - the writing felt different than Thorn somehow. I didn't enjoy the writing as much. I felt that the story, while maybe not as effective in Alyrra's POV, would've been better and more familiar. I wasn't as hooked by the beginning because I was really confused on who Rae was (I didn't read Khanani's review of it before I read it).
The ending was CRUEL!! Agh! How are we expected to wait for the sequel?!?!
This book was pretty good! I liked the plot, action, and mystery!
More specifically:
- I loved how Rae's disability affected everything she did and those around her - I've found that authors oftentimes forget that their character has a disability and don't continue to include it in the story. Consistency is hard to come by in YA!
- I loved the romance! It's a little dash of something sweet to the book - I can't wait to see where it goes next.
- I loved the mystery - who was behind the kidnappings and how could they catch/stop them?
- The way [a:Intisar Khanani|5780445|Intisar Khanani|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1520258584p2/5780445.jpg] approached the human-trafficking part of the book. It didn't feel dark or heavy, which was nice and kept me invested in the story.
- The two things I didn't like - the writing felt different than Thorn somehow. I didn't enjoy the writing as much. I felt that the story, while maybe not as effective in Alyrra's POV, would've been better and more familiar. I wasn't as hooked by the beginning because I was really confused on who Rae was (I didn't read Khanani's review of it before I read it).
The ending was CRUEL!! Agh! How are we expected to wait for the sequel?!?!
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
5.0
Wow. This book is a really sad, angering, and educational story. Not only did Harper Lee write this story well, but she also made it more bearable. I'm very glad she wrote it from Scout's POV because if she hadn't, I doubt I'd have been able to understand while reading. I think if she had done it from Atticus's POV, it would've been too grown up and a hard read. If she had done it from Jem's POV, I think it would've been a little interesting, but I think it was best written with Scout because it allowed us to learn of the events from a child's POV.
It made me very angry when Tom Robinson was found guilty. I mean, I knew it would happen, or else there wouldn't be a book about it, but it still made me upset. At this point, I understand all of the hardships African-Americans went through to get to this point in our history, but it still surprises me how much race mattered back then and even now. Also, the HYPOCRISY. It was bad in this book (but in a good way?). In addition, when Bob Ewell tries to get revenge on Atticus by killing Scout and Jem . . . I was REALLY angry.
I get that this book is about racism in the DEEP South. It is the most race-centered book I've ever read. And I know it was written by a white woman with white main characters. While I think it might've been beneficial to the story if there were scenes with JUST Tom Robinson and Atticus or something from the African-American community SOMEWHERE, I think it would've been hard for a white author to write about how the black community reacted to the situation since she was not a part of it. In fact, the story is loosely based on her OWN experience when her father defended two falsely accused black men for rape when SHE was young. I believe the point of this novel was simply to address the racism in the US during the time period and provide an educational, yet understandable read for younger generations.
This book was sad as well. The noticeable loss of innocence that happens to Boo Radley, Tom Robinson, and Jem was REALLY depressing.
I liked how between each main action (Atticus getting the case, the trial, etc.), Harper Lee wrote something lighter and fun to help break up the heaviness of the story. I really enjoyed the younger scenes of summers with Dill, Jem, and Scout and it was nice to see how much family mattered to everyone. Calpurnia and Miss Maudie were also lights in the dark.
Overall, I really enjoyed this school read. I connected to it and feel like I applied my knowledge of the time period (the '30s) to the story. I'm thankful it was a required read - EVERYONE should read this book.
It made me very angry when Tom Robinson was found guilty. I mean, I knew it would happen, or else there wouldn't be a book about it, but it still made me upset. At this point, I understand all of the hardships African-Americans went through to get to this point in our history, but it still surprises me how much race mattered back then and even now. Also, the HYPOCRISY. It was bad in this book (but in a good way?). In addition, when Bob Ewell tries to get revenge on Atticus by killing Scout and Jem . . . I was REALLY angry.
I get that this book is about racism in the DEEP South. It is the most race-centered book I've ever read. And I know it was written by a white woman with white main characters. While I think it might've been beneficial to the story if there were scenes with JUST Tom Robinson and Atticus or something from the African-American community SOMEWHERE, I think it would've been hard for a white author to write about how the black community reacted to the situation since she was not a part of it. In fact, the story is loosely based on her OWN experience when her father defended two falsely accused black men for rape when SHE was young. I believe the point of this novel was simply to address the racism in the US during the time period and provide an educational, yet understandable read for younger generations.
This book was sad as well. The noticeable loss of innocence that happens to Boo Radley, Tom Robinson, and Jem was REALLY depressing.
I liked how between each main action (Atticus getting the case, the trial, etc.), Harper Lee wrote something lighter and fun to help break up the heaviness of the story. I really enjoyed the younger scenes of summers with Dill, Jem, and Scout and it was nice to see how much family mattered to everyone. Calpurnia and Miss Maudie were also lights in the dark.
Overall, I really enjoyed this school read. I connected to it and feel like I applied my knowledge of the time period (the '30s) to the story. I'm thankful it was a required read - EVERYONE should read this book.
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
3.0
*3.5 stars*
Mirrors have an uncanny way of telling the truth.
What the actual heck?!?!? This book was better than I expected. I don't usually enjoy sci-fi, but it was okay! I feel pretty meh about it, to be honest though. It didn't wow me, but nor did it not keep me entertained.
How ironic I find myself reading this book during a pandemic.
First, the world-building - it was pretty nice! The world felt 3D and like I could walk right into it. I enjoyed how Marissa Meyer wrote the obvious differences in the cultures between Earthens and Lunar.
The next thing was both good and bad IMO. When Cinder felt sorry for herself in the beginning of the book, I think it was a bit overly dramatic. However, I understand why it was necessary to the story. But it did make the story really hard to get into. The characters were alright - I didn't hate nor love any of them.
I saw all of the major twists coming. Cinder being Princess Selene, Kai actually falling in love with her, etc. I think Princess Winter and the hacker girl will both play a role in the future based on the titles of the following books.
This book made me laugh which made it an enjoyable experience. In addition, I fell in love with Kai.
Overall, a decent book - not one of my favorites but not one of my most hated.
Mirrors have an uncanny way of telling the truth.
What the actual heck?!?!? This book was better than I expected. I don't usually enjoy sci-fi, but it was okay! I feel pretty meh about it, to be honest though. It didn't wow me, but nor did it not keep me entertained.
How ironic I find myself reading this book during a pandemic.
First, the world-building - it was pretty nice! The world felt 3D and like I could walk right into it. I enjoyed how Marissa Meyer wrote the obvious differences in the cultures between Earthens and Lunar.
The next thing was both good and bad IMO. When Cinder felt sorry for herself in the beginning of the book, I think it was a bit overly dramatic. However, I understand why it was necessary to the story. But it did make the story really hard to get into. The characters were alright - I didn't hate nor love any of them.
I saw all of the major twists coming. Cinder being Princess Selene, Kai actually falling in love with her, etc. I think Princess Winter and the hacker girl will both play a role in the future based on the titles of the following books.
This book made me laugh which made it an enjoyable experience. In addition, I fell in love with Kai.
Overall, a decent book - not one of my favorites but not one of my most hated.
Cress by Marissa Meyer
4.0
Oh. My. God.
That ending.
This is my favorite book in the series so far! It had the right amount of action, character development/interaction, AND continuation of worldbuilding, I could not be happier!
I loved that we saw each character (Cinder, Kai, Cress, and Thorne) all change! Cress went from a quiet, naive, smart girl to a strong, intelligent young woman. Thorne, I feel changed enough to end up with Cress (I agree with Dr. Erland that he doesn't deserve her, his daughter. I saw this twist coming though). Kai changed from a happy young man to a wise man. Cinder grew and understood the full scope of her role in the story too.
The interaction between all of the characters was amazing as well. Cinder + Kai, Scarlet + Wolf, Cress + Thorne . . . perfection.
Then with all of the subplots . . . the story was pretty intricate and exciting. There was a lot of action that actually fulfilled the story, unlike [b:Scarlet|13206760|Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles, #2)|Marissa Meyer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1470056982l/13206760._SY75_.jpg|18390691]. BUT WE DON'T FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS TO SCARLET!!
I'm really excited to read the next book and look forward to traveling through space in this revolution!
That ending.
This is my favorite book in the series so far! It had the right amount of action, character development/interaction, AND continuation of worldbuilding, I could not be happier!
I loved that we saw each character (Cinder, Kai, Cress, and Thorne) all change! Cress went from a quiet, naive, smart girl to a strong, intelligent young woman. Thorne, I feel changed enough to end up with Cress (I agree with Dr. Erland that he doesn't deserve her, his daughter. I saw this twist coming though). Kai changed from a happy young man to a wise man. Cinder grew and understood the full scope of her role in the story too.
The interaction between all of the characters was amazing as well. Cinder + Kai, Scarlet + Wolf, Cress + Thorne . . . perfection.
Then with all of the subplots . . . the story was pretty intricate and exciting. There was a lot of action that actually fulfilled the story, unlike [b:Scarlet|13206760|Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles, #2)|Marissa Meyer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1470056982l/13206760._SY75_.jpg|18390691]. BUT WE DON'T FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS TO SCARLET!!
I'm really excited to read the next book and look forward to traveling through space in this revolution!
Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan
4.0
4.5 stars
I was pleasantly surprised by this book! I thought it would be more of a thriller based on the title but it's definitely dark fantasy!
We were promised something dark and holy, and that is EXACTLY what we got!
I enjoyed the world building the most. I loved seeing the differences in the culture and beliefs of the Tranavians and Kalyazis and found it most interesting to hear their viewpoints on the gods. I think it would have been more interesting if [a:Emily A. Duncan|15600590|Emily A. Duncan|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1534514878p2/15600590.jpg] had included Malachiasz POV, but then again, that might've made the book less understandable as there were already two POVs. I enjoyed hearing the story from both sides - Serefin's and Nadya's POVs.
The plot was intriguing as well! There were several plot twists that I didn't see coming (*cough, cough* spoiler:
I was pleasantly surprised by this book! I thought it would be more of a thriller based on the title but it's definitely dark fantasy!
We were promised something dark and holy, and that is EXACTLY what we got!
I enjoyed the world building the most. I loved seeing the differences in the culture and beliefs of the Tranavians and Kalyazis and found it most interesting to hear their viewpoints on the gods. I think it would have been more interesting if [a:Emily A. Duncan|15600590|Emily A. Duncan|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1534514878p2/15600590.jpg] had included Malachiasz POV, but then again, that might've made the book less understandable as there were already two POVs. I enjoyed hearing the story from both sides - Serefin's and Nadya's POVs.
The plot was intriguing as well! There were several plot twists that I didn't see coming (*cough, cough* spoiler:
Spoiler
OMG Malachiasz WHY DID YOU DO IT?!?!?
Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley
5.0
*4.5 stars*
Kindness is something that seems small, Daunis, but it’s like tossing a pebble into a pond and the ripples reach further than you thought.
WOW. This book was a wild ride, full of love, wisdom, and mystery. It was a great story that made me feel things I haven't felt in a while about a book. There was several twists I didn't see coming (I know, I'm shocked too) and the book took an entirely different direction than I expected it would.
Daunis was a STRONG character. She was so powerful and confident and represented the majority of women in all communities. She will surely be a role model for women everywhere. I liked how we could see her journey and growth as a character. Jamie was amazing too!
The Native American culture was spot-on and was a great addition to the story. It allowed readers to learn about the problems faced by Natives and how they run their lives. It was very interesting to see their culture!
I really appreciate how [a:Angeline Boulley|19633027|Angeline Boulley|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1603636151p2/19633027.jpg] took the time to give us the facts and share real-life problems in such a great way. She made the problems more understandable and lighthearted, while still keeping them serious.
My ONE problem with it was that I found myself skimming several times. There was a lot of (useless) information that could've been broken up into smaller chunks to make the story a little easier for the reader to keep reading.
Overall though, one of the best books I've read this year.
Never argue with a geek. They use science and math like weapons
Kindness is something that seems small, Daunis, but it’s like tossing a pebble into a pond and the ripples reach further than you thought.
WOW. This book was a wild ride, full of love, wisdom, and mystery. It was a great story that made me feel things I haven't felt in a while about a book. There was several twists I didn't see coming (I know, I'm shocked too) and the book took an entirely different direction than I expected it would.
Daunis was a STRONG character. She was so powerful and confident and represented the majority of women in all communities. She will surely be a role model for women everywhere. I liked how we could see her journey and growth as a character. Jamie was amazing too!
The Native American culture was spot-on and was a great addition to the story. It allowed readers to learn about the problems faced by Natives and how they run their lives. It was very interesting to see their culture!
I really appreciate how [a:Angeline Boulley|19633027|Angeline Boulley|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1603636151p2/19633027.jpg] took the time to give us the facts and share real-life problems in such a great way. She made the problems more understandable and lighthearted, while still keeping them serious.
My ONE problem with it was that I found myself skimming several times. There was a lot of (useless) information that could've been broken up into smaller chunks to make the story a little easier for the reader to keep reading.
Overall though, one of the best books I've read this year.
Never argue with a geek. They use science and math like weapons
Fire with Fire by Destiny Soria
4.0
*4.5 stars*
Thank you so much Edelweiss and HMH Books for Young Readers for approving this ARC for me!!
First of all, WOW! Dang this book was good! I had trouble putting it down! It had action, it had character development (with characters that I actually cared about), a main character turned evil, AND a dash of romance! I didn't expect this much out of this book and was pleasantly surprised!
The first thing I want to say is the reason I didn't give [b:Fire with Fire|53968522|Fire with Fire|Destiny Soria|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1593147850l/53968522._SY75_.jpg|79666691] 5 stars - the LACK of magic development and some holes in the story. For starters, I think [a:Destiny Soria|14757755|Destiny Soria|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1450013318p2/14757755.jpg] could've developed the magical elements so much more. It would've been cool if she had shown pictures of the symbols Calla used to resurrect Zephyr. In addition, it was wayyyyyyyyyyy too easy for Eden to use her newly given magic. She should've had to learn to control it and how to perform spells. I also wanted to see more of the sisters' Aunt Frankie as well as their parents.
Now onto the good stuff! I really enjoyed the fact that Eden turned to the dark side for a while. It added an extra element to the story that made it that more enjoyable and the plot more complicated. I also enjoyed the setting - I haven't read hardly any books that were set in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. I also liked the plot! There were clear distinctions between the acts that, I myself as a writer, noticed.
Dani was a great protagonist. Forced into a role she didn't really want, but had the strength to be in. I rooted for her the whole time! I knew she wasn't going to stay dead because there has literally only been one book and one author I've EVER read that's done that (*cough, cough* [b:Allegiant|18710190|Allegiant (Divergent, #3)|Veronica Roth|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1395582745l/18710190._SY75_.jpg|15524549], [a:Veronica Roth|4039811|Veronica Roth|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1588707274p2/4039811.jpg] *cough, cough*). I enjoyed the internal struggles Dani and Eden had to go through to make it to the end. AND EVEN BETTER the side characters were fleshed out! Tomás and Sadie were the perfect side characters and much needed comedy in this book! And then there was Kieran . . . he was a nice love interest and I really hope there is a second book so I can see more his and Dani's relationship, as well as Eden and Nate's relationship!
Overall, an excellent book and I hope more authors incorporate fantasy and the real-world like [a:Destiny Soria|14757755|Destiny Soria|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1450013318p2/14757755.jpg] did in [b:Fire with Fire|53968522|Fire with Fire|Destiny Soria|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1593147850l/53968522._SY75_.jpg|79666691]!
Thank you so much Edelweiss and HMH Books for Young Readers for approving this ARC for me!!
First of all, WOW! Dang this book was good! I had trouble putting it down! It had action, it had character development (with characters that I actually cared about), a main character turned evil, AND a dash of romance! I didn't expect this much out of this book and was pleasantly surprised!
The first thing I want to say is the reason I didn't give [b:Fire with Fire|53968522|Fire with Fire|Destiny Soria|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1593147850l/53968522._SY75_.jpg|79666691] 5 stars - the LACK of magic development and some holes in the story. For starters, I think [a:Destiny Soria|14757755|Destiny Soria|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1450013318p2/14757755.jpg] could've developed the magical elements so much more. It would've been cool if she had shown pictures of the symbols Calla used to resurrect Zephyr. In addition, it was wayyyyyyyyyyy too easy for Eden to use her newly given magic. She should've had to learn to control it and how to perform spells. I also wanted to see more of the sisters' Aunt Frankie as well as their parents.
Now onto the good stuff! I really enjoyed the fact that Eden turned to the dark side for a while. It added an extra element to the story that made it that more enjoyable and the plot more complicated. I also enjoyed the setting - I haven't read hardly any books that were set in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. I also liked the plot! There were clear distinctions between the acts that, I myself as a writer, noticed.
Dani was a great protagonist. Forced into a role she didn't really want, but had the strength to be in. I rooted for her the whole time! I knew she wasn't going to stay dead because there has literally only been one book and one author I've EVER read that's done that (*cough, cough* [b:Allegiant|18710190|Allegiant (Divergent, #3)|Veronica Roth|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1395582745l/18710190._SY75_.jpg|15524549], [a:Veronica Roth|4039811|Veronica Roth|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1588707274p2/4039811.jpg] *cough, cough*). I enjoyed the internal struggles Dani and Eden had to go through to make it to the end. AND EVEN BETTER the side characters were fleshed out! Tomás and Sadie were the perfect side characters and much needed comedy in this book! And then there was Kieran . . . he was a nice love interest and I really hope there is a second book so I can see more his and Dani's relationship, as well as Eden and Nate's relationship!
Overall, an excellent book and I hope more authors incorporate fantasy and the real-world like [a:Destiny Soria|14757755|Destiny Soria|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1450013318p2/14757755.jpg] did in [b:Fire with Fire|53968522|Fire with Fire|Destiny Soria|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1593147850l/53968522._SY75_.jpg|79666691]!