“People are going to remember us, Talin,” she says. “I’ll make sure of it.”
Once again, Marie Lu does not disappoint. The beautiful world-building
“People are going to remember us, Talin,” she says. “I’ll make sure of it.”
Once again, Marie Lu does not disappoint. The beautiful world-building and fast-paced dystopian plot combine to create a riveting yet brutal story of a post-apocalyptic war. While the dystopian conflict is nothing new to the young adult genre, the focus on the collateral damage caused by war such as the treatment of refugees, corrupt politicians, and racism was very much needed. It is impressive how seamlessly Lu incorporates these topics into her book, and I am grateful for her ability to shed light on subjects that are often skipped over.
I admit, it took me a while to warm up to the characters. Talin is not powerful like Adelina Amouteru or a wealthy prodigy like June Iparis, so I immediately took a disliking to her- all because of how ordinary she was. The same went for side characters such as Jeran and Adena, and especially Red who had little to no personality. However, as the story went on, the characters' personalities began to develop and their relationships with each other became more distinct and enjoyable. The found family trope is one of my favorites, and Skyhunter certainly delivers....more
Well, you know what they say. The show’s not over until the mockingjay sings
I honestly don't know what to think of this book.
You see, I'm a sucker
Well, you know what they say. The show’s not over until the mockingjay sings
I honestly don't know what to think of this book.
You see, I'm a sucker for a good villain origin story- the keyword here being good. This was far from good, especially in comparison to the Hunger Games trilogy whose impact on the dystopian genre is felt to this day. Everything about this prequel is messy, from the title to the plot, to the characters that are beyond bland compared to the likes of vibrant Effie Trinket and Cinna. Yes, it's only one book, but The Hunger Games shattered the world with its debut, whereas The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes only makes you want to reread the original trilogy.
Not everything was terrible, though. There were some clever parallels to The Hunger Games and a few moments, namely the ambiguous twist at the end, which were interesting, but overall, the novel left a bad taste in my mouth.
Anyway, I'll just be rereading The Hunger Games and crying over Peeta, don't mind me. ...more
There's something addictive about this trilogy. Maybe it's the thrilling, gory adventure balanced with dry humor
The twins are right. This is life.
There's something addictive about this trilogy. Maybe it's the thrilling, gory adventure balanced with dry humor. Maybe it's the realistic personality of Penryn Young, who I consider to be far superior to the likes of Katniss Everdeen and Tris Prior. Maybe it's the slow burn romance. Or maybe, it's how each of the three books manages to tell a story without finding the need to unnecessarily elongate it. Whatever it is, I'm hooked.
End of Days, however, did not live up to the rest of the trilogy. My love for Penryn faded during the course of this book which greatly saddens me because she had so much potential. Although the last few chapters of the book proved to be intriguing, the rest of the story was slow, and many scenes read like fanfiction. (The bed scene? Yeah, that scene. I lost my respect for Penryn completely, and what's worse is that Raffe and Penryn never spoke about it again.)
Nevertheless, the character development of Penryn's mother and sister continues to grow, and the world-building of the angelic world, as well as the introduction to Raffe's Watchers, was interesting.
Sometimes, I wish I could take a vacation from myself.
Okay, even if I like Penryn a little less, there's no denying she's the most relatable fictional character in YA fantasy....more
The structure of World After was much like its predecessor which is a good thing, but what it lacked was story prog3 1/2
Welcome to the freak show.
The structure of World After was much like its predecessor which is a good thing, but what it lacked was story progression. The plot was slow and seemingly aimless; this tends to be the trend for the second book of trilogies, and World After proved to be no different. On the upside, Penryn's mother goes through some major character development which is a success on Ee's part.
Also, the slow burn romance between Penryn and Raffe is DRIVING ME INSANE....more
If you are a man, Winston, you are the last man. Your kind is extinct: we are the inheritors.
If it weren't for Orwell's dry writing style, I would
If you are a man, Winston, you are the last man. Your kind is extinct: we are the inheritors.
If it weren't for Orwell's dry writing style, I would've enjoyed the book; I certainly liked it better than any of the other books we read in school this year. Though I found the characters boring, it was the plot that remained interesting- specifically toward the end, where everything turned ominous and eerie....more
Reread: 12/15/19 - It has its flaws, but this duology is such a fun read!
And that’s when I realize that, at the end, we’d all wished for the same t
Reread: 12/15/19 - It has its flaws, but this duology is such a fun read!
And that’s when I realize that, at the end, we’d all wished for the same thing. Just a little more time.
Whereas Warcross was all virtual reality and world-building, Wildcard is action mixed with a series of plot twists; however, sometimes simpler plots are superior to complicated ones- this sequel being the perfect example.
The nearly absent Phoenix Riders resulted in an overall dull book. Despite this, the few appearances the squad made were exhilarating and I was delighted to finally immerse myself into their diverse backstories. The introduction to Zero, Jax, and Taylor were interesting, but not enough to keep my hooked; on the other hand, what did intrigue me were the constant stream of plot twists.
“Warcross wasn’t who any of us are,” I say, mostly to myself. “No,” Roshan agrees. There’s a long pause. “It’s just something we made.”
Hideo's character has disintegrated for the most part, and what's left of him is solely for furthering the plot. The few Hideo/Emika interactions scattered throughout the book were a treat, and I found myself flipping through the pages, hoping for more. Emika's personality has dropped from little to none; her dialogue is made up of questions like "why should I trust you?" which is especially infuriating because her worries are never addressed. Nevertheless, there is one thing I truly love about Emika Chen; her ability to look beyond a person's attempts at being "good" or "evil."
Despite being told to let go of Hideo, Emika never once obliged. She saw through Hideo's words and sought out his true emotions. (view spoiler)[In the end, when he stood handcuffed before the world, she supported him and helped him back to his feet- just as Hideo did once for her. The reversal of roles at the end of the book? Loved it. (hide spoiler)]...more
Who do you think cleans up the battlefields after the shooting stops?
The perfect mix of fantasy and reality, Sleeping Beauties intricately answers
Who do you think cleans up the battlefields after the shooting stops?
The perfect mix of fantasy and reality, Sleeping Beauties intricately answers the question of what the world would become without women. Characters of all age groups put up a fierce fight against the "Aurora" and as a female, it is truly horrifying to watch women and girls fall under the mysterious sleep spell. What is equally horrifying is watching men, (most with good intentions), attempt to fight for the opposite gender.
I've never told anyone what I told you. Not even Dr. Norcross. Thanks for listening. Now sleep well, honey. Please sleep well.
Specifically, reading about the women of the Dooling Correctional prison was a unique experience, but as the females fell asleep, I found the novel to slow down. This is unrelated to King's writing because I tend to find books with a lack of girls to be boring in general. However, King includes just enough action and drama to keep the story going.
What makes the book particularly special to me is the explicit dealing of world issues such as sexism, racial discrimination, and Donald Trump.
Though I've only read two of King's books, Sleeping Beauties is by far the best....more
"I know it hurts," she said. "So make it worth the pain."
Nope. Reading this book was not worth the pain. I loved This Savage Song because of the T
"I know it hurts," she said. "So make it worth the pain."
Nope. Reading this book was not worth the pain. I loved This Savage Song because of the Tokyo Ghoul-esque plot. The gore. The blood. The fantastic plot. I even forgave the first book for its dull characters. But not this time.
When I read Our Dark Duet, my bar was set high. I had hoped for improvement- I had expected August and Kate to fully emerge as the wonderful characters I had thought they were. I had hoped for Sloan to finally act on his evil plan- not just sit around, letting a bunch of nameless characters do his work. Now that I think about it, maybe Sloan did achieve what he wanted, but I had been so bored reading the book I hadn't noticed. My adoration for the previous book has completely faded.
Now, let's talk about that ending- the real reason as to why I am disappointed. (view spoiler)[Why the heck did Kate have to die?? Is that going to make me like her more? By the time I reached the end of the book, I detested her, and then she goes and dies? For a "greater cause?" SPOILER FOR ALLEGIANT: Pulling a Veronica Roth and killing off a ruined female lead does NOT change my feelings. (hide spoiler)]
Would it be so bad? To live a thousand different lives instead of your own?
It is as if Veronica Roth took all of the criticism from Carve the Mark
Would it be so bad? To live a thousand different lives instead of your own?
It is as if Veronica Roth took all of the criticism from Carve the Mark and fixed it, without complaint.
Character development, meaningful conversations, interplanetary action- everything we wanted in the prior book- is here. Cyra has finally learned the truth about life and her cursed gift, Akos' vision has cleared- he knows his end goal, and Eijeh begins to adapt to the second soul within. The romance is not as overbearing, making room for a charming friendship between Cyra and Teka, and allowing the cultures of the different planets to bloom.
Tell me why an attack against innocents fleeing to the sojourn ship in Voa was not considered a war crime, when an attack in Shissa was. Is it not because Thuvhesit children are considered innocent, and Shotet children are not?
A little political, a little dramatic, but a huge improvement from its predecessor. Of course, it's not perfect; Lazmet, the main villain, was shallow, and somewhere in the middle of the story, the plot dropped in intensity, but altogether it made for a lovely surprise.
The Fates Divide is not all hushflowers and pretty words- it is the story I've been waiting for Roth to write from the very beginning.
She thought about how almost everyone who came and went on Earth from the cavemen on had touched their eyes on the moon, but
Reread: 8/5/20
4.5 stars
She thought about how almost everyone who came and went on Earth from the cavemen on had touched their eyes on the moon, but only a few people had ever been lucky enough to make their way past it.
Midnight at the Electric is no Divergent or Harry Potter. I'm not just talking about the difference in genre, but the unique subtleness of the book. While YA books nowadays are meant to be thrilling, complicated, and fiery, this book is built on simplicity and the beauty of the world- both past and future.
Although Midnight at the Electric didn't have too much of the sci-fi and futuristic plot mentioned in the plot, I still was intrigued. The characters are far from extraordinary and for some reason, that's what makes the book alluring....more
I hit with nothing but the language whispered between circuits and wire, the language that can bring people to their
Reread: 12/13/19 Reread: 2/26/18
I hit with nothing but the language whispered between circuits and wire, the language that can bring people to their knees. And in spite of everything, I’d do it all over again.
I read this book impossibly fast for a girl who should be studying for several intense classes. Thanks a lot, Marie Lu.
Sometimes, it's nice to read a book that is simple yet unique, and finally get away from all the fantasy-YA-love triangle novels which seem to be plaguing the world nowadays. Warcross reminded me that all a book needs are good characters, an intriguing plot, and a writer that knows what she's doing. Marie Lu manages to hit all the key points, and manages to fabricate a stunning sea of excitement that resembles Spy Kids 3 but it's so well done I don't care.
The main issue that prevented this book from achieving five stars was the insta-love between Emi and Hideo.
At that, he smiles a little. “Hideo, please.”
Less than halfway through the book, the couple are already on a first name basis- and what makes this worse is Hideo's demure, "cold" personality. I get it if Emi has a crush on her idol-but a sophisticated billionaire suddenly falling for a teenage girl?
My other issue was the weak ending, which I am hoping will be patched up in the next book.
By the time I emerge from my room, Asher, Roshan, and Hammie are gathered on the couches, shoving pizza into their mouths while they play Mario Kart.
It's impossible to hate the characters' in this book. IMPOSSIBLE.
“Sorry, I—I was going to ask if you, um, had smaller pants.” Another bad line. “I mean—not that you have small pants that would fit me”—digging a deeper hole for myself—“I mean, the pajama pants keep falling off—” I’m a very good digger.
Emika Chen. With her crazy, multicolored hair, I have yet to find an MC more distinct and vivacious than her. I am so ready for the sequel....more
She cracked a smile. "So what's your poison?" He sighed dramatically, and let the truth tumble off his tongue. "Life." "Ah," she said ruefully. "That
She cracked a smile. "So what's your poison?" He sighed dramatically, and let the truth tumble off his tongue. "Life." "Ah," she said ruefully. "That'll kill you."
I will always remember This Savage Song as the book that rekindled my faith in young adult literature. I had been getting tired of the nonstop cliches, repetitive plots, and whining of the main characters, but this book makes sure to break stereotypes and bring out the "darker side."
It's like a tamer version of the horror manga, Tokyo Ghoul, which is one of my all-time favorite anime/manga series.
Kate Harker's personality sometimes feels forced and August Flynn can be dramatic at times, but all in all, it's a great book. I should've picked it up sooner....more
Alex groaned from the railing, letting his arms dangle over it. “Somebody kill me now.” “No!” shouted Florence, Octavia, Simber, Rufus, and all the
Alex groaned from the railing, letting his arms dangle over it. “Somebody kill me now.” “No!” shouted Florence, Octavia, Simber, Rufus, and all the humans who had lived through the disaster on Artimé.
You know the sort of books that are just plain boring? This book is one of them.
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