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A story for all of you - lovers of the magical. Book that gonna feed you starvation for magic. With every page you will go deep into the Caraval's magic and secrets. But don't forget:
"Before you fully enter into our world, you must remember it’s all a game. What happens beyond this gate may frighten or excite you, but don’t let any of it trick you. We will try to convince you it’s real, but all of it is a performance."
Meet Scarlett and Tella Dragna - two sisters living in an island, governed by their father, who shows up to be such a cunt. He punishes them without any mercy. Beat and torture them and even kill a man to teach them a lesson. But Scarlett found their only way out from this bloody island- she gonna marry to a governor. Although it is an arranged marriage she can see clearly the situation and to understand that this is the only salvation for her and her sister. But life has other plans for them. When they received three tickets for the annual Caraval show, Tella kidnapped her, with the help of mysterious sails man, to the mysterious show’s island. And then the game began.
The Caraval is ruled by a man called Legend. Nobody saw his face, nobody knows his name. He is only known for his passion for games. Although his games can draw people to madness, everybody wants to play. And this year award is so tempting that nobody can resist. Who doesn’t want to get a wish come true?
It’s a magical book that took me away from reality for couple hours. But it’s not fully developed. There is not a built world, just some islands in the middle of somewhere. No world named, or government, nothing. This came as drawback for me, I missed the illusion that actually this world does exists. Another shortage for me is that the characters are not fully developed as well. I liked the way that Scar describes her feelings in colours, but there is almost nothing personal to learn about her. The major thing in the book is the Game. In some points I believed that everything that happened is true. All decisions are life treating. I’ve got lost between the pages, absorbed by the magic. I probably forgot that “it’s only a game”.
"Before you fully enter into our world, you must remember it’s all a game. What happens beyond this gate may frighten or excite you, but don’t let any of it trick you. We will try to convince you it’s real, but all of it is a performance."
Meet Scarlett and Tella Dragna - two sisters living in an island, governed by their father, who shows up to be such a cunt. He punishes them without any mercy. Beat and torture them and even kill a man to teach them a lesson. But Scarlett found their only way out from this bloody island- she gonna marry to a governor. Although it is an arranged marriage she can see clearly the situation and to understand that this is the only salvation for her and her sister. But life has other plans for them. When they received three tickets for the annual Caraval show, Tella kidnapped her, with the help of mysterious sails man, to the mysterious show’s island. And then the game began.
The Caraval is ruled by a man called Legend. Nobody saw his face, nobody knows his name. He is only known for his passion for games. Although his games can draw people to madness, everybody wants to play. And this year award is so tempting that nobody can resist. Who doesn’t want to get a wish come true?
It’s a magical book that took me away from reality for couple hours. But it’s not fully developed. There is not a built world, just some islands in the middle of somewhere. No world named, or government, nothing. This came as drawback for me, I missed the illusion that actually this world does exists. Another shortage for me is that the characters are not fully developed as well. I liked the way that Scar describes her feelings in colours, but there is almost nothing personal to learn about her. The major thing in the book is the Game. In some points I believed that everything that happened is true. All decisions are life treating. I’ve got lost between the pages, absorbed by the magic. I probably forgot that “it’s only a game”.
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Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Our Wayward Fate in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>The author/publisher provided a free copy of the book for review purposes - thank you! Receiving a review copy does not guarantee a positive review and therefore do not affect the opinion or content of the review.</i></b>
I adored <a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/american-panda-by-gloria-chao/"><em>American Panda</em></a> back in 2018, so when I heard Gloria Chao was releasing a new book, I pretty much slid <em>Our Wayward Fate</em> onto my TBR with no questions asked. (I enjoyed <em>American Panda</em> enough that I got my own copy... only to have my mom "borrow" it. She still hasn't returned it.)
<h2><strong>Gloria Chao is a Queen of Writing Relatable Characters and it continues with her second novel, <em>Our Wayward Fate</em>.</strong></h2>
Chao's latest novel follows Ali Chu, a high school senior living in Indiana and is the only Asian kid in her school; for years, she operates in survival mode in order to blend in with the rest of her classmates, even if she hates dealing with the constant racist stereotypes that are automatically associated with her simply because she's Asian. But she continues to remain silent until she finds out the new kid in school, Chase Yu, is also Taiwanese like her.
<strong>Let me take a moment to talk about their relationship!!!</strong>
❤ Puns, puns, so many puns
❤ Jokes and wordplay in Mandarin (also I really loved how Chao didn't incorporate a glossary so readers can get what it's like to be someone learning a language through conversation and context)
❤ They're just so cute and competitive together; ugh, my heart can't
<h3><strong>Friends, I saw myself in <em>American Panda</em>, but I also really saw myself in <em>Our Wayward Fate</em>.</strong></h3>
Chao touches on a lot of experiences that I personally went through - it's a book that I would have loved to read back in middle and high school when I occasionally felt like I was alone in my experiences. Much of the experiences Ali goes through hit hardcore emotionally and I really, <em>really</em> wanted to reach through the book just to give Ali a hug. (Here I thought I related to Mei a lot and Ali Chu comes in and knocks it out of the park.)
<h2><strong>Chao's latest novel deals with darker topics while also incorporating her signature humor.</strong></h2>
I love puns, so I'm a little biased toward them. While <em>Our Wayward Fate</em> is chock full of puns (I love them) and incorporates Chao's signature humor from her debut, it also has a darker feel. <em>Our Wayward Fate</em> is a book with family and identity with a retelling of <em>The Butterfly Lovers; </em>it also focuses a lot about miscommunication when we struggle or are unsure when communicating with others.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/our-wayward-fate-by-gloria-chao/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
I adored <a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/american-panda-by-gloria-chao/"><em>American Panda</em></a> back in 2018, so when I heard Gloria Chao was releasing a new book, I pretty much slid <em>Our Wayward Fate</em> onto my TBR with no questions asked. (I enjoyed <em>American Panda</em> enough that I got my own copy... only to have my mom "borrow" it. She still hasn't returned it.)
<h2><strong>Gloria Chao is a Queen of Writing Relatable Characters and it continues with her second novel, <em>Our Wayward Fate</em>.</strong></h2>
Chao's latest novel follows Ali Chu, a high school senior living in Indiana and is the only Asian kid in her school; for years, she operates in survival mode in order to blend in with the rest of her classmates, even if she hates dealing with the constant racist stereotypes that are automatically associated with her simply because she's Asian. But she continues to remain silent until she finds out the new kid in school, Chase Yu, is also Taiwanese like her.
<strong>Let me take a moment to talk about their relationship!!!</strong>
❤ Puns, puns, so many puns
❤ Jokes and wordplay in Mandarin (also I really loved how Chao didn't incorporate a glossary so readers can get what it's like to be someone learning a language through conversation and context)
❤ They're just so cute and competitive together; ugh, my heart can't
<h3><strong>Friends, I saw myself in <em>American Panda</em>, but I also really saw myself in <em>Our Wayward Fate</em>.</strong></h3>
Chao touches on a lot of experiences that I personally went through - it's a book that I would have loved to read back in middle and high school when I occasionally felt like I was alone in my experiences. Much of the experiences Ali goes through hit hardcore emotionally and I really, <em>really</em> wanted to reach through the book just to give Ali a hug. (Here I thought I related to Mei a lot and Ali Chu comes in and knocks it out of the park.)
<h2><strong>Chao's latest novel deals with darker topics while also incorporating her signature humor.</strong></h2>
I love puns, so I'm a little biased toward them. While <em>Our Wayward Fate</em> is chock full of puns (I love them) and incorporates Chao's signature humor from her debut, it also has a darker feel. <em>Our Wayward Fate</em> is a book with family and identity with a retelling of <em>The Butterfly Lovers; </em>it also focuses a lot about miscommunication when we struggle or are unsure when communicating with others.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/our-wayward-fate-by-gloria-chao/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Cynthia Armistead (17 KP) rated Killbox (Sirantha Jax, #4) in Books
Mar 1, 2018
Killbox won't make any sense without reading the previous three books, and I honestly feel that I should have gone back and re-read them before starting it. I was impatient for more fresh Aguirre after finishing [b:Shady Lady|6767883|Shady Lady (Corine Solomon, #3)|Ann Aguirre|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1302689192s/6767883.jpg|6913777], though, and [b:Killbox|7843135|Killbox (Sirantha Jax, #4)|Ann Aguirre|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1282093259s/7843135.jpg|6913748] is what I had on the Nook.
I really love Sirantha Jax's strength and complexity. She has grown and changed a great deal over the four books of the series, and reflects on the changes in herself during this book. Her relationship with March has deepened, as well. The depiction of a mature relationship being tested, rather than one that is fresh and new, is a nice switch from most of the books I've read recently.
The friendship between Velith and Jax is also a treasure. It is rare to see a pure friendship between a male and a female in fiction, without any sexual tension entering the picture. We're reminded that while he is an alien, Velith has had a human lover in the past, so it isn't as if that is impossible between the two — it just doesn't occur.
The book isn't solely about relationships, of course — I just appreciate how well Aguirre depicts relationships in and around the excellent plot. That's the part that you need background to understand.
The Morgut keep coming, a bigger threat than ever: they're colonizing instead of raiding. Jax secured a treaty with the Ithiss-Tor (Velith's people), but there's no help from them coming yet. Humanity's survival is on the line. Aguirre depicts battle believably, giving a sense of the horror without dwelling too much on gore.
Lovers are torn apart, established characters die, new ones come on stage. It's impossible to know at any given moment whether anyone, including Jax, will survive from scene to scene. That certainly kept me reading, and I think it will engage you, as well.
I really love Sirantha Jax's strength and complexity. She has grown and changed a great deal over the four books of the series, and reflects on the changes in herself during this book. Her relationship with March has deepened, as well. The depiction of a mature relationship being tested, rather than one that is fresh and new, is a nice switch from most of the books I've read recently.
The friendship between Velith and Jax is also a treasure. It is rare to see a pure friendship between a male and a female in fiction, without any sexual tension entering the picture. We're reminded that while he is an alien, Velith has had a human lover in the past, so it isn't as if that is impossible between the two — it just doesn't occur.
The book isn't solely about relationships, of course — I just appreciate how well Aguirre depicts relationships in and around the excellent plot. That's the part that you need background to understand.
The Morgut keep coming, a bigger threat than ever: they're colonizing instead of raiding. Jax secured a treaty with the Ithiss-Tor (Velith's people), but there's no help from them coming yet. Humanity's survival is on the line. Aguirre depicts battle believably, giving a sense of the horror without dwelling too much on gore.
Lovers are torn apart, established characters die, new ones come on stage. It's impossible to know at any given moment whether anyone, including Jax, will survive from scene to scene. That certainly kept me reading, and I think it will engage you, as well.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated The Winner's Curse (The Winner's Trilogy, #1) in Books
Dec 17, 2018
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
<i>The Winner’s Curse</i> is the first book in the <i>Winner’s Trilogy</i> by American author Marie Rutkoski. It is a novel that mixes together rumours, lies, love and warfare to create an incredible new story for young adults.
It is set in a similar society to that of the 18th century or earlier (in Europe at least) except that for women there are only two lifestyles. By the age of twenty they must decide whether to marry or join the military. By women, that means Valorian women. Ever since the defeat of the Herrani during the Herran war many years ago, the Valorian have made them slaves and looked down on them, whilst seizing their lavish properties and enforcing Valorian customs.
The title, <i>The Winner’s Curse</i>, is a concept that relates to the winner of an auction. Whilst they have won the item they have also lost by paying out more money than other bidders felt it was worth. This is what happens to seventeen-year-old Lady Kestrel, a Valorian, when, with an unexplainable impulse, she hires Arin, a Herrani slave, for an extortionate amount of money. Put to work as a blacksmith, Arin becomes intrigued with Kestrel, and she with him, and they soon start to form a friendship – although rumours suggest something more.
It is not, however, simply the cost of a slave that <i>The Winner’s Curse</i> refers to. The Herrani are planning an attack on the Valorian Empire, and Kestrel being a General’s daughter could unknowingly reveal vital information. The emergence of a second Herran war is imminent, but Kestrel and Arin’s relationship complicate things further.
Whilst similar to other novels with lovers belonging to opposing families, it is more original regarding the circumstances, secrets and lies, which makes, not just the characters, but the reader question what their true feelings and intentions are.
It is an excellent, fast paced read, and definitely recommended.
<i>The Winner’s Curse</i> is the first book in the <i>Winner’s Trilogy</i> by American author Marie Rutkoski. It is a novel that mixes together rumours, lies, love and warfare to create an incredible new story for young adults.
It is set in a similar society to that of the 18th century or earlier (in Europe at least) except that for women there are only two lifestyles. By the age of twenty they must decide whether to marry or join the military. By women, that means Valorian women. Ever since the defeat of the Herrani during the Herran war many years ago, the Valorian have made them slaves and looked down on them, whilst seizing their lavish properties and enforcing Valorian customs.
The title, <i>The Winner’s Curse</i>, is a concept that relates to the winner of an auction. Whilst they have won the item they have also lost by paying out more money than other bidders felt it was worth. This is what happens to seventeen-year-old Lady Kestrel, a Valorian, when, with an unexplainable impulse, she hires Arin, a Herrani slave, for an extortionate amount of money. Put to work as a blacksmith, Arin becomes intrigued with Kestrel, and she with him, and they soon start to form a friendship – although rumours suggest something more.
It is not, however, simply the cost of a slave that <i>The Winner’s Curse</i> refers to. The Herrani are planning an attack on the Valorian Empire, and Kestrel being a General’s daughter could unknowingly reveal vital information. The emergence of a second Herran war is imminent, but Kestrel and Arin’s relationship complicate things further.
Whilst similar to other novels with lovers belonging to opposing families, it is more original regarding the circumstances, secrets and lies, which makes, not just the characters, but the reader question what their true feelings and intentions are.
It is an excellent, fast paced read, and definitely recommended.
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Beckie Shelton (40 KP) rated Hart Broken (Cale & Mickey #1) in Books
Oct 6, 2017
Hart Broken (Cale & Mickey #1) oh where do I start with this amazingly different love story.
This is one book I was really looking forward to devouring and then to realise it's part of a series, well it just made my day.
So Hart Broken is the tale of Mickey Hart and Cale Windermere, it begins when Cale rescues an inebriated Mickey one night and after the encounter, he falls fast.
Mickey herself is a screwed up mess, but she really does like her wickedly handsome knight who just happens to be in a wheelchair.
Hart Broken follows these two lovers as they traverse the rocky road to a HEA.
So I really loved this book it certainly helped that our two main characters were exceptionally likeable and yummy.
So to give my take on these two, let's start with Cale, I adored his sense of humour and lopsided smile, it was super cute and adorable how he thought of Mickey "This Girl"
I loved how capable Cale was and that he didn't wallow in what if's, just takes his hand in life and gets on with it.
I also adored the peek we got of his vulnerable side, the glimpse into his head showcased his inner insecurities, whatever the face he put on to the outside world. It humanised Cale to the reader.
Also, his relationship with his parents and brother show such an appealing picture looking in.
Now, Mickey, she's a bit of a flake, an enchanting one, a bit all over the place, but she does mean well. Mickeys past and her enormous mountain of baggage is definitely impacting her here and now.
So Hart Broken starts by lulling you into a false sense of security, everything's puppies and roses Mickey and Cale are all loved up then wham Mickey self-sabotages herself, Lots of Baggage from Mickey sigh.
The rest of this novel traverses the path and obstacles these two lovers have to overcome to fully connect again.
I really enjoyed the way this was written the dialogue had a punchy feel to it that was easy to immerse yourself in.
If I had to find a criticism of Hart Broken it would be the sex, I would have liked to know more about the mechanics of the act, I was actually and still am a bit confused as to the how.
I know that Cale took something to enable him, but then it mentioned he could feel nothing below the waist, so was this just for Mickey's benefits?
mmm, Some clarity on this would be much appreciated.
I actually won an E-Copy of Hart Broken in a Facebook giveaway so glad I did As I really enjoyed this and am so looking forward to reading the next instalment, its definitely on my HUGE TBR pile.
So would I recommend this, of course, it's a hot sexy read whats not to love.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/9460945-bex-beckie-bookworm
This is one book I was really looking forward to devouring and then to realise it's part of a series, well it just made my day.
So Hart Broken is the tale of Mickey Hart and Cale Windermere, it begins when Cale rescues an inebriated Mickey one night and after the encounter, he falls fast.
Mickey herself is a screwed up mess, but she really does like her wickedly handsome knight who just happens to be in a wheelchair.
Hart Broken follows these two lovers as they traverse the rocky road to a HEA.
So I really loved this book it certainly helped that our two main characters were exceptionally likeable and yummy.
So to give my take on these two, let's start with Cale, I adored his sense of humour and lopsided smile, it was super cute and adorable how he thought of Mickey "This Girl"
I loved how capable Cale was and that he didn't wallow in what if's, just takes his hand in life and gets on with it.
I also adored the peek we got of his vulnerable side, the glimpse into his head showcased his inner insecurities, whatever the face he put on to the outside world. It humanised Cale to the reader.
Also, his relationship with his parents and brother show such an appealing picture looking in.
Now, Mickey, she's a bit of a flake, an enchanting one, a bit all over the place, but she does mean well. Mickeys past and her enormous mountain of baggage is definitely impacting her here and now.
So Hart Broken starts by lulling you into a false sense of security, everything's puppies and roses Mickey and Cale are all loved up then wham Mickey self-sabotages herself, Lots of Baggage from Mickey sigh.
The rest of this novel traverses the path and obstacles these two lovers have to overcome to fully connect again.
I really enjoyed the way this was written the dialogue had a punchy feel to it that was easy to immerse yourself in.
If I had to find a criticism of Hart Broken it would be the sex, I would have liked to know more about the mechanics of the act, I was actually and still am a bit confused as to the how.
I know that Cale took something to enable him, but then it mentioned he could feel nothing below the waist, so was this just for Mickey's benefits?
mmm, Some clarity on this would be much appreciated.
I actually won an E-Copy of Hart Broken in a Facebook giveaway so glad I did As I really enjoyed this and am so looking forward to reading the next instalment, its definitely on my HUGE TBR pile.
So would I recommend this, of course, it's a hot sexy read whats not to love.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/9460945-bex-beckie-bookworm