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Merissa (12061 KP) rated Torn (Reflections, #2) in Books
Apr 4, 2023 (Updated Apr 10, 2023)
Finally, a complete book which tells the story from the other perspective. You find out in this book why Alec reacted in certain situations the way he did. You also find out more about the lives of Alec and his shapeshifter family, the Coun'hij, how his mum became the way she is and more importantly the fight between Alec and Brandon from Alec's point of view. You know, I've read this scene twice now from two different points of view and it still takes my breath away!
This is the twin to Broken and as such I would say is more of a 'guy' book. There is lots of violence as the packs fight, there is in-fighting within the packs as some members jostle for ranking. However, as a 'girl' I read this book and thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it.
After reading Broken and Torn, I would definitely recommend to any YA, shapeshifter, Twilight fan. I can see this series just getting better and better.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
August 6, 2016
This is the twin to Broken and as such I would say is more of a 'guy' book. There is lots of violence as the packs fight, there is in-fighting within the packs as some members jostle for ranking. However, as a 'girl' I read this book and thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it.
After reading Broken and Torn, I would definitely recommend to any YA, shapeshifter, Twilight fan. I can see this series just getting better and better.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
August 6, 2016
Book Divas (227 KP) rated Twisted Sisters (The Orion Circle #2) in Books
Dec 12, 2017
I received an eARC when I signed up to host the book tour. I made no guarantee of a favorable review and the opinions expressed here are unbiased and my own.
This is not a stand alone so Tortured Souls should be read first. This is a fast paced and exciting read full of paranormal elements and it contains just the right amount of romance to captivate you. The story line is well written and the characters are easy to relate to. The entire gang returns in this sequel plus a few new friends. Want to know what happens and what the consequences are for playing around with a ouija board? Then I highly recommend you read this YA book that's full of thrills and chills.
This is not a stand alone so Tortured Souls should be read first. This is a fast paced and exciting read full of paranormal elements and it contains just the right amount of romance to captivate you. The story line is well written and the characters are easy to relate to. The entire gang returns in this sequel plus a few new friends. Want to know what happens and what the consequences are for playing around with a ouija board? Then I highly recommend you read this YA book that's full of thrills and chills.
Jaime Lynch (18 KP) rated The Handmaid's Tale in Books
Jul 3, 2017
A dystopian novel not of the YA variety
I originally read this book because it was part of the Bioethics curriculum that I inherited at a high school I worked at. As I was reading it, I realized it wasn't your average high school blah fest. (That being said, now that I am rereading some of the books assigned in high school, those high school books aren't actually all that bad...it's amazing what reading for pleasure vs. reading for assignments can do) Some parts were like-...what...? and other parts were like WHAT??!??!?!?!??! Definitely kept me interested throughout. Just the right amount of backstory sprinkled throughout to help keep you following but still keep you wondering.
Finale
I really enjoyed the first two books which were set during the two games of Caraval that the two sisters Scarlett and Donatella were involved in. This one not so much. There wasn't a game as such, it was more about saving the land from an evil tyrant.
The concept of the Fates was good. I think in a book written for adults this could have been explored in more depth, but this is for a younger audience so detail was lost.
And oh for goodness sake, what's with all the kissing!!!! It is essentially a book about love, and obviously for a YA audience (the main characters are about 16 and 18) but there was just too much of it.
The concept of the Fates was good. I think in a book written for adults this could have been explored in more depth, but this is for a younger audience so detail was lost.
And oh for goodness sake, what's with all the kissing!!!! It is essentially a book about love, and obviously for a YA audience (the main characters are about 16 and 18) but there was just too much of it.
After the Fall (War of the Fae, #5)
8.0
Rate It
Book
NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR, ELLE CASEY, brings readers Book 5 in the YA Urban...
Jayme (18 KP) rated Turtles All The Way Down in Books
Apr 15, 2018 (Updated Apr 15, 2018)
Characters (3 more)
Plot
Accurate depiciton of mental illness
Didn't have an "easy" or cliche "fairytale" ending
I’ve been meaning to pick up a John Green book for a very long time, but it wasn’t until I heard good reviews of this book that I finally did. My initial thought after finishing the book is this: I now understand all the hype.
I read a great deal of YA fiction, but it is not very often that I finish the book feeling whole. Not because the ending was that of a fairy tale — John Green has a reputation for ensuring those endings don’t exist in his novels — but because the book was just so well-written. I feel as if many YA writers sit down to write books, but forget who their audience is. They are writing a much more washed out and juvenile version of what teenagers are actually like today. They are afraid to let their characters cuss or talk about sex, as if neither action actually exists among young adults. YA authors tend to stray away from the reality of teen behavior, but this book faced realities in a compelling way.
The novel follows Aza, a sixteen year old with an obsessive compulsive disorder, as she navigates the implications of her illness on her relationships with other people. Simultaneously, Aza and her best friend Daisy make it their mission to find Davis Pickett’s billionaire father wanted by the police, and it just so happens that Davis is an old friend of Aza’s from camp.
I appreciated the way the Aza, Daisy, and Davis (as well as the other secondary characters) were facing so many different conflicts (i.e. grief, financial classes, love, mental health, college decisions) at once, because that is exactly how the world works. Real teenagers do not fixate their lives on one specific conflict for extended periods of time, rather they balance several conflicts. I love the way this book was able to depict that struggle to maintain a balance in such a way that allowed readers to follow each plot line to the very end.
I loved the characterization, as they all felt tangible. Their mannerisms and tendancies were displayed through each appearance on the page. There was not a single moment in any interaction that made me feel as if the personalities of these characters were lost, not even in the dialogue (which was also incredible). This attention to detail is something that will drive me to pick up another John Green novel in the near future.
I read a great deal of YA fiction, but it is not very often that I finish the book feeling whole. Not because the ending was that of a fairy tale — John Green has a reputation for ensuring those endings don’t exist in his novels — but because the book was just so well-written. I feel as if many YA writers sit down to write books, but forget who their audience is. They are writing a much more washed out and juvenile version of what teenagers are actually like today. They are afraid to let their characters cuss or talk about sex, as if neither action actually exists among young adults. YA authors tend to stray away from the reality of teen behavior, but this book faced realities in a compelling way.
The novel follows Aza, a sixteen year old with an obsessive compulsive disorder, as she navigates the implications of her illness on her relationships with other people. Simultaneously, Aza and her best friend Daisy make it their mission to find Davis Pickett’s billionaire father wanted by the police, and it just so happens that Davis is an old friend of Aza’s from camp.
I appreciated the way the Aza, Daisy, and Davis (as well as the other secondary characters) were facing so many different conflicts (i.e. grief, financial classes, love, mental health, college decisions) at once, because that is exactly how the world works. Real teenagers do not fixate their lives on one specific conflict for extended periods of time, rather they balance several conflicts. I love the way this book was able to depict that struggle to maintain a balance in such a way that allowed readers to follow each plot line to the very end.
I loved the characterization, as they all felt tangible. Their mannerisms and tendancies were displayed through each appearance on the page. There was not a single moment in any interaction that made me feel as if the personalities of these characters were lost, not even in the dialogue (which was also incredible). This attention to detail is something that will drive me to pick up another John Green novel in the near future.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Home in Books
May 10, 2018
Home is a YA novel. This story was short and sweet.
Allie is 14 years old and she is about to enter her 17th foster home. Her only goal is to get back to her mother. She, along with her younger twin siblings, Luke and Madeline just want to stay together at home. Allie tries every trick in her foster care book to get them home as soon as possible. At first, her tricks work, but she will soon learn that home may not be all that it's cracked up to be.
This was a really short book and a quick read. I think I finished the whole thing in about 3 hours. This is a great book for any young person who is struggling in foster care. No matter how hard or difficult things are back at home, that is where kids in foster care prefer to be. Not all foster homes are as great as the one Allie has just landed in, but she has gotten pretty lucky this time.
I encourage all young people to read this book.
**I received this book from Story Cartel in exchange for my review.**
Allie is 14 years old and she is about to enter her 17th foster home. Her only goal is to get back to her mother. She, along with her younger twin siblings, Luke and Madeline just want to stay together at home. Allie tries every trick in her foster care book to get them home as soon as possible. At first, her tricks work, but she will soon learn that home may not be all that it's cracked up to be.
This was a really short book and a quick read. I think I finished the whole thing in about 3 hours. This is a great book for any young person who is struggling in foster care. No matter how hard or difficult things are back at home, that is where kids in foster care prefer to be. Not all foster homes are as great as the one Allie has just landed in, but she has gotten pretty lucky this time.
I encourage all young people to read this book.
**I received this book from Story Cartel in exchange for my review.**
Merissa (12061 KP) rated Bittersweet (Faerie Song Trilogy #2) in Books
Apr 12, 2023
Just like the first book, this one is incredibly fast-paced and full of detail. The triangle that was hinted at in book 1 becomes stronger for a time before fading away to just two, but which two and will it last? This book is full of action and betrayal. It is hard to know who to trust and that is as a reader! I don't think I could cope with it for real.
One thing that I have to say is that it does become disjointed in places - and this is not me saying it due to being interrupted whilst reading because I wasn't - but at times, I did have to go back a page or two, just to see if I had missed something out.
On the whole, though, this is a very well-written, imaginative and descriptive piece of work. Having read books 1 and 2, I stand by my recommendation to all fans of YA Fantasy.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
July 29, 2016
One thing that I have to say is that it does become disjointed in places - and this is not me saying it due to being interrupted whilst reading because I wasn't - but at times, I did have to go back a page or two, just to see if I had missed something out.
On the whole, though, this is a very well-written, imaginative and descriptive piece of work. Having read books 1 and 2, I stand by my recommendation to all fans of YA Fantasy.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
July 29, 2016
Cori June (3033 KP) rated Once Upon a Winter's Night (Faery, #1) in Books
Nov 21, 2021
Makes you think (2 more)
Vocabulary
Riddles
But of a mary sue (1 more)
Sometimes drags
This is a good book based on a Norse fairytale. The main character is a bit of a Mary Sue. But it does have some deep subject matter. I'd file it as a winter book. Makes you think and can challenge some views.
The book can be somewhat draggy, as an epic fiction it's alright and doesn't kill itself in. Purple prose.
It's a good book if you want to expand your vocabulary or have High School assignments that are like "pick a book and write the sentence when it uses a word you don't know." Or was that just my english class? Anyway, I'd say it's good for ages 14 and up if they are tired of the kids section and not ready for the bloody. hardcore adult or too snooty (or hate the love triangles) for the ya fantasy. Its pretty easy to follow so if you want to put your toe in for epic fantasy but aren't sure if you want to start you can start here. It's part of a series but can be read alone.
The book can be somewhat draggy, as an epic fiction it's alright and doesn't kill itself in. Purple prose.
It's a good book if you want to expand your vocabulary or have High School assignments that are like "pick a book and write the sentence when it uses a word you don't know." Or was that just my english class? Anyway, I'd say it's good for ages 14 and up if they are tired of the kids section and not ready for the bloody. hardcore adult or too snooty (or hate the love triangles) for the ya fantasy. Its pretty easy to follow so if you want to put your toe in for epic fantasy but aren't sure if you want to start you can start here. It's part of a series but can be read alone.
A Bibliophagist (113 KP) rated Red Rising in Books
Jan 26, 2020 (Updated Jan 26, 2020)
Good characters (3 more)
Good development
Well paced
Fun
YA tropes at times (2 more)
Derivative
Gary Stu
Lord of the Flies revisited
Lord of the Flies, meets Battle Royale, in the future to determine the strongest to lead the ruling class.
I will open with, had the main character been a woman, I completely believe this would be considered a YA book. All the bullet points are there, future society, classes, a lowest class person who is chosen to overthrow higher class. This person is perfect, attractive, intelligent, strong. He assumes the role of a higher class, taking over their life Char Aznable style, so they can enter an "institute" where all the smartest and strongest are placed to... kill each other until the strongest survive.
Every time I tried to describe this book, I got a little embarrassed, I was met with eye-rolls and "wait let me guess...". However, overall I'm a sucker for these violent stories a la Lord of the Flies and a sucker for SciFi so I ate it up and really enjoyed it. Most reviews claim the main character to break the "mary sue" mold, he doesn't, he's super mary sue, likable, but Mary Sue nonetheless. The other characters really drew me in on this one, and his interactions with them, and his feelings toward them even though they were his enemies, I loved every part of that.
So even though it was incredibly derivative, and very much the fixings of a YA, I devoured it, and immediately bought and read the second, I almost read all three in one week, but took a break on the third to read something else.
I will open with, had the main character been a woman, I completely believe this would be considered a YA book. All the bullet points are there, future society, classes, a lowest class person who is chosen to overthrow higher class. This person is perfect, attractive, intelligent, strong. He assumes the role of a higher class, taking over their life Char Aznable style, so they can enter an "institute" where all the smartest and strongest are placed to... kill each other until the strongest survive.
Every time I tried to describe this book, I got a little embarrassed, I was met with eye-rolls and "wait let me guess...". However, overall I'm a sucker for these violent stories a la Lord of the Flies and a sucker for SciFi so I ate it up and really enjoyed it. Most reviews claim the main character to break the "mary sue" mold, he doesn't, he's super mary sue, likable, but Mary Sue nonetheless. The other characters really drew me in on this one, and his interactions with them, and his feelings toward them even though they were his enemies, I loved every part of that.
So even though it was incredibly derivative, and very much the fixings of a YA, I devoured it, and immediately bought and read the second, I almost read all three in one week, but took a break on the third to read something else.