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Chloe (778 KP) rated Throne of Glass in Books
Mar 20, 2021
Good characters (2 more)
Great plot
Interesting world
Great but lacks subtlety
Another one I've picked up from various bookstagrams and actually I think this one nearly lives up to the hype. The story is good and I really want to learn more about Erilea, I have already started the second book to carry on the story.
Celeana is a good character and so great to have such a kick ass female protagonist. I think some of her back story needs to be uncovered and quickly, its quite frustrating that this hasn't been explored already. I also find she sometimes goes through emotions very quickly.
I love the dynamics between characters, although I find some of the writing very obvious (perhaps due to YA genre).
I didn't see some of the events coming and I am really excited for the next book.
Celeana is a good character and so great to have such a kick ass female protagonist. I think some of her back story needs to be uncovered and quickly, its quite frustrating that this hasn't been explored already. I also find she sometimes goes through emotions very quickly.
I love the dynamics between characters, although I find some of the writing very obvious (perhaps due to YA genre).
I didn't see some of the events coming and I am really excited for the next book.
Adam Silvera recommended Noggin in Books (curated)
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated My Life Next Door in Books
Sep 5, 2019
*I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
I'd been looking at this book for a while. I've recently noticed a love for YA Contemporary Romances. And this is that.
I liked it but I thought that their relationship progressed a bit too quickly in the beginning. One minute they were meeting for the first time and several pages later they were kissing and touching each other. I get that they'd been watching each other for years and felt like they knew each other but I kinda missed that awkwardness of it all--though admittedly that bit came later with the "family planning" aisle.
I'm still feeling torn over my rating of this. I wasn't blown away by it at all but the romance and connection between them, once it really got going was really sweet.
I'd been looking at this book for a while. I've recently noticed a love for YA Contemporary Romances. And this is that.
I liked it but I thought that their relationship progressed a bit too quickly in the beginning. One minute they were meeting for the first time and several pages later they were kissing and touching each other. I get that they'd been watching each other for years and felt like they knew each other but I kinda missed that awkwardness of it all--though admittedly that bit came later with the "family planning" aisle.
I'm still feeling torn over my rating of this. I wasn't blown away by it at all but the romance and connection between them, once it really got going was really sweet.
Between the Realms (War of the Fae, #6)
6.0
Rate It
Book
NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR, ELLE CASEY, brings readers Book 6 in the YA Urban...
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Blink Once in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review is also on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.co.uk">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
I bought this book as a gift to myself because, well, I can never have enough books! The synopsis of the book sounded really good, and I was kind of right.
West ends up in hospital paralysed from the neck down after a biking accident. He thinks that life will never get any better until he meets the alluring Olivia who is in the next room. Soon, she's sneaking in to his room to see him whenever she can. He communicates with her by blinking his eyes once for yes and twice for no. West starts having some strange dreams whilst in hospital. He can't but help to feel that his dreams and the hospital he's in are somehow connected. And what's the deal with Olivia? Why is she in hospital?
I thought the title of this book kind of suits it. West does use blinking for communicating, but that's about it. I don't really see the significance of the title "Blink Once." The author could've chose another title that's better suited to the book, but I suppose Blink Once suits it a bit.
The cover, like the title sort of suits the book. It's just a picture of a girl laying down, possibly sleeping. I'm assuming it's Olivia. It seems that most YA books these days take the easy route of picking out a design for their cover but just putting up a photo of one of the main characters. Meh, like I said, it's an okay cover, but it could've been better. It does relate to the book though so I suppose that's something.
There's not much to say about the setting. About 98 percent of the book takes place in a hospital. The other places the book takes place is in memories in West's mind for the most part.
The pacing started out so so so slowly. I was thinking how disappointed I was in this book especially as I actually paid money for it. I had to force myself to read it, but I'm glad I did. About 65 percent of the way through the book, the pacing of the book picks up. It becomes a fascinating read. Of this, I was very thankful. Once I got to where the book had decent pacing, I couldn't put the book down. I was wondering if I was actually reading the same book as the pacing was totally opposite for awhile.
The dialogue is good for a young adult book. There is some swearing in this book, but it's not too much. I liked the way the characters, especially the boys, came across as being "real" teenagers, as in talking about how hot a girl was and that sort of thing. A lot of YA books seem to make their teenage characters appear to be more adult. It was so refreshing to see the characters acting their age.
As for the characters, I must admit, at first I couldn't care less about what happened to West and Olivia or what was going to happen to them. When the book actually got going, I started falling in love with West and Olivia. I loved their relationship. You can definitely feel that they've got something special. Olivia does come across as a bit needy, but I think that helped me relate to her. She doesn't come across as an annoying needy girl. It's a bit hard to explain.
This book will make you question certain things. I won't tell you what because I don't want to give too much away. It made me feel like I shouldn't ever take anything for granted.
I'd recommend this book to everyone aged 16+.
Blink Once by Cylin Busby gets a 3.5 out of 5 from me.
I bought this book as a gift to myself because, well, I can never have enough books! The synopsis of the book sounded really good, and I was kind of right.
West ends up in hospital paralysed from the neck down after a biking accident. He thinks that life will never get any better until he meets the alluring Olivia who is in the next room. Soon, she's sneaking in to his room to see him whenever she can. He communicates with her by blinking his eyes once for yes and twice for no. West starts having some strange dreams whilst in hospital. He can't but help to feel that his dreams and the hospital he's in are somehow connected. And what's the deal with Olivia? Why is she in hospital?
I thought the title of this book kind of suits it. West does use blinking for communicating, but that's about it. I don't really see the significance of the title "Blink Once." The author could've chose another title that's better suited to the book, but I suppose Blink Once suits it a bit.
The cover, like the title sort of suits the book. It's just a picture of a girl laying down, possibly sleeping. I'm assuming it's Olivia. It seems that most YA books these days take the easy route of picking out a design for their cover but just putting up a photo of one of the main characters. Meh, like I said, it's an okay cover, but it could've been better. It does relate to the book though so I suppose that's something.
There's not much to say about the setting. About 98 percent of the book takes place in a hospital. The other places the book takes place is in memories in West's mind for the most part.
The pacing started out so so so slowly. I was thinking how disappointed I was in this book especially as I actually paid money for it. I had to force myself to read it, but I'm glad I did. About 65 percent of the way through the book, the pacing of the book picks up. It becomes a fascinating read. Of this, I was very thankful. Once I got to where the book had decent pacing, I couldn't put the book down. I was wondering if I was actually reading the same book as the pacing was totally opposite for awhile.
The dialogue is good for a young adult book. There is some swearing in this book, but it's not too much. I liked the way the characters, especially the boys, came across as being "real" teenagers, as in talking about how hot a girl was and that sort of thing. A lot of YA books seem to make their teenage characters appear to be more adult. It was so refreshing to see the characters acting their age.
As for the characters, I must admit, at first I couldn't care less about what happened to West and Olivia or what was going to happen to them. When the book actually got going, I started falling in love with West and Olivia. I loved their relationship. You can definitely feel that they've got something special. Olivia does come across as a bit needy, but I think that helped me relate to her. She doesn't come across as an annoying needy girl. It's a bit hard to explain.
This book will make you question certain things. I won't tell you what because I don't want to give too much away. It made me feel like I shouldn't ever take anything for granted.
I'd recommend this book to everyone aged 16+.
Blink Once by Cylin Busby gets a 3.5 out of 5 from me.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated Dividing Eden in Books
Apr 15, 2018
Dividing Eden is a little trite - it's the typical teens must compete for the throne kind of fantasy, but this time it's twins who are both guarding each other's terrible secrets. You don't LEARN their terrible secrets until almost 100 pages in, which was frustrating because they were alluded to multiple times before finally revealed to the reader. I almost stopped reading, I was so frustrated at the mention - AGAIN - of Andreus' DARK SECRET THAT NO ONE MUST EVER KNOW. Seriously. Don't do that to your readers.
The fact that they were protecting each other's secret while competing against each other for the throne was rather unique, and while I don't like Andreus much, I did enjoy Carys and her friends enough that I'll probably pick up the sequel when it comes out this June.
Everything happened very quickly, but that tends to be the case in YA. Adult fantasy seems to take its time and develop its characters more fully, which I enjoy.
The windmills and electricity was surprising, and I'd really like to know more about their religion of Virtues, and the Wind and Seeing Magic. I wish she had described her forest monsters a little earlier; they were only referred to by name for most of the book and I was left wondering if they were monsters or human raiders of some sort!
Verdict is - it's typical YA fantasy. If you're looking for a quick read, you might enjoy it.
The fact that they were protecting each other's secret while competing against each other for the throne was rather unique, and while I don't like Andreus much, I did enjoy Carys and her friends enough that I'll probably pick up the sequel when it comes out this June.
Everything happened very quickly, but that tends to be the case in YA. Adult fantasy seems to take its time and develop its characters more fully, which I enjoy.
The windmills and electricity was surprising, and I'd really like to know more about their religion of Virtues, and the Wind and Seeing Magic. I wish she had described her forest monsters a little earlier; they were only referred to by name for most of the book and I was left wondering if they were monsters or human raiders of some sort!
Verdict is - it's typical YA fantasy. If you're looking for a quick read, you might enjoy it.
Ali A (82 KP) rated Chaos & Flame in Books
Jun 7, 2023
Trigger Warnings: Misgendering, genocide (off page, but discussed), poison, knife violence, blood & gore, graphic violence, war, death
Written in the alternating points of views of Darling Seabreak and Talon Goldhoard, Chaos & Flame tells the story of the two navigating House politics while also being caught up in the High Prince Regent’s unknown scheme as they tour around the kingdom to the other Houses.
This book took me a while to get into it - it’s slow to start, but by the end of it, I was invested in what was happening with the characters, so I will be picking up the second book in this duology. I'm very curious to see how the authors are planning on bringing out more with the boons and if those will change with what could be happening in the second book.
I was really interested in Caspian’s character and wish I knew more about what was going on in his head since everyone just marked him as “being mad” when in fact, he just had a whole other agenda.
I do wish we had more history of the world. The world building was fantastic but I felt like 100 years isn’t a whole lot to have passed since the last phoenix was alive and that even with that, there should still be people around who were alive back then - wouldn’t they know more and have maybe some insight?
I wasn’t the biggest fan of the insta-love between Darling and Talon, but it is YA and that’s typical YA romance so I’m not complaining all too much to be honest with you.
Overall, it was a slow build up to a good read and that I’m excited to continue reading when the next book in the series comes out (please don’t be too long!).
*Thank you Razorbill and BookishFirst for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
Written in the alternating points of views of Darling Seabreak and Talon Goldhoard, Chaos & Flame tells the story of the two navigating House politics while also being caught up in the High Prince Regent’s unknown scheme as they tour around the kingdom to the other Houses.
This book took me a while to get into it - it’s slow to start, but by the end of it, I was invested in what was happening with the characters, so I will be picking up the second book in this duology. I'm very curious to see how the authors are planning on bringing out more with the boons and if those will change with what could be happening in the second book.
I was really interested in Caspian’s character and wish I knew more about what was going on in his head since everyone just marked him as “being mad” when in fact, he just had a whole other agenda.
I do wish we had more history of the world. The world building was fantastic but I felt like 100 years isn’t a whole lot to have passed since the last phoenix was alive and that even with that, there should still be people around who were alive back then - wouldn’t they know more and have maybe some insight?
I wasn’t the biggest fan of the insta-love between Darling and Talon, but it is YA and that’s typical YA romance so I’m not complaining all too much to be honest with you.
Overall, it was a slow build up to a good read and that I’m excited to continue reading when the next book in the series comes out (please don’t be too long!).
*Thank you Razorbill and BookishFirst for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
tarabu42 (7 KP) rated The Transatlantic Conspiracy in Books
Nov 2, 2017
Exciting, fast-paced, no fluff
Classic conflicts of child/parent, friend/(boy)friend, working/privileged classes, come to a head with a brutal murder, pre-WWI industrial espionage, and a race to survive the crossing.
The publisher classes it as YA, but it is suitable for a well-read late middle grader as the murder is neither gory nor superfluous to the plot. The language is clear and direct, the dialogue natural, and the settings imaginative.
The publisher classes it as YA, but it is suitable for a well-read late middle grader as the murder is neither gory nor superfluous to the plot. The language is clear and direct, the dialogue natural, and the settings imaginative.
Samantha (0 KP) rated Before I Fall in Books
Jan 29, 2018
YA fiction for any age
Contains spoilers, click to show
I hated this book, and loved it. It’s cruel, and frustrating, unfair, and yet it’s also sad, and hopeful, and honest and authentic. I’m not sure how everyone else feels about their High School experience, but I despised mine. You couldn’t pay me to go back. However, this story was so vivid, that I felt as though I could smell the grease from the cafeteria, feel the rough tile on the bathroom floor and the chill of that cold fateful night. This is the story of a mean girl done good.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2627 KP) rated Let the Sky Fall (Sky Fall, #1) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Vane has no memory of his life before his parents were killed in a tornado. Audra has spent her entire life guarding him, but always from a distance. But when the winds of change come into their lives, can Audra train Vane to meet his destiny? I really enjoyed this YA fantasy novel with a strong romance. The characters were great, and it was easy to pull for them. And the plot moved along well, leading to a climax that kept me turning pages.
My full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/04/book-review-let-sky-fall-by-shannon.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
My full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/04/book-review-let-sky-fall-by-shannon.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.