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Jessica - Where the Book Ends (15 KP) rated Leah on the Offbeat in Books
Jan 30, 2019
**** SPOILER ALERT ****
Actual rating: 1.5 -- I have the unpopular opinion.
I was super excited to read this book when it came out especially after I read and loved Simon vs. the Homosapiens Agenda. A lot of people read this and were sharing their love of it on Bookstagram and Booktube. With all the hype I decided to put off reading it a bit so that it would be fresh and new for me and I could form my own opinion and not be swayed by the masses. I'm glad I did but at the same time kind of wish I hadn't waited.
Honestly, I didn't like this book. I loved Simon vs. the Homosapien's Agenda, and I gave that book 5 stars. I loved Leah in that book and I really related with her (the little bit we had of her), and I was super pumped when I found out she was getting her own book. To be honest, I didn't like Leah in this book. I thought she was bitchy and bratty. I didn't like the way she treated people and I especially didn't like the fact that this book was just sooooooo predictable.
Lets first start with her love interest Garrett. I thought he was great! He obviously liked Leah and I thought their interactions were wonderful. I know Leah was trying to figure out her feelings and where she stood with her sexuality, but honestly, I would have been happier if she'd ended up with Garrett, the relationship seemed more real to me and less forced.
Her second love interest and ultimately who Leah chose to be with... Abby Suso. Don't like her... at all. Disliked her completely in Simon's book and couldn't stand her in this book. If we're keeping score I called this relationship back when initially reading Simon vs. I thought about how Abby and Leah interacted and about how "straight" Abby was and I just knew these two would be forced together. I don't like Abby. She doesn't seem genuine her interactions seemed forced and she just doesn't fit with the other characters. Most importantly I feel like this was an insta-love relationship. It was like one minute Abby was straight and in love with Nick and then when she realized that her and Nick would have to do the long distance thing or break up due to going to different colleges; Leah was suddenly an option and she was suddenly good enough. This whole relationship just infuriated me.
All in all, I am extremely disappointed in this book. I love Becky Albertalli and her writing, but this book was a big miss for me. It seemed rushed and almost like she threw it together because she needed a sequel to Simon. I will read her future books but I just can't side with the masses on this one.
Actual rating: 1.5 -- I have the unpopular opinion.
I was super excited to read this book when it came out especially after I read and loved Simon vs. the Homosapiens Agenda. A lot of people read this and were sharing their love of it on Bookstagram and Booktube. With all the hype I decided to put off reading it a bit so that it would be fresh and new for me and I could form my own opinion and not be swayed by the masses. I'm glad I did but at the same time kind of wish I hadn't waited.
Honestly, I didn't like this book. I loved Simon vs. the Homosapien's Agenda, and I gave that book 5 stars. I loved Leah in that book and I really related with her (the little bit we had of her), and I was super pumped when I found out she was getting her own book. To be honest, I didn't like Leah in this book. I thought she was bitchy and bratty. I didn't like the way she treated people and I especially didn't like the fact that this book was just sooooooo predictable.
Lets first start with her love interest Garrett. I thought he was great! He obviously liked Leah and I thought their interactions were wonderful. I know Leah was trying to figure out her feelings and where she stood with her sexuality, but honestly, I would have been happier if she'd ended up with Garrett, the relationship seemed more real to me and less forced.
Her second love interest and ultimately who Leah chose to be with... Abby Suso. Don't like her... at all. Disliked her completely in Simon's book and couldn't stand her in this book. If we're keeping score I called this relationship back when initially reading Simon vs. I thought about how Abby and Leah interacted and about how "straight" Abby was and I just knew these two would be forced together. I don't like Abby. She doesn't seem genuine her interactions seemed forced and she just doesn't fit with the other characters. Most importantly I feel like this was an insta-love relationship. It was like one minute Abby was straight and in love with Nick and then when she realized that her and Nick would have to do the long distance thing or break up due to going to different colleges; Leah was suddenly an option and she was suddenly good enough. This whole relationship just infuriated me.
All in all, I am extremely disappointed in this book. I love Becky Albertalli and her writing, but this book was a big miss for me. It seemed rushed and almost like she threw it together because she needed a sequel to Simon. I will read her future books but I just can't side with the masses on this one.
Louise (64 KP) rated Anna and the French Kiss in Books
Jul 2, 2018
I was pretty late on this band wagon, so late that I almost missed it. I found the delights of booktube this year!( I have been hiding under a rock!) and whenever some one mentioned a book to re read or one that gets you out of slumps etcetera etcetera, This was the one that popped up most of the time or Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell.
I really loved this book, I probably could have read it in one sitting but the fact I had to go to work the next morning made me put it down (I was late for work). I was reading this well into the night as I was unable to put it down, I needed to read more and find out what happened without having a break, to say I was fully invested was an understatement.
Anna is enrolled to go to a College/school in Paris for Americans, she totally doesn't want to be there, but because her dad is a high regarded author in the book world, he wants his daughter to reap the benefits or in Anna's terms... to show off. Being in a foreign country is daunting when there are no familiar people around you and the fact that you have no understanding of the language - Luckily Anna befriends a group of people very quickly, they take her under their wing and help Anna with her French and her way around the city. Among the group is Etienne St Clair, one of the hottest guys at the school - there is an instant mutual attraction, however there is a problem.....HIS GIRLFRIEND!
Anna is a great female protagonist, she starts off naive, shy and comes across as a bit whiney but the great thing as the story goes on you see her develop and act more grown up. I felt sorry for her being forced to school in Paris where she is all alone, when all she wants to do is be at home in Atlanta with her Mum, Seany (brother), Bridgette(best friend) and Toph (Potential love interest).
Etienne St Clair! Well what can I say? He was a complicated character he had so much emotional baggage. He is the heart-throb of the school, everyone wants to be hanging off his arm and there is a lot of bitchiness towards Anna as people notice their closeness. He has this certain aura about him, he has amazing hair, teeth, skin, dresses like a Parisian and not too tall (for some reason this was mentioned a lot) He has a British accent but lives in America and his father is french! He is swoon worthy in short, he blushes, he gets anxious and he isn't a complete douche-bag. He is mature for his age. However his family life is complicated, he's got a girlfriend but he wants Anna.
This book is cute, sweet , fluffy and all the adjectives. The fact that it is set in the City of Love also makes it more romantic. I totally recommend this book if you are a fan of Romance and YA. It is definitely a book you can reread, the writing is so easy to follow and a fast read.
I will be continuing with the trilogy.
I rated this book 5 out of 5 stars
I really loved this book, I probably could have read it in one sitting but the fact I had to go to work the next morning made me put it down (I was late for work). I was reading this well into the night as I was unable to put it down, I needed to read more and find out what happened without having a break, to say I was fully invested was an understatement.
Anna is enrolled to go to a College/school in Paris for Americans, she totally doesn't want to be there, but because her dad is a high regarded author in the book world, he wants his daughter to reap the benefits or in Anna's terms... to show off. Being in a foreign country is daunting when there are no familiar people around you and the fact that you have no understanding of the language - Luckily Anna befriends a group of people very quickly, they take her under their wing and help Anna with her French and her way around the city. Among the group is Etienne St Clair, one of the hottest guys at the school - there is an instant mutual attraction, however there is a problem.....HIS GIRLFRIEND!
Anna is a great female protagonist, she starts off naive, shy and comes across as a bit whiney but the great thing as the story goes on you see her develop and act more grown up. I felt sorry for her being forced to school in Paris where she is all alone, when all she wants to do is be at home in Atlanta with her Mum, Seany (brother), Bridgette(best friend) and Toph (Potential love interest).
Etienne St Clair! Well what can I say? He was a complicated character he had so much emotional baggage. He is the heart-throb of the school, everyone wants to be hanging off his arm and there is a lot of bitchiness towards Anna as people notice their closeness. He has this certain aura about him, he has amazing hair, teeth, skin, dresses like a Parisian and not too tall (for some reason this was mentioned a lot) He has a British accent but lives in America and his father is french! He is swoon worthy in short, he blushes, he gets anxious and he isn't a complete douche-bag. He is mature for his age. However his family life is complicated, he's got a girlfriend but he wants Anna.
This book is cute, sweet , fluffy and all the adjectives. The fact that it is set in the City of Love also makes it more romantic. I totally recommend this book if you are a fan of Romance and YA. It is definitely a book you can reread, the writing is so easy to follow and a fast read.
I will be continuing with the trilogy.
I rated this book 5 out of 5 stars
Jessica - Where the Book Ends (15 KP) rated This Savage Song (Monsters of Verity, #1) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
I’m new to this whole world of YA Fantasy and to Victoria Schwab’s work. This Savage Song has been repeatedly brought up on different BookTube channels and consistently been listed as favorite books by many different people. Schwab has a strong presence in the world of YA. I couldn’t let these recommendations go to waste, so I promptly went to my local book retailer and purchased my copy of This Savage Song. As soon as I got it home I knew I would be reading it right away. I must tell you; this book DID NOT disappoint.
The dystopian elements along with the fantasy elements weave together to create an alternate version of our world for us to escape to. I love the way Schwab created new monsters for us and didn’t resort to the same old monsters of lore. Obviously the Sunai are my favorite of the monsters. The juxtaposition between monsters who were created out of something terrible happening but then essentially working with the humans to keep the peace is a thing of beauty. She provides a fresh perspective. Imagine a monster that only need sing to steal your soul and kill you, or with a couple of strokes of the bow on a violin, you’re done for. These ideas just blew my mind. A fresh idea to stand out among all the rest. The best part for me was the fact that Schwab didn’t feel the need to overload the book with needless killing just to prove how cool the Sunai were. You see some a couple of kills in the first half of the book, but she teases you throughout the second half of the book leaving you craving to see what happens when a Sunai goes dark.
It bears mentioning the other two monsters in this story the Malchai which are solitary predators that use blood as a form of sustenance. They are weakened by sunlight and to me are like a vampire’s second cousin. Then you have the Corsai which move in swarms like a massive shadow and feed on flesh and bone. They have a hive mentality and everything they do is driven by fear.
This book focuses on two main characters Kate and August. They are from opposing families. She is portrayed as hard and guarded. August, is a Sunai and just wants to be human. These two characters are shoved together under the worse of circumstances and they learn to trust and rely on each other. Many times, throughout this book I found myself comparing them to Romeo & Juliet; however, Schwab doesn’t play the romance card in this book. I thought I was going to be upset about that, but in the end, I think it was smart because it would have detracted from the deeper relationship formed and the story wouldn’t have meant as much, in my opinion. There are several supporting characters like Ilsa, Henry, and Emily that I hope to learn more about in the Our Dark Duet.
I can’t wait to read Our Dark Duet, and I will have it as part of my March reading list for sure. I’m a huge fan of Schwab’s writing style and the depth of her characters. I’ve also added Vicious to my TBR as well as her upcoming book City of Ghosts.
I would love to hear everyone else thoughts about this book, or Schwab’s other books.
The dystopian elements along with the fantasy elements weave together to create an alternate version of our world for us to escape to. I love the way Schwab created new monsters for us and didn’t resort to the same old monsters of lore. Obviously the Sunai are my favorite of the monsters. The juxtaposition between monsters who were created out of something terrible happening but then essentially working with the humans to keep the peace is a thing of beauty. She provides a fresh perspective. Imagine a monster that only need sing to steal your soul and kill you, or with a couple of strokes of the bow on a violin, you’re done for. These ideas just blew my mind. A fresh idea to stand out among all the rest. The best part for me was the fact that Schwab didn’t feel the need to overload the book with needless killing just to prove how cool the Sunai were. You see some a couple of kills in the first half of the book, but she teases you throughout the second half of the book leaving you craving to see what happens when a Sunai goes dark.
It bears mentioning the other two monsters in this story the Malchai which are solitary predators that use blood as a form of sustenance. They are weakened by sunlight and to me are like a vampire’s second cousin. Then you have the Corsai which move in swarms like a massive shadow and feed on flesh and bone. They have a hive mentality and everything they do is driven by fear.
This book focuses on two main characters Kate and August. They are from opposing families. She is portrayed as hard and guarded. August, is a Sunai and just wants to be human. These two characters are shoved together under the worse of circumstances and they learn to trust and rely on each other. Many times, throughout this book I found myself comparing them to Romeo & Juliet; however, Schwab doesn’t play the romance card in this book. I thought I was going to be upset about that, but in the end, I think it was smart because it would have detracted from the deeper relationship formed and the story wouldn’t have meant as much, in my opinion. There are several supporting characters like Ilsa, Henry, and Emily that I hope to learn more about in the Our Dark Duet.
I can’t wait to read Our Dark Duet, and I will have it as part of my March reading list for sure. I’m a huge fan of Schwab’s writing style and the depth of her characters. I’ve also added Vicious to my TBR as well as her upcoming book City of Ghosts.
I would love to hear everyone else thoughts about this book, or Schwab’s other books.